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DougG 
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Joined: 20 Sep 2009
Location: Mo
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 Topic: Today Press Release 1985 Allis - Chalmers
Posted: 28 Mar 2025 at 7:10pm |
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March 28 th 1985 Allis - Chalmers signed the paperwork to sell The Allis Chalmers Ag Division to - KHD/ Deutz to form a new company - Deutz -Allis,, Deutz will pay $108 million - on a division supposedly valued at $266 million; will finish tractor production at West Allis on prior models - never buying the factory - every model Allis Chalmers after this will have a Deutz Allis decal- very sad day,,,
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tbran
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Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Location: Paris Tn
Points: 3448
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Posted: 29 Mar 2025 at 8:56am |
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Egos are a terrible thing that lead to waste. IF Deutz had continued the name and line, substituted their engines for the AC's (think volume - the biggest issue of Harvey- lack of revenue), painted them orange, shipped the Allis 8000 painted green back to Germany - they had no high hp powershift tractors- allowed their engineers to work with the combine division - it might have worked. Allis Chalmers - a division of KHD. However, as one who sat at the table as a dealer representative in Cologne along with Deutz-Allis first President Bill Templeton - I can attest the only thing they wanted was a dealer organization. They were snakes - all mouth, no ears. Then when the 'Wall" came down they didn't even want that - they had the idiotic idea they could sell modern equipment to no cash socialist farmers who had no idea of capitalistic farming. Plus they were losing money due to products that didn't sell, in most areas. At least Bob Ratliff and company - with old AC guy Ed Swingle - bought it back. Trust me - it could have turned out a lot worse under different options that were out there. AC WAS selling the Ag division. period. Deutz just happened to be the highest bidder. It takes a big bankroll to survive the depression cycles in Ag - like today - wanna make a bet if some more don't fold if these low prices continue ? Other than all this - have a nice day :-)
Edited by tbran - 29 Mar 2025 at 8:59am
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When told "it's not the money,it's the principle", remember, it's always the money..
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DSeries4
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Ontario, Canada
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Posted: 29 Mar 2025 at 9:54am |
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There were other companies who were interested in buying AC. Anyone know who those were?
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'49 G, '54 WD45, '55 CA, '56 WD45D, '57 WD45, '58 D14, '59 D14, '60 D14, '61 D15D, '66 D15II, '66 D21II, '67 D17IV, '67 D17IVD, '67 190XTD, '73 620, '76 185, '77 175, '84 8030, '85 6080
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DrAllis
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
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Posted: 29 Mar 2025 at 3:11pm |
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Kubota was in the running for the farm equipment division.
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MrSnerdly
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Joined: 11 Jan 2024
Location: fairbury ne
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Posted: 29 Mar 2025 at 11:20pm |
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It is truly a shame what Deutz did. They had the most modern tractor on the market at the time and shut them down and chose to import a design about 20 years behind anyone else. Open center hydraulics (none too much flow either), bull gears rather than planetaries, the ugliest damn tractor ever built but I admit, the engines were good. Later on, when they were basically a White with a Deutz engine, I think they had a good tractor but they were so hideous to look at that it no doubt affected sales. If only they had kept the 8000 series and used their engines they might still be in business.
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bigal121892
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Joined: 05 Jan 2010
Location: Nebraska
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Posted: 30 Mar 2025 at 10:13am |
 tbran wrote:
Egos are a terrible thing that lead to waste. IF Deutz had continued the name and line, substituted their engines for the AC's (think volume - the biggest issue of Harvey- lack of revenue), painted them orange, shipped the Allis 8000 painted green back to Germany - they had no high hp powershift tractors- allowed their engineers to work with the combine division - it might have worked. Allis Chalmers - a division of KHD. However, as one who sat at the table as a dealer representative in Cologne along with Deutz-Allis first President Bill Templeton - I can attest the only thing they wanted was a dealer organization. They were snakes - all mouth, no ears. Then when the 'Wall" came down they didn't even want that - they had the idiotic idea they could sell modern equipment to no cash socialist farmers who had no idea of capitalistic farming. Plus they were losing money due to products that didn't sell, in most areas. At least Bob Ratliff and company - with old AC guy Ed Swingle - bought it back. Trust me - it could have turned out a lot worse under different options that were out there. AC WAS selling the Ag division. period. Deutz just happened to be the highest bidder. It takes a big bankroll to survive the depression cycles in Ag - like today - wanna make a bet if some more don't fold if these low prices continue ? Other than all this - have a nice day :-)
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You can always tell a German, just can't tell them much.
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ecosse23
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Joined: 12 Mar 2024
Location: Scotland
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Posted: 30 Mar 2025 at 1:38pm |
DrAllis wrote:
Kubota was in the running for the farm equipment division. |
I'd also be interested to learn more about who the other potential buyers were. Do you know whether there was any info in the public domain, e.g. newspaper articles published at the time?
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