RED RETAIL IN RACINE: CASE IH MODEL DEALERSHIP PLANNED
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Communications (630) 887-2345
RACINE, Wis. - (September 18, 2008) - Case IH officials are announcing plans to build a new company-owned, model Case IH dealership next door to its Racine plant. The new 31,000-square-foot, two-story Case IH agricultural equipment dealership should be constructed by early 2009. The Mount Pleasant Village Planning Commission recently approved Case IH plans for the project.
"This dealership will be a first-class retail environment serving local farmers, landowners and a symbol of pride for our over 2,000 local employees," says Jim Walker, Vice President, Case IH North America. "The facility also will model best practices in dealership design, management and operations, and create a world-class brand experience for our visiting customers, dealers and global trade partners."
Walker says the new dealership will likely generate a dozen or more jobs in its first year, with the potential to employ over 30 people. He also estimates that the dealership could generate as much as $25 million in sales, which will boost the local tax base.
"Our Racine plant, home of Case IH Magnum tractors and transmissions and components for many other Case IH products, already hosts a couple thousand guests annually," Walker says. "We expect that number to reach 5,000 or more, as we draw new visitors from around the state and around the world.
"Farmers and ranchers like big iron," he adds. "They enjoy watching equipment being manufactured and talking with our employees on the line. With the new model dealership, we'll also be able to offer them a top-notch retail experience while they're here. They can kick the tires on our full line of Case IH agricultural equipment."
This won't be the first time that Racine is home to a Case IH company-owned retail store. Case Power & Equipment in Sturtevant, Wis., served this area between 1969 and 1991. The dealership model concept, however, is brand new - and will be used to test ideas and share best practices with independently-owned dealerships across North America.
"Racine is the home of J.I. Case, a pioneer in the advancement of modern-day agriculture whose legacy in the Racine community dates back almost 165 years," Walker notes. "Since 1844, Case IH has had a continuous manufacturing presence in Racine. The dealership will honor the legacy of J.I. Case in addition to promoting the heritage of International Harvester."
Case IH is a global leader in agricultural equipment, committed to collaborating with its customers to develop the most powerful, productive, reliable equipment - for those who demand more. With headquarters in Racine, Wis., Case IH has a network of dealers and distributors that operates in over 160 countries. Case IH provides agricultural equipment systems, flexible financial service offerings and parts and service support for professional farmers and commercial operators through a dedicated network of professional dealers and distributors. Productivity enhancing products include tractors; combines and harvesters; hay and forage equipment; tillage tools; planting and seeding systems; sprayers and applicators; and site-specific farming tools. Case IH is a brand of CNH (NYSE: CNH), a majority-owned subsidiary of Fiat Group (FIA: MI).
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For more information, call 1-877-4CASEIH or visit us on the World Wide Web at www.caseih.com.