Excitement Takes Center Stage in Atlanta

Challenger dealers from throughout North America gathered in Georgia to “Experience a Tractor Revolution”

If there was one phrase that resounded through Atlanta’s Georgia Dome on February 3, after hundreds of Challenger dealer representatives got their first look at the new Challenger® MT600C Series models during the 2009 “Ride On” high-horsepower tractor launch, it was, “I like ‘em.” Of course, the evening launch was just part of the exciting activities AGCO had planned for the nearly weeklong “Ride On” event. The week started with an Expo, where dealers could learn more about a wide range of AGCO products and offerings, including financing, tillage and seeding, advertising programs and ATS systems. Monday and Tuesday activities also included tours of AGCO headquarters in Duluth, Georgia, and the dealer business meeting.

The Wednesday and Thursday schedule included 10 different breakout sessions on everything from competitive selling and a tractor walk-around to a cab review and an explanation of the engine and new e3 system. The highlight, however, had to be the Tuesday evening launch, which started with a dinner and music followed by introductory speeches by AGCO President and CEO Martin Richenhagen; Doug Griffin, vice president, North American Marketing, and Todd Stucke, vice president, professional producer marketing.

However, the four new Challenger MT600C Series tractors that took to the floor amidst fireworks and fog were no less the stars. Nor was the Tractor Revolution semi-tractor/trailer that rolled onto the field. That’s when the Challenger dealers actually got the chance to go down to the floor for a closer look and a chance to crawl up into the cab. As if the evening wasn’t filled with enough excitement, AGCO had a special surprise in the form of a free concert by Georgia-raised country star Travis Tritt.

“From the comments I heard, the entire event was very well received,” says Blane Clark, product marketing specialist for high-horsepower tractors. “I had one Challenger dealer tell me that of all the launches and training events he had attended over the year, this was the best one he had been to. And I heard that several times … even from guys who have been in the business for 20 to 30 years.”

“The tractors look great,” he adds. “I had gone to Beauvais, France, earlier, so I had an idea of what was coming. Everything that put us at a disadvantage compared to the competition, like the cab, has been addressed in these tractors. So if they perform as good as they look, I think we’re in good shape.”

Mark Laethem, co-owner of Farm Depot Inc. in Caro, Michigan, is one dealer who got a sneak preview of the tractors and liked what he saw. “We actually got one of the first ones to come into the country for field testing,” he relates. “The first thing I noticed was the size of the cab and the comfort. The hydraulic cab suspension they have on the MT600C Series provides an even better ride than the pneumatic suspension they have on the ‘B’ Series. You can drive across a railroad crossing and barely notice it.”

“It’s a nice looking tractor,” commented Paul Long with Thompson Machinery Company after seeing the MT600C Series for the first time. “I can’t wait to really try out the cab, but I certainly like what I’ve seen so far.”

The comments flowed just as quickly during the walk-around sessions held during the next two days, says Rawley Hicks, senior product marketing specialist. “From the comments we heard, we hit the nail on the head as far as what the dealers wanted and what their customers wanted to see in a tractor,” he says. “They told us that we got a lot of things right in this product; so we’re excited, not only about what this tractor means to our dealers, but about how it will affect the entire industry.”

“The whole event was fun for us, too, despite the amount of work and preparation it took,” adds Blane Clark. “We were actually encouraged to get creative with the presentations and break-out sessions and to try some different things to involve the class. We’ve learned through experience and consultants that participation in some way or another helps people better retain what they learn. So we included things like videos, live camera coverage, walk-arounds and quizzes as part of the sessions.

“Of course, we saw just as much excitement in the field as we introduced the tractors in Tulare and Louisville at the spring farm shows,” he adds. “I heard more than once that AGCO really stole the show with the tractors, the Tractor Revolution trailer and the new e3 display. From what I’ve seen, the excitement is just getting started. Now, it’s time to take the tractors and the trailer out to the customers.”