LOUISVILLE, KY.-- It’s all about the tractors. Even with 800 exhibitors at the largest indoor farm machinery show in North America, the real stars of the shows are the tractors. They have “supermodel” attraction for the 300,000 annual visitors to the National Farm Machinery Show. Color this year’s show yellow. The most buzz is about the recent acquisition of the Caterpillar Challenger line of tractors by AGCO. The familiar “CAT yellow” will now be prominently displayed in the AGCO machinery corral, re-branded to indicate the AGCO Challenger line of farm machinery.
AGCO-- For the first time, AGCO will be promoting its own brand-name tractor lineup at the National Farm Machinery Show. Promoted as “Ready to Rumble”, the AGCO ST, LT, RT and DT Series tractors are the first tractor line to carry the AGCO brand. Officials tell visitors to expect a lot more emphasis on the long-standing Massey Ferguson line of equipment, as well.
CASE IH – After a year of back-room CNH Global consolidation, the red CASE IH brand will be prominently displayed, featuring the high-horsepower MX Series of tractors. The line from Case includes the 67-145 horsepower MX Maxxum series; the MX Magnum line featuring tractors with horsepower options from 145 hp to 235 hp. And, the beefier STX Steiger line ranging from 275hp up to 450 hp in both wheeled and tracked models.
New Holland – On the blue side of the CNH equation, New Holland launches the new TJ 4WD tractors, 275 to 450 hp. Tremendous hydraulic power is the major drawing card here. A new line of tillage, planting and ripping equipment will also be on display.
Deere— With the introduction of the new 8020 Series tractors from Deere last fall, they drew a lot of attention at the fall farm shows, and that interest will carry over to the South Hall of the National Farm Machinery Show. That design, in recent months, has won numerous engineering design awards.
Massey-Ferguson— The most widely-sold brand in the world, serves as a center piece for all AGCO offerings. AGCO produces and markets 17 brand names including Massey Ferguson, and Fendt, acknowledged as one of the most high-technology tractors on the market. Fendt will also be on display at the Show.
Kubota— Known for its utility and mid-size tractor options, as well as its smooth and quiet diesel engines, this company will again dislay a broad range of power choices for farm chores big and small. Kubota’s top of the line M-110/M-120 tractors provide one touch speed changes from a new 16 speed powershift that’s coupled to a 356 cubic inch, 5 cylinder turbo charged power house, Kubota engine.
McCormick International, USA (Vermeer)— Old name; new tractor. This marks the re-introduction of the McCormick brand to farm power. a rebirth of the McCormick brand name in the U.S. began with the announcement late last year of an alliance between McCormick Tractors International Ltd., in Doncaster, United Kingdom, and Vermeer Manufacturing Company in Pella, Iowa. The new company will be based near, and supported through, the hay tool maker’s Iowa corporate headquarters.
The new agreement calls for McCormick to design and build tractors in its Doncaster plant. The daughter company, McCormick International USA, then takes care of marketing, sales and customer service. At the same time, Vermeer handles parts and the logistics.
Right now, the McCormick tractor line includes four series: the C (which starts at 64 hp), CX (73 hp to 102 hp), MC (90 hp to 115 hp), and MTX (118 hp to 176 hp). Plans are in place to release compact tractors this spring, followed by subcompact tractors, specialty tractors and large row-crop tractors stretching up to 250 hp within 18 months.
“We will continue to build Case IH tractors during 2002,” says Ray Spinks, sales director, McCormick Tractors International. “In 2001, we built 7,500 tractors for CNH and 2,500 for McCormick. This trend will be reversed in 2002.”
Buhler— Buhler purchased the Versatile and Genesis lines along with their Winnipeg manufacturing facility from CNH in 2000. Last fall, they started shipping their first production tractors--four Genesis row-crops ranging from 145 hp to 210 hp and five Versatile four-wheel-drives spanning 240 hp to 425 hp.
Color scheme. The Buhler, Versatile and Genesis lines are dressed in the hallmark red and yellow colors of the original Versatile company. Those colors were abandoned by Ford New Holland in favor of its preferred blue when the company purchased Versatile. The Genesis, which was developed at New Holland, will be painted in Versatile colors for the first time.
New Tractor Makers
For more information, read about the new tractors badged with familiar names from the past; new color schemes, too. From the pages of Farm Journal magazine; click here.
And see all of them firsthand at this year’s National Farm Machinery Show. The 37th National Farm Machinery Show and 34th annual Championship Tractor Pull sponsored by Syngenta will be held at the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center from Wednesday, February 13th through Saturday, February 16th. The farm machinery extravaganza features more than 800 exhibitors, with exhibits housed in eight separate buildings totaling more than one million square feet.
Admission to the National Farm Machinery Show is free; $3 daily parking charge.
Watch for daily reports directly from the trade show floor, with AgWeb.com editors sniffing out the items that have the show visitors talking! New innovations; new brands; new power; new ideas. All packed into a million square feet of exhibit space—the largest indoor farm show in America!
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Editor’s Note: Any companies with new product announcements, media releases and graphic images, please send them to AgWeb Editors for coverage. E-mail us your product announcements.
