Alan Hagie speaks about John Deere partnership

John Deere’s majority acquisition of Hagie Manufacturing has created some backlash both in Clarion and the wider agricultural community. Locals are concerned that this spells doom for a major job provider, and others don’t like the idea of one large company owning more of the market. But according to Alan Hagie, grandson of Hagie Founder Ray Hagie, the partnership with Deere was an innovation made to solve a problem, just like what Hagie’s been doing for the last 69 years.

“The demand for our machines has continued to increase, but hasn’t made a significant impact on Clarion because of our distribution channel,” Hagie said. The company’s factory-direct sales model means that it’s hard to reach faraway customers. “That started to bother me.”

Hagie said he’d turned down multiple offers from companies who wanted to buy or partner with Hagie Manufacturing. “It never felt like we’d be any better off,” he said. Initially, he wasn’t eager about John Deere’s enquiry, either. However, when considering the distribution problem, he realized that Deere’s worldwide sales network might help them reach more customers.“Being the largest, most respected brand in agriculture, it felt right,” he said.

Hagie machines will still bear the Hagie logo and the company’s grey-and-gold coloring. Though in the past, Deere has absorbed brands it has purchased, they’ve recently been entering into more partnerships like the one with Hagie where the brand is retained, like with the Illinois-based Precision Planting and French company Monosem.

 

For the full story, see the April 14 edition of the Monitor.

Wright County Monitor

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