In the fast-paced world of early 20th-century agriculture, competition among tractor manufacturers was fierce. The Oliver family, pioneers in plow manufacturing, expanded their influence with the formation of the Oliver Farm Equipment Corporation in 1944, led by the sons and grandsons of James Oliver.
Despite their legacy, the rapidly advancing industry—with major investments in assembly line technology—forced the family to sell the company to White Motor Corporation in 1960. White continued expanding its agricultural footprint by acquiring Cockshutt of Canada in 1962 and Minneapolis-Moline in 1963.
But even White couldn’t outrun industry pressures. By 1980, the company had sold to TIC Corporation, closing a pivotal chapter in tractor manufacturing history.
Stay tuned for more moments in ag history with Mark Oppold.