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Major tornado damage observed at CNH Industrial Master Depot, but no one hurt. (PHOTO GALLERY)

Tom Bechman 1, Editor, Indiana Prairie Farm

December 13, 2013

2 Min Read

A month ago, mayor Huck Lewis of Lebanon could say his town had never experienced severe damage form a tornado. He can't say that now. Parts of Lebanon were ravaged by the outbreak of tornadoes on Sunday, Nov. 17.

The CNH Industrial Master Parts Depot took a particularly big hit. This depot supplied parts to 10 other depots in North America, and is the hub of the CNH Industrial parts distribution system. That includes distribution of parts for Case IH, New Holland, Case Industrial and New Holland Industrial Equipment.

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Just up the street, the Special Processing Center was in its final stage of preparation for a Dec. 9 grand opening. It was not damaged. The opening went on as scheduled. The third CNH Industrial facility in the industrial complex at Lebanon – the Shipping and Receiving Center (where parts first come into the system) – also did not suffer major damage.

Despite extensive damage, Scott Harris, vice president if the division for CNH Industrial, says quick action by security staff prevented injuries. Part of the roof section was damaged, with inside damage as well.

"We are happy to say we had it back up and running before December 9," Harris says. "We took it section by section and put it back together. We are grateful to our partners herein Lebanon and to Duke Realty which is a major partner with our complex here."

Employees who were assigned to the damaged area of the building did not work during reconstruction, Harris explains. However, he was proud to announce that CNH Industrial compensated them as if they had worked, and they did not lose any pay because of the interruption in work schedules caused by the tornado.

Overall, CNH Industrial employs more than 600 people in Lebanon, with up to 100 more employees to be hired to get the Special Processing Center up to full production.

Photos courtesy CNH Industrial.

About the Author(s)

Tom Bechman 1

Editor, Indiana Prairie Farm

Tom Bechman is an important cog in the Farm Progress machinery. In addition to serving as editor of Indiana Prairie Farmer, Tom is nationally known for his coverage of Midwest agronomy, conservation, no-till farming, farm management, farm safety, high-tech farming and personal property tax relief. His byline appears monthly in many of the 18 state and regional farm magazines published by Farm Progress.

"I consider it my responsibility and opportunity as a farm magazine editor to supply useful information that will help today's farm families survive and thrive," the veteran editor says.

Tom graduated from Whiteland (Ind.) High School, earned his B.S. in animal science and agricultural education from Purdue University in 1975 and an M.S. in dairy nutrition two years later. He first joined the magazine as a field editor in 1981 after four years as a vocational agriculture teacher.

Tom enjoys interacting with farm families, university specialists and industry leaders, gathering and sifting through loads of information available in agriculture today. "Whenever I find a new idea or a new thought that could either improve someone's life or their income, I consider it a personal challenge to discover how to present it in the most useful form, " he says.

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