Shaff Implement constructing new facility

URBANA, Ill. — Construction of Shaff Implement’s new building is anticipated to be completed in about a month.

The new building, located four and a half miles east of Route 45 on County Road 2000 North and adjacent to the current building, is 232 feet long by 72 feet wide.

“It has a 160-by-72-foot service area that we needed to be bigger and better. The parts office and showroom in front of it is 72-by-72 feet,” said Paul Duitsman, owner.

“The shop part is pretty well done. They’re getting ready to fire up the boiler for the in-floor heat and getting overhead door openers on. The adjoining shop break room and tool room have some things to be finished.

“The front part needs all of the drywall on. I’d say completion is a month away at best. It’s just going to take longer because I wanted them to get the shop part done first because we need more room.”

The current service shop is 100-by-60 feet and there is a 50-by-60-foot addition for set-up.

“Set-up is going to move into the old service shop because they need more room because everything just keeps getting bigger, and all of the service guys will move into the 160-by-72-foot new shop. So, basically the new shop is about 10 feet longer and 12 feet wider than both of the current shop are combined plus it has 22-foot ceilings,” Duitsman said.

The local family-owned dealership has been an important part of this locale’s ag community since it was founded by the Shaff family in 1940.

Duitsman, who is in his 42nd year at the business, became majority shareholder last April when it was purchased from the Shaff family.

“I think there was some speculation about where we were headed (after the ownership change) and the building answers that. It’s given a lot of people a sense of relief that we’re making an investment to be around here and for us putting up a new facility that will make us better and more efficient to serve our customers and give them a better place to come into,” Duitsman explained.

Shaff Implement Co. is a dealer for New Holland, Versatile Tractors, Kuhn-Krause Tillage, Bush Hog, Westfield Augers, Outback Guidance, Unverferth, J&M, Salford Tillage, FarmKing, Geringhoff, Walker Mowers, H & S, Hoelscher, and Berlon attachments.