My Italian Link - Issue #09 My Italian Link Issue #09 | Page 46

46 BUSINESS EXCELLENCE IN ITALIAN AGRIMACHINERY -- ITALIAN AGRICULTURAL PROWESS Agricultural machinery producer New Holland (a brand owned by CNH) imports numerous tractors and farming machines into South Africa each month. The company has benefited from the exceptional reputation that Italy already has in the agricultural sector. Italy has several well-known agricultural machinery brands. Wherever you go in the world, you’re likely to see an Italian brand in agricultural areas, claims business director Federico Bellotto. At this year’s Nampo show in May the company launched its new CR6.80 combine, SP333 sprayer and construction machines. The company boasts a wide product range including tractors, combines, calers, sprayers, grape harvesters and implements. Their product range is an area in which they hold an advantage over their competitors. The main focus of the company is to of- fer quality equipment and integrity, combined with structured marketing activities like finance campaigns. GETTING CLOSER TO SOUTH AFRICAN FARMERS New Holland has succeeded in increasing its South African market share significantly in the last year, ever since it invested in the country in 2017. Bellotto explains that the company’s in- vestment has allowed New Holland to increase its performance and visibility, while getting closer to South African farmers. “With the largest range of equipment available, New Holland ca- ters for the expanding fruit, nut and citrus farmers by means of five speciality ranges. Furthermore, we are very proud of our TD5 front-end loader range specifically aimed at the dairy industry.” The equipment is kept at the company’s stock pad in Durban, before being sold to end customers or transported to one of the company’s 22 distributors. New Holland’s office in Centurion employs over 30 people res- ponsible for parts, marketing, sales, service and network deve- lopment. Moreover, the Centurion offices act as a base from which to serve much of the SADC region, including Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, and Namibia. “South Africa is the biggest agricultural country in the African continent and it is the most sustainable of all African countries. When we check the agricultural numbers and total industrial volume for agricultural machines the numbers are increasing year by year. These are the main reasons New Holland invested in the South African market and committed to South African farmers,” Bellotto muses. ADVANCING MARKET SHARE “Historically, the New Holland brand has had a steady market share in South Africa, but since we started in South Africa, market share has increased significantly,” explains Bellotto. Because of currency volatility, increasing costs, lack of subsidies and low commodity pricing the South African farmer is diversifying in many ways in order to minimise risk. “Owing to the company’s investment in the country, New Holland has increased their product mix in South Africa and will continue to work towards increasing its presence in the country. New Holland is definitely here to stay, and will continuously offer a quality and complete product range to our dealers and end cus- tomers,” Bellotto concludes. For more information, visit www.newholland.com/za 47