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Post by sss234@hotmail.com on Apr 8, 2002 18:08:06 GMT 1
Here's the deal:
Cat decided to re-enter the ag business back in the mid 1980-s thinking they had a new machine superior to anything the farming world had ever seen and wheel tractors over 200 hp would soon be obsolete.
When cat realized there was more to farming than tractors they made the Claas-connection, the largest independant manufacturer of quality combines. This too as an attempt for total market domination.
Now, their plans never quite fell trough. Farmers continued to buy wheeled tractors, and then JD entered the crawler market.
Cat realized they would never be able to beat JD on JD's turf - agriculture and desperately tried to fight them off the market with various patent matters.
Finally they realized they would never again have the status of the "only" high hp tractor they'd had back before articulated tractors. It was no fun anymore and they ditched agriculture.
Now what to do with a line of crawlers? Well, JD don't need them. CNH are already busy losing brands from the merger they got going on. Claas cant afford it. ANd that my friends leave AGCO who will take anything they can get their hands on.
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Post by Si on Apr 8, 2002 20:06:30 GMT 1
True, but if you were getting out of the Ag buisiness, you would sell your products, not trade them for shares, I think Cat have played a sly one by getting a share of a tractor manufacturer.
Cheers
Simon
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Post by Woodbeef on Apr 9, 2002 11:55:04 GMT 1
I'd still like to know just how large of a shareholder in Agco,Cat presently is. I think that they will wait and see just how good of an investment agriculture and Agco really is going to be before they "either go big or stay home"!!
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Post by UKFarmBoy on Apr 10, 2002 10:48:40 GMT 1
According to Agco's annual report, they paid for the Challenger line by giving Cat just over a million shares worth around $21m to Cat when they sell them. Agco is also paying around $13m for inventory.
The stock will give Cat no more than about 1.3% of Agco's shares so I guess the idea that this is the beginning of a take-over is entertaining by fanciful. Same Deutz-Fahr recently held a stockholding of more than 5% in Agco. Some financial institutions have more than 11% of Agco stock.
Cat has been losing heaps of money on Challenger - $68m last year alone, apparently, after tax benefits! The deal gets rid of that financial drain, creates a market for the components (ie sale of engines, trannies, undercarriage to Agco) and finally gives Cat's ag dealers in NA what they've been wanting for years - a full line of products.
Agco gets what should be the best, most-advanced tracklayer in the business for $13m and no R&D investment, more distribution outlets for its wheeled tractors and other machinery, and the potential to create a new worldwide brand 'Challenger' with overtones of Cat quality and performance.
I hear the MT series will come to Europe mid-year under the 'Challenger' brand in yellow and that Claas dealers are lining up to take it.
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Post by Laapa on Apr 12, 2002 7:39:16 GMT 1
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Post by Woodbeef on Apr 12, 2002 12:15:57 GMT 1
Hey Laapa,
Interesting looking picture. Different concept too of a tracked one with front accroutements,eh? Hmmm......could open up awhole new market niche.
I notice that Lee and yourself are sneaking up on me these days!!
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Post by Laapa on Apr 12, 2002 15:15:02 GMT 1
Yeah, right Woodbeef.
I'm only trailing you by about 90 posts!
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Post by Laapa on Apr 12, 2002 15:16:27 GMT 1
Acctually Woodbeef, I think I have seen a Claas RC Challenger with front mounted 3pt hitch for real somewhere. Why not?
(now trailing by one post less)
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Post by Si on Apr 12, 2002 21:34:50 GMT 1
A local contractor has one on drainage porous filler. if I can work out how to post it I will any help out there? Simon ![]() "C:\Program Files\OLYMPUS\Camedia Master\Drainage\wet.JPG"c[/img] |
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Post by Si on Apr 12, 2002 21:38:45 GMT 1
![]() "C:\Program Files\OLYMPUS\Camedia Master\Drainage\wet1.JPG"[/img] |
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Post by Si on Apr 12, 2002 21:39:47 GMT 1
No give up Help!!!
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Post by AgMachinery on Apr 15, 2002 21:24:42 GMT 1
Sorry Si it took so long. But here it is. The picture has to be on the web. So i placed it on Netfirms.  |
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Post by Si on Apr 17, 2002 9:54:11 GMT 1
Thanks Agmachinery, The contractor uses it for the front blade in the winter, and a front press in the summer.
The trailer the prorous filler is on is rubber tracked, with the body detachable, it can be replaced by a chaser bin, and a Breadle spreader, which he bought with it, but doesn't use any more.
Cheers
Simon
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Post by geen@essent.de on Apr 17, 2002 11:43:04 GMT 1
Can somebody give me an indication af a price for this kind of trackchassis? Can it carry 25 ton and wat is the maximum roadspeed?
I'm wondering if these chassis can compete with tri-axlechassis?
regards
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Post by Si on Apr 17, 2002 19:25:33 GMT 1
Arno the chassis looks like it's built by Cat, I'll have a look for you and report back.
Simon
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