STARCO appoints distributor AGRIEST key partner in France

STARCO’s strategic transition to become a stronger partner with dedication to the OEM customers requires a different business model when it comes to serving the replacement market.

“Today, we have primarily aftermarket that supports our OEM business, not traditional ‘wholesaler’ aftermarket as we used to have,” explains Thomas Ballegaard, Chief Commercial Officer at STARCO. Examples of this are STARCO’s European trailer centre and solid tyres sales in selected markets. “In general, we focus on partnering with national distributors and making partnerships that creates value for them, us and the end-user.”

In France, the new partner and national distributor is AGRIEST, a part of the Sterenn & Co Group. They were established in 1980 in Scey-sur-Saône in the Eastern France and swiftly took up a leading position as supplier of spare parts and farm equipment for the agricultural industry in France, one that they still hold today. They also supply various spare parts for other industries.

“We look forward to the arrival of the stock to start promoting the range in our dealer network. STARCO’s products portfolio allows us to complete our range of tires and wheels and is in line with our position. We are seeing a strong demand for these products in the aftermarket. It is, as a specialist, our purpose to bring the solution to the market.” says Aurélien Royer, Product Manager at AGRIEST.

The agreement allows AGRIEST to offer their customers the STARCO product range – except for made-to-measure and dual wheels. This will primarily be wheel and tyre solutions for tractors, utility vehicles and agricultural implements, including wheel kits for instance Iseki, Kubota and CNH Boomer compact tractors, as well as the newly launched HT Pro for hay tedders and the HS Flotation for implements. The wheel and tyre solutions for lawn and garden will be handled by PVP, a subsidiary of the Sterenn & Co group.

“This is a major milestone for us. AGRIEST is a great partner, because they are as passionate about delivering the optimum solution to the different applications as we are in STARCO. I am also pleased to experience their level of technical know-how and professionalism,” says Frédéric Ivancich, Segment Director for Agricultural Implements, Tractors and Utility & Ground Care at STARCO.

For STARCO’s OEM customers the partnership means that their customers get easier access to spare parts in the French market.

Last week AGRIEST hosted an internal product training, where STARCO presented the range. One of the participants says: “I am hopeful, that we can gain a lot of good business with the former STARCO aftermarket customers, which STARCO has served with high service and great professionalism over a long range of years,” and Royer adds: ”The STARCO range gives us a great advantage in the French aftermarket, especially with regards to the segments of agricultural as well as lawn & garden, but also hi-speed.”

AGRIEST is a part of STERENN & CO that employs more than 270 people and has a yearly turnover of EUR 153 million.