New Holland Agriculture celebrates 125 years
16th June 2020
As New Holland Agriculture turns 125 years old, it celebrates more than a century of commitment to five generations of farmers across the globe – making their lives easier and the agricultural business more efficient and sustainable.
As New Holland Agriculture turns 125 years old, the company celebrates more than a century of commitment to five generations of farmers across the globe – making their lives easier and the agricultural industry more efficient and sustainable.
To this day, the values and vision of New Holland’s founders are the beating heart of the brand, providing the support farmers need at all times, as well as constantly investing and innovating to provide the products, technologies and services to farm efficiently, sustainably and profitably.
Brand president Carlo Lambro said: “New Holland has a rich heritage which started in a small town of Pennsylvania and has grown to be a global brand with presence across 170 countries. It is a history marked by important innovations that have changed agriculture. It brings together the unique legacy of brands such as Ford, Fiat, Braud and Claeys. Most important of all, it is a history marked by people: our customers, our dealers, our employees, day after day, year after year. Together, we are facing the many challenges of agriculture, helping farmers get the job done, efficiently and profitably, and get the best from their business.”
New Holland is the farmer’s partner for every season – for good times and challenging times: “We are living in extraordinary circumstances that are changing how we live and work in ways we could never have imagined,” he added.
“This situation has highlighted the vital role of agriculture and brought to the attention of the public how important farmers are in their life. Agriculture has reacted to the crisis with strength, successfully ensuring the food supply without disruption in the face of exceptional difficulties. And New Holland has remained at the farmers’ side throughout, providing the support they needed. We continue to invest in the future, and we will make the most of the possibilities of new technologies, connectivity, automation and alternative fuels – working together towards sustainable agriculture.
“As we celebrate our 125th anniversary, at this unprecedented moment in history, we look to the future with confidence.”
New Holland’s history: our legacy of innovation
New Holland was founded by agricultural pioneers whose rich legacy lives on in the values that drive the brand today. Abe Zimmerman understood the importance of meeting customer needs with simple solutions and reliable support – and his small machining company founded in New Holland, Pennsylvania, in 1895 would one day grow into a worldwide brand.
Henry Ford had the visionary aim to make innovation and mechanisation accessible to all and produced the world’s first mass tractor in 1917. Giovanni Agnelli saw how a solution developed for a specific local need could be extended to provide farmers across the world with a smart solution, with easy-to-use, innovative machines, demonstrated by the first Fiat tractor in 1918.
Leon Claeys dedicated his specialist knowledge to making farmers’ lives easier, which led to the first European self-propelled combine harvester in 1952. Now, 125 years on, New Holland remains the reliable, open and responsive, innovative, and sustainable partner to farmers across the world.
New Holland today: the farmer’s partner for every season
Today, New Holland remains at the side of its customers, building close, long-lasting relationships to work in partnership for their success. Its professional dealers can be relied upon to respond quickly and efficiently. With some 2,000 dealers and 5,000 touchpoints globally, New Holland is always close at hand for all farmers, ready to provide the broadest product offering in the world and the solutions they need.
It helps its customers operate efficiently and profitably with industry-leading solutions focused on innovation, sustainability, and outstanding cost efficiency that address the megatrends driving agriculture – digitalisation and connectivity, automation, servitization, alternative propulsion.
It is also one of the most digitally connected brands in the industry with its PLM solutions. It is working towards a future where farmers can run their operations more proactively, turning the farm into a connected and smart ecosystem.
New Holland has also pioneered sustainable agriculture and alternative fuels through its Clean Energy Leader strategy, which has led to the development of the Methane Power tractor prototype, closing the circular economy loop with a tractor powered by methane or biomethane, which can be produced on the farm. In the coming years, it will continue to drive agriculture’s transition to renewable fuels, taking forward its methane project, which is at the heart of its commitment to sustainability.
New Holland’s main product milestones
- 1917: Ford produces the Fordson Model F, the world’s first mass produced tractor.
- 1932: Fiat produces its first crawler tractor.
- 1940: New Holland produces the world’s first self-tying automatic pick-up baler.
- 1952: Claeys launches the first European self-propelled combine harvester.
- 1960: New Holland introduces the industry-first Speedrower windrower.
- 1961: New Holland launches its first self-propelled forage harvester.
- 1964: New Holland introduces the industry-first Haybine mower-conditioner.
- 1975: Braud launches its first self-propelled grape harvester.
- 1975: Sperry New Holland introduces the world’s first Twin-Rotor combine.
- 1982: The Ford 10 series is the first truly modern tractor: it combines modern styling with the Super Q cab.
- 1993: New Holland Launches SuperSteer for Genesis 70 series tractors
- 1998: New Holland extends its offering with planters following the acquisition of Flexi-Coil.
- 1998: New Holland introduces its first telehandler.
- 1999: New Holland launches its Precision Land Management (PLM) solutions.
- 2006: Clean Energy Leader strategy launched.
- 2007: New Holland approves 100% Biodiesel for its entire engine range.
- 2010: La Bellotta Farm in Italy is selected as the first Energy Independent Farm.
- 2014: New Holland extends its offering of self-propelled sprayers following the acquisition of Miller.
- 2014: CR10.90 sets a new Guinness World Record for tonnes of wheat harvested in 8 hours.
- 2016: First autonomous concept NHDrive tractor is presented.
- 2017: New Holland extends haytool and tillage offerings following the acquisition of Kongskilde
- 2019: New Holland launches the world’s first production 100% methane powered tractor.
