Icelandic agent for Case

Case has signed an agreement with an Icelandic company to act as its sole distributor in the country.

The distributor, Vélaborg Vörumeðhöndlun, is working as a sub-dealer in collaboration with Danish dealer SD Kjærsgaard.

As a result of the agreement, Gröfuþjónusta Steins, a contractor based in southern Iceland, has recently taken delivery of a Case 695ST backhoe loader from Vélaborg Vörumeðhöndlun.

The Case and Vélaborg Vörumeðhöndlun agreement gives the Icelandic company direct access to Case equipment, service support and parts backup offered by SD Kjærsgaard. Vélaborg Vörumeðhöndlun will offer aftersales services and complete parts supply to Icelandic customers.

Barbara Caporali, CNH Industrial’s business director for Nordic, Benelux, and Central and Eastern Europe, said, “After several difficult years Iceland is finally gaining momentum, and it is the right time to put in place an official local representative for Case.”

She said Vélaborg Vörumeðhöndlun had a strong background in the country’s construction industry and would be able to strengthen its presence, and “put the Case brand on Iceland’s map again”.

She added, “With this new collaboration, we have a dealer who can provide the highest levels of service to both new and existing Case customers.”

Palle Kjærsgaard, CEO of SD Kjærsgaard, said, “We have seen an increasing interest for Case equipment in Iceland and we are very pleased with this agreement with Vélaborg Vörumeðhöndlun.”

He said that the dealer had been in contact with most of the owners and operators that were running Case equipment, so already had a long association with the brand.

“The company also has the ideal location to serve all Case customers, and with our support, they will be able to offer best-in-class service, which is of key importance for any construction business.”

Ólafur Hjalti Erlingsson, marketing and sales manager at Vélaborg Vörumeðhöndlun, said, “We are very pleased to bring Case back to the Icelandic market.

“Case is a premium brand and with its full range of market-leading machines, we will be ready to meet the diversified needs of our customers.”

Challenges

Case said that since the failure of its banking system in 2008, Iceland had faced major challenges. The country’s construction sector was severely hit by the economic crisis, and the company said that no new equipment had been purchased during the last six years, as construction businesses were looking for used equipment from abroad or trying to maintain their ageing fleets.

Steinn Thorarinsson, owner of Gröfuþjónusta Steins, said of his new Case 695ST, “This unit is exactly what we asked for and is the perfect addition to our fleet.”

His company is based in Selfoss, a town in southern Iceland on the banks of the Ölfusá river, and is involved in a range of projects, including highway construction projects and the installation of fibre optic cables, telecommunications wiring, and utility pipes for heating and water. It also provides specific services for companies, individuals, and municipalities, including snow clearing services.