Regardless of tillage practices, no growers were safe from last year’s weather. With the summer’s moisture sticking around into the fall (and in some places into the winter), many growers missed crucial fall tillage to get their seedbeds ready.

Great Plains Mfg. plans to convert a 350,000 square foot facility that was once an Alco Warehouse into a manufacturing location at a cost of at least $3.7 million for land and acquisition plus $7.9 million of machinery/equipment and remodel, totaling $10.8 million to be invested over a five-year period.

Senior Sales Advisor Mike Cleveland discusses distribution news following Kubota's acquisition of Great Plains Manufacturing in 2016. Great Plains Manufacturing is now the exclusive distributor of Kubota's Kverneland brand in the U.S., which was attractive for the dry new seeder. As part of the agreement, Great Plains also showed the PW100 plow at its fall shows.

Designed as an easily transportable wing-fold planter with horsepower requirements lowered to 115, the PL5500 was among several new models on display at 2018 Great Plains Ag National Dealer Meeting in Des Moines, Iowa. As described by Jake Riffel, Engineering Manager for the Planter Product Line, the 8-row PL5500 is equipped with 4mm offset opener blades, 1.6 or 3 bushel hoppers and a 9’9” transport width for maneuverability.

Customers with KVG products that are currently under warranty may receive service and parts support at any of the 860-plus Great Plains dealership locations. Future KVG products that are distributed through Great Plains will be branded “Great Plains by Kverneland.”

Great Plains has increased the number of sales regions from two to four regions. The plan for restructuring includes an expansion of regional sales managers, product specialists, and inside sales support.

In this FREE eGuide, “What is Vertical Tillage Anyway,” 14 featured manufacturers demystify the definition of vertical tillage and how can it be useful to farmers that purchase this kind of equipment.

On January 18, 2017, Great Plains Manufacturing celebrated the grand opening of a new Ukrainian facility, located in Roslavychi village near Kiev.