History & Profile Mark/China/Tytan and Rhino
Mark Leonard & Rhino intl (1988-1998) & the Chinese tractor industry relationship its growth & success history Profile
Quote: > Mark Leonard / TYTN Profile & Rhino/China Success History (view video below)
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About CEO Mark Leonard Summary
Mark Leonard has 15 years under his belt as a manufacturing representative working with companies such as Ray Ban Sun Glasses, Zeiss Binoculars, Starcraft Boats, Minn Kota Electric Motors, and Chicago Cutlery. He has been successful in getting various products purchased & promoted by major chains including the USA’s #1 Retail Chain. He has placed many items into the Eddie Bauer & REI catalogs.He also promoted his own imported fishing items on National TV. Starting in 1981 without even one customer in the Western USA, Mark built his boat trailer distributorship into being the largest of its kind in that Industry.
Rhino Tractors which was started in 1988 grew from one retail store into 150 dealerships nationwide. After he sold Rhino & abiding by a non-compete agreement was satisfied, Mr. Leonard set out to build a niche product line and a Flagship Tractor Dealership, which he plans to expand into 30 stores across the country. With Mr. Leonard’s Sales and Marketing experience, 25 years of connections in China, product development abilities, current availability of his company’s Catalog & Product line, and directed business plan to sell a much needed quality made, economically priced tractor where Tytan can enjoy both the wholesale and retail margins by having their own stores.
The phenomenal growth of the export based Chinese economy has created a great demand for the production of quality automobiles and farm equipment in China. The low labor cost in China makes it possible for Tytan to offer highly competitive products with significant price advantages. Mark has been working with the Chinese since 1988 to develop high quality farm equipment and is actively involved with the manufacturers in creating feature rich products suited for export to developed nations. As a result, Tytan holds several U.S. and International patents and has patents pending to sustain and grow future product demand . Three of those patents improve tractor performance and provide a real competitive edge. Tytan owns its own tire molds, hood molds and many of its manufacturing aids. Because of his contributions to the Chinese Tractor Industry, Mark is referred to as “father of Chinese tractors in the USA”
and is recognized in an article published in Global Times News Articles PDF
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* * * * * The Mark Leonard Story * * * * * (posted by the CEO himself)
Mark, born in Spokane, WA, enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping as a kid as his father was a world class hunter and gun maker. His father taught Mark the value of a dollar by encouraging him to start his own business; mowing lawns in the summers and shoveling snow in the winters.
After finishing high school in Bellevue, Wa, Mark attended the University of Washington in Seattle where he earned a degree in Economics in 1970.
Following in his Father’s footsteps, Mark started out as Manufacturer’s Rep in the sporting business traveling the Northwest establishing relationships with buyers from REI, Eddie Bauer, Pay Less, Pay-N-Save, and Ernst Hardware to name a few. He nurtured these relationships and grew his business into a seven man operation covering 13 western States. Mark’s firm founds its niche in the fishing business, especially when he leveraged his exclusive rights to the “Buzzbomb” into annual sales of almost $2.5 mln. in just 20 months. This led, quite naturally, to the designing, importing and marketing of the “ProMark” and “ProLine” brands of hip waders which he took nationwide.
As one of the top firms repping fishing equipment, Mark came to establish good relationships in the boating industry. By 1986, he seized on another opportunity which presented itself, namely, a need for well designed boat trailers. This shift in gears coincided nicely with his desire to spend more time at home with his young family and not on the road so much. This new venture quickly became #1 in the USA boasting 150 dealers. This was in large part to his loyal connections in the sporting rep business, excellent designs and hard work.
Along the way, Mark’s hobbies included a little farming on a 25 acre parcel for which he had two tractors. A neighbor offered him a deal he couldn’t refuse on 3 brand new Chinese made tractors. He put those to work on his land and quickly discovered he liked them better than his Ford and Mitsubishi. One day, he was working the 40 HP extra hard just to see what it could do and he broke the crankshaft. So he called the factory in China to get a new part. That lead to a nice chat, an invitation and a trip to China. Mark returned with 36 tractors, which he sold in very short order and that’s how Rhino Tractor was created.
Rhino grew rapidly to over 120 dealers nationwide. Sales were great and profit margins high . Mark was made an offer he couldn’t refuse and took it. This included a “non-compete” clause which he honored for its duration. In that time he watched his company driven into the ground. He also kept up the great relationships he had going with his friends in China. So, as soon as he was able, he hit the ground running and started up Tytan International .
It turns out his contacts in China missed doing business with him, so they were more than happy to help him get back in business .
As of the writing (September 2011 ), Tytan is progressing smoothly with new designs, new patent applications and brighter prospects than he ever had with Rhino at this point in its growth. There’s something to be said for experience. And now, after several dozen visits to China, the Chinese have asked to come to Kalama to see “how they can beneficially improve their mutual business relationship.”
Stay tuned, this story continues ......
Company Description Tytan International,Inc . (Tytan Tractor) is the result of many years of experience and relationships in China.
> T Y T A N .... FAQ's (PDF)
Its founder, Mark Leonard started purchasing tractors in China in 1988. It had become evident to Mark that these Chinese tractors were easier to work on, more reasonably priced on parts and had lots of brute strength. They were unbelieveable for bush hogging and were more frugal on fuel. In 1989, Mark went to China to secure USA distribution of these tractors. He came home with five Exclusive Contracts with the largest tractor factories in China. Mark's own Trademark name was used for the tractors. They would be called Rhino tractors and that meant they were tough. Sales of Rhino Tractors expanded to over 150 dealers nationwide with almost 2000 tractors a year in sales. After huge nationwide success, Rhino was purchased by a Texas company in 1995 . This was one of the largest sale transactions to ever happen in the NW states, in the AG business. It was the result of Rhino's superb reputation in supplying parts, tractors and service to its many dealers. Mark signed an Exclusive USA Distribution Agreement with the TY tractor Factory in 2003. TYTAN Tractors are NOT made or connected in any way to Jinma, Foton or any other Chinese tractor factories. TYTAN has two models ,the 324 and 504 which are now available on the market. Those models have many very unique qualities that make them absolutely the best value in North America. Additionally, Tytan has designed several new products that will be on the market in 2007 and have features that put them in a class of their own. TYTAN is now seeking KEY dealerships in many areas of the USA and has already signed up many who were previously Rhino dealers. TYTAN International, Inc. offers the Best Tractor Values in the USA and is priced 30-40% below the industry leaders.
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Where Leonard forged the path, others have followed. Large multinationals had been watching Rhino International and have pounced on all his old partners . The world's biggest farm machinery maker, John Deere bought Benye . Indian-based Mahindra grabbed Jinma .
"They only went after the tractor factories that worked with me," Leonard insists. Proof perhaps that, as the old-timers in that YouTube movie suggest, he deserves his title as " Father of the Chinese Tractor in the USA ."
> Mark Leonard & Rhino intl (1988-1998) & the Chinese tractor industry relationship its growth & success history
Rhino Products, Inc . now known as Servis-Rhino Inc is a subsidiary of Alamo Group Inc. > ticker: NYSE ALG
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On June 26, 1986 Alamo Group Inc., based in Seguin, Texas, purchased all the assets of Rhino Products, Inc., including name and trademarks. Rhino Products, Inc . had the charter amended to change the name to Servis-Rhino, Inc. on January, 30, 1987. Servis-Rhino, Inc. was then merged with and absorbed the assets of Terrain King, Inc. a wholly-owned subsidiary Corporation of Alamo Group (USA) Inc. In March 1990 Servis-Rhino, Inc.'s name was changed to Alamo Group (TX) Inc., to match the style of other Alamo Group (USA) Inc.'s corporate names.
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On May 12, 1995 the Company acquired Rhino International, Inc. ("Rhino International"), an unaffiliated company which imports Chinese-manufactured tractors for a purchase price of $2,663,000.
In December 1998, the operations of the Company's Chinese tractor import and marketing business, Rhino International, were terminated. These operations had experienced a decline in sales and profitability related to market factors. Sales in 1998 were $2.2 million versus $7.8 million in 1997. Alamo is in the
process of collection of accounts receivable of Rhino International and disposal of its remaining inventory and expects to conclude this process by mid-1999. In 1998, the effect of Rhino International, including settlement of certain litigation as well as inventory and accounts receivable losses expected in final collection and disposition, was an after tax loss of $6.4 million or $0.66 per diluted share, compared to an after tax loss in 1997 of $0.9 million or $0.08 per diluted share.
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Mark Leonard and CEO Chen are shaking on a long term cooperation plan for USA/Canada Distribution. Mark has a long history with these folks. There are new tractors in the works being developed that will be available after 6 months. This Benye design is what Mark Leonard and Tim Nelson refer to as the best tractor ever made in its class ! More of this agreement will be discussed in a future PR News announcement.
" 8 years into the business Leonard sold out to the larger Alamo Group . By that time his orders from China had hit $2,300,000 every quarter . A non-compete clause in his deal with Alamo kept him out of the tractor business for three years. But in 2004 an old friend from Benye , Wu Xuliang, convinced him to dip his toe back into the tractor market and Tytan International Inc. was born
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June 12, 2010 : Leonard ties deal with Key Chinese Factories
The "Quantum Group" which includes three factories , is a large scale enterprise located in Urban District near Weifang city, China. The Agreement signed is for a long term development and sales effort with Tytan International Inc . Tytan has focussed on the small-size 4-wheel tractors ranging from 25-65 hp. Tytan's President , Mark Leonard, has been a long time friend and leader in the Chinese Tractor and Implement development. Mr Leonard says that his NEW factories meet the USA needs better then any others in China. Mr Leonard was a key partisipant in the development of several of the best Chinese tractor companies from 1988-1996.
Leonard's NEW deal is with three key tractor factories that have tractor experience since 1958 and have Sales throughout the World . They have also earned the "Top Quality" medals among Chinese Tractor Companies. These factories have grown and prospered to earn NEW modern factory facilities as well as having the best young engineers in China. Leonard is well known in China for his title as "the Product Innovator" of Chinese Tractor Products within China.
>> Feb 25th 2011 Tytan Holdings, Inc. Shareholders Newsletter
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We have hired a Manufacturers Representative to handle the NW territory in order to set up Dealers . He has been a very successful sales agent for many years at Dupont Corp . So far, we have 4 Northwest dealers lined up, for both tractors & implements. As we get further along, we plan to provide pictures of dealerships with our products.
We are interviewing Manufacturers Rep agents for all areas of the United States and Canada . This should be finished within the next 60 days. The Representatives in most cases will be AG reps, already in the business with good customer relationships.
" " TYTN Right to Distribute JD Chassis in US and Canada
And here is the big NEWS: JD is currently using the same exact tractor chassis that has been the most popular Tractor in China since 1958 . In my opinion, this is the strongest and best built tractor I know of. It was my bread and butter item in the Rhino Tractor Company line up (my previous company), till JD purchased the Benye Tractor factory in China. China is the world's single largest small tractor market. Tytan has entered into an agreement to purchase this exact chassis for sales in the US and Canada. We will of course put our own Fenders, Hood, Rear Fill Fuel Tank, Dual Trax Tires and more on it to create our NEW MODEL . The first sample shipment of completed products is in production now! We will use the same engine that is used in our 334
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Actually there were three factories. (by yakrancher)
- Deere took over one of them ( B E N Y E )
- New holland one of the others and
- Mahindra took over the 3rd
(reference > Global Times 2009 News Articles "Mark Leonard made friends and money with Chinese tractor makers like Jinma, in Jiangsu"
The Chinese made a lot of money on this. Therefore, they made a lot of money with Mark during the Rhino days, and they made a lot of money after he sold out. So you can begin to see wht the chinese gov't is so fond of Mark, and why three representatives would bother to attend a dinner with him on his last trip to China (see news page).
Funny thing is that Alamo is primarily an implement business. They package a lot of their implements with these big named tractors.
As you can imagine, the big names were quite upset when they found out that Alamo was going to be a competitor in the tractor business .
Alamo discontinued the tractor line almost immediately after purchase. They continued with the Rhino implements . HMMMMMMMMM
You can see the big boys pull some serious weight. And have very STRONG ARMS
> (June 8, 2007) Deere to Manufacture Tractors in Ningbo, China
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BENYE TRACTOR COMPANY was first brought into the USA by RHINO International Inc and Mark Leonard, under Exclusive Rights Agreements
So John Deere already knows Mark Leonard. He was Rhino International and that info was in Farm/Equipment Magazine Back in March April 1995
>> June 3rd 2011 Tytan CEO Visits 13 Chinese Factories
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He was accompanied by Tim Nelson, of Farmboys' Tractor of TN, and Gary Lynch of Weir & Harrad Machinery from Australia
" " We were also very pleased with quality of the new Tytan Mini Tractors ," stated Leonard. " Tytan has two shipments of tractors being readied for shipment. One shipment is at the Port now .
" " Significant orders were placed at this factory . At a round table dinner Party that was hosted by the factory President & CEO to discuss long term plans for Tytan to capture a large segment of the US market, among the dignitaries present were three Chinese Government Officials who were attending as a result of the great success Leonard had with his previous Rhino company factories. They pledged their full support to Tytan's efforts .
" " Mr. Leonard also met with Chinese Stock Market officials and is currently studying different possibilities of introducing Tytan's stock in China . Two of the largest firms he visited this trip expressed a keen interest in the stock
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Meeting with Chinese Stock Market Officials , who invited Mr. Leonard due to his long and fruitful business relationship with the Chinese tractor industry. as seen in the 2011 Q1 QUARTERLY REPORT on Page 16 and in the GlobalTimes News Articles
$TYTN
