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February 2017

Volume: 55

Edition: 2

Cost of Doing Business Survey: Are Dealers Measuring Up?

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

To the Point

Common DNA Revealed at St. Louis Summit

By Mike Lessiter posted on February 6, 2017 | Posted in Best Practices, Precision Ag Sales & Service

As one charged with sharing best practices, the opportunity to work a room with the industry’s “best of the best” minds for 5 days is a gift. Our company hosted two events, the Precision Farming Dealer Summit and National No-Tillage Conference, in St. Louis the week of Jan. 9.
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How Dealers are Measuring Up

The 2016 Cost of Doing Business study reveals areas where dealers must up their performance to get back to being profitable.

By Dave Kanicki posted on February 11, 2017 | Posted in Best Practices, Data & Forecasts, Operations & Finance

When it comes to unit sales of farm machinery, in the past 5 years North American farm equipment dealers have seen the highest highs and the lowest lows they’ve experienced in the past 3 decades. As sales rose in 2012 and 2013, so did many of the industry’s operational and financial measures. Likewise, as sales began dipping in 2014, these same indicators reflected the industry’s downturn.
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2017 AE50 Awards Recognize Innovations in Farm Machinery

By Kim Schmidt posted on February 11, 2017 | Posted in Product Innovations & Introductions

To be eligible for the award, each development — which could be a component, machine, structure, system, end product or procedure — must embody the application of new technology or the innovative application of an older technology. The technology must be new to the whole industry, not just to an individual company. In addition, for the 2017 awards the development must have been first made available for purchase or ordering during the 2016 calendar year.
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Vanderloop Equipment Bets on the Future

When this AGCO dealership built a new facility focused on selling Claas equipment, it designed it with growth in mind.

By Kim Schmidt posted on February 11, 2017 | Posted in Best Practices, Facilities, Department Management

Driving along Highway 151 in Beaver Dam, Wis., a sleek and modern facility appears on the horizon. The European style building is Vanderloop Equipment’s newest store, and represents a different approach than the 65-year-old AGCO dealership’s two other locations in Brillion and Lena, Wis.
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Mobile Service Makes its Move

Farm equipment dealerships have taken their service offerings on the road as demand for on-site technical assistance continues to rise.

By Brian Salgado posted on February 11, 2017 | Posted in Department Management

Today’s technological advances have raised customer expectations to new heights. Online retailer Amazon is working toward delivering goods via unmanned aerial vehicles in the near future. Google Express offers delivery to your doorstep within hours of submitting an order via a mobile app.
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Why Interseeding Cover Crops is Catching On

Seeding cover crops early enough to get them established before winter often requires interseeding into the existing crop before it’s ready for harvest.

By Dave Kanicki and Laura Barrera posted on February 11, 2017 | Posted in Data & Forecasts, Product Innovations & Introductions, Niche Equipment Markets

The pursuit of higher crop yields and healthier soils is pointing farmers in the direction of cover crops. The 2015-16 Cover Crop Survey conducted by the Conservation Technology Information Center and Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education revealed that average acres of cover crops per farm have more than doubled over the previous 5 years.
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People & Profits: Successful Partnerships Take Dreamers & Doers

By George Russell and Erik Thompson posted on February 11, 2017 | Posted in Best Practices

I am reading — for the second time in a year — Simon Sinek’s book Start with Why, How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. As I finished a chapter today, Sinek’s words reminded me of the many partnerships between dealership leaders that create great businesses, those who over a long time react well to change and execute well to keep customers, employees, manufacturers and investors happy.
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Ahead of the Curve: Economic Benefits of Using Precision Farming

By Dan Crummett posted on February 11, 2017

Equipment and farm services dealers who sell the “dollars and cents” benefits of precision farming have some new sales fodder. This includes a pair of USDA reports that look at cost savings and increased returns for corn farmers using information-based production tools on average size operations.
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Featured Articles

Featured Articles

How Dealers are Measuring Up

The 2016 Cost of Doing Business study reveals areas where dealers must up their performance to get back to being profitable.

By Dave Kanicki posted on February 11, 2017 | Posted in Best Practices, Data & Forecasts, Operations & Finance

When it comes to unit sales of farm machinery, in the past 5 years North American farm equipment dealers have seen the highest highs and the lowest lows they’ve experienced in the past 3 decades. As sales rose in 2012 and 2013, so did many of the industry’s operational and financial measures. Likewise, as sales began dipping in 2014, these same indicators reflected the industry’s downturn.
Read More

2017 AE50 Awards Recognize Innovations in Farm Machinery

By Kim Schmidt posted on February 11, 2017 | Posted in Product Innovations & Introductions

To be eligible for the award, each development — which could be a component, machine, structure, system, end product or procedure — must embody the application of new technology or the innovative application of an older technology. The technology must be new to the whole industry, not just to an individual company. In addition, for the 2017 awards the development must have been first made available for purchase or ordering during the 2016 calendar year.
Read More

To the Point

Common DNA Revealed at St. Louis Summit

By Mike Lessiter posted on February 6, 2017 | Posted in Best Practices, Precision Ag Sales & Service

As one charged with sharing best practices, the opportunity to work a room with the industry’s “best of the best” minds for 5 days is a gift. Our company hosted two events, the Precision Farming Dealer Summit and National No-Tillage Conference, in St. Louis the week of Jan. 9.
Read More
Online Extras

Online Extras

Building the Right Team

February 6, 2017 | Posted in Best Practices, Department Management

Vanderloop Equipment takes its time when hiring new employees to ensure they have the right team in place. Robb Vanderloop, co-owner and general manager, says he'd rather take time getting the right person in than having the wrong person who could cause more harm than good. The dealership regularly looks outside the ag industry for employees.
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Building a Claas Branded Store

February 6, 2017 | Posted in Facilities

Vanderloop Equipment's third location in Beaver Dam, Wis., is a Claas branded store. It is one of very few Claas stores that are not company owned in the U.S.
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New Store has European Style with Multipurpose Function

February 6, 2017 | Posted in Facilities

When Vanderloop Equipment designed its new store in Beaver Dam, Wis., it wanted it to have a European flair to match the German products sold there. In addition, co-owner Robb Vanderloop says they wanted to make sure the building could be used for something beyond a farm equipment dealership should they ever want to sell it.
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Products in Action

Products in Action

Products in Action: Yanmar America Co.

April 12, 2017

READ PRODUCTS IN ACTION
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Top Directory Listings

Yetter Farm Equipment

Built on 90 years of expertise, Yetter Farm Equipment leads the agriculture industry in designing effective and innovative equipment for residue management, seedbed preparation, precision fertilizer placement, harvest attachments, strip-tillage, and more.

Montag Mfg

Montag is the industry’s innovative leader for precise, accurate metering of fertilizer, seed and other nutrients. The Montag system has become the standard for deep banding of fertilizer. Montag is also pioneering the technology for cover crop seed application. The new Cover Crop+ is able to meter the smallest seed, and can be mounted to tillage implements, combines, plus Hagie sprayers and detasselers.

Finance Scope

Finance Scope is able to provide the best financing opportunities for equipment dealers and customers through a diverse mix of lending companies under one single platform. Our large group of lenders, allows for competitive rates regardless of credit scores. Additionally, dealers and customers have access to the industry’s best expertise surrounding finance and lease structures, for all purposes, within the agricultural and construction industries. We provide all of this into one online platform to provide our customers with the best available tailored finance solution for their equipment.

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