Dealer News Update
Merz Farm Equipment will now be an authorized sales, service and parts provider of Bobcat equipment in Falls City, NE.
Merz Farm Equipment has primarily served the agricultural equipment needs of crop and livestock producers throughout southeast Nebraska, as well as those throughout the surrounding regions of northwest Missouri, northeast Kansas and southwest Iowa. It’s primary equipment brand is Massey Ferguson and other AGCO-branded implements.
“We are excited to offer top-of-the-line Bobcat equipment at our local retail outlet,” said Mitch Merz, Merz Farm Equipment general manager. “At Merz Farm Equipment, new Bobcat customers will discover a dealership that is large enough to carry and service the machines they demand, while maintaining a friendly, personal feel — only made possible by our strong family-owned roots.”
Bancroft Implement, Bancroft, IA, is set to purchase three Case-IH farm implement dealerships in Spencer, Estherville and West Bend, IA.
Randy Hinton, of Bancroft Implement, the Case-IH dealership in Bancroft, Iowa, and his children are purchasing the locations from West Bend International.
Hinton, 62, has six other Case-IH dealerships in Humboldt, Mason City, Manson, New Hampton, Corwith, and Greene, which was the last dealership he acquired in 2012. Hinton’s organization was founded in Bancroft 41 years ago, by his father, Jim Hinton. Hinton said he has about 160 employees.
Barker Implement along with A&M Green Power have formed AgriVision and will serve John Deere customers in three states through 13 retail locations in Southwest and South Central Iowa.
Owners Don Athen and Todd Barker are proud of the deep heritage of the area John Deere dealership families as the McCreadys of Macedonia started way back in 1899, the Barkers of Lenox in 1936, the Athens of Hamburg in 1941 and the McCunns of Massena in 1964.
Though the company will be larger, Athen and Barker are stressing the personalized, family-focused attention to customers will not change, as a matter of fact, it will be intensified as more of the family lineage continues to join AgriVision in the years to come.
Kleine Equipment’s assets were sold to Martin Sullivan Inc., The sale of the locally-owned John Deere dealership, established in 1994, has been in the making for eight to nine months, Kleine said.
Without a willing successor to Kleine Equipment, Kleine said employees had been somewhat concerned about the future of the company.
As a fourth-generation company still looking to grow, Martin Sullivan Inc. became an ideal opportunity, said Kleine, to ensure longevity for both the customers Kleine Equipment serves and the people it employs.
Tractor Supply Company announced in late December that it was added to the NASDAQ-100 Index®, effective with the market open on Monday, December 23, 2013.