In 1972, a couple of farm boys decided to try their hand at selling agricultural machinery in Rimbey.
Nearly four decades later, Gerald and Dennis Jordan are bidding farewell to Jordan’s Equipment Ltd.
The brothers have sold the business to Future Ag Inc., with ownership to pass on Jan. 1.
The Jordans may be leaving, but the 4410 50th Ave. shop will look much the same. It will continue to operate as a full service and retail Case IH dealership, confirmed Future Ag general manager Larry Watt, with the existing staff to remain.
Future Ag currently operates outlets in Red Deer, Olds, Stettler and Coronation, so expansion west made good sense, he said.
“Our territory butts right up against Rimbey anyway.”
With the purchase, Future Ag will essentially become Central Alberta’s Case IH dealer from border to border.
Watt said customers can expect to see an extensive range of new and used products at Rimbey Future Ag, reflecting the company’s commitment to that market and its resources as a multi-location dealership.
“We’re here for our customers and we plan on being here for a long time,” he said, noting that the Jordans would have left eventually.
“At some point they were retiring anyway.”
According to Gerald, retirement isn’t in their short-term plans.
“Dennis and myself both are involved in farming,” he said, describing how they’ve been juggling that commitment with responsibilities at Jordan’s Equipment.
“So the stuff we’ve been doing from 6 o’clock to 11 at night, we’re now going to do in the daytime.”
Gerald recalled how he and Dennis got into the farm equipment business 38 years ago.
“We were both farming, to some degree, and I was selling cars and auctioneering and whatever.”
The area hadn’t had an International Harvester dealership for several years, so the brothers decided to take one on.
They opened shop in downtown Rimbey, moving to their current location in 1976 and expanding 12 years later.
Things are much different now than they were in 1972, observed Gerald.
“The whole business of farming has been changing over that period of time. Definitely the dealership business is transforming along with it, which is quite a natural process, I would say.”
An unreserved auction of Jordan’s Equipment’s used equipment — including tractors, construction equipment, balers, forage harvesters, trucks and trailers — will be held this Friday at 10 a.m. at Allen B. Olson Auction Service Ltd. in Rimbey.
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com