Vermeer Celebrates Large Round Baler 50th Anniversary With New Website & Activities

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All during 2021, Vermeer will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the introduction in 1971 of the first round baler, which company founder Gary Vermeer demoed for hundreds of farmers. (Photo courtesy of Vermeer.)

Vermeer plans to hold numerous activities this year to celebrate 50 years of large round baler innovations. In 1971, Vermeer founder Gary Vermeer introduced a new, larger round baler, fittingly called the “big round baler.” The machine made it possible for one person to put up high hay volmes, and it could output bales nearly 10 times larger than competing balers.

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These days, the Pella, Iowa,-based manufacturer produces the Classic, Signature, and Premium ranges of round balers in 504 and 604 R-Series lineups. Vermeer also makes the 605N Baler and 605N Cornstalk Special Baler, 504 and 604 Pro G3 Baler, and Rancher 6640 and 6650 Baler models.

Changing The Landscape

Gary Vermeer founded Vermeer in 1948, with success fueled by the popularity of a wagon hoist he invented in 1943. Inspiration for his round baler stemmed from a friend’s difficulties finding help to put up his hay. “I had no idea what it looked like, but we began designing and building,” Gary Vermeer explained. Hundreds of growers attended a demo of the baler as it output an initial 1-ton (0.9 metric ton) round bale.

“When my grandfather successfully brought the big round baler to the market, it forever changed the landscape of hay and cattle farms around the world,” says Vermeer President and CEO Jason Andringa, speaking about Gary. “From hay rings and new styles of hay barns to new attachments for tractor loaders and three-point arms, that baler became the center ¬point of a whole new industry of hay tools.”

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Vermeer founded Vermeer in 1948 in Pella, Iowa. In 1971, he introduced the first round baler, inspired by the trouble a friend was having finding enough help to put up his hay. Vermeer will celebrate 50 years of baler innovations since all this year. (Photo courtesy of Vermeer.)

Find Quality Vermeer Farm Equipment

During 2021, Vermeer will affix a 50th anniversary decal on each round baler it builds, plus make vintage signage, apparel, and accessories available. It has also launched a 50th Celebration website with photos, videos, and interviews highlighting its anniversary.

You can typically find many new and used Vermeer farm machines for sale on this site.

Source: Vermeer