PTx: What Farmers, Dealers, Retailers Need to Know

AGCO recently announced the creation of PTx, a new brand that represents a unification of precision ag technology providers from AGCO’s tech stack, which includes Precision Planting and its newest joint venture, PTx Trimble. AGCO completed its majority ownership stake acquisition of Trimble on April 1, 2024, forming PTx Trimble.

AGCO and Trimble Close $2 Billion Deal, Launch PTx Trimble Brand

Seth Crawford, senior vice president and general manager, PTx, will lead the new organization and Andrew Sunderman has been named general manager, PTx Trimble. Keith Crow will continue to lead Precision Planting as its general manager. 

PTx will serve farmers through three go-to-market pillars, the company says: 

• Specialized precision ag dealers will help farmers retrofit equipment they already own with the latest technologies. 
• PTx will expand its relationships with more than 100 OEM partners.
• New machines from AGCO’s equipment brands – Fendt, Massey Ferguson and Valtra – will offer factory-fit technology from the PTx portfolio.

AGCO Acquires 85% of Trimble for $2 Billion

Farm Journal recently huddled with Sunderman to discuss the new tie-up. He stressed the importance of the above three pillars in guiding the new organization as it enters the market, adding that “we lined out a vision early on that we want to be the go-to force for mixed fleet technology solutions, Smart Farming capabilities, and autonomous systems."

Of course, questions remain.

Chiefly, what becomes of the vast network of Precision Planting dealers, many of which have operated very independently up to this point, under the new brand? Will those dealers have their access to Precision Planting solutions disrupted in favor of a brick and mortar dealer network?

Sunderman says that will not be the case. 

“I would say specifically to Precision Planting, there are no planned changes to the distribution approach,” Sunderman says, noting the new brand strategy will actually grant those independent Precision Planting dealers access to more ag tech solutions, like PTx Trimble hardware, they previously did not have access to.

“We want to maximize this new brand’s market coverage so that any customer that finds value in Trimble or Precision Planting technologies can maintain that access along with our great sales knowledge and dealer support,” he adds. “We want to minimize overlap and maintain those dealers that are experts in their local markets and help them continue to serve farmers.”

Perhaps a burning question among ag retailers and custom application businesses is will this new organization shift it’s data policy in anyway, and how will that pertain specifically to as-applied data? 

“Again, the approach there will very much stay the same – the farmers own the data, and ag retailers will still have the ability to analyze, monitor, and record data on behalf of the farmer,” he says. “Especially in the case of the retailer – they have access to that data as it streams directly off the machine, and as long as the farmer agrees, they will still have the access they need to make their businesses successful and profitable.” 

AGCO's Evolution of Its Dealer Models

This winter, Massey Ferguson turned heads with a new hybrid mobile-virtual dealership model, FarmerCore, which shifted its distribution focus away from traditional brick and mortar. FarmerCore endeavors to bring technology solutions, service, and even new equipment sales, right to the farm gate. Sunderman says that model is "actually very complimentary to how Trimble and Precision Planting have operated historically."

Going forward, PTx will continue to explore non-traditional distribution methods to meet customers where they prefer to do business, and on their own terms, he says. 

PTx now joins AGCO’s brand portfolio including Fendt, Massey Ferguson, GSI and Valtra. To learn more about PTx, visit www.ptxag.com.