Such has been the success of the Massey Ferguson brand in the Delmas, Mpumalanga region that AGCO Africa appointed M&F Bemarking as a dealer over a year ago. A family-owned business, M&F Bemarking was established more than 20 years ago as a specialist agricultural equipment and tool supplier.
Derek Whitehorn, who has been in the area for 40 years, now works with son-in-law Morne van Heerden as General Manager. Morne says the switch from a rival dealership to the French-manufactured Massey Ferguson Beauvais range has allowed M&F Bemarking to enter the high horsepower market segment, which is ideal for the Delmas region. “The parts availability is excellent, based as it is on a just-in-time basis. We have also found that the AGCO Africa team, comprising its product specialists, area manager and technicians, together provide an exceptionally high level of service.”
In fact, Morne points out that AGCO Africa’s main warehouse hub for the continent is a mere 40 km away from Delmas, which means that M&F Bemarking can quite easily offer its customers a same-day service for any parts or spares it might carry in its own extensive stockholding. M&F Bemarking has four certified technicians with their own vehicles for any fieldwork, in addition to four over-the-counter salespeople at its main office to assist walk-in customers. Any additional repairs or maintenance is carried out at the dealer’s fully equipped workshop facility.
“We are privileged to have a dealer of the quality of M&F Bemarking onboard with us,” comments Dr. Dominik Reus, Managing Director, AGCO Africa. “The farmers around here have been keen to have Massey Ferguson represented, so we embarked on an extensive search to find the right business partner that fits in with our vision and ethos, which is to put the farmer first.”
Parts availability is therefore critical, with AGCO Africa putting in behind-the-scenes work to ensure it has sufficient spares stockholding whenever the demand arises. “While Covid-19 had a major impact on global supply chains, we have been proactive and forward-thinking to ensure our stockholding was not affected, which gives both our dealers and their customers peace of mind,” says Dominik.
Jacques van Coller, who grew up in the Delmas area and currently farms with grains such as maize and soya, acquired his first tractor from M&F Bemarking in 2008. “About a month-and-half ago, I contacted Morne to inform him we were on the lookout for a new tractor. He suggested we look particularly at precision farming, and we were impressed at the options he was able to offer us.”
Jacques van Coller, local farmer from Delmas and Morne van Heerden, General Manager of MF Bemarking.
Commenting on his two latest MF 7700 Series tractors, Jacques says that what stood out for him most is that all implements are simply plug-and-play, which means the tractors are fully kitted out for his specific farming requirements from the get-go. “You buy tractors that are immediately ready for your needs, as well as the fact that they are user-friendly and simple to operate.”
Jacques also highlights that he does not have any other tractor on his farm that can match Massey Ferguson in terms of fuel efficiency and the lowest total cost of ownership. In addition, the lead time for his new equipment from Beauvais in France was quite short, meaning he took ownership of his new machines far quicker than anticipated.
Martin Krog, who farms in the Delmas area with lucerne and oats on an alternating five-year cycle, has known Morne and his father-in-law for years. “We were on the lookout for a tractor specifically with a cutter option, due to the type of farming we are engaged in. We discussed our options with Morne, who suggested the MF 8700 Series, as it has sufficient power for this application, even with the baler installed with its cutting blades. The dealer visited us personally at our office on the farm, and we sat and designed our tractor there and then using the AGCO ASK system.”
Martin Krog, local farmer from Delmas and Morne van Heerden, General Manager of MF Bemarking.
Dominik concludes that AGCO Africa’s strategy to become closer to the farmer has paid huge dividends in terms of dealers with the reputation and integrity of M&F Bemarking. “The agricultural industry is tough enough as it is, without having to worry out about the robustness of your equipment or the ready availability of aftermarket support. Our partnership with M&F Bemarking is ample testament to the success of this approach, and we are guaranteed to walk a long path together in the years to come.”
AGCO Africa is always on the lookout for new dealers in South Africa. We encourage potential dealerships to contact us to discuss their business plan.
This year Massey Ferguson, a worldwide brand of AGCO (NYSE:AGCO), is excited to announce a fresh look for its iconic Triple Triangle logo and its new ‘Born to Farm’ brand identity in celebration of its 175th anniversary. MF has offered farmers around the world straightforward and dependable machines since its inception. Few global brands can claim such a lasting impact in the agricultural industry.
MF 7700 Series tractors are fully kitted out for your specific farming requirements.
In support of the farming community, Massey Ferguson has an extensive network of over 35 dealers covering the whole of South Africa, catering for parts, service, aftersales and new sales. Potential customers interested in the MF range can obtain all information from www.masseyferguson.co.za. Upon completing the contact form, potential customers will have the video, brochure and dealer contact details sent to their WhatsApp and email within 30 seconds.
