Bane Machinery has expanded its offering with Sennebogen’s green line of purpose-built material handlers.
Constantino Lannes, president of Sennebogen North America, recently announced that Bane Machinery has been appointed as the newest addition to the company’s growing distributor network for Sennebogen. From its headquarters in Dallas, Texas, Bane Machinery will represent Sennebogen products from its locations in Dallas and Fort Worth.
Third Generation Family Business
Scott Bane, the president of Bane Machinery said his company has a long history in the equipment and machinery market that started in 1963 when his grandfather George P. Bane purchased Texas Tractor Company. He was joined by his son George P. Bane II who became president of the company in 1980. Eight years later, the company opened a second location in Dallas.
Scott and his brother Phil are the third generation of Banes to join the family business. In 2001, their father passed along the company reins into their hands and the following year, they expanded with a third location in Fort Worth.
Bane Machinery represents off-road equipment manufacturers serving a wide range of markets in commercial and residential construction. Scott Bane said the company is mostly known for its earthmoving machinery and road maintenance equipment.
“Our excavator and wheel loader business has been our primary focus for the last several years, mainly used for highway construction and new residential construction,” he said.
With the objective of continuing to grow the company, Bane is always looking out for quality manufacturers to partner with. However, with the soft residential construction market being slow to recover, he said, it was time to look for new opportunities. He utilized his contacts in the industry asking about manufacturers making quality machines for the scrap and recycling industry.
“Sennebogen was a line that was highly recommended by many of the dealers I know.”
“It made sense for us to diversify and we thought the Sennebogen line of material handlers would help us get into markets that we have not really been in before,” he said, adding that the bulk of this new business will come from the scrap industry. “Recycling will be our focus and then possibly waste facilities and transfer stations, but I anticipate that 80 percent of our business will be with the scrap guys.”
Strong Talking Points
Despite being relatively new to this industry, Bane said he doesn’t expect it to be a hard sell.
“These machines are available on tracks as well as rubber tired units. This is new to us, so having that for the first time is exciting. Once you get anything that is purpose-built, you have an advantage. The guys in the scrap business are very familiar with these features and the benefits they offer, and it will give us some strong talking points.”
Although the company does have some customers in these markets, Bane said the Sennebogen line will provide them with the opportunity to sell additional equipment.
“We have carried items such as shears in the past, but you are not going to sell a shear unless you can get in the front door,” he said.
He noted that his company needed a purpose-built material handler to be taken seriously in this industry.
“This is really a close-knit industry and if you don’t have a true material handler, it is really hard to get into this market. But once you get in, the word spreads and we are hoping to get included in that sector,” he said.
Even before the company took delivery of its first machine, an 821 M, it already laid down the ground work for promoting the new product line. Bane said the company attended the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) convention in May in San Diego, and it will launch a promotional campaign that will include trade magazine advertisements, direct mail, hosted equipment demonstrations and personal visits. The company also will utilize its seven sales representatives in the DFW metroplex and has already appointed a designated specialist, an employee with the company who is already familiar with the markets best suited for the Sennebogen line.
Hands-On Approach
“He has the background and he knows how it all works. Plus, he is already covering much of the territory, so he is a perfect fit to be the go-to-guy for scrap,” said Bane.
He added that his sales team will take the same hands-on approach to covering this market that has worked well for more than four decades.
“We have built our reputation around service for the last 47 years. We pride ourselves on taking care of our customers, and in a smaller family business, we are able to give customers that first-line of service that you are not going to get at other places,” said Bane.
He added that he also is at the frontline in having direct contact with customers.
“The initial response has been very positive and I look forward to being involved with this new venture on a day-to-day basis.”
“Sennebogen’s purpose-built machines are very recognizable and the company is known as a market leader in the scrap industry so that’s what really drew me to them more than anything,” said Bane. “I liked the idea of Sennebogen being a family business like we are. It is a proactive company that has grown quickly. Sennebogen has just opened up a new facility and we are very excited by the opportunity in front of us. The company is going in the right direction and that’s where we want to be.”
For more information contact 704/347-4910, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.sennebogen-na.com.
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