Cross Country: Raemisch Implement kicks into high gear

John F. Oncken  —  10/23/2008 4:51 pm

It looks new. It smells new. It is new.

Besides those obvious facts, Raemisch Implement Inc. has space -- some 11 acres of it -- and a huge, modern building. And, instead of being crammed into downtown Dane, Wis,, it now resides just west of DeForest, off of County I on Zoi Lane, snuggled next to Interstate-39-90-94.

Raemisch Implement has been around since 1935 when Percy Raemisch started selling Oliver and Allis Chalmers tractors at Springfield Corners on U.S. !2, a half dozen miles north of Middleton. He moved the business to Dane in 1944 where it remained for 64 years. Sons Jack and Jim took over the business in 1965 when Percy died. In 2004, Jim left the business and Jack and his son John became the owners.

On Oct. 1, Raemisch Implement officially opened its new location in DeForest. The grand opening took place on Oct. 17 with over 500 people visiting the old business at a new location and enjoying Jack Raemisch's Famous Fish Fry. It takes a bit of getting used to working in a facility with lots of light and space, but, it's a pleasure to be doing so, the employees admit.

Parts manager Bryan Holiday has worked at Raemisch Implement for 27 years. "I'm just awed by the size and beauty of the building every morning when I walk in," he says. "And, it's so fresh and clean."

Larry Brown, who has worked at the company off-and-on since 1973, was eager to show off the modern parts storage system. Instead of high shelves that were piled deep with parts, the new system of shallow drawers brings things into plain view and makes them easy to get at.

The service area is immense with an overhead crane that can lift about anything and acres of space and bright lights.

The detail area where big equipment is cleaned prior to going back to the customer, and the power washing area where incoming equipment is washed are now inside in separate rooms, a far cry from the old outside facilities.

The front lobby is tall and bright and big enough to be a basketball court. It has a display of clothing, scale model toys and small supplies. And the three parts counters with computers make it easy for customers to talk with Holiday, Brown and John Jones to get the parts they need to keep their equipment running.

The new sales offices make it easy to carry out private conferences, make phone calls and keep records straight. (Note that the phone number, 849-5001, and website, www.raemisch.com, are unchanged.)

John Raemisch, who manages the business and heads the sales department, is rightly proud of the new facility as is his dad, who is sort of easing out of the day-by-day business.

Why did the single-store, family business expand in light of the big multi-store dealerships in Dane County and surrounding ones that compete for the farm and industrial equipment business?

"We have a big brand loyalty in the farm community," John says. "Our Agco (orange like an Allis Chalmers), Agco Massey Ferguson and Buhler Versatile tractors have been around for a long time and are great tractors. We also have a good reputation for parts availability and service."

You have to have a major entrepreneurial spirit to invest the dollars required to build this modern dealership. And John admits to being a serious and big-time entrepreneur who has confidence in his family and the farm community. So far, the national financial crunch hasn't hit agriculture, he says.

The Raemisch family knows from experience that farming is always a life of ups and downs -- they have been in business long enough to have seen it all. They also know that if you are going to remain in business, you must have the facilities and employees that can get, retain and serve happy customers.

The new building and its modern equipment is a major step in that direction, in spite of the fact that in recent years there have been a lot more farm equipment stores closed than built. Indeed, the owners Raemisch Implement intend the store to be around for a long time. Visitors are welcome to stop and take a look.

Brake for tractors

Speaking of tractors, This is the season that you will see them in the corn and soybean fields and on the highways and byways of Wisconsin.

As farms have increased in size all across the Midwest, you will often see tractors, combines and tillage equipment traveling down country roads as they move from field to field or haul grain wagons to the storage bins.

Often times, this equipment is big, really big, and is going slow, really slow.

Guess who will come out second best if a car going 60 mph over a blind hill meets a slow-moving, double dual wheel, two-story high tractor or a combine weighing many tons?

What if a commuter in a big hurry, going too fast on a rural road runs into the rear of a grain truck, hauling 40,000 pounds of corn, that just pulled out of a farm field?

Farmers know that in the past 20 years or more, almost every rural road is traveled twice a day by commuters who built their dream homes in the country. They also know that sometimes these urban folks are late for work or school and challenge the speed limits on the narrow country roads.

Farmers often must move machinery from field to field. In contrast to Grandpa's farm that might be 80 or 160 acres in size to raise feed for 20 cows, today's dairy operations are much bigger. The cropland might be owned or rented but not located next to the home farm. It might be land bought from a retired farm family a mile or two away, requiring moving large equipment back and forth over the roads.

Certainly the tractors and combines are bigger and take up lots of space on a highway or road and they may be moving at 15-20 mph. It doesn't take very long for a car traveling 50 mph to overtake a tractor and wagon going that slow and by the time the car driver sees the red, slow moving vehicle sign on the wagon, it may be too late to stop.

Always expect to have a farm tractor make a turn into a farm driveway -- this may mean crossing left in front of the car or slowing to turn right. Again, it's hard to make a quick stop or a even a quick enough stop.

Farmers are afraid of accidents with their big equipment and often are amazed that drivers don't seem to always recognize the possibility. Their vivid stories of near-accidents as cars pass in no-passing zones, below the crests of hills or in the face of coming traffic are too many.

Chances are, if a car meets a tractor or combine head-on or head-to-tail, the farm equipment will win. Do be careful, it's harvest season in Wisconsin and the equipment is on the road!

John Oncken is owner of Oncken Communications, a Madison-based agricultural information and consulting company. He can be reached at 222-0624 or via e-mail at jfodairy@chorus.net

John F. Oncken  —  10/23/2008 4:51 pm