By PAUL WALLEM

Tractor sales are extremely important to most farm equipment dealers. They provide year-round revenue, unlike seasonal equipment. After-sales from parts and service are equally important.

When a tractor manufacturer conducts a new-product announcement, the goal is to convince their dealers that they are an improvement over old models, and to get them to order and sell the new ones. All manufacturers do this, but my description of those I attended is limited to the those that IH announced while I was with the company, and those that our dealerships sold.

During the years I was with International Harvester and then after I became an IH dealer, I attended 10 such announcements. Each was unique. Usually, the company paid for overnight lodging and meals, and the dealer paid travel expenses. Here are my recollections:

1954 - The Farmall 300 and 400 replaced the H and M without great fanfare or a national gathering. New features like power steering were optional, as was a two-point fast hitch. Horsepower was increased. Many parts were interchangeable with the older tractors (One complaint that came later was the fuel tank on the 400. Many felt it was too small).

1958 - the Farmall 460 and 560 introductions were more elaborate but I was serving two years in the Army and did not attend this one.

1963 - Farmall 706 & 806. This was a major product change with an elaborate introduction. Following dealer meetings for the entire IH dealer organization, a huge display and introduction to the public was conducted at the 1963 Farm Progress Show. The three-day event included product presentations every hour and an arena show. A regional event in 1965 added the new and larger 1206 to the line.

1967 - The 756, 856 and 1256 announcements were more subdued with less dramatic changes. I had joined International Harvester Export Co. at this point, and we brought some of our largest overseas distributors to this event. Those representing IH in South America were some of the largest retailers of these models.

The 1456 came two years later.

Later in 1967, my team conducted a new product announcement in Panama for South and Central American distributors. New models of smaller tractors built in Great Britain and Germany were released. We also brought down a 4100 from the US factory. At this event, distributors speaking Spanish, Portuguese and French attended. We held banquets in Panama City for them, and had the mayor of the city speak. We also took them for a tour of the locks at that end of the Panama Canal. Mixing three languages along with English was quite an experience.

1971 - By this time I was the IH dealer in Belvidere, Ill. Moline was the location for a huge introduction of the new 766 plus 966, 1066 and 1466. The 100 Hydro was hydrostatic. The 1466 was available with V8, and named 1468. One criticism was the new cab. The dealers didn’t like it.

1976 - Announcement of the new 986 - 1086 and 1486 was primarily a company/dealer joint effort to put the new models in the field for customers to try out. At our Belvidere dealership, we invited Miss Illinois and her friends to attend. I think they attracted more young farmers then the new tractors did.

1979 - The announcement of the 2 plus 2 tractor was a large stage production in Phoenix. Professional actors were part of the show. Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass entertained at the evening banquet. Orion Samuelson (WGN) was the MC. The 3388 and 3588 were a major shift in tractor design, and were the first articulated four-wheel drives.

1981 - Our dealerships were attempting to market the Big Bud AWD, built in Havre, Mont. We attended a small but well-presented meeting at the factory. It was a massive and impressive tractor, and we stocked a 325 HP model at our Wisconsin store, and a 450 HP in Belvidere. They drew a lot of attention but were too big and expensive for our market. Later, we obtained the Steiger franchise that proved highly salable.

1981 Fall - 5088-5288-5488 - These new Internationals were a major change. Here were the increases in horsepower versus the replaced models:

  986 - 117 HP   replaced by         5088 - 150 HP

1086 - 146 HP   replaced by         5288 - 177 HP

1486 - 162 HP   replaced by         5488 - 205 HP

This announcement came at a time when farm incomes were still being battered by high interest loans and poor dealer sales. International Harvester was trying to recover from a very expensive strike. Things kept getting worse, and just three years later Case and IH merged.

1984 - This was my last tractor announcement. Dallas was the site of this national dealer meeting when details emerged regarding the CaseIH merger. All dealers for both brands attended. My most vivid recollection of that event was the color announcement. All future equipment would be red.

Mixed emotions were heard constantly from dealers of both brands, regarding future dealer locations.

Paul Wallem was raised on an Illinois dairy farm. He spent 13 years with IH in domestic and foreign assignments. He resigned to own and operate two IH dealerships. He is the author of THE BREAKUP of IH & SUCCESSES & INDUSTRY FIRSTS of IH. See all his books on www:PaulWallem.com. Send your comments about this column to pwallem@aol.com.