LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS (January 27, 2025) — Illinois John Deere dealerships Prairie State Tractor and Martin Tractor will be joining together in January 2025. This merged John Deere dealership will be well positioned to provide world-class support to customers for many generations to come. The merged dealerships will be joining with its strategic partner, Heritage Tractor Inc, and taking on the Heritage Tractor brand name. The newly-formed group will have common leadership, including the same owner partners that are involved today. The dealership will have 22 Illinois locations serving customers and communities throughout the region.
Better Together
As the two companies come together as Heritage Tractor, they will have more resources, better equipment, and parts availability, a customer-resource center, technology education and implementation, as well as an ability to share more knowledge and talent with customers.
Additionally, the merger will provide more opportunities and enhanced career paths for employees. Key collaboration amongst likeminded co-workers will challenge and enhance the planning and implementation of future cutting-edge initiatives.
“As the agriculture industry continues to evolve at an increasing pace, this merger will better enable us to provide the solutions that our customers want and deserve, while providing our employees increasing opportunities to grow and develop in their careers,” says Chris Rupiper, CEO of Prairie State Tractor.
Prairie State Tractor and Martin Tractor have a long history of serving Illinois growers. The new name on the building will not change that. Heritage Tractor will continue to strengthen existing relationships while developing new ones.
“It is our goal to be the dealer of choice based on our heritage of superior service,” says Jim Haynes, CEO of Martin Tractor. “This merger will better allow us to serve our customers and provide our employees with more opportunities. Consolidating talent, merging resources, and channeling our focus yields a stronger more consistent result that employees and customers can depend on.”
For more questions, visit HeritageTractor.com/Welcome-East.
Heart of Heritage
The heart of the companies has always been to serve the people. To keep that top-of-mind, the company has implemented a simplistic focus statement that they call the “Heart of Heritage.” Heritage Tractor will continue to be centered around three things: Their coworkers, their customers, and their communities. This idea is not a new one, but rather something that the founders of both Martin Tractor and Prairie State Tractor placed in the highest regard.
About the Companies
Martin Tractor
With a rich history, Martin Tractor has been serving Illinois growers for nearly 100 years. While the name has changed over the years, the company’s commitment to their customers has not. With fourteen locations across Illinois, the company sells and services John Deere parts and equipment.
Prairie State Tractor
Prairie State Tractor is a full-service John Deere dealership formed from the merger of Holland and Sons and Kelly Sauder Rupiper Equipment in 2021. For decades, these family-owned dealerships have been deeply rooted in the Illinois agricultural landscape. Today, Prairie State Tractor proudly serves customers across the state through its eight Illinois locations, providing farm and lawn equipment as well as OEM parts and certified service.
Heritage Tractor
Heritage Tractor was founded in 1998 as a one-store operation. Today, they are a leading John Deere dealer with 21 locations in Kansas, Missouri, and Arkansas. They proudly focus on their co-workers, customers, and the communities they serve by providing high-quality equipment, expert service, and innovative solutions.
