By MICHELE F. MIHALJEVICH
Indiana Correspondent

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Farm machinery dealers see a boost in interest from customers after the Fort Wayne Farm Show, representatives from the companies said.

“We wouldn’t be making the investment in a booth if we didn’t get a return on that investment,” said Jay Shininger, agriculture manager for MacAllister Machinery. “There’s a lot involved with getting the machinery there. We also have all the employees who are there, who aren’t working their normal jobs.”

While the company’s sales representatives are working at the show, they probably aren’t finalizing as many purchases as they might normally be, Shininger said.

“Not many customers go to a farm show to sign a deal,” he said. “They’re looking to see what’s available. And our sales reps are there to help the customer make that decision.”

MacAllister will have several new items at the Fort Wayne show, including a series of Caterpillar tractors – the C series – and a sprayer, he said. “When we decide what to bring to the show, we look at the new trends in the marketplace, and what new products have been released,” Shininger said.

“We look at what the customers seem to be interested in. The amount we bring is driven by the economy, but what we bring isn’t driven by the economy.”

It’s important for machinery dealers to bring the latest technology to the show, said Fred Cline, a show director with Tradexpos, which produces the annual trade show.

“Farmers are coming in here, trying to decide what’s going to work best for them,” he said. “They can take a look, and it’s a great opportunity for the companies to say ‘Here’s what we have to offer.’ In one spot, the farmer can see all of it.”

Farm show visitors can expect to see new technology in global positioning systems (GPS), automatic steering programs for tractors and combines and for the computer, he said.

“It’s very important to the show and to the dealers that they bring all of that to the show,” Cline said.

Archbold Equipment Co. employees have been making the annual trek from northwestern Ohio to the farm show for about 10 years, said Daryl Ziger, general manager. “We generally make three or four trips to get things there, and then spend all day Monday setting up,” he said. “Then we have to bring everything back.
“We know we get some follow-up from customers after the show, and that’s why we keep doing it.”

The company, a Case IH dealer, plans to have new items on display for customers at the show, Ziger said.

“We’ll take six or eight or 10 pieces of machinery,” he explained. “We want to show people things they haven’t seen yet.”

A one-pass tool, which gets rid of residue and leaves the ground ready for one-pass planting in the spring, is a hot item, he added. “We want to get that unit out in front of people.”


The economy won’t play much of a factor in determining what equipment the company brings to the show, Ziger said.

“It’s more about what’s available to retail,” he said. “If we can’t get an item for our customers, it isn’t productive to bring it.”

Overall, the company has had a good year, but with commodity prices dropping, business has slacked off the last few months, Ziger said.