Rotary Cutter Bush Hog temporarily shuts down...

keyser soze · Feb 2, 2009

Farmwithjunk said:
Have you actually SEEN the letter? Is a copy available to view? Are you paraphrasing, or is that an actual quote from the letter?

I heard an ever so slightly different version, told as gospel by someone inside Bush Hog.

I'll be visiting with a couple BH reps I know very well, week after next. (Natl. Farm Mach. Show is in town) I'll get as much info from them as possible and pass it forward.

Yes. I have seen the letter. I read it, but it is not in front of me and I can not quote it. It did say that all PO's are to be cancelled and that materials should not be shipped or purchased on their behalf until further notice. Of course Bush Hog people don't want it to seem bad enough that all PO's were cancelled, but they were.

No. It is not available to view somewhere. At least not that I know of. I don't think the management at Bush Hog want the general public to see it.

HayDR · Feb 2, 2009

I do not think anyone on this board wished that Bush Hog would be in the situation they are in. BH is a fine company and they have good products but they have made some management mistakes. Two to three years ago, BH should have reduced the number of products they offer. Rising steel prices and a southern drought for 2 years in a row has hurt all the cutter manufacturers. IMO 2009 does not look any better for cutter MFG's than 2008. This outlook may also depress the selling price of the core business of BH. In the last 3 years the front end loader market in the USA has lost 30k plus units of it's demand. The BH/Great Bend loader division has take a big hit on it sales volume.

The BH name will be around. You can purchase a BH product now and it is still a high quality product. BH is just going to have to restructure its business.

Bush Hog Legend · Feb 2, 2009

This is a real treat reading everyone's opinion of what Bush Hog is doing wrong. I guess you all don't know that Woods sent a letter to their reps back in October telling them that the company is for sale. Everyone thinks that Bush Hog is the first to do this but, in fact Woods was the first even though they haven't shut down any plants as of yet. They fired their oldest rep back in October and he had been with Woods for 25 years. Many of the Bush Hog reps have been with the company 35+ years. And everyone forgets that Allied products owned Bush Hog before CCI. Bush Hog also had one of the best lines of tillage equipment. They also mad peanut combines and no-till drills and even cotton module builders. I forgot they also bought Kewanee, Stan-Hoist, and several smaller companies in the 70's and 80's. They've had to restructure before and this is no different. Maybe some of you guys need to send a resume to Bush Hog and you could help them with all of your knowledge of running 200 million dollar companies.

keyser soze · Feb 3, 2009

$200 million per year? Really?

Most people in the industry are sure it's roughly 1/2 that.

anyway.... I'm sure there are a lot of other people, who Bush Hog could pay a lot less, who could do just as good of a job as the present Bush Hog management.

sunspot · Feb 3, 2009

I saw a BH truck loaded with BH equipment on I-65. At least some stuff is moving.

wny770 · Feb 3, 2009

in fact Woods was the first even though they haven't shut down any plants as of yet. They fired their oldest rep back in October and he had been with Woods for 25 years........So?

HCF 966 · Feb 7, 2009

keyser soze said:
$200 million per year? Really?

Most people in the industry are sure it's roughly 1/2 that.

anyway.... I'm sure there are a lot of other people, who Bush Hog could pay a lot less, who could do just as good of a job as the present Bush Hog management.

Well to be exact it's 168 million.

mrob2012003 · Feb 8, 2009

I surely hate to hear that I have owned two brush hog cutters my first one is finally gave up after 20 years. My 2nd one is about 8 years old and I love it. Built solid and still runs like the day I bought it.
They make a great product but give it time just like all companies in todays economy rough times are here for a bit. As far as the made in the USA. Nothing in the US is 100% made in the usa any more. Most of the parts that build this equipment is outsourced to other countries. It may be assembled here but that is just the way our country works. They will get back on their feet.

captflx · Feb 25, 2009

Clarification is needed about the Bush Hog tillers. Bush Hog builds the RTS40, RTS50, RTS62 and RTS74. It buys the subcompact model from same Italian supplier for Deere and heavier RTN and RTH models from a very old source in Italy---has been for at least 20 years.

Bush Hog will rebound. As a matter of fact, the factory is running!

HayDR · Feb 25, 2009

Bush Hog is dumping 15+ loads of equipment March 21 at Tyler Brothers Auction. Welcome to Tyler Brothers Farm Equipment All the BH items will be sold without any warranty, no marketing labels, no serial number plates and no MFG's plates. All sales are as is and final. All BH items will be sold at absolute auction.
It seems that BH is dumping product. The BH dealers in this region are not happy BH is dumping product like this in their market.