Finding Ag Parts

Finding Ag Parts

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. Agricultural manufacturers are still struggling to get enough parts to continue to put their products together.

Dr. Kanlaya Barr, director of corporate economics with John Deere, told a recent Ag Outlook Forum in Kansas City what it’s like finding certain parts …

BARR … “This is like whacking a mole. You have these parts here, and the next part is missing. So, our employees are working so hard along with our dealers, as well, trying to help work through this. You know, we have chartered company planes or (other) planes to go and pick up parts in different parts of the world. We also chartered vessels to go and do that. So, things continue to be difficult, but, as you know, we have quite a bit of machines that sitting because of a few parts. Once we can get these parts coming in, I think that situation would continue to improve.”

With demand expected to pull back in the next year or two due to economic concerns, Barr says that may help manufacturers catch up on back orders and re-establish supply chains …

BARR … “As we think about the economy, the outlook is looking like we're gonna see some of that slowing down in demand over the next 12 to 18 months here, so I think that would also help improving supply. As to when exactly, I can't give the exact time, but I would think that with the macro (economy) softening, we will continue to see that improve in our availabilities.”

Barr says one of the other big challenges Deere and other manufacturers are facing is not enough labor especially in the rural operations.

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