Tractor News New Holland going out of business???

[Dr_Zinj]

...I'm not sure if I would care if the brand I was buying also made golf carts, industrial dump trucks, or for that matter large ag tractors since they have very little in common with a CUT. Plus a company that sells a diverse line is more likely to drop or sell off a division, like say CUTs, to someone else or decide there's not enough profit and get out of the market than say Kubota who's main focus is CUTs.

It depends. Consider John Deere or Bobcat, who do more than just "tractors". they both do heavy construction equipment. Although Deere went from tractors to crawlers, while Bobcat kind of went the other way, from construction equipment to adding CUTs.

I don't know how many Bobcat dealers were doing Kioti repairs in their shops before the company decided to rebrand and sell CUTs. If I were a dealer/maintainer, I'd seriously consider servicing tractors that had same original manufacturers; if only to be able to maintain a stock of parts that could be used for all of them.

 

[RickB]

I heard talk (and it was just that....talk....and speculative talk by people on the outside) of Fiat splitting Case IH and New Holland, then selling one or the other.....or BOTH.... AGCO was supposedly tendering an offer at one point....In any event, IMHO, the Case IH and New Holland lines have "blended" just enough so that splitting them would be a tough row to hoe. I'd suspect they're forever linked at this point. (Even if Fiat decided to "cash in") That said, and with the knowledge of how things have gone with AGCO, I could see CNH changing into a single brand line. As unpopular as it might be with some, it makes good business sense.

Since I heard the very first rumors of splitting CaseIH from NH, I always viewed that possibility as old IH "Binderoids" wanting their beloved IH brand back as a separate "entity"....Not happenin' boys...That ship done sailed.....

I hear the same things. I don't see where NH or CaseIH can be sold separately. Machines are built on common platforms on the same assembly lines and parts are distributed through the same channels using the same depots. There is no 'NH' or 'CaseIH' to sell excepting the business units and support networks. The Ag side product lines cannot be divided in a way that makes sense as two entities, and the construction side is moving more in that direction all the time.

 

[ultrarunner]

Almost bought a NH from Noble Ford in San Jose'... the Dealer carried 80% NH with some Kubota and was really pushing NH.

In the end, I decided to go with Kubota from another dealer and now Noble Ford is no longer a NH Dealer...

I'm glad I went with Kubota... at least there is still a Dealer 75 miles from me...

 

[WilliamBos]

You'd be better served by speaking of what you actually KNOW from hands on experience, than of repeating the nonsense you pick up from the anti-green crowd on some internet website. I've spent a little time on those sites. They tend to frequently be a little short of facts and long on brand bashing.

And since when was a Case combine "green"?

And you need to look at the latest offerings from Deere.

There's a good reason why the top 2 selling brands have such a huge market share.....

Oh....and try to find a Claas combine that's been in the field more than a couple or 3 years....They're few and far between. Not the "best" when it comes to life span....Not to mention nearly no resale value relative to Case and Deere. No one with their right mind spends several hundred thousand bux with the knowledge their investment will be sand down a rat hole in short order.

Resale value is REGIONAL. Take your Deere to a lexicon dealer And see what you get for it. Also, your highest resale will come from a green dealer on your green combine.

 

[RickB]

Resale value is REGIONAL.

Also, your highest resale will come from a green dealer on your green combine.

Hardly new concepts. Except when a manufacturer has a bounty on another brand, tradein value for anything that has a resale value is higher at that manufacturer's dealers than competitive dealers.

 

[WilliamBos]

Hardly new concepts. Except when a manufacturer has a bounty on another brand, tradein value for anything that has a resale value is higher at that manufacturer's dealers than competitive dealers.

I know. But when folks from a certain group brag up their trade in value, they always neglect to leave out, or ignore that fact.

 

[crazyal]

I'm sure we can debate this for weeks but most likely NH is not going anywhere. It may be sold but I don't see it going anywhere. Honestly I wouldn't be all that surprised if a Chinese company bought it (if it really is for sale). I've noticed that they are buying up name brands to gain instant market share with brands that most people wouldn't think of China when thinking of it.

 

[IronHog]

Last time I looked, Deere Inc and Caterpillar (if you want to count them in as an ag builder based on their interest in Challenger tractor line/Lexicon combines) are the only ag manufacturer in Dow Jones 30 industrials....(30 largest industrials NOT a utility or rail)

What you are seeing in Ag machinery happened several years ago in forestry.

Once upon a time John Deere was the major skidder manufacturer....but you could also buy a Franklin or Timberjack (which were small manufactures using commercial diesel power like cummins)

Then CAT entered the skidder market......and Tigercat.


Now the vast majority of skidders sold are JD's, Tigercat's (ultra high end market.....what Bobby Goodson the "swamp logger" runs), CAT's, with Prentice being the last budget skidder maker (CAT owns them too!).


The big multinationals are IT....once JD and CAT squeeze out Tigercat they'll be the only two left making skidders.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Resale value is REGIONAL. Take your Deere to a lexicon dealer And see what you get for it. Also, your highest resale will come from a green dealer on your green combine.

Yeah, just that Deere's "regional resale value" is a lot more "world wide" than the rest.....If there's ANY truth to what you say, Lexicons "regional resale value" doesn't extend beyond the parking lot of their dealers.....The rest of the known world, Deere has 'em covered by a wide margin.


Since Lexicon dealers don't have ANYTHING that would interest me, there's no reason for me to take my Deere combine to them....And the fact (your "fact/repeated rumor" anyway) shows further proof of their inability to offer trade values in line with market values, you just pointed out ANOTHER reason to bypass Lexicon dealers...And ANOTHER reason why they'll continue to be a back marker.....

And for the record, highest resale on a green combine will come from a PRIVATE SALE to someone who wants a good combine with great product support beyond a couple or 3 years. Trades on an off brand dealers lot is no indication of value except for those who're hunting for excuses.....Own a Deere (or CASE IH) combine and you don't need excuses....

I'd expect comments like yours from someone who's never owned, sold, bought or traded a combine..... Speak of what you actually know from first hand experience on the subject (ie very little...) , NOT of what selected rumors you hear in a brand bashing thread from brand bashing proned internet websites......

Apparently Deere's industry leading product resale value and strong product demand is STILL a touchy subject with those "green" with jelousy!!!!!

 

[jml755]

Interesting thread. What strikes me most about it is that one gets dizzy trying to follow all the corporate shuffling of brands, companies and product lines. It sounds like many of you follow the corporate comings/goings far more than I have the time or interest to do so. Reminds me of a guy on street shuffling cards around and you try to guess "where the queen is".

With regards to the ever changing ag landscape, Henry Ford is probably turning over in his grave. Yeah, he was about profit but he wanted to bring automation to the ag business and he was passionate about it. Nowadays, factories close, product lines are sold like you or I change underwear. The execs making these decisions are looking at sales volumes, profit margins, "strategic market position" and probably couldn't tell the difference between live and independent PTO. IMO, they also care little about whether that small tractor you just bought will have parts support in 20 yrs. They'll be retired with a great pension by that time.

NH going out of business? Not likely. But who knows? Fiat could sell it and the new owner might mis-manage it into the grave. Who would have thought GM would file for bankrupcy?

I own 2 Ford Tractors, both over 20 yrs old. I can find aftermarket parts very easily and if not, they are simple, machines with a large mfg'ed base that I can find a used one or make a part without going to the NH dealer. It would scare the heck out of me to own a piece of equipment (like a combine) that depended heavily on electronic controls that I hoped to own to the end of my days. The same thing could happen that's happened to cars: sometimes a computer to get an older car running again costs more than the car is worth.

Anyway, lots of interesting comments and I'm glad that I'm not in the market for a NEW tractor.