Massey Ferguson Limited is an American-owned major producer of agricultural equipment until recently based in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. In 1847, Daniel Massey founded the Massey Ferguson in Newcastle, Ontario, as the Newcastle Foundry and Machine Manufactory. To begin with it made some of the world’s first mechanical threshers at first by assembling parts from the United States but eventually designing and building their own equipment. In 1879, Daniel’s eldest son Hart Massey renamed the enterprise the Massey Manufacturing Co. and moved it to Toronto where it soon became one of the city’s leading employers.
Massey expanded further and began to sell its products internationally. The current business was formed by the 1953 merger of farm machinery manufacturers Massey Harris of Canada and Britain’s Ferguson Company under the new name Massey Harris Ferguson. In 1958, the name was shortened to Massey Ferguson. Today Massey Ferguson is one of several brands produced by AGCO and remains a major seller around the world.
Massey-Harris Limited
In 1891, Massey Manufacturing merged with A. Harris, Son & Co. Ltd to become Massey-Harris Limited and became the largest agricultural equipment maker in the British Empire. In 1898, Massey-Harris introduced the shaft-driven model of threshing machines and reapers as well as safety bicycles. In 1910 it acquired the Johnston Harvester Company in Batavia, New York, making it one of Canada’s first multinational firms.
Massey-Harris’s early tractor models included the 20 horsepower Massey-Harris GP 15/22 (1930–36), 25 horsepower Massey-Harris Pacemaker (1936–39), 35 horsepower Model 101 (1938–42), Massey-Harris Pony, Model 20, Model 81, and Model 744. In 1938, Massey engineer Tom Carroll introduced the world’s first self-propelled combine known as the No. 20, it revolutionized the grain harvesting. No. 20 was too heavy and expensive for extensive mass production. However, it served as a guide for the building of the lighter and less costly No. 21, which was tested in 1940 and put on sale in 1941.
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On June 8 1996, the Massey-Harris No. 21 Combine was commemorated with a Canada Post stamp. The final generation of Massey-Harris tractors, introduced immediately after World War II, included the 25 horsepower M-H 22 series, the 35 horsepower M-H 33 series, the 45 horsepower M-H 44 series and the 55 horsepower M-H 55 series. In 1952, M-H 23 Mustang replaced the M-H 22. In 1955 the 30 horsepower Massey-Harris 50 was introduced after the merger that created Massey-Harris-Ferguson.
It based on the Ferguson TO-35 and also produced as the F-40 for Ferguson dealers. In 1956 the M-H 33 replaced by the MH 333, the M-H 44 replaced by the M-H 444 and the M-H 55 replaced by the M-H 555. These tractors commonly known as the triple series were mechanically similar to their predecessors but featured new styling which included a slightly different hood design, chrome trim on the grill and hood, and a different color scheme.
Product Lineup
Massey Ferguson developed a wide range of agricultural vehicles and have a large share in the market across the world especially in Europe. In December 1957, the first Massey Ferguson branded tractor, the MF35, introduced. It a Ferguson design that started its life in 1955 as the Ferguson 35, often nicknamed “Gold Belly” due to the gold engine and gearbox. The next big selling model was the MF135, widely popular because of its reliability and power compared with other tractors at the time.
It was the first model in the MF 100 series. MF 100 Series includes the MF 135, 145, 148, 150, 165, 168, 175, 178, 180, 185 and 188. When the 100 Series came out at that time 1000 Series was also introduced. 1000 Series include the MF 1080, 1100, 1130 and 1150. Later, the 500 series wa also introduced with, MF 550, 560, 565, 575, 590, 595. In the mid 1970s and early 1980s the 200 Series introduced which included the MF 230, 235, 240, 245, 250, 255, 260, 265, 270, 275, 278, 280, 285, 290, 298, 299.
In 1980
Also, in the mid 1980s, 600 Series introduced with the line up of 675, 690, 690T, 695, 698 and 699. The 600 series was one of the first tractors to offer the user an option to control where the hydraulic fluid should be pumped. By moving a switch situated near the floor of the cab, the user could block off flow to the rear hydraulics and link arms, concentrating the full force of the pump on the front loader if equipped.
In the late 1980s, one of the greatest selling tractors of all time released, the 300 Series. 300 Series includes, MF 350, 362, 375, 383, 390, 390T, 393, 394, 395, 398 and 399. The MF 399 was most powerful and popular among the 300 Series with horsepower ranging from 52HP to 104HP. In the mid-1990s, the 6100 series and 8100 series released, including the 6150, 6180 and 8130.