Editor's note: View a video interview with Horace Clemmons, a partner in Clebur LLC, about his goals for the company and its simple tractor.
PAINT ROCK, Ala. — A Jackson County, Alabama-based tractor company is hoping to bring cost effective farming to the Ukraine. Cleber LLC has now signed an agreement with a Ukrainian company to manufacture the Oggun tractor.
Trying to get his tractor to Cuba, Horace Clemmons attempted to get it there, but it just didn't turn out the way he wanted so now he's trying to get his tractor to other poverty stricken areas of the world.
Paint Rock isn't known to be a manufacturing giant, but Clebur LLC is hoping to bring a cost effective tractor to small farmers in the Ukraine. Officials say the contract will allow workers there to come to Paint Rock to learn how to assemble the Oggun tractor. From there, they hope to begin drop shipping the parts and they'll be assembled by Ukrainian workers.
Cleber officials say they estimate there are around 45,000 small farms in the country. The tractor is designed simply so that parts can easily be available should the tractor need servicing. Officials say it will be a step up for many farmers there.
"Just like Africa and some in the Ukraine, South America, they're still back in time. They're still using livestock to plow, plant," said Ronnie Baugh with Cleber LLC.
At this point, there's no timetable to get the tractor to the Ukraine.