Implement & Tractor articles from January 2002

Implement & Tractor archives from January 2002

Editor's words.(Fraudulent scheme asking for bank account info)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Last issue I wrote about the number of "opportunities" I was getting from various Africans who would share their wealth with me just for supplying my bank account information. This month I got a bonanza -- at least a dozen of these fraudulent...

After AGCO buys cat's tractors - where does that leave the Lexion?(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Several months ago I asked Keith Berglind to provide a first-hand article about the new Lexion combine plant, which is a 50/50 joint venture between Claas and Caterpillar. Following AGGO's purchase of the Challenger high-tech farm tractors --...

Morris Industries offers bolder dealer relationships along with new products.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The newly appointed president and CEO of Morris Industries, Casey Davis, shared a positive outlook about the company's future with the their independent North American implement dealers who recently gathered in Regina, Saskatchewan, for the...

AEM Ag Industry Outlook reports a decline of farm equipment sales. (News Briefs).(Association of Equipment Manufacturers)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Forecast for the US unit retail sales of farm tractors, self-propelled combines, farm field machinery and farmstead equipment are indicating a slow down and a decline in some categories for 2002, according to the recently released "2002 State...

FEMA sponsors tour to China. (News Briefs).(Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association (FEMA) is sponsoring a group tour to Agro-Foodtech China 2002, April 20-27. FEMA officials say that the timing is good for targeting China because of the country's excellent business outlook and...

Sisu Diesel sets engine record in 2001. (News Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The record number of 24,000 Sisudiesel engines was manufactured last year by the company SisuDiesel Oy Inc., a Partek Group member with headquarters in Finland. This represents an increase of 15 percent from 2000, and the number of engines...

EPA delays spray drift deadline. (News Briefs).(Insecticides)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The Environmental Protection Agency disclosed this week that the agency would extend the public comment period on its controversial Spray Drift Guidance Document until March 29, 2002. The public comment period had been set to expire on January...

CNH Global assisting in Russian trade mission. (News Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... CNH Global is leading a new trade mission to assemble, distribute and eventually manufacture agricultural equipment in the Russian states. At present, tractors and combines are not available in sufficient quantities to permit the most efficient...

Clear Air Act lawsuit against ag equipment. (News Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... A lawsuit by California environmental groups and the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation alleges that agricultural equipment use violates the Clean Air Act. EPA has classified California's San Joaquin Valley as a "severe...

Midwest farmland values increased slightly. (News Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Farmland values in the Seventh Federal Reserve District (all or parts of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan) increased a little less than one percent, on average, between the end of June 2001 and the end of September 2001. Data...

Punjab Swaraj 855. (Product Review).(Water cooled diesel engines)(Tractors)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 1, 2002... This tractor's 3-cylinder, 3308 CC, water-cooled diesel engine produces 55 HP (SAE) at 2000 RPM. It features a dry air cleaner with safety element and restriction indicator, telescopic front axle, power steering, front mounted battery on a...

Sky-Loc hitch pin. (Product Review).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 1, 2002... The Sky-Loc rapid release hitch pin fastens securely and requires no tools for insertion or removal. It works on a "locking ball" principle, which means the pin cannot be removed unless the button on the pin is depressed, with the ball...

Land Pride rear blade. (Product Review).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 1, 2002... Land Pride's RBT45 Series 3-way rear blade is built tough to handle 125 HP tractors. It is available in 96" and 108" widths, with a fully welded main frame and a heavily reinforced moldboard. Manual or hydraulic adjustments, angle up to 45...

Pressure Island wash pad. (Product Review).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... This Big Island drive-on wash pad is ideal for relocating the wash station to clean large parts and machinery, according to the manufacturer. The pad has a load capacity of 15 tons. The systems are designed for use with existing pressure...

VDC BatteryMINDer. (Product Review).(BatteryMINDer safely maintains batteries over extended time)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Called the "charger-desulphator with a brain," the BatteryMINDer safely maintains batteries over extended time at full charge, while continuously conditioning them by desulphating their storage plates. The unit handles up to six batteries at a...

JD 110 TLB backhoe. (Product Review).(Deere and Co.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... This 110 TLB tractor loader backhoe was the first product in John Deere history to be developed by all three of the company's divisions. The unit is powered by a 43-hp Yanmar diesel engine with direct fuel injection. It converts 75 percent of...

Worksaver grapple rake. (Product Review).(Worksaver Inc.)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 1, 2002... This new grapple rake provides a complete, clean pick up while leaving the dirt behind, according to the manufacturer. It was designed for skid steers and tractor front loaders and can be used to load logs, pick up rocks and orchard prunings...

Claas twin rotary rake. (Product Review).(Claas of America Inc., Liner 650)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... This new Liner 650 twin rotary rake rakes up to a 10'6" swath. The unit features a chassis that swings into different positions with a double-acting hydraulic cylinder, allowing the operator to make one window or two. Each rotor has 11 tine...

Raven CropStart. (Product Review).(fertilizer control systems)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 1, 2002... The new CropSmart line of liquid starter fertilizer control systems marks Raven Industries' full-fledged entrance into the planter controls market, according to the company. The manual system features a stainless steel pressure gauge for...

Sunflower 1444 disc. (Product Review).(Sunflower Manufacturing Company Inc.)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 1, 2002... This new model 1444 disc features four-section flexibility, using a unique linkage system that allows each half of the disc to function independently, not only from side-to-side but also from front-to-rear. Sunflower says the 1444 will deliver...

MF 220XL swather. (Product Review).(AGCO Corp.)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 1, 2002... Quieter cab, hydra-transmission control, air ride seat, new draper heads with increased lift height and new knife drive gear box are the improvements made on the MF 220XL swather. The manufacturer says it was designed for increasing...

Auction action.(farm auction combine prices)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... Got a 1997 model John Deere 9500 combine or two sitting on your lot? Wondering what they're worth in hard cash terms right at this moment? Then you'd probably be interested in the four 1997 9500's I saw sell on separate farm auctions from...

State of the Ag Industry Outlook, January 2002.(Association of Equipment Manufacturers)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), which is the consolidation of the Equipment Manufacturers Institute (EMI) and Construction Industry Manufacturers Association (CIMA), as of January 1, 2002, provides trade association services...

US giants look for European domination. ("European Scene" New Machines, New Technology).(Deere and Co., Case IH)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... John Deere and Case IH have announced aggressive plans to take a larger slice of the European machinery spend during the next few years. It appears that both concerns have just awakened to the fact that the European machinery market is actually...

Lely kit back on the market. (Agritechnica Briefs).(Distributed by Tulip Industries)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Lely drills, fertilizer spreaders and power harrows could soon be back on the market - not with Lely, but with the Dutch firm, Tulip Industries. This firm concluded a deal with Lely, with just enough time to get three machines ready in time for...

Smaller Rogator. (Agritechnica Briefs).(Ag-Chem Equipment Company Inc., 418)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 1, 2002... Ag Chem hopes that the development of a smaller version will make us Rogator self-propelled sprayer more appealing to small contractors. While it was not at the show, we can confirm it is called the 418, and has a tank capacity of between...

New Deutz styling. (Agritechnica Briefs).(Tractors)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 1, 2002... Deutz Fahr's Agrotron tractor range looks set to get the same styling as its automatic transmission TTV tractors. The new agrotron 205 is fitted with exactly the same bonnet as the TTV. Superseding the Agrotron 200, it is fitted with a new...

Biggest Challenger models yet.(tractors)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 1, 2002... The four Challenger MT800 Series tractor models, which are being shown to the public at the spring farm shows in the US, will be available from Caterpillar dealers beginning summer 2002. Here are the details about this new series. For more...

ECO-DAN wins Europe's biggest competition for IT development.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The Danish company, EGO-DAN A/S, won the annual competition for the European Information Society Technologies (IST) Prize. The European Commission awards the first prize to those enterprises, which have developed the most promising innovative...

Raven Industries, has acquired Starlink, Incorporated. (Company News).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... * Raven Industries, Sioux Falls, S.D., has acquired Starlink, Incorporated, Austin, Texas, for its GPS technology. Raven has been using Starlink GPS receivers in its precision product line for the past several years and says that the...

Weigh-Tronix, Inc., has sold the rights to the modular feed processor (MFP) product line to Alliance Controls, Inc. (Company News).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... * Weigh-Tronix, Inc., Fairmont, Minn., has sold the rights to the modular feed processor (MFP) product line to Alliance Controls, Inc., Sherburn, Minn. A second part of the agreement names Alliance as the exclusive distributor for the...

John Deere. (Company News).(Gives gifts to Pavilion's 1 millionth guest)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... * John Deere has welcomed more than one million guests to its Pavilion in Moline, Ill, since it opened in the summer of 1997. The millionth guest, Jon Becker, Lynn Center, Ill., received a new John Deere walk-behind lawn mower and a basket of...

Sisu Diesel. (Company News).(ISO 14001 certification)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... * Sisu Diesel, the Finnish diesel engine manufacturer, has received ISO 14001 certification for its environmental management system. The company says it is committed to lower emissions and prevention of environmental pollution.

Reinke Irrigation Systems, named its 2000-2001 top ten selling dealerships in the US and Canada. (Company News).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... * Reinke Irrigation Systems, Deshler, Neb., named its 2000-2001 top ten selling dealerships in the US and Canada: Holdrege Irrigation Inc., Holdrege, Neb.; RPH Irrigation Services Ltd., Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada; Carlson Irrigation LLC,...

Tractor Supply Company. (Company News).(joint venture with Great American Group, acquire Quality Stores Inc. stores)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... * Tractor Supply Company plans to add more than 100 new locations in 2002, up from 18 new stores in 2001. In a joint venture with Great American Group, Tractor Supply Company is acquiring 85 of the new stores from Quality Stores, a Michigan...

Rainmaker Holding Company, parent firm of the Farmex group of companies. (Company News).(Power Wizard electric-fencing energizer)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... * Rainmaker Holding Company, Streetsboro, Ohio, parent firm of the Farmex group of companies, has purchased the Power Wizard electric-fencing energizer assets of Preagro Inc. Manufacturing, distribution and administration for Power Wizard...

Spray Parts R Us. (Company News).(Redball L.L.C.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... * Spray Parts R Us, Benson, Minn., is a cost-effective way for dealers and farmers to easily purchase spray parts for proper maintenance. The catalog-based source is brought to the market by Redball LLC.

United Suppliers. (Company News).(earnings)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... * United Suppliers, headquartered in Eldora, Iowa, reported record sales and earnings for the fiscal year 2001. The company attributed the increased market share to agricultural chemicals, fertilizers and animal feed. The company operates...

Chevron Texaco. (Company News).(formed Gulf Lubricants)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... * Chevron Texaco, San Francisco, Calif. has formed Gulf Lubricants to manufacture and market a wide range of lubricants, engine oils and greases. The products will be available to customers in the central US, with expansion across the country...

People.(employee hirings and promotions)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... * Joseph C. Fell has been named divisional merchandise manager of consumer products at Tractor Supply Company. He will be responsible for the supervision and direction of about half of Tractor Supply's sales. * Gary L. Hubbard has been...

Australia: Dealer decrease affects suppliers. (International News).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... In 1986, there were 2,600 farm machinery dealers operating in Australia. The Tractor and Machinery Association of Australia reported that at the end of June 2001 the country had a total of 593 dealers with 714 retail outlets. Of these, 400...

China: New CNH joint venture. (International News).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... CNH Global has entered into the second joint venture in China between Shanghai Tractor and Internal combustion Engine Corporation (STEC) and CNH's New Holland brand of equipment. CNH will hold a 60 percent share in the joint venture company,...

UK: Tractor registrations increase. (International News).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... The number of agricultural tractors registered in 2001 was 11,645, an increase of 11.7 percent from 2000. This is the highest total in three years, according to the Agricultural Engineers Association(AEA), the farm equipment organization. AEA...

France: Software traces ag products. (International News).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Due to fears of mad cow disease (BSE), dioxin and genetically modified organisms (GMOs), the French farming sector, combined with agro-food industries and central buying departments of large distributors, have established strict traceability of...

China: 2200+ ag websites. (International News).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... China's Ministry of Agriculture says there are currently more than 2200 national agricultural websites in the country, a dramatic rise since 1998 when there were only 200. Approximately 37 percent of the websites belong to agro-enterprises,...

Politics in perspective.(The American Farm Bureau Federation and the EchoStar/DirecTV merger)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Broad appeal? Washington connection. The federal government should get broadband to the countryside so business and farming customers can thrive. Really? Well, no, not really. But, nevertheless this is what many in Washington are...

Maintenance & Repair.
January 1, 2002... Straight antifreeze not best choice Q The extremely low winter temperature that we have occasionally apparently prompts a few of our customers to use permanent-type radiator antifreeze without diluting it with water. Those who do so insist...

Bobcat Company and Jenner Equipment aid Crazy Horse Monument.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Word went out to manufacturers that equipment was needed for the Crazy Horse Memorial in Black Hills, S.D., the high-profile construction site of the largest mountain carving in the world. One machine needed was a newer-style skid-steer loader...

AGCO acquires Challenger tractors.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The agricultural equipment industry has one less player. Caterpillar, Inc. has agreed to sell the design, assembly and worldwide marketing of the new MT Series of Caterpillar's Challenger high-tech farm tractors to AGCO, a Georgia-based...

Lexion combines roll down the line in Nebraska Factory.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Lexion combines are rolling off the line of the new Omaha, Nebraska assembly factory. Turning sod two years ago on a bare 160 acre site, construction started on the newest state-of-the-art combine plant. Right on schedule, the facility was...