Agco's Ratliff

Mr. Ratliff and company saw an unprecedented  opportunity and soon made the offer to purchase the Deutz Allis company. The result was the new AGCO company. The behind the scenes maneuvering during this purchase was not only brilliant but deserves to be a business model taught in the schools of business everywhere. It was pure Bob Ratliff.

Now, the man, Robert Ratliff.  Mr.  Ratliff soon became the hero of the N. American dealer organization. His management style was firm but one of a listener and learner. His soft spoken manner and confidence soon won over his skeptics as he developed an organization that like the mythic Phoenix rose from the ashes of failed, failing and struggling equipment companies in need of a market channel to consumers. Dealers and company employees soon came to call him 'Uncle Bob” (behind his back of course) and even though not every decision was met with enthusiasm, it was respected. Uncle Bob and the Boys was the term used by many as synonymous with AGCO.  

Bob Ratliff also became known to the AGCO customers. Never had so many customers been aware of the name of the man at the helm of the ship that was AGCO and repeated his name in regular conversations about farm equipment. How did this occur? Mr. Ratliff and his team regularly traveled the country and talked to dealers at 'interface meetings' . These meetings gave each dealer a chance to talk to the management , ask questions , discuss opportunities , and yes, even face all the problems. No one who attended theses meeting could forget the facial expressions, the roll of the eyes and even infrequent stern scowl that was displayed as issues were hammered out. It was a fact that many dealers had major issues and disagreements with the company, and no holds were barred. After each meeting however, there was a renewed bond between the dealer organization and the company AGCO as everyone knew that survival and prosperity were only possible by all parties working together.  This was a hallmark of the Ratliff management style – face the challenges head on and overcome the obstacles.

The results were dealers returned to their stores and with a new found line of communication heralded the new company as one of a new, lean competitor in the market.  Bob Ratliff was with no doubt, the general in charge. The company started a long line of acquisitions and with each new brand under the AGCO umbrella,  it brought strength to the organization and the sales skyrocketed from  early sales of two hundred million into the billions within a few years and became the third largest equipment mfg. in the world.