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Laverda (harvesters)
Encyclopedia
Laverda is a manufacturer of combine harvester
s and hay equipment, based in Breganze
, Italy
. It was founded in 1873 by Pietro Laverda to produce farming implements in the Province of Vicenza
. 1963 was the year the first self-propelled Laverda combine was manufactured, the M120. Laverda formed a partnership with Fiat
in 1981, and would be a part of that company for some 20 years. The Morra family's holding company
, ARGO SpA
, bought Laverda in 2000 as Fiat was merging its New Holland Ag group with Case IH
to form CNH Global
. In 2007, ARGO sold 50% of the Laverda business to AGCO
.
1905 Having moved to Breganze, to the place that was to remain the headquarters for more than seventy years, the company took on an industrial character with over 100 employees. The production catered to the needs of agriculture that was just becoming aware of mechanization: manual threshing machines, straw cutters, grain fans, wine presses, corn shellers, etc.
1919 At the end of the First World War and with the arms industry phase having been brought to a close, activities were fully resumed with the collaboration of Pietro Laverda’s sons, Giovanni and Antonio. New models were introduced amongst which the first patented hydraulic press.
1930 The young grandsons of the founder, Pietro Jr and G.Battista took over from Pietro Laverda Sr at the company’s helm.
1934 Laverda presented the first towed mowing machine to be made in Italy, model 48 A.
1938 This was the year that reaper-binder ML6 was presented, the first Italian model, forerunner of
a series of machines that was to influence Italian grain cultivation for decades. It was with this machine that Laverda entered the harvesting machine sector.
1947 The first self-propelled mower was produced in the Breganze plant.
1956 Laverda designed and built the first Italian self-propelled combine harvester, the M 60 model.
1963 This was the year in which the M 120 combine harvester was created. By now, the company had over 1000 employees divided amongst three production divisions.
1967 Laverda entered the market of large forage harvesting machines with the AFC 110 self propelled mower, followed by the even larger AFC 150 model.
1971 Production of the M 100 AL began. This was the first combine harvester in the world to be equipped with a crosswise and longitudinal Self-levelling system.
1973 The company celebrated its hundredth anniversary, emphasized by the significant slogan “Laverda: from the time the hand became machine ”. This was also the year of the TA 150 forage harvester
, with heads able to harvest maize, forage and grain crops.
1975 New combine range: models M 92, M 112, M 132 and M 152.
1981 At a time of intensive development, the company built a new plant in Breganze and started a partnership with Fiat group doomed to last 20 years.The modern production lines in this new facility spawned the M 182, the first model to be equipped with electronically controlled functions.
1983 Laverda proceeded by developing new models, beginning with the 3000 Series.
1992 Laverda proposed and developed the “levelling system”, specifically designed for combines working on sloping ground, and the MCS (Multi Crop Separator) system for separating the product. The number of combines produced now exceeded 50,000.
2000-01 The Breganze plant was taken over by Argo SpA, the holding company belonging to the Morra family, owner of Landini trademark and company. The new owners forcefully relaunched Laverda’s historic trademark on the market with a new range of combines, big balers and round balers.
2002-03 Laverda presented the new LXE Series, M Series and the new Self-levelling combine Series.
2004 Acquisition of the Fella-Werke
plant and trademark. Launch of the REV Series for the 2004-2005 sales campaign.
2005 The year got off to a good start with a shareholding agreement with Gallignani SpA, an important manufacturer of pick-up balers.
2006 It was the year of the new LCS Laverda Crop System Series.
2007 Argo SpA officially announced the establishment of a 50% joint venture between Laverda SpA and AGCO Corporation, based in Duluth (Georgia), a major worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment. Laverda has been operating since 2004 in close partnership with AGCO supplying the corporation with its combines declined in the Massey Ferguson, Fendt and Challenger brands.
2011 AGCO purchased the remaining 50% of the shares of Laverda and Fella.
Combine harvester
The combine harvester, or simply combine, is a machine that harvests grain crops. The name derives from the fact that it combines three separate operations, reaping, threshing, and winnowing, into a single process. Among the crops harvested with a combine are wheat, oats, rye, barley, corn ,...
s and hay equipment, based in Breganze
Breganze
Breganze is a town in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy. It is northeast of Via Roma. During World War II, the Germans were on one side of the river and the Allies were on the other, and a firefight occurred across the river.-Breganze DOC:...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It was founded in 1873 by Pietro Laverda to produce farming implements in the Province of Vicenza
Vicenza
Vicenza , a city in north-eastern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione...
. 1963 was the year the first self-propelled Laverda combine was manufactured, the M120. Laverda formed a partnership with Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
in 1981, and would be a part of that company for some 20 years. The Morra family's holding company
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
, ARGO SpA
ARGO SpA
ARGO SpA is a family-owned Italian holding company owned by the Morra family that manufactures agricultural equipment.-History and Growth:It was founded by Valerio Morra in 1980 with his purchase of MBS Spa. In 1987, ARGO purchased Pegoraro Spa of Vicenza. Sixty-six percent of Landini was purchased...
, bought Laverda in 2000 as Fiat was merging its New Holland Ag group with Case IH
Case IH
Case IH is an American mechanical company, one of the world’s largest brands of agricultural equipment. With headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin, it has a network of more than 4,000 dealers and distributors that operates in more than 160 countries...
to form CNH Global
CNH Global
CNH Global N.V. is a global, full line company operating in both the agricultural and construction equipment industries. CNH's scope includes integrated engineering, manufacturing, marketing and distribution of equipment on five continents...
. In 2007, ARGO sold 50% of the Laverda business to AGCO
AGCO
AGCO is an agricultural equipment manufacturer based in Duluth, Georgia, USA. As a leading global manufacturer of agricultural equipment, AGCO offers a full line of tractors, combines, hay tools, sprayers, forage and tillage equipment, which are distributed through more than 2,700 independent...
.
History
1873 Pietro Laverda established “Ditta Pietro Laverda”, the first craftsman’s workshop that produced farming implements, wine-making machines and bell-tower clocks in S.Giorgio di Perlena, in the Province of Vicenza.1905 Having moved to Breganze, to the place that was to remain the headquarters for more than seventy years, the company took on an industrial character with over 100 employees. The production catered to the needs of agriculture that was just becoming aware of mechanization: manual threshing machines, straw cutters, grain fans, wine presses, corn shellers, etc.
1919 At the end of the First World War and with the arms industry phase having been brought to a close, activities were fully resumed with the collaboration of Pietro Laverda’s sons, Giovanni and Antonio. New models were introduced amongst which the first patented hydraulic press.
1930 The young grandsons of the founder, Pietro Jr and G.Battista took over from Pietro Laverda Sr at the company’s helm.
1934 Laverda presented the first towed mowing machine to be made in Italy, model 48 A.
1938 This was the year that reaper-binder ML6 was presented, the first Italian model, forerunner of
a series of machines that was to influence Italian grain cultivation for decades. It was with this machine that Laverda entered the harvesting machine sector.
1947 The first self-propelled mower was produced in the Breganze plant.
1956 Laverda designed and built the first Italian self-propelled combine harvester, the M 60 model.
1963 This was the year in which the M 120 combine harvester was created. By now, the company had over 1000 employees divided amongst three production divisions.
1967 Laverda entered the market of large forage harvesting machines with the AFC 110 self propelled mower, followed by the even larger AFC 150 model.
1971 Production of the M 100 AL began. This was the first combine harvester in the world to be equipped with a crosswise and longitudinal Self-levelling system.
1973 The company celebrated its hundredth anniversary, emphasized by the significant slogan “Laverda: from the time the hand became machine ”. This was also the year of the TA 150 forage harvester
Forage harvester
A forage harvester is a farm implement that harvests forage plants to make silage. Silage is grass, corn or other plant that has been chopped into small pieces, and compacted together in a storage silo, silage bunker, or in silage bags. The silage is then fermented to provide feed for livestock...
, with heads able to harvest maize, forage and grain crops.
1975 New combine range: models M 92, M 112, M 132 and M 152.
1981 At a time of intensive development, the company built a new plant in Breganze and started a partnership with Fiat group doomed to last 20 years.The modern production lines in this new facility spawned the M 182, the first model to be equipped with electronically controlled functions.
1983 Laverda proceeded by developing new models, beginning with the 3000 Series.
1992 Laverda proposed and developed the “levelling system”, specifically designed for combines working on sloping ground, and the MCS (Multi Crop Separator) system for separating the product. The number of combines produced now exceeded 50,000.
2000-01 The Breganze plant was taken over by Argo SpA, the holding company belonging to the Morra family, owner of Landini trademark and company. The new owners forcefully relaunched Laverda’s historic trademark on the market with a new range of combines, big balers and round balers.
2002-03 Laverda presented the new LXE Series, M Series and the new Self-levelling combine Series.
2004 Acquisition of the Fella-Werke
Fella-Werke
Fella-Werke GmbH is a German forage harvesting company based in Feucht, Germany; . It was established in 1918 as a harrow manufacturing company, but since then has been through a lot of changes....
plant and trademark. Launch of the REV Series for the 2004-2005 sales campaign.
2005 The year got off to a good start with a shareholding agreement with Gallignani SpA, an important manufacturer of pick-up balers.
2006 It was the year of the new LCS Laverda Crop System Series.
2007 Argo SpA officially announced the establishment of a 50% joint venture between Laverda SpA and AGCO Corporation, based in Duluth (Georgia), a major worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment. Laverda has been operating since 2004 in close partnership with AGCO supplying the corporation with its combines declined in the Massey Ferguson, Fendt and Challenger brands.
2011 AGCO purchased the remaining 50% of the shares of Laverda and Fella.
Product Range
- M Series SPECIAL POWER
- M Series SPECIAL POWER Rice
- M Series SPECIAL POWER Levelling System
- LCS Series
- LCS Levelling System Series
- Rev Series
- Self-levelling Series