Lely order book 'slightly better'
Dairy automation company Lely reported a 3.4% decline in total turnover last year but notes that sales are picking up.
Indeed, a ‘2,000,000 Basildon Tractors’ logo gives the game away, in the same year as it celebrates 60 years of tractor production. The New Holland plant at Basildon, England, is now celebrating the manufacture of its two millionth tractor, a feat managed by only a handful of such facilities across the world.
The Basildon factory, on a nondescript industrial estate in Essex, UK was opened in 1964 to coincide with the introduction of the 37-65hp Ford 6X tractor series, with familiar names such as the 2000 Dexta, 3000 Super Dexta, 4000 Major and 5000 Super Major models. Within two years the plant had produced 100,000 of these tractors, with these models eventually becoming the ‘Pre-Force’ series, following the 1968 launch of the ‘Ford Force’ 2000/3000/4000 and 5000 tractors, with the 250,000th tractor being produced in 1969.
The 500,000th tractor was made in 1984, an example from the Q-cabbed Series 10 range that had launched three years previously, with a range that eventually spanned from the 44hp 2610 to the 116hp 8210 models.
Five years later, coinciding with the launch of the Generation III evolution of the Series 10 range in 1989, Basildon produced its one millionth tractor. The year also marked 25 years of manufacturing at the plant, to be celebrated with the release of a number of now much sought after special edition Silver Jubilee 7810 tractors.
In 1995, the factory produced number 1,500,000 – a Series 40 model – four years after it came under new ownership following the purchase of the Ford New Holland agricultural equipment business by Fiat, creating today’s New Holland brand. Fast forward to July 2024 and the 2 millionth tractor is a milestone for Basildon and the New Holland brand.
Carlo Lambro, New Holland brand president, said “from the tractors of 1964 to those of today, we have come a long way in capability, capacity and technology, allowing our customers to farm more efficiently”.
“The milestone marks the dedication of our skilled employees at the plant and the loyalty of our customers worldwide. What is unchanged, though, is our commitment at Basildon and across the whole of our business to continue developing the technology our customers’ need to sustainably power their farms into the future.”
Scheduled to make special appearances during forthcoming events in the UK, the diamond anniversary tractor will then be displayed in the customer centre at Basildon.
