European Claas For Kiwi Farmers

For immediate use – Monday February 2

European Claas For Kiwi Farmers

Landpower, the New Zealand-owned importer of premium European agricultural machinery, is going against economic trends to raise its investment and profile in the coming year.

Landpower dealerships across Australasia will each soon be re-branded to become known as a CLAAS Harvest Centre, to better reflect their focus on European-made CLAAS agricultural machinery and its acknowledged superior after-sales service.

Landpower CEO Richard Wilson says “This is a natural evolution for Landpower. The CLAAS product line is now broad enough to build a profitable dealership. Combining CLAAS with complementary product from Amazone and JCB means the Harvest Centre in each farming district will provide premium European farm machinery, with support from factory-trained service and parts technicians.”

He says both Landpower and CLAAS are family-owned companies with significant turnover, established reputations for excellence, family-based values and a positive long-term view of the farming industry.

“Both companies recognise the worldwide trend of dealerships becoming exclusive and will work more closely together to further what we believe are the best brands of farm machinery. There will be no change to dealership ownership or structure. Great equipment is only as good as service and parts back-up, so while the paintwork and signage may change, the people and philosophy will not. “

BACKGROUND FACTS

Landpower Group

• Founded more than 32 years ago in Southland and still privately owned by founder Herby Whyte and his family

• Employs approximately 200 staff throughout New Zealand and Australia

• Has an annual turnover of over $150 million

• Has 13 dealerships throughout New Zealand and a partnered network dealership with more than 60 outlets in Australia

• In 2008 alone, Landpower imported approximately 850 containers of new farm machinery, parts and associated equipment, half of which came into New Zealand. In addition Landpower imports large machinery, such as
• combine, forage and potato harvesters, large tractors and balers

• Landpower is New Zealand’s exclusive importer, sales and after sales service agent of Amazone, CLAAS, Grimme and JCB farm machinery. Each of these brands is a significant, global, family-owned and operated business

CLAAS Group

• CLAAS was founded in Germany in 1913 and is still privately owned by the founder’s family

• Employs 9100 staff and last year had a turnover of NZ$6.9 billion

• Represented in more than 140 countries worldwide

• Each year spends more than NZ$300 million on research and development for new machinery technology, operating efficiency gains for new machinery and after-sales service delivery to customers

• Holds a 55% market share of all Forage Harvesters sold worldwide and 27% of all Combine Harvesters sold worldwide

• In 1987 CLAAS appointed Landpower as its exclusive importer and after-sales service partner in New Zealand and has two permanent staff in Australasia to provide continuous on-site technical sales and service support to Landpower

ENDS

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