Premier Equipment has come to an agreement to purchase W.J. Heaslip Ltd. of Hagersville, Ont. increasing presence and area of service across Brant and Haldimand counties.
W.J. Heaslip Ltd. has served farm and rural customers since the 1940’s and has been a John Deere dealer since 1986. Wilfred Jerome (W.J.) Heaslip started with a feed mill in 1940 and over the next several decades and four family generations has provided equipment, farm hardware, and other services in the area.
“The Heaslip family has proudly served our customers in the Brant, Haldimand, and Norfolk community for over 85 years,” says Rob Heaslip, President of W.J. Heaslip Ltd. “It is a bitter-sweet time for us, but we are confident and excited to see the future for our customers and employees carry on in such a positive way.”
The addition of the Hagersville location bridges the trade area that Premier currently serves to the west in Norfolk County from its Norwich location, and the Niagara Region to the east from its Smithville location.
“Bringing the Heaslip’s team and the Hagersville location on board allows us to deepen our coverage and grow service to the customers in the area by leveraging the resources and sharing capabilities that we have been working hard to build over the last number of years,” says Allan Dueck, President of Premier Equipment.
“When we first met about this transaction, we were very impressed how Premier holds employees and community support high as part of their values,” says Rob Heaslip. “We knew that this was going to be a great fit for us.” Heaslip is planning to join the Premier team, continuing to manage operations in Hagersville, implementing the new systems and overseeing the transition to Premier.
The Hagersville location will bring Premier to a total of 10 locations, employing over 375 staff members serving dozens of communities across Southern Ontario. Premier Equipment intends to assume operations with existing staff and facilities on April 14, 2025 - subject to all necessary approvals and final due diligence.
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