What happened to Massey Ferguson?

[sea2summit]

Massey‘s main problem in my opinion is their supply chain, most of the parts are imported and that has been an issue in the past. If you think whatever color you have never breaks, you’re wrong. All tractors need parts at some point.

I drive several hours to the massey dealer for my hay equipment. If I was going to buy a bigger tractor Massey’s would be contenders for sure.

 

[Hay Dude]

Yep. Everything “big” from Massey is from Europe. Little I’m guessing Brazil or southeast Asia.
Heston stuff still built in US. I think some of the huge Masseys may be built in the US.
But I have had excellent parts service. Parts show up at my shop in under 3 days, but my dealer (Agriteer) stocks just about everything. Parts never an issue.
For MY needs, AGCO is the way to go. Hesston on the balers and AGCO on the tractors. I would own another Heston baler if the opportunity (price/model) becomes available. Fendt is fantasy land, but there should I ever make the “big time”.

 

[Hersheyfarm]

Yep. Everything “big” from Massey is from Europe. Little I’m guessing Brazil or southeast Asia.
Heston stuff still built in US. I think some of the huge Masseys may be built in the US.
But I have had excellent parts service. Parts show up at my shop in under 3 days, but my dealer (Agriteer) stocks just about everything. Parts never an issue.
For MY needs, AGCO is the way to go. Hesston on the balers and AGCO on the tractors. I would own another Heston baler if the opportunity (price/model) becomes available. Fendt is fantasy land, but there should I ever make the “big time”.

I was starting to run into parts issue with my old massey. Like plastic cab parts, the plastic around the steering column was broke and when i tried to order it it came up as obsolete.

 

[Hay Dude]

I was starting to run into parts issue with my old massey. Like plastic cab parts, the plastic around the steering column was broke and when i tried to order it it came up as obsolete.

They all do. I can no longer get the hydraulic remote solenoids for my 1999 Case-IH magnum. Talk about an uneasy feeling……
And that ain’t no plastic dress part for the cab. That’s a mechanical system that runs my baler.
Deere & CAT seem to carry parts for old machines longer.

 

[paulsharvey]

Kubota doesn't still have parts for their Lxxx series. There are some aftermarket makers, some old stock, and probably some stuff still direct, but when we are talking about manufacter runs of less than 20,000 machines, world wide, 40 years ago, unfortunately, that's reality.

I dont think Massey offers any of the parts for the Hinimoto made units anymore, which was the early to mid 80s manufacture.

 

[EddieWalker]

Finding parts online has been a challenge for my Massey 4707. Messicks has a great website that I buy all my New Holland and Land Pride parts from. I searched for a cab filter for my Massey 4707 and couldn't find it anywhere. Seems like all the dealers want you to call them and talk to somebody, or walk into their dealership to buy stuff. I want to click and pay online and not have to leave my house.

 

[mo1]

Well, my question prompted some interesting comments. My initial intent was to address why Massey seems ghostly in the current CUT foray of Kubota, JD, Kioti, TYM, New Holland, former Branson, and a number of less known. Massey hardly makes their list.

Yes, in the ag world, Massey has a little more handhold. And many of you see older Massey iron and call them present, but I'm speaking of today's market. Their apparent distance sure doesn't help their cause to remain competitive.

I have an LS. It's great. But it was and still is lesser % in the market. Massey is less than that!

Happy New Year, y'all.

Massey-Ferguson had a bunch of financial trouble in the 1970s and 1980s and underwent several changes of ownership after that. That certainly didn't help them stay competitive, particularly against competition that either kept growing (Deere) or conglomerated to become huge (Case, International, Ford, and New Holland -> CNH.) AGCO has a big row to hoe to try to restore Massey-Ferguson to its former market share in the market. Time will tell if they can do so.

I dont know if there are any real numbers available publicly, but I would guess in the 75hp-150hp plus, US market, they are probably a solid 3rd; in the 25-75hp, they are most likely 5th? behind JD/Kub/Case-New Holland, Mahindra, and Kioti?

in the full sized ag machines; I'm not sure, MF is probably 2nd or 3rd? Behind JD, but its hard to say if they are ahead or behind Case?

One place they shine is commercial/government machines. Corps/Gov are gonna get bids/RFPs from JD/Kub/Case-NH, and Massey; not from Mahindra/Kioti/LS/TYM, and there are a lot of machines mowing road right of ways, parks, ball fields, schools, ect

I would suspect Kubota is third behind Deere and CNH in the 75-150 HP market in the U.S. AGCO would probably be fourth as few makers compete in the U.S. ag market. AGCO is probably (a very distant) third in the 200+ HP market as it is basically just them, Deere, and CNH that even offer anything in that size range here. Compacts would be Deere and Kubota in the top two spots, probably LS as third as they not only make their own machines but all of CNH's compacts as well, then it's hard to tell from there.

All of the road mowing machines I've seen in my state are Deere or New Holland, with Deere having about 80-90% of the market.

 

[oldnslo]

They all do. I can no longer get the hydraulic remote solenoids for my 1999 Case-IH magnum. Talk about an uneasy feeling……
And that ain’t no plastic dress part for the cab. That’s a mechanical system that runs my baler.

The solenoids were probably a purchased item by the valve manufacturer and design changes made them obsolete. Not sure if the magnums had Husco valves or Rexroth but both have phased out products do to design changes. It really sucks when a $20 coil prevents the use of of $20,000 tractor.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

With 100HP +, AGCO pushes Fendt too much. They have discontinued AGCO tractors, Challenger tractors and have deemphasized Massey tractors on the dealer lots to the point that you’d think they were being discontinued, too.
They are really flooding the market with Fendt.

Not where I live. There's waaaay more Masseys than Fendts here.

SR

 

[Hay Dude]

Not where I live. There's waaaay more Masseys than Fendts here.

SR

I don’t think Fendt has made its way into your area like mine. We have large farm operations near me with 4-6 Fendts on the farm.