Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Coming Up: More Competition

By Dave Kanicki posted on October 16, 2015 | Posted in Manufacturer News

Is there room for more competition in the North American market?
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Field Practices That Promote Soil Health, Conservation May Offer Sales Potential

October 16, 2015 | Posted in Data & Forecasts

According to USDA’s Economic Research Service and National Agricultural Statistics Service, as the emphasis on the environment takes shape, in all likelihood, farmers will consider altering field practices to adapt, especially if they see economic benefit.
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Equipment Sales Decline Accelerates

October 16, 2015 | Posted in Data & Forecasts

U.S. and Canada combined large ag equipment sales declines accelerated in August, with 4WD tractor sales down 54.7% (down 30.1% in July), combine sales down 28.1% (down 22% in July) and row-crop tractor sales down 30.9% vs. the same period of last year (down 22.9% in July), according to the latest unit sales figures from the Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers.
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2016 Dealer Business Outlook & Trends

Dealers Expect Another Year of Sluggish Sales

Low commodity prices and high used equipment inventories will continue impacting new equipment sales in the year ahead.

By Dave Kanicki posted on October 16, 2015 | Posted in Data & Forecasts

If there’s an upside to how dealers view their business prospects for 2016, it’s that more dealers expect revenue from new equipment sales to be at least as good or better in the year ahead than they were in 2015. Overall, 56.9% of dealers see revenues improving or flat for 2016.
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The Best of Dealer Winter Service Promotions

Creative approaches to winter service promotions help these dealers earn their customers’ business all year long.

By Jaime Elftman posted on October 16, 2015 | Posted in Best Practices

Staying steadily busy during the off-season with billable work is a universal challenge for dealers. One way to manage it is through winter service programs, in which customers are encouraged to bring in their farm equipment for off-season maintenance and inspections. This gives dealers work through the winter and helps customers get ready for spring.
Winter Service Gallery • 6 Tips from Manufacturers

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6 Tips from Manufacturers on Promoting Winter Service Programs

By Jaime Elftman posted on October 16, 2015

Major farm equipment manufacturers John Deere and Case IH agree that winter service is vital to keeping dealers busy during slow winter months and have shared the following advice they give their dealers for promoting and making the most of winter service programs.
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Products in Action, October/November 2015: Basic Software Systems

October 16, 2015

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The Rear-Fold Planter and the Battle that Ensued

This chapter from Jon Kinzenbaw’s book, Fifty Years of Disruptive Innovation, shares his story behind John Deere’s effort to squeeze Kinze Manufacturing out of the planter building business.

October 16, 2015 | Posted in Manufacturer & Dealer Issues, Product Innovations & Introductions, Manufacturer News

In 1975, a farmer from southern Iowa stopped by my shop and commented that somebody should figure out how to fold a big planter horizontally to make it easy to move from field to field. At that time, twelve-row planters were being introduced, but they folded upward, which resulted in seed and insecticide being spilled from their hoppers.
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How To Sell Stalk Stompers

Stalk Stompers Can Do More Than Minimize Tire Damage

Devices for flattening corn stalks during harvest can also help facilitate residue decomposition.

By Mike Wiles posted on October 16, 2015 | Posted in Niche Equipment Markets

It was the perfect storm for product development: the advent of new hybrid Bt corn varieties developed to reduce the need for insecticides, thus improving crop yields and reducing labor, left spear-sharp, tree trunk-like stalks capable of piercing expensive tractor, combine and implement tires. All of a sudden, there was a rapidly growing need for products that could bend over or mangle these corn stalks so they didn’t damage the equipment tires.
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Finding Success as a Single-Store Dealership

Capital Tractor achieves success by empowering its staff and keeping used equipment inventory low.

By Kim Schmidt posted on October 16, 2015 | Posted in Best Practices, Dealer Succession

In the nearly 50 years that Capital Tractor has been in business it has operated as many as 3 stores. But today, the Greenwich, N.Y., New Holland dealer is a single-store dealership and president Jamey Gibson doesn’t see that changing.
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Manufacturers Showcase Innovations at Summer Farm Shows

October 16, 2015 | Posted in Product Innovations & Introductions

For the 2015 Farm Progress Show held in Decatur, Ill., Farm Equipment sent 12 staffers to scope out booths and interview manufacturers to find the latest new product innovations and advancements. With a mix of incremental innovations and new products, the show delivered an array of new precision farming technology, tires, tillage equipment, tractors and much more.
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Industry Q&A: Training Background of New Employees

By Kim Schmidt posted on October 16, 2015 | Posted in Department Management

We asked dealers to respond to the following question: "What is one thing you wish more new employees had experience with or were trained on before their first day on the job?"
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People & Profits: Overcoming High Stakes Family Challenges

By George Russell and Erik Thompson posted on October 16, 2015 | Posted in Best Practices

We’ve noticed a theme in the past few years in our work with successful equipment dealership leaders.
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A Family Conflict Success Story

By George Russell and Erik Thompson posted on October 16, 2015 | Posted in Best Practices

The story of one family dealership's success story in overcoming a long-term conflict between two brothers and how the resolution meant a future for the dealership
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Ahead of the Curve: New Cover Crop Seeders Invite Dealer Expertise

By Dan Crummett posted on October 16, 2015 | Posted in Product Innovations & Introductions

Recent research by the Conservation Tillage Information Center shows American farmers are beginning to use cover crops in their rotations to conserve moisture, boost yields of subsequent cash crops, fight erosion and add organic matter to their farm fields. With estimates predicting 20 million acres of U.S. cropland to be seeded to cover crops by 2020, the trend amounts to a significant new agronomic enterprise in many areas, even if cover crops are not considered a cash crop.
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Business of Selling: Looking Back & Going Forward

By Dr. Jim Weber posted on October 16, 2015 | Posted in Manufacturer & Dealer Issues

While last month’s column focused on some of the ups and downs that afflicted the agricultural equipment industry over the past 40 years, this column will take a look at what one can expect over the next several years. But first, it should be apparent after reading the previous column, that one of the primary drivers for the demise of manufacturers during the aforementioned time period was their feckless hiring of top management that were either devoid of pertinent and relevant experience, or their background was from the financial side of the business. Concerning the latter, when that is the case, management will generally save themselves into bankruptcy rather than marketing themselves into prosperity.
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Featured Articles

Featured Articles

2016 Dealer Business Outlook & Trends

Dealers Expect Another Year of Sluggish Sales

Low commodity prices and high used equipment inventories will continue impacting new equipment sales in the year ahead.

By Dave Kanicki posted on October 16, 2015 | Posted in Data & Forecasts

If there’s an upside to how dealers view their business prospects for 2016, it’s that more dealers expect revenue from new equipment sales to be at least as good or better in the year ahead than they were in 2015. Overall, 56.9% of dealers see revenues improving or flat for 2016.
Read More

Finding Success as a Single-Store Dealership

Capital Tractor achieves success by empowering its staff and keeping used equipment inventory low.

By Kim Schmidt posted on October 16, 2015 | Posted in Best Practices, Dealer Succession

In the nearly 50 years that Capital Tractor has been in business it has operated as many as 3 stores. But today, the Greenwich, N.Y., New Holland dealer is a single-store dealership and president Jamey Gibson doesn’t see that changing.
Read More

The Rear-Fold Planter and the Battle that Ensued

This chapter from Jon Kinzenbaw’s book, Fifty Years of Disruptive Innovation, shares his story behind John Deere’s effort to squeeze Kinze Manufacturing out of the planter building business.

October 16, 2015 | Posted in Manufacturer & Dealer Issues, Product Innovations & Introductions, Manufacturer News

In 1975, a farmer from southern Iowa stopped by my shop and commented that somebody should figure out how to fold a big planter horizontally to make it easy to move from field to field. At that time, twelve-row planters were being introduced, but they folded upward, which resulted in seed and insecticide being spilled from their hoppers.
Read More
Online Extras
Online Extras
Online Extras: October/November 2015 Issue

October 1, 2015

Web-exclusive content for this issue includes:

An interview with Susanne Veatch, Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer of Kinze Manufacturing

Industry Q&A on the subject of employee training

Insight into how one family resolved conflict within the dealership

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Products in Action

Products in Action

Products in Action, October/November 2015: Basic Software Systems

October 16, 2015

Read Products in Action
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Farm Equipment

October/November 2015

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