Business Is Good For Baler Repair Experts
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The older the baler, the more likely its owner will end up calling Vernon Hershberger for parts and repair, or at least advice. Fixing balers is a big part of Hershberger’s farm equipment repair business. If a customer is too far away for an economical visit, Hershberger or an employee will try to assist over the phone.
“We specialize in aftermarket parts,” says Hershberger. “Increasingly, companies have stopped offering OEM parts for their older balers.” Either the part is interchangeable on a newer baler and the number gets changed, or the company just doesn’t want to support the older models. Sometimes they just can’t find a mechanic willing to work on older balers.
“Our customers often come to us simply to save money,” adds Hershberger. “Our aftermarket parts can cost 25 to 75 percent less than what they would pay at a New Holland or Deere dealer.
“We can also supply parts for Case IH balers, but there aren’t a lot of them in our area,” says Hershberger. “We carry a lot of parts for round balers, including belts, which we buy in bulk and make up to order.”
While the bulk of business is done within 100 miles of the Baltic, Ohio, shop, the company has a growing reputation.
“We had one customer bring his Deere 214 square baler on a trailer from Ft. Wayne, Ind.,” says Hershberger. “That’s close to a 4 hr. drive one way. His dealer had refused to work on it.”
He recently shipped 2 New Holland square balers and a single bar mower to the Dominican Republic. He has sold parts to baler owners in most states in the U.S. and into Canada.
When a call comes in for help, the biggest challenge involves the knotter. “The farmer knows it doesn’t tie, but not why,” says Hershberger. “We start by asking how the ends of the twines look. Are they splayed? Where are they in the knotter? It is very difficult to try to fix a baler over the phone.”
If knotters are a challenge, perhaps an even bigger one for the repairmen is knowing when to advise against repair. “You have to get to that happy medium between fixing the baler properly, yet not overspending for the customer,” says Hershberger. “We have had people bring in a rusted out machine and want to fix it, but they would tie up more money than it is worth.”
Recently Hershberger started cutting down older balers to make half size, decorator bales. The little bales are popular as yard decorations.
Hershberger finds the baler market interesting. When he first purchased Farmer’s Equipment and Repair from the previous owner, Hershberger didn’t do any work on balers.
“I did some the second year and quickly discovered a big demand for a baler mechanic,” says Hershberger.
Luckily for him he soon hired a young mechanic with a touch for balers. Hershberger gives Alvin Schlabach a lot of credit for the growing business.
Hershberger notes that Schlabach shares his satisfaction with helping a customer resolve a problem. “We both enjoy the challenge and excitement of fixing a problem under the pressure of the baler being in the field and the farmer trying to get the hay baled,” says Hershberger. “There is a rewarding feeling to getting a baler fixed.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Farmer’s Equipment and Repair, 3589 State Route 643, Baltic, Ohio 43804 (ph 330 897-1106).
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Business Is Good For Baler Repair Experts BALERS The older the baler the more likely its owner will end up calling Vernon Hershberger for parts and repair or at least advice Fixing balers is a big part of Hershberger’s farm equipment repair business If a customer is too far away for an economical visit Hershberger or an employee will try to assist over the phone “We specialize in aftermarket parts ” says Hershberger “Increasingly companies have stopped offering OEM parts for their older balers ” Either the part is interchangeable on a newer baler and the number gets changed or the company just doesn’t want to support the older models Sometimes they just can’t find a mechanic willing to work on older balers “Our customers often come to us simply to save money ” adds Hershberger “Our aftermarket parts can cost 25 to 75 percent less than what they would pay at a New Holland or Deere dealer “We can also supply parts for Case IH balers but there aren’t a lot of them in our area ” says Hershberger “We carry a lot of parts for round balers including belts which we buy in bulk and make up to order ” While the bulk of business is done within 100 miles of the Baltic Ohio shop the company has a growing reputation “We had one customer bring his Deere 214 square baler on a trailer from Ft Wayne Ind ” says Hershberger “That’s close to a 4 hr drive one way His dealer had refused to work on it ” He recently shipped 2 New Holland square balers and a single bar mower to the Dominican Republic He has sold parts to baler owners in most states in the U S and into Canada When a call comes in for help the biggest challenge involves the knotter “The farmer knows it doesn’t tie but not why ” says Hershberger “We start by asking how the ends of the twines look Are they splayed? Where are they in the knotter? It is very difficult to try to fix a baler over the phone ” If knotters are a challenge perhaps an even bigger one for the repairmen is knowing when to advise against repair “You have to get to that happy medium between fixing the baler properly yet not overspending for the customer ” says Hershberger “We have had people bring in a rusted out machine and want to fix it but they would tie up more money than it is worth ” Recently Hershberger started cutting down older balers to make half size decorator bales The little bales are popular as yard decorations Hershberger finds the baler market interesting When he first purchased Farmer’s Equipment and Repair from the previous owner Hershberger didn’t do any work on balers “I did some the second year and quickly discovered a big demand for a baler mechanic ” says Hershberger Luckily for him he soon hired a young mechanic with a touch for balers Hershberger gives Alvin Schlabach a lot of credit for the growing business Hershberger notes that Schlabach shares his satisfaction with helping a customer resolve a problem “We both enjoy the challenge and excitement of fixing a problem under the pressure of the baler being in the field and the farmer trying to get the hay baled ” says Hershberger “There is a rewarding feeling to getting a baler fixed ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Farmer’s Equipment and Repair 3589 State Route 643 Baltic Ohio 43804 ph 330 897-1106
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