While there are fewer “big” North American farm equipment dealer-principals or ownership groups at this point in 2018 than there were a year ago — 189 vs. 193 — this in no way signals a slowdown in dealer consolidation trends of the past decade.
In today’s newscast, we discuss the results of Ag Equipment Intelligence’s 2018 Business Outlook & Trends survey, irrigation equipment dealers short-term outlook, Farmers Edge’s new partnership with Planet, how tractor and combine sales through the first 9 months of the year compare to the same period 5 years ago and Art’s Way’s third quarter results.
North American farm machinery dealers continue to report listless but stable sales trends. Through the first quarter of 2017, dealers say equipment sales were still in negative territory year-over-year, but improved compared to the last quarter of 2016.
Brandt Agricultural Products announced Wisconsin-based Tractor Central is the newest addition to its growing Midwestern dealer network. Tractor Central has 10 locations across west central and northwestern Wisconsin.
McCombie Group, a private investment firm, and SeamLev Investments, its financial partner, have acquired a majority interest in Atlantic Tractor, an 11-store John Deere dealership group.
As a result of this newest store, Ag-Pro now has 37 total locations across Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and Texas. The company has promoted CJ Thompson to store manager of the new location.
Jungclaus Implement, a Glencoe, Minn., dealer specializing in farm equipment and lawn and garden equipment, will now offer JCB's equipment line including wheel loaders, rough terrain forklifts, Fastrac tractors, skid steer loaders and more.
Starting off 2015, dealers surveyed by Ag Equipment Intelligence and Cleveland Research Co. say that, on average, they’re expecting overall sales to decline 11% for the year. Compared to what the major equipment manufacturers are forecasting, the dealers' outlook appears almost optimistic.
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The announcement of a partnership between New Holland and Bluewhite was one of the big precision stories of the summer. West Coast New Holland dealers now have the rights to sell, distribute and service Bluewhite’s aftermarket autonomy kits.