Norwood expands construction offering with XCMG partnership
Norwood is set to expand its presence in New Zealand’s construction machinery market after reaching an agreement to distribute equipment from Chinese manufacturer XCMG.
The partnership will see C B Norwood Distributors bring XCMG’s heavy construction machinery range to New Zealand, initially focusing on excavators of 12 tonnes and above and wheel loaders of six tonnes and above.
The move represents a significant expansion of Norwood’s construction equipment offering, adding larger machines alongside the compact construction machinery already available through its existing supplier relationships.
XCMG is China’s largest construction machinery manufacturer and ranks among the world’s top three construction equipment manufacturers by revenue. The company operates across 190 countries and has more than 80 years of manufacturing experience.
Norwood General Manager John Skurr says the scale and history of the manufacturer were important factors in the new partnership.
“We’re excited to be bringing the XCMG heavy construction equipment range to our customers. This is a world-leading global manufacturer with USD14.2 billion sales last year across 190 countries. They’re also backed by over eighty years of experience – a length of time similar to Norwood’s presence in the New Zealand market,” says Skurr.
While Norwood has long been associated with agricultural machinery, the XCMG agreement gives the company an opportunity to strengthen its position across civil construction, earthmoving and other heavy equipment markets.
Norwood Key Accounts Manager Hamish Lim says the larger XCMG machines will complement the company’s existing construction offering.
“XCMG’s higher weight classes will sit alongside products from Norwood’s existing construction machinery supplier and allow us to become a one-stop-shop for compact and heavy classes of equipment,” says Lim.
“That means we can be the supplier of choice across a larger range of equipment for our customers in civil construction, earthmoving, roading and waste management.”
The addition also broadens a Norwood machinery portfolio that already extends from tractors and agricultural implements through to hay and harvesting equipment, mowers, power equipment and compact construction machinery.
“XCMG is a fantastic addition to our product portfolio and makes Norwood the most complete machinery supplier in New Zealand. With options across the full horsepower range of tractors, agricultural implements for cultivation, hay and harvesting equipment, mowers for lifestyle and turf management, power equipment, and compact and now heavy construction machinery, Norwood has a product range and a retail network that is hard to beat,” says Skurr.
XCMG’s wider international range extends beyond excavators and wheel loaders to include road construction machinery, concrete equipment, mining equipment, aerial work platforms and hoisting machinery.
The manufacturer has been operating since 1943 and today has a presence across 190 countries, supported by more than 300 distributors worldwide. XCMG says its machinery incorporates more than 1,000 core technologies across its various product areas.
For New Zealand customers, Norwood’s initial approach will be more targeted, with larger excavators and wheel loaders forming the first stage of the new partnership.
The first shipment is expected to arrive in late spring and will initially be based at Norwood’s Auckland and Christchurch dealerships. Further stock is expected to arrive in the New Year, with machines available to customers nationally through Norwood’s construction equipment sales network.
Norwood currently operates 18 sales, parts and service locations throughout New Zealand, providing a nationwide support network as the company introduces the XCMG range to the local market.
For contractors, the partnership adds another option at the heavier end of the construction machinery market. With the first machines due before the end of the year, New Zealand operators will soon have an opportunity to see how XCMG’s larger excavators and wheel loaders perform in local conditions.