Weiler forestry brand to arrive in NZ early in 2020
EXPECT TO SEE THE FIRST EX-CATERPILLAR forestry machines carrying the Weiler brand to arrive in New Zealand early in 2020.
A representative of the Weiler factory was in New Zealand recently to meet Gough Cat to discuss latest details of the product rollout and he also took time out to chat with NZ Logger.
It’s nearly a year since the decision by Caterpillar to sell its Cat purpose-built forestry business to Weiler Inc, except for forestry excavators. Negotiations of the final agreement, plus due diligence wasn’t concluded until quite recently, but production under the new owner is now set to start at the beginning of September.
“We are very anxious to start production because the purchase was announced last August and it has been a slow, but necessary process,” says John Ferraris, International Sales Manager for Weiler Inc. Production was also affected because of changing from one company’s system to another.
“We already have lots of orders coming from many markets, including here and you’ll see them come into New Zealand at the beginning of next year.”
As part of the change-over, Gough Cat will take on the distribution of Weiler-made forestry products alongside its Caterpillar line-up, saying it remains strongly committed to supporting its forestry customers and the forestry industry.
Caterpillar will continue to provide purpose-built forestry excavators designed for log loading, processing and other forestry applications, in addition to supplying core Caterpillar equipment to the forestry industry.
Meanwhile, Weiler will design and manufacture purpose-built track fellerbunchers and skidders, which will be sold under its own name.
The sale to Weiler included the purposebuilt forestry product line consisting of wheel skidders, track feller bunchers, wheel feller bunchers, knuckleboom loaders and related operational facilities, along with the manufacturing plant and warehouse in LaGrange, Georgia, the demonstration and training centre in Auburn, Alabama and the legacy Prentice parts distribution centre in Smithfield, North Carolina.
Founded in 2000, Weiler has a long-standing history of successfully manufacturing purpose-built equipment distributed through the Cat dealer network and currently produces an extensive portfolio of products, such as paving machines.
Mr Ferraris is no stranger to the Gough Group, because Weiler already supplies equipment from its other lines of construction and mining products for sale in New Zealand, and he visits the country on average two or three times a year. This latest trip, which coincided with the HarvestTECH 2019 event in Rotorua, concentrated on smoothing out the transition and preparing for the introduction of Weiler forestry equipment to this market.
Don’t expect any changes to equipment when the first Weiler machines arrive early in the New Year, says Mr Ferrarris.
“To start with we will be taking exactly the same product as it was,” he adds. But things will change in the future.
“Over the last few months we have met a lot of dealers and clients and asked them what they like and what they don’t like and we have a ‘to do’ list and our aim is to continue improving the product because that is most important.
“First thing is to look at the manufacturing process and to increase the product volume to ensure we can meet demand. We will be looking to expand the range of product available, so different sizes of existing machines. Maybe some bigger machines and some maybe a bit smaller. Depends on the market.”
Mr Ferraris says customers can also expect to see Weiler personnel attend machine deliveries to build relationships that will help with development of future products.
“We want to get ongoing feedback from the client,” he says. “When you are developing new machines, the feedback from the field is very important and that can take time to get back to the engineers in the factory unless you have that direct contact.”
Weiler has taken on all the 200 employees who worked for Caterpillar building those machines at the LaGrange factory and the Aubrun demonstration and training centre. Separately, Weiler employs 500 at its Knoxville, Iowa-based corporate office and manufacturing facility.
Mr Ferraris says the aim for Weiler is not to build the cheapest equipment but look to be the best.