A NOTICE TO OUR FRIENDS & CUSTOMERS
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11556
Printed Date: 26 Jan 2025 at 10:26pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: A NOTICE TO OUR FRIENDS & CUSTOMERS
Posted By: sandylakeimplement
Subject: A NOTICE TO OUR FRIENDS & CUSTOMERS
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2010 at 11:15am
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A NOTICE TO OUR FRIENDS & CUSTOMERS
As many of you are aware, Agco Corp. has announced the discontinuation of their “orange” line of tractors and the Hesston brand hay equipment. Phase out of these products will take place over the next few months as Agco concentrates its’ efforts and resources on the global marketing of its more recognized brands.
We at Sandy Lake Implement decided to be proactive in this situation and requested that Agco remove their inventory of new machines from our lot. We have agreed to continue with the parts and service segments of the Agco contract, including warranty repairs, for the foreseeable future. Sandy Lake Implement intends to remain your source for parts and service on your existing machinery, as well as continuing to offer quality new products from the various other manufacturers we represent.
Thank you for your business – past, present, and future.
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Sandy Lake Implement
Sandy Lake, PA
724-376-2489
www.sandylakeimp.com
FIND US ON FACEBOOK
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Replies:
Posted By: Byron WC in SW Wi
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2010 at 11:18am
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Smart move. Sounds like my kind of dealer.
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Posted By: Goose
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2010 at 11:33am
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Just curious - how did Agco react to your decision? Did they ask why?
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Posted By: redline
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2010 at 12:02pm
I wish all of their dealers would have the cahonies to do the same thing. Unless the management at Agco is entirely inept, they know why. In light of the current situation, I suppose their ineptness could be debated. I hope my comments can be translated to German........
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If it weren't for the last minute, I wouldn't get anything done!
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Posted By: morton(pa)
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2010 at 5:24pm
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Good for you. Glad someone other then us and with a little more voice has put their foot down.
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Posted By: Chris/CT
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2010 at 6:43pm
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Thanks for all the great service you folks provide, don't know what I/We would do without you, can't imagine the day when we can't P/U phone and chat with the expert staff at SLI. Thanks for everything, Chris/CT
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Posted By: Brian Jasper co. Ia
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2010 at 6:58pm
I second what Chris/CT says. My hats off to Bill for taking time out of his day to share his knowledge of an old D17D with me. I hope SLI continues on for many more years.
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"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the government take care of him better take a closer look at the American Indian." Henry Ford
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Posted By: Bill Long
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2010 at 7:22pm
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I was HONORED to meet the Sandy Lake crew at Canadiaga, NY several years ago. I still kick myself for not taking a picture.
Being the son of an Allis Chalmers Dealer let me congratulate you on your decision and wish you the very best for the future.
Sandy Lake is the type of dealership we should all be proud to have. I only wish I could support you more.
Good Luck!
Bill Long
PS: YOu KNow, this happened to us with Allis Chalmers in 1962. They had discontinued the tractors suited to our area - the B, CA, and G - which left us with almost nothing to sell. Seeing this and speaking with my father we decided to close. Looking back it was probably one of the best decisions we made.
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Posted By: Chris/CT
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2010 at 7:44pm
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Bill, Some would say; "It was meant to be", kinda like you don't have control over many things in this life/world. Glad to hear you dealt with as you should have. I hear you on the pictures. I also was at NY Gathering and no pictures!
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Posted By: m.forest
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2010 at 8:08pm
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Hy
I understand your situation. We were Allis-chalmers dealer since 1955 in Québec province. Canada. March 3th 2007 at eleven o,clock the eastern Canada manager M...............give to us a letter, without any previous notice, that AGCO will close us as an AGCO dealer at the end of that month.
In 2005 we pay to AGCO 18 new tractors....that not bad. We sold the last Gleaner Combine in Québec province. Since your closure there is not any new Gleaner Combine paid to AGCO in Québec province.
One of the main reason for my closure is the fact that I fight Agco when they removed the St series, the Gt serie, the change from Orange to red in the Agco logo, etc..
If you look at the financial statement of AGCO you see the drop (-40% for the 4th quarter) of their sales in North America (Canada and US) and by closing the old Allis dealers and phasing out the orange tractors I don't think AGCO will succeed in the future in North America. In Eastern Canada Massey is very well accepted but in the midwest.....
Since the closure letter from AGCO, we supply parts and service to the community and we have a better living.
We also buy and sell used Gleaner and the life is good.
Michel Forest, Eastern Canada Dealer panel member in 1994-1985 and 1993-1994, seller of the first 7030, first 7080, first 8550, first N-5, first N-6, First R-70, last R-52 in Québec prov. Excused my writing, I am a french speeking guy.
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Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2010 at 8:16pm
Michel, your English is a LOT better than our French ! It is too bad what AGCO has done to the old time Allis dealers.
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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Posted By: redline
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2010 at 8:24pm
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Your English is much better than my French!
You have a very interesting story, it is distressing to hear how poorly you were treated. It does sound like you have adjusted well, and found a way to survive. Selling the first unit of many model machines is quite an honor. I wonder if the location of those machines is known now.
Edit- I am going to have to get faster with my responses. I look like a copy-cat!
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If it weren't for the last minute, I wouldn't get anything done!
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Posted By: MARK W (NY)
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2010 at 10:00pm
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Bill, and Chris, You can have another chance of getting pictures in Canandaguia in 2013 as the GOTO will make a return apperance.
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Posted By: Byron WC in SW Wi
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2010 at 10:41pm
Michel,
I didn't know AGCO could do that but I wouldn't put it past them. The only thing that really makes sense, (but is not right), with this orange drop is AGCO wants to realign and get rid of some dealers. It is a sad thing to see but I agree with you that I don't think AGCO is going to succeed in North America.
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Posted By: redline
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2010 at 11:22pm
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I think this was about the same time that Cross and Son's Implement in Kilduff, IA was given a similar notice. I am still in disbelief over that. Sure, Kilduff is a very small community, the implement dealer didn't have the fanciest of facilities, but they did a very good job of promoting and selling and servicing the products that Agco offered. They remained true to the company through some very difficult times, whether that company was Agco or Deutz-Allis or Allis Chalmers. They did their best to cheer the company on. They were selling lackluster products with puke green paint when no one else was even making an effort. As the N series Gleaners were working the bugs out of a great harvesting system, and other dealers threw up their hands, these dealers dug in a little deeper and found a way to make things work. Some thanks they get. A great big kick in the teeth, and the dealers that are the lucky ones get saddled with the massey brand. I think they call that the booby prize.
Another thing, why do the dealers all need to be in the large communities? That's not where the farm ground is. The farm ground is someplace that isn't all covered with houses and asphalt.
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If it weren't for the last minute, I wouldn't get anything done!
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Posted By: DaveKamp
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2010 at 1:26am
Michel- Bienvenu! n'ayez pas peur - Votre Anglais est assez bon pour nous... et comme les autres, Votre Anglais est meilleur que mon Francais!
This simply goes to show that those directing the 'company' have violated the first and second foremost rule of business:
1) Never allow ANYTHING, or ANYBODY to be between YOU, and YOUR customer.
2) Make EVERY ONE of your customer's concerns YOUR HIGHEST CONCERN....
Because: The CUSTOMER is the reason you exist.
What manufacturers are forgetting, is that a LOCAL dealership support network IS necessary for business. In the automotive business, car manufacturers can 'cull out' dealerships, and focus on the population centers, knowing that towtrucks can move vehicles quickly, and where people might have 'spare' vehicles, loaner-vehicles can take up the slack. The simple fact that automobiles travel on roads, and move fast, makes even a distant dealership relatively 'local'.
BUT... In the ag-equipment business, REGARDLESS of the amount of equipment sales volume... and when the term 'LOCAL' is used, it is based upon the mobility of FARM EQUIPMENT... not on the ability of highway vehicles.
That means- if a farmer has an implement breakdown, they can either
1) rapidly drive the TRACTOR AND IMPLEMENT to a dealer for IMMEDIATE service (that means: 15mph or so, and under 20 minutes)
or...
2) Have the dealer's service truck there within 20 minutes to FIX IT IN THE FIELD.
WHY?
Because a farmer with a broken-down machine doesn't have the luxury of waiting... and when forced to make a decision, they'll vote with their wallet EVERY TIME. Farmers shouldn't be treated with a 'general consumers' attitude... every farmer needs to be treated as a COMMERICAL CUSTOMER. They'll totally throw the PURCHASE PRICE concern out-the-window, and buy based on what they can depend on, and that dependability really isn't so much the MACHINE, as it is the SUPPORT. They accept the fact that FARM STUFF BREAKS.
The whole situation of closing dealerships is made for cost-cutting reasons- they're 'shedding' what their financial analysts consider to be 'economic dead weight'. Nothing more than making accounting decisions where they simply don't belong.
When the environment changes, animals have three choices: 1) Move 2) Adapt, or 3) Die.
Same goes for business. AGCO obviously can't manage the first two sensibly, so the third will prevail. You Can't Fix Stupid.
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Posted By: JohnCO
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2010 at 12:20pm
I agree with DaveKamp, AGCO is looking at the European model - the countries are small and dealers have branches so a farmer doesn't have to move a machine all that far for service. Plus I suspect the tax rules make it easier for farmers to run newer machinery and to upgrade easier. I have no idea how the S. American market is, perhaps more like N. America with big farms and mega dealers?
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"If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer"
Allis Express participant
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Posted By: jls
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2010 at 9:00pm
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SLI is MY dealer , there are 2 green and a new holland dealer'as well as 2 other agco which are as close but I bought a new tractor from them(wasn't orange!). I trust Bill and the crew at Sandy lake to keep me running. The Massey dealer which got Agco's favorite child treatment locally supplied parts for 2 balers but couldn't/wouldn't sell me a tractor for my fence business/farm.
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