If it needs to be measured, mapped or modelled, C.R. Kennedy has the solution.
Earthmoving Equipment Magazine has long covered many of the leading positional and navigational systems currently being used by various earthmoving and construction companies, but what about the company that brings many of these leading technologies into Australia?
Of course we’re talking about C.R. Kennedy, specialists in geospatial surveying equipment and solutions, covering survey to machine control to building construction and everything in between.
The company is the sole and exclusive distributor in Australia for Swiss giant Leica Geosystems, and distributor for other leading manufacturers and brands such as SmartNet Aus, Geolantis, Riegl Laser Systems, Vivax Metrotech, Amberg Rail, DJI, Scientific Aerospace, Uaver, Myzox, Pentax, Optech, Tajima, Tuf Lasers, Intuicom, Satel, and many more.
The head office in Port Melbourne is a landmark building, while there are other major state locations in Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney, Perth and Hobart. Regional offices in Cairns and MacKay look after Far North Queensland, PNG and the Pacific islands.
C.R. Kennedy Machine Control Manager Nick Leith said the company is a leading solutions provider for the surveying, construction, mining, mapping and wider geospatial industries.
“A significant aspect of our offering is that we have access to partners around the world where we can source the latest in high tech spatial measuring equipment and related software solutions,” he said.
“The list includes land surveying equipment, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s), high definition 3D scanners, machine control, mobile mapping tools, underground service locators, ground penetrating radar, geospatial information systems (GIS) and an extensive array of software packages to suit the equipment and the application.
“With more than 90 years of business experience behind us, C.R. Kennedy offers site supervisor kits, positional set-out equipment, on-machine solutions for excavator, dozer, grader, compactor skid steer, asphalt milling machines, paving … we have a solution to cover everything. “To support our valued clients and customers C.R. Kennedy now employs over 300 people across all divisions.
“All our product specialists, qualified surveyors, support staff and factory trained technicians can advise on the best solutions and provide customers with the very best equipment for their needs.”
Nick said the likes of local government, utility providers, mining companies, builders, surveying professionals, construction and geospatial industries all relied on the company to deliver a level of service that matched the calibre of the brands it carried.
“Not only do we sell the leading surveying instruments, but we also offer a complete national after sales service network, including training, service and repairs, technical support, hire equipment and customer care agreements,” he said.
“We focus on the customer first, understanding the importance of clients having the right solutions for their business and coming alongside them as a consulting partner when it comes to their technology needs.
“They are key to our business. What I like to tell customers is the level of service that you'll receive in, say, Melbourne, is the same support level that you will receive if you're in Perth. “We're not a small organisation. Our national warehouse is the size of a Bunnings.
“We've even got authorised Leica service centres in every capital city. Both C.R. Kennedy and Leica have strong reputations in the market for delivering quality products and support.”
The greatest hits
C.R. Kennedy is named after Clement Robertson Kennedy, who founded the company in 1934, importing photographic and optical products.
By 1954, its reputation had grown big and well-known enough to be appointed the first distributor in the world for Pentax equipment, a link which continues to this day.
The company established its Medical Division in 1981, and the Surveillance Division in 1984.
As word of C.R. Kennedy’s achievements spread, Sigma, the world’s largest manufacturer of interchangeable lenses, appointed the company as its Australian distributor in 1991
“This appointment followed our excellent sales record as Sigma’s New Zealand distributor - and the fact that, as an OEM buyer under C.R. Kennedy’s own Astron brand, C.R. Kennedy purchased far more than the previous Sigma distributor had under the Sigma brand itself,” Nick said.
In 2001 the company underwent a huge expansion: it became the sole and exclusive distributor in Australia for Leica Geosystems and took over the entire operation, including the 20 staff from Leica Geosystems Australia.
“As a result of this dominant position in the survey market, one in every two dollars spent in surveying, engineering and construction instruments in Australia is now spent with C.R. Kennedy,” Nick said.
In 2005, C.R. Kennedy was appointed sole and exclusive distributor for iRiver MP3 players, manufactured in Korea. iRiver was built into one of Australia’s top selling MP3 brands with an annual sale turnover reaching over 155,000 units.
C.R. Kennedy then took over the Australian and New Zealand distributorship of Ilford from Ilford’s own subsidiary company. “By using C.R. Kennedy’s existing distribution channels, we achieved excellent business for the Ilford desktop paper range, while maintaining Ilford’s traditional mono business,” Nick said.
“Then in 2006, the company was awarded the machine control contract for BGC on Fortescue’s Pilbara rail line in WA, then the largest machine control site in the world.”
In 2007, C.R. Kennedy teamed up with Leica Geosystems in a joint venture to set up GNSS RTK solutions business Smartnet Aus.
In 2011, Ricoh announced C.R. Kennedy as its new Australian distributor of digital cameras. The new appointment brought both camera brands Ricoh and Pentax under the one distributor in Australia.
All in the family
While the product line-up at C.R. Kennedy has changed over the years, one thing has not. The company Clement created is still 100 per cent family-owned, and driven by family values.
Clement stayed at the helm for more than 40 years until his death in 1975, when his son Malcolm stepped in to fill the void at just 23 years old.
Today Malcolm is still on the scene and four of his children have executive and director roles in the company.
One of them, Robert Kennedy, is director in charge of the company’s thriving survey business, an industry C.R. Kennedy has been serving since 1968.
Robert said the company's roots in photographic equipment have given it a competitive advantage in serving its surveying and geospatial partners.
"Every year, there are more and more synergies between our optical and surveying or geospatial businesses," he said.
"No company has more experience importing high end photographic cameras and equipment to Australia.
"And now these are not just used by studio professionals, but also by airborne surveying companies. Also, it seems hard to believe now, but we first started importing drones for the consumer market, but this quickly grew to supplying the geospatial market for mapping and inspection."
Under the guidance of Robert and the rest of the Kennedy family, C.R. Kennedy has become the solutions provider for the surveying, construction, mining, mapping and wider geospatial industries.
Robert’s brother and Marketing Manager Douglas attributes the company's ability to attract and retain highly skilled and dedicated staff as the company's key to its success.
"There is no real secret but we do rely on family values and have a very long-term bank of employees, many of whom have been here for 30-odd years or so," he said.
"We are not bureaucratic and encourage free thinking. This means that someone who starts out in the warehouse can easily finish up in the managerial ranks."
Sustainability priorities
C.R. Kennedy is committed to a sustainability program, dedicated to environmental improvements that foster a sustainable future and lead to social and economic improvements in the communities that it does business in.
“We currently have many initiatives in place and will be expanding with greener and more renewable polices in the future,” Nick said.
These include:
- Developing geospatial monitoring solutions with integrated solar panels
- Selling mobile solar power units for charging Leica Geosystems products
- Installing solar panels at offices in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth
- Offering battery exchanges at offices for clients to return dead batteries
- Recycling paper and cardboard waste
- Installing electric vehicle charging stations
As seen in Earthmoving Equipment Magazine August-September 2024
