The Netherlands is Europe’s most efficient agricultural nation and the continent’s leading exporter of food products. Dutch farmers rely on cuttingedge technology to make the most of their valuable farmland. The country is also renowned for its strong business acumen and prudent financial management—qualities that are equally evident among its agricultural entrepreneurs. Valtra has been present in this demanding market since the early 1980s. Last year, our market share reached 5.5% of all new tractor registrations, amounting to slightly more than 2,000 units.
50 years of serving Dutch farmers
One of Valtra’s bestknown and oldest dealers in the country is P. Kriesels Landbouwtechniek B.V. This familyowned company celebrated its 50th anniversary at the end of January. Founded by the parents of the current owner, the business now spans three generations. Piet Kriesels leads the company, which currently employs more than ten people. Piet’s mother still participates in the administration, and his wife Adrienne as well as both sons work in the company, while the daughter has pursued a career outside of it.
The company is based in the province of North Brabant, between Zeeland and Belgium in the southern part of the Netherlands. This region has a long tradition of diverse openfield specialty crop cultivation. Dairy production also plays a significant role, which is why the Valtra’s N Series has been an important model for years. Recently, however, demand for higher horsepower has increased, and several Q Series tractors have been delivered by Kriesels.
As the main attraction of the 50th anniversary, Kriesels’ recently expanded their showroom and workshop facilities were filled with tractors and implements. The opendoor event, organised in cooperation with suppliers and customers, resembled a full exhibition. It showcased an impressive range of modern technology and attracted a large number of visitors throughout the celebration days.
In addition to stateoftheart machinery—including the new Valtra G Series CVT—the event also featured a Valmet 1502, - a tractor almost as old as the company itself. This unique sixwheel machine was brought from Finland specifically for the anniversary, and the importer Mechan will also use it at several other events in the Netherlands.
Decerning farmers require integrated technologies and expert knowledge
Piet Kriesels explained that farmers and contractors in the region are typically well educated and multilingual, which makes them open to new methods. For example, automatic GPS steering was adopted as early as the beginning of the millennium—long before Valtra Guide. However, when it comes to new technologies, customers are highly critical, as their finances cannot tolerate poor investment decisions. This places significant demands on us as machinery dealers, who could just as well be described as system suppliers.
New machinery or methods must be suitable for the customer and must provide clear benefits. The dealer must be able to integrate the tractor and the implement into a fully functioning system. This often requires configuring the machines to work together before delivery, as well as providing handson instruction in real operating conditions together with the customer. Without such support, sales of more advanced equipment simply won’t happen. But, as the Kriesels’ team reminds us, a fair cost for this supporting work must be included in the delivery price.
One must also always be prepared for the unexpected. Customers need to be confident that service and replacement parts are guaranteed from day one. Even a brandnew machine may be missing a feature, or a software bug may appear only after a few hours of use. In such cases, according to Kriesels, the dealer must be ready to assist immediately so that work can continue. At the same time, spare parts availability must be ensured throughout the machine’s entire lifespan. A Dutch customer will not wait until after the weekend—they need help right away. There must always be a phone number that is answered and where assistance is available, no matter the time of day. Of course, breakdowns outside office hours are not pleasant for anyone. That is why proper user training and preventive maintenance are essential parts of risk management for both the customer and the dealer. A wellstocked inventory of spare parts also helps in problem situations.
Farmers are best served by a strong, financially sound, dealer with well-trained staff
Dutch farmers and contractors also value the success of their business partners. If the dealer is financially sound and continuously developing its business, it means improved service availability for customers in the future as well. A strong dealer with welltrained staff can also provide the latest technology and expertise. New innovations from manufacturers reach customers quickly, creating a mutually beneficial relationship where both sides can learn and develop.
P. Kriesels Landbouwtechniek B.V. has evolved from a small workshop into a thriving business employing more than ten fulltime professionals. Its growth has been fuelled not by expanding its geographical territory, but by supporting customers’ development with increasingly efficient machinery and modern working methods. Today, the company represents a portfolio of premium manufacturers, with Valtra and Kuhn standing as its most prominent partners.
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