This feature explores the journey of two brothers, Tom and Justin McClamroch, who successfully merged their professional expertise to acquire and significantly expand an agricultural business, ultimately allowing them to reconnect with and contribute to their family's farming legacy.
Cultivating Success: How Twin Vision Transformed a Business and Reconnected with the Land
Synergistic Partnership: The Foundation of Shared Vision and Success
Working with close relatives can often present unique challenges, with differing viewpoints potentially leading to friction. However, for twin brothers Justin and Tom McClamroch, their identical perspectives proved to be a formidable advantage. Their inherent alignment in thinking smoothed the path for their collaborative venture, minimizing the disagreements that often plague family businesses. This shared mindset became a cornerstone of their success.
From Separate Paths to a Unified Agricultural Pursuit
Growing up on their family farm in Crawfordsville, Indiana, both brothers harbored a strong desire to stay connected to their agricultural roots. Yet, the farm's capacity couldn't sustain three families, prompting them to explore diverse career paths. Justin gained invaluable experience constructing grain silos as a millwright, while Tom honed his expertise in sales within the seed and fertilizer sectors. This varied professional background, unbeknownst to them at the time, would later become a powerful asset. The opportune moment arrived when they could acquire Perry Equipment, a business located merely a mile from their ancestral land. Recognizing the potential synergy, they seized the chance, initiating discussions in 2017 and finalizing the acquisition by early 2018.
Strategic Business Evolution: Growth, Innovation, and Family Integration
With their acquisition complete, the McClamroch brothers established clear objectives for their new enterprise. Their primary goals were to transition Tom from the demanding fertilizer sales industry, reduce Justin's extensive hours as a millwright to allow for more family time, and reintegrate themselves into the family farm operations. To achieve this, they meticulously crafted a robust business plan, strategically allocating roles and responsibilities. Their parents also played an integral role: their father, Mark, assisted with deliveries, while their mother, Kathy, managed the bookkeeping. Initially, the brothers dedicated long hours to revitalizing the business. Tom leveraged his sales acumen to cultivate existing relationships and forge new client connections, while Justin focused on operational oversight, employee training, and modernization efforts. They embraced digital transformation, migrating from manual record-keeping to advanced software and introducing computers to the business. Additionally, they launched a website to extend their reach to customers nationwide.
Sustained Expansion: A Testament to Drive and Adaptation
The imperative for expansion was an unspoken agreement between the McClamroch brothers. They were driven by an ambition to engage with a broader clientele. Their relentless efforts yielded remarkable results, achieving an eightfold increase in sales in less than a decade. The workforce grew from two full-time employees to eight, and their products now reach customers across the country. Demonstrating their adaptability, they diversified their offerings by introducing a line of TYM subcompact tractors to meet market demands. The dawn of 2025 marked a new chapter with the rebranding to McClamroch Ag and the inauguration of a new office and manufacturing facility. Tom underscored the critical role of their support network—family, friends, and advisors—who consistently provided encouragement, proving that collective support is vital for entrepreneurial success.
Returning to the Soil: Reconnecting with Agricultural Roots
The prosperity of their business was intrinsically linked to Justin and Tom's ability to secure their future on the family farm. Having successfully stabilized and grown their venture, they now seamlessly navigate between the commercial enterprise and their agricultural heritage. Tom fondly recalls his eagerness to return to the fields, describing farming as an ingrained passion. While their father, Mark, largely manages the daily farm operations, the brothers provide crucial support during peak planting and harvesting seasons, and actively participate in agronomic and management decisions. Their commitment to diversification extends to the farm, where they embrace new practices and technologies, such as advanced genetics and chemistries, to stay competitive in an ever-evolving industry. Although the initial leap into business ownership was daunting, it proved to be a necessary step in preserving their profound connection to the land, affirming that there are diverse paths to agricultural success.
