Deere Gets the Wright Stuff

While dealers are cautious about the partnership, they all stand by the Wright stand-on mower as being a quality product they are proud to carry and will continue to support.
“We won’t give them up just yet. We love Wright,” said one dealer. “They make the finest stand-on mower on the market and hold the patents for everything that is good about it.”
Parts and support

With the additional production demands, Wright will be making investments in capabilities to ensure uninterrupted distribution of the Wright and Deere brands. That may put some dealers at ease. One we spoke with had fears specifically about supply problems, saying: “This year we have had problems getting some Wright products and parts. This alliance surely won’t make things better.” Wright claims their actions will prevent any issues.

“We will continue to use our existing supply base, and expand our in-house capabilities for captive parts,” explains Wright. “Everyone involved should expect to be delighted with the delivery and availability of service parts since both companies consider parts supply a top priority.”

Since the agreement only covers the design and manufacturing of the mowers, it is expected that each company will handle the distribution of their respective brands.
The year 2013 will prove to be an especially interesting one for Deere, Wright and dealers alike. Time will tell how the new arrangement will pan out. Dealers will certainly be waiting to see how the partnership is handled and where the manufacturers’ loyalties lie.

“It’s disturbing how manufacturers and distributors want the dealer to be loyal even though it is perfectly OK for them to do as they please,” says one dealer. “This year it is John Deere manufactured by Wright. Next year will it be Wright manufactured by John Deere? I will keep this in mind when the booking program comes.”