Massey Ferguson tractor history
The history of Massey Ferguson dates back to 1847, when Daniel Massey opened a workshop to build simple farm implements in Newcastle, Ontario.
He was a family man, businessman, inventor, tradesman, manager, entrepreneur and genius. In other words, he was a farmer. Over the first half century, Massey's business boomed. Meanwhile - also in Ontario - Alanson Harris established a foundry to make and repair farm machinery. Both Massey and Harris became leading names in harvesting equipment and eventually merged in 1891.
More than a half century later, the Massey-Harris Company joined forces with a brilliant English engineer named Harry Ferguson, who had revolutionized tractor design with his innovative three-point hitch. For the first time ever, tractor and implement could work as one - a concept that still applies today on virtually all agricultural tractors.
Formed in 1953, the new association was called Massey-Harris-Ferguson Limited. Five years later, the name was shortened to Massey Ferguson, creating one of the world’s most powerful forces in farm equipment. Since 1962, the company has been acknowledged as the world's best selling brand of tractor.
In 1995, Massey Ferguson was purchased by the US-based AGCO Corporation
He was a family man, businessman, inventor, tradesman, manager, entrepreneur and genius. In other words, he was a farmer. Over the first half century, Massey's business boomed. Meanwhile - also in Ontario - Alanson Harris established a foundry to make and repair farm machinery. Both Massey and Harris became leading names in harvesting equipment and eventually merged in 1891.
More than a half century later, the Massey-Harris Company joined forces with a brilliant English engineer named Harry Ferguson, who had revolutionized tractor design with his innovative three-point hitch. For the first time ever, tractor and implement could work as one - a concept that still applies today on virtually all agricultural tractors.
Formed in 1953, the new association was called Massey-Harris-Ferguson Limited. Five years later, the name was shortened to Massey Ferguson, creating one of the world’s most powerful forces in farm equipment. Since 1962, the company has been acknowledged as the world's best selling brand of tractor.
In 1995, Massey Ferguson was purchased by the US-based AGCO Corporation
Daniel Massey
Harry Ferguson
Alanson Harris
Harry Ferguson's prototype tractor with 3-point linkage, weight transference and hydraulic control of implements, including automatic depth control, completed in 1935 in Belfast, and known as the ‘Ferguson Black’. More than any other single development, this invention revolutionised the use of the farm tarctor, and nearly all subsequent designs have incorporated its design principles. The plough shown with it is believed to be one of the first two furrow ploughs made after World War II to complement the launch of the TE20 and all its variants. It was the TE20, descendant of the 'Black Tractor', which became a common sight on farms all over Britain in the 1940s and early 1950s, and the implements made for it, represented the full flowering of the Ferguson System.
Ferguson Black Tractor
Harry Ferguson started in the tractor business selling Waterloo Boy tractors (renamed Overtime) in Ireland and England during World War I. While working with farmers to maximize the use of their new tractors, Ferguson began working on a better system to attach implements. His "Ferguson System", later known as the three-point hitch, would become the standard for attaching implements to farm tractors.
To demonstrate his new hitch, Ferguson built the Ferguson Black tractor. This led to an agreement with David Brown to build the Ferguson-Brown. The arrangement was short lived, and Ferguson made a new deal with Henry Ford to develop tractors using his hitch. The deal with Ford lasted until 1947, when it ended with a bitter lawsuit. Following this, Ferguson entered into an arrangement with the Standard Motor Company to produce his own line of tractors.
To demonstrate his new hitch, Ferguson built the Ferguson Black tractor. This led to an agreement with David Brown to build the Ferguson-Brown. The arrangement was short lived, and Ferguson made a new deal with Henry Ford to develop tractors using his hitch. The deal with Ford lasted until 1947, when it ended with a bitter lawsuit. Following this, Ferguson entered into an arrangement with the Standard Motor Company to produce his own line of tractors.
GP Tractor Parts is a registered company in South Africa : Reg no CK 2009/028052/23
Registered Office: 121 Honingklip Road, Protea Ridge Krugersdorp South Africa
Original equipment manufacturers names and parts numbers are quoted for reference purposes only
and are not intended to suggest that our replacement parts are made by the original equipment manufacturer.
Registered Office: 121 Honingklip Road, Protea Ridge Krugersdorp South Africa
Original equipment manufacturers names and parts numbers are quoted for reference purposes only
and are not intended to suggest that our replacement parts are made by the original equipment manufacturer.
