Massey Ferguson (1958)

Dates:
1806-1986
The Massey-Harris-Ferguson Collection exemplifies the history and growth of the industrial corporation in Canada's past. It is an important resource for researchers in Canadian rural and agricultural history. The collection covers the period 1806-1986 and includes pamphlets, brochures and circulars, photographs, magazines, correspondence, annual reports, marketing material, sales agreements, biographies; as well, it documents the company's production and history in Canada and overseas including many firms that joined Massey. In addition, there are important literary magazines encouraged by Hart Massey--the Trip Hammer, Massey's Illustrated and Massey's Magazine. Currently, materials may be searched in the library catalogue, Primo, using keywords and the phrase "Massey-Harris-Ferguson Collection." Daniel Massey (1798-1856) began manufacturing farm implements at Bond Head but moved to Newcastle in 1849. Alanson Harris (1816-94) established a foundry at Beamsville in 1857, and relocated to Brantford in 1872. First known as the Massey Manufacturing Co. in 1870, the company moved its headquarters to Toronto in 1879 and competed in international markets. In 1891, Massey and A. Harris and Son Co. merged to form Massey-Harris Company Ltd. Others mergers included Bain Wagon Company (1896), Patterson Brothers & Co. (1891), J.O. Wisner, Son and Co. (1891), W.H. Verity & Sons (1892), and Johnston Harvester Company (1910) located in Batavia, New York. The company became Massey-Harris-Ferguson Limited with the Harry Ferguson merger in 1953 that added an important tractor component; this was strengthened with the merger with F. Perkins Ltd. (1959) which specialized in diesel engines. Massey-Harris prospered in the 1960s and 1970s with its tractor and combine production lines but declined in a rapidly changing farm equipment market during the 1980s.

<br>Massey Ferguson Limited is an American agricultural machinery manufacturer. The company was established in 1953 through the merger of farm equipment makers Massey-Harris of Canada and the Ferguson Company of the United Kingdom. It was based in Brantford, Ontario, until 1988. The company transferred its headquarters in 1997 to Buffalo, New York, U.S. before it was acquired by AGCO, the new owner of its former competitor Allis-Chalmers. Massey Ferguson is among several brands in a portfolio produced and marketed by American industrial agricultural equipment conglomerate AGCO and a major seller in international markets around the world.</br>

<br>In 1847, Daniel Massey established the Newcastle Foundry and Machine Manufactory in what is now Newcastle, Clarington, Ontario, Canada.[1] The company made some of the world's first mechanical threshers, at first by assembling parts from the United States, but eventually designing and building its own equipment. Daniel Massey's son, Hart Massey, subsequently renamed the enterprise as the Massey Manufacturing Co. In 1879, the company moved to Toronto,[2] where it soon became one of the city's leading employers. The huge complex of factories, consisting of a 4.4-hectare (11-acre) site with plant and head office at 915 King Street West (now part of Liberty Village), became one of the best-known features of the city. The company expanded further and began to sell its products internationally.[2] Through extensive advertising campaigns, it became one of the most well-known brands in Canada. A labor shortage throughout the country also helped to make the firm's mechanized equipment very attractive.</br>

<br>In 1891, the Massey Manufacturing Co. merged with A. Harris, Son and Company to form Massey-Harris Limited,[1][3] which became the largest agricultural equipment maker in the British Empire. Massey-Harris made threshing machines and reapers, as well as safety bicycles, introducing a shaft-driven model in 1898.[4] In 1910, Massey-Harris acquired the Johnston Harvester Company of Batavia, New York, making it one of Canada's first multinational firms.[1]</br>

<br>The company's early tractor models included the 20 horsepower Massey-Harris GP 15/22 (1930–36),[5] 25 horsepower 'Massey-Harris Pacemaker' (1936–1939),[6] 35 horsepower Model 101 (1938–1942),[7] Massey-Harris Pony, Model 20, Model 81, and Model 744.</br>

<br>Grain harvesting was revolutionized by Massey engineer Tom Carroll in 1938, with the world's first affordable, mass produced, self-propelled combine— the No. 20. It was too heavy and expensive for extensive mass production, but served as a guide for the design of the lighter and less costly No. 21 which was tested in 1940, and put on sale in 1941. The Massey-Harris No. 21 Combine was commemorated with a Canada Post stamp on June 8, 1996.[8] E.P. Taylor, one of C.D. Howe's dollar-a-year men, joined the board of directors in 1942, and Eric Phillips joined management in 1946.</br>

<br>The final generation of Massey-Harris tractors, introduced immediately after World War II, included the 25-horsepower M-H 22 series,[9] the 35 horsepower M-H 33 series,[10] the 45 horsepower M-H 44 series[11] and the 55 horsepower M-H 55 series.[12] In 1952, the M-H 22 was replaced by the M-H 23 Mustang. In 1955, the 30-horsepower Massey-Harris 50 was introduced after the merger that created Massey-Harris-Ferguson. It was based on the Ferguson TO-35 and was also produced as the F-40 for Ferguson dealers. The MH-50 was available in several configurations: utility, high-crop utility, or row-crop with a choice of single, tricycle, or wide adjustable front ends. In 1956, the M-H 33 was replaced by the MH 333, while the M-H 44 was replaced by the M-H 444 and the M-H 55 was replaced by the M-H 555. These tractors were commonly known as the "triple series" and were mechanically similar to their predecessors, but featured new styling that included a slightly different hood design, chrome trim on the grill and hood, and a different color scheme. They were also available with power steering, live power take-off (PTO) and hydraulics. The Massey Harris triple series tractors remained in production until 1958.</br>
<br> In 1953, Massey-Harris merged with the Ferguson Company to become Massey-Harris-Ferguson, before finally taking on its current name in 1958.[1] </br>
<br>The name was shortened to Massey Ferguson in 1958. They tried to consolidate the two dealer networks and product lines. Its television and radio advertising featured an upbeat jingle with a male chorus singing, "He's a get-up-early, keep-'em-rollin, Massey-Ferguson kind of a man." Nevertheless, the company soon began to decline financially after facing increasing international competition in the 1960s, when the firm began to struggle.</br>
<br>Despite its hardships, Massey Ferguson was selling 25% more tractors than its nearest competitors at this time. In 1995, Massey Ferguson's worldwide holdings were purchased by the United States-based AGCO Corporation. In August 1996, Varity merged with Lucas Automotive to become LucasVarity. After a series of mergers and takeovers, the remains of LucasVarity were acquired by the United States company TRW. Since 1962, Massey Ferguson has been the world's leading tractor brand.</br>

<br>This poster from a 1902 Massey-Harris Co. calendar shows an elegantly dressed woman delivering a basket lunch to farmers in the field. During the first 40 years of the last century, several major manufacturers of farm machinery commissioned famous calendar artists to compose their advertising calendars. This illustration, signed by artist A.H. Hider, shows farmers working in the field with Massey-Harris horse-drawn grain binders, mowers and a tillage tool.

In 1847, Daniel Massey established Massey Mfg. Co. in Newcastle, Ontario, Canada. Alanson Harris formed A. Harris, Son & Co. in 1857. Harris built the Kirby hand reaper, and bought patents to Sharp’s dump rake. A. Harris, Son & Co. was moved to Toronto in 1879; the company bought Toronto Reaper & Mower Co. in 1881.</br>
<br>Massey-Harris Co. was formed in Toronto with the merger of Massey Mfg. and A. Harris, Son & Co. in 1891. In subsequent years, Massey-Harris Co. affiliated with W.H. Verity & Sons in 1892, purchased 40 percent of the Sawyer Co. and renamed the company Sawyer-Massey. Massey-Harris, still in operation as a separate business, purchased Corbin Disc Harrow Co. in 1893, Bain Wagon Co. in 1895 and Kemp Manure Spreader Co., Stratford, Ontario, in 1904.</br>

<br>To gain access to the U.S. market, Massey-Harris purchased Johnston Harvester Co., Batavia, New York, in 1910. In 1913, the company purchased Deyo-Macey Engine Co., Binghamton, New York. Massey-Harris purchased J.I. Case Plow Works, Racine, Wisconsin, in 1927, selling the J.I Case name to J.I. Case Threshing Machine Co. that year. In 1928, Massey-Harris entered the tractor market with the Case Plow Works purchase and its Wallis tractor.</br>

<br>Massey-Harris purchased an interest in H.V. McKay Proprietary Ltd., Australia, in 1930 for its combines. In 1948, the company purchased Globe Disc Works, Fowler, California. In 1953, Massey-Harris acquired Harry Ferguson, Inc. to form Massey-Harris-Ferguson Ltd.; the company’s name was shortened to Massey Ferguson in 1957. In 1986, Massey Ferguson changed its name to Verity Corp. In 1993, AGCO Company, Atlanta, Georgia, purchased the marketing and distribution operations of Massey-Harris Farm Equipment from the Verity Corp. Verity Corp sold the rest of the Massey Ferguson division to AGCO in 1994.</br>