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Wikipedia

Massey Ferguson

Massey Ferguson Limited is an American agricultural machinery manufacturer. The company was established in 1953 through the merger of farm equipment makers Massey-Harris of Canada and the Ferguson Company of the United Kingdom. It was based in Toronto, then Brantford, Ontario, Canada, until 1988. The company transferred its headquarters in 1991 to Buffalo, New York, U.S. before it was acquired by AGCO, the new owner of its former competitor Allis-Chalmers. Massey Ferguson is among several brands in a portfolio produced and marketed by American industrial agricultural equipment conglomerate AGCO and a major seller in international markets around the world.

Massey Ferguson Limited
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryAgricultural machinery
Predecessors
Founded1953 (as Massey-Harris-Ferguson; shortened to Massey Ferguson in 1958)
Successor
HeadquartersDuluth, Georgia, United States
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsTractors
Combine harvesters
Forage harvesters
Grape Harvesters
Sugarcane harvesters
Balers
Front loaderss
Hay rake
Plough tools
Telescopic handlers
ParentAGCO
Websitemasseyferguson.com

History

Massey Manufacturing Co.

 
Illustration of the Massey factory in Newcastle, Ontario, circa 1879

In 1847, Daniel Massey established the Newcastle Foundry and Machine Manufactory in what is now Newcastle, Ontario.[1] The company made some of the world's first mechanical threshers, at first by assembling parts from the United States, but eventually designing and building its own equipment. Daniel Massey's son, Hart Massey, subsequently renamed the enterprise as the Massey Manufacturing Co.

In 1879, the company moved to Toronto,[2] where it soon became one of the city's leading employers. It was located on King Street West at Strachan Avenue, occupying the former Toronto exhibition grounds, the site of Toronto's Crystal Palace, just south of the Provincial Lunatic Asylum and north of the Central Prison. The huge complex of factories, consisting of a 4.4-hectare (11-acre) site with plant and head office at 915 King Street West (now part of Liberty Village), became one of the best-known features of the city. The company expanded further and began to sell its products internationally.[2] Through extensive advertising campaigns, it became one of the most well-known brands in Canada. A labor shortage throughout the country also helped to make the firm's mechanized equipment very attractive.

Massey-Harris Limited

 
Massey-Harris logo, c. 1952
 
Share of Massey-Harris Limited, issued February 18, 1916

In 1891, the Massey Manufacturing Co. merged with A. Harris, Son and Company to form Massey-Harris Limited,[1][3] which became the largest agricultural equipment maker in the British Empire. Massey-Harris made threshing machines and reapers, as well as safety bicycles, introducing a shaft-driven model in 1898.[4] In 1910, Massey-Harris acquired the Johnston Harvester Company of Batavia, New York, making it one of Canada's first multinational firms.[1]

Hart Massey's sons Charles, Walter, Chester and Fred became closely involved in the business and eventually took over its operations. They were the last generation of Masseys to run Massey-Harris. President Vincent Massey left to become a minister in the Mackenzie King government. In 1927, an unsolicited takeover offer from an unnamed US purchaser precipitated a power struggle for control of the firm. The US bid was turned down, and control remained in Canadian hands with the sale of the Massey's stock for CA$8 million to Thomas Bradshaw and J.H. Gundy of Toronto.[5] Members of the family went on to other accomplishments. Vincent Massey later became Governor General of Canada. Raymond Massey became a noted actor in American films. The Massey family used its fortune to improve the city of Toronto and many institutions, such as the University of Guelph, University of Toronto, Upper Canada College, Crescent School, Appleby College, Massey Hall and Metropolitan United Church, were partially financed by the Masseys.

The company's early tractor models included the 20 horsepower Massey-Harris GP 15/22 (1930–36),[6] 25 horsepower 'Massey-Harris Pacemaker' (1936–1939),[7] 35 horsepower Model 101 (1938–1942),[8] Massey-Harris Pony, Model 20, Model 81, and Model 744.

Grain harvesting was revolutionized by Massey engineer Tom Carroll in 1938, with the world's first affordable, mass-produced, self-propelled combine— the No. 20.[1] It was too heavy and expensive for extensive mass production, but served as a guide for the design of the lighter and less costly No. 21 which was tested in 1940, and put on sale in 1941. The Massey-Harris No. 21 Combine was commemorated with a Canada Post stamp on June 8, 1996.[9] Massey-Harris also produced one of the world's first four-wheel drive tractors.

E.P. Taylor, one of C.D. Howe's dollar-a-year men, joined the board of directors in 1942, and Eric Phillips joined management in 1946. The company would become one of the prime jewels in Argus Corporation.

The final generation of Massey-Harris tractors, introduced immediately after World War II, included the 25-horsepower M-H 22 series,[10] the 35 horsepower M-H 33 series,[11] the 45 horsepower M-H 44 series[12] and the 55 horsepower M-H 55 series.[13] In 1952, the M-H 22 was replaced by the M-H 23 Mustang. In 1955, the 30-horsepower Massey-Harris 50 was introduced after the merger that created Massey-Harris-Ferguson. It was based on the Ferguson TO-35 and was also produced as the F-40 for Ferguson dealers. The MH-50 was available in several configurations: utility, high-crop utility, or row-crop with a choice of single, tricycle, or wide adjustable front ends. In 1956, the M-H 33 was replaced by the MH 333, while the M-H 44 was replaced by the M-H 444 and the M-H 55 was replaced by the M-H 555. These tractors were commonly known as the "triple series" and were mechanically similar to their predecessors, but featured new styling that included a slightly different hood design, chrome trim on the grill and hood, and a different color scheme. They were also available with power steering, live power take-off (PTO) and hydraulics. The Massey Harris triple series tractors remained in production until 1958.

Military contracts

During and after World War II, Massey Harris undertook a number of contracts to produce tractors, tanks and self-propelled artillery vehicles for the United States Armed Forces.[1] Vehicles produced by Massey Harris include the following:

 
A standard-tread[16] 1948 Massey-Harris Model 20

Massey Ferguson

In 1953, Massey-Harris merged with the Ferguson Company to become Massey-Harris-Ferguson, before shortening it to Massey Ferguson in 1958.[1] They tried to consolidate the two dealer networks and product lines. Its television and radio advertising featured an upbeat jingle with a male chorus singing, "He's a get-up-early, keep-'em-rollin, Massey-Ferguson kind of a man." Nevertheless, the company soon began to decline financially after facing increasing international competition in the 1960s, when the firm began to struggle.

Hanomag-Cura, Argentina

In 1971, Massey purchased the local facilities of Rheinstahl Hanomag-Cura in Argentina, which had been established in 1960. The production of tractors and other agricultural implements, during until 1999. Some model numbers made in Argentina included 65R/250/252, 155, 150, 5160 S-2 / S-4, 5140 / 5140–4, 265, 255, 250, 250 S "viñatero", 8500 and 9500.

Other model numbers included 1075, 1078, 1095h, 1098, 1175 / 1175 S, 1185 / 1185 S, 1195 L / 1195 S-2/S-4, 1215 S-2 / S-4, 1340 S-2/S-4, 1360 S2/S4, 1615 L / S 1615 L, 1640, 1650, 1670, 1690, 1465, 1475 "Super alto", 1485, 1499 SX / 1499 L.

Sunshine, Australia

In 1955, Massey purchased the Australian manufacturers of Sunshine harvesters, H.V. McKay Pty Limited. Hugh Victor McKay had invented the combine harvester in 1884, the first machine to combine the functions of reaping, threshing and winnowing grain from a standing crop. By the 1920s, H.V. McKay Pty Ltd was running the largest implement factory in the southern hemisphere, covering 30.4 hectares (75 acres), and led the international agricultural industry through the development of the world's first self-propelled harvester in 1924.

In 1930, the H.V. McKay Pty Limited was granted exclusive Australian distribution of Massey-Harris machinery. The company was then renamed H.V. McKay Massey Harris Pty Ltd. Throughout World War II, H.V. McKay Massey Harris exported over 20,000 Sunshine drills, disc harrows and binders to England to facilitate the increase in food production.

In 1955, the remainder of H.V. McKay Pty Ltd was sold to Massey Ferguson. Manufacturing ended in 1986, and the last section was sold off and demolished in 1992. The former bulk store, factory gates and clock tower, the pedestrian footbridge, factory gardens, and head office complex still exist and are all listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.[17]

Landini

In 1959, Massey bought 100% of Landini, based in Italy. Landini has built many models for Massey over the years, especially vineyard and crawler models. Massey sold 66% to ARGO SpA in 1989, some to Iseki later on, and the final portion was sold to ARGO in 2000.

Perkins

In 1959, Perkins Engines from Peterborough, England was purchased. Perkins was the main diesel engine supplier for Massey Ferguson for many years.[1] In 1990, Massey Ferguson took over Dorman Diesels of Stafford and merged it with Perkins to form Perkins Engines (Stafford) Ltd. In the 1980s, Perkins purchased Rolls-Royce (Diesels) Ltd, to form Perkins Engines (Shrewsbury) Ltd. In 1998, Perkins was sold off by then-owner LucasVarity to Caterpillar Inc., who were a major customer for their smaller and mid-sized engines; Caterpillar was a major producer of large diesel engines for stationary and mobile application.[18]

Ebro of Spain

In 1966, Massey purchased 32% of the Spanish tractor and auto company Ebro, or Motor Iberica. Ebro had previously built Ford tractors under license, but now began building models for Massey, and Massey models under license. Massey sold its interest to Nissan in the 1980s.[19]

In the early 1960s, Massey Ferguson moved their head office from 915 King Street to the Sun Life Tower at 200 University Avenue in the Downtown Toronto.

In 1969, Massey Ferguson began producing a line of snowmobiles under the name 'Ski Whiz'. The snowmobile line was discontinued in 1977, due to a decline in sales.

Activities in Germany

In 1973, Massey purchased German Eicher tractor and many Massey-licensed Eichers were built. They later sold their interest and Dromson now owns Eicher which now builds specialized tractors for vineyards and such.

The firm then purchased control of Hanomag in 1974. After a loss of $250 million over the next five years, Hanomag was sold off.[20]

Conrad Black take-over

 
A Massey Ferguson MF 3660 tractor from the early 1990s

On 16 August 1978, Conrad Black, whose family had obtained control of Argus Corporation, an investor in Massey Ferguson, became active in Massey Ferguson's management.[21] The previous year, chairman Albert A. Thornbrough received a $471,000 salary, the highest executive salary in Canada at the time.[22] During the 50 years between 1929 and 1979, the firm made more than 4% profit on its sales only five times. Under Black's leadership, Massey Ferguson instituted significant cost-cutting programmes and down-sized its work force in an attempt to improve its profitability. During the late 1970s, production was relocated from Toronto to a new, large facility in Brantford, Ontario. In 1978, Massey Ferguson was the first to introduce an electronic control system for the three-point hitch on a tractor.[citation needed] However, a worldwide decline in the agricultural equipment market combined with high inflation, high domestic interest rates and a major recession, caused Massey Ferguson to slip into a loss and seek relief from creditors. On 31 October 1979, Volkswagen AG made an informal offer for 51% of the firm, but was rebuffed by Black.[23] On 23 May 1980, Black resigned as chairman. In a subsequent series of detailed and lengthy letters to Herb Gray—the then Canadian Minister of Industry under the government of Pierre Trudeau—he remarked on the challenges faced by the firm, and outlined his solution, which would have seen the Canadian and Ontario governments as well as Argus Corporation refloat the ailing firm. Black failed to obtain a suitable response, and resolved to cut his losses.[24]

Varity

In October 1980, Argus donated its shares in Massey Ferguson to the employee's pension plans, leading the way to a CA$250 million bail-out from the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario for the collapsing business, which later was renamed Varity Corporation.[citation needed] In 1986, Varity spun off several money-losing divisions into an entity called Massey Combines Corporation. Massey Combines Corporation was headquartered in Brantford and became insolvent on 4 March 1988,[25] and its assets were re-acquired by Massey Ferguson.[citation needed]

 
Massey Ferguson 6490 from the mid-2000s

Varity left Toronto and relocated its head office to the Williams-Butler House at 672 Delaware Avenue in the Millionaire Row area of Buffalo, New York. The Toronto manufacturing complex was demolished and the property sold and re-developed, leaving only its head office building standing. Despite its hardships, Massey Ferguson was selling 25% more tractors than its nearest competitors at this time.

In 1992, a management buyout of MF Industrial created Fermec, which finally ceased trading in 2001 when it was taken over by the Terex Corporation, formerly a unit of General Motors. This encompassed all construction equipment from Massey. It was then purchased by Case Corporation in 1997.[26]

In 1994, Massey Ferguson's worldwide holdings were purchased by the United States-based AGCO Corporation for US$328 million in cash and $18 million in stock.[27][28]

In August 1996, Varity merged with Lucas Automotive to become LucasVarity. After a series of mergers and takeovers, the remains of LucasVarity were acquired by the United States company TRW in 1999 for US$6.53 billion.[29]

AGCO Ownership

While Massey-Ferguson had a strong global presence at 20% market share in 1994, it sold 87% of its machines outside North America.[27] Therefore, the acquisition by AGCO had the aim to increase AGCO's global presence outside North America and increase Massey Ferguson's presence inside North America.

In 2008, the 8600 series became the first agricultural tractor world-wide to feature Selective Catalytic Reduction emissions technology branded as e3.[30]

In June 2012, the facility in Jackson, Minnesota, was expanded to start building Massey Ferguson and comparable AGCO "Challenger" models for the North American market. Since production commenced at AGCO Jackson, the facility has produced "7600" series and "8600" series Massey Ferguson tractors for the North American market. Production at the Jackson facility also included the 7700, 8700, 7700S, and 8700S Massey Ferguson tractors.

In January 2020, AGCO made the announcement that will make an expansion of its Beauvais factory in France.With this expansion, the factory will cover a total area of 54ha and employ up to 2,500 people. This will enable the full design, build, testing and manufacture of new Massey Ferguson models in the Beauvais factory.[31] With the completion of this factory expansion at the Beauvais location, the production of the 7700S and 8700S models at the Jackson, Minnesota ceased and returned to Beauvais only in the year 2022 as the new expansion is expected to fulfill global demand for those high-horsepower tractor models. This move was also made by AGCO's management due to the increased demand for AGCO's self-propelled application equipment and Fendt track tractors which were/are also produced at the Jackson, Minnesota location.

Since AGCO acquired the company, there has been a resurgence and expansion of the Massey Ferguson brand worldwide. Row-crop tractors have continuously been produced in the Beauvais, France factory since 1960 and in June 2022, the 1,000,000th tractor was produced bearing the Massey-Ferguson brand.[32] The first tractor model from the Beauvais plant was an 825 and the millionth tractor was an 8S.305 with Dyna-VT transmission.[32]

Equipment Offerings

Presently, Massey Ferguson offers the following types of equipment with different regional availability throughout the globe:

  • Compact Tractors
  • Utility Tractors
  • Mid Range Tractors
  • High Horsepower Tractors
  • Hay Tools
  • Planting Equipment
  • Combine Harvesting Equipment
  • Self-propelled sprayers

Overview of Tractor Models

 
A Massey Ferguson 35

Massey Ferguson developed a wide range of agricultural vehicles and have a large share in the market across the world especially in Europe. In December 1957, the MF35 which was the first Massey Ferguson branded tractor rolled off the factory floor. It was a Ferguson design that started its life in 1955 as the Ferguson 35, often nicknamed "Gold Belly" due to the gold engine and gearbox. The 35s were massively popular and sold across the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and the United States. These were followed by other early models like the 65 (MK1 indirect injection) 65 (MK2 direct injection).

The next big selling model was the MF135 which became widely popular because of its reliability and power compared to other tractors at the time.[citation needed] This was the first model in the MF 100 series. These included the MF 130, 133, 135, 145, 148, 150, 158, 165, 168, 175, 178, 180, 185 and 188.The same time the MF 100 series came out, the MF 1000 series was introduced. These include the MF 1080, 1100, 1130 and 1150. Later came the MF 550, 560, 565, 575, 590, 595 (500 series).

From the mid-1970s and early 1980s came the 200 series tractor, which included the MF 230, 235, 240, 245, 250, 255, 260, 265, 270, 275, 278, 280, 285, 290, 298, 299.

In the mid-1980s, the short-lived 600 series was released. This included the 675, 690, 690T, 695, 698 and 699. The reason behind poor sales figures was due to unattractive styling and poor ergonomics, with the cab sitting much higher than previous MF tractors. Although the cab did give excellent visibility and a flat floor, being high off the ground meant it was best suited to field operations instead of livestock work. The 600 series was one of the first tractors to offer the user an option to control where the hydraulic fluid should be pumped. By moving a switch situated near the floor of the cab, the user could block off flow to the rear hydraulics and link arms, concentrating the full force of the pump on the front loader if equipped.

In the late 1980s, one of the greatest selling tractors of all time was released- the 300 series Massey Ferguson. Excellent power, simplicity of cab, high range of gears and components made the MF 300 series a success especially in Europe. The range included the MF 340, 350, 352, 355, 362, 365, 372, 375, 382, 383, 390, 390T, 393, 394, 395, 398, 399 and 399T (the most powerful and popular Massey Ferguson 399) with horsepower ranging from 45HP to 104HP. The 300 series was also offered with a choice of cab, Hi-Line or Lo-Line. The Hi-Line cab featured a flat floor whilst the Lo-Line cab had a hump in the middle for the transmission tunnel. Some 'original' examples of the lower horsepower 300-series have been known to fetch prices exceeding £20,000 because of their rarity.

 
Massey Ferguson MF 6290 tractor towing a grain trailer

In the mid-1990s, the 6100 series and 8100 series were released including the 6150, 6180 and 8130.

 
Massey Ferguson 8740 S in Austria

Tractors that came after the 300 series included:

  • the 4200 range, the 4300 range, 3600 (early 1990s)
  • 3000/3100 (early to mid-1990s)
  • 3005/3105 (mid-1990s)
  • 6100 (late 1990s), 6200 (late 1990s/early 2000s (decade))
  • 8200 (late 1990s/early 2000s)
  • 5400, 6400, 7400, 8400 (2004-2007)
  • 5600, 6600, 7600, 8600 (2009 to 2014)
  • 5700, 6700, 7700, 8700, (2014-2018)
  • 3700, 4700, 5700, 6700, (global series) 5700S, 6700S, 7700S, and 8700S.

In the 2000s, the Massey Ferguson range included the 8600 series (limited markets), 5400 (limited markets), 5700S, 6700S, 7700S, and 8700S series tractors. New generation AGCO Power engines 8700 S Series provided levels of torque and horse-power unsurpassed in conventional tractor design, from the minimum of fuel. AGCO POWER 6 cylinder 8.4 L engines generated power from 270 to 405 hp.[33](AGCO Beauvais France) Massey Ferguson tractor production factories also built tractors marketed by AGCO under the "Challenger" brand, and also specific model ranges for Iseki.

In July 2020, Massey Ferguson launched the change of the tractor lineup, starting with the 8S Series that replaced the 7700S range.[34]

In 2021, more models were launched. In January, the 5S Series[35] and in September the 6S Series and 7S Series. This change also brought a new model numbering. For example, an MF 5S.105 – the "5S" stands for the series and the last three digits stands for the maximum power.[36]

In 2022, Massey Ferguson presented the new compact tractor 1700M Series and the new specialized tractor 3S Series.[37]

Product images

Former Logos

Massey Ferguson is the most widely sold brand of agricultural machinery in the world. The brand designs were licensed to a variety of companies including:


See also

Rival manufacturers:

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Newman 1982, p. 146
  2. ^ a b Martin, Joseph E. (2017). "Titans". Canada's History. 97 (5): 47–53. ISSN 1920-9894.
  3. ^ Unofficial Massey-Harris home page 2012-03-05 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Canada Science and Technology Museum – A New Model Every Year 2010-05-09 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  5. ^ "Bradshaw and Gundy Secure 75,000 Shares; Hon. Vincent Massey Sells All His Holdings; $8,000,000 Deal in Massey-Harris Stock". The Globe and Mail. 15 February 1927. pp. 1–2.
  6. ^ Easterlund, Peter. "TractorData.com Massey-Harris GP 15/22 tractor information". www.tractordata.com.
  7. ^ Easterlund, Peter. "TractorData.com Massey-Harris Pacemaker tractor information". www.tractordata.com.
  8. ^ Easterlund, Peter. "TractorData.com Massey-Harris 101 Super tractor information". www.tractordata.com.
  9. ^ Massey-Harris No. 21 Combine commemorative stamp bulletin
  10. ^ Easterlund, Peter. "TractorData.com Massey-Harris 23 Mustang tractor information". www.tractordata.com.
  11. ^ Easterlund, Peter. "TractorData.com Massey-Harris 333 tractor information". www.tractordata.com.
  12. ^ Easterlund, Peter. "TractorData.com Massey-Harris 44 Special tractor information". www.tractordata.com.
  13. ^ Easterlund, Peter. "TractorData.com Massey-Harris 55 tractor information". www.tractordata.com.
  14. ^ "M5 Stuart". Tanks Encyclopedia. 28 November 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  15. ^ "M41 155mm Howitzer Motor Carriage". Military History Encyclopedia of the Web. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  16. ^ Pripps, Robert N. The Big Book of Farm Tractors (Vancouver, BC: Raincoast Books, 2001), p. 104.
  17. ^ Victorian Heritage Database Report: Massey Ferguson Complex
  18. ^ The Massey Legacy, by John Farnworth, ISBN 978-0-85236-403-1
  19. ^ FOMCC. "Ford Iberica - Ebro". fomcc.de.
  20. ^ Newman 1982, pp. 150–1
  21. ^ Newman 1982, p. 154
  22. ^ Newman 1982, p. 150
  23. ^ Newman 1982, p. 158
  24. ^ Newman 1982, pp. 160–163
  25. ^ Per MCC Employee
  26. ^ . fermec.com. Archived from the original on 18 November 2006. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  27. ^ a b Ringer, Richard (28 April 1994). "COMPANY NEWS; Agco to Acquire Massey Ferguson". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  28. ^ Robinson, David (28 April 1994). . The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on 11 June 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2012. Varity Corp. Wednesday said it has finalized its deal to sell its Massey Ferguson farm machinery business to Agco Corp. for $328 million in cash and common stock.
  29. ^ "TRW Is Near Deal to Buy Lucas Varity". Bloomberg News. 26 January 1999 – via NYTimes.com.
  30. ^ "New emission control system now featured on AGCO Corp. tractors". Farm Progress. 21 February 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  31. ^ AGCO. "AGCO will further expand in Beauvais, France and create 200 new jobs". AGCO. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  32. ^ a b Corporation, AGCO (14 June 2022). "Massey Ferguson® Produces One-Millionth Tractor". GlobeNewswire News Room. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  33. ^ "Massey Ferguson 8735 Specifications". specstch.com. 8 March 2020.
  34. ^ "Massey Ferguson unveils radically redesigned 200hp-plus 8S tractors". Farmers Weekly. 28 July 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  35. ^ Magazine, Newsroom of HeavyQuip (7 January 2021). "Massey Ferguson Introduces the New MF 5S Tractor Range". The HeavyQuip Magazine. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  36. ^ "Massey Ferguson unveils new 6S and 7S tractor ranges". www.farmersjournal.ie. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  37. ^ "MF 1700 M". Retrieved 6 April 2022.

Sources

External links

  • Official Website

massey, ferguson, limited, american, agricultural, machinery, manufacturer, company, established, 1953, through, merger, farm, equipment, makers, massey, harris, canada, ferguson, company, united, kingdom, based, toronto, then, brantford, ontario, canada, unti. Massey Ferguson Limited is an American agricultural machinery manufacturer The company was established in 1953 through the merger of farm equipment makers Massey Harris of Canada and the Ferguson Company of the United Kingdom It was based in Toronto then Brantford Ontario Canada until 1988 The company transferred its headquarters in 1991 to Buffalo New York U S before it was acquired by AGCO the new owner of its former competitor Allis Chalmers Massey Ferguson is among several brands in a portfolio produced and marketed by American industrial agricultural equipment conglomerate AGCO and a major seller in international markets around the world Massey Ferguson LimitedTypeSubsidiaryIndustryAgricultural machineryPredecessorsMassey Harris LimitedFerguson CompanyFounded1953 as Massey Harris Ferguson shortened to Massey Ferguson in 1958 SuccessorVarityAGCOHeadquartersDuluth Georgia United StatesArea servedWorldwideProductsTractorsCombine harvestersForage harvestersGrape HarvestersSugarcane harvestersBalersFront loaderssHay rakePlough toolsTelescopic handlersParentAGCOWebsitemasseyferguson wbr com Contents 1 History 1 1 Massey Manufacturing Co 1 2 Massey Harris Limited 1 2 1 Military contracts 1 3 Massey Ferguson 1 3 1 Hanomag Cura Argentina 1 3 2 Sunshine Australia 1 3 3 Landini 1 3 4 Perkins 1 3 5 Ebro of Spain 1 3 6 Activities in Germany 1 3 7 Conrad Black take over 1 3 8 Varity 1 3 9 AGCO Ownership 2 Equipment Offerings 3 Overview of Tractor Models 4 Product images 5 Former Logos 6 See also 7 References 8 Sources 9 External linksHistory EditMassey Manufacturing Co Edit Illustration of the Massey factory in Newcastle Ontario circa 1879 In 1847 Daniel Massey established the Newcastle Foundry and Machine Manufactory in what is now Newcastle Ontario 1 The company made some of the world s first mechanical threshers at first by assembling parts from the United States but eventually designing and building its own equipment Daniel Massey s son Hart Massey subsequently renamed the enterprise as the Massey Manufacturing Co In 1879 the company moved to Toronto 2 where it soon became one of the city s leading employers It was located on King Street West at Strachan Avenue occupying the former Toronto exhibition grounds the site of Toronto s Crystal Palace just south of the Provincial Lunatic Asylum and north of the Central Prison The huge complex of factories consisting of a 4 4 hectare 11 acre site with plant and head office at 915 King Street West now part of Liberty Village became one of the best known features of the city The company expanded further and began to sell its products internationally 2 Through extensive advertising campaigns it became one of the most well known brands in Canada A labor shortage throughout the country also helped to make the firm s mechanized equipment very attractive Massey Harris Limited Edit Massey Harris logo c 1952 Share of Massey Harris Limited issued February 18 1916 In 1891 the Massey Manufacturing Co merged with A Harris Son and Company to form Massey Harris Limited 1 3 which became the largest agricultural equipment maker in the British Empire Massey Harris made threshing machines and reapers as well as safety bicycles introducing a shaft driven model in 1898 4 In 1910 Massey Harris acquired the Johnston Harvester Company of Batavia New York making it one of Canada s first multinational firms 1 Hart Massey s sons Charles Walter Chester and Fred became closely involved in the business and eventually took over its operations They were the last generation of Masseys to run Massey Harris President Vincent Massey left to become a minister in the Mackenzie King government In 1927 an unsolicited takeover offer from an unnamed US purchaser precipitated a power struggle for control of the firm The US bid was turned down and control remained in Canadian hands with the sale of the Massey s stock for CA 8 million to Thomas Bradshaw and J H Gundy of Toronto 5 Members of the family went on to other accomplishments Vincent Massey later became Governor General of Canada Raymond Massey became a noted actor in American films The Massey family used its fortune to improve the city of Toronto and many institutions such as the University of Guelph University of Toronto Upper Canada College Crescent School Appleby College Massey Hall and Metropolitan United Church were partially financed by the Masseys The company s early tractor models included the 20 horsepower Massey Harris GP 15 22 1930 36 6 25 horsepower Massey Harris Pacemaker 1936 1939 7 35 horsepower Model 101 1938 1942 8 Massey Harris Pony Model 20 Model 81 and Model 744 Grain harvesting was revolutionized by Massey engineer Tom Carroll in 1938 with the world s first affordable mass produced self propelled combine the No 20 1 It was too heavy and expensive for extensive mass production but served as a guide for the design of the lighter and less costly No 21 which was tested in 1940 and put on sale in 1941 The Massey Harris No 21 Combine was commemorated with a Canada Post stamp on June 8 1996 9 Massey Harris also produced one of the world s first four wheel drive tractors E P Taylor one of C D Howe s dollar a year men joined the board of directors in 1942 and Eric Phillips joined management in 1946 The company would become one of the prime jewels in Argus Corporation The final generation of Massey Harris tractors introduced immediately after World War II included the 25 horsepower M H 22 series 10 the 35 horsepower M H 33 series 11 the 45 horsepower M H 44 series 12 and the 55 horsepower M H 55 series 13 In 1952 the M H 22 was replaced by the M H 23 Mustang In 1955 the 30 horsepower Massey Harris 50 was introduced after the merger that created Massey Harris Ferguson It was based on the Ferguson TO 35 and was also produced as the F 40 for Ferguson dealers The MH 50 was available in several configurations utility high crop utility or row crop with a choice of single tricycle or wide adjustable front ends In 1956 the M H 33 was replaced by the MH 333 while the M H 44 was replaced by the M H 444 and the M H 55 was replaced by the M H 555 These tractors were commonly known as the triple series and were mechanically similar to their predecessors but featured new styling that included a slightly different hood design chrome trim on the grill and hood and a different color scheme They were also available with power steering live power take off PTO and hydraulics The Massey Harris triple series tractors remained in production until 1958 Military contracts Edit During and after World War II Massey Harris undertook a number of contracts to produce tractors tanks and self propelled artillery vehicles for the United States Armed Forces 1 Vehicles produced by Massey Harris include the following M5 Stuart light tank 250 M5s and 3 530 M5A1s built 14 M24 Chaffee light tank M41 Howitzer Motor Carriage self propelled artillery built on M24 chassis 15 M44 self propelled howitzer 250 built in early 1950s on M41 Walker Bulldog tank chassis M36 Jackson tank destroyer M19 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage Self propelled anti aircraft artillery vehicle 300 built I 162 Military tractor built for the United States Army 25 built I 244 Military tractor built for the United States Air Force United States Navy and United States Army Corps of Engineers in 1955 and 1956 I 330 Military tractor built for the United States Navy 6 built A standard tread 16 1948 Massey Harris Model 20 Massey Ferguson Edit In 1953 Massey Harris merged with the Ferguson Company to become Massey Harris Ferguson before shortening it to Massey Ferguson in 1958 1 They tried to consolidate the two dealer networks and product lines Its television and radio advertising featured an upbeat jingle with a male chorus singing He s a get up early keep em rollin Massey Ferguson kind of a man Nevertheless the company soon began to decline financially after facing increasing international competition in the 1960s when the firm began to struggle Hanomag Cura Argentina Edit In 1971 Massey purchased the local facilities of Rheinstahl Hanomag Cura in Argentina which had been established in 1960 The production of tractors and other agricultural implements during until 1999 Some model numbers made in Argentina included 65R 250 252 155 150 5160 S 2 S 4 5140 5140 4 265 255 250 250 S vinatero 8500 and 9500 Other model numbers included 1075 1078 1095h 1098 1175 1175 S 1185 1185 S 1195 L 1195 S 2 S 4 1215 S 2 S 4 1340 S 2 S 4 1360 S2 S4 1615 L S 1615 L 1640 1650 1670 1690 1465 1475 Super alto 1485 1499 SX 1499 L Sunshine Australia Edit Main article Sunshine Harvester Works In 1955 Massey purchased the Australian manufacturers of Sunshine harvesters H V McKay Pty Limited Hugh Victor McKay had invented the combine harvester in 1884 the first machine to combine the functions of reaping threshing and winnowing grain from a standing crop By the 1920s H V McKay Pty Ltd was running the largest implement factory in the southern hemisphere covering 30 4 hectares 75 acres and led the international agricultural industry through the development of the world s first self propelled harvester in 1924 In 1930 the H V McKay Pty Limited was granted exclusive Australian distribution of Massey Harris machinery The company was then renamed H V McKay Massey Harris Pty Ltd Throughout World War II H V McKay Massey Harris exported over 20 000 Sunshine drills disc harrows and binders to England to facilitate the increase in food production In 1955 the remainder of H V McKay Pty Ltd was sold to Massey Ferguson Manufacturing ended in 1986 and the last section was sold off and demolished in 1992 The former bulk store factory gates and clock tower the pedestrian footbridge factory gardens and head office complex still exist and are all listed on the Victorian Heritage Register 17 Landini Edit In 1959 Massey bought 100 of Landini based in Italy Landini has built many models for Massey over the years especially vineyard and crawler models Massey sold 66 to ARGO SpA in 1989 some to Iseki later on and the final portion was sold to ARGO in 2000 Perkins Edit In 1959 Perkins Engines from Peterborough England was purchased Perkins was the main diesel engine supplier for Massey Ferguson for many years 1 In 1990 Massey Ferguson took over Dorman Diesels of Stafford and merged it with Perkins to form Perkins Engines Stafford Ltd In the 1980s Perkins purchased Rolls Royce Diesels Ltd to form Perkins Engines Shrewsbury Ltd In 1998 Perkins was sold off by then owner LucasVarity to Caterpillar Inc who were a major customer for their smaller and mid sized engines Caterpillar was a major producer of large diesel engines for stationary and mobile application 18 Ebro of Spain Edit In 1966 Massey purchased 32 of the Spanish tractor and auto company Ebro or Motor Iberica Ebro had previously built Ford tractors under license but now began building models for Massey and Massey models under license Massey sold its interest to Nissan in the 1980s 19 In the early 1960s Massey Ferguson moved their head office from 915 King Street to the Sun Life Tower at 200 University Avenue in the Downtown Toronto In 1969 Massey Ferguson began producing a line of snowmobiles under the name Ski Whiz The snowmobile line was discontinued in 1977 due to a decline in sales Activities in Germany Edit In 1973 Massey purchased German Eicher tractor and many Massey licensed Eichers were built They later sold their interest and Dromson now owns Eicher which now builds specialized tractors for vineyards and such The firm then purchased control of Hanomag in 1974 After a loss of 250 million over the next five years Hanomag was sold off 20 Conrad Black take over Edit A Massey Ferguson MF 3660 tractor from the early 1990s On 16 August 1978 Conrad Black whose family had obtained control of Argus Corporation an investor in Massey Ferguson became active in Massey Ferguson s management 21 The previous year chairman Albert A Thornbrough received a 471 000 salary the highest executive salary in Canada at the time 22 During the 50 years between 1929 and 1979 the firm made more than 4 profit on its sales only five times Under Black s leadership Massey Ferguson instituted significant cost cutting programmes and down sized its work force in an attempt to improve its profitability During the late 1970s production was relocated from Toronto to a new large facility in Brantford Ontario In 1978 Massey Ferguson was the first to introduce an electronic control system for the three point hitch on a tractor citation needed However a worldwide decline in the agricultural equipment market combined with high inflation high domestic interest rates and a major recession caused Massey Ferguson to slip into a loss and seek relief from creditors On 31 October 1979 Volkswagen AG made an informal offer for 51 of the firm but was rebuffed by Black 23 On 23 May 1980 Black resigned as chairman In a subsequent series of detailed and lengthy letters to Herb Gray the then Canadian Minister of Industry under the government of Pierre Trudeau he remarked on the challenges faced by the firm and outlined his solution which would have seen the Canadian and Ontario governments as well as Argus Corporation refloat the ailing firm Black failed to obtain a suitable response and resolved to cut his losses 24 Varity Edit See also List of former tractor manufacturers Main article Varity In October 1980 Argus donated its shares in Massey Ferguson to the employee s pension plans leading the way to a CA 250 million bail out from the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario for the collapsing business which later was renamed Varity Corporation citation needed In 1986 Varity spun off several money losing divisions into an entity called Massey Combines Corporation Massey Combines Corporation was headquartered in Brantford and became insolvent on 4 March 1988 25 and its assets were re acquired by Massey Ferguson citation needed Massey Ferguson 6490 from the mid 2000s Varity left Toronto and relocated its head office to the Williams Butler House at 672 Delaware Avenue in the Millionaire Row area of Buffalo New York The Toronto manufacturing complex was demolished and the property sold and re developed leaving only its head office building standing Despite its hardships Massey Ferguson was selling 25 more tractors than its nearest competitors at this time In 1992 a management buyout of MF Industrial created Fermec which finally ceased trading in 2001 when it was taken over by the Terex Corporation formerly a unit of General Motors This encompassed all construction equipment from Massey It was then purchased by Case Corporation in 1997 26 In 1994 Massey Ferguson s worldwide holdings were purchased by the United States based AGCO Corporation for US 328 million in cash and 18 million in stock 27 28 In August 1996 Varity merged with Lucas Automotive to become LucasVarity After a series of mergers and takeovers the remains of LucasVarity were acquired by the United States company TRW in 1999 for US 6 53 billion 29 AGCO Ownership Edit While Massey Ferguson had a strong global presence at 20 market share in 1994 it sold 87 of its machines outside North America 27 Therefore the acquisition by AGCO had the aim to increase AGCO s global presence outside North America and increase Massey Ferguson s presence inside North America In 2008 the 8600 series became the first agricultural tractor world wide to feature Selective Catalytic Reduction emissions technology branded as e3 30 In June 2012 the facility in Jackson Minnesota was expanded to start building Massey Ferguson and comparable AGCO Challenger models for the North American market Since production commenced at AGCO Jackson the facility has produced 7600 series and 8600 series Massey Ferguson tractors for the North American market Production at the Jackson facility also included the 7700 8700 7700S and 8700S Massey Ferguson tractors In January 2020 AGCO made the announcement that will make an expansion of its Beauvais factory in France With this expansion the factory will cover a total area of 54ha and employ up to 2 500 people This will enable the full design build testing and manufacture of new Massey Ferguson models in the Beauvais factory 31 With the completion of this factory expansion at the Beauvais location the production of the 7700S and 8700S models at the Jackson Minnesota ceased and returned to Beauvais only in the year 2022 as the new expansion is expected to fulfill global demand for those high horsepower tractor models This move was also made by AGCO s management due to the increased demand for AGCO s self propelled application equipment and Fendt track tractors which were are also produced at the Jackson Minnesota location Since AGCO acquired the company there has been a resurgence and expansion of the Massey Ferguson brand worldwide Row crop tractors have continuously been produced in the Beauvais France factory since 1960 and in June 2022 the 1 000 000th tractor was produced bearing the Massey Ferguson brand 32 The first tractor model from the Beauvais plant was an 825 and the millionth tractor was an 8S 305 with Dyna VT transmission 32 Equipment Offerings EditPresently Massey Ferguson offers the following types of equipment with different regional availability throughout the globe Compact Tractors Utility Tractors Mid Range Tractors High Horsepower Tractors Hay Tools Planting Equipment Combine Harvesting Equipment Self propelled sprayersOverview of Tractor Models Edit A Massey Ferguson 35 Massey Ferguson developed a wide range of agricultural vehicles and have a large share in the market across the world especially in Europe In December 1957 the MF35 which was the first Massey Ferguson branded tractor rolled off the factory floor It was a Ferguson design that started its life in 1955 as the Ferguson 35 often nicknamed Gold Belly due to the gold engine and gearbox The 35s were massively popular and sold across the United Kingdom Australia Ireland and the United States These were followed by other early models like the 65 MK1 indirect injection 65 MK2 direct injection The next big selling model was the MF135 which became widely popular because of its reliability and power compared to other tractors at the time citation needed This was the first model in the MF 100 series These included the MF 130 133 135 145 148 150 158 165 168 175 178 180 185 and 188 The same time the MF 100 series came out the MF 1000 series was introduced These include the MF 1080 1100 1130 and 1150 Later came the MF 550 560 565 575 590 595 500 series From the mid 1970s and early 1980s came the 200 series tractor which included the MF 230 235 240 245 250 255 260 265 270 275 278 280 285 290 298 299 In the mid 1980s the short lived 600 series was released This included the 675 690 690T 695 698 and 699 The reason behind poor sales figures was due to unattractive styling and poor ergonomics with the cab sitting much higher than previous MF tractors Although the cab did give excellent visibility and a flat floor being high off the ground meant it was best suited to field operations instead of livestock work The 600 series was one of the first tractors to offer the user an option to control where the hydraulic fluid should be pumped By moving a switch situated near the floor of the cab the user could block off flow to the rear hydraulics and link arms concentrating the full force of the pump on the front loader if equipped In the late 1980s one of the greatest selling tractors of all time was released the 300 series Massey Ferguson Excellent power simplicity of cab high range of gears and components made the MF 300 series a success especially in Europe The range included the MF 340 350 352 355 362 365 372 375 382 383 390 390T 393 394 395 398 399 and 399T the most powerful and popular Massey Ferguson 399 with horsepower ranging from 45HP to 104HP The 300 series was also offered with a choice of cab Hi Line or Lo Line The Hi Line cab featured a flat floor whilst the Lo Line cab had a hump in the middle for the transmission tunnel Some original examples of the lower horsepower 300 series have been known to fetch prices exceeding 20 000 because of their rarity Massey Ferguson MF 6290 tractor towing a grain trailer In the mid 1990s the 6100 series and 8100 series were released including the 6150 6180 and 8130 Massey Ferguson 8740 S in Austria Tractors that came after the 300 series included the 4200 range the 4300 range 3600 early 1990s 3000 3100 early to mid 1990s 3005 3105 mid 1990s 6100 late 1990s 6200 late 1990s early 2000s decade 8200 late 1990s early 2000s 5400 6400 7400 8400 2004 2007 5600 6600 7600 8600 2009 to 2014 5700 6700 7700 8700 2014 2018 3700 4700 5700 6700 global series 5700S 6700S 7700S and 8700S In the 2000s the Massey Ferguson range included the 8600 series limited markets 5400 limited markets 5700S 6700S 7700S and 8700S series tractors New generation AGCO Power engines 8700 S Series provided levels of torque and horse power unsurpassed in conventional tractor design from the minimum of fuel AGCO POWER 6 cylinder 8 4 L engines generated power from 270 to 405 hp 33 AGCO Beauvais France Massey Ferguson tractor production factories also built tractors marketed by AGCO under the Challenger brand and also specific model ranges for Iseki In July 2020 Massey Ferguson launched the change of the tractor lineup starting with the 8S Series that replaced the 7700S range 34 In 2021 more models were launched In January the 5S Series 35 and in September the 6S Series and 7S Series This change also brought a new model numbering For example an MF 5S 105 the 5S stands for the series and the last three digits stands for the maximum power 36 In 2022 Massey Ferguson presented the new compact tractor 1700M Series and the new specialized tractor 3S Series 37 Product images Edit Ferguson 40 Massey Harris Clipper Combine c 1950 Massey Ferguson 35 American type Massey Ferguson Super 90 Diesel Massey Ferguson 165 Massey Ferguson 124 Small Square Baler Massey Ferguson Model 560 Combine Harvester Massey Ferguson Model 38 Combine Harvester in UK Massey Ferguson 860 Combine Massey Ferguson MF 698 Massey Ferguson MF 3660 Massey Ferguson MF 8732 Massey Ferguson 8S 225Former Logos Edit In use 1850 1851 In use 1946 1951 In use 1958 1970 In use 2002 2021Massey Ferguson is the most widely sold brand of agricultural machinery in the world The brand designs were licensed to a variety of companies including Algerian Tractors Company Licensee in Algeria Industry of Machinery and Tractors Licensee in Serbia Millat Tractors Licensee in Pakistan Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited TAFE Licensee in IndiaSee also EditDynashift Liberty Village area where Massey Ferguson had a plant is now a residential neighbourhood with the company s head office building at 915 King Street West still standing by E J Lennox c 1899 as Massey Harris Lofts Rival manufacturers Case IH John Deere New Holland Agriculture SAME Versatile KubotaReferences Edit a b c d e f g Newman 1982 p 146 a b Martin Joseph E 2017 Titans Canada s History 97 5 47 53 ISSN 1920 9894 Unofficial Massey Harris home page Archived 2012 03 05 at the Wayback Machine Canada Science and Technology Museum A New Model Every Year Archived 2010 05 09 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2010 05 03 Bradshaw and Gundy Secure 75 000 Shares Hon Vincent Massey Sells All His Holdings 8 000 000 Deal in Massey Harris Stock The Globe and Mail 15 February 1927 pp 1 2 Easterlund Peter TractorData com Massey Harris GP 15 22 tractor information www tractordata com Easterlund Peter TractorData com Massey Harris Pacemaker tractor information www tractordata com Easterlund Peter TractorData com Massey Harris 101 Super tractor information www tractordata com Massey Harris No 21 Combine commemorative stamp bulletin Easterlund Peter TractorData com Massey Harris 23 Mustang tractor information www tractordata com Easterlund Peter TractorData com Massey Harris 333 tractor information www tractordata com Easterlund Peter TractorData com Massey Harris 44 Special tractor information www tractordata com Easterlund Peter TractorData com Massey Harris 55 tractor information www tractordata com M5 Stuart Tanks Encyclopedia 28 November 2014 Retrieved 30 March 2016 M41 155mm Howitzer Motor Carriage Military History Encyclopedia of the Web Retrieved 30 March 2016 Pripps Robert N The Big Book of Farm Tractors Vancouver BC Raincoast Books 2001 p 104 Victorian Heritage Database Report Massey Ferguson Complex The Massey Legacy by John Farnworth ISBN 978 0 85236 403 1 FOMCC Ford Iberica Ebro fomcc de Newman 1982 pp 150 1 Newman 1982 p 154 Newman 1982 p 150 Newman 1982 p 158 Newman 1982 pp 160 163 Per MCC Employee Construction Terex Corporation fermec com Archived from the original on 18 November 2006 Retrieved 3 October 2019 a b Ringer Richard 28 April 1994 COMPANY NEWS Agco to Acquire Massey Ferguson The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2 September 2022 Robinson David 28 April 1994 Varity Corp Finalizes Deal to Sell Massey Ferguson Unit The Buffalo News Archived from the original on 11 June 2014 Retrieved 24 December 2012 Varity Corp Wednesday said it has finalized its deal to sell its Massey Ferguson farm machinery business to Agco Corp for 328 million in cash and common stock TRW Is Near Deal to Buy Lucas Varity Bloomberg News 26 January 1999 via NYTimes com New emission control system now featured on AGCO Corp tractors Farm Progress 21 February 2009 Retrieved 2 September 2022 AGCO AGCO will further expand in Beauvais France and create 200 new jobs AGCO Retrieved 2 September 2022 a b Corporation AGCO 14 June 2022 Massey Ferguson Produces One Millionth Tractor GlobeNewswire News Room Retrieved 2 September 2022 Massey Ferguson 8735 Specifications specstch com 8 March 2020 Massey Ferguson unveils radically redesigned 200hp plus 8S tractors Farmers Weekly 28 July 2020 Retrieved 5 October 2021 Magazine Newsroom of HeavyQuip 7 January 2021 Massey Ferguson Introduces the New MF 5S Tractor Range The HeavyQuip Magazine Retrieved 5 October 2021 Massey Ferguson unveils new 6S and 7S tractor ranges www farmersjournal ie Retrieved 5 October 2021 MF 1700 M Retrieved 6 April 2022 Sources EditPripps Robert N The Big Book of Farm Tractors Vancouver BC Raincoast Books 2001 ISBN 978 1 55192 393 2 Newman Peter C 1982 The Establishment Man Conrad Black A Portrait of Power McClelland and Stewart ISBN 0 7710 6786 0 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Massey Ferguson Official Website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Massey Ferguson amp oldid 1132220836, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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