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Articles by Dave Kanicki

Study Measures OPE Dealers’ Performance

The erratic business levels in recent years have tested outdoor power equipment dealers’ ability to perform in good times and bad.
By Dave Kanicki posted on April 22, 2017 | Posted in Data & Forecasts, Best Practices
Over the past 5 years there has been nothing steady when it comes to the business levels for dealers selling outdoor power equipment (OPE). They’ve witnessed a swing in annual revenues of 31% on average between 2012-16 ($3.32 million vs. $4.34 million). But this wasn’t the worst of it. Between 2013-15 alone, total revenues, on average, fluctuated by more than half ($2.85 million vs. $4.34 million).
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Rural Equipment Intelligence

Economic Indicators Can Help Dealers Get a Better Handle on Sales Forecasts

By Dave Kanicki posted on January 28, 2017 | Posted in Data & Forecasts
From cashflow to ordering and managing inventory, intelligently forecasting equipment sales are critical for dealers’ financial planning. Unlike dealerships catering to production farming that can use commodity pricing as a signpost for industry trends, for those specializing in rural lifestyle markets economic indicators are not so clear cut.
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How the Kelly Tractor Dealership Got Started

It wasn’t necessarily easy to open a Ford Tractor dealership in the mid-1980s, but it tended to be pretty informal.
By Dave Kanicki posted on November 30, 2015 | Posted in Dealer News
It was 1983 when Sidney Allen, owner of Allen Machinery Co., got crosswise with John Deere construction equipment. Mike Kelly, who was Allen’s service manager at the time, says, “They didn’t want him as a dealer anymore and they bagged and tagged him.”
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Dealership of the Year 2015: Kelly Tractor & Equipment Longview, Texas

Game-changing decisions on equipment lines and advertising helped Kelly Tractor earn Rural Lifestyle Dealer’s top award for single-store dealerships.
By Dave Kanicki posted on November 14, 2015 | Posted in Dealer News
“We were likely to have starved to death,” says Mike Kelly, recalling his first year owning a farm equipment dealership. It was 1985, in the midst of the farm crisis. It was a time when more dealers were getting out of the business than were getting into it.
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RhinoAG Production Tour to Mark 90 years

RhinoAG Production Tour to Mark 90 years

Lessiter Media editors visited RhinoAG in Gibson City, IL to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the production processes and attention to detail that have contributed to their longevity as they celebrate their 90th anniversary in 2024.

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Yanmar

Yanmar America is the North American headquarters of Yanmar Holdings. Ranked #1 in Product Quality for five years in a row by the Equipment Dealers Association, Yanmar provides innovative solutions for Rural Lifestyle and Industrial Equipment customers.


Yanmar was the world’s first manufacturer to develop a practical small diesel engine in 1933 and has continued to push the boundaries of innovation and technology ever since. As a manufacturer of diesel engines, compact tractors and utility task vehicles, construction machinery, and industrial equipment, Yanmar's products are sold in over 130 countries.


At Yanmar America, we are committed to providing our customers with the highest quality products and services, backed by a strong team of professionals who share our dedication to excellence. We look forward to the opportunity to work with you in achieving your goals.

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Stihl Inc

Virginia Beach-based STIHL Inc., produces a full line of high-quality, handheld outdoor power equipment including blowers, trimmers, brushcutters, and multi-task tools, as well as the number one selling brand of chainsaws worldwide. STIHL Inc. manufactures over 260 model variations of handheld outdoor power equipment for sale in the U.S. and around the world.

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