I started working with my Dad in our hometown of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia at the tender age of 14.  My Dad was a concreting contractor, and that is where I attained my knowledge and passion for all things concrete. 

I later teamed up with my brother Brian, relocating to Orange, New South Wales, and we began our own concrete construction company handling all types of concrete installation.  I also installed some landscape kerbing/garden edging, which was purchased in metre straight sections from a landscape supplier but found it limited the landscape design and was very time consuming and expensive. 

We later used formwork, and this also proved time consuming.  I knew there had to be a better way, and in 1973 I began working on some ideas…

I had no idea I was about to start a landscaping revolution.

Several months later a machine evolved. It was made out of scrap bits and pieces that I could find in my shed and put together.  The gear box I used was previously used to operate the theatre stage curtains at the Capital Theatre in Sydney, Australia in the 1960's. The electric motor that powered the machine came out of an old Hoover washing machine, and the wheels were off an old Victa lawnmower.  The steering and hand jacks I made out of old water pipe, and the two winding knobs were off old carpenters wood planes. The machine extruded 100mm X 100mm concrete kerb/edging.  I still have this machine today and it is still in working order.

First machine built in 1973.

My brother Brian and I sold our concreting business in Orange and I moved back to Wagga Wagga, where I began installing landscape kerbing and also worked on improving my inventions.

Every kerbing installation created new challenges for the kerb machine.  I designed the split-level so the machine could work in a narrow trench, and the slide steering evolved when I was laying kerb alongside two garden beds that were planted with rose bushes.  These are some of the challenges I had to overcome in trialing the machine out in the field.

In 1978 I finally had a kerb machine ready to launch onto the marketplace under the name of Kerbmate Industries Pty Ltd and I got my big break when I was invited to appear with my invention on a TV show called "What'll They Think Of Next" on Channel 9 in Sydney, Australia.  I soon had sales all over Australia and later began to export to several other countries across the globe.

I have marketed my machinery at trade shows throughout the world including Germany and the United States and my invention has created thousands of jobs and business success stories worldwide. 

In 1987 my wife Kerin, our five children and I moved to Queensland and created "Borderline Queensland".

I found one of the biggest problems was digging out the trenches around existing garden beds to lay the kerb.  This was done by hand and was very time consuming.   There was no machine on the market to do the cutting out, so I went to work to invent a machine to dig the trench out quicker and easier.  I designed what is now known as the S700 turf /sod cutter. This machine goes hand in hand with the kerb machine. It allows you to dig the trench along existing garden beds without damaging the garden.

I also pioneered the pattern stamped kerbing when I invented a machine that not only extruded kerbs, but also stamped a pattern at the same time.   In late 1988, I then went on to design the first pattern hand stamps, designed specifically for garden edging, and then went on to also design the first decorative pattern rollers.  I now manufacture the largest range of hand stamps and stamp pattern rollers for kerbing/edging in the world.

Another invention for which I own the patent rights to is the 'Borderlight' rope lighting in kerbing.  It can be installed in any part of the kerb and is a beautiful feature in any landscape at night.  Kerbing companies install thousands of metres using the 'Borderlight' system every day, and thousands upon thousands of metres of kerbing are installed worldwide using my innovation.

Now others claim they were the first, but I not only invented but also developed Kerb Machinery Australia (manufactured by Borderline Queensland) into what it is today. I still own patent and design rights in Australia and internationally for many extruded concrete kerbing machinery and associated products.

I am still involved in the research and development of new and innovative kerbing and associated products which will be coming on stream in the near future.

TV INVENTORS SHOW 1981

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KERB MACHINERY AUSTRALIA PRODUCTS ARE MANUFACTURED BY BORDERLINE QUEENSLAND

Richard with the first concrete edging machine (built 1973)

Richard featured in the Wagga Daily Advertiser at the Home Garden Show 1979 (click to enlarge)

Richard was invited to appear with his invention on a TV show called "What'll They Think Of Next" on Channel 9 in Sydney, Australia (click to enlarge)

The above 3 photos are done by Richards Kerb machine over 30 years ago

Call us on 0437 961 512 to discuss your kerb machinery requirements.