JJ Limited and Merlo New Zealand: a new South Island partnership built for real work
There are certain machines that quietly earn their place on New Zealand farms because they solve problems every single day, across every season, without making a fuss. Telehandlers sit firmly in that category.
JJ Limited has been appointed as Merlo New Zealand’s new South Island dealer,strengthening local support for farmers and contractors.
They are not a luxury. They are not a “nice to have”. For plenty of farmers and contractors, they are right up there with tractors and loaders as one of the most relied-on pieces of gear on the yard. That is exactly why the news that JJ Limited has been appointed as Merlo New Zealand’s new South Island dealer matters, because it is about much more than a badge on the gate. It is about putting the right people behind the product and backing Merlo’s capability with a dealer that understands what the South Island demands.
Merlo New Zealand represents a renowned Italian manufacturer with a global reputation for designing innovative telehandlers recognised for their stability, safety, visibility and efficiency. With a range that serves agricultural, construction and specialised applications Merlo has never chased gimmicks. Instead, the brand has earned its reputation through genuine engineering and practical, real-world performance. This focus is why Merlo machines are a familiar sight in operations where space is limited and efficiency and reliability are essential.
This new partnership with JJ Limited is a strong step forward for South Island customers and it signals a commitment from Merlo New Zealand to invest in local coverage, parts back-up and aftersales support. JJ Limited is a South Island owned and operated business, with decades of experience in the farm machinery industry and a focus on the sale, repair and supply of parts for tractors and farm machinery implements across Southland, Otago and Canterbury. It is also a business built around the reality that service is not a slogan. It is the difference between getting the job done and watching an entire day disappear while the weather window closes.
For those who have not dealt with JJ Limited before, they will already be known to many through their footprint across the island. The company operates from branches in Invercargill, Gore, Mosgiel, Cromwell, Timaru, Ashburton and Christchurch giving Merlo customers a genuine regional network that matches how South Islanders work and travel. That reach matters, because a telehandler does not just lift bales. It lifts the pace of the entire operation. When it is down everything backs up behind it. Having a dealer that can respond quickly with parts, technicians and practical advice is as important as the specification sheet.
Merlo’s strength in New Zealand has always been that its machines are built for multi-purpose work, which is exactly what modern farm yards demand. One day it is shifting wrapped bales and loading feed, the next it is handling bulk bags, moving fertiliser, stacking pallets or lifting posts then it might spend half a season on a construction site or in a civil application. That crossover is becoming more common, especially for contractors and larger farms that run diversified operations. Merlo’s product range is designed to suit those realities and it gives customers options across different lift capacities, reach requirements and power classes with a strong emphasis on stability and safe operation.
The other advantage of Merlo and one that is sometimes underestimated until you run one for a while, is how much a good telehandler can reduce the wear and tear on people. Operator comfort, control layout, visibility and smooth hydraulics all matter when the machine is being jumped in and out of constantly throughout the day. If a telehandler is jerky, awkward to see out of or tiring to run, it becomes a daily irritation. If it is predictable, stable and comfortable, it quietly becomes one of the best investments on the farm, because it keeps people moving and keeps the work flowing.
That is why the dealer relationship is so important. Merlo’s machines are sophisticated bits of equipment and like any modern machinery, they deliver their best results when they are properly set up for the job, correctly maintained and supported by a team who understands the difference between a quick fix and the right fix. JJ Limited is well placed to provide that support and it brings a culture that aligns with Merlo’s approach, which is about doing the job properly not just making it look good in the brochure.
This new South Island dealership arrangement will be front and centre at Southern Field Days where JJ Limited will be representing Merlo New Zealand on site, backed by the wider Merlo team. Southern Field Days remains one of the most important fixtures on the calendar for the lower South Island, and it is the kind of show where people do not just look at machines. They interrogate them. They measure them up against their own yards, their own bale stacks, their own staff and their own budgets. It is where the conversation shifts from theory to reality.
Merlo New Zealand will be supporting JJ Limited at the event with Managing Director Michael Lombardo and National Sales Manager Chris Wilson in attendance, reinforcing that this is not a token dealership announcement but a genuine investment in customer relationships and long-term support. That presence matters because it shows that Merlo’s leadership is willing to be on the ground, listening to farmers and contractors, understanding what the South Island needs and making sure the dealership and product offering is aligned with those expectations.
For Merlo New Zealand appointing JJ Limited as the South Island dealer is a statement of intent. It is about building a dealer network that can support customers properly, not just sell machines. For JJ Limited, it is an opportunity to bring a proven telehandler brand into a service-driven business that already understands the pace and pressure of South Island agriculture. And for customers it should mean better access, stronger regional back-up and more confidence that when they invest in a Merlo, they are not doing it alone.
The best machinery partnerships are the ones that feel obvious once they are in place. This one has that feel. Merlo has the product. JJ Limited has the footprint, the experience and the commitment to service. Together, they should give South Island farmers and contractors exactly what they want from a telehandler brand: capability in the yard and support when it counts.