Our Company

Wm. H. Ziegler founded the company in 1914, instilling in employees a simple, yet lasting corporate philosophy: “Sell the best equipment, provide the best service.” This same philosophy holds true today. Early in his career, Ziegler realized that the key to building a successful business was satisfying customers – not just by selling them quality equipment, but by backing it up with prompt service and the availability of parts. In 1920, Ziegler became the distributor for the C.L. Best Tractor Co and sold its first Best 60 to the Minneapolis Park Board that same year. In 1925, the C.L. Best Tractor Co. absorbed the Holt Manufacturing Company to form the Caterpillar Tractor Co. During the 1950s and 1960s, Cat equipment from Ziegler helped build the network of interstate highways across Minnesota and Iowa. In 1987, Ziegler acquired Gibbs/Cook Equipment Co., the Cat dealer in western, central, and northeastern Iowa. Also in 1987, the company became one of the original Cat Challenger ag tractor dealers. LEXION combines were added in 1997 when Caterpillar formed a joint venture with CLAAS. In early 2003, Ziegler expanded its agricultural lines into Wisconsin with the opening of a facility in Columbus. The Ag-Chem product line was added in 2004. Ziegler expanded its agricultural lines into Missouri in 2012. Today, Ziegler represents the full line of Caterpillar construction equipment, generators, and trucks in Minnesota and Iowa. Ziegler Ag Equipment represents the Challenger, LEXION, White Planters, Sunflower, and RoGator/TerraGator brands of agricultural equipment in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri. The company employs nearly 1,800 people in 27 communities throughout the four states. Ziegler is moving forward into the 21st Century under the ownership of the Hoeft family, William L. Hoeft, President and CEO, and his sons Andreas and William M. Hoeft. Through changing times, the corporate philosophy has stayed the same for more than 100 years – if the customer is successful, then Ziegler will be successful.