Dealer News Update

Ken Brown & Sons Inc., in Theresa, NY recently were notified by John Deere that sales of Deere’s products must officially end October 1, 2013.

“I got a letter back quite a while ago hinting at it, but we continued on, but the day has come where they’re terminating our contract,” said President Russell G. Brown.

The owner, whose father Kenneth started the family business in 1958, said John Deere’s decision not to renew its dealer contract with his family’s business stems from the manufacturer’s apparent effort to consolidate its dealerships.

“You’ve got dealers that own multiple stores and they’re eliminating dealers on the fringes or having that person go in and consolidate with them,” he said. “This is going to be a lengthy process to go through.”

“The business, since 1958, has been profitable, it still is profitable and always would have been profitable,” he said. “My concern is with the employees and the customers having to drive anywhere from 20 to 80 miles round-trip to get parts and service.”

Straub International is celebrating the grand opening of its new location. The company, which sells Case IH agricultural equipment, outgrew its former 15,000-square-foot space. The new location is around 55,000 square feet.

Straub spent roughly $3 million on refurbishing an old manufacturing building. Straub has seven locations across Kansas and employs 150 people.