The Past, Present, and Future of Musselshell Valley Equipment (MVE)

In 1946, Bill Funk's father Paul Funk began Roundup's Case Dealership, Musselshell Valley Equipment. Bill began working for his father as a young man in the dealership. For the first 20 years he worked in the shop doing repair under the direction of Tony Mang. Bill reminisced that he learned so much under the influence of Tony and others during his time doing mechanics. Bill took over the business and continues today, hopefully for many years to come, as Bill has no plans of retiring.

Musselshell Valley Equipment employs 15 people. If you have stopped at MVE, you will have met most, if not all of the employees. Chris and Wyatt who run the parts counter, Ryan and Guy, the salesmen, Mitch the shop manager, Darren, Ty, Tori, and in the shop, Dixie and Moe in the office.

Bill says the biggest challenge in his industry revolves around weather and cattle prices. Exporting more beef to China will help equipment market via the cattle market. The unfortunate fires in Australia will also contribute to growth for the business here, though we do not take joy in their misfortune.

Musselshell Valley Equipment rolls with the changes. Weather, Disasters, good and bad economies, no matter what is coming the ranch and farm industry is necessary, and must roll with the changes. Bill informed me that the future of equipment may see more changes in emission controls, we may become more dependent on electric tractors, there may be natural gas or propane tractors in the future as well. "We have to work with pollution standards" Bill says, "We are at tier 4b which they say is final". Tier 4b is an industry designation for emissions. Each tier costs about 10 thousand dollars, so a tier 4 would add around 40,000 dollars to a piece of equipment.

When asked what his personal favorite equipment is, Bill told me, "My favorite piece of equipment is the new A series Farmall Tractor. It is just a good low spec. durable tractor. Like one box". He continued to tell me that through technology we have gone from getting more horsepower out of a four-cylinder engine than we used to get out of a six-cylinder engine. These tractors are more fuel efficient than they were in the past. Through tuning and digital electronic fuel injection its back to similar power as when there were no fuel emissions.

I asked Bill about new technology in the equipment industry. He told me the new big deal will be the "connected" tractor which starts this year in the Magnum series. Connected means the dealership and operator/owner can not only see where the tractor is 24/7, but see what it is doing. If the tractor has a check engine light come on, the factory can see that and diagnose it while it's happening, and contact the operator/owner. This will be a huge advancement that we haven't really even seen yet in automotive with the exception of OnStar. Bill says Case will have an autonomous (no driver) tractor in the future. Case currently has mapping and GPS technology for equipment. The advantage of an autonomous tractor is that tractors will become more fuel efficient by controlling speed, engine RPMs, and the load. It can maintain speed and control amps for highest efficiency. An electric motor tractor will cut down on power loss, and there will no longer be a transmission in future tractors. An electric power tractor can use 100 percent power. "Most of this technology will not favor our business or community as we don't deal in large horse power tractors magnums and 4wd.", Bill says. Going forward our customers won't be able to afford these types of tractors, because of all of the extra onboard electronics. Our customers need high versatility and affordability in one diverse tractor. This is an ever-evolving industry we are predominantly a cattle/livestock dealer. Our tractors are sized for this customer.

Musselshell Valley Equipment contributes throughout the year to our community. MVE contributes to causes like the local Fire and Ambulance here in Roundup as well as Ryegate and Harlowtown. MVE also remembers the Hospital benefit, the Cattlemen's dinner, and R.I.D.E. One of Bills favorite special interests is Little League Baseball. Most recently MVE has contributed to the Teddy Blue Abbot Project, a local bronze sculpture that is in the process of being made by the artist Gregg Eiselein

Just as the ranchers work long days, MVE provides service after hours, holidays, and weekends, much of the year. MVE works hard to provide parts and service to their customers. Musselshell Valley Equipment is one of the pillars in our community, and one of Roundup's oldest businesses. As you drive through Roundup, MVE is a marker along Main Street. You may even slow down to gaze at the shiny new Red equipment in the lots along the way. We are proud of our businesses that make our town strong. A favorite Case motto is: If it ain't Red, leave it in the shed.