Massey Ferguson’s intention of becoming a full line brand has taken a step forward with the introduction of a range of mowers, rakes and tedders. Not that these are new implements, they are currently marketed by Reco under the Fella name. According to UK and Ireland national sales manager, William Judge, the move to make the entire Fella range available through its MF dealership network is a means of increasing product distribution and increasing sale volumes. “Our plan is to introduce the range in MF livery for the UK and Ireland and then gradually increase their availability through introductions in other European countries, although in countries such as Germany where our Fendt brand predominates they will be badged as Fendt implements,” he explains. “Agco already markets these implements under the MF banner in Australia, New Zealand and North America.” AGCO purchased a 50% stake in Fella in 2007 before completely taking over the German forage manfacuturer in 2011. Until this time AGCO had been content to see its wares being imported and marketed in the UK by Reco where it is estimated Fella has a 10% market share of the UK’s grassland machinery market. Mr Judge says there are no plans for this arrangement to change – the MF business will run alongside the Reco business with production continuing at AGCO’s Feucht facility in Germany. This view is echoed by Reco’s general sales and marketing manager, Patrick Desmond, who says he is confident that the MF branding of Fella grassland products will not affect sales made by his company unduly. “Dealers having a Massey Ferguson franchise will clearly be under some pressure to take the MF branded products but the vast majority of our dealers have other tractor franchises,” he says. “I also believe Massey Ferguson is normally more associated with tractors than grassland machinery.”
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