Scania New Zealand has brought forward the termination date for its commercial relationship with approved service dealer CablePrice.
A two-year notice period was originally announced in August last year, but this has now been revised to March 2021 and marks the end of a 30-year partnership between the brands.
Scania New Zealand managing director Mattias Lundholm says customers can expect a “seamless transition” of service, with Scania maintaining an ongoing service-workshop presence across all of the affected locations.
“Scania’s renowned quality customer service remains our top priority, so it will be business as usual for our customers regarding access to Scania servicing and parts in their local areas.
“We will be making a further announcement very soon regarding plans and timelines around Scania’s future presence in the specific locations of Whangarei, Gisborne and Hastings.”
Lundholm says the company continues to build and has as a “very exciting” growth period ahead.
Meanwhile, CablePrice chairman David Harvey says it’s “business as usual” for CablePrice’s equipment divisions and its South Island Daimler dealerships.
“Our business is going through a period of change as we exit our Scania agreement, manage impacts from the end of our dealer agreement with John Deere Forestry and Construction, deal with the ongoing effects from COVID-19 and optimise our operating costs,” he says.
Harvey says the changes are aimed at positioning the business for a more sustainable future.
He says CablePrice is proposing to close its branches in Whangarei and Gisborne, close its North Shore site, and close its commercial vehicle operations in Auckland, Rotorua, Palmerston North and Hastings.
It is proposing to establish local service dealer agents in Whangarei and Gisborne to support customers there, and to focus its North Island operations on expanding its construction machinery retail business.
“Our Japanese owners, Hitachi Machinery Construction Company, are supportive of our plans and are backing us to turn the company around and secure new business growth and opportunities,” Harvey says.
The company is in a strong position in the South Island, where it has been experiencing significant growth through new agreements with Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner, Fuso and Detroit, he says.
