Special report: Stevens Group buys Lincom NZ

Date: 08.12.2022

Stevens Group has announced the acquisition of Lincom NZ, taking its established machinery brand portfolio to new customers

Inside Stevens Group’s Auckland facility, new machines are taken through extensive pre-delivery checks prior to being distributed to the field, while scheduled servicing of fleet machinery for a wide variety of Kiwi clients

Stevens Group has extended its already solid portfolio of machinery brands with the purchase of Lincom NZ, the local subsidiary of Queensland-headquartered Lincom Group.

The acquisition automatically brings a raft of well-known machinery brands in under the Stevens Group umbrella, including Powerscreen, Terex Washing Systems, Pronar, Anaconda, Kiverco, and Rapid International.

Lincom Group is the biggest Powerscreen dealer in the world, having sold the Terex-owned crushing and screening manufacturer’s machines for nearly 40 years

The sale, effective immediately, includes all machine stock, parts, and Lincom NZ’s existing network of service centres and staff. Stevens Group general manager, Ken Johnston, says the sale represents a huge opportunity for growth for his company, which has been importing and distributing a variety of machinery brands throughout New Zealand since 1974.

Ken Johnston says the addition of the Powerscreen brand to the Stevens Group roster opens up many opportunities in the quarrying and mining sector

"My grandfather and father before me both sought out opportunities to expand our company and did so successfully through the years. I guess you can say that bringing Lincom NZ into the fold is the next generation seeking out similar success through expansion," he explains.

"The acquisition gives us a South Island footprint, which is very important for our growth strategy, especially moving into the busy screening and crushing sector.

Also, being able to retain Lincom NZ’s knowledgeable staff — which was a non-negotiable aspect of the sale as far as we were concerned — means both Lincom NZ and Stevens Group customers can expect to benefit from an expanded line-up of machinery options, backed by sales and service personnel who really know their stuff."

The move sees Lincom NZ retain its existing service centre in Christchurch, while North Island operations are set to move from Pokeno to Stevens Group’s state-of-the-art facility near Auckland Airport, which features approximately two acres of undercover operations, including showroom facilities, an extensive parts store with more than 20,000-line items available at any one time, and on-site fabrication and refurbishment workshops Here, new machines are taken through extensive pre-delivery checks prior to being distributed to the field (including to customers throughout the Pacific Islands), while scheduled servicing of fleet machinery for a wide variety of Kiwi clients, the maintenance of legacy machinery, and bespoke fabrication for other customers all take place on one site.

Stevens Group’s existing portfolio includes Morbark chipping solutions, Doppstadt shredders and grinders, and the Hustler and Walker brands of residential and commercial mowers, which have both been staples of the family business’ range offering for more than 35 years.

Stevens Group general manager, Ken Johnston, left, and Lincom Group CEO, Stephen Watterson

Lincom Group is the biggest Powerscreen dealer in the world, having sold the Terex-owned crushing and screening manufacturer’s machines for nearly 40 years. Ken says Powerscreen values clear succession in business along with local ownership: two key factors Stevens Group brought to the table with the Lincom NZ purchase.

"We consider this a family-to-family business sale, rather than a corporate-to-corporate one. That’s something Powerscreen, which makes up a significant part of the Lincom portfolio, appreciates. There is also a lot to be said for a truly local footprint: Kiwi customers buying from a Kiwi business goes a long way."

Stephen Watterson, CEO Lincom Group, says that the company had to adjust its business model following its arrival in the New Zealand market in 2006. "We quickly learnt upon arrival on this side of the Tasman that there are definitely differences in each market," he explains.

"For example, machinery hire in Australia tends to be much longer — six- or even 12-month hire programmes are pretty common there, but here in New Zealand, more often than not you’re talking about six to 12 weeks for many customers.

"But we learnt to adapt our offering accordingly. It fits with where the New Zealand operation is now that a company with the local knowledge Stevens Group enjoys is only going to take Lincom NZ in the right direction.

"I believe the acquisition will position Stevens Group as the market leader for crushing, screening, and materials handling equipment in New Zealand. Both companies share a common vision, and Stevens Group has some great growth plans in their business.

This acquisition is part of their platform to expand into other developed markets."
Under the sale, Stevens Group will be able to push into new territories throughout the South Pacific, as well as take advantage of synergies between the industries the company already services, and the quarrying, mining, and recycling sectors.

"The Powerscreen brand is supposedly the biggest in the world, so it really opens the door for us in the quarrying and mining sector," says Ken. "And anyone running a Morbark or Doppstadt machine will be looking at screening equipment too, so there is a big opportunity there for us.

"We are unashamedly aspirational about what the acquisition of Lincom NZ means for us. The two businesses complement each other and we’re looking to add a fresh burst of energy into the New Zealand market for the industries that we service."

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