A well-known name in local agriculture is taking on a new look and a broader focus.
After nearly 60 years serving farmers across Midwestern Ontario, Roberts Farm Equipment has officially rebranded as Roberts Equipment, a change that reflects both its commitment to agriculture and its growing reach into the residential, commercial, and construction markets.
The shift comes after several years of internal discussion and market analysis, as the company looks to position itself for the future while maintaining its roots in the farming community.
"Agriculture has always been an important part of our business, and it still is," said company president and CEO Brian Osterndorff. "But there are other aspects of our trade areas that we do business in that we feel we can give some attention to."
Osterndorff said the decision to remove "farm" from the name was strategic.
"By having that word ‘farm’ in our name, we felt it kind of limited where we could go with other industries, such as construction, municipal, recreation, or residential business," he said.
While the name is changing, the ownership remains the same and still a family-run operation with deep agricultural ties. Roberts Equipment is owned by Jeff McGavin, Bruce Osterndorff, and Brian Osterndorff, and the company continues to operate multiple locations across the region. Its product lineup still includes brands like New Holland, Kubota, and Bobcat, with an added emphasis on shortline equipment to meet the needs of homeowners, contractors, and municipalities.
For customers walking into a Roberts Equipment store, Osterndorff said the changes will be subtle but noticeable.
"You’ll see more of a presence of the residential and construction equipment in all of our locations," he said. "You’ll also notice the brand change on our buildings. The old logo is coming down, the new one will go up. That should signify more of who we are and what we represent."
The new logo and brand visuals have already rolled out across the company’s social media channels and will be visible at storefronts in the coming weeks.
While political and economic factors like tariffs and policy shifts have influenced the equipment industry, Osterndorff said this rebrand is rooted in long-term strategy rather than short-term pressures. "The tariff talks that are on right now, they’re going to affect everything. It’s not going to be to one specific segment. But I’m hoping those are a short-term impact to what we’re doing for our long-term strategy."
More information about the rebrand and the company’s full lineup of equipment can be found at www.robertsequipment.com.