Massey Ferguson is 175 years old this year, a testament to the brand’s longevity, offering farmers worldwide the straightforward and dependable machines they need to feed the world sustainably. What a better way to celebrate this auspicious anniversary than to showcase Farmtrac Dundee, which has been associated with MF for over 40 years. “We have been proud to be part of the well-established brand for many years,” says owner Oscar Wichmann. He adds: “Our blood is forever red.”
The long history of the company began on 18 November 1981 when Oscar converted a house into business premises. Today Farmtrac Dundee has grown to market a full MF range from 34 kW to 272 kW (35 hp to 365 hp) and carries R5 million worth of spares in its warehouse to meet the needs of its customers. In addition, a fully-fledged workshop is available for routine servicing and any repair work.
Oscar recounts how he grew up on a farm with the long-term dream of selling tractors and spares to the Dundee farming community. His vision was not only to make new equipment more readily available to farmers, but to provide them with an exemplary level of customer service that would increase their productivity and efficiency dramatically.
That initial company was called Farmtrac Spares, a name that summed up the ethos of the business. Oscar started out with two employees and traded mainly in tractor replacement spares. The business flourished to the point where the workshop was added to the same premises in 1984. The name itself changed to Farmtrac Dundee to reflect its sterling growth trajectory.
Richard Catlett joined in January 1989, starting out as an accountant, and then finding his true passion in the sales side of the business. Together with Oscar, the pair make a formidable duo that is at the heart of Farmtrac Dundee. “Oscar knows all the part numbers off the top of his head. That kind of expert knowledge only comes with having 40 years’ experience under your belt,” says Richard.
It is fitting that in MF’s anniversary year the company has achieved yet another milestone in its development. Oscar explains that a new management structure has been consolidated under Farmtrac Group. This includes Roland Bosse as CEO, Cor Breedt as Financial Director, Oscar himself as Group Operational Director, Richard as Sales Director, and Dieter Tschirpig as Operational Director in Vryheid.
Farmtrac Vryheid was established on 1 April 1996 by Oscar, Richard and Dieter, followed by another venture in Paulpietersburg in 2009. The latter branch is about to be expanded, which Oscar is justifiably proud of as it shows there is plenty of ‘red blood’ left in the company.
Reflecting on what has made Farmtrac Dundee such a resounding success in the substantial agricultural area it services in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, Oscar says simply: “We strive to listen to our customers and work with them to address their needs through new technology and innovative solutions.”
This is where the true brilliance of the MF brand shines through, which has been stepping up to the plate for farmers for the past 175 years. Farmtrac has a fully qualified technician in its workshop, who comments that the only problem with the brand is that the tractors seldom break down. “It is a great product that does not give much difficulty, making it easy for us in the field, plus it is very user friendly.” In addition, fault-finding is a cinch.
Looking to the future, Oscar concludes that while the business continues to show tremendous growth, the passion and dedication of all involved remain equally strong.
“Being associated with the MF brand for so long is what has allowed us to stay true to our motto of ‘Service Excellence’.”
This year Massey Ferguson, a worldwide brand of AGCO (NYSE:AGCO), is excited to announce a fresh look for its iconic Triple Triangle logo and its new ‘Born to Farm’ brand identity in celebration of its 175th anniversary. MF has offered farmers around the world straightforward and dependable machines since its inception. Few global brands can claim such a lasting impact in the agricultural industry.
In support of the farming community, Massey Ferguson has an extensive network of over 35 dealers covering the whole of South Africa, catering for parts, service, aftersales and new sales. Potential customers interested in the MF range can obtain all information from www.masseyferguson.co.za. Upon completing the contact form, potential customers will have the video, brochure and dealer contact details sent to their WhatsApp and email within 30 seconds.
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