MASSEY FERGUSON

A Massey Ferguson MF 135.

A Massey Ferguson MF 3660 tractor from the early 1990s.

A Massey Ferguson MF 8400.

'Massey Ferguson Limited' is a major agricultural equipment manufacturer. Originally started in Canada it became one of the country's largest industrial concerns in the 1960s. A series of financial difficulties led to the company downsizing and being broken up, before what was left of the original firm disappeared in the 1990s. Today the company exists only as a brand name used by AGCO, but remains a major seller around the world.

History

Models

Today

Agricultural Equipment - Current Production

Self Propelled Windrowers

Petrol Ride-On Mowers

History

The firm was founded in 1847 in Newcastle, Ontario by Daniel Massey as the 'Newcastle Foundry and Machine Manufactory'. The company began making some of the world's first mechanical threshers, first by assembling parts from the United States and eventually designing and building their own equipment. The firm was taken over and expanded by his eldest son Hart Almerrin Massey who renamed it the 'Massey Manufacturing Co.' and in 1879 moved the company to Toronto where it soon became one of the city's leading employers. The massive collections of factories on King St. West became one of the best known features of the city. Massey expanded the company and began to sell its products internationally. Through extensive advertising campaigns he made it one of the most well known brands in Canada. The firm owed much of its success to Canadian tariffs that prevented the larger American firms from competing in Canada. A labor shortage throughout the country also helped to make the firm's mechanized equipment very attractive.
In 1891, Massey merged with the A. Harris, Son & Co. Ltd. to become 'Massey-Harris Co.' and became the largest agricultural equipment maker in the British Empire. In 1910, the company opened a factory in the United States, making it one of Canada's first multinational firms. In the 1930s, it introduced the first self-propelled combine harvester. Massey Harris also produced one of the world's first four-wheel drive tractors. Hart Massey's sons, Charles, Chester, Walter, and Fred became closely involved in the business and eventually took over its operations. They were, however, the last generation of Masseys to run the company. Other members of the family went on to do other accomplishments: Vincent Massey became Governor General of Canada and Raymond Massey became a noted actor in American films. The Massey family used their fortune to improve the city of Toronto, and many institutions, such as the University of Toronto, Upper Canada College, Appleby College, Massey Hall and Metropolitan United Church, were partially financed by the Masseys.
In 1953, the company merged with the Ferguson Company to become 'Massey-Harris-Ferguson', before finally taking on its current name in 1958. But the company soon began to decline financially. Facing increasing international competition and an agricultural sector diminishing in importance, the firm began to struggle.
In 1955, Massey purchased the Australian company Sunshine. Founded in 1915 by Hugh Victor McKay, they had tie-ups with Massey Harris for several years before MF outright bought them. The Sunshine name faded into history.^[1]

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 in 1989, some to Iseki later on, and the final portion was sold by AGCO in 2000. ARGO and AGCO still provide models to one another.^[2]

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.^[3]

Starting in 1969, Massey Ferguson started producing a line of snowmobiles by the name Ski Whiz. The snowmobile line sold until 1977, when sales declined.

In the 1970s, Massey Ferguson came under the control of Conrad Black. During the late 1970s, production was relocated to a new large facility in Brantford, Ontario. In 1978 Massey Ferguson was the first to introduce an electronic three-point hitch on a tractor.

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

In 1981, Black arranged a government bail-out for the collapsing company and sold it to a group of investors who reorganized it as Varity Corporation. In the mid 1980s, Varity spun off several money-losing divisions into an entity called Massey Combines. Massey Combines became insolvent soon after, and its assets were re-acquired by Massey Ferguson.
In 1992, a management buyout of MF industrial created the company Fermec which finally ceased trading in 2001 when it was swallowed up by Terex. This encompassed all construction equipment from Massey. It was purchased by J.I.Case in 1997.^[4]

Despite some of the companies' hardships, Massey Ferguson was selling 25% more tractors than its nearest competitors at this time. In 1994, the farm equipment divisions of Varity were sold to the American AGCO Corporation who continue to use Massey-Ferguson as a product line. In August 1996, Varity merged with Lucas Automotive to become LucasVarity.
After a series of mergers and take-overs, the remains of LucasVarity were taken over by the US company TRW. Since 1962, Massey Ferguson has been the world's leading tractor brand, this may be likely due to the fact that Massey began to sell global earlier than the rest of its competitors. Currently, there are more Massey tractors than any other, worldwide.

Models

Massey Ferguson (under control by AGCO Corporation) have developed a wide range of agricultural vehicles and have a large share in the market across the world especially in Europe. The first truly wholesale tractor was the Massey Ferguson TVO which was quickly replaced by the Diesel 20. Proceeding the Diesel 20 came the Massey Ferguson 35 (a Ferguson design) and later 35X. These tractors were massively popular and sold across the UK and Ireland in particular.
Several other editions of tractors came later, but the next huge seller was the MF135, widely popular because of its reliability and power compared with other tractors at the time. Other tractors came that changed the image of tractors forever. These included the MF 145, 148, 150, 165, 168, 175, 178, 185 and 188. Later came the MF 565, 568, 575, 578, 585, 588,590, 595, 599 (500 series). From the early 80s came the 200 series tractor, which included the MF 240, 245, 250, 255, 260, 265, 270, 275, 278, 280, 285, 290, 299.
In the mid '80s the short-lived 600 series was released. This included the 690, 690T, 695, 698 and 699. The reason for poor sale was due to poor looks and cab awkwardness compared to its predecessors. In the late '80s, 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 roaring success especially in Europe. The range included the MF 390, 390T, 393, 394, 395, 398, and the most powerful and popular Massey Ferguson 399. Ranging from 72HP to 104HP, there was nothing this tractor could not do for a farmer of that time and still to this day.

Today

Currently it is the most highly sought after farmer's tractor in the world leading it to be very expensive in comparison to other tractors of the same specifications. Tractors that came after the 300 series included the 4200 range, the 4300 range and presently the 5400 range. MF produced many tractors in between that were aimed at a more niche market including "Datatronic" and "Dynashift/Powershift" machines. These included the 3600 (early 90s), 3000 (early to mid 90s), 3100 (mid 90s), 6100 (late 90s), 6200 (late 90s/early 2000s), 8200 (late 90s/early 2000s), 6400(present), 7400(present) and 8400(present).
AGCO/Massey factories build tractors for Challenger, Iseki and AGCO.
Massey Ferguson has become famous amongst sports fans in Spain, thanks to an advertisement regularly run on the radio program Carrusel Deportivo. In it, the host Pepe Domingo Castaño relates its many qualities and awards before singing a Corrido about the tractor.

Agricultural Equipment - Current Production

Round Balers

★ http://www.masseyferguson.com/agco/mf/inte/products/harvesting/160.htm [MF 163F - MF 169V
series]

★ http://www.masseyferguson.com/agco/mf/Na/HayForage/2600ac.htm [(MF 2600 Hesston series)]

★ http://www.masseyferguson.com/agco/mf/Na/HayForage/2700AT.htm [(MF 2700 Hesston series)]

Self Propelled Windrowers

★ http://www.masseyferguson.com/agco/mf/Na/CombHarv/9000hess.htm [(MF 9000 Hesston Series)]

Planters

★ MF 555 series

Loaders

★ MF 900 series

Loaders

★ MF 8900 series

AgTV

★ MF 400 - MF 650 series

Grounds Care

Petrol Ride-On Mowers

★ MF 2107 - MF 3320HE series

Professional Mowers

★ MF 2927D series

Product Images

Licensees

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

★ Ebro - Spanish company purchased and later sold by MF.

★ Eicher - German company purchased and later sold by MF.

★ Farmwell - assembled by Samarakoon Tractor Industries Private Limited in Sri Lanka

★ GIAD - assembled by Giad Automotive Industry Co in Sudan.

★ IMT - Industriya Masina I.Traktoru in Yugoslavia.

★ ITMCo - Iran Tractor Mfg Co in Iran. Own/sell under VenIran, TajIran, MFT and Eder Derdison names.

★ Landini - Italian company purchased and later sold by MF.

★ Millat - Millat Tractors in Pakistan.

★ Sutcliff - license built

★ TAFE - assemble and license designs, in India.

★ TajIran - joint venture between Iran Tractor and Homa Company in Tajikistan. Assembles tractors.

★ Ursus - former licensee in Poland.

★ Uzel - Uzel Tractor Plant in Turkey

★ VenIran - joint venture between Iran Tractor and Corporation Venezuala de Guayana in Venezuela. Assembles tractors.

★ Zadrugar - of Yugoslavia. Built the MF 35 under license.

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MASSEY FERGUSON

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