Who Owns Precision Planting?
Precision Planting is an agricultural technology brand owned by AGCO Corporation (NYSE: AGCO), which acquired it from Monsanto's Climate Corporation in 2017. Founded in 1993 by Gregg and Cindy Sauder in Tremont, Illinois, it makes retrofit products like the 20/20 monitor and vSet meters that upgrade existing farm equipment, and now operates inside AGCO's PTx precision brand.
Precision Planting Timeline
United StatesOfficial Website
Who Owns Precision Planting?
- Parent Company: AGCO Corporation
- Ownership Type: Wholly owned
- Acquisition Year: 2017
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: NYSE: AGCO
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Precision Planting | AGCO Corporation | Wholly owned |
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History of Precision Planting
- Founded: 1993
- Founders: Gregg Sauder, Cindy Sauder
- Acquired by AGCO Corporation: 2017
Gregg and Cindy Sauder founded Precision Planting in Tremont, Illinois in 1993 with a single product: a meter tester that verified corn and soybean planters dropped one seed at a time. That measurement-first approach grew into a product line covering seed metering, downforce control, monitoring, and fertilizer application.
Monsanto's Climate Corporation acquired the company in 2012 to pair hardware with its FieldView data platform. When Monsanto later struck a deal to sell the business to Deere, the US Department of Justice sued to block it on competition grounds in 2016, and the sale collapsed. AGCO stepped in and completed the purchase in 2017.
Under AGCO the company kept its Tremont headquarters and retrofit-only focus, growing to roughly 750 employees with a software site in Bloomington and the 400-acre Precision Technology Institute research farm in Pontiac, Illinois. In 2024 its product line became one of the two foundations of the PTx brand.
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About AGCO Corporation
What is AGCO?
AGCO Corporation is a publicly traded global agricultural machinery company (NYSE: AGCO) headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, behind brands including Fendt, Massey Ferguson, Valtra, and Challenger.
Does AGCO own Massey Ferguson?
Yes. AGCO acquired Massey Ferguson's operations progressively through the 1990s and fully owns the brand.
Does AGCO own the Challenger brand?
AGCO manufactures Challenger tractors but the brand is licensed from Caterpillar, which retained trademark ownership after selling the tracked tractor business in 2002.
Is AGCO publicly traded?
Yes. It trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker AGCO.
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What is PTx?
PTx is AGCO's precision agriculture business, a 2024 joint venture combining AGCO's Precision Planting subsidiary with Trimble's agriculture division, covering guidance, planting technology, and data services.
Who runs AGCO?
Eric Hansotia has served as chairman, president, and CEO since 2021.
- Founded: 1990
- Headquarters: Duluth, Georgia, USA
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock: NYSE: AGCO
- Revenue: $11.7 billion (FY2025)
- Employees: Approximately 24,000
Where Is Precision Planting Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Tremont, Illinois, USA
Precision Planting Categories & Tags
Brands Owned by AGCO Corporation
Conglomerates IndustrialAGCO
Owned by AGCO Corporation
The corporate master brand of AGCO Corporation, covering its agricultural machinery business and serving as the entry-level product line in select markets.
agriculturefarm-equipmenttractors
Conglomerates IndustrialChallenger
Owned by AGCO Corporation
AGCO's licensed high-horsepower tractor brand, originally created by Caterpillar in 1986 and manufactured by AGCO under license since 2002.
tractorshigh-horsepowertracked
Conglomerates IndustrialFendt
Owned by AGCO Corporation
AGCO's premium German tractor brand, founded in 1930 and known for high-horsepower engineering, with AGCO ownership since 1997.
tractorsagriculturepremium
Conglomerates IndustrialGleaner
Owned by AGCO Corporation
AGCO's North American combine harvester brand, the world's first self-propelled combine, built by the Baldwin brothers in 1923 and made today in Hesston, Kansas.
combinesharvestersagriculture
Conglomerates IndustrialMassey Ferguson
Owned by AGCO Corporation
AGCO's global mid-range tractor brand, tracing to 1847 Massey-Harris heritage and serving farmers in more than 140 countries.
tractorsagricultureglobal
Conglomerates IndustrialPTx
Owned by AGCO Corporation
AGCO's precision agriculture brand, launched in 2024 to combine Precision Planting products with the PTx Trimble joint venture into one mixed-fleet technology portfolio.
precision-agricultureagtechautonomy
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Precision Planting Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Retrofit model works on any equipment color
- +30 years of agronomic data and dealer trust
- +400-acre research farm supports product credibility
- +Central role in AGCO's growth-focused PTx strategy
- +Stable Illinois talent base in corn belt
Considerations
- -Identity now sits one level under the newer PTx brand
- -Planter technology spending tracks farm income cycles
- -Deere's integrated stack pressures retrofit economics
- -Past antitrust history shows the segment is regulated turf
Frequently Asked Questions About Precision Planting
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Sources & Further Reading
- Precision Planting Official Site
- AGCO Acquisition Release
- AGCO Investor Relations
- AGCO Company Page — /companies/agco
Competitors to Precision Planting
These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.
| Brand | Parent Company | Country | Founded | Market Position | Primary Market | Gender Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agco | USA | 2024 | Mass market | Global | All Genders |
Competitive Analysis
Market Positioning: Precision Planting competes with 1 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.
Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.
Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.
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Independent Alternatives to Precision Planting
Looking for brands with different ownership structures? These similar brands are not owned by AGCO Corporation, giving you alternative choices that support different corporate structures.
Conglomerates IndustrialACC Limited
Owned by Adani Group
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cementconstructionbuilding-materials
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ACC Limited is privately owned, unlike Precision Planting which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Conglomerates IndustrialAmbuja Cement
Owned by Adani Group
Indian cement manufacturer providing construction materials and building solutions, owned by Adani Group since 2022.
cementconstructionbuilding-materials
Privately Owned
Ambuja Cement is privately owned, unlike Precision Planting which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Conglomerates IndustrialBrevini
Owned by Dana
Dana's motion systems brand for industrial gearboxes and hydraulics, acquired in 2017.
gearboxeshydraulicsmotion-systems
Privately Owned
Brevini is privately owned, unlike Precision Planting which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Conglomerates IndustrialCHS
Owned by CHS Inc.
American agribusiness brand for grain, agronomy, energy, and crop input services, the master brand of the largest farmer-owned cooperative in the United States.
agribusinesscooperativegrain
Privately Owned
CHS is privately owned, unlike Precision Planting which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Conglomerates IndustrialDalmia Cement
Owned by Dalmia Bharat Group
Indian cement and building materials brand owned by Dalmia Bharat Group, the fourth largest cement manufacturer in India by capacity.
cementconstructionbuilding-materials
Privately Owned
Dalmia Cement is privately owned, unlike Precision Planting which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Conglomerates IndustrialGraybar
Owned by Graybar Electric Company, Inc.
The master brand of the employee-owned wholesale distributor of electrical, communications, and data networking products across North America.
wholesale-distributionelectricalcommunications
Privately Owned
Graybar is privately owned, unlike Precision Planting which is under a publicly traded parent company.
AGCO Corporation Stock Information
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