Times Advocate, 1999-12-01, Page 16Stronger than our equipment, more innovative than any
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technology, are the relationships we have with our
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customers, and their families
Please join us at our John Deere Days as we carry our
• tradition of trust into the next century.
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Hi hts:
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• John Deere Days Film
(film shown at 8 p.m. Fri. & 10:30 a.m. Sat.)
• Guest speaker - Mr. David S. Brown
Author of "The Wealthy Farmer"
(Friday evening only)
• New Equipment on Display
• Combine Millennium Draw
(10th winner selected at 10 a.m. Sat.)
Huron Tractor Ltd., Exeter Dealership
Friday, December 3, 1999
7;00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
& Saturday, December 4, $99
9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
16
Co-op
'By Kate Monk
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
Exeter Times,Adyocate
•
EXETER -- •Hensall
District Co-op members
heard the rationale behind to be kept confidential.
selling its Do -It Centers to Wagner described the .
Cashway at the Nov. 24 Do -It Centers as a $9 mil -
annual meeting at the lion investment with con -
South Huron Rec Centre. tinual losses and said sell -
President Henry Vander ing the Do -It Centers is in
Burgt told members earlier the best interest of the
toughest decisions in Wagner said HDC wants
years. He apologized to the to increase high quality
members if they "felt left in food -grade soybeans next
the dark" but the purchase year. Documentation and
and sale agreements had record keeping by growers
and the HDC will be essen-
tial since some customers
ire low amounts of
this year HDC revised its
vision and mission state-
ments to better reflect its
goals and. ideals — goals
that don't include contin-
ued, operationof the Do -It
Center stores. •
"We want to ' drive
change rather than being
followers," Chief Executive
Officer Earl Wagner said,
predicting there will be
more fundamental change
in agriculture in the next
10 years than in the past
40 years.
HDC is in the process of
selling the Exeter,
Seaforth, Zurich, Ilderton
and Forest outlets to
Cashway. Wagner said
they are still working on
details with Cashway but
he is confident the deal will
close in December or
January.
The sale is expected to
"have a positive cash
impact of $6 million" on
the HDC he said. HDC will
continue to own the build-
ings and land with Wagner
owners.
More changes are in the
wind at other locations.
HDC will be closing its
Brucefield and Ilderton
crop input/elevator loca-
tions to reduce costs and
keep competitive, Wagner
said. New marketing pro-
grams will be developed to
maintain or grow customer
volumes in areas where a
location may be.closed.
Despite the closures and
sales, Wagner said HDC
committed to being a
diversified company.
During the fiscal year end-
ing July 31, HDC made
$3,731,000 in capital
investments.
The largest was the addi-
tion of 100,000 bushels of
coloured bean storage
capacity to the main stor-
age plant. Ten bins have
been erected to accommo-
date the growth in volume
and variety of edible beans
processed and sold world-
wide. HDC has 100 cus-
tomers in 25'countries.
calling the Cashway lease The Londsboro storage
payments "quite ,and receiving elevator was
favourable to us." finished in 1998 and a new
Profits from the sale will receiving leg was installed.
be used to finance the at the Zurich feed mill _
growth -of HDC's six core replace the old, worn-out .
agri-business units: feed, unit.
crop inputs, commercial HDC processed 750,000
grains, edible beans, petro- bags of edible beans dur-
leum and propane. ing the '99 fiscal year and
Vander Burgt admitted more than one million
the decision to sell the Do- bags this past harvest sea -
It Centers was one of the son.
requ
genetically enhanced •
crops.
Although last year's rev-
enues from sales and ser-
vices totalling
$138,947,337 continued
an upward trend, net earn-
ings before taxes were only
$240,661.
The board decided not to
pay out any patronage on
member business and to
freeze mandatory member
loans at five per cent with
no bonus interest. It antici-
pates an improved profit
picture in 2000 which will
mean a •return to patron-
age dividends.
Membership fees for new
members will jump from
$10 to $50 to cover admin-
istration costs.
Four positions on the
Board of Directors were
vacant. Bill Vandenberg
and Barry Bloomfield have
finished their second
three-year terms and
decided not to seek re-elec-
tion.
Current directors Al
Feddes, who had complet-
ed one three-year term
and Vander Burgt, who
had completed his secon
three-year term let thei
names stand for re-ele
tion. •
Former Member
Provincial Parliament Dav
Smith from Forest an
Grant McComb from the
owWednesday,December 1, 1999
d
r
c -
of
e
d
sells Do -It Centers but COfltIflUCStO grow
Lucan area were nominat-
ed. 'With no other mem-
bers nominated for the
board, Feddes, Vander
Burgt, Smith and McComb
were acclaimed as new
directors.
Retiring Hensall District Co-op directors Bill Vandenberg, f Barry
president
Bloomfield receive aerial photographs of the HDC headquarters
HenryVander Burgt in appreciation of their six years of service on the board of
directors. -
John Deere 4000 Series
Com.e
�theyfljfl
.
There's a line of improved compact
diesel tractors on the scene, the 4000
Series from John Deere -the 20 -hp 4100,
26 -hp 4200. 32 -hp 4300, 35 -hp 4400,
39 -hp 4500. and 43 -hp 4600. They're
loaded with great features like more torque,
more hydraulic power. and a choice of gear
or hydrostatic transmissions. You get great
handling, too—from improved power
steering, wet -disk brakes,
and a roomy operator
area.
Stop by and test-
drive a 4000
Series Tractor
from John Deere.
al=1=1=.2.
See you at John Deere Days
Oil 1111111111111111p
Tractor & Lawn Equiprnent
8
Exeter 23541
Nothing Runs Like A Deere
1