Yanmar takes back retail sales in France

Yanmar Construction Equipment Europe has taken over retail sales of its products in France from former joint venture partner Amman, although Ammann will continue to sell Yanmar to key accounts and big rental companies in the country.

Thierry Sauvageot, Yanmar's marketing director, told IRN that over the next six months Yanmar would talk to Ammann's dealers in France to discuss if they want to continue selling Yanmar's products to retail customers or not. Yanmar will also appoint its own retail dealers where necessary.

The end of the formal agreement in France is a further consequence of the closing of the European joint venture between the two more than a year ago. The commercial impact on Ammann will be relatively minor, since the vast majority of its business in France is with key accounts and rental customers, to whom it will still be selling.

Mr Sauvageot said Yanmar now had a good opportunity to grow its retail sales in France.

At the intermit show, meanwhile, the company launched a swivelling bucket version of its C30 tracked dumper, to add to the fixed bucket version. This brings the 2500 kg payload C30 into line with the larger C50 model that was already available as a fixed or swivel machine.

Also new on the stand was a two-part boom version of the SV1000-1 excavator, the company's 10.3 t rated machine. The two-part boom - which gives operators a wider bucket operating envelope as well as a lower profile - is particularly popular in France, Scandinavia and Germany.

Mr Sauvageot said there was a possibility that the same boom design could be migrated downwards to the 8 t Vio8 excavator, although there is no time schedule for that.

The company also used the show to launch its new all yellow company livery and new branding.