Books in Corporate & Business History

Explore our curated list of farming and tractor history books.

Loaded 7 more books
Genuine Value The John Deere Journey
Genuine Value The John Deere Journey

Rare photography and an engaging design comprise a corporate history that illuminates John Deere's values.

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International Harvester, Mccormick, Navistar Milestones in the Company that Helped Build America
International Harvester, Mccormick, Navistar Milestones in the Company that Helped Build America

The passion for invention is a deeply ingrained part of American culture. In the decades after our independence, the new nation burst with names every schoolchild should learn: Robert Fulton, Eli Whitney, Samuel Morse-and above all, Cyrus McCormick. Cyrus McCormick, inventor of the first mechanical reaper, liberated the American farmer, and changed the course of history. Until 1831, when he marketed the first truly practical machine, grain was still harvested as it had been in the time of the Pharaohs. McCormick also pioneered modern sales and marketing techniques, and as the twentieth century dawned, his McCormick Harvesting Machine Company became International Harvester, an industrial powerhouse ranked with U.S. Steel and Standard Oil. Celebrating this year its 175th anniversary, McCormick's company, now Navistar International, has been a vital force in the American landscape, its tractors and trucks crucial to its industrial development. Milestones is the first fully illustrated history of the rich heritage of Navistar International, from its founding by Cyrus McCormick to its vitality today. This lavishly illustrated, oversized volume is packed with original photography, nostalgic advertising, fascinating detail and history, and American pride.

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International Harvester Tractors and Equipment in Australia and New Zealand
International Harvester Tractors and Equipment in Australia and New Zealand

This book comprehensively documents the activities of International Harvester Company (IHC) and its influence in Australia and New Zealand, from its inception to its merger with Case as Case IH. IHC began with a merger of harvesting machinery companies to form the International Trust, the world's biggest farm machinery enterprise at the time. Then IHC became involved with tractors to become the world's largest tractor and full-line machinery maker, setting production records that stand to this day. The book offers details on tractors and machinery models for collectors of the International Harvester brand line up. It also provides information and anecdotes about enthusiasts who collect, restore, and maintain vintage machines. International Harvester is copiously illustrated with much previously unpublished material.

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Red Tractors 1958-2018 The Authoritative Guide to International Harvester and Case-IH Farm Tractors in the Modern Era
Red Tractors 1958-2018 The Authoritative Guide to International Harvester and Case-IH Farm Tractors in the Modern Era

<p>This award-winning history of International Harvester and Case IH tractors includes data and photos of every model built from 1958, as well as in-depth information about how these tractors were designed and constructed.</p> <p>With interviews of engineers and executives, the book covers how the 40 and 60 series were created, and thoroughly covers the red tractors from the 1960s through the 1980s. The book also traces the innovations and struggles of the final days of International Harvester. The authors unearthed a treasure trove of concept drawings and photos of prototype machines to shed new light on how these tractors were created.</p> <p>The book includes the exciting story of the creation of the Case-IH Magnum, an innovative machine that blends some of the great engineering done by IH with the Cummins engine built by Case. The modern era of Case IH is also included, with the story of the creation of the Quadtrac as well as the entire line of tractors. With a mix of new photography of some of the most exceptional collectible models in existence along with hundreds of previously unpublished photographs, this thorough book is the most authoritative guide on red tractors ever published.</p>

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Red Tractors 1958-2018 The German Edition of the Authoritative Guide to International Harvester and Case IH Farm Tractors in the Modern Era
Red Tractors 1958-2018 The German Edition of the Authoritative Guide to International Harvester and Case IH Farm Tractors in the Modern Era

<p>This award-winning history of International Harvester and Case IH tractors includes data and photos of every model built from 1958, as well as in-depth information about how these tractors were designed and constructed. With interviews of engineers and executives, the book covers how the 40 and 60 series were created, and thoroughly covers the red tractors from the 1960s through the 1980s. The book also traces the innovations and struggles of the final days of International Harvester. The authors unearthed a treasure trove of concept drawings and photos of prototype machines to shed new light on how these tractors were created. The book includes the exciting story of the creation of the Case-IH Magnum, an innovative machine that blends some of the great engineering done by IH with the Cummins engine built by Case. The modern era of Case IH is also included, with the story of the creation of the Quadtrac as well as the entire line of tractors. With a mix of new photography of some of the most exceptional collectible models in existence along with hundreds of previously unpublished photographs, this thorough book is the most authoritative guide on red tractors ever published.</p>

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Snoopy and the Spy A Saga of Espionage, Ingenuity, and the Epic Battle to Save International Harvester
Snoopy and the Spy A Saga of Espionage, Ingenuity, and the Epic Battle to Save International Harvester

<p>On the farm fields of the late 1970s and early 1980s, the stakes had never been higher. The era marked one of the hardest economic environments of the twentieth century, and two of the world's toughest competitors were locked in a high-horsepower arms race to create the world's best piece of agricultural equipment. For John Deere, winning meant maintaining global dominance. For International Harvester, winning would mean survival. For all the other ag equipment makers--well, it was mostly bad news. </p><p>In a big money game of poker, the two top makers bet on various new technologies and raced to build the best one first. The new machines were designed and built in secret spaces, then tested in dark pastures and remote corners of the world. They were transported carefully covered under tarps and rail cars . . . all in effort to keep them from the prying eyes and nimble cameras of the competition. </p><p>In this rollicking trip back in time, the salesman, engineers, and executives who played the game offer firsthand accounts of how and why this techno-turf war was fought. As the game escalated, one salesman took matters into his own hands. In the name of company loyalty, he crossed a line he shouldn't have and found himself deep in enemy territory. </p><p>The book includes never-before-published images of facilities and equipment, engineering design details, a look at company culture at the ag equipment companies, quotes from interviews with engineers, salespeople, and leaders of both International Harvester and John Deere, as well as insight into the events that led International Harvester to fail. If you love agriculture, history, or a zesty read, this book is for you! </p>

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The International Harvester Company of Great Britain, Limited
The International Harvester Company of Great Britain, Limited

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