Merlo Australia’s NSW dealer STM Trucks & Machinery (STM) recently hosted an open day at its Queanbeyan branch, and Merlo’s green telehandlers were out in force.
As Merlo Group Australia continues to expand its dealership network across the country, so too is it strengthening ties with those which have supported the Italian telehandler manufacturer for years, such as dealer STM Trucks & Machinery (STM).
With more than 35 years of industry experience, STM is a family-owned and operated business that has always aimed to be more than just a dealership. Offering an extensive range of new and used trucks, top-of-the-line construction equipment, and even in-house finance brokerage, STM is a one-stop shop for businesses looking to purchase, maintain, or upgrade their heavy machinery.
From its headquarters and primary dealership in Smeaton Grange, Western Sydney, STM has become well known primarily as a dealer of Kobelco excavators. But there’s also another shade of green on offer: the distinctive hue of Merlo telehandlers.
Ross Forsyth, Regional Sales Manager at STM, says the Merlo telehandlers are an important part of the dealer’s range, and one that encapsulates STM’s dedication to supplying only robust, trustworthy machinery.
“We don’t deal in anything at STM that’s going to let us down,” Ross says. “And we’ve always worked closely with our OEM partners in the background to make sure things are going the right way for everybody.”
Ross says Merlo telehandlers have always had their dedicated supporters in both the local construction and mining spaces, but he’d be keen to ramp up support for the Merlo product range in the Canberra region – an area catered to by STM’s branch in Queanbeyan, where Ross is based.
Lifting the game
A recent open day at the Queanbeyan branch was aimed at kicking off just such a push. And with Ross’s enthusiasm for growth on their side, Merlo Group Australia was keen to get its green machines in front of the local market.
“They’d never really been part of an event like this,” Ross says. “But since I’ve come on board with STM, they were keen to bring a handful of Merlo machines down here to show off.”
Ross says STM’s Queanbeyan branch was previously lacking a sales representative who was prepared to focus on Merlo telehandlers as well as Kobelco excavators.
“There’s always been a following with the Merlo equipment down here, but they’ve never really had the right person in the position to be able to do both,” he says.
And the Merlo team knew what they were getting, too: Ross came on board with STM in February 2023, having previously worked at CJD Equipment with Merlo Group Australia’s now Managing Director, Michael Lombardo.
“With the Merlo gear in the Canberra area, it’s mostly been used in the construction sector,” Ross says. “But one of the main reasons for my position here was down to my having a lot of contacts in the agricultural and mining sectors. So, I’ll be looking to push the Merlo range strongly in those areas in 2024.”
Local support
According to Merlo Group Australia, the Canberra region will soon benefit from the recently released TF27.6 EE4, a compact telehandler with a height of 2020mm, which has replaced the popular P27.6. And for customers pondering the upgrade, or a brand new addition to their fleet, Ross wants customers to know that local service is also a priority for both STM and Merlo.
“All service capabilities are managed by STM for all Merlo equipment that we sell,” he says. “We’ve actually got a young fellow moving down here soon, specifically to help with the service of Merlo’s machines in the area.”
For the time being, Merlo’s customers are in good hands with Ross, but he looks forward to the opportunity to push Merlo equipment harder in the near future.
“You’ll find that a lot of people in the area already have a fair idea of what they want, and will come in requesting a specific model for their application,” he says. “I’ll talk them through it, find what they’re after, then liaise with STM headquarters to sort out a price and a quote.
“And over the next year or so, once we’re able to secure stock locally, we’ll be able to streamline that process dramatically. That will be good for our customers, good for us, and good for Merlo too.”
For more on Merlo Australia, visit: www.merlo.com/aus/en
