AFGRI broadens its footprint in the west

Agricultural equipment provider AFGRI Equipment Australia has flagged it will expand its WA footprint in the wake of unveiling its new metropolitan headquarters.

Speaking at the grand opening of AFGRI Equipment’s premises at South Guildford last Thursday, board chairman Patrick Roux revealed the State’s biggest John Deere dealership planned to open three more WA sites.

AFGRI, which is yet to confirm where the three proposed premises will be based, already has 14 locations across WA including at Boyup Brook, Carnamah, Lake Grace and Moora.

Globally, the company has 42 branches across Australia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Ghana.

Mr Roux travelled from South Africa to Perth for the event and said AFGRI viewed WA as a viable growth market.

“We are opening the Perth facility today and in the next 24 months you will see three more facilities open,” he said.

“There are a lot of goals we have to grow the business.”

AFGRI boasts a more than 60-year association with John Deere and holds all of the American machinery manufacturer’s franchise agreements.

Under the agreements, the South African-founded firm can stock, supply and service John Deere’s CCE — compact construction equipment — agriculture, golf, turf, construction and forestry products.

“We are very proud to have accomplished this,” AFGRI Australia operations director Gollie Coetzee said. “We are the only company in the southern hemisphere which has the all of the franchise (agreements) John Deere has to offer.”

John Lagemann was among John Deere’s American representatives to venture to WA for the opening of AFGRI’s new Perth facility.

Mr Lagemann, the John Deere US ag and turf division senior vice-president, spruiked the importance of research and development investment to improve a product range.

“We have never spent more money on R&D on a daily basis than we have today,” he said. “We are investing in machinery and are also investing in technology, artificial intelligence and data.”

Last year, John Deere spent about $US1.66 billion ($A2.4b) on its R&D program. Mr Lagemann also trumpeted AFGRI and John Deere’s long-standing relationship, while lauding AFGRI’s Australian expansion.

“When it comes to investments, if you look at the number of investments (AFGRI) have made in WA ... they are betting on the future so (customers) can become more successful,” he said.