The company’s headquarters in Basildon, Essex, has been firmly rooted at the centre of British tractor manufacturing and agriculture since it was first opened in 1964, and remains the only agricultural tractor plant in the UK today. The plant was recently awarded the World Class Manufacturing Award and the Manufacturing in Action Award at this year’s British Manufacturer of the Year Awards 2011 event. It was also a runner up for the most prestigious prize of the evening: the Manufacturer of the Year Award.
Every year, New Holland welcomes more than 2,000 visitors to Basildon and the new Customer Centre will provide a bespoke facility to gain a first-hand New Holland experience. Covering about 600 square metres, it features a state-of-the-art auditorium, a display T7 tractor and merchandise shop. All visits also include an audio tour of the plant.
In attendance during the official opening was John Baron, MP for Basildon and Billericay. New Holland’s HQ lies within Mr Baron’s constituency and continues to represent a major local employer, providing much-needed investment for the local economy.
New Holland’s Managing Director, Andrew Watson, said: "We are understandably very proud of our Built in Britain credentials and we export 85 per cent of our award-winning tractors to over 120 countries worldwide from Basildon.
"As a business, we are committed to continuing to support the agricultural industry in the UK and Republic of Ireland, specifically its growth and development, with cutting edge products and an extensive dealer network."
During the event, Carlo Lambro, New Holland’s European Vice President, explained that New Holland’s plant in Basildon remains essential to New Holland’s wider European success.
"New Holland’s reputation as a leader in innovative agricultural manufacturing continues to be strengthened by our plant in Basildon," he said. "The plant, which produces the award-winning T6 and T7 tractor models, remains integral to our continued development both here and across the European market."
As well as having the chance to look around the new centre, delegates also toured the plant to see for themselves world-class manufacturing in action.
Fact File
• The plant employs more than 1,000 staff
• 484 tractors produced every week
• 600 tonnes of material are used each day
• Over 1.6 million tractors have been built since 1964.
Farmers wanted to look at the full range of New Holland Tractors can do so FREE at http://www.farminguk.com/guide_compare.asp
