forest talk
Brandt Group to acquire Agrowquip NZ THE BRANDT GROUP OF COMPANIES HAS REACHED AN agreement to acquire the assets of Agrowquip NZ. The acquisition combines the strong local presence of Agrowquip with Brandt’s existing locations across the North Island to create a network of John Deere dealer locations that runs from Cape Reinga to Wellington. The deal will provide the industry’s broadest support infrastructure for customers throughout the North Island, delivering products, parts and service. “Bringing Brandt and Agrowquip’s locations together on the North Island under one banner allows us to make a more significant investment in the facilities, tools and people to meet the growing needs of our customers, now and in the future,” says Brandt CEO, Shaun Semple. “As a family-owned and operated business, we like to put down deep roots, investing for the long term, and that is our plan here in New Zealand.” Already an established John Deere agricultural equipment dealer in New Zealand, Brandt’s foray into the forestry and construction sector is familiar ground for the company. From humble beginnings with a single location 30 years ago, Brandt has grown to become John Deere’s leading forestry and construction equipment dealer worldwide. The company owns and operates 130 dealerships worldwide, including 23 John Deere Ag stores in Australia and New Zealand as well as 56
John Deere forestry and construction dealerships across Canada. Mr Semple says the company’s experience in the forestry, agriculture and construction sectors will enable it to deliver the quality products and industry-best support services that New Zealand equipment owners need to help them to compete successfully. In addition to delivering a full suite of John Deere products, Brandt provides over-the-counter parts availability supported by an in-country central parts warehouse. The agreement is subject to due diligence and customary closing conditions. NZL
New forestry championship “FORESTRY IS A HUGE PART OF RURAL AOTEAROA. IT IS ONLY fitting that we celebrate its role by creating a championship highlighting the skills required to drive forestry machinery,” says New Zealand Rural Games Founder, Steve Hollander of the inaugural Golden Loader Forestry Championship to be held as part of the Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Games in Palmerston North on Sunday, 12 March. “It has been a long-term ambition of the Rural Games to host a forestry championship alongside traditional sports that helped to build our nation,” he adds. The Championship, funded by the Forestry Growers Levy Trust and organised by the Southern North Island Wood Council, will feature a competition in which two competitors race against each other and the clock to load and unload a truck and trailer unit in The Square. Team members from John Turkington and McCarthy’s Transport will manage the Championship. Southern North Island Wood Council Chief Executive Officer, Erica Kinder, says the Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Games provides forestry with an excellent opportunity to lift the sector’s profile. Forestry is growing, and currently contributes $6.6 billion to our economy and employs between 35,000-40,000 people, she says. Tony Groome MNZM manages the Golden Loader Forestry Championship. He is a forestry manager with a long history in the sector, alongside Rural/Urban Fire and Land Search and Rescue. “Only those who live near forestry blocks or work in the sector get to see this type of action, so it’s great to showcase it in the
heart of Palmerston North and to the rest of the country through the Rural Games and TV3,” he says. Entries are limited to 24 and only those who currently work in the sector and have their loader ticket can participate. Ms Kinder says the Southern North Island Wood Council is also taking the opportunity to highlight all the skills required to make a successful forestry career, providing young people with an “invaluable hands-on opportunity” to test their knowledge and learn new skills about forestry. NZL
Logging site at Stormy Point in Rangitīkei.
12 NZ LOGGER | February 2023
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