Mowers Ibérica & Zuidberg

Since 2010, Mowers Ibérica from Spain has been one of the successful importers of Zuidberg's front linkage systems and PTOs. Not only is this company growing in Spain and Portugal, but it is also gaining a foothold in Latin America.

When a representative from Zuidberg visited their company for the first time, Manager Manuel Franco Casado and Deputy Manager Nuria Velasco Aguilar from the Spanish company Mowers Ibérica were not expecting very much. “We were, of course, polite and friendly to him, but we didn't see any immediate opportunities for us,” the pair explained. “However, we are always open to new products. So, when he left us the catalogue, we took a look at it. On the advice of another supplier, we quickly decided to give Zuidberg a chance. That turned out to be a very good decision. Now Zuidberg is one of our main brands.”

Added value for the tractor
Manuel founded Mowers Ibérica in 2008; a year later Nuria joined his team. The company now employs a dozen people, supplying tractor accessories and equipment. “Initially, we also imported and sold equipment, but we have since stopped doing that. Now, we concentrate fully on products that add value to the tractor itself. Products that allow a user to deploy their tractor even more efficiently.”

Opportunities in Latin America
Zuidberg's front linkage systems and PTOs are products par excellence that make a tractor more functional. In 2010, the first year of the partnership, Mowers Ibérica sold 50 front linkage systems and 50 PTOs. Eleven years later, the figures had risen to 300 and 150, respectively. Spain and Portugal are the most important sales markets, but profits are also increasing in Latin America. Manuel and Nuria: “We already supply Zuidberg front linkage systems to Chile. We have some good contacts there and we want to expand that further. Recently, we also sent our first shipment of Zuidberg products to Peru. We believe that there are even more opportunities for us in Latin America. We are investigating these, and Zuidberg is supporting us in doing so.”

Good reputation for service
Service provision is a high priority at Mowers Ibérica. “We have built a good reputation in terms of service. We are very proud of that, and we work hard on it every day. We never say no, everything is possible for us. If a customer is not entitled to a factory guarantee, then we will provide a commercial guarantee. We are always prepared to drive to our customers if they need us. Our colleague in Portugal speaks perfect Portuguese and knows the culture. That’s important to us. We have to make our customers have to feel at ease with us.”

Enjoying life
Gerben Klungel, Export Manager at Zuidberg, visits Mowers Ibérica every year. He knows how important the personal touch is to Spaniards. “At Zuidberg, we are used to the Northern European style of working, communicating and maintaining relationships, that we are familiar with in the Netherlands. In Southern Europe, it works differently. There, business and personal relationships go hand in hand. Friendship, really getting to know each other and enjoying life are core values there, also with business contacts. Through our collaboration with Mowers Ibérica, I have learned a lot about that.”

Manuel and Nuria: “We have a great relationship with Gerben. We and our team like him and he likes us. He is willing to adapt when necessary and is open to anything. We appreciate that about him. Gerben always wants to move forward and motivates us commercially to achieve our goals. That's how we continuously make progress together. Zuidberg doesn't treat us like any old customer, but as a partner. We respect each other and enjoy a friendship, as well as a business relationship. As a result, there is a lot of confidence on both sides, in each other as well as in our future together.”