The Brandt Group from Regina has once again extended its reach.
The company announced the acquisition of Alberta-based Cervus Equipment Monday in a $300 million all cash deal, a takeover that will see Brandt enter the farm machinery distribution game for the first time. The deal still has to be formally ratified but a significant portion of the voting shares have already been locked in.
Brandt has become the largest John Deere dealer in the construction and forestry equipment line. Now it is adding farm machinery with the acquisition.
Along with ag machinery, Cervus also operated Peterbilt outlets which are part of the deal as well as material handling operations. Prior to the deal, Cervus itself had been aggressive about geographic and product expansion with operations throughout Canada and as far away as Australia and New Zealand.
For Saskatchewan, this is another major addition to our corporate head office roster. Historically, we were more likely to talk about an Alberta firm buying a Saskatchewan one. Brandt’s strength and depth is putting a new twist on that story with head office decision-making flowing to Saskatchewan, not away from it.
