Brief History of Massey Ferguson Tractors
Massey Ferguson is a name that agriculturists across the world know well because of their high-quality tractors. They are the pioneers of modern-day tractors with an aim to keep producing the best tractors and helping the agricultural industry flourish.
The inception of Massey Ferguson
Massey Ferguson was a result of a merger between two large companies, Ferguson companies and Massey-Harris. The brands came together in 1952 but didn't abolish their brand names until 1958. During that year, the merger finally became a permanent deal between the two companies and they named it Massey Ferguson. It became one of the biggest amalgamations in 1958 that saw Harry Ferguson Limited of England join hands with Massey Harris, a renowned company in North America.
Henry George "Harry" Ferguson, born in 1884, was an Irish engineer. He was also the inventor of the modern agricultural tractor. Harry Ferguson was also the first Irishman to build his own aeroplane and fly in it. In fact, apart from his contributions in the agricultural industry, he is widely popular in the racing circuit also. Harry was also the first person to develop a four-wheel drive for the Formula One car.
There was already a merger between A Harris & Son and Massey manufacturing company, called Massey-Harris, before the Massey Ferguson merger took place.
Production of Massey Ferguson tractors
Following the merger, Massey Ferguson decided to keep the three-point hitch, designed by Ferguson, because it was the major selling point. However, there were conflicts later between the old rivals. But Massey Ferguson didn't let this conflict get in the way of their business that was booming at that time. It continued selling two lines of tractors: one that came with Massey Harris brand and the other with the Ferguson brand. The conflict was so severe that a separate dealer handled the network of these two brands.
This eventually led to confusion between the customers and the dealers. In fact, it gave rise to further conflicts regarding future designs. The problem became intolerable for Ferguson who left the board in less than one year because of a quarrel about the design of Massey-Harris Model '50.' But that didn't stop Massey Ferguson to become one of the largest manufacturers of tractors in the world.
Massey Ferguson started producing a wide variety of agricultural vehicles that farmers still use today. They wanted people to trust Massey Ferguson because of their high-quality tractors. You may come across farmers from the 70s or 80s still using Massey Ferguson tractors because of their durability.
The company produced its first branded tractor, MF 35 in December 1957. Its design was inspired from the very popular model of 1955, the Ferguson 35.
Soon, Massey Ferguson came up with another successful model, the MF 135. It became popular immediately because of its maneuverability, power, and reliability. MF 135 was also the first model from the MF 100 series. The huge success of the MF 100 series gave Massey Ferguson the confidence to develop the MF 1000 series. It consisted of only four models: MF 1100, MF 1150, MF 1130, and MF 1080. They later introduced the MF 500 series that had 6 models.
Post 1970, Massey Ferguson started developing the MF 200 series. It had all the essential features of the MF 100, MF 500, and MF 1000 series, making it one of the best selling series between 1970 and 1980.
New-age tractors
The 80s marked the beginning of the production of the MF 600 series. This included models like MF 690, MF 690T, MF 675, MF 698, MF 699, and MF 695. Although the previous models were popular, they didn't have the best visibility. The MF 600 series became an instant hit because of unmatched visibility that suited field operations when it came to controlling and managing livestock.
The company also decided to launch the MF 300 series in the same year. Its simple cab design, high gear range, and power made it the best selling series of all time.
Massey Ferguson is the name you can trust when it comes to agricultural tractors. Their urge to come up with better models is an indication of what the company aims to do for the agricultural industry.