On a warm spring day in 1948, a farmer in the small town of Aurora, Utah made a quick decision that would become a family legacy.
As Hilmar Mason sipped his cup of Postum and talked with other residents, Don Courtney, a regional territory manager for Allis Chalmers walked in and asked the group, “Does anyone here want to sell Allis Chalmers tractors?”
Hilmar spoke up and said, “I will.”
Hilmar went home, put an Allis Chalmers sign up over his garage, and started selling Allis Chalmer tractors. He soon started servicing and repairing other makes of equipment as well. That was the beginning of Mason Machinery and the legacy of Hilmar Mason.
In 1962, Hilmar moved the business from his garage to a cinder block building with one service bay and a parts department. This location in the center of town continued the business of selling and repairing many brands and types of farm equipment.
They continued to sell and repair many brands and types of farm equipment.
Hilmar’s son Allen had a successful career working at Coastal Energy from 1974 until 1985. In 1985, Allen left Coastal Energy, cashed in his stock, and used it to help grow the family business. They soon added Gehl, New Holland, and MacDon to their product line. In 1987, Allis Chalmers transitioned into Deutz Allis, and in 1990 they transitioned into AGCO. Mason Machinery took on the Massey Ferguson and Hesston lines of farm equipment.
In 2010, Allen transferred the operational duties of the business over to his son Eric. Eric has since taken over the growth, development, and expansion of the business. In 2011, Mason Machinery opened another location in Springville, Utah. While Eric has accepted the role of CEO of Mason Machinery, Allen is still very involved and vital to the operation and success of the business.
Mason Machinery has done a very good job of promotion. They take advantage of all forms of social media, as well as using drones to video to showcase different types of farm equipment in operation. They also sponsor many community and local school events. This has really built a strong bond with their customers and the entire community.
Both Allen and Eric agree the technology and sophistication of the equipment are some of the biggest changes they have seen. They said there is a concentrated effort towards consolidation in the industry. This is an issue that involves manufacturers and includes dealers and farmers as well. They believe that is not always the best solution for the industry or the customers.
Eric and Allen said one of the best decisions they made was joining a dealer 20 group.
“Being able to exchange ideas and solutions with other dealers has really helped the business grow over the years,” Eric said.
Eric and Allen both agreed the best advice they received was from Hilmar. He told them, “Hard work, integrity, and honesty will help any business succeed. If you don’t forget about the little guy, you will be successful.”
The fact Mason Machinery has been able to sustain the level of excellence, customer loyalty and employee allegiance proves the value of a great dealership culture and customer service. We would like to wish them a very Happy 75th Anniversary.
Article Written by Shane Wilker, Dealer Development Manager
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- Photo by Amanda Reynolds Images
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- Photo by Amanda Reynolds Images
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- Photo by Amanda Reynolds Images
