Partnership family affair

WA gets its second major new farm machinery dealership in two years when the new CLAAS Harvest Centre Esperance opens its doors for business on March 1.

The opening is part of a staged rollout of CLAAS harvest centres in the State after a distribution partnership between family-owned German original equipment manufacturer CLAAS, family-owned Landpower and family-owned agribusiness giant Wellard.

With major agricultural, livestock and business interests, the agribusiness enterprise expanded its operations to include Wellard Rural Services and became a retail farm machinery dealer when it took over operations of the CLAAS Harvest Centre Katanning in November 2009.

CLAAS Harvest Centre Esperance will be a full retail sales, parts and service support hub for the CLAAS range of combine harvesters, tractors, telehandlers, Greenline hay equipment and tillage equipment.

CLAAS and Landpower are programming the launch of new advanced harvest, tractor and Greenline technology during the next two years.

Star performers out of Esperance in 2011 will be the big new-generation CLAAS Lexion 700 + Terra Trac series of combine harvesters which rolled out for the first time in WA during last year’s harvest.

CLAAS Harvest Centre Esperance will sell and support a complete line-up of tractors, including the revolutionary new XERION 3800VC multi-function 4WD CVT tractor and general purpose CLAAS units, from 55kW/75hp to 392kW/525hp, CLAAS telehandlers and round and square balers.

Germany’s Amazone spraying, tillage, high speed seeding and spreading equipment along with France’s Gregoire-Besson line-up of mouldboard ploughs and cultivators will be available through the centre also.

Landpower Australia director Merv George, who has been the principal architect of the partnership between the three parties, said access to the new technology was exciting news for producers in the Esperance region.

“The Esperance opening is the next step in a strategic ongoing roll our program designed to dramatically change the machinery Landscape in WA during coming years, ” he said.

Mr George paid tribute to the contribution made by former CLAAS dealership PH Kerr, of Esperance, which sold and supported the brand in the region since the 1980s.

Wellard Rural Services operations manager for the CLAAS harvest centres, Terry Reilly, said the CLAAS Harvest Centre Esperance opening underscored the company’s belief in broadacre agriculture and its determination to build and maintain strong relationships with primary producers, industry leaders and innovators

“As an Australian-owned family business, Wellard wants to promote and participate in agriculture’s bright future along all parts of the value chain, ” he said.

“Regional producers can expect unprecedented levels of after-sales support from our team of factory-trained service technicians and parts specialists including increased parts stock for the 2011 season.

“We are building up for a big season in Esperance with staff and CLAAS stock moving into the new site at 729 Hills Street this week and developments and information will be communicated to Esperance customers during following weeks.

“We have been well received by the customers we have talked to so far and with the key support of Landpower and CLAAS personnel, we can put the experts on the ground from the start.

“I am looking forward to getting out with Esperance producers over the next few weeks.”