The Argo Tractors group is a family run industrial enterprise that designs, manufactures and markets tractors, services and components across the globe. The history of Argo Tractors reflect the desire to establish an internationally focused tractor sector enterprise, yet with firm roots in Italy and in particular in the technological skills and heritage of brands that have marked the fundamental milestones of agricultural mechanisation.
The history of Argo Tractors dates back to 1988, when two brothers, Valerio and Pierangelo Morra, decide to establish a company called Argo S.p.A. Their objective was to become a holding company of industrial and service companies for the Group enterprises. In that same year, Argo took over a company called Fort based in Luzzara (Reggio Emilia, Italy), operating in the agricultural machine manufacturing sector.
Landini, the epic Italian tractor brand
1994 was a year that marked a significant change, with the acquisition of the epic tractor brand Landini, based in Fabbrico (RE), which went on to become the Group’s headquarters.
In 1995 a company called Valpadana S.p.A., based in San Martino in Rio (RE) was incorporated within the Group, renowned for the manufacturing of specialised low and medium power tractors.
In 2000 the Argo Group made its mark on the combine harvester market with the acquisition of Laverda S.p.A. based in Breganze (VI), an Italian enterprise renowned at an international level. In the same year the Group also acquired the company called S.E.P., a renowned brand in the small agricultural mechanisation sector.
The international brand McCormick joins the Group
2001 represented another fundamental milestone, with a view to boosting its presence at an international level: Argo took over the epic tractor brand McCormick, together with the tractor manufacturing plants in the UK (Doncaster) and the gear factory in France (St. Dizier).
In line with its own mission focused on international growth, in 2004 the Argo Group acquired Fella-Werke Gmbh & Co. KG and the related commercial and industrial businesses through the subsidiary company Laverda S.p.A.
In 2005, again through the subsidiary Laverda, Argo acquired a 50% stake in Gallignani S.p.A., a leading enterprise in the sector of forage harvesting and packaging machines.
2007 was a year of many changes: the Group strengthened its harvesting sector with a joint venture with Agco Corporation, through the co-partnership of Laverda.
The founding of Argo Tractors S.p.A. and the Reggio Emilio district
In October of the same year, Landini and McCormick were incorporated into a single enterprise and the assembly of the McCormick tractors was transferred from Doncaster (UK) to Fabbrico (RE, Italy). This is how Argo Tractors S.p.A. was founded
Many important decisions were taken in 2010: the Argo Group focused its core business on agricultural tractors and disposed of its stake in Laverda S.p.A.
At the end of the same year, all the manufacturing of tractors returned to Italy, at the 3 production plants in Fabbrico, San Martino in Rio and Luzzara, all within the province of Reggio Emilia, Italy. The international expansion continued hand in hand with a valorisation of the high production standards, technical know-how and high specialisation achieved by the Reggio Emilio district.
In 2011 Valpadana, already an Argo group enterprise, was incorporated by Argo Tractors S.p.A., implementing its own synergies at a manufacturing, distribution and organisational level.
The years that followed are marked by a series of projects focused on the expansion and consolidation of the Group. In 2013 the Argo Tractors World Convention was held in the Paganini Auditorium in Parma, to share the new company development plans with the press, importers and dealers of the Landini, McCormick and Valpadana brand products.
130 Landini and Xtractor Around the World
In 2014 we celebrated the 130 year anniversary of the Landini brand, with an event open to the press: a Landini Series 7 underwent an Endurance test for 130 consecutive hours, driven by sector journalists on the Ciocco circuit in Lucca.
In 2015 the first edition of Xtractor Around the World took place: a docu-reality that follows the adventures of 4 tractors and camera cars over a distance of 8,500 km in 45 days on (and off) the roads in Australia. 3 years later, in 2018, the second edition was held in South Africa: 8,000 km covered in 50 days.
International expansion and the new branches
Recent years have seen the international expansion of Argo Tractors marked by a number of important milestones: 29 September 2017 saw the inauguration of the new sales facility of the Argo Tractors España branch, in Villamarciel (in Valladolid). Founded to market Landini and McCormick tractors throughout the whole of Spain, this new branch covers a total of 6 hectares and a roofed area of over 2,500 square metres. The facility has adequate space which is ideally equipped to carry out all the product and brand promotion activities on the territory, in addition to the technical and commercial training of the network.
2 years later, on 10 October 2019, the new Argo Tractors France branch facility was inaugurated in Vaulx-Milieu, Lyon. The facility comprises an evolved training centre capable of providing all the necessary support to the network and to accommodate special events to attract customers. The mission of the branch is to become a state-of-the-art operational facility dedicated to high performing products and services designed for modern agriculture.
For further information on our products and services
Watch the main milestones of our history:https://www.argotractors.com/as/history/