Landini USA, which has carved a healthy niche in the orchard and vineyard busi-
ness across the country, was supported through a facility in Lawrenceville, Ga.
American Agriculturist - February 2006
M15
MARKETPLACE EXTRA
Farm Equipment • General • Real Estate • Auctions • Poultry/Livestock to meet all your needs!
McCormick and Landini merge their operations Key Points ■ Landini and McCormick brands have
merged administrative operations. ■ Company presidents note that the move
By WILLIE VOGT THE Argo SpA group, a tractor maker and marketer based in San Martino in Rio, Italy, has two wellknown brands in the United States: Landini and McCormick. In December, the company announced it would merge the administrative, parts and logistical operations for both brands into a new Atlanta, Ga., facility. Before coming together, each brand had been working in separate locations. Landini USA, which has carved a healthy niche in the orchard and vineyard business across the country, was supported through a facility in Lawrenceville, Ga. McCormick USA was based in Pella, Iowa, where the firm started in a unique relationship with Vermeer Mfg. aimed at giving the fledgling tractor firm a jump-
will offer improved service support. ■ Independent brands will remain separate
in the marketplace. start into the U.S. market. “This move will offer us cost control,” says E.W. “Swede” Muehlhausen, president of McCormick USA. “There’s a lot of administrative duplication between the two brands that can be eliminated by this move.” Muehlhausen, who will be heading up the new venture, joined McCormick in November 2005, and notes the decision to bring the two businesses under one roof was made months earlier. He adds that the joint effort with Vermeer in the company’s early days was necessary. “The company needed a jumpingoff point, and Vermeer was an excellent springboard,” he says. The move allowed the new company
Check out equipment sales numbers
T
HE Association of Equipment Manufacturers has released the Ag Equipment Forecast, a prediction of how well this year’s equipment sales will go. The forecast is assembled from surveys of members from each equipment category in the organization and how they feel the market will look this year. Best bet is to look at the table of 20 top factors that influence the market and how survey responses added up. You’ll note that many feel interest rates will continue to be either significantly or moderately higher. Perhaps the area to watch the most is the price of new and used equipment; in that category, 14% of respondents say new equipment prices will be significantly up and another 62% say prices will rise moderately. More than half — 57% — say used equipment prices will be higher as well. Interestingly, in line with the price responses, the survey shows that companies think producers may be less willing to buy.
■ Access the AEM forecast online at Farmer Iron Notes on www.
AmericanAgriculturist.com.
The Distinct Advantage basic to bold • small to large • plain to fancy • style & quality
to establish itself in the marketplace quickly. In its four years marketing the line, McCormick has gained a solid reputation for its customer-service orientation, Muehlhausen notes. “That won’t change with this move and in fact we’ll be even more responsive,” he says. The two brands will remain separate in the marketplace as will the field sales forces that support each line. Where the savings will come is in the administrative operations — accounting, parts management and even the call center — where cross-training and less duplication will continue to improve efficiency. “I think all the farmer-customer will notice is continued improvement in support,” says John Sargeant, president, Landini USA. “McCormick will bring higher unit sales to the group and we will be moving into a larger facility.” Interestingly, the McCormick and Landini dealer organizations have little overlap. “There are less than 10 dealers that have both lines,” says Sargeant. “That’s less than I would have guessed.” There is some “badge engineering” going on between the lines. The GX and CTX series tractors from McCormick have always been built by Landini. You can learn more about each line by visiting www.mccormickusa.com and www. landini.com.
Hanging display brings ag data to a new level
R
UNNING a tractor or combine requires a lot of neck-craning as a person tries to see ahead, behind and even to the side. Add in the need to check out a range of displays and monitors, and it can be a little mindboggling. Smucker’s Landmark II GPS will be adding a feature that could end some of the neck strain: a heads-up display. The system will incorporate the SportView PRO Heads Up technology and a wireless AgriVue display system to give the operator a realtime view of useful information right where they need it: at eye level. The idea, pioneered by fighter plane designers who knew those users didn’t have time to look at a lot of gauges, is catching on in the auto industry too, where speed and other factors are projected on the windshield. The maker of the system claims it will work in low or high lighting conditions. The unit attaches to a user’s cap with the display hanging just above the eye. The input comes from a wireless transmitter that beams information to the compact unit. Smucker’s adoption is a solid attempt to give the company an edge.
■ Learn more at www.motion
research.com.
Online feature Starting this month, we’re creating a new online section on www. AmericanAgriculturist.com called Farmer Iron Notes. Look under the shortcuts menu at the left side of the site. You’ll find updates on machinery sales and industry news, and we’ll want your feedback on the kinds of information you need.
VALUE PLUS Preparing your site is a key job before building starts. Prepare the TIP #12 grade, height, and soil to eliminate any construction and long-term problems.
NEW VIEW: The Landmark II actually clamps to a hat as a small unit, but the display is right above the user.
Harrington, DE (302) 398-8100 Auburn, ME (207) 782-8864 Norton, MA (508) 285-2718 Westfield, MA (413) 562-7028 Manchester, NH (603) 627- 8995 Phillipsburg, NJ (908) 454-7900 Cobleskill, NY (518) 234-2558 Cutchogue, NY (631) 734-4060 Homer, NY (607) 749-2611 Pleasant Valley, NY (845) 876-9691 Warsaw, NY (585) 786-8191 Centre Hall, PA (814) 364-9500 Gettysburg, PA (717) 624-3331 Meadville, PA (814) 336-5083 Mt. Pleasant, PA (724) 542-7930 Castleton, VT (802) 468-8700
For More Information: 800-447-7436, ext. 011 www.mortonbuildings.com
