AFGRI and John Deere have a relationship that spans 56 years. However, that partnership has now expanded since Hitachi Construction Machinery (Australia) [HCMA] announced last month that it would cease distributing John Deere’s earthmoving and construction products.
“The success we’ve enjoyed with the John Deere agricultural range in Western Australia, combined with our outstanding service levels and ethos, as well as excellent customer relationships and our extensive retail network in Australia, encouraged John Deere to approach us to manage its construction and forestry equipment retail network in the region,” Patrick Roux, chairman of the board of AFGRI Australia said.
AFGRI will initially operate across five strategically placed branches in the state: Geraldton, Albany, Esperance, Boyup Brook and Perth.
According to Roux, this deal is in keeping with AFGRI’s strategy for diversification. “Western Australia is experiencing a good level of infrastructure development and construction activity, which AFGRI Equipment is eager to tap … to increase market share,” he said.
“We will endeavour to look after the construction and forestry customers to the best of our ability, backed by our strong track record and a proven commitment to Western Australia. We aim to bring the same passion we have for the agricultural sector to the construction and forestry equipment ranges.”
The deal will be effective as of 1 May, 2019.
“With the contract now signed, we are very enthusiastic to prove ourselves worthy of this appointment and have already actively started to recruit and appoint specialist staff, so we can get off to a cracking start come 1 May,” Roux said.
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Eastern states dealer
RDO Equipment has been appointed the authorised John Deere Construction & Forestry dealer in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. It is part of the broader RDO Equipment Co, headquartered in the US, with international partnerships in Africa, Mexico, Russia and the Ukraine, as well as Australia, where it works with local agricultural dealer Vanderfield and Vermeer Australia.
According to the RDO website, when the company takes over from HCMA on 1 May, it will “assume the responsibility of supporting more than 1600 machines sold since 2010 in the geographic area we will begin serving”.
A representative for RDO Equipment could not be contacted for further comment before deadline.
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