Buhler Industries

Buhler Industries Inc.
Public
Industry Farm & Construction Machinery
Headquarters Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Key people
 Dmitry Lyubimov, President
Owner Combine Factory Rostselmash[1]
Number of employees
 1100
Divisions Versatile & Farm King
Website http://www.buhlerindustries.com/

Buhler Industries Inc. (TSX: BUI) was established in 1969 when John Buhler purchased "Standard Gas Engine Works", which was founded in 1932. The company produced the Farm King line of grain augers, snowblowers, mowers and compact implements. Buhler Industries expanded in 1982 with the purchase of the Allied line of front-end loaders and the company began trading on the TSE in 1994, at which time all products were marketed under the "Buhler" brand name.

The company acquired the Versatile Tractor division of New Holland Ag in the year 2000. Buhler purchased the Versatile tractor plant with a $32-million government loan.[2] According to labour historian Doug Smith, Buhler "provoked a strike by demanding a gutting of benefits and seniority provisions in the union contract".[2] The result was a prolonged strike that almost crippled the plant. However, the union took Buhler to the Manitoba Labour Board charging bargaining in bad faith and won a $6-million dollar settlement.[2][3][4]

Buhler pledged $5 million to build a performing arts centre in 2005 at the Morden Collegiate high school in Morden, Manitoba.[5] The donation was eventually withdrawn in the face of community opposition to the project and cost overruns.[5] Buhler and his wife Bonnie were thanked by Lloyd Axworthy President of the University of Winnipeg after the retired industrialist gave the university $4 million to construct a building in Buhler's name.[6]

In November 2007, Russian Combine Factory Rostselmash purchased 80% of the common shares of Buhler Industries Inc ,[7] effectively acquiring managing control of the company. The company experienced significant growth between 2008 and 2013 and acquired several companies including Redball (Willmar, MN), Feterl Manufacturing (Salem, SD),[8] and Ezee-On (Vegreville, AB).[9] The company is moving toward developing a full-line of product for large-acre growers.[10]

The company announced the second-highest earnings in history for fiscal year 2013.[11]

In March 2014, there were calls for sanctions against several Russian members of Buhler's board of directors in connection to Vladamir Putin's actions in Crimea.[12] Konstantin Babkin, Yury Ryazanov and Dmitry Udrasm are connected to Rostselmash Ltd. and are said to be members of Russia's Action Party.[12] According to media reports, a video has recently emerged from a rally in Moscow that shows Babkin publicly supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions in Ukraine.[12] In March 2014, the Ukrainian-Canadian Congress called for an investigation of the Russian members of Buhler's board of directors.[13] No action was taken and no sanctions were placed on Buhler Industries or the board of directors.

John Buhler was made a Member of the Order of Canada (CM) in June 2012 with the citation: "For his contributions as an entrepreneur and philanthropist to education, health care and arts organizations in his province as an entrepreneur and philanthropist."[14]

Buhler Industries Inc. operates a total of eight factories in Canada and the United States. It is headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

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