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Independently-owned JCB CEA dealer CNE Ag Innovations has expanded its footprint in Western Australia, aiming to use its local knowledge to grow both tractor and telehandler sales.
Being “genuine country people” and providing specialised service by focusing on specific brands might sound like a simple formula for a dealership, but it has proven to be a winning one for CNE Ag Innovations and JCB CEA.
The Western Australian dealer has announced an expansion of its JCB catchment area from the Esperance district in the state’s south – to now take in both the Avon Valley region and an area it is dubbing the ‘western wheatbelt’ that encompasses towns such as Moora.
It is a logical step for CNE Ag Innovations, with father and son co-owners Bryan and Dylan Crane being recognisable faces in the Avon Valley region, having previously farmed in the area.
Having sold JCB products in the state’s south for about 18 months, CNE Ag Innovations is proud that they continue to grow while remaining both independent and family-owned – in a farming landscape increasingly being swallowed up by large dealership groups.
“We’re just genuine country people that are passionate about the farming community in Western Australia,” Dylan says.
“There’s been a big shift in not just farming becoming more corporatised, but in the machinery industry as well, hence it opened up some opportunities for an independent like ourselves to come in.
“We’re not a corporatised business, it’s still only my father and I that own the business and we have a clear plan in place to try and grow and support the farmers in the areas.
“We used to farm in that area, so we know the area really well.
“We know a lot of the people and have a great network through that area and it’s pretty exciting for us.”
CNE Ag Innovations owners Bryan and Dylan Crane. Image: CNE Ag Innovations
The traits that CNE Ag Innovations highlights about itself have also been praised by JCB CEA’s dealer network general manager Paul Barry, who believes CNE’s focus on customer service and specialised nature makes them an ideal partner for the brand.
“I think CNE are the new dealer of the future,” he says.
“They’re a dealer that’s a bit more of a specialist rather than a generalist.
“We’re not looking for them to be a one stop shop, rather they’re specialising with their sprayers and material handling and are really good at it.
“For them, customer service is the ultimate thing rather than having something for everyone.
“Bryan is from the farm so they really understand what their customers need from a machinery dealer and we hold them in very high regard.”
Meeting needs
CNE Ag Innovations’ expansion means it will be catering to two distinct groups – broadacre growers in the Wheatbelt region plus farmers on the smaller properties more common in the Avon Valley.
This creates opportunity for two major JCB product lines – telehandlers and Fastrac tractors.
Dylan says JCB telehandlers have been the most popular product with existing customers in the Esperance region, something which he expects to continue in the dealer’s new areas, while also seeing plenty of growth opportunities for the Fastrac tractors.
“JCB telehandlers have good market share in the country,” he says.
“There are also a lot of the tractors out there, but people have generally got into a JCB telehandler first and then explored the idea of the Fastrac.
“With our expansion, I think it will be a similar pattern because there is a lot of hay in those areas.
“There’s still a heap of work for a telehandler to do, and it’s such a diverse, flexible machine.
“You can get attachments for basically everything now to fit on a telehandler, so I think the telehandler is the one that that will be the most prominent throughout that Avon Valley.
“We also see a heap of growth with Fastrac. It’s such a comfortable, flexible tractor around that 330 to 350 horsepower mark.
“You can’t put a price on the comfort of the thing if you’re sitting in all day. That’s where it comes into a class of its own.”
Fastrac tractors are an area in which CNE Ag Innovations sees growth. Image: CNE Ag Innovations
Product focus
The jewel in the crown of JCB’s tractor range is the Fastrac 8330 iCON.
It is a powerful beast designed for broadacre environments, boasting a 348hp (260kW) engine and 1450Nm of torque.
Arguably its most impressive feature is its maximum speed of 70km/h, enabling farmers to get between paddocks considerably quicker, while doing so in a tractor praised for its superior comfort.
The Fastrac 8330 iCON also has a 10,000kg rear lift capacity to handle the most demanding of implements, while the smaller Fastrac 4220 iCON still offers an 8,000kg lift capacity.
That smaller tractor gives operators a 235hp (175kW) engine and still has the same 70km/h maximum speed and impressive operator comfort as the 8330.
JCB’s iCON concept relates to its new touchscreen display and armrest console.
This technology-packed suite gives operators fully integrated ISOBUS connectivity, precise GPS guidance and implement control applications, all of which are controlled through a new 30cm colour touch screen display.
JCB’s telehandler range is diverse, designed for a wide variety of industries and to be applicable anywhere in Australia.
Honing in on the manufacturer’s agricultural models reveals a selection of sizes and capacities designed to suit both broadacre and smaller operators.
The largest telehandler offered by JCB is the 560-80, which offers a powerful 145hp (108kW) engine, 5,500kg lift capacity and 7.9m maximum lift height.
In addition to being its most powerful telehandler, the 560-80 offers an impressive 6.7 tonnes of breakout force and has also been designed in a way that its wheelbase is no larger than any of the other machines in its range.
It is also fitted with a Z-bar linkage, which forms what JCB describes as its toughest-ever telescopic boom.
JCB also offers the 542-70 telehandler, which has a maximum lift capacity of 4,000kg and lift height of 7m while also being powered by a 145hp (108kW) engine.
The 560-80 is JCB’s largest agricultural telehandler. Image: JCB CEA
It is available in many configurations, including the top-end Agri-Pro model which boasts a two-in-one variable transmission that enables seamless transition from hydrostatic to powershift transmission.
One South Australian farmer who Farms & Farm Machinery spoke to last year said the 542-70 Agri-Pro helped to cut their working hours by about 30 per cent while producing 45,000 hay bales.
Other telehandlers in JCB’s agricultural range include the 532-60 and 525-60.
These offer lift capacities of 3,000kg and 2,500kg respectively, with maximum lift heights of 6.2m and 6m and engines capable of 109hp (81kW) and 74hp (55kW) respectively..
United front
CNE Ag Innovations has thrived since joining the JCB CEA dealer network about 18 months ago, and Barry is full of praise for how they have represented the brand.
“They’ve hit every mark we’ve set them so far,” Barry says.
“The Western Australian machinery market has been very depressed the last 12 months off what has been extraordinary highs, but through all of that CNE has outperformed what we thought they would do.
“What they’ve been able to do with the Fastrac products has stood out.
“They have very quickly got their head around the concept, they’ve spent hours and hours demonstrating products to customers and will continue to do so.
“The Fastrac does need that ‘bums in seats’ approach and they’ve done extremely well in doing that.”
From the dealership’s perspective, Dylan says the quality of product combined with JCB’s reputation makes it a brand he is proud to be associated with, saying he is excited for what lies ahead.
“It’s an incredibly well renowned brand already and it’s a premier product which is what we like,” he says.
“It’s a quality machine and something which is important to us is JCB is still a family-owned business – there are a lot of values that align with our business.
“We’re also not starting from scratch and we’re not bringing a new product because there are already a lot of machines out in the market already and a big client base, so it’s about us getting out and supporting them.
“We’re really proud to put our name to a quality product.”
CNE Ag Innovations’ head office and warehouse is at 52 Mordaunt Circuit in the Perth suburb of Canning Vale. They can be contacted on 1300 026 604 or via www.cneaginnovations.com.au
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