In 1906, Johann Carl Wilhelm Ahrens (Wilhelm) set up a blacksmith shop at Sheaoak Log, just north of Gawler. His son, Bill, later joined the business and for almost 50 years they serviced the surrounding community, shoeing horses and repairing farm machinery and equipment. In the early 1950s, Ahrens began manufacturing and erecting steel-framed farm buildings and later added silos and field bins to its range of rural products. Through some of its major rural clients, Ahrens was given the opportunity to work on several large feedmill projects, providing structural steel, storage and handling equipment to the stockfeed and bulk handling industries. The company quickly established a reputation for this type of work and subsequently set up its own Materials Handling division, with regional offices north of Adelaide, SA and in Toowoomba, QLD.

In 1998, the opportunity to purchase the SA and Victorian business of Sherwell Holdings caught the attention of the Ahrens family. While the company's focus had changed in the early 1990s, Ahrens was keen to once again become involved in the manufacture of agricultural products. The acquisition was successfully completed and the Ahrens/Sherwell combination began manufacturing silos, field bins and other products from its factories at Sheaoak Log, SA and Nhill, VIC. In 2010, Ahrens celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Sherwell business, which was established in 1960 by Raymond Sherwell.

Following the purchase of the SA and Victorian Sherwell operations, Ahrens further expanded its range of rural products by acquiring three more rural-based businesses. In 2000, Ahrens acquired Webster's Silos in Oakey, QLD, in 2002 it purchased M&S Steel Buildings in Goombungee, QLD and finally in 2007, Ahrens acquired F. Miller & Son (FAMSON) in SA. Significantly, each of these companies was family owned and operated and considered to have a culture compatible with Ahrens. Once these businesses had been integrated, additional products were added to Ahrens' range, including large elevated silos, customised grain handling equipment and a range of carports, garages and rural and industrial sheds.