Last month, more than 1,300 of AGCO Corp's estimated 1,800 North American AGCO/GLEANER and Massey Ferguson dealers, gathered in St. Louis, MO, where the company's executives announced sweeping changes in how it will be structured to serve the North American market.

Last month, more than 1,300 of AGCO Corp's estimated 1,800 North American AGCO/GLEANER and Massey Ferguson dealers, gathered in St. Louis, MO, where the company's executives announced sweeping changes in how it will be structured to serve the North American market. At the event it also announced its largest product introduction since its founding in 1990.

Central to the new structure is AGCO's new "cornerstone" strategy. AGCO Corporation affiliated dealers are expected to evolve their dealership strategy to emphasize support of one of the company's three principal product brands in North America. These cornerstone brands are Massey Ferguson or AGCO among the ag equipment industry's long-standing, conventional, independent ag equipment dealerships. The third cornerstone brand is Challenger which is offered by participating Caterpillar dealers.

One company executive reported the cornerstone strategy was developed as the result of many discussions with their dealers and internal strategic meetings. He said after making 21 acquisitions in the past 16 years which had required focusing its attention of bringing those purchased brands and distribution systems together, "It is now time for us to start heading where we want to be in the next five years," he said.

For more, see the "View From the Top" column on page 54.