2008 Tractor News
North Carolina based Farmtrac North America was sold to Montana Tractors for $14.1 million. Farmtrac shut down operations in January of 2008, laying off 180 employees. The company entered receivership in March with more than $50 million in debt, much of it owed to Textron Financial. Montana has not announced specific plans for Farmtrac, but it is expected that the Farmtrac facilities will be used as a distribution hub for the East Coast.
TractorData had the opportunity to meet with Lee Klancher, author of The Farmall Dynasty, the newly-released history of International Harvester tractors. A writer with a love of engineering, Klancher writes an engaging narrative that has a primary focus on that golden era from the original Farmall through the early 1960s.
John Deere is celebrating 50 years of manufacturing and marketing 4WD Tractors during 2009. To commemorate this milestone, each 9030 Series Wheel Tractor produced during model year 2009 will have a special decal displayed on the tractor.
After announcing a return to the historic Versatile brand name, Versatile pulled the wraps off two new tractor models. The new Versatile 250 and Versatile 280, powered by the Cummins QSC 8.3-liter, have more power than the Buhler Genesis 2180 and 2210 they replace.
Buhler Industries Inc. made a major announcement today as the company unveiled a new brand name for the tractor division. At the first annual meeting of Buhler Versatile dealers, it was announced that the Versatile brand name will be the sole name associated with the tractor division.
Classic John Deere Two-Cylinder Tractors is the latest volume to document the history of the John Deere Two-Cylinder line. Written by John Dietz with photos by Jeff Hackett, the book covers the whole history of these classic machines, with all-new insight on the people and places behind the tractors.
The John Deere 4520 and 4720 Compact Utility Tractors will now be powered by Interim-Tier IV compliant engines, which will produce less particulates and pollution. These tractors also have even more power to get work done faster and more efficiently. The 4520 will increase from 53 hp to 60 hp. The 4720 will increase from 58 hp to 66 hp.
Case IH celebrated significant milestones in the company's history of innovation, manufacturing and productivity with the unveiling of a "Stars & Stripes" Magnum limited edition tractor. The "reveal," conducted at 10 a.m. today, was held at the company's Farm Progress Show exhibit in Boone, Iowa.
Three new workhorses have been added to the Case IH Magnum tractor family, the standard of excellence for row-crop productivity on North American farms for more than 20 years.
Mahindra's Farm Equipment Sector, one of the world's top tractor brands and the market leader in India, today signed an agreement to form a Joint Venture (JV) in China with Jiangsu Yueda Yancheng Tractor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (Yancheng Tractor), a leading Chinese tractor manufacturer. The tractor related assets & current liabilities of Yancheng Tractors will be transferred to this JV. The value of net assets transferred to this JV will be RMB 335 million (USD 50 million approx.). Mahindra will hold 51 per cent (outlay approx. USD 26 million) in the JV through its subsidiary, Mahindra Overseas Investment Company (Mauritius) Ltd. (MOICML). The transaction is subject to receipt of necessary approvals.
