Heavy farm equipment has a particular appeal

Agricultural equipment in head Schutterzell the 25-year anniversary
and the inauguration of the new facility / program celebrates the
weekend

The 25-year existence and operating at the same time the move to new
premises, the head company in farm equipment Schutterzell celebrating
this weekend.

If that's no reason to celebrate: With the 25th anniversary of the
operation, the company celebrates its country head GmbH also the
inauguration and the move to the new buildings. On Saturday and Sunday
20 and 21 September is, on the premises in Schutterzell offered some
reason.
When it comes to farm equipment, then Meinrad head so quickly no one
makes anything. Long before he founded the company 25 years ago, was
the great interest of brevity native Llers engines and machines. After
his apprenticeship as a machinery mechanic at the company Böttler in
Kürzell, the military service and a three-year tenure at the firm
Schmidt & Hartmann in Lahr, he attended the Masters School, to get
acquainted to the test with its own operating independently.

The first six years, the company's location in the Lord Street in
Kürzell. Two companions he stood to the side, it also supports his
wife Doris always involved. Already in 1989 the couple built new in
Kürzell head. The workshop has been extended 1998th Soon thereafter,
however, distinguished itself from that the place would no longer
suffice. And because the work is on the farm equipment always
associated with noise, Meinrad and held Doris head for a suitable site
outside the town lookout.

Continuous developments made expansion necessary
It was found eventually in the street shortly Creator 1 in
Schutterzell. The existing buildings have been revamped and expanded
to include a workshop and office space. In September, the new building
will now be relative - time for the anniversary of the 25th
anniversary. Meinrad head has expanded its operation to train train:
Today, he employs two salesmen for new and used machines and 25
employees in offices and workshops. As a partner of Agriculture and
A-dealers of the Claas, JCB and Lemko, the company is known throughout
Southern Germany. Last year son Sandro began his apprenticeship as a
mechanic for farm machinery, almost simultaneously, daughter Sarah has
her training in wholesale and foreign trade clerk finished. Both
support the parents in their spare time in the company.

At the weekend anniversary and relocation to new premises celebrated
with a varied program. Is announced on Saturday from 19.30 clock
threshing show and tractor pulling, also be awarded at a meeting of
the Bulldog smallest and largest, oldest and youngest tractors and the
oldest and youngest drivers.

On Sunday, the new building will be inaugurated with a worship
service at 10:30 clock. Then comes the next company party sociable.
Lunch is served ox on the spit, of course, visitors can look at the
site and get an overview about the offer from the company head.

From 11 to 14 clock there show and vintage tractor pulling events, by
14 clock a machine presentation, threshing scene with an old threshing
machine and start the clock from 15 traditional corn days, "See, test
and drive equipment itself."

farm machinery manufacturer

Agco CEO Richenhagen: "Closer to the brake"
by Gerhard Bläske (Paris)

Martin Rich Hagen, head of the U.S. farm equipment company AGCO, to
which the German tractor Fendt farmer heard about expansion in the
crisis.

Agco CEO Martin Richenhagen

WirtschaftsWoche: Mr. Rich Hagen, the economic crisis spreads. How
many tractors and combine harvesters you will sell less in 2009?

Rich Hagen: The crisis will leave us no material traces. I expect a
decline in sales of about 500 million to $ 7.9 billion and a reduction
of earnings per share of 4.09 to 3 to $ 3.25. This is a very decent
result. This decline has nothing to do with the crisis. He is due to
special factors in South America as well as to exchange rate changes.

You have decided to expand the Fendt tractor production at the Allgäu
for 170 million dollars. If the project is jeopardized by the sudden
death of Chief Hermann Fendt Merschrot and the crisis?

No, we are pushing this project forward with vigor. It's not a bad
idea to invest now because the credit conditions are good and the
suppliers are more cooperative than in good times. At Fendt we have
brought our largest single investment project on the way and want to
expand capacity by 2012 from 15,000 to previously expected 20 000
tractors per year. This will create new jobs, like many, I can not say
yet. We have created thousands of new sites in 2008 and currently
employ 15,500 people. With the exception of Brazil, where we reduce
the time workers, we plan no staff reductions.

Why do you invest in spite of the crisis?

Because the fundamental conditions for agriculture have not changed.
The population is growing, arable land is a scarce commodity, and food
habits in emerging economies adjust to those in developed countries
more and more. It added that the trend toward renewable energy.
Agricultural production must be doubled in the next 20 years. The
crowd, most people ...

... And it does not displace some that currently are the biggest
economic downturn in recent decades?

No, we only respond to the increasing worldwide demand for high-tech
farm equipment for professional farmers. We drive the same speed, but
have little closer to the foot of the brake. Also, overall, we
continue to invest heavily in research and development and build
capacity in the U.S..

Where do you see as your major markets?

In Russia is 40 million hectares broke. That can not long continue.
Wheat prices are already rising. Africa will also soon be a very
important market. They have a good climate and good soils, and demand
and need inexpensive, solid tractor. We have the product, but not
their production structure. We therefore conclude the construction of
an assembly plant in Africa is not enough. The problem is the lack of
political stability. The largest tractor market is India. There we are
involved with Massey-Ferguson in decades, with 23 percent in a joint
venture. This is not ideal, because we actually always seeking
majority stakes, but otherwise this is a model for Africa and China.

Agco is even capable of such a crisis in the expansion to drive?

I have been long accused of acting too little too aggressive, because
I've held back on acquisitions and share repurchases. Just that now
proves to be advantageous. We are in very good shape financially, are
placed solid, virtually debt free and have $ 500 million in cash.

Agco is - despite your reluctance - grown in the past 16 years, mainly
through acquisitions. Do you want to abandon them now?

Our industry has been highly consolidated since 1950. At that time
there were only 125 independent tractor producers in Germany. Case New
Holland has long been the market leader and is now one of the Fiat
Group. If Fiat needed cash, it could lead to a sale, but this is
speculative. However, there are many specialized niche or regional
family businesses with a turnover of 50 to 200 million €, who missed
the right time to sell. We are interested.

Claas farming equipment comes out of the crisis

Europe's largest farm equipment manufacturer Claas has switched after
heavy losses in the crisis on growth. In the current 2010/2011 fiscal
year (September 30), the market has clearly turned.

"We expect double-digit sales growth and a corresponding improvement
in earnings before tax," said the CEO, Theo Freye, today at the
presentation of financial statements for the fiscal year in
Düsseldorf.

Proliferate, the agricultural machinery company, which ranks among the
world's leading manufacturers in the industry, with its liquid assets
of € 900 million. These should be used for investment on the sites,
but also to repay debt, said Chief Financial Officer Hans Lampert.

In the last fiscal year, the nearly 100 year old family business from
the East Westphalian Harsewinkel near Gütersloh in sales losses of
nearly 15 percent to 2.5 billion euros was recorded. Profit before tax
slumped 31 percent to 77 million €. Decline was mainly the business on
the established markets in Europe. In combines it was even a drop of
37 percent.

In its previous peak year of 2008, the manufacturer who is well known
for combine harvesters, balers, forage harvesters and tractors and
forage harvesters, generated almost four times earnings.

Be driven increasingly by the business at Claas expansion of biogas
plants for the production of renewable energies. The machines demand
was shifting accordingly to the hacking technology, large tractors and
telescopic handlers for silo compressors

Currently the company on whose board peak since early October, the
granddaughter of the founder, Cathrina Claas-Mühlhäuser stands,
three-quarters of its sales abroad. The importance of the German
market will pick up again in the medium term. End of September,
employs nearly 9,000 people at Claas, about 500 less than a year
earlier. In the current year the level of employment and held one
additional requirement be mitigated by temporary workers.

equipment for agriculture

The equipment for agriculture is what we are going to publish here, soon.