Seymour Caravans & Trailers celebrates 40 years

Dan said he still remembered what the business was like back in the day.

“We were a heck of a lot smaller than what we were now,” he said.

“Originally, there was my mother and my father and myself.

“But now there’s six of us, so we’ve certainly got bigger and bigger over the years.”

Dan said his favourite part of the job was turning a pile of steel into a caravan or trailer.

“A truckload of steel turns up, and then a few days later, you’ve got these creations that you’ve made,” he said.

“Whether it’s a little six-by-four trailer ... or whether it’s a stock trailer, you’ve just got a pack of nothing, which seems to become something.”

Dan said the secret to maintaining and growing a business was to have the incentive to do the right thing.

“We do good-quality work, and I think we’ve got a fairly good name,” he said.

“Obviously, the more experience, the better you get at the job, I suppose.”

Though Seymour Caravans & Trailers has been around for 40 years, it hasn’t always been easy.

Dan said the business faced different challenges, including out-of-town competition.

“The biggest challenge I suppose we have is freight costs,” he said.

“Manufacturers in, say, Melbourne get a lot of their stuff free in the store.

“That’s because locally, there’s more competition for the parts suppliers.”

Despite that, Dan thinks competition is an excellent thing because it keeps everyone honest.

“So to have customers return to Seymour Caravans & Trailers, it’s best to give quality service,” he said.

“We always have our high standards. Everyone makes mistakes, and things do go wrong from time to time, but you do your best to fix it.”

To people planning to open a business this year or soon, take advice from the veterans.

“Ask lots of questions, and make sure the business is going to work in the area,” Dan said.

“That’s probably the biggest thing.”