AGCO Corporation (NYSE:AGCO), Your Agriculture Company, a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment, announces that Connect Equipment Corporation has expanded its offering of AGCO brands as a provider of sales, parts and service for the full-line of Challenger ag equipment throughout central and parts of southwestern Ontario. The Challenger line offers professional producers greater choices in power, efficiency and technology from the industry's leading track and wheel tractors, as well as combines and hay equipment.

"When Connect Equipment Corporation was formed, we pledged to broaden the choice of equipment we would offer to all of our customers," says Bob Downham, president. "The Challenger line expands our product offering to give us more and better ways to help agricultural customers handle their farm's workload. Going into the busy summer season, we're working hard to ensure a quick transition to the full product line and service offering."

Connect Equipment Corporation currently has eight locations across central and southwestern Ontario. Connect Equipment was formed in February as a merger involving Swanston Farm Equipment, Mullin's Farm Service, Kitchener Tractor Centre, Cross County Equipment and D&S Downham Equipment, bringing together more than 200 years of equipment industry experience. The company represents numerous AGCO brands, including AGCO Tractors, Massey Ferguson, Gleaner, Fendt, Sunflower, Hesston and White Planters™ and will continue to offer these brands.

"Connect Equipment Corp. was formed because of an unwavering commitment to agriculture and the success of producers throughout Ontario," says Alistair McLelland, vice president of distribution development, AGCO North America. "This commitment, unequalled service and history of long-standing relationships throughout the area make them an ideal partner to represent the Challenger brand as we move forward. The organization has a history of providing customers with a combination of industry-leading technology, reliability and equipment solutions to enhance productivity and profitability which mirrors the AGCO philosophy and makes Connect a great partner for customers and AGCO."

With addition of the Challenger line at Connect a precision agriculture support technician already working at Connect Equipment will be a key member of the Challenger support team. Key parts, sales and service employees who will be working with the Challenger line have already been added to the Connect team, and in most cases, the representative for individual customers will not change. In addition, mobile service and parts capabilities are being expanded upon. Customers will receive additional information on that effort and as future service and support capabilities are added.

"As we continue to expand and grow our business, we are excited to offer sales of the full Challenger line as well as parts and service support for these products to professional producers across central and parts of southwestern Ontario," Downham says. "As agriculture continues to change and producers face new challenges, they seek trusted suppliers who understand their operations and are well equipped with products, parts and service to help them maximize their efficiency. We are confident that adding Challenger equipment to our offering helps better equip us to meet their demands and ensures they can come to us for all of their ag equipment needs." 

Connect Equipment Corp. is headquartered at Bradford and has locations at Kitchener, Rockwood, Chepstow, Mildmay, Lucknow, Stratford and Innerkip. To learn more about Connect and the organization's growing family of products visit at www.ConnectEquipment.com. For more information about Challenger products, visit www.challenger-ag.com.