Canadian machinery maker and dealership giant, Brandt Group, expects to take control of South Australia's Wickham Flower and Company's four John Deere dealerships by July 1.
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The buy out means the Brandt Group of Companies will own 23 John Deere dealerships across Australia and New Zealand.
The move is the latest in a series of overseas acquisitions by family-owned Brandt based in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Last October it made a big expansion push taking over 64 agriculture, transportation, and materials handling sites under the Cervus Equipment Corp banner in Canada, Australia and NZ.
Wickham Flower's footprint includes Bordertown, Keith, Mount Gambier and Naracoorte and a customer base extending into Victoria.
Brandt's Canadian-built grain handling and cultivation equipment has been sold in Australia for 30 years, but chief executive officer Shaun Semple said the company was "ready to roll up our sleeves and earn the loyalty of our new customers".
Its expanded retail footprint would offer more farmers greater access to a comprehensive lineup of Brandt-manufactured augers, belt conveyors, chaser bins, heavy harrows and more, plus a full range of John Deere agricultural, turf, golf and compact construction equipment.
Following last year's takeover of Cervus Equipment Corporation, Brandt became Canada's largest equipment dealer network.
Wickham Flower dealer principal, Vaughn Colwill, said the values that had driven his family company's success for nine decades would continue under the new ownership,.
"Like Brandt, Wickham Flower has a proud history dating back 90 years and we are excited to have this strong foundation to build on."
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Andrew Marshall
Andrew Marshall is the group agribusiness writer for ACM's state agricultural weeklies and websites. He is a former editor at The Land and has worked in various Rural Press group roles in Canberra, North Richmond (NSW) and Toowoomba (Qld).
Andrew Marshall is the group agribusiness writer for ACM's state agricultural weeklies and websites. He is a former editor at The Land and has worked in various Rural Press group roles in Canberra, North Richmond (NSW) and Toowoomba (Qld).
