| silverandorange - 2/6/2010 14:45
I wish I knew the real reason, it is more than just color - they are eliminating the AGCO cornerstone brand. Most thoughts are that AGCO is not European enough in NA. I as well as many others don't care what they do in Europe. If it was profitability in NA, wouldn't you keep your best selling row crop tractor and try to build upon it? Maybe just not build upon it, but consider moving final assembly to NA to eliminate the exchange rate issues, after all the tractor is simply a SISU engine with a Fendt Transaxle assembly bolted together at the AGCO plant in France. Look at the Ag Connect show, this again was the little pricks brainchild, NA needed a show with an international flavor (according to AGCO's chosen one), from what I hear, it was a flop attendancewise. We don't need an "international show" We already have the best show in the world: NFMS, but not good enough for Richenhagen. Look at the Challenger brand, it has only been around since 1987, and is still recognized for the tracked tractors which I understand is still well over 90% of their business. The problem is nobody will question or make strategy recommendations that works for AGCO or their out.
So, as I stated previously if your considering AGCO and currently run JD or CNH, remember how the existing customers were treated. Our Gleaner will be a non-AGCO product next time.
When was Agco a cornerstone brand??? Less than 10% of the tractors produced in Beauvais are orange. Less than 1500 a year. When Agco makes over 45000 tractors (Fendt, Valtra and MF). Spending money on marketing for 1500 tractors a year is a waste. I'd rather seen this money invested in new products development. If you're not happy, just get a MF and have it painted orange. Yes the new Agco have a Sisu engine and a Fendt transaxle... so what? They use the best components available out there. And what's the problem with having them built in Europe. Deere pumps out 50000 6000-series tractors a year in Germany. And New Holland T6000-7000 / Case IH Pumas are made in Europe. Unlike those 2 manufacturers, Agco has facilities in NA where they finish assembly for the NA market.
Have you ever been out of NA??? Ever been to a farmshow in Europe? AgConnect was a flop because of the location, far from the US Midwest. Your expectations must be really low if you consider NFMS the best show in the world. NFMS is NOTHING compared to SIMA and Agritechnica. But eh, it's European so it's not good. Open your mind a bit.
|
Agco at the NFMS in Louisville ; Agco oranges
