This sale will allow the company Lely to focus completely on its Dairy department designing and developing milking robots and other innovations to increase effectiveness and conduct sustainable agricultural production while maintaining animal wellness at milk-producing farms.

An extensive experience in development of automated systems will help Lely to strengthen its position as a leader and supplier of innovative solutions for an international sector of manufacturers and for milk-producing farms. On the other hand, acquisition of the Forage Solutions department will allow AGCO Corporation to extend its range of machines for fodder harvesting.
Changes resulting from a situation in the market
Focusing previously on two departments, Dairy and Forage, the family company Lely operated in two completely different product categories and markets. Some time ago this prompted the company to consider reorganisation and a change in its strategy. An analysis conducted at that time showed that further successful operation would require the company to adapt to increasingly diversified requirements associated with individual target groups. This analysis resulted in a decision to concentrate Lely operations on design and development of robots and other innovative solutions for milk-producing farms. Mr Alexander van der Lely, General Director, explained that from now on the main objective of Lely would be to offer innovative solutions from the robotics field and systems for herd data management, as well as a system of sensors designated for milk-producing farms.
‘For last 15 years Lely operations associated with these groups of products were very successful, and forecasts for the future are good. Milking robots are not only innovative products in our range. We also developed other automated designs using robotics,’ says Mr van der Lely.
Machines for milk-producing farms will continue to be produced in Maassluis (The Netherlands), Pella (the U.S.) and Leer (Germany).
Mr Martin Richenhagen, General Director AGCO, emphasised an importance of acquiring the Lely department.
‘Integration of Lely solutions for roughage harvesting, belonging to the best in the sector, with our range will strengthen our cooperation with dealers and customers all over the world,’ says Mr Martin Richenhagen, General Director AGCO.