Ag-Pro adds third Ohio John Deere dealership

BOSTON, Ga. — The Georgia-based Ag-Pro Companies has purchased its third Ohio John Deere dealership in three months. The company continued its expansion into the Midwest with the acquisition of Kuester Implement, a John Deere dealership based in eastern Ohio.

The rapidly growing Ag-Pro is now the largest John Deere dealer in the United States with 82 locations across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas. The new acquisition brings its Ohio locations to 20.

Serving the tri-state area of Ohio, West Virginia and western Pennsylvania for more than 75 years, Kuester Implement Company was a third generation John Deere dealer. It maintained locations in Bloomingdale, St. Clairsville and New Philadelphia, Ohio.

In December, Ag-Pro added JD Equipment, which included 10 John Deere locations in Ohio and northern Kentucky. Last month, the company announced its purchase of Shearer Equipment, with seven locations in Wooster, Mansfield, Mount Vernon, Monroeville, Copley, Burbank and North Royalton, Ohio.

History

Kuester Implement was founded in 1944 by Carl and Juanita Kuester, who opened the original location on Main Street in Wintersville, Jefferson County, Ohio. In 1971, the Kuesters’ daughter, Barbara, and her husband, Gil Boring, purchased the business, and in 1989, they expanded their location to Bloomingdale.

In 2000, the Wintersville store closed and the dealership consolidated all operations to the Bloomingdale store. In 2001, Gil and Barbara sold the business to their sons, Dave and Dean Boring, who expanded by purchasing the John Deere dealership in New Philadelphia in 2003.

In 2006, Kuester Implement opened operations in St. Clairsville, Ohio.

Sales of $1.2 billion

Ag-Pro says it will now serve customers across over 3 million agricultural acres in Ohio, along with residential customers in the state’s major metropolitan areas of Cleveland and Columbus.

“All three dealerships have fantastic reputations of providing excellent customer service and knowledge to customers,” said James Groover, Ag-Pro CEO. “Customers can expect to see all of the same familiar faces working in the stores, as well as some new faces who will bring improved processes to the already-successful business.”

With annual sales of $1.2 billion, Ag-Pro has 1,750 employees.

As part of these acquisitions, Ag-Pro now serves several new segments of customers through their John Deere Golf and Turf contract, as well as the newly acquired Generac contract.

Other expansions for Ag-Pro include the acquisition of a dealership location in Boerne, Texas, and two soon-to-open locations to better serve customers in Brunswick and Rome, Georgia.