The Merlo range plays a major part in the success of Melbourne Tractors, which prides itself on offering only the best construction equipment.
Melbourne Tractors is somewhat of an institution in Victoria, having become a household name in the local construction and agriculture sectors over the better part of four decades of operations.
With its head office located at Somerton in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, and branches at Dandenong, Ballarat, and Terang, the family-owned business keeps growing apace, firmly focused on supplying its customers a broad variety of world-class machines, complemented by quality parts and attachments.
Earthmoving Equipment Magazine met with General Manager Peter Keley to chat about how the company has progressed over the past couple of years, as it emerged from the COVID lockdowns which had affected most businesses.
Indeed, it’s been that long since we last caught up with him: back then, in 2022, Peter had been with the company for 18 months, and with the pandemic causing uncertainty, he couldn’t have had a tougher baptism of fire.
But he quickly found out that the solid foundation Melbourne Tractors was built on not only effectively navigated the COVID- related challenges, but also helped it emerge in a stronger position than before.
Peter said while its service ethos was a key contributor to success, there was no denying that offering a top-notch product line-up was a main attraction for both new and existing customers.
Among Melbourne Tractors’ product portfolio, the Merlo range of telehandlers has always been a standout performer.
The bright green machines stand out not only visually, but also in terms of what they can do in a wide variety of applications, due to their ability to carry out jobs that other machines would not be able to perform.
“From a business point of view, it doesn’t matter want industry you are in, or what product you sell, you need to feel some emotion towards it,” Peter said.
“The same goes from the customer side when making purchasing decisions. There is always an emotional element to any purchase.
“Merlo makes a strong connection with both the rational and emotional sides of business and purchase decisions.
“On the emotional side the design and colour just makes the product stand out in its category. It is easy to feel proud of being associated with Merlo.
“Then on the rational side, the key things that Merlo offer that are extremely important to customers is superior visibility and cabin space and comfort.
“These items are very apparent with your first interaction with the machine. Also
of course, the strong construction of the machine provides the durability which is so important in the ownership of any machine.
“So the strong initial interest from the customer stems from the striking design. After that customers get drawn in by how easy the machine is to operate on a daily basis due to the visibility and comfort.
“All of these positives are elements that the customer/operator can judge by themselves and don’t have to rely on someone’s word.
“As our own experience has grown with Merlo, we are then able to draw on that to provide customers with the information that they need to know about the maintenance and durability aspect of the product. It all becomes a very compelling proposition.”
Peter said Merlo drew on a long history of innovative product development stretching back to 1964 – focused on the development of versatile, safe and comfortable machines.
“The Merlo range is decked out to thrive in a variety of conditions, with operators able to confidently tackle different tasks knowing that the machines have been designed to keep on powering through,” he said.
Peter said demand for the Merlo range, which spans a wide variety of telehandler models, remains consistently strong, with new product arrivals highly sought after among Melbourne Tractors’ customer base.
“Most of the time, our biggest challenge at the end of the day with Merlo is meeting demand for the product,” he said.
“It’s a good problem to have in as much that as soon as the product lands here it’s sold.
“Merlo has been a strong performer for Melbourne Tractors had has played a significant role in our growth as a business over the last few years.”
Peter said the greatest volume model for Merlo has been the P27.6.
It may be the smallest model in the compact telehandlers family, but its reputation is mighty.
The lifting height of just under 6m combined with high manoeuvrability enables maximum material handling performance even in small spaces.
Equipped with the exclusive Merlo cab, with built-in Load Management System as standard, it guarantees the most spacious and comfortable driving position available on the market.
And the large glass surface, the level of soundproofing and the exclusive roominess allows operators to work to the best of your abilities, reducing fatigue and guaranteeing maximum safety.
“The P27.6 reaches a maximum speed of 40 km/h, which allows you to drastically reduce the transfer times. Furthermore, the transmission does not require gear changes,” Peter said.
“This telescopic handler can be granted tractor type approval, ensuring maximum versatility for a range of uses.
“As soon as we get one, it is always sold almost straight away.”
Tree wise men
As well, there has been demand for Merlo’s new range of rotating telehandlers.
“Recently we sold a ROTO 50.26, which is just an amazing machine for its versatility and performance,” Peter said.
This new family — with load capacities of either 5t or 7t — allows 360° operation thanks to their rotating turrets, which offer a greater range of action compared to a fixed telescopic handler.
The machine — which Melbourne Tractors attached a GMT050TTC grapple saw to — was acquired by ATC Land Management in Essendon, a leader in the urban tree care industry.
The business has been in the arbor industry for more than 35 years, and offers services ranging from full tree and stump removal through to mulching, chipping, stump grinding, pruning, and arboricultural reports.
Owner and director Tom Salt, a climber and seasoned professional, said while tree works can require a light touch, where possible he would incorporate his heavy machinery to assist with the work.
“This not only reduces the time of man hours for the works, but also reduces the fatigue and increases worksite safety,” he said.
It was this business strategy which led Tom to go looking for a suitable telehandler/ grapple-saw outfit, ending up with Australia’s first new Merlo Roto with the GMT attachment.
“With the Merlo/GMT we’re trying to utilise both being able to do the job safely and efficiently, and also to limit the need for outside trades, cranes and EWPs. We’re trying to streamline everything so we can do a bit more in-house,” he said.
Melbourne Tractors sales representative Shaun Pollard said Tom’s tree care management, and the two products, the Merlo and the GMT, worked hand-in-hand.
The Merlo weighs just over 17t. It’s a big machine with a lifting load capacity of 5t and a lifting height off its telescopic system of 25.9m. It also has a maximum reach at ground level of 22.9m,” he said.
“And this thing’s capable of getting into some really intricate areas.
“Safety is also important. Tom and his team were doing jobs manually were they had ropes and they’d sling themselves up the tree with a chainsaw. He’s much safer from doing this work from inside the cab.”
And so far the equipment is doing everything expected of it.
“There’s a few really good features on of Merlo/GMT rig. The stabilisers let me set up in some pretty cool spots where I couldn’t get a crane, and it still has good capacity to do what I wanted and needed it to do,” Tom said.
“I’m rapt. It’s well worth the investment.”
Shaun said ‘roto’ in the name meant the machine offered continuous rotation on the top of the operating station.“Tom can continuously turn 360° on a turntable and get in to some really tight spaces, and he has the ability to park the machine in a safe area, or in a tight-spaced area, and then reach and lift to height to work with that GMT grapple saw to bring down branches and heavy bits and pieces safely.”
Peter said this was an example of how Merlo had introduced new standards in the field of telescopic handlers for the construction sector and by expanding the product range with new contents, adapting more and more to the needs of different users.
Parts and parcel
As a Merlo dealer, Melbourne Tractors stocks a comprehensive level of spare parts.
“We always support the technical training offered by Merlo Australia, ensuring that we have the knowledge within the dealership to deal with the challenges that may get thrown up from time to time by our customers,” Peter said.
“If needed, Merlo Australia is just a phone call away, and in very rare situations we are also able to call on Merlo in Italy. This support gives confidence to our team to effectively deal with any situation should it arise.”
Summing up, Peter said selling was always a confidence game.
“We find Merlo extremely supportive and flexible in its assistance to help us meet the needs of customers in the telehandler segment of the market,” he said.
“This then gives our frontline team the confidence to actively promote the Merlo product. “Our emphasis on superior customer service, backed by experienced and knowledgeable staff, help us stand out in the marketplace.
“And this is why we are building the volume and presence of Merlo in the Victorian market that we are responsible for.”