Mississauga, Ontario-based Ontrac Equipment Services last week announced that it will change its corporate name to Nortrax Canada.

The name change will bring the company into brand alignment with its U.S.-based sibling, Nortrax. Ontrac (Canada) and Nortrax (U.S.), retailers of John Deere construction, forestry and mining equipment, are both 100-percent owned by their parent company, Deere & Co.

The name change will enable increased market presence and greater competitive advantage in Canada through utilization of Nortrax marketing and advertising resources.

“Our Canadian leadership team has made this decision in order to better leverage our product and service offerings to our customers,” said Jim Ficzere, vice president and general manager. “While we have a distinct market in Canada, there are obvious synergistic opportunities that come with being part of a larger North American entity.”

The transition to the new name is expected to begin in April 2008 and will be phased in throughout the year and conclude by the end of 2008.

No organizational changes are expected as a result of the new name.

Ontrac is one of the largest John Deere dealers in North America, serving the construction, utility and forestry markets with 21 locations across eastern Canada.

Nortrax, a construction and forestry retail sales and service operation, is the largest John Deere dealership group in the world with more than 40 locations across 13 states.