Bye, Bye Branson???

[Jim Timber]

It's possible that they're having trouble selling it because no one wants to compete with the other S Korean tractor manufacturers. Or maybe it's just too lean of a business unless you own the means of production for the steel?

Making machinery is easy. A 2 minute look at alibaba proves that. Developing a brand that you can get independent businesses to buy into, put their names on, and market for you is anything but easy.

 

[Texasmark]

I think a lot of these startup tractor companies want to have overnight success and don't really understand that's not how it works. I don't think they understand that majority of folks aren't going to buy something from a place that doesn't have the ability to service it and to allow all these fly by night "dealers" to take on your product line with no way of servicing it is just foolish. Not ALL dealers of tractor companies like Branson are like this but many are. I remember when Farmtrac was kinda popular on here, there was a dealer that sold them out of his yard. Now why in the world am I going to spend thousands on a tractor I bought from some guys front yard? Not gonna have much faith in him being around for long and I was right, he wasn't and he was stuck with a bunch of faded tractors rotting away on his lot.

I think Kioti and LS are wise in how they're going about establishing their products and dealer network. They haven't made it around my area yet but if they keep going I'm sure they will before long. Mahindra was bad about letting every Tom, Dick and Harry carry their line but they've scaled back on that and I see more traditional tractor dealers carrying them now.

Interesting comment about dealer servicing. Back in the spring of 2007 I was looking for a downsized tractor to support me in my retirement. 60-70 hp with all the amenities was my goal. One of the observation points on my list was dealer service. In making my trips around the popular color's facilities, all I saw were piles of tractors in the "to be repaired" lot and shops "full" of tractors being repaired....major repairs....splits, powertrains sitting around, engines sitting around, cabs hanging that were removed. My mental response to that was that if I had a problem, who knows how long it would be before I got my tractor back.......so what's the point in them having a repair shop!

The Branson dealer was operated by a couple of guys. One had recently returned from the Branson training facility up in Iowa or thereabouts. He had one tractor in the shop that he was working on, about 45 hp. Seems it was a problem child so Branson just gave the customer another tractor and ate the problem child. I liked that on all 3 counts....no backlog, service schooling like the big boys, Branson stuck by it's customer. That plus the tractor with all the whistles and bells at a reasonable price, 4 year bumper to bumper did it for me.

 

[pete-mi]

That is good point. The big brands make so many models and products a shop can easily get backlogged. Then if they are working on a 400hp 4x4 split in two or three pieces takes a lot of room. Add a combine and the shop may be full. So you might wait 2 weeks to get into a major brand shop where the smaller brand may get you in 2 days.

 

[Cpenn481]

Just watched the Kukje video on the Branson site. Very interesting that they make a wide variety of powered farm machines from little more than walk behind tillers to large tractors and harvesters. And they were/are making large tractors for JD. The language was a bit funny, obviously being a direct translation from the Korean. I guess it gets their point across however.

Just read your comments on the video and went and found it. Really impressed with the relationship with both JD and Cummins even if they can't pronounce it right. That video may have just solidified my choice to go with a Branson. Not saying I'm 100 percent sold yet but I am 98 percent. The tractors sale themselves. It the brand I have been on the fence about.

 

[Infinite Wisdom]

Are you aware that the parent company of Branson is facing financial challenges and is searching for a buyer of the company?

Elsewhere on TBN you'll find documentation of the search for bidders for the company.

Good Luck!

 

[DavesTractor]

Are you aware that the parent company of Branson is facing financial challenges and is searching for a buyer of the company?

Elsewhere on TBN you'll find documentation of the search for bidders for the company.

Good Luck!

DK steel has had Kukje up for sale off and on for years. They want to divest themselves from that branch of the company. This sort of thing happens often in the tractor world. So we will probably end up with a new parent company, but that should not negatively effect Branson. In fact, it will be a positive I think. Branson is growing and profitable. While we can't be sure about anything, I'm not worried about Branson pulling out of the market.

 

[Cpenn481]

I read an article a few days ago that said an offer had been made by Tym I believe it was. Such a move in my mind will only make both companies stronger. I'm not worried about it at all.

 

[DavesTractor]

I read an article a few days ago that said an offer had been made by Tym I believe it was. Such a move in my mind will only make both companies stronger. I'm not worried about it at all.

That's the rumor. TYM needs to be able to build their own engines. Currently they are buying the very fine Yanmar engines, but they are super expensive. Kukje builds the Cummins A series, which they also put in their tractors less the Cummins badge. TYM needs this. If this goes through, it is my understanding that TYM will keep Branson as an independent brand. It ought to be a win/win.

 

[Aquamoose]

I bought a Branson 3520H in Oct 2015 and thus far, it has been a very solid tractor. Interest has picked up as I've gotten inquiries about my tractor about how well they have been holding up and I've been responding to thumbs ups since. I was sold on the fact that Kukje isn't new to the game and have been around a while in the tractor industry, especially with the Cummins.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

That's the rumor. TYM needs to be able to build their own engines. Currently they are buying the very fine Yanmar engines, but they are super expensive. Kukje builds the Cummins A series, which they also put in their tractors less the Cummins badge. TYM needs this. If this goes through, it is my understanding that TYM will keep Branson as an independent brand. It ought to be a win/win.

That's what I'm hearing too, EXCEPT I'm being told it's all about the diesels and TYM doesn't really care so much about the tractors themselves...

Kukje is up for "bid" not sale, as no one would come close to offering "any where near" what they wanted for the company, so now they are down to taking bids, and I'm hearing all the bids are very low too, and that's what's causing the delays...

At this point, I'm not so sure about it being a win/win for Branson...

SR