DULUTH, Ga. — Massey Ferguson, a global brand of AGCO Corp., welcomed 20 dealerships to the Massey Ferguson compact and utility equipment distribution network in 2016. The businesses will service and sell the full line of Massey Ferguson compact and utility tractors and attachments as well as conventional hay products.
Businesses that became Massey Ferguson dealers in 2016 include Canary Outdoor Power Equipment, Crothersville, Ind.; Fussnecker and Sons Tractor Sales, Ripley, Ohio; Crawford Equipment Co., Cambridge, Minn.; United Farmers’ Cooperative Farm Supply, Waconia, Minn.; and Aldritch Tractor, Verndale, Minn.
Dealers are signing on for a variety of reasons, from the product line to brand reputation and dealership service, as well as programs geared for smaller businesses.
In the case of Low Country Machinery in Pooler, Ga., market demand and a life-long passion for Massey Ferguson fueled owners Chris and Jessica Shea’s decision to add the Massey Ferguson CUE line to their construction equipment business.
They plan to locate Grid-Iron LLC, their Massey Ferguson dealership in Springfield, Ga., where there are many potential customers and strong brand loyalty for Massey Ferguson, but no dealer currently.
“Growing up, I developed a passion for equipment of all types, and I loved going to the Springfield Massey Ferguson dealership with my dad,” remembers Chris Shea. “So many people in this area had similar experiences and remember the 135, 165 or 185 tractors that their granddad owned or that they grew up on. People here want to buy Massey Ferguson equipment. We’re excited about the market potential in this area and growing our business.
Customer demand and brand reputation also were factors that drove Dustin Fussnecker to contact Massey Ferguson about dealership opportunities.
“Even though some of our customers think of us as only a lawnmower store, many were asking when we were going to start selling tractors again,” said Dustin Fussnecker. Dustin
is the owner of the Fussnecker and Sons Tractor Sales in Ripley, Ohio, a 6-year-old business that began as a FFA project.
AGCO is looking for dealers with a track record of success, connection to their community and professionalism.
“AGCO is very strategic about the dealers we add,” said Dennis Heinecke, vice president of Dealer Network Optimization. “New dealers must have the desire to provide value to their customers. We don’t want a network of dealers every 20 miles. We want the best dealers, because we know our success is directly tied to our dealers’ success, and we have the tools and systems in place to fully support them.”