TYM and Branson are they the same ?

[ptsg]

Have they promised not to become an orphan brand? :stirthepot:

Why would that happen? They have been in business since 1968 and they build tractors for Mccormick, Carraro and John Deere. Plus all the construction equipment and specialized combines. If anything, they might be closer to build the tractors for TYM soon...

They have some big contracts to honor and maintain.

They are indeed coming up with some new stuff for the next year or so. The new F/15 series cabbed tractor is right around the corner and I've seen a picture somewhere of a new UTV. There also some big HP tractors in the works.

 

[ericm979]

Looks like there's a new 2510 in the US. It's got a Kukje engine and appears similar to other Bransons. Doesn't look like TYM's phasing them out yet. More like the opposite.

 

[Cougsfan]

My take is that some people tend to take the everlasting stability of a brand and/or model way too seriously. No specific tractor stays the same forever. Tractor brands that aren't green have a horrible record for longevity and stability. The biggest worry seems to be the availability of parts and /or someone who can fix the tractor if it breaks. First, tractors don't break that often. They are built with reliability as a major consideration. Second, when they do break, they are almost always fixable by a independent tractor repair shop. My experience is that an independent shop is just as qualified, reliable and not nearly as expensive for repairs as the dealer who sold you the tractor, even if it is a popular model, and more so if it is an unpopular model. Thirdly, the concern is that you can't get parts. The availability of parts is more determined by the number of units sold than the brand. Sure, it may not be as convenient to find the part for an old off brand tractor as it is to walk into a dealer and let him just look it up (usually that doesn't even go as smoothly as planned, even if the tractor is green). But the parts for an off brand that had a reasonable volume sold are usually available. As an example, go to ebay and look up parts for a Belarus tractor. Thousands of parts will be listed for this off-brand. The independent repair shop can often be quite helpful in helping you find parts. Often the part can be substituted with a non-OEM part. And finally, if a compact tractor has a major problem, like a blown engine, it is not economically viable to repair it, regardless of the brand or parts availability. Of course there are exceptions to what I say, but in any case, I am not losing any sleep worrying about what will happen if TYM stops naming one of the products they make "Branson".

 

[Texasmark]

Have they promised not to become an orphan brand? :stirthepot:

Other things aside, at least they are of a pleasant color.

 

[Branson Bob]

Agree with you guys.

On the list of things I might even consider worrying about someday when I have absolutely nothing else to worry about, this is not one of them.

 

[airbiscuit]

We had a local dealer that sold Farmtrac. When they dissolved (and became an orphan tractor), he was looking for a different brand to carry. He originally looked into TYM because he thought the tractors were good, but passed because he said their parts availability was bad. He ended up carrying Mahindra and seems happy with that decision. TYM recently bought out Branson (who bailed on Century and Montana [who bailed on Farmtrac] tractor brands).

Branson owners seem to like their tractors and that's cool. That said, there will be some irony if Branson becomes an orphan tractor after they made other brands orphans. Karma, I guess.

 

[ning]

We had a local dealer that sold Farmtrac. When they dissolved (and became an orphan tractor), he was looking for a different brand to carry. He originally looked into TYM because he thought the tractors were good, but passed because he said their parts availability was bad. He ended up carrying Mahindra and seems happy with that decision. TYM recently bought out Branson (who bailed on Century and Montana [who bailed on Farmtrac] tractor brands).

Branson owners seem to like their tractors and that's cool. That said, there will be some irony if Branson becomes an orphan tractor after they made other brands orphans. Karma, I guess.

Consider that Century Tractor wasn't Kukje; it was an American company founded (by Americans) to import tractors, among them tractors from Kukje. Same deal with Montana Tractor. I'm sure Kukje was happy to sell them tractors, but they weren't Kukje's subsidiary in any way (and, in fact, they sold other tractor maker's goods, including TYM, LS, and others - do you concern yourself that TYM & LS may "orphan" tractors because of Montana?) as well.

On the other hand, Kukje themselves created the Branson company to import their tractors. Branson *is* Kukje in America (and other places).

Branson is a completely different sort of company than Century & Montana were; drawing parallels between C&M and Branson doesn't make sense.

 

[airbiscuit]

From Rural Lifestyle Dealer

"Ted Wade, Vice Chairman and Co-Owner of Montana Tractors, is pleased to announce that Montana Tractors has signed a supplier agreement with Kukje Machinery Co., LTD and Branson Tractors USA.

In June of this year, Montana Tractors, LLC and Dongkuk Steel Co., LTD, (parent company of Kukje Machinery Co., LTD and Branson Tractors, LLC), signed a letter of intent to form a joint venture to market tractors in the U.S."

You pays your money and you takes your chances ...

 

[Branson Bob]

From Rural Lifestyle Dealer

"Ted Wade, Vice Chairman and Co-Owner of Montana Tractors, is pleased to announce that Montana Tractors has signed a supplier agreement with Kukje Machinery Co., LTD and Branson Tractors USA.

In June of this year, Montana Tractors, LLC and Dongkuk Steel Co., LTD, (parent company of Kukje Machinery Co., LTD and Branson Tractors, LLC), signed a letter of intent to form a joint venture to market tractors in the U.S."

You pays your money and you takes your chances ...

Not really sure what your point is.

The assertion was that Kukje and Branson are one and the same and that Montana and Century are separate... that Kukje/Branson supplies tractors for others while retaining their separate brand identity.

 

[ning]

From Rural Lifestyle Dealer

"Ted Wade, Vice Chairman and Co-Owner of Montana Tractors, is pleased to announce that Montana Tractors has signed a supplier agreement with Kukje Machinery Co., LTD and Branson Tractors USA.

In June of this year, Montana Tractors, LLC and Dongkuk Steel Co., LTD, (parent company of Kukje Machinery Co., LTD and Branson Tractors, LLC), signed a letter of intent to form a joint venture to market tractors in the U.S."

You pays your money and you takes your chances ...

you can cut&paste, so can I:

Montana began discussions in 2009 with Branson Tractors, a division of Kukje to merge the USA operations of the two. The merger was called off, but Kukje was added as a supplier. Some Branson tractors were rebadged as Montana and marketed as Montana Special Edition.[4]
By the end of 2010, Montana Tractors was no longer selling tractors since their former supplier, LS, began selling tractors in the USA

So looks to me like their joint venture didn't actually get off the ground, and Montana themselves pulled out of the selling-tractors business.

This looks like more of a case of someone cutting ties with their parents rather than them actually being orphaned to me. Doesn't help the buyers of the Montana tractors, but it has nothing to do with Kukje/Branson.