New Maschio Gaspardo UK operation expands product offering
With a dedicated premises and a team of experienced staff, Maschio Gaspardo’s new UK subsidiary is set to hit the ground running.
The move to establish an independent UK branch has primarily been driven by a desire to see the Italian company’s full product range offered to dealers across the British Isles.
Following an agreement with current Lincs-based importer OPICO Ltd that will see a staged handover to ensure continuity of parts and service back-up, Maschio will extend its portfolio to include new lines such as state-of-the-art weigh-cell fertiliser spreaders, mounted and trailed sprayers, no-till direct drills, hedge-cutters, balers, mower conditioners and inter-row cultivators to name but a few.
Although new to the UK, these high specification implements have been available throughout the rest of Europe and beyond for a number of years and as such are well proven in the field.
By adding these extra product ranges to Maschio’s core lines of power-harrows, rotovators, combination drills, flail-toppers, precision-drills and ploughs from 1st November, the company will bolster its offering to its existing dealer network. By providing dealers with access to the entire portfolio they will then be able to offer a wider range of options to their valued customer base.
A key part of the process has been in recruiting dedicated staff capable of backing up the dealer network. An experienced service team is already in place lead by a service manager to assist in all aspects of warranty and technical support. Alongside this the regional sales staff are supported by a BASIS-qualified product manager who will offer firm advice to farmers and growers.
Given how crucial parts back-up is, the warehouse team are equipped to ensure the correct stock of spares is held, picked and distributed in a timely manner. One of the key objectives for Maschio Gaspardo UK’s commercial and finance managers is to support dealers in budgeting and placing orders. Marketing personnel will provide the network with advice and resources for social media outlets and sales promotions.
Heading up the UK operation is managing director Warren Rivers-Scott who has plenty of experience of bringing previously unseen brands and product lines onto the UK market.
“By widening our product offering from just six or seven lines previously to over 27 we have a great opportunity to help our dealers grow their businesses,” he explains.
“From my previous roles I’m fortunate in having a wide knowledge of the UK agricultural machinery business and am determined we will find a way to work with every dealer to find a path to success.”
Aside from the dedicated support team, the other crucial element in establishing the new UK operation has been in finding well-positioned premises. Maschio Gaspardo has secured a 20,000 square foot facility close to the A1/A46 intersection in Lincolnshire that will accommodate an administrative headquarters as well as warehousing and stock storage. Located on an industrial estate shared with distribution specialists DHL, TNT and APC, it is ideally positioned for the rapid dispatch of parts to all corners of the UK.
The intention is that from time to time the facilities will also be used for dealer sales and service training.
“With the 1st November deadline for the handover of distribution fast approaching, with the new site and staff in place we are well positioned to hit the ground running,” says Mr Rivers-Scott.
“Although we had a strong presence with new product lines at the Cereals event in June, at LAMMA in January customers will get the opportunity to experience a whole raft of Maschio Gaspardo equipment not previously seen before in the UK.
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