Horsebox firm scores success Down Under
The Australians are being knocked for six again – this time by the UK’s leading horsebox maker.
Ifor Williams Trailers are bowling them over Down Under hot on the heels of the historic cricketing victory in the Ashes series. This is the company’s first foray into the Australian market and the reaction to the horseboxes and their other trailers has been promising. Shaun Oliver, who used to sell farm machinery in Lincolnshire before he emigrated to Australia, has now become a distributor for the European market leader. Shaun’s has set up his new company in a town called Bindoon, 90 kilometres north of Perth on the Great Northern Highway. The town is surrounded by lush rolling hills where horse-breeding, farming and wine-making are the mainstays of the local economy.
He said: “We have always used Ifor Williams trailers but we could not find an equivalent here.”
“We could not find anybody who built a trailer like Ifor Williams in terms of quality and finding the right trailer to do the job correctly.”
“We brought a trailer across with us in January and then we brought a horsebox as well and then we went through the process of getting them registered to go on the road.”
“The whole process has taken quite a few months but now we are ready for the off.”
“A lot of people have seen the horseboxes and trailers either in magazines or on visits to the UK but they haven’t been able to get hold of them until now.”
“I think in the long term the potential is very good because not one trailer maker in the whole of Australia has such a wide range – and certainly not to the same high quality standards.”
“So far there has been a very good response –the people here have been very impressed with the product.”
“We have been letting people try the trailers for a few days and once people try them they’re hooked, we sell them one, no problem.”
Ifor Williams Trailers started 47 years ago and has grown into a major concern that employs more than 550 people. The IWT Group has five factories across North Wales and has to date made nearly 500,000 trailers – currently at the rate of more than 700 a week. It’s hardly surprising then that Ifor Williams Trailers is probably one of the best known brand names around. If you are out driving anywhere in the in the UK or a big part of Europe, it would be highly unusual for you not to encounter one of the company’s trailers or horseboxes.
Distribution is handled by more than 50 main dealers in the UK and a growing network of subsidiaries and independent distributors in Ireland, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Israel. Exports account for around 24 per cent of sales and their trailers can also be found in places as diverse as the former Soviet republic of Georgia, the West Indies, Japan and Africa – and now Australia. According to Peter Nesbitt, the Business Development Manager at Ifor Williams Trailers, Shaun will be selling the full range of the company’s horseboxes and trailers.
He said: “Given the recent success of the England cricket team in the Ashes series we’re hopeful of bowling over quite a few more Australians!”
“Our trailers are much more professional than the Australian equivalents, turning people’s heads when they are displayed at shows.”
“Interestingly, most Australian trailers aren’t galvanised. Perhaps that’s testament to the arid weather but nevertheless it does rain in Australia and the galvanising itself is a feature that’s appreciated.”
“The horsebox, for example, has a British look and that can be appealing to an overseas customer who is buying the horsebox not just for its function but also because it looks the part.”
“The so-called British look is viewed abroad as a hallmark of quality - it’s the same kind of branding as a Jaguar or a Landrover.”
“The trailers are remarkably well made and customers can see immediately how robust the product is and at a price that, despite the shipping costs, is still very competitive.”
