Expanded range for even broader service

Since January 1, Firma Beel is the proud distributor of XCMG mini excavators, aerial work platforms and compaction equipment. A strategic and very calculated move by the renowned importer from Wortegem-Petegem. "Given the restructuring of the company and the urge to provide an even better and broader service to our customers, this is a logical step," said Kurt De Vriese, product manager at Firma Beel.

In order to sustain the company's growth and continue to guarantee delivery reliability to customers, Firma Beel has been distributing a second brand of mini cranes in addition to its range of Hitachi mini cranes since the beginning of this year: XCMG. For this, an exclusive agreement was made with XCMG, the third largest supplier of earthmoving machines worldwide. This company with European headquarters and R&D department in Düsseldorf (Germany) is active in 183 countries with 38,000 employees, 14 factories and 6,000 service points. Kurt De Vriese: "And we are not just limiting ourselves to mini excavators, we are also adding aerial work platforms and compaction equipment to our range."

Extensive market research

With ongoing supply problems facing the entire industry, Firma Beel began looking for a way to address that problem. "We scanned the market looking for opportunities," says Kurt De Vriese. "And so, after a solid market research of just under a year, we ended up with XMGC. So obviously we didn't take any chances. So we received dozens of machines, which we dissected to get a view of the components, and that study showed that the components of XCMG are best known by our technicians. That way, we can continue to guarantee quality for our customers. Moreover, XCMG does not suffer from the known supply problems. So for us, this is a very important step in the right direction."

Considering the very long tradition of both companies (XCMG since 1943 and Firma Beel since 1932), Firma Beel continues to guarantee continuity and the well-known baseline Power of Service. Kurt De Vriese: "XCMG is a high quality partner which further supports our growth story in Belgium. In Europe the brand is not yet widely known, but worldwide XCMG is the third largest player and even the number one in China. That Chinese technology, which used to be viewed with suspicion, is today making serious inroads in Europe."

XCMG and Hitachi

All XCMG mini cranes come standard with a five-year/10,000-hour warranty. Kurt De Vriese: "And for our Hitachi machines, of which we have been a proud distributor for years, there is a standard one-year manufacturer's warranty. We will of course continue to focus 100% on Hitachi as well. In that respect, we see XCMG more as an addition and an opportunity to appeal to new customers. Especially customers who use a mini excavator occasionally and are therefore looking for ideal price-quality in that segment. Internally, we have also clearly divided the structure. A team, including technicians, that focuses on XCMG, and a team that deals exclusively with the Hitachi story."

The decision to distribute XCMG did not hurt Firma Beel. "We are now a quarter far and we already delivered dozens of machines. So it is very much on the rise and we have clearly made the right decision. Moreover, we only get positive signals from the users," concludes Kurt De Vriese.