(photo courtesy Versatile)

 

 

The president of Buhler Industries says he envisions the company competing with the heavyweights in tractor markets around the globe.

Makers of Versatile tractors and Farm King equipment, Buhler was acquired by Russia-based Rostselmash in 2007.

"We want to be a real player and compete with the major manufacturers on the international market," says Dmitry Lyubimov. "We don't have huge financial resources, but we have our own way."

Case in point, Lyubimov says the company has seen sales grow by around 30 percent since the Rostselmash acquisition. And that's with the financial crisis in 2008, which decimated demand for tractors in Russia. "I would say the Russian market came from having very big demand to almost zero. Now it's getting better. So we're looking forward with good optimism again," says Lyubimov.

He says North America remains their largest market. "We're still focused on the North American market. It's our biggest market and will continue to be. We have very good sales in Russia, Ukraine, Kazhakstan because of Rostselmash, and right now we're looking forward to increased sales in China and Africa."

Lyubimov says Rostselmash brought major changes to the company, especially in the area of marketing, which he says is "still a work in progress, everyday." Looking back to 2007, Lyubimov says, "we got a very good product, but Buhler didn't have any sales strategy or marketing. The biggest thing we changed, we started selling this product. Not just letting people know, but we started selling and promoting."

~ Friday, October 22, 2010 ~