Martin Equipment Struts Its Stuff at Illinois State Fair

Sat December 08, 2001
Cindy Ladage

Rather than the dog days central Illinois usually suffers the last part of August, this year the balmy weather brought a banner crowd to Springfield’s north end for the Illinois State Fair. The crowds were up and ticket sales were booming as construction and agricultural equipment was on display.

Sloan Equipment, a John Deere dealer in Virden, IL, was the primary exhibitor of agricultural equipment and lawn and garden items. Lowes’ Springfield, IL, store also displayed a variety of lawn and garden equipment.

Martin Equipment, however, was out in style with construction equipment. It had examples of both John Deere and Gehl construction equipment on display. Keith Ackerman, sales representative of Martin, said that for whatever reason construction equipment displays have been dwindling at the Illinois State Fair.

Despite the lack of other companies, Martin Equipment used the opportunity to exhibit its construction equipment to thousands of fair attendees. According to Ackerman, one of the reasons Martin Equipment continues to exhibit at the fair is for educational purposes. This may be one of the only places where kids can actually see construction equipment up close and touch it. “I think it is more for the benefit of the children. They like to get on and get their pictures taken. All young boys love that.”

Kids would have had a great time checking out the Gehl 5635 and John Deere 250 skid steers. These smaller construction equipment items appeal to “kids” of all ages. Martin has been exhibiting now for about five or six years at the Illinois State Fair. Construction seems to be booming in the central Illinois area and Ackerman said that the best selling item lately has been excavators. “We seem to sell a lot of them. ”

Ackerman attributed the sale of excavators to the increase in dirt moving activity in central Illinois. He said a lot of contractors have been, “moving dirt and top loading it into trucks for large buildings or roadwork.”

Some new items at the fair this year include an expanded antique tractor exhibit, but some things remain a staple: corn dogs, Tom Thumb donuts and Martin Equipment.

Martin Equipment has been a Springfield, IL, icon since the late 1960s. The business began as a Case dealership and later in the ’70s became a construction equipment dealership. Martin Equipment is located at 2384 J. David Jones Parkway near the airport.

For more information, call 217/538-4347 or visit MartinEquipment.com.

This story also appears on Construction Equipment Guide.