Equipped for the 22nd Century, the Massey Ferguson Beauvais factory is AGCO’s biggest tractor plant in Europe. It is also largest tractor manufacturer in France and the country’s leading exporter of farm machinery to more than 140 countries.
The Beauvais Centre of Excellence, located on a 25.5ha site, provides an incredible 100,000m² under one roof. Massive investment in plant and machinery, design, technology and staff means the facility is one of the most advanced, efficient and productive in the world. Beauvais has recently doubled its output to an annual production of up to 18,000 tractors.
The factory is at the forefront of Massey Ferguson’s resurgence and is responsible for introducing an unrivalled range of new tractors that have won more awards than any other make - anywhere in the world.
In the past five years Beauvais has been responsible for launching leading-edge equipment - in the MF 5400, MF 6400, MF 7400 and MF 8400 ranges - with powers from 75hp to 315hp. The factory currently builds between 60 to 90 units every day, and since 1960 it has made more than 800,000 tractors.
Recently the AGCO Corporation has invested €150 million in new manufacturing tooling, engineering equipment and machinery as well as computer-aided design and quality software. A single investment of €4.7 million, in one of the most advanced gas carburising systems, treats 2,700t of steel a year, ensures the utmost durability of parts for superb reliability.
In January 2003 the factory embarked on momentous changes in preparation for manufacturing Massey Ferguson’s new generation tractors. To do this it has increased its staff by 60% to a total to about 2,500 employees, of which more than 300 are qualified engineers who are responsible for the design, engineering, quality control and production of the four ranges built in the plant.
Huge investment in the most advanced research and development techniques ensure Massey Ferguson customers benefit from the latest technology that provides outstanding reliability and durability.
Using the latest ‘virtual reality’ simulator, designers are able to ‘see’ an image of the tractor, cab or component before a prototype is even built. Plans drawn on Computer Aided Design (CAD) systems are used to develop new technology as well as control the machine tools that make the components in the factory.
All designs are also tested in special ‘chambers’, which can house a whole tractor, and check how parts respond to extreme cold. Massey Ferguson engineers also use the factory’s special anechoic sound chamber to produce a cab with exceptionally low noise levels across the entire range.
Massey Ferguson has full control of the whole manufacturing process of all the critical components that go into making its tractors - to maintain the highest engineering standards throughout production.
The company is a leading producer of shafts, axles and final drive gears, which all undergo specialist heat treatment to guarantee durability. Each individual part is then checked to ensure it meets the strictest quality standards.
Every Massey Ferguson built in Beauvais has its own Tractor Quality Book that follows it through the factory. Every operator signs the book after completing and checking their part of the process.
Before assembly, however, every part will also have been subjected to numerous quality checks. Every rear axle and transmission is run on a test bench to check the operation, mechanical, electrical and hydraulic control functions and the noise level.
Quality control technicians also inspect the work after each main assembly process. Every tractor is run on a ‘rolling road’ before finally enduring another check of 75 critical control points to ensure it fulfils AGCO’s strict quality expectations and, most importantly, matches the customers’ requirements.
Facts box:
Beauvais plant
Prime numbers
10 – hectares of covered area
2,500 – employees on-site
3,500 – average number of parts in a tractor
5,000 - tonnes steel used per year
19,000 – tractors built annually
25,000 - tonnes cast iron used per year
700,000 - litres of fuel used per year
1,600,000 -litres of oil used per year
33,500,000 (615 tonnes) - parts used
Milestones:
1960 - 21st November - production begins, making 19,506 in its first year
1965 – completes first 100,000 tractors
1971 – completes 250,000 tractors
1974 – Factory expansion with new line to produce cabs and doubling the assembly line
1981 – New research and development centre built - 500,000 tractors built
1985 – 25th anniversary welcomes 15,000 guests to factory in ten days
1986 – Investment of FF220 million for production of 3000 Series tractors
1987 – Production of Iseki tractors for Japan begins
1989 – 600,000th tractor produced
1994 – Formation of GIMA (Groupement International de Méchanique Agricole) to development and manufacture transmissions
2000 – 700,000 tractor produced
2002 – €130 million investment to prepare for the new generation Series
2003 – Production of the new ‘4’Series begins
2004 – Dyna-VT transmission is introduced
2005 – Dyna-6 transmission introduced
2006 – Dyna-4 transmission introduced
2007 - 50,000th new generation ‘4’ Series produced
ENDS
About AGCO
Founded in 1990, AGCO Corporation (NYSE: AG) (www.agcocorp.com) is a global manufacturer of agricultural equipment and related replacement parts. AGCO offers a full product line including tractors, combines, hay tools, sprayers, forage, tillage equipment and implements, which are distributed through more than 3,000 independent dealers and distributors in more than 140 countries worldwide. AGCO products include the following well-known brands: AGCO®, Challenger®, Fendt®, Gleaner®, Hesston®, Massey Ferguson®, RoGator®, Spra-Coupe®, Sunflower®, Terra-Gator®, Valtra®, and White™ Planters. AGCO provides retail financing through AGCO Finance. The company is headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, and in 2007 had net sales of $6.8 billion.
CONTACT:
Paul Lay
Manager, Public Relations & Communications
Tel: +44 (0)2476 851209
