Salvage Yard Pioneer's Legacy Continues To Grow
I was watching my son play in a Little League baseball game several years ago when I struck up a conversation with one of the other dads. John Dyke, it turned out, was the son of David Dyke, who virtually invented the modern tractor salvage business nearly 50 years ago. Since that accidental meeting at the ballfield, the Dykes have become good friends of my family and I've learned a lot about how the modern farm equipment salvage business developed.
"My dad started Worthington Tractor Parts in the mid 1960's as a one-man operation," says John Dyke. "At that time, salvage yards were mostly junk yards. They sold a few parts, which customers would usually pull themselves, but mostly they sold scrap metal. However, my dad got into the business to sell parts, an idea that helped launch an entire industry of salvage yards that now sell used parts, rebuilt parts, and remanufactured parts."
Worthington Tractor Parts started as a one-man operation in Minnesota and went on to become the largest tractor salvage yard in the nation. When Dyke sold the business 22 years later, it consisted of seven yards across the U.S.. It's still one of the premiere farm equipment salvage operations in the country.
After dabbling in other industries for 10 years or so, David Dyke got back into the farm equipment business and, with the help of his sons John and Paul, launched All States Ag Parts, which now has seven state-of-the-art yards across the country, and a large mail order operation headquartered in Des Moines.
All States Ag Parts has millions of parts in inventory. As equipment is disassembled, each piece is assessed for resale. If a damaged part can be repaired, it is. If an engine or hydraulic system requires parts be replaced, they are, or are taken apart to be sold as parts.
"That was something my dad introduced to the business," recalls John, who is company CEO. "He believed in reusing and recycling from the beginning. He started asking for the broken part when selling a new or salvaged part to a customer. He knew he might be able to fix it and recycle it back into use."
David Dyke was also the first to sell after-market new parts as part of his salvage yard business. It was part of an effort to make sure he always had what a customer needed. John says his father was the first to go outside his own trade area to buy equipment and to negotiate for fire and storm-damaged equipment from insurance companies.
How parts are sold has changed a lot since David Dyke started in the business. He was one of the first salvage operators to offer toll free 1-800 numbers. He also was an early adopter of microfiche and, later, computer technology.
John says his father, being a farmer himself, never forgot that equipment can break down just as easily after hours as during the business day. "He started keeping staff on for extended hours during busy times, especially at harvest," he says. "We still do today."
David Dyke, now battling cancer, no longer is involved directly in the salvage business. But his ideas still have a big influence on the business. Many of his former yard managers and employees now manage salvage yards for themselves or others.
"We all learned from him how to handle parts, store them and sell them," says John. "He always looked at it as adding value, but it takes skill and experience to do that efficiently. He developed many of the processes the industry uses today."
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, All States Ag Parts, E1140 State Rd. 170, Downing, Wis. 54734 (ph toll-free 877 530-1010; terry@asapagparts.com; www.tractorpartsasap.com).
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Salvage Yard Pioneer s Legacy Continues To Grow SPECIALTY/SERVICES Specialty/Services I was watching my son play in a Little League baseball game several years ago when I struck up a conversation with one of the other dads John Dyke it turned out was the son of David Dyke who virtually invented the modern tractor salvage business nearly 50 years ago Since that accidental meeting at the ballfield the Dykes have become good friends of my family and I ve learned a lot about how the modern farm equipment salvage business developed My dad started Worthington Tractor Parts in the mid 1960 s as a one-man operation says John Dyke At that time salvage yards were mostly junk yards They sold a few parts which customers would usually pull themselves but mostly they sold scrap metal However my dad got into the business to sell parts an idea that helped launch an entire industry of salvage yards that now sell used parts rebuilt parts and remanufactured parts Worthington Tractor Parts started as a one-man operation in Minnesota and went on to become the largest tractor salvage yard in the nation When Dyke sold the business 22 years later it consisted of seven yards across the U S It s still one of the premiere farm equipment salvage operations in the country After dabbling in other industries for 10 years or so David Dyke got back into the farm equipment business and with the help of his sons John and Paul launched All States Ag Parts which now has seven state-of-the-art yards across the country and a large mail order operation headquartered in Des Moines All States Ag Parts has millions of parts in inventory As equipment is disassembled each piece is assessed for resale If a damaged part can be repaired it is If an engine or hydraulic system requires parts be replaced they are or are taken apart to be sold as parts That was something my dad introduced to the business recalls John who is company CEO He believed in reusing and recycling from the beginning He started asking for the broken part when selling a new or salvaged part to a customer He knew he might be able to fix it and recycle it back into use David Dyke was also the first to sell after-market new parts as part of his salvage yard business It was part of an effort to make sure he always had what a customer needed John says his father was the first to go outside his own trade area to buy equipment and to negotiate for fire and storm-damaged equipment from insurance companies How parts are sold has changed a lot since David Dyke started in the business He was one of the first salvage operators to offer toll free 1-800 numbers He also was an early adopter of microfiche and later computer technology John says his father being a farmer himself never forgot that equipment can break down just as easily after hours as during the business day He started keeping staff on for extended hours during busy times especially at harvest he says We still do today David Dyke now battling cancer no longer is involved directly in the salvage business But his ideas still have a big influence on the business Many of his former yard managers and employees now manage salvage yards for themselves or others We all learned from him how to handle parts store them and sell them says John He always looked at it as adding value but it takes skill and experience to do that efficiently He developed many of the processes the industry uses today Contact: FARM SHOW Followup All States Ag Parts E1140 State Rd 170 Downing Wis 54734 ph toll-free 877 530-1010; terry@asapagparts com; www tractorpartsasap com
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