Visitors to the World of Agco product show at the Staffs showground last week saw the latest models from all four of the corporation’s tractor brands – Massey Ferguson, Fendt, Valtra and Challenger – under one roof for the first time in Britain.
But European manager, Gary Collar, emphasises that while these products may belong to the same family and share some parts, there will be no substantive move towards a “common platform” approach.
“We’ll use generic components across brands when it makes sense to capitalise on our global purchasing power, share our own technology when appropriate and standardise ISO-Bus electronic systems,” he points out.
“But we’ll preserve the individual character, product offering and operator experience of our different tractor makes. It’s a strategy that is working well for us and will continue to do so.”
Agco says it now supplies one in four of all new tractors working on British farms, with volume seller Massey Ferguson climbing around 2% this year and both Fendt and Valtra making gains with shares of 2-3% and 5% respectively.