AGCO: Everyone’s Reliable Agriculture Company

AGCO is an agricultural equipment manufacturer headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, USA. As a leader in its industry, the company is known for offering a full line of combines, tractors, hay tools, forage, sprayers, and tillage equipment. Their products are distributed by their over 3,100 independent dealers and distributors that perform business in 140 countries worldwide.

Although established in 1990, AGCO’s history can be traced way back to the mid-19th century. It has firmly established roots in the farm equipment manufacturing industry. The company is the product of Deutz-Allis’s buying out of Deutz-Allis North American operations from its parent corporation Klockner-Humboldt-Deutz (KHD), the German company responsible for the agriculture equipment brand Deutz-Fahr. KHD acquired portions of Allis-Chalmers five years earlier and through this, AGCO became a worldwide agri machinery firm due to its market growth, cutting edge solutions, and strategic acquisitions.

The result of the said business moves was first called Gleaner-Allis Corporation until it was rearranged to Allis-Gleaner Corporation, thus, AGCO. Before the sellout to Deutz Allis, the design for the tractors and combines that the company offers were originally made by Allis-Chalmers. The tractors, which were called Deutz-Allis, were renamed to AGCO-Allis. Meanwhile, the combines took the brand name Gleaner. The Deutz-Allis brand continued in South America until 2001 when it was also eventually renamed to AGCO-Allis. In the same year, AGCO-Allis adopted the name AGCO in North America.

Over the years, the company has also acquired several other companies including Hesston Corporation in March 1991. In 1993, it acquired the North American distribution rights to Massey Ferguson. The following year, AGCO purchased McConnell Tractors. They also developed the line of articulated tractors Agcostar. Later in that year, they also acquired the Black Machine line of planters. The intelligent acquisitions went on and through this, the company was able to expand and maximize the business further.

As of late, the company continues as a global leader in providing high quality agricultural equipment. It is led by President and CEO Martin H. Richenhagen and is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AGCO.