AGCO, Your Agriculture Company (NYSE: AGCO), celebrated the grand opening of Intivity Center and the 75,000-square-foot expansion of its Jackson, Minn., manufacturing center June 7, 2012. The investment brings production of Challenger and Massey Ferguson high-horsepower wheeled row crop tractors to North America — a decision that was announced in early 2011.

Martin Richenhagen, chairman and CEO, and Bob Crain, senior vice president and general manager, AGCO North America, cut the ribbon opening Intivity Center in Jackson, Minn., assisted by honored guests Al McQuinn, founder of Ag Chem Corp., and Bob Ratliff, one of the original founders of AGCO in 1990.
Martin Richenhagen, chairman and CEO, and Bob Crain, senior vice president and general manager, AGCO North America, cut the ribbon opening Intivity Center in Jackson, Minn., assisted by honored guests Al McQuinn, founder of Ag Chem Corp., and Bob Ratliff, one of the original founders of AGCO in 1990.

The manufacturing center expansion will contribute more than $17 million dollars and 200 jobs to the local economy, bringing the total number of professional, support and skilled manufacturing positions at the facility to 1,050. Intivity Center, a 17,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art visitor center, is AGCO’s first welcome center in North America, and showcases the farmer-focused innovation behind the brands upon which the company has been built.

Intivity Center offers an extensive collection of historical artifacts — many never before seen by the public. In addition, it includes a glimpse of the future of agricultural equipment through interactive displays demonstrating equipment technology in development at AGCO. Open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Intivity Center is expected to attract an estimated 10,000 visitors per year.

Martin Richenhagen, chairman and CEO, and Bob Crain, senior vice president and general manager, AGCO North America, opened Intivity Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by more than 500 dealers, employees, state and local elected officials and the media. A public open house for the local community will be held Saturday, June 9, 2012. 

A rear wheel is installed on a Massey Ferguson 8600 Series row crop tractor at AGCO’s newly expanded manufacturing facility in Jackson, Minn.
A rear wheel is installed on a Massey Ferguson 8600 Series row crop tractor at AGCO’s newly expanded manufacturing facility in Jackson, Minn.

“Today is a great day for AGCO, and we’re thrilled to bring the production of Massey Ferguson and Challenger row crop tractors to North America for our North American customers and dealers,” said Richenhagen. “This is one in a continuum of efforts AGCO is undertaking through our commitment to deliver superior products, service and innovation as we have never done before.

“AGCO is proud to bring North American farmers the benefit of our global expertise in agricultural equipment, and Intivity Center captures many examples of our efforts, both from the past and those we will be bringing to market in the future,” added Richenhagen.

Crain reiterated the reasons Jackson was chosen as the ideal place in North America to manufacture the company’s row crop tractors.

“There is a long-standing tradition of hard work, commitment and understanding of customer needs here in Jackson. This commitment is evident from the speed with which the team here undertook and completed the construction, and brought the line up to full capacity to produce the Massey Ferguson and Challenger row crop tractors we can now proudly say are ‘built in North America’ for our customers and dealers here,” Crain said. “Thank you to everyone who has made this day possible, particularly our outstanding team of Jackson employees, led by Eric Fisher, director of operations. Jackson and our new Intivity Center are truly the new hometown of Agriculture and Innovation.” 

Farm equipment manufacturing has been a part of the Jackson community since 1963, when Ag-Chem Equipment Company was founded as a distributor of spraying equipment. Ag-Chem was purchased by AGCO in 2001. Jackson is now home to Challenger and Massey Ferguson high-horsepower wheeled row crop tractors as well the Challenger track tractors and application equipment.

For more information about Intivity Center and AGCO Jackson Operations, or to schedule tours of the expanded manufacturing facility, visit http://jackson.AGCOcorp.com. For information about AGCO’s products and services or to find a dealer near you, visit www.AGCOcorp.com.