CAMPODARSEGO PADOVA, Italy — Italian tractor manufacturer Antonio Carraro is speaking out on reported rumors of a deal with AGCO or even discussions between the companies. The company says, “… no such deal is in progress.”

In a statement, the company commented on its good year: “…we will be closing the door on an excellent 2015 with a 10% growth on 2014’s figures. The forecast for 2016 is for a further increase in sales thanks to the entrance into production of the new series of highly technological tractors that provide us with a clear competitive edge.”

Here’s the full statement from Antonio Carraro:

It has been recently announced in specialized Italian and foreign journals that there is a potential deal between AGCO and Antonio Carraro. Whilst greatly flattered by the compliments paid to our company by the President of AGCO, (Martin) Richenhagen, and with the objective of not unbalancing or confusing our sales force, we categorically insist that no such deal is in progress. Furthermore, there has never been any meeting with any representative from AGCO.

The only piece of truth, which is old news, is that for a number of years now we have been contacted periodically by almost all of the world’s tractor manufacturers, with the exclusion of AGCO, inquiring after the opportunity of exploiting any possible collaborative synergy to be had from the manufacturing of compact specialized tractors, which almost none of the main manufacturers produce themselves.

Essentially, we are only interested in possible collaborative agreements that would result in the global growth of our sales, preferably via industrial or commercial cooperation. We would like to take this opportunity to state, without boasting and with the sales figures in hand, that we will be closing the door on an excellent 2015 with a 10% growth on 2014’s figures. The forecast for 2016 is for a further increase in sales thanks to the entrance into production of the new series of highly technological tractors that provide us with a clear competitive edge.