Farm-Rite Equipment 50th Anniversary

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Farm-Rite Equipment Inc. Celebrates 50th Anniversary “We have an unbelievably great relationship with our customers. They know the machines are spectacular and customers count on us to take care of them.”

By Giles Lambertson CEG CORRESPONDENT

Farm-Rite's equipment lineup in Dassel, Minn.

Aww shucks.

That pretty well summarizes the self-effacing attitude of leadership in Farm-Rite Equipment dealerships. Company executives and management would have you believe that the Minnesota firm’s steady — sometimes explosive — growth just sort of happened and somehow has continued happening for 25 years despite anything they’ve done.

“We’ve experienced growth every year, but we don’t think about that,” said CEO Tim Cox. “We just react every day to what’s happening, and we do a very good job of reacting.”

So, if one believes that, the Bobcat dealership has rolled along pretty much on automatic pilot with occasional tweaks of throttle and brakes. Even giving full credit to the power of Bobcat to empower success in its 900 dealer-

ships worldwide, the Cox family probably deserves more than passing mention in the company’s success story. ** In 1970, Farm-Rite Equipment opened its doors in Dassel, Minn., a community of then about a thousand people in the central part of the state northwest of Minneapolis. It was a dealer for Massey-Ferguson farm tractors and implements.

Unfortunately, this was during a period of decline for MasseyFerguson in the United States — though it remains a major ag brand around the world.

Company founder Howard Page eventually dropped the MasseyFerguson line and pivoted instead to Bobcat and Mustang equipment, two popular brands in the then-new category called compact machinery.

Skid steers and track loaders were, in fact, invented and first-produced in neighboring North Dakota by a company that eventually became Bobcat, so the switch was a natural for Page. In time, the Mustang line was dropped.

In the late 1970s, Page sold his

“We don’t regret anything we’ve done ... It was hard. It was difficult, but we Tim (L) and Tom outside of the shop in Dassel in the mid to late 1990s.

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like what we’re doing.”

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business to Sharel Lee. In 1983, Lee hired a 19-year-old Minnesotan named Tim Cox. “I needed a job,” Cox said of his start with Farm-Rite.

He had graduated from high school two years before and enrolled in Hutchinson Vocational Technical center for diesel mechanic training.

“I hired on for five dollars an hour. The company was just the owner and one employee — me.

That year, in 1983, we sold two Bobcats.”

In this way, the teenage Cox quietly launched a career in equipmentdealing that culminated in 1995 with him partnering with his brother, Tom, to purchase the business.

Tom Cox was an electrician in Minneapolis at the time, tired of commuting and itching for a change.

“We just decided to do it,” Tim Cox said without elaboration.

Any regrets?

“No, no. We don’t regret anything we’ve done or the way we did it. It was hard. It was difficult, but we like what we’re doing.”

Twenty-five years in, the partnership indeed seems to be doing all right. Annual business volume for Farm-Rite was slightly less than $60 million last year and the figure for 2020 looks to be more than $70 million. Pandemic? What pandemic?

Tom Cox (L), service manager and owner, talks with David Cox, salesman of the year, in front of a Bobcat T870 with a brush cutter and a Bobcat A770 with a stump grinder.

“We were very nervous,” Cox admitted, looking back to March when the virus began to impact Minnesota communities and businesses, “but we’ve had a 25 percent growth this year over last year.

And it’s just because of the way we take care of our customers. We have an unbelievably great relationship with our customers. They know the machines are spectacular and customers count on us to take care of them.”

The dealership also represents several other manufacturers of auxiliary equipment see page 8

Former Minnesota Twin and Minnesota Twin broadcaster Dan Gladden (C) stopped by to see longtime friends and Farm-Rite owners Tim Cox (L) and Tom Cox.

(L-R) are David Cox, sales manager, Farm-Rite of Dassel; Dan Ronning, Willmar general manager; and Tom Cox, Farm-Rite of Dassel co-owner and parts manager.

Tim and Tom (C) standing with Gary Schneekloth (L), the previous owner of Farm-Rite Equipment of Long Prairie; and Dean Schreiner, the current general manager of the Long Prairie location.

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Congratullations to Farm--Rite Equipment on 50 years!

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Officially opened in November 2012, the Willmar facility offers customers a larger parts and equipment inventory, as well as an increased rental fleet and quality service department. from page 3

including farm tractors and implements, mowers, machinery attachments and trailers — “mostly things that go hand in hand with Bobcat. We’ve grown some of the auxiliary lines, but anyone can tell how we make a living,” Cox said.

Bobcat, in a word. ** One way the Cox family has served Bobcat customers is to bring dealership services closer to where the customers live.

From its Dassel headquarters, the company has expanded to locations in Willmar, St. Cloud and Long Prairie. It officially serves 11 counties, but its effective market activity extends The glue that keeps everything together at Farm-Rite Willmar farther across the state. is Dan Cox, parts and service manager.

The dealership’s official territory encompasses a chunk of rural central Minnesota, which is dotted with country towns, dairy farms and small enterprises, each of which is a market for compact machinery. Farm-Rite’s expansion met the needs not only of customers and potential customers but of Bobcat executives, who wanted to grow the brand’s presence in the region.

The Cox brothers live midway between Dassel and Willmar, the Kandiyohi County seat with a population about 20 times larger than Dassel, so opening a second location in Willmar was not a stretch.

In 2012, the previous owner of the Bobcat franchise in Willmar wanted to sell and (L-R, behind counter): Dan Cox, service manager of Farm-Rite of Willmar, Minn., Farm-Rite accommodated him.

Dan Ronning became sales and store helps out with the parts special at the Dassel open house, lending a hand at the manager at the Willmar location. counter to Ron Daniels, Farm-Rite parts manager, and Tom Cox, Farm-Rite service Ronning was a 15-year veteran of the manager and co-owner.

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Ownership changed in March 2019, with Tim and Tom Cox of Dassel purchasing the business as their fourth location. (L-R) are James Karnes, Duane Harlow, Dean Schreiner, Joe Bleninger and Ben Jager.

Farm-Rite’s Dassel, Minn., showroom features a restored 1958 M400 Melroe, predecessor of today’s Bobcat.

equipment rental industry who “really brought the contacts and customers” to the new store, according to Danny Cox, who helped open the Willmar shop as service and parts manager. The seven-acre location has a 5,500-sq. ft. sales and service building.

From all indications, the Willmar management is doing well. Danny Cox noted that the three people there on the first day — Ronning, Cox and service technician Josh Koglin — are still there eight years later. The number of service techs has grown to five.

“I’d say we have a pretty good routine going here,” Danny Cox said. He is the son of co-owner Tom Cox. “No one has left in three years. Everyone is having The Dassel building being assembled after it was relocated from Renville, Minn. fun.”

“Fun” can be measured several ways, of course. This is one big thing. We built that up right away. Rentals, parts — we built of them: The previous owner of the Willmar shop sold fewer every aspect of the equipment business.”

Two years after absorbing and turning around the Willmar than 10 machines the year before; in each of the last two years, shop, Farm-Rite Equipment opened another location in St. Farm-Rite has sold 200 machines.

Cloud, 34 mi. north of the company headquarters. A “It started with us being aggressive,” Danny Cox said of the sales growth. “Inventory was a see page 16

The Dassel store as it was being completed.

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Diamond Mowers is a proud roud partner of Farm-Rite Equipment, t Inc offering attachments for skid-stteers.

SKID- STEER

FORESTR Y DISSC MULCHER

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50

YEARS

Equipment Sales • Rentals • Parts & Supplies Service • Aerial Equipment • Attachments • Trailers

Thank you a t o s e n n i M forr fo

! s r a e Y 50

B O B C A T. C O M / F A R M R I T E

®

Congratulations too Farm-Rite Equipment on your 50th annivversary.

We’re proud to have you as a part of the Bobcat organization,, and we look forward to being your partner for manny more years of success.

YEARS

Bobcat ®, the Bobcat logo and the colors of the Bobcat machine are registered trademarks of Bobcat Company in the Uniteed States and various other countries. ©2020 Bobcat Company. All rights reserved. | 14XX

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WE CONG GRATULA T TE

FARM-RITE A E EQUIPME ENT O THEIR 50TH ON H ANNIVERSAR A Y!

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PROFESSIO P ONAL HAULERS DEMAND TOWMASTE T ER

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Jay Kockler, general manager of Farm-Rite Equipment of St. Cloud, hosts his second annual open house.

from page 9

St. Cloud resident, Jay Kockler, became sales and store manager. Kockler had joined the Farm-Rite team in 2012. He previously owned a landscape company in St. Cloud and had been a longtime Farm-Rite customer.

St. Cloud’s population approaches 70,000 people and is by far the largest host community of a Farm-Rite dealership. Kockler oversees a dozen employees there, including four service techs, all housed in a 10,000 sq. ft building on a five-acre property. The size of the town also offers the Bobcat franchise more competition, the store manager acknowledged. Nevertheless, Farm-Rite is experiencing success there, as well.

“From the start, Farm-Rite has had an extremely loyal following,” Kockler said.

“That’s one of the reasons we expanded to other towns, to help out our customer base.”

Machinery trends in St. Cloud are similar to those across the company. The Bobcat T595 track loader has been a staple of sales, Kockler said. The midsize loader has a 74-hp Tier IV engine, with a 2,200-lb. rated operating capacity and a travel speed of 16 mph when outfitted with a two-speed option.

“It has great horsepower to weight ratio,” he said.

The popular model has been superseded by the new T66, which has 74 hp and greater load capacity.

“The T66 is an all-new redesign, with a changed upper boom configuration and is Bluetooth-ready. It appeals to everyone from homeowners with acreage to contractors,” the store manager said.

As for the rental yard, midsize track loaders and mini-excavators are most frequently rented. Kockler also noted that CMP Attachments, another Minnesota manufacturer in the Farm-Rite

The Farm-Rite, St. Cloud location upon opening in 2014.

Josh Koglin started with Farm-Rite Equipment Inc. in 2002. He currently works in Willmar and is the proud new father of a baby boy, Elliot Koglin.

Service Technician Tim Fennema started in Dassel in 1999.

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Farm-Rite Owner and Parts & Service Manager Tom Cox (L) fills an open house sale parts order for Tom Konzs.

lineup, is experiencing sales growth, with its hydra bucket and hydra grapple in growing demand.

The dealership’s fourth and newest location is a facility in Long Prairie, fully 90 mi. from headquarters in Dassel. The store was taken over by Farm-Rite in 2018 with Dean Schreiner managing it. When equipment rentals were introduced there to local Bobcat customers, it, too, became a fullservice outlet. Including the four in Long Prairie, Farm-Rite Equipment has 41 employees scattered across the region. ** As overall Farm-Rite sales manager, David Cox keeps an eye on all four locations from his office in Dassel. With 65 percent of all sales coming out of Dassel, he has incentive to increase transactions in the newer locations.

Another of Tom’s sons, David Cox started his Farm-Rite sales career in 2010. As the dealership expanded across the region, he found himself more and more managing inventory for branch locations and performing similar tasks for the growing company. It’s just another step in the evolution of his work as a second-generation member of a family company.

“I remember hanging out here when I was five years old, sweeping the floor,” said David.

He confirms that sales are good in 2020 despite the disruptive virus.

“It hasn’t much affected sales,” he said.

“In March when it hit, we scaled back a

Tim Cox, president and co-owner of Farm-Rite Equipment, takes a break in his office during the Dassel open house.

Farm-Rite has locations in Dassel, St. Cloud and Willmar, in addition to its newest location in Long Prairie, Minn.

Dan Ronning, Willmar dealer manager, with his youngest daughter, Amber, running an E26 compact excavator.

Tom Cox and Tim Cox stand with Connor Menard at a Make-A-Wish event while Connor runs a remote-control Bobcat loader.

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little, but after two weeks we went back to normal. Today, we’re busier than we’ve ever been.”

Though selling equipment remains the primary transaction at Farm-Rite, day in, day out, according to Cox, renting equipment continues to grow in popularity at Farm-Rite, as it is across the industry as hi-tech machinery steadily rises in cost. Besides the popular compact loaders and excavators, aerial equipment is trending strongly as a rental choice at Farm-Rite.

Yet trailers are the company’s auxiliary equipment sales leader. Farm-Rite offers three brands of trailers — Towmaster, Midsota and Felling — all of which are manufactured in Minnesota.

“We sell a lot of trailers,” said the sales manager.

Some of the most popular models

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Dassel open house, circa 2000.

(L-R): Owner Tom Cox; long-time service tech Tim Fennema; David Cox and Danny Cox at a Farm-Rite open house during the late 1990s.

Tim’s sons, Nic Cox (L) and Anton Cox (R) checking out the display of equipment at the Willmar Stingers baseball game with a friend.

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are suitable for hauling skid steers and track loaders — i.e., they complement the dealership’s Bobcat lines.

Selling and servicing so many lines of equipment has the potential to produce headaches for management. That is, the sheer variety of equipment — track loaders, excavators, compactors, tractors, turbine blowers, seeders, commercial mowers, aerial work machinery — means that a large inventory of parts must be kept on hand or readily accessed. And then there is the issue of the company’s service technicians being trained to skillfully work on all the machines.

Tom Cox rides herd on these issues. As the company’s service and parts manager, the executive and co-owner has seen his responsibility grow from supporting and training technicians in the 20,000-sq.-ft. service center in Dassel to overlooking the work of techs in four relatively distant locations.

Though each branch has at least one service truck, most repair and machine maintenance activity occurs in the service facilities. That’s one of the benefits of representing manufacturers that build compact machinery instead of gigantic earthmovers or offthe-road trucks. Track loaders and mowers and compact excavators can be trailered to a dealership for service about as easily as a service truck can be dispatched to a work site.

On the other hand, the logistics of all that pickup and delivery of equipment — including rental machinery — complicates an otherwise simple service call. Tom Cox said it all works out because the four locations coordinate their efforts.

“We play to each other’s strengths. One place might have more inventory of a certain product line, for example, and we’ll draw on that. Or another place is closer to a customer. We move stuff back and forth all the time. Parts or rental pieces are sent from one place to another every day. Whatever makes it easier to take care of our customers,” he said.

Training technicians is the rest of the story. To keep up the diagnostic and service skills for Bobcat equipment, company techs travel several times a year to a Bobcat training center in Denver, Colo. This year, some of that training has occurred in virtual sessions online. Other Farm-Rite manufacturers rely on the web for their training modules.

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New inventory in Willmar, Minn.

** Twenty-five years after Tim and Tom Cox took over Farm-Rite Equipment, the dealership keeps growing. It is, in fact, one of the top Bobcat dealerships in the country even though it serves a rural region. Ranchers. Dairy farmers.

Contractors.

With a second generation of Cox family members fully integrated into the company’s leadership ranks, one might assume another 25 years is in the offing for Farm-Rite.

“We have no time to think about that,” said Tim Cox, eschewing any talk of continued success. “We just come to work and do our thing.”

His brother Tom is only slightly less reticent to concede success.

“We had no anticipation of the growth that has occurred. We never dreamed of anything like that. Timing had a lot to do with it. It really was spurred by the way we take care of our customers.”

Tom Cox’s son David echoes his father.

“Taking care of our customers is our number one priority.”

A Kvam Implement truck returns from Gwinner, N.D., after picking up new loaders.

(L-R) are Tim Cox, Tom Cox, Tim Kramer, Bobcat sales representative (at the time) and Harvey Stueber, winner of a contest Bobcat held in 1999. Steuber won a Brushcat attachment.

Kvam Implement in Willmar during the 1980s. Farm-Rite acquired Kvam in 2012.

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Bobcat equipment and a rental roller from Farm-Rite Equipment are building a new park in Willmar, Minn.

Willmar service truck Willmar service shop: This new E145 Bobcat excavator was sold to Crow River Construction in New London, Minn.

Three new Bobcat T630s in the shop are being prepped for delivery.

This custom Bobcat 3400XL was outfitted by Farm-Rite Equipment for the Maple Lake Fire Department.

With Bobcat expanding its lineup — producing mowers now, for instance — he sees continued growth for the firm.

“It’s a great product. My brother and I plan to be a part of the business for a long time. I don’t see us doing anything else. That always was the plan, to keep the company in the family.”

David Cox’s brother Danny went to college to become a civil engineer before he decided he, too, really wanted to be a part of the family business.

“I love it,” he said. “I’m excited to come to work every single day.”

Kockler, the St. Cloud store manager, believes the future of Farm-Rite Equipment is firmly set.

“It definitely has 25 or 50 more years in it with a second generation of the family coming on. I’m hoping they’re going to get another 30 or 40 years out of it.”

It almost sounds like a success story.  CEG

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This Bobcat T595 compact track loader is being lifted over a building on a job

by Duininck Inc., Prinsburg, Minn.

Farm-Rite's Willmar parts showroom.

The Cox’s brought their fourwheel drive tractor from the farm to pull the two halves of the shop together.

City of Cosmos, Minn.'s Bobcat Toolcat with all of the bells and whistles.

Farm-Rite's Willmar service shop.

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Five new Bobcat S650s are loaded up for Bituminous Paving Inc. in Ortonville, Minn.

St. John’s University takes delivery of two new Bobcat S510’s and trades in two used S130’s.

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A full truck of new Bobcat UV34s with cab and heat after being dropped off.

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