Landini USA, McCormick to Combine Operations in New Atlanta Facilities
Landini USA and McCormick USA offices to be merged near Atlanta, Georgia in early 2006.
Compiled by staff
Published: Dec 8, 2005
Argo SpA, the San Martino in Rio, Italy, firm that owns both the Landini and McCormick brands of farm equipment have announced that the operations for both brands will be consolidated to facilities near Atlanta, Ga. in 2006. Currently, both brands run as independent branches of Argo, with Landini in Lawrenceville, Ga., while McCormick is based in Pella, Iowa.
In a company release officials announced that the move will allow "both brands to more efficiently and effectively continue their rapid U.S. growth by taking advantage of common dealer and customer support functions at a new, shared office with training and parts warehouse facility in the Atlanta, Ga. area."
However, both brands will continue in the marketplace through their respective, independent dealer networks.
Landini USA has been marketing farm equipment in the United States for several years and has built solid positions in niche markets across the country. McCormick USA, which was created nearly five years ago when Argo purchased assets from CNH - including the Doncaster, England tractor manufacturing facility and the St. Dizier, France, transmission operation.
When it entered the United States with the McCormick brand, the Morra family, which owns Argo, allied with the Vermeer business in Pella, Iowa for a jump start into the market. Vermeer provided logistical support for parts and plant space for final assembly of machines as they came into the country. The Vermeer relationship also gave McCormick access to that company's 400-plus dealers for potential marketing of the tractor line.
This combination of facilities into Atlanta will move operations out of Pella starting Jan. 1. McCormick USA gained a new president - E.W. "Swede" Muehlhausen - in late October. Muehlhausen, a long-time veteran of the U.S. farm equipment business with stints at Steiger Tractor and other companies.
The Argo group has global sales in excess of $950 million and more than 3,200 employees. In addition to the United States, the company markets its product lines - including Fella, Gallignani, Landini, Laverda, McCormick, Pegoraro, Sep and Valpadana - in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Spain and the United Kingdom.
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