Champion Motor Graders last week announced that Volvo Construction Equipment & Services California (formerly Mathews Machinery) has signed on as the exclusive authorized Champion dealer for the state of California.

According to Phillip Ransom, corporate sales manager for VCESC, the Champion line of compact motor graders will serve an established niche in the marketplace and will also complement the company’s existing line of equipment.

“We’re going to bring six Champion motor graders into stock, which we’ll place throughout the state,” Ransom said. “Presently the C80/C86 C is the machine of choice in our market.”

With six existing locations spread throughout California, VCESC has served customers in aggregate, demolition, recycling, agriculture, road construction and civil engineering markets since 2002. VCESC is the only heavy equipment sales and rental dealer that covers the entire state of California, according to the company.

VCESC expects to expand its customer base by pursuing new segments in the market, especially parking lot contractors and smaller grading and paving firms that routinely work in precise, tight spaces, and have to be concerned about operating costs as well.

“With the acquisition of the Champion line, we’ll definitely be entering into that arena,” said Ransom. “Eventually, we will be offering the entire package — graders, pavers, compactors and any other equipment a paving contractor may need.”

VCESC will also carry the new Champion C110 and C116 C Series production class graders that were recently introduced at ConExpo.

Based in Charlotte, N.C., Champion Motor Graders has specialized in the development of motor graders and attachments for more than 25 years. The Champion line-up now includes seven basic models with operating weights from 12,000 to 24,000 pounds, featuring the full range of single-axle, tandem and all-wheel 4x4 and 6x6 drive systems. Champion continues to develop a growing range of specialized equipment for the road maintenance and paving industry.