Beauvais home to Massey Ferguson’s global center of excellence

Beauvais 3—a new investment

In 2013, the AGCO group expanded its Massey Ferguson brand’s global presence by setting up a new tractor cab assembly facility—Beauvais 2—near its first plant in northern France, which opened in 1960. This strategic decision paid off, catapulting the iconic brand into first place among Europe’s tractor producers. Today a new investment is in the works, following the US company’s fresh vote of confidence in the region with the announcement of a third unit at Beauvais. AGCO has acquired an additional 8-hectare site with 30,000 sq meters of buildings adjacent to its main tractor manufacturing site. Called Beauvais 3, this new unit will help optimize Massey Ferguson’s supply chain management by bringing storage of various parts and components back in house. The move is expected to add around 100 new jobs to the 2,500 employees who already work at the site.

A 5-year strategy

This new investment is part of the company’s medium-term strategy to make Beauvais a world center of excellence. To that end, it has invested over €250 million euros in recent years, taking automation of processes, data exchange and cutting-edge production techniques to the next level. With more in store: AGCO is already looking into Beauvais 4, an option that would introduce revolutionary changes in its manufacturing operations in Hauts-de-France.

Hauts-de-France now leads France in farm machinery

This latest move consolidates Hauts-de-France’s lead as frontrunner in tractor production across France and Europe. Other global players are also present in the region, among them Kubota, GIMA and CNH. They can draw on local training programs and high-end R&D through Institut LaSalle, INRA, UTC, Ensiame and other institutions.