Vermeer Australia’s new purpose-built facility has opened for business, on a 10,800 m2 site in the Melbourne suburb of Derrimut (VIC).
The new premises have been purpose built to meet the unique logistical and space requirements of a Vermeer dealership, and is set to become the flagship among their five locations spanning the eastern seaboard of Australia.
Sheryl Richardson, project manager of the build and fit-out in partnership with Texco Construction, describes the brief in developing the first of Vermeer Australia’s bespoke dealerships said:
“We sought a location that would enable us to store, service and showcase the full product range and create an engaging showroom experience that not only presents our products, but also communicates the story of Vermeer and our brand promise. The diversity and physical size of the Vermeer product range necessitated a large showroom space, and this one is roughly half the size of a football field.
“The other key logistical consideration was proximity to Melbourne’s freeway network, it’s airport and commercial centres, as well as accessibility of the facility to large vehicles. We’re now approximately 15 minutes from the airport and 20 minutes from the Melbourne CBD, and located in a thriving new commercial precinct.”
The new location is also uniquely positioned between two nature reserves, ensuring that it will never be built out by other businesses.
A dedicated selling space
Developing the new dealership from the ground up meant being able to shape the facility around an evolved sales experience for Vermeer customers. The dedicated 850 m2 showroom space features themed spaces dedicated to key industries, reflecting current Vermeer’s industry solution based brand proposition.
These spaces will be adapted as industries and Vermeer’s offering evolves to ensure relevance to our markets. Another key consideration was the provision of a retail experience that really engages with our Parts and Arbor customers.
An after sales space to match
The parts warehouse features purpose built racking to suit the range and quantity of parts inventory an international Vermeer dealer needs, and a significant area is devoted to storing Vermeer machines prior to sale. The separation of storage and showroom space means each can be utilized more efficiently, the need for which has become apparent in recent years as inventory holdings have increased.
The workshop area has been planned around the ability to service large volumes and the largest of Vermeer’s products, with dedicated exterior product testing areas.
A blueprint for future expansion
The new Melbourne facility is an exciting step forward for Vermeer Australia, with both customers and the business sure to benefit from the significant investment in the region. In line with the business’ 26C year history of never standing still, plans are already underway for the next investment; a new location for the Brisbane dealership.
Vermeer Melbourne at a glance
Vermeer Australia is part of the worldwide dealer network of Vermeer Corporation, a manufacturer based in Pella, Iowa, comprising over 3,000 people in 60 nations. We deliver real impact on our customer’s productivity and profit through the provision of high quality construction, environmental and surface mining equipment and the support of a nationwide network of factory trained and certified dealerships.
