HortNZ celebrates 20 Years
More than 150 people turned up at Parliament recently to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ).
Nicola Grigg, Associate Minister of Agriculture, was the chief guest at the opening.
Said to reflect the developing world of agricultural technology at a time when Landpower heads into its fiftieth year in 2025, the new purposebuilt facility has become home to three former sites: the Templeton retail store, parts distribution centre, and the company’s support office.
Key features of the new building include an area set aside for equipment demonstrations, allowing farmers or contractors to view and test out equipment first-hand, as well as the dedicated training facility, allowing the company to deliver a higher standard of training to its technical team.
The complex features six retail service workshop bays, two advanced training bays, and a parts distribution centre that holds more than 30,000 parts lines, all located under one roof.
“I have always had a long-term view and this building is our base for the future. We will be bringing more staff into the region for training and career progression, and showing our commitment to Canterbury agriculture,” said founder and owner Herby Whyte.
To mark the occasion, Cathrina Claas-Muhlhauser, chairperson of the CLAAS Group joined founder Herby Whyte and CEO Richard Wilson for the opening ceremony. She used her first visit to New Zealand to spend time meeting customers and visiting farms throughout the South Island.
“We are delighted to have Cathrina here from Germany to mark this day with us. We have proudly represented CLAAS since 1987 and our long-term relationship has allowed us to provide the world’s leading machinery to our New Zealand customers,” said Wilson.
