FarmTrac Troubles

[sseelhoff]

I personnally do not think the press should be invited. This is a "family matter".....not a circus

I understand your thinking on this, however I try to live by the motto that sunlight is the best anti-septic.

Regardless of whether the press is invited to attend or night, they ought to at least know about it and who is on the invite list. It puts the invitee in a very awkward PR position of either facing a tough crowd, or a press report that "so and so was invited to attend and address the dealers (or resond to the dealers' questions), but declined (or refused-depending upon the reporter's slant) to attend."

 

[rascoil]

If you are a customer this is a good place to report a company that does no do what it says. Ripoff Report: By Consumers, For Consumers

 

[rascoil]

Farmtrac battling dealers in cyberspace [The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, N.C.] - BusinessWeek

Here comes the rain on the heads of the unjust now. The just have had there part.


Just some info about farmtrac names and numbers EPA | Envirofacts Warehouse | FII

I like the Alternative Names section of this link^

Plus some folks have had enough of Textron. Rip Off Report: Textron Financial ROBBED ME Almost Onto The Streets!!! FALSELY sued, Sent summons to WRONG ADDRESS, and STOLE MY $$$ Ripoff Golden Valley Minnesota

 

[Tim C.]

Back with an update and a few observations.

I am sitting here trying to organize my notes and present what I have learned. Not just today, but in life.

Friends and enemies.............how do you know which group to put someone in?

Who is to blame for the problem? The one who created it or the one that has to clean it up?

Life and human interaction is never simple. But, as a general rule, you can expect people to act in their own best interest. Does that mean that every choice someone makes is correct? Of course not. But it was the best choice given the information they had at the time. It is our job to present information in order for others to have the best possible chance to make the right choices.

Here is the coldest fact in this whole deal. Management that put us here today is gone. Be it overseas or hiding in their house, they are gone.

We are where we are. Nothing can change that. The question is "How do we go forward?"

Now, do dealers do what is in their best interest? With the information at hand? It is time to get all the information available and decide what is in the dealers best interest. This meeting could go a long way to doing that. If........

Guys, I have to go. Business calls.

Tim

 

[tommybr]

Tim C ,you are exactly right.

 

[SESS]

Hello all:

The efforts of many to confront Gurkin in person on April 24 are commendable. Unlike roughly 180 Farmtrac workers who've rolled over and given up like silent lambs led to the slaughter, the dealers do not to intend to go down quietly!

I do not claim to be an attorney, but... the idea that the auctioneer and the person who is performing wall-to-wall inventory of Farmtrac property are the same person seems to be a *glaring* conflict of interest.

Add the abnormally hurried effort to complete the auction ... and it smells of something really really rotten.

Is Gurkins' plan to auction the stuff off dirt cheap (possibly to himself through a 'partner'?), resell it at a higher rate and scoop up the profits?

If Gurkins (or a 'partner' of his) doesn't end up buying the equipment, he takes the auction fees (plus payroll wages for his weeks on-duty) and goes home. And the funds from the auction... are applied by the receiver to the outstanding debt of the secured loan *first*... unsecured loan(s) second [if any], then those who finance persons deem as smaller on the food chain... like suppliers, dealers, etc...

After all that, I'm sensing the receiver is going to slam the door shut, declare Chapter Seven and leave us dealers twisting in the wind and the employees with no compensation of any kind (some of 'em have saved *eons* of vacation and sick time).

What am I missing? Or inaccurate about?

And what can be done to keep this from happening?

--blueliner

Blueliner-welcome aboard! You had a bunch of reading to do to get caught up on the mess we face!
When you asked-"What am I missing? or inaccurate about?" I have a question for you or for any of the others here reading these posts.

What do we do about Textron? We need them to work with us. After all, they are not making any money if WE are not selling the tractors and WE are not making any money if we are not selling tractors. The auction on 4/25 is sad to think about, but probably enevitable. Now what do we do about Textron? It has been proven time and time again with all lifes trials and tribulations that anger gets you no where. We need to sit and think smart and act smart. We need Textron to know that we WANT to sell these tractors and get them moving, but how?

 

[SESS]

TommyBR... we should use anything we can utilize to get our point to everyone across the country. Media leverage may be the most powerful tool we have left.
--blueliner

Ya know blueliner, I bet if this was John Deere or Kubota or any of the other big name tractors lines, this would definately get national coverage. I just wish we could convince the "right person" (I don't know who that is at this moment) to get this to a higher level of attention.

 

[tommybr]

I suggest that everyone give Mr. Gurkins a chance....let's give him the benifit of the doubt.

 

[longtrman]

Back with an update and a few observations.

I am sitting here trying to organize my notes and present what I have learned. Not just today, but in life.

Friends and enemies.............how do you know which group to put someone in?

Who is to blame for the problem? The one who created it or the one that has to clean it up?

Life and human interaction is never simple. But, as a general rule, you can expect people to act in their own best interest. Does that mean that every choice someone makes is correct? Of course not. But it was the best choice given the information they had at the time. It is our job to present information in order for others to have the best possible chance to make the right choices.

Here is the coldest fact in this whole deal. Management that put us here today is gone. Be it overseas or hiding in their house, they are gone.

We are where we are. Nothing can change that. The question is "How do we go forward?"

Now, do dealers do what is in their best interest? With the information at hand? It is time to get all the information available and decide what is in the dealers best interest. This meeting could go a long way to doing that. If........

Guys, I have to go. Business calls.

Tim

Guys did you see this one --maybe Tim is getting rid of one problem tractor--let's al hope! If a dealer is doing any business this year it has to be good.

 

[Tim C.]

End of day view.

After having someone pull the phone out of my ear I can say a few things. It has been a very busy day and I am sure AT&T made lots of money today.

Basically, today was a day of listening and feeling out other's ideas. I came away with a better understanding of the situation in Tarboro, Textron, LS, Same, and Escorts.

The auction was the topic of the day. It is a public auction. No one is barred from bidding. A few items were included to enhance attendance (my opinion). Farmtrac has to have operating capital. This is how they decided to generate cash. Outside of a few implements and loader attachments this is a salvage sale. I "walked" thru every photo with multiple Farmtrac people to ask what is it, where did it come from, how long has it been there, and why sell it this way. I can tell you after those conversations, I am comfortable with the choices and the logic that went on to make those choices. There are more photos up on the website today. They could have done a better job with captioning. But I am a perfectionist.

We will know more after the 25th.

Tim