Unverferth Manufacturing Company

What Unverferth Manufacturing Company does

Unverferth Manufacturing Co., Inc. is a family-owned agricultural equipment manufacturer founded in 1948 and headquartered in Kalida, Ohio, producing grain handling, seed tender, fertilizer application, tillage, and agricultural wheel system equipment under six retained brands: Blu-Jet, Brent, Orthman, Parker, Top Air, and Unverferth. The company operates four manufacturing facilities across the Midwest agricultural corridor (Kalida OH, Delphos OH, Shell Rock IA, and Lexington NE) and eight sales and distribution branches serving the United States and Canada. Its product portfolio spans 550 to 3,150-bushel grain carts and wagons, bulk seed tenders up to 500 seed units, dry fertilizer spreaders with pneumatic section control, strip-till and specialty tillage implements, and sprayers.

The technical foundation rests on embedded electronic control systems such as the CAN bus communication platform in the 60-Series Seed Runner and the pneumatic Air Command Section Control for Pro-Force dry fertilizer spreaders, which together enable automated, multi-section application control for input efficiency. Recent product launches — the Brent Avalanche 3298 (3,150-bushel industry-largest grain cart), the X-Series front-folding grain carts, the Air Command Section Control, and the 60-Series Seed Runner — indicate active R&D output, validated externally by the 2025 ASABE AE50 Award for Air Command. Two acquisitions in three years (Orthman in 2023, Premier Tillage in 2025) have extended the tillage vertical.

The company sells hardware exclusively through an authorized dealer network across the United States and Canada, with no disclosed pricing model, public list prices, or subscription or service revenue streams. End customers are agricultural operations and farmers; no named enterprise or institutional buyers appear in the source data. Revenue is generated entirely through one-time equipment sales at dealer-quoted prices, with post-sale support delivered via operator's manuals, parts lookup, how-to videos, and preseason checklists.

Name

Unverferth Manufacturing Company

Legal name

Unverferth Manufacturing Co., Inc.

Website

https://unverferth.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Family-owned agricultural equipment manufacturer founded in 1948, producing grain carts, seed tenders, fertilizer applicators, tillage equipment, and wheel systems under six brands across four U.S. manufacturing facilities, sold through a North American dealer network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Farm Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333111), Agricultural Implement Manufacturing (33311)

SIC

Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523)

akta.pro primary industry

Farm Material Handling & Attachments (Loaders/Implements) (IMAHACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hay & Bale Handling Equipment (IMAHACAF), Bulk Handling & Conveying for Processing Lines (Augers, Elevators, Conveyors) (AFAAAJAJ), Agricultural Tractor & Field Machinery Vehicle Manufacturing (IMACAFAB)

Keywords

• Agricultural equipment manufacturing
• Grain handling equipment
• Fertilizer application equipment
• Tillage equipment
• Seed tender equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Kalida

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Agricultural Equipment Sales: Hardware sales of agricultural equipment including grain carts, grain wagons, seed tenders, fertilizer application equipment, tillage equipment, augers, conveyors, and agricultural wheel systems. Revenue generated through dealer network sales.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Family-owned manufacturer of agricultural equipment sold through six retained brands (Blu-Jet, Brent, Orthman, Parker, Top Air, Unverferth). Products include grain carts and wagons, bulk seed tenders, dry fertilizer spreaders, NH3 and liquid fertilizer applicators, specialty tillage tools, sprayers, header transports, and agricultural wheel/track systems, all fabricated at four U.S. plants and distributed through a dealer network across the U.S. and Canada.

Product overview

Unverferth Manufacturing Co., Inc. is a family-owned agricultural equipment manufacturer producing a wide range of products under six brands (Blu-Jet, Brent, Orthman, Parker, Top Air, and Unverferth). The product portfolio includes grain carts and wagons (Brent Avalanche series, X-Series, V-Series), seed tenders (60-Series Seed Runner, Parker Seed Chariot), fertilizer application equipment (Pro-Force spreaders with Air Command section control), tillage equipment (Orthman strip-till tools, Premier Tillage Minimizer blade plow), header transports, sprayers (Top Air), and agricultural wheel systems. The brands work together to provide comprehensive solutions for grain handling, seed management, fertilizer application, and tillage operations across North American farming operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Blu-Jet: Anhydrous ammonia and liquid fertilizer applicators, deep-till in-line rippers, and track closers.
• Brent
• Orthman
• Parker
• Top Air
• Killbros

Products and services

• Blu-Jet anhydrous ammonia and liquid fertilizer applicators, deep-till in-line rippers, and track closers A complete line of anhydrous ammonia (NH3) and liquid fertilizer applicators, deep-till in-line rippers, and track closers designed to help growers increase yields and realize a quick return on investment. Targeted at row-crop farmers seeking precision nutrient application and seedbed preparation.
• Brent grain carts and grain wagons Grain carts (550 to 3,150 bushel capacities) and grain wagons engineered to increase harvest efficiency. Industry leader in grain handling equipment for more than four decades, serving commercial harvest operations globally.
• Orthman specialty tillage equipment, header transports, and DR-Planter toolbars Specialty tillage tools including the 1tRIPr strip-till tool and stack-fold toolbars, header transports, and DR-Planter toolbars. Orthman has manufactured and innovated agricultural equipment for more than 65 years.
• Parker grain handling products and seed tenders Durable, high-quality grain handling products and seed chariots (seed tenders), strong and well respected throughout the corn belt. Continues the Parker family tradition of building quality products under Unverferth family ownership.
• Top Air sprayers and spraying equipment Complete lineup of spraying equipment featuring T-Tank design, Containment Tank Sump system, Independent Axle Suspension, and Steerable Hitch system innovations. Synonymous with spraying innovation for over 30 years.
• Unverferth-branded grain and seed handling, fertilizer application, tillage equipment, and agricultural wheel systems Innovative agricultural equipment brand offering grain and seed handling equipment, fertilizer application and tillage equipment, and agricultural replacement and dual wheel systems for North American farming operations.
• 60-Series Seed Runner bulk seed tenders Bulk seed tender equipped with controller area network (CAN) bus communication, electronic engine controls, Honda engine, redesigned hydraulic system, and multi-function wireless remote for conveyor, hopper doors, and engine functions. Available in four capacities from 275 to 500 seed units.
• X-Series Front-Folding X-Treme Grain Carts (X1500, X1300, X1100) Front-folding X-Treme grain carts with up to 1,500-bushel capacity, greater auger reach and visibility, left- or right-hand unloading, and field upgrades designed to deliver faster, more efficient harvests.
• Pro-Force Dry Fertilizer Spreaders with Air Command Section Control Dry fertilizer spreaders equipped with the Air Command section control system, which uses pneumatic redirection to automatically manage four independent spreader sections, reducing fertilizer waste and improving application accuracy in irregular fields.
• Brent Avalanche 3298 Grain Cart Industry's largest grain cart at 3,150-bushel capacity with 1,000-BU/min unloading rate, advanced track and auger systems engineered for unmatched harvest efficiency in large-scale operations.
• Premier Tillage Minimizer Blade Plow Tillage blade plow acquired through the Premier Tillage acquisition, designed to support farmer efficiency, soil health, and productivity in row-crop operations.
• Parker Seed Chariot 3620R Seed Tender New Parker 3620R seed tender engineered for unmatched efficiency, speed, and operator-friendly features in seed handling operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 1,500-bushel capacity grain carts
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kinze Manufacturing: Independent, family-owned Iowa-based manufacturer of planters, grain carts and tillage tools; closest direct comparable to Unverferth in business model (private, family-owned, multi-decade) and product overlap (grain carts, tillage implements sold through dealer network).
• J&M Manufacturing: Ohio-based independent manufacturer of grain handling and handling equipment, including grain carts, wagons and trailers; competes head-to-head with Unverferth's Brent brand in grain cart capacity tiers.
• Bourgault Industries: Canadian tillage, seeding and fertilizer application equipment manufacturer with similar broad-line approach to implements; competes with Orthman, Blu-Jet and Unverferth tillage and fertilizer lines across North American row-crop operations.
• Great Plains Manufacturing (Kubota): Subsidiary of Kubota producing planters, tillage tools, seeders and fertilizer applicators; directly overlaps with Unverferth's Orthman strip-till, Blu-Jet fertilizer and Premier Tillage categories.
• Salford Group: Canadian manufacturer of tillage, seeding and fertilizer application equipment; directly competes with Orthman, Blu-Jet and Premier Tillage in primary and secondary tillage and crop nutrition categories.
• Hagie Manufacturing (CLAAS): Iowa-based self-propelled sprayer manufacturer owned by CLAAS; directly competes with Top Air sprayer line as a North American-built, dealer-distributed crop protection equipment specialist.

Broad incumbents

• Deere & Company: Largest North American ag equipment OEM offering full-line tractors, planters, sprayers and tillage tools with integrated precision-ag platform; competes with Unverferth across multiple categories and sets the industry benchmark for technology bundling.
• AGCO Corporation: Global full-line ag equipment OEM owning Massey Ferguson, Fendt, Gleaner, Sunflower and others; competes broadly with Unverferth via Sunflower tillage, GSI grain handling and other portfolio brands.
• CNH Industrial (Case IH / New Holland): Full-line ag OEM whose Case IH and New Holland brands offer planters, sprayers and tillage tools; competes with Unverferth's full portfolio including Brent grain carts, Blu-Jet applicators and Orthman tillage tools.

Emerging players

• Vermeer Corporation: Iowa-based manufacturer of forage, hay and material-handling equipment including grain-handling wagons and bale equipment; comparable to Unverferth's Parker/Killbros grain handling and hay/forage-adjacent categories with a closely aligned Iowa manufacturing footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UnverferthMfg
• Facebookfacebook.com/Unverferthmfg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Unverferth Manufacturing Company