Dealership developments: Chandlers purchase Lister Wilder’s ag-division

Both businesses are also partnered with Kubota for its ground care range of products, while Lister Wilder also stocks the manufacturer’s range of construction equipment across the south east of England.

Ground care and industrial equipment are a significant part of Lister Wilder’s business, while Chandlers is focused on the agricultural sector and keen to expand its operations.

Chandlers is to purchase the Lister Wilder agricultural business and, with Agco agreement, extend its franchise responsibilities across a wider area.

Lister Wilder will become a full-line dealer for Kubota. However, it is unclear which depots will stock which products at this time , as the agricultural, ground care and construction sectors have
their own dealer network needs.

Rob Edwards, marketing manager for the firm says it is looking to replicate the Ashford branch model, which already stocks its full-line offering, across the whole Lister Wilder territory.

Chandlers will cease being a Kubota dealer in 2021, with Ireland’s Farm Machinery taking on a larger territory to cover that area.

The move makes each dealership the largest in the UK for their respective partners.

Regarding the future of the current Lister Wilder branches, from January 4, 2021, Chandlers will operate from the premises at Southam (Warwickshire), Wallingford (Oxfordshire), Devizes (Wiltshire), Cirencester (Gloucestershire) and Bristol.

Lister Wilder will continue to operate from Guildford (Surrey), Ashford (Kent), Reading (Berkshire) and cohabit for a period at Southam, Cirencester and Bristol, while three dedicated facilities are established.