RDO Equipment has plans to move its Toowoomba operation to new premises adjacent to Wellcamp Airport. Photo: RDO

TOOWOOMBA’S John Deere dealership is set for a move to the Aatlis Precinct adjoining Wellcamp Airport in 2024, following RDO Equipment Australia’s announcement it is building new premises in the FKG Group complex.

The Vandersee family’s Vanderfield group held the John Deere franchise in Toowoomba from 1970 until 2019, when RDO Equipment was formed; it includes some Vandersee equity.

“Our new location in the Aatlis Precinct, with large, modern facilities, and conveniently situated for surface and air transport, will place us in an optimal position to continue to offer our customers the service they need now and well into the future,” RDO Equipment CEO Phil Canning said.

The new building will also house support staff currently located away from the branch.

“We have a dedicated team that supports our 29 locations with crucial functions in parts and service, accounts and finance, human resources, training, precision agriculture and IT.

“Nearly 50 of them are based in Toowoomba and are looking forward to moving into their own area in the new facilities.”

This development is part of the company’s strategy to provide a network of world-class facilities across key regional locations.

Mr Canning said the investment was a sign of the company’s commitment to the wider Darling Downs region.

“Toowoomba is the heart of regional south-east Queensland, and RDO Equipment is proud to be a part of and support the region’s diverse agricultural production and infrastructure developments.

“We’re extremely excited to be building a new state-of-the-art workshop and dealership in this key distribution hub.

“We’ll be ideally situated to allow for the growth of the construction side of our business and respond to current and future needs and opportunities in the agricultural and infrastructure sectors.”

Toowoomba is already one of RDO Equipment’s largest dealerships, and lines stocked range from lawnmowers to large agricultural and construction equipment.

To supplement its John Deere and Vermeer ranges, RDO Equipment in Toowoomba stocks brands including Horsch, Manitou and Kuhn.

RDO Equipment has branches stocking agricultural equipment throughout Queensland and northern New South Wales, as well as a Northern Territory branch in Darwin.

RDO Equipment’s Toowoomba branch is currently located on Carrington Road, on the city’s western edge, roughly 10 kilometres east of the Aatlis Precinct.

The new purpose-built facility will hold a growing range of construction, turf, and utility as well as agricultural equipment.

FKG will break ground on RDO Equipment’s new Toowoomba branch towards the end of next year, with
completion expected early 2024.

RDO Equipment launched in Australia in 2019, after being named the official dealer for John Deere Construction and Forestry equipment in all states except Western Australia.

RDO employs over 900 staff, and operates out of 29 dealership locations in metropolitan
and regional Australia.

EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Chesterfield as being the John Deere dealer in Toowoomba.

Source: RDO, John Deere