Groupe de Courcy / DMP : Longstanding & esteemed distributor

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Would you please give our readers a brief outline of your firm?
Potier: Yes, of course. The COURCY Group specializes in the distribution, maintenance, and rental of material handling equipment, construction equipment, and agricultural machinery. It all started
on Réunion Island – a French department in the Indian Ocean off the East Coast of Africa – with the establishment of the DMP family business in 1972 by my father, Jacques Potier. Currently, DMP has three offices located around the island in Saint-Denis, Le Port, and Saint-Pierre. In addition, we have a presence on three other Indian Ocean islands – LCM in Mauritius, MIM in Mayotte, and one more in Madagascar.
The main strategy of the Group is to offer premium brands and to provide quality service by trained technicians utilizing cutting edge technology. In fact, more than 40 of our approximately 180 Réunion Island employees specialize in product maintenance. Our close attention to the needs of our customers has resulted in earning a market share of more than 60% for material handling equipment along with public works and agricultural products.

When did you enter the firm?
Potier: In 1984 I took over the reins of DMP that had been founded by my father 12 years earlier. At that time, we had a staff of three – a secretary, a technician, and myself. Today we number more than 200 employees spread between the Indian Ocean islands of Réunion, Mayotte, Mauritius, and Madagascar.

Would you please provide a brief history of the group’s development?
Potier : When DMP was established in 1972, its three areas of activity were dismantling sugar factories, representing a firm offering mail order services in overseas French territories, and acting as a sales outlet for Clark Forklifts. When I took over in 1984, DMP refocused primarily upon the forklift business. About that same time tax exemption laws were introduced on Réunion Island – laws that made it possible to expand production, logistics, mass distribution, and construction activities. Due to this, we realized that the distribution of compact construction machinery would make a vital contribution to the further development of the firm. In addition, distribution activities and those of maintenance were separated with the result that we have achieved positive advantages vis-à-vis our competitors. For more than ten years, Kubota has constantly played an active role in our development by providing quality products together with high value services.

Mr. Potier with a model KX080-4њ Kubota Excavator.
Mr. Potier with a model KX080-4њ Kubota Excavator.
DMP staff in front of the DMP head office.
DMP staff in front of the DMP head office.

Please share more details of the relationship with Kubota.
Potier : From the beginning Kubota has played a vital part in our development by providing solutions tailored to fit our local and regional considerations. Mirroring economic circumstances throughout Europe, however, we experienced a 60% decline in our compact equipment business in 2008. Helping to overcome the impact of that crisis, a rod cutter accessory adapted to the Kubota model KX-080 Midi Excavator was developed. Making that possible was a collaboration between Kubota technical support and our local partner “Company Canaguy” – a design firm in Saint-Benoît for agricultural, forestry, and construction machinery. In fact, that first successful experience with agriculture machinery led us into the distribution of Kubota Tractors. So far this year, for example, we have sold 25 tractors and are forecasting 20% growth for next year.

Can you give a summary of current business results? 
Potier : It is expected that turnover in 2017 for the Courcy Group will be approximately 60 million euros – 60% of which is related to material handling equipment along with public works and agricultural products. The other 40% is related to maintenance and leasing activities. In addition, we have recently entered the bus and truck market on Mayotte

What does the future hold for the relationship with Kubota?
Potier : As a result of selling the first Kubota Mini-Excavator in the Mauritius market this year, we have strengthened the Kubota presence across the Indian Ocean region. Added to that, the 1,000th Kubota Excavator was sold on Réunion Island.

In celebration of that milestone, all of our Kubota customers were invited to an evening party. Among DMP staff in front of the DMP head office. -30- the guests were Mr. Olivier Vanneufville, TP France Director, and Mr. Keigo Watanabe, Deputy Division Manager from Kubota Europe S.A.S. (KE).

How do Kubota products compare to those offered by other manufacturers?
Potier: The reputation of Kubota as “Global Leading Brand” has spread positively throughout our Indian
Ocean markets. In fact, our competitive advantage results from the quality and reliability of the products
we offer along with the technical assistance that is provided to dealers by well-trained service teams
that respond quickly should they be needed.

What are your feelings about the relationship with Kubota?
Potier: Our group handles about twenty brands of material handling equipment along with public works and agricultural products. Among those brands, I feel that Kubota has been a vital contributor to our development. We have forged a long-lasting and reliable partnership based on strong mutual trust.

What are your future expectations from Kubota?
Potier: To keep up with emerging customer purchasing patterns, organizational rationalizations, and intensified competition from Chinese brands that often have adverse effects on prices and markets, we depend on Kubota to continue providing first-rate service along with innovative products of added value. This will allow us to remain focused on providing optimal productivity rather than on issues of price and operational cost

Thank you for your cooperation today

A Kubota Tractor and a Kubota Mini-Excavator in the field.
A Kubota Tractor and a Kubota Mini-Excavator in the field.

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