True North Equipment unites Grafton, Grand Forks, Kennedy, Northwood dealerships.

            GRAFTON, ND — Harvest season is always an exciting time at Grafton Equipment Company and it will be even more memorable this year. Why?  Because on October 1, 2011 this locally owned John Deere dealership organization will have a new name — True North Equipment. Company president Dan Gorder says the name change comes as the logical next step for a business that in recent years has added locations in Grand Forks, Northwood, and Kennedy, Minnesota to its Grafton headquarters. “Most importantly, consolidating our four dealerships into a single brand provides greater consistency for our customers,” Gorder says. “It also streamlines our day-to-day operations." “Due to our stronger market presence locally and nationally, we reached a level where we needed to be seen as one company in four communities,” vice president John Oncken adds. “We have worked very hard getting to this point and have grown our annual sales to over $135 million and our company performance has placed us in the top 10% of John Deere dealers worldwide.”

 

            The origin of what soon will be True North Equipment traces back to a small company that sold John Deere plows in Grafton in the late 1800s. A major milestone was achieved in 1949 when  Oliver Gorder (Dan’s father) and business partner Paul Torgeson, purchased the local John Deere dealership from the Overbye and Scidmore Company and renamed it Gorder & Torgeson. Another landmark event occurred in 1975 when Lloyd Holy became a shareholder and the company name was changed to Grafton Equipment Co. Dan Gorder joined the company in 1982 and became president in 1998. In 1999, the company purchased Grand Forks Equipment — now  Forks Equipment — that has since become a strong regional supplier of John Deere Ag and Turf equipment. Expansion continued in 2002 with the purchase of Urbaniak Implement in Kennedy, now known as Kittson Equipment. “We have worked diligently to position Kittson Equipment as the predominant equipment supplier in northwest Minnesota,” says Gorder. After representing John Deere for many years as a territory manager, Oncken signed on as vice president and business partner in 2006 when Holy announced his retirement. That was also the year that the company footprint extended south with the purchase of Pederson Implement in Northwood.  Now called Northwood Equipment, this location went through major renovations under Oncken’s leadership.

 

            Gorder says rebranding the company into True North Equipment brings greater market awareness and better positions the company for future growth as the farm and consumer equipment industry changes.” “The name change has been a long term goal for us,” Gorder says. “Bringing the four locations under one name prevents confusion that can happen from having four different names.” Gorder and Oncken say they chose the True North Equipment name for its description of the company’s geographic location as well as its symbolic meaning for doing what is morally right. “We trademarked the name two years ago and have been following our True North compass ever since,” says Oncken. No, the new name does not involve any change in ownership. Gorder and Oncken, along with 110 employees of True North Equipment, will continue to provide industry leading equipment and service to the agricultural and consumer communities and look to the future with confidence and optimism. “Only now you’ll find us under the True North Equipment banner,” Gorder says.



 

We are a complete source of John Deere Agricultural, Commercial Turf, Lawn & Grounds, Homeowner, and Large Property Owner equipment and products.