Implement & Tractor articles from January 2008

Implement & Tractor archives from January 2008

Old habits are hard to break.(I&T's From the Editor)
January 1, 2008... When I first started editing Implement & Tractor in 1994, we set a publishing schedule around the semi-annual reports and meetings of the Equipment Manufacturers Institute (EMI). This meant our every-other-month publication was often mailed out...

Expanded product lines bring year-round sales: long winters and a shift from dairy farming to housing development have brought new sales opportunities to this Vermont dealer.(Company overview)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In an area where the growing season is short, the winters are long, and expensive new houses are replacing farms, the L. W. Greenwood & Sons Inc. dealership in central Vermont has thrived for nearly 80 years by...

Chemicals of interest" rule may affect some farmers.
January 1, 2008... Chemicals of interest" rule may affect some farmers--A Department of Homeland Security rule that identifies locations of significant quantities of "chemicals of interest" may affect some large farming operations and agricultural chemical...

Bumper year for UK tractor registrations.
January 1, 2008... Bumper year for UK tractor registrations--The number of agricultural tractor units (over 50hp) registered in the UK in 2007 was 15,540, an increase of 14.6% on 2006. This is the highest level recorded since 1996. The average size of unit sold...

Oil prices: business as usual is a failure.
January 1, 2008... Oil prices: business as usual is a failure--The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) responded to the $100 a barrel cost with a statement denouncing ethanol detractors. America's foreign oil bill has climbed to a record total of...

Pork producers hit new financial low.
January 1, 2008... Pork producers hit new financial low--The year 2007 may be the worst financial year for pork producers since 1998, according to Chris Hurt, Purdue University Extension marketing specialist. The number one culprit is high feed costs and the...

AGCO predicts lower profit increase than analysts.(Financial report)
January 1, 2008... AGCO predicts lower profit increase than analysts--AGCO Corp., which had a record sales gain in 2007, said 2008 earnings per share may rise 25 percent on demand from Brazil and North America, which would increase pre-share prices from $2.63 to...

2007 farm income well above average.
January 1, 2008... 2007 farm income well above average--Farm equipment makers have benefited from farmers' rising incomes as corn prices climbed 12 percent this year through yesterday and soybeans rose 72 percent. The U.S. Legislature has passed new bills that...

US agriculture has fifth consecutive prosperous year.
January 1, 2008... US agriculture has fifth consecutive prosperous year--Floyd Gaibler, USDA undersecretary, Farm and Foreign Agriculture Services, says agriculture has enjoyed an unprecedented period of prosperity over the past five years. Estimates indicate...

B20 compared to 100 percent diesel fuel.
January 1, 2008... B20 compared to 100 percent diesel fuel--The "2 Million Mile Haul" is a unique field study examining the benefits of using B20, a 20 percent soy biodiesel blend, in tests using over-the-road trucks. The study is believed to he the first...

National FFA Organization celebrates a banner year in 2007.
January 1, 2008... National FFA Organization celebrates a banner year in 2007--With membership at more than a half million and the highest in 29 years, FFA is growing with 7, 358 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The national FFA...

I&T's auction action.
January 1, 2008... Just twelve months ago, I wrote in this column... "I've never seen the used farm equipment so hot." Well guess what? It's hotter now, much, hotter. Beginning in mid November 2007, already strong auction sale prices began to rocket...

For repeat business, get personal.(The Business of Business)
January 1, 2008... A business should have ongoing customer service that is as routine as paying bills or ordering office supplies, according to Ron Consolino in his recent business column in the Houston Chronicle. Ron, a management counselor for SCORE, Counselors...

Biodiesel, a new fuel for diesel engines: engine manufacturers approve biodiesel use ... with specific recommendations.
January 1, 2008... Most of the current publicity about biofuels is about ethanol made from corn. Since diesel engines power almost all farm equipment, biodiesel is the biofuel of interest to farmers... and, of course, what's important to farmers is of interest...

Thank you, internal-combustion engine, for cleaning up the environment.(Op-Ed)
January 1, 2008... The internal-combustion engine is widely believed to have been an environmental disaster. It has been accused of harming our health by reducing air quality and contributing to what is currently claimed to be the most threatening of all...

Kidd Farm bale choppers.(Equipment Review)
January 1, 2008... Kidd Farm bale choppers will be distributed in the US and Canada through Kverneland Group. The tub chopper design offers various versions of three base machines, depending on the farmers' needs. The 814 (62 in) tub diameter is designed to chop...

Ag Leader SeedCommand planter monitoring.(Equipment Review)
January 1, 2008... Ag Leader Technology, Inc. has added planter monitoring functionality to the SeedCommand planter control system. SeedCommand now tracks and logs average population while monitoring seed spacing. A color bar graph and population display provide...

Ag Leader GPS receiver.(Equipment Review)
January 1, 2008... The GPS 1500 from Ag Leader Technology, Inc. is a low-cost high-accuracy GPS receiver, ideal for use in DirectCommand[TM], SeedCommand[TM] and harvesting operations using AutoSwath[TM]. AutoSwath is used to automatically turn sprayer boom...

Case IH round balers.(Equipment Review)
January 1, 2008... The Case IH line of round balers has been upgraded and improved for 2008 with design changes to make the new RB 4 Series round balers stronger and more durable. Five Case IH RB 4 Series round baler models will be available in five sizes with...

Case IH windrowers.(Equipment Review)
January 1, 2008... The new WD 3 Series windrowers from Case IH will handle the heaviest crops, wet conditions and hilly terrain, while keeping operators comfortable and productive, according to company officials. The unit features a new 6.7 liter, fuel-injected...

Westendorf high-lift loader.(Equipment Review)
January 1, 2008... Westendorf Mfg. Co., Inc. introduces the TA-185 compact high-lift loader for the FOTON 504 4WD tractor. This competitively priced loader package includes loader, hoses, standard mounting brackets, bucket gauge rod, skid steer quick-attach...

Westendorf Brush Crushers.(Equipment Review)
January 1, 2008... The new Westendorf Brush Crushers enable clean up of large downed trees, brush, limbs and debris to be completed in less time from the comfort of the cab without having to make repeated trips off the tractor to secure the load to a bucket with...

John Deere 9030 Series Scraper Tractors.(Equipment Review)
January 1, 2008... John Deere's new line of the 9030 Series Scraper Tractors comes in three models, ranging from 425 to 530 hp, all engineered for large-scale scraper operations. The six-cylinder PowerTech Plus engines meet federal Tier III emissions standards...

Can dealers raise margins?(I&T's Sales Tips)
January 1, 2008... All dealers want to increase profits. Many want to do this by raising margins. They complain about salespeople who contribute to volume but not to margins. Can dealers raise margins? In most cases, no. Let's face it--margins are pretty much...

New Italian Ag products for U.S. market.
January 1, 2008... Nine Italian companies participating in the Italian Trade Commission exhibit booth at the World Ag Expo (Pavilion A, Booths 1516-1521) are introducing a variety of new products to the U.S. market. The companies welcome inquiries from...

FWEDA--the 2007-08 officers of the Far West Equipment Dealers Association (FWEDA).(Associations)
January 1, 2008... FWEDA--The 2007-08 officers of the Far West Equipment Dealers Association (FWEDA) are: President Tim Riley, Midland Tractor Company, Madera, Calif.; 1st vice president Lynne Bese, Magnum Equipment, Stockton, Calif.; 2nd vice president--Matthew...

Roberts Irrigation Products, a wholly owned subsidiary of Deere & Company, is now John Deere Water Technologies.(Manufacturers & Distributors)
January 1, 2008... Roberts Irrigation Products, a wholly owned subsidiary of Deere & Company, is now John Deere Water Technologies. The company says the new name will help leverage the brand recognition which John Deere has created over the last 170 years and...

McCormick International and its parent company ARGO S.p.A have won a contract to supply 200 McCormick XTX Series tractors to Kamaz, Inc., a large Russian vehicle group.(Manufacturers & Distributors)
January 1, 2008... McCormick International and its parent company ARGO S.p.A have won a contract to supply 200 McCormick XTX Series tractors to Kamaz, Inc., a large Russian vehicle group. The tractors will be sold under the Kamaz brand to farmers in Russia....

Destineer has developed John Deere: Harvest in the Heartland, a "hands-on" real-time farming game for the Nintendo DS.(Manufacturers & Distributors)
January 1, 2008... Destineer has developed John Deere: Harvest in the Heartland, a "hands-on" real-time farming game for the Nintendo DS. From soil to sustenance, the game challenges players to create and maintain a fully functioning farm. Through an intuitive...

Charter Software Inc.(Manufacturers & Distributors)
January 1, 2008... Charter Software Inc., provider of business management software for agricultural and outdoor power equipment dealers, has released its interface between DealerWin[TM], its Windows-based business management software, and CNH Capital America, LLC...

Lindsay Corporation's FieldNET.(Manufacturers & Distributors)
January 1, 2008... Lindsay Corporation's FieldNET--the industry's first full control Web-based irrigation management system--was named winner of the 2007 Irrigation Association New Ag Product of the Year. FieldNET, which gives growers the power to monitor and...

CLAAS.(Industry Notebook)
January 1, 2008... The CLAAS-sponsored, around-the-world journey of Matthias Lause is complete. Lause, a training agricultural machinery mechanic, and his CLAAS ARES tractor arrived in Hanover, Germany, during the AGRITECHNICA show in November, after setting off...

Vermeer Corporation and the Dutch-based Lely Group plan to jointly acquire 100% of the assets of German agricultural baler and bale-wrapper manufacturer Welger Maschinenfabrik GmbH, which will give the new alliance a much larger global presence in grassland machinery and baling equipment.(Manufacturers & Distributors)
January 1, 2008... Vermeer Corporation and the Dutch-based Lely Group plan to jointly acquire 100% of the assets of German agricultural baler and bale-wrapper manufacturer Welger Maschinenfabrik GmbH, which will give the new alliance a much larger global presence...

Case IH.(Industry Notebook)
January 1, 2008... Case IH donated a Case IH DX31 Farmall tractor to the Northeast Illinois Boy Scout organization when the engine on their tractor blew up. The $16,000m 31 hp tractor will be used at the Ma-Ka-Ja-Wan Scout Reservation in Pearson, Wisc., to...

Bobcat.(Manufacturers & Distributors)
January 1, 2008... Bobcat celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2008 with the "How Bobcat Unleashed Me Contest" which asks for user essays about how Bobcat equipment has helped them in performing work better, smarter and faster. Prizes include Bobcat gift...

Textron Financial Corporation has established the stand-alone Vendor Finance Division to develop and manage vendor-based equipment leasing relationships.(Manufacturers & Distributors)
January 1, 2008... Textron Financial Corporation has established the stand-alone Vendor Finance Division to develop and manage vendor-based equipment leasing relationships. The division will oversee the company's current golf and turf equipment financing business...

McCormick USA.(People)
January 1, 2008... McCormick USA has made the following staff position changes: Rodney Miller was promoted to Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing. He will coordinate overall sales and marketing efforts for the U.S. market. Wayne Buchberger was named...

Candidates miss the mark on energy.(Op-Ed)
January 1, 2008... As we move into the Presidential primary season, would be occupants of the White House are laying out their positions on a variety of topics, but all of them are falling short on one key issue, according to Indiana Senator Richard Lugar. In a...

UHMW High Bond Tape.(Dealers' Retail Shelves)
January 1, 2008... UHMW High Bond (HB) Tape has all the benefits of strong, slippery, abrasion-resistant UHMW (ultrahigh molecular weight) polyethylene tape, plus a super-high bond adhesive. UHMW High Bond is an excellent choice for difficult-to-bond, low surface...

SOLO 472 ProPower blower.(Dealers' Retail Shelves)
January 1, 2008... The new SOLO 472 ProPower backpack blower delivers nearly 865 cfm (1,400 [m.sup.3]/hour) output at a maximum speed of less than 5,200 rpm. It is powered by a two-stroke SOLO engine with 53cc capacity and features an electronic ignition and...

Hemisphere GPS handheld mapping.(Dealers' Retail Shelves)
January 1, 2008... Hemisphere GPS offers the new XF100 series DGPS receivers for handheld mapping for the collection of position data. Specifically designed to work with the TDS Recon[TM] and the Juniper Archer Field PC[TM] models, Hemisphere GPS XF 100 series is...

STIHL, LawnGrips lawn care footwear.(Dealers' Retail Shelves)
January 1, 2008... STIHL Incorporated has entered into an agreement with LawnGrips, LLC to make available to the nationwide network of independent STIHL dealers three models of lawn-care footwear that will feature both the STIHL and LawnGrips logos. Specifically...

Textron Financial.(People)
January 1, 2008... Vincent Faino has been appointed president of Vendor Finance Division of Textron Financial. Before joining the company, Faino was director and executive vice president of CitiCapital's Business Technology Finance Division, where he was...

Crary Industries Inc.(People)
January 1, 2008... Keith Nilson has been named president of Crary Industries Inc., West Fargo, N.D., a unit of Echo, Inc. Nilson was most recently Crary's vice president of operations. He suceeds Chuck Crary, who remains board chairman.

National FFA.(People)
January 1, 2008... Dr. Steve A. Brown of Missouri, recently appointed National FFA Executive Secretary, will begin his position in Washington D.C., on March 3, 2008. He replaces C. Coleman Harris, who retired in September from the position after 46 years of...

Once more--one more time: low profitability is a result of manufacturers' inability to motivate employees effectively.
January 1, 2008... Ag Equipment Manufacturer recently published the article, "Can You Grow Your Bottom Line?" about our survey of 427 Mid-Western manufacturers (including 33 ag equipment component makers) in five Great Lakes States: Illinois, Ohio, Michigan,...

Step Well LED lamps.(Product Review)
January 1, 2008... Introduced by Grote Industries, the Step Well Led WhiteLight lamp vastly improves lighting for vehicle entry points and floor lighting. The LED WhiteLight technology provides brighter, whiter lighting, while maintaining low power usage and low...

QuickPower Isolator.(Product Review)
January 1, 2008... Quick Cable Comoration's new line of six QuickPower Isolators were developed to assure reliable starting for vehicles with multiple batteries. The QuickPower Isolators, which range from 90 amp to 200 amp, prevent current flow from one battery...

ITT Chip on Flex.(Product Review)
January 1, 2008... The Chip on Flex (CoF) filter connector technology has been tested to 1,000 cycles of thermal shock from -55[degrees]C to +125[degrees]C per MIL-STD-1344. Compared to the ceramic planar array block capacitor used in conventional filter...

White Drive motors.(Product Review)
January 1, 2008... The WG series hydraulic motors from White Drive Products feature flow rates up to 57 LPM (15 GPM) continuous, torque to 548 Nm (4850 lb-in) continuous and pressures up to 138 bar (2000 PSI) continuous. Intended applications include auger drives...

APEM IPP switches.(Product Review)
January 1, 2008... A flat top plunger switch series has been added to the line of IPP sealed pushbutton switches. The new switches allow for customization, with options of customer specific markings, backlit legends, custom molded caps and wire assemblies. The...

Why your Web site really matters: a web site is an important business tool, so make sure people can find it.(Website overview)
January 1, 2008... It's not just consumers who use the Web to guide their purchasing decisions. More and more corporate buyers go online to learn about a company before they decide to sign a contract. Savvy manufacturing companies are realizing that a Web site...

Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME).(Industry Briefs)
January 1, 2008... The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), Dearborn, Mich., announces the launch of society-related news in Really Simple Syndication (RSS) on its web site. RSS is a laborsaving tool which allows web users to tune into information sources...

Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International (FMA).(Industry Briefs)
January 1, 2008... Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International (FMA) and its Foundation awarded $125,500 in 2007 to 29 graduates for college or trade school education in manufacturing. Information about next year's awards can be found online:...

Farm Equipment Wholesalers Association (FEWA) elected officers and directors for 2007-2008.(Industry Briefs)
January 1, 2008... Farm Equipment Wholesalers Association (FEWA) elected officers and directors for 2007 2008 are: Reed Cutler, Stan Bonham Company, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah, President; Joe Jandrisch, aemsco, Inc., Minot, North Dakota, First Vice President;...

U.S. still losing manufacturing jobs.
January 1, 2008... U.S. still losing manufacturing jobs--Since March 2001--the most recent business cycle peak--the United States has lost nearly 3 million manufacturing jobs, a decline of 17.4%, and many of these jobs have been lost due to foreign trade,...

Uninsured number keeps climbing.
January 1, 2008... Uninsured number keeps climbing--The number of people in the U.S. without any type of health insurance continued its steady climb in 2006 to 47 million uninsured. The share of the population without health coverage has grown over 2 percentage...

Update OSHA communication program online.
January 1, 2008... Update OSHA communication program online--Compliance Publishing Corporation says new online programs make it easier for companies and institutions to change, modify and publish the required OSHA Hazard Communication Program information and the...

ASABE standards.
January 1, 2008... ASABE Standards--The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) 2007 standards include the following: * Mechanical screw jack standard-revised: ASAE $485.1 APR2007, Implemented Mounted, ScrewType Jacks replaces $485...

What's happening in outsourcing trends? Manufacturing, automotive, and high-tech industries are looking mostly at information technology and business process outsourcing.
January 1, 2008... Organizations in the automotive, manufacturing and high-tech industries have long been active consumers of outsourcing services. Contract manufacturing and logistics outsourcing has become common in manufacturing and high-tech firms. These...

AirPod dust collection.(Product Review)
January 1, 2008... This free-standing dust collection system provides high-efficiency collection and filtration of airborne contaminants, including sanding dust, solid surface particulate, composite materials, metal finishing dust, dry chemicals and powders. The...

Partnering, licensing opportunities with ARS are available.(Technology)
January 1, 2008... Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has more than 600 active patents and more than 300 active licenses. These technologies are available for licensing and partnership opportunities and can now can be accessed through Really Simple Syndication...

New production technology for Ohio ethanol plant.(Technology)
January 1, 2008... Mercer Energy's HydroMill[TM] plant will maximize the economic viability of ethanol as an alternative fuel. The Celina, Ohio, plant is one of the country's first ethanol producers to utilize a revolutionary production technology that maximizes...