The story
Massey Manufacturing Co.
In 1847, Daniel Massey established the Newcastle Foundry and Machine Manufactory in what is now Newcastle, Ontario. The company made some of the world's first mechanical threshers, at first by assembling parts from the United States, but eventually designing and building its own equipment. Daniel Massey's son, Hart Massey, renamed the enterprise the Massey Manufacturing Co.
In 1879, the company moved to Toronto and it soon became one of the city's leading employers. It was located on King Street West at Strachan Avenue, occupying the former Toronto exhibition grounds, the site of Toronto's Crystal Palace, just south of the Provincial Lunatic Asylum and north of the Central Prison. The huge complex of factories, consisting of a 4.4-hectare (11-acre) site with plant and head office at 915 King Street West (now part of Liberty Village), became one of the best-known features of the city. The company expanded further and began to sell its products internationally. Through extensive advertising campaigns, it became one of the most well-known brands in Canada. A labor shortage throughout the country also helped to make the firm's mechanized equipment very attractive.
A. Harris, Son & Company
1857 marked the purchase of a foundry by Alanson Harris near Beamsville, Ontario which he put to use for the creation of farm implements. Beginning machinery types included hand rakes and pitch forks.
In 1863, he welcomed his son John into the business, thus forming the business name, A. Harris, Son & Company.
In 1871, John Harris acquired the rights to the Kirby mower and the Dodge rake for distribution in Canada from the D.M. Osborne and Company of Auburn, NY.
A move to Brantford took place in 1872, and the company's marketing reach spread beyond Ontario to the western Canadian provinces.
Massey-Harris Limited
In 1891, the Massey Manufacturing Co. merged with A. Harris, Son and Company to form Massey-Harris Limited, which became the largest agricultural equipment maker in the British Empire. Massey-Harris made threshing machines and reapers, as well as safety bicycles, introducing a shaft-driven model in 1898. In 1910, Massey-Harris acquired the Johnston Harvester Company of Batavia, New York, making it one of Canada's first multinational firms.
Hart Massey's sons Charles, Walter, Chester and Fred became closely involved in the business and eventually took over its operations. They were the last generation of Masseys to run Massey-Harris. President Vincent Massey left to become a minister in the Mackenzie King government. In 1927, an unsolicited takeover offer from an unnamed US purchaser precipitated a power struggle for control of the firm. The US bid was turned down, and control remained in Canadian hands with the sale of the Massey's stock for CA$8 million to Thomas Bradshaw and J.H. Gundy of Toronto. Members of the family accomplished other things in business. Vincent Massey later became Governor General of Canada. Raymond Massey became a noted actor in American films. The Massey family used its fortune to improve the city of Toronto and many institutions including the University of Guelph, University of Toronto, Upper Canada College, Crescent School, Appleby College, Massey Hall, and Metropolitan United Church were partially financed by the Masseys.
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The company's early tractor models included the 20 horsepower Massey-Harris GP 15/22 (1930–36), 25 horsepower 'Massey-Harris Pacemaker' (1936–1939), 35 horsepower Model 101 (1938–1942), Massey-Harris Pony, Model 20, Model 81, and Model 744.
Grain harvesting was revolutionized by Massey engineer Tom Carroll in 1938, with the world's first affordable, mass-produced, self-propelled combine— the No. 20. It was too heavy and expensive for extensive mass production, but served as a guide for the design of the lighter and less costly No. 21, which was tested in 1940 and put on sale in 1941. The Massey-Harris No. 21 Combine was commemorated with a Canada Post stamp on 8 June 1996. Massey-Harris also produced one of the world's first four-wheel drive tractors.
E.P. Taylor, one of C.D. Howe's dollar-a-year men, joined the board of directors in 1942, and Eric Phillips joined management in 1946. The company became one of the prime jewels of the Argus Corporation.
The final generation of Massey-Harris tractors, introduced immediately after World War II, included the 25-horsepower M-H 22 series, the 35 horsepower M-H 33 series, the 45 horsepower M-H 44 series and the 55 horsepower M-H 55 series. In 1952, the M-H 22 was replaced by the M-H 23 Mustang. In 1955, the 30-horsepower Massey-Harris 50 was introduced after the merger that created Massey-Harris-Ferguson. It was based on the Ferguson TO-35 and was also produced as the F-40 for Ferguson dealers. The MH-50 was available in several configurations: utility, high-crop utility, or row-crop with a choice of single, tricycle, or wide adjustable front ends. In 1956, the M-H 33 was replaced by the MH 333, while the M-H 44 was replaced by the M-H 444 and the M-H 55 was replaced by the M-H 555. The tractors were commonly known as the "triple series" and were mechanically similar to their predecessors, however they featured new styling which included a slightly different hood design, chrome trim on the grill and hood, and a different color scheme. They were also available with power steering, live power take-off (PTO), and hydraulics. The Massey Harris triple series tractors remained in production until 1958.
Military contracts
During World War II and afterwards Massey Harris undertook a number of contracts to produce tractors, tanks and self-propelled artillery vehicles for the United States Armed Forces. Vehicles produced by Massey Harris include the following:
M5 Stuart light tank (250 M5s, and 3,530 M5A1s built)
M24 Chaffee light tank
M41 Howitzer Motor Carriage self-propelled artillery (built on M24 chassis)
M44 self propelled howitzer (250 built in early 1950s on M41 Walker Bulldog tank chassis)
M36 Jackson tank destroyer
M19 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage Self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery vehicle (300 built)
I-162 Military tractor built for the United States Army (25 built)
I-244 Military tractor built for the United States Air Force, United States Navy, and United States Army Corps of Engineers in 1955 and 1956
I-330 Military tractor built for the United States Navy (6 built)
Massey Ferguson
In 1953, Massey-Harris merged with the Ferguson Company to become Massey-Harris-Ferguson, before shortening it to Massey Ferguson in 1958. They tried to consolidate the two dealer networks and product lines. Its television and radio advertising featured an upbeat jingle with a male chorus singing, "He's a get-up-early, keep-'em-rollin, Massey-Ferguson kind of a man." Nevertheless, the company soon began to decline financially after facing increasing international competition in the 1960s, when the firm began to struggle.
Hanomag-Cura, Argentina
In 1971, Massey purchased the local facilities of Rheinstahl Hanomag-Cura in Argentina, which had been established in 1960. The production of tractors and other agricultural implements, during until 1999. Some model numbers made in Argentina included 65R/250/252, 155, 150, 5160 S-2 / S-4, 5140 / 5140–4, 265, 255, 250, 250 S "viñatero", 8500 and 9500.
Other model numbers included 1075, 1078, 1095h, 1098, 1175 / 1175 S, 1185 / 1185 S, 1195 L / 1195 S-2/S-4, 1215 S-2 / S-4, 1340 S-2/S-4, 1360 S2/S4, 1615 L / S 1615 L, 1640, 1650, 1670, 1690, 1465, 1475 "Super alto", 1485, 1499 SX / 1499 L.
Sunshine, Australia
In 1955, Massey purchased the Australian manufacturers of Sunshine harvesters, H. V. McKay Pty Limited. Hugh Victor McKay had invented the combine harvester in 1884, the first machine to combine the functions of reaping, threshing and winnowing grain from a standing crop. By the 1920s, H. V. McKay Pty Ltd was running the largest implement factory in the southern hemisphere, covering 32 hectares (80 acres), and led the international agricultural industry through the development of the world's first self-propelled harvester in 1924.
In 1930, the H. V. McKay Pty Limited was granted exclusive Australian distribution of Massey-Harris machinery. The company was then renamed H. V. McKay Massey Harris Pty Ltd; and throughout World War II, the company exported over 20,000 Sunshine drills, disc harrows, and binders to England to facilitate the increase in food production.
In 1955, the remainder of H. V. McKay Pty Ltd was sold to Massey Ferguson. Massey Ferguson (Australia) took over Critchton Industries Bundaberg plant in 1967 and transferred all cane harvesting machinery from Sunshine to Bundaberg in 1968. Critchton Industries was renamed Massey Ferguson Cane Equipment in 1971 the year in which the MF201 combine chopper harvester won the Prince Philip Prize for Australian Design. The company ceased manufacturing in Australia in 1986, and the last section of the Sunshine factory complex was sold off and demolished in 1992. The former bulk store, factory gates, and clock tower, the memorial gardens and church, and the former head office buildings remain extant and were separately-added to the Victorian Heritage Register.
Landini
In 1959, Massey bought 100% of Landini which is based in Italy. Landini has built many models for Massey over the years, especially vineyard and crawler models. Massey sold 66% to ARGO SpA in 1989, another percentage later to Iseki, and the final part was sold to ARGO in 2000.
Perkins
In 1959, Perkins Engines from Peterborough, England was purchased. Perkins was the main diesel engine supplier for Massey Ferguson for many years. In 1990, Massey Ferguson took over Dorman Diesels of Stafford merging it with Perkins to form Perkins Engines (Stafford) Ltd. In the 1980s, Perkins purchased Rolls-Royce (Diesels) Ltd, to form Perkins Engines (Shrewsbury) Ltd. In 1994, Perkins was bought by LucasVarity, who sold it in 1998 to Caterpillar Inc., who was a major customer for Perkins's smaller and mid-sized engines; Caterpillar was a major producer of large diesel engines for stationary and mobile applications.
Ebro of Spain
In 1966, Massey purchased 32% of the Spanish tractor and auto company Ebro, or Motor Iberica. Ebro had previously built Ford tractors under license, but now began building models for Massey, and Massey models under license. Massey sold its interest to Nissan in the 1980s.
In the early 1960s, Massey Ferguson moved their head office from 915 King Street to the Sun Life Tower at 200 University Avenue in the Downtown Toronto.
In 1969, Massey Ferguson began producing a line of snowmobiles under the name "Ski Whiz". The snowmobile line was discontinued in 1977, due to a decline in sales.
Activities in Germany
In 1973, Massey purchased German Eicher tractor and many Massey-licensed Eichers were built. They later sold their interest and Dromson now owns Eicher which now builds specialized tractors for vineyards and such.
The firm purchased control of Hanomag in 1974. After a loss of $250 million over the next five years, Hanomag was sold off.
Conrad Black take-over
On 16 August 1978, Conrad Black, whose family had obtained control of Argus Corporation, an investor in Massey Ferguson, became active in Massey Ferguson's management. In 1977, chairman Albert A. Thornbrough received a $471,000 salary, the highest executive salary in Canada at the time. During the 50 years between 1929 and 1979, the firm made more than 4% profit on its sales only five times. Under Black's leadership, Massey Ferguson instituted significant cost-cutting programmes and down-sized its work force in an attempt to improve its profitability. During the late 1970s, production was relocated from Toronto to a new, large facility in Brantford, Ontario. In 1978, Massey Ferguson was the first to introduce an electronic control system for the three-point hitch on a tractor. However a worldwide decline in the agricultural equipment market combined with high inflation, high domestic interest rates and a major recession, caused Massey Ferguson to slip into a loss and seek relief from creditors. On 31 October 1979, Volkswagen AG made an informal offer for 51% of the firm, but was rebuffed by Black. On 23 May 1980, Black resigned as chairman. In a subsequent series of detailed and lengthy letters to Herb Gray—the then Canadian Minister of Industry under the government of Pierre Trudeau—he remarked on the challenges faced by the firm, and outlined his solution, which would have seen the Canadian and Ontario governments as well as Argus Corporation refloat the ailing firm. Black failed to obtain a suitable response, and resolved to cut his losses.
Varity
In October 1980, Argus donated its shares in Massey Ferguson to the employee's pension plans, leading the way to a CA$250 million bail-out from the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario for the collapsing business, which later was renamed Varity Corporation. In 1986, Varity spun off several money-losing divisions into an entity called Massey Combines Corporation. Massey Combines Corporation was headquartered in Brantford and became insolvent on 4 March 1988, and its assets were re-acquired by Massey Ferguson.
Varity left Toronto and relocated its head office to the Williams-Butler House at 672 Delaware Avenue in the Millionaire Row area of Buffalo, New York. The Toronto manufacturing complex was demolished and the property sold and re-developed, leaving only its head office building standing. Despite its hardships, Massey Ferguson was selling 25% more tractors than its nearest competitors at this time.
In 1992, a management buyout of MF Industrial created Fermec, which ceased trading in 2001 when it was taken over by the Terex Corporation, formerly a unit of General Motors. The sale encompassed all construction equipment from Massey. It was then purchased by Case Corporation in 1997.
In 1994, Massey Ferguson's worldwide holdings were purchased by the United States–based AGCO Corporation for US$328 million in cash and $18 million in stock.
In August 1996, Varity merged with Lucas Automotive to become LucasVarity. After a series of mergers and takeovers, the remains of LucasVarity were acquired by the United States company TRW in 1999 for US$6.53 billion.
AGCO ownership
While Massey-Ferguson had a strong global presence at 20% market share in 1994, it sold 87% of its machines outside North America. The acquisition by AGCO had the aim to increase AGCO's global presence outside North America and increase Massey Ferguson's presence inside North America. In 2008, the 8600 series became the first agricultural tractor world-wide to feature Selective Catalytic Reduction emissions technology branded as e3.
In June 2012, the facility in Jackson, Minnesota was expanded to start building Massey Ferguson and comparable AGCO Challenger models for the North American market. Since production began at AGCO Jackson, the facility has produced 7600 and 8600-series Massey Ferguson tractors for the North American market. Production at the Jackson facility also included the 7700, 8700, 7700S, and 8700S Massey Ferguson tractors.
In January 2020, AGCO announced the expansion of its factory in Beauvais, France. After the expansion, the factory covered a total area of 54 ha and employed up to 2,500 people. New Massey Ferguson models are designed, built, and tested in the factory. With the completion of this factory expansion at the Beauvais location, the production of the 7700S and 8700S models in Jackson ceased and returned to Beauvais only in 2022 as the new expansion was expected to fulfill global demand for those high-horsepower tractor models. The move was made by AGCO's management due to the increased demand for the company's self-propelled application equipment and Fendt track tractors which are produced at the location in Jackson.
Since AGCO acquired the company, there has been a resurgence and expansion of the Massey Ferguson brand worldwide. Row-crop tractors have continuously been produced in the Beauvais factory since 1960 and in June 2022, the 1,000,000th tractor was produced bearing the Massey-Ferguson brand. The first tractor model from the Beauvais plant was an 825 and the millionth tractor was an 8S.305 with Dyna-VT transmission.
From Wikipedia’s article on Massey Ferguson, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4