AGCO Corporation (NYSE: AG) is an agricultural equipment manufacturer based in Duluth, Georgia. It was formed in 1990 when executives at Deutz-Allis bought out Deutz-Allis' North American operations from the parent corporation KHD, Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz, a German company that owned the Deutz-Fahr brand of agriculture equipment.
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AGCO Parts by Brand
Ag-Chem
AGCO Tractors
AGCO-Allis
Challenger
Farmhand
Fella-Werke
Fendt
Gleaner
Hesston
Laverda
Massey Ferguson
Maxion
PTx Precision Planting
RoGator / TerraGator
SisuDiesel Engines
Spra-Coupe
Valtra
White (AGCO White)
Willmar
AGCO Parts & Service
The company was first called Gleaner-Allis Corporation, then rearranged to be Allis-Gleaner Corporation, or AGCO. The design for these tractors and combines were originally designed by Allis-Chalmers Corp. prior to the sellout to Deutz-Allis. The Deutz-Allis line of tractors were renamed AGCO-Allis, and Gleaner became a brand of its own for combines. The Deutz-Allis brand continued in South America until 2001, when they were renamed AGCO-Allis. They continue in the lime-green livery. In 2001, AGCO Allis was renamed AGCO in North America.
In 1991, AGCO purchased the Hesston Corporation, gaining hay and forage equipment. Hesston had a 50 percent joint venture with Case International, now a part of CNH Global. AGCO purchased the White Tractor line from the Allied Corporation's White-New Idea company. In 1993, AGCO purchased the remainder of White-New Idea, gaining New Idea hay equipment and manure spreaders, and White planters. White New Idea had a large manufacturing plant which operated in Coldwater, Ohio.
Also in 1993, AGCO purchased the North American distribution rights to Massey Ferguson, a world-wide agricultural equipment company. In 1994, they purchased McConnell Tractors, manufacturer of the large articulated Massey Ferguson tractors. AGCO developed the Agcostar line of articulated tractors. Later in 1994, the Black Machine line of planters was purchased.
1995 saw the purchase of the AgEquipment Group, which manufactured tillage equipment and loaders under the Glenco, Tye and Farmhand brands. In 1996, acquisitions went international with the purchase of Iochpe-Maxion in Brazil. This was the Brazilian company that had rights to the Massey Ferguson brand and manufacturing in the region, as well as the Maxion brand of industrial equipment. This was also the year that AGCO purchase Deutz Argentina, the number one leader of tractors in Argentina. Also in 1996, AGCO purchased Western Combine Corporation and Portage Manufacturing in Canada. Western Combine had previously purchased the assets of the Massey Combine Corporation's combine operation, which had been spun of by Massey-Ferguson.
1997 was the year of the major purchase of Fendt in Germany, the leading German tractor company. Fendt is well known for its advanced technology. AGCO also acquired Dronningborg Industries in Denmark, the manufacturer of European Massey-Ferguson combines, and former manufacturer of Dronningborg combines.
In 1998, AGCO made a joint venture with Deutz AG to produce engines in Argentina, and purchased the Spra-Coupe and Willmar companies. Spra-Coupe and Willmar are leading sprayer companies in North America.
For the year 2000, AGCO bought out its partner Case International in the Hay and Forage Industries joint venture. In 2001, AGCO purchased Ag-Chem Equipment, expanding its application equipment business. That year, the Agco-Allis and White tractor lines were merged in North America to become simply AGCO, continuing in the orange color.
2002 was the year that AGCO purchased rights to the Challenger name and the tracked tractors from the Caterpillar Corporation, giving AGCO a well-known brand name and high-power tracked tractors. AGCO further developed the Challenger line into: wheeled tractors, using tractors manufactured by Iseki, Agritalia, the Massey Ferguson factory and the Brazilian Valtra factory; combines, rebranding some Massey Ferguson/Gleaner -built combines; and hay equipment, using Hesston-built hay equipment. AGCO also purchased the Sunflower Manufacturing Company, which manufactures tillage, seeding and specialty harvesting equipment.
2004 brought about the purchase of the Valtra tractor company from the Kone Group, in Finland. Valtra has some licensing agreements with the Eicher company in India for tractor production, and also with the HEMA group in Turkey. The purchase of Valtra also includes the Sisu engines.
2006 saw a re-focusing of the various brands, and the reduction of individual brands. AGCO announced plans to combine some, and make some only part of a larger brand, or co-branding. Examples include the Massey Ferguson 9635 Hesston self-propelled swather, and the AGCO 9365 Hesston self-propelled swather. Challenger has seen further expansion with the further consolidation of the AgChem brand into Challenger, and the introduction of Agritalia built tractors and an articulated Challenger tractor.
Challenger Tractor
The Challenger Tractor was the world's first rubber tracked agriculture tractor, created by Caterpillar Inc. in 1986. The original model was a Challenger 65 featuring the Mobile-Trac System (MTS) consisting of rubber tracks and a suspension system. The MTS combined the flotation and traction of steel tracks with the versatility of rubber tires. The use of tracks gave the machines increased tractive performance compared to traditional four wheel drive tractors equipped with tires. The Challenger 65 began as a 270 gross HP machine used primarily for heavy tillage.
In 1995 Caterpillar introduced the first "row crop" tracked machines with the Challenger 35, 45 and 55. These machines ranged in power from 130 KW PTO to 168 KW and were designed to be used for a variety of tasks the larger machines could not. The Challenger tracked tractor was produced by Caterpillar at their Dekalb, Illinois location until the Challenger name and all of its associated agricultural assets were sold to AGCO.
Since 2002, when the brand was purchased by AGCO, Challenger tractors have been manufactured at the company's Jackson, Minnesota facility. At the time AGCO purchased the Challenger brand most Challenger dealers were also Caterpillar construction equipment dealers. Although AGCO has shifted focus of the Challenger tractor to the agricultural market, the construction market is still an important sector for the tractors as AGCO still manufactures specially configured machines for use with pull-type earth moving equipment.
The Caterpillar Challenger MT875B was the most powerful production tractor available during its span with 430 KW gross engine power. In 2007, the MT875B broke the world record for most land tilled in 24 hours with a custom-made, 14 m disc harrow fabricated by Grégoire Besson. It tilled 644 ha. The tractor consumed 4.42 liters/ha diesel fuel.
The current production of Challenger tractors has expanded to include both tracked and wheeled type tractors. Both types are available in either row-crop or flotation type configurations depending upon the preference of the customer. Since their purchase in 2002, the Challenger brand has used a Caterpillar diesel engine in the majority of their models. However, with the introduction of the D series of each tractor model, AGCO began implementing the use of AGCO POWER branded engines that are Tier 4i/Stage 3B emission compliant by using e3, a Selective Catalytic Reduction system which injects urea in engine's exhaust gas stream to reduce nitrogen oxides and particulate matter emitted to the atmosphere.
Fella-Werke
Fella-Werke GmbH is a German forage harvesting company based in Feucht, Germany (located just southwest of Nuremberg in Bavaria). It was established in 1918 as a harrow manufacturing company, but since then has been through many changes.
Currently, Fella has the industry's largest product range of mowers, tedders and rakes. The machines are a vibrant red color with safety tarps in a bright yellow color. The logo is also a vibrant red square with a white circle inside which states Fella in bold black letters. The Fella slogan is ‘Harvesting Energy’.
The origin of the name Fella is not entirely clear, however, the common belief is that it was derived from the Egyptian word fellah meaning farmer or peasant. The ‘fallahin’ (plural) were used by pharaohs in ancient Egypt to create their pyramids. They still exist in Egypt today and are the lowest social class. They are in a constant struggle to increase their social standing. This is believed to be a link between Fella and the journey to become one of the leading agricultural and forage harvesting companies.
Fendt
Fendt is a German manufacturer of agricultural tractors and machines. It is part of AGCO Corporation. It was founded in 1937 by Xaver Fendt and purchased by AGCO in 1997. Other models include theFarmer, Favorit and Xylon series
Fendt manufactures and markets a full line of tractors and balers, and recently began selling combines built by AGCO and Laverda. Fendt also developed the Vario gearbox which is one of the most advanced tractor gearboxes. It is also used in JCB Fastrac, Valtra and Massey Ferguson machines.
The vario gearbox was first developed in the 1970s, but due to lack of funding it was never seen on a production tractor until 1996, when Fendt launched the revolutionary Fendt 926 vario. This was the first-ever stepless transmission to be launched onto the tractor market, and still is the only ever true stepless transmission, with brands such as John Deere and New Holland trying to make a piece of machinery as advanced as a Fendt. When put into a tractor the gearbox electronics can be "tweaked" to make this tractor go much faster than its electronically limited 50 km/h top speed.
Fendt has just launched what is claimed to be the fastest, most powerful conventional tractor ever, the Fendt Vario 936. This has all of the technology featured in the previous tractors plus a little bit more. These tractors are capable of speeds of 60 km/h and are rated at 355 hp(DIN)
Fendt is regarded in some opinions as being the 'Maybach' of tractors, in terms of build quality, technology, efficiency and customer service, however, they are generally priced higher than the less advanced competitors.
Fendt released a prototype of a new concept tractor at Agritechnica 2007 in Hannover, Germany called the "TRISIX" and boasts 540 hp (400 kW) and six wheels. The front axle and the rearmost steer the tractor. As the speed increases the steering on the rear axle reduces to make it safer. It also completely locks out when in transport mode and with some implements. To handle the horsepower it has two of the company's trademark "vario" gearboxes, which push the machine up to a top speed of 60 km/h (38 mph). Fendt has not confirmed production of this machine yet. It is only a prototype but has undergone a great amount of testing.
Gleaner Manufacturing Company
Gleaner Manufacturing Company is a company which made the first self-propelled combine harvesters. Gleaners are often silver in color, unlike other AGCO brand tractors. Gleaners are unique for being the first to use galvanised sheet metal. Gleaning itself is the act of collecting leftover crops from farmers' fields after they have been commercially harvested or on fields where it is not economically profitable to harvest.
Valtra
Valtra is a manufacturer of tractors and agricultural machinery and forms part of the AGCO Corporation. Valtra tractors are manufactured in Suolahti, Finland, and Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil. Valtra’s products in the Brazilian market also include combine harvesters, sugar cane harvesters, self-propelled sprayers and seed drills.
Additional information and source: AGCO