/ Case Study

Altios’ Market Knowledge and Local Teams Enable Soucy Track to Grow Exports in Europe

To grow its exports in Europe, Soucy Track knew it needed in-country teams who understood market dynamics and could build contacts. The company turned to Altios’ local teams to gain a competitive advantage and increase sales.

Summary

When Soucy Track decided to grow its export sales in Europe, it was aware that relying solely on a network of distributors would not provide the knowledge to become a market leader. The agriculture industry has diverse needs and requirements. Language barriers and regulatory restrictions mean on the ground teams are essential. Soucy Track partnered with Altios in providing a comprehensive strategic approach to further grow the company’s sales and market share in Europe.

Background

Soucy Track manufactures and distributes a wide range of rubber track systems for the agriculture industry. Established in 2005, Soucy Track is a division of Soucy Group and is based in Drummondville, Canada.

The parent company is well-established in the rubber track industry, with more than 40 years of experience. Gilles Soucy, the Group’s founder and a farmer himself, saw a need in the agriculture industry for a tracking system, which would lessen the pressure farm equipment placed on the ground, thus creating a healthier ecosystem for soil irrigation.

Today, Soucy Track maintains a leading position, with exports representing 95 per cent of sales. The division exports its products in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania through a network of distributors.

Challenge

As part of its international expansion, Soucy Track decided that development in Europe was vital. The company began to set up a network of distributors in specific European markets. Well-versed in the agriculture sector, Soucy Track knew market knowledge was instrumental in their expansion efforts. It became evident that to succeed in the European market, the company would need to understand the dynamics of each country in order to adapt its product offerings and its go-to-market strategy. To ensure growth, Soucy Track felt its current on-the-ground efforts were spread too thin and were not able to provide the market knowledge needed to increase its market share. “To succeed in the agriculture industry in Europe, we quickly realised we needed a partner to help us better understand the market,” said François Soucy, Vice-President Sales and Marketing at Soucy Track. “Our in-depth knowledge of the agriculture sector meant we also knew how difficult it is to break into a new market. Language barriers and regulatory restrictions make it even more challenging.”

Solution

As a global leader in rubber track systems for farm vehicles, Soucy Track offers a wide range of compatible and adaptable products. Close proximity to agricultural communities is essential to meet the diverse needs and expectations of farmers in Europe. Understanding local markets became a strategic objective for the company. “An important part of our sales are outside of Canada, so the implementation of a highly strategic action plan targeted at the European market was crucial,” said Soucy. “We quickly realised that Altios was the best partner to help us fully understand the market, thanks to their knowledge of the agricultural industry and their network,” Soucy added. A meeting with Altios quickly turned into a business partnership. It was clear that a turnkey approach would be vital to help Soucy Track become a key player in Europe. Altios became an important partner in helping to open up new markets, thanks in large part to the implementation of a highly strategic action plan for the European market. “They understood where we wanted to go, and they helped us take a strategic approach to meet our objectives,” said Soucy.

Result

Altios’ local teams provided vital market insights and established critical contacts for the company. By implementing a well defined strategic plan, Altios enabled Soucy Track to meet its objectives of developing a more refined network, better-anticipating market dynamics, and maximising sales potential, while minimising risk.

“The Altios team quickly became an extension of our own company,” said Soucy. “Altios’ on-the-ground team gave us a major competitive advantage, one we couldn’t have had without hiring a local team.”

Our partnership with Altios provides significant leverage for these types of projects, and we'll continue to rely on their expertise for Soucy Track’s continual global expansion

François Soucy

Vice-President Sales and Marketing, Soucy Track

Soucy Track

Soucy Track is a division of Soucy Group. The company manufactures and supplies rubber tracking solutions to the agriculture industry. Headquartered in Drummondville, Canada, the company’s exports represent 95 per cent of sales. The division exports its products in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania through a network of distributors.

Challenge

Increase its market penetration in the European agriculture market. Initial efforts with distributors did not provide the market knowledge and contacts critical to market success.

Solution

Altios provided in-depth market knowledge, contacts, and established a turnkey strategic approach.

Result

The Altios on-the-ground team meant Soucy Track could develop critical contacts and achieve a competitive advantage without hiring a local team.

Looking to move into new international markets?