The Iowa-based agricultural technology company acquired family-owned Schuler Manufacturing to extend Vermeer’s feed production technology equipment line, the company said. The new feeding equipment fits with the company’s long-term vision to provide support for cattle producers throughout the hay and feeding process.
Schuler Manufacturing was an Iowa-based company that specialized in producing feed production equipment including feed mixers and feed wagons. The company provided equipment for beef calf-cow, feedlot and dairy operations.
Vermeer manufactures equipment for agriculture, underground construction, surface mining, tree care and environmental equipment for a global market. The Iowa-based company has almost 3,000 employees globally.
“Schuler has been known to offer a full line of high-quality equipment serving many total mixed ration (TMR) mixer and feeder wagon markets,” Vermeer’s spokesperson told FeedNavigator. “Bringing this new product line up into the fold gives Vermeer the ability to provide customers an added breadth of tools needed to take care of their livestock.”
“The increased product line up including TMR [total mixed ration] mixers and feeder wagons not only closely aligns to our growing customer needs but is also a nice fit for our dealers,” she added.
Expanding into animal feed technology
The acquisition means that Schuler Manufacturing is now completely owned by Vermeer – including the manufacturing site and property, inventory and intellectual property, the spokesperson said.
The additional production equipment expands Vermeer’s offerings for the animal feed industry from a focus on hay production to include feed mixing, she said. “Bringing Schuler’s feeding solutions into the Vermeer product family allows farmers and ranchers to further depend on Vermeer to help them from the start of the haymaking process till it is time to feed,” she added.
Schuler’s equipment included movable and stationary TMR mixers and feed wagons with hay and bunk feeding options and able to manage rations with higher roughage levels, according to company information.
“Vermeer strives to provide expertise in the forage industry traditionally on hay harvesting and now in feeding solutions,” the spokesperson said of what the acquisition means for Vermeer’s footprint with feed and cattle production. “Obviously, TMR mixers have been a large part of the dairy and feedlot industry for years but recently the advantages of using a mixer have been seen by mid-size cow-calf producers, making it a nice fit for current Vermeer owners.”
The company is set to continue providing products to current Schuler dealers while adding select Vermeer dealers to expand distribution of the feed production technology, the spokesperson said.
Following the announcement of the acquisition, Vermeer is working to continue providing support to current customers and dealers, she said. “Schuler Manufacturing’s current line will continue to be manufactured in Griswold, Iowa.”
Equipment is set to continue being marketed through the Schuler brand but will transition to the Vermeer brand, and the company is will start adding Schuler products to its dealers’ portfolios, she said.
The integration process is being managed by Vermeer employee Louis Norton, she added. Several members of the Schuler family are expected to play continuing roles in sales, support and manufacturing, the company added.
