7 F o c u s ment, we invested accordingly in new technology again this year. ‹F›: In what areas – engine, powertrain, etc. – do you globally work together with AVL? ‹Richenhagen›: We collaborate with AVL in all of the relevant fields such as engine and powertrain. ‹F›: AVL is heavily involved in transmission development. What role do modern automatic transmission systems play in tractors or combine harvesters? Are there any trends? ‹Richenhagen›: In this respect, we’ve been setting the trend for years, and were first movers in CVT transmissions. ‹F›: You have many different brands in your portfolio: Challenger®, Massey Ferguson®, Fendt® und Valtra®. Are technologies developed jointly for several brands? Or are there certain technologies which help to distinguish the brands from each other? ‹Richenhagen›: Our core brands are uniquely positioned and clearly distinguished, but we attach great importance to using the same components. ‹F›: Do you also engage in business activities in growth markets like India, China or Brazil? How do the demands there differ? Do these customers require simpler and thus more cost-efficient technology? ‹Richenhagen›: In the BRIC regions, the situation varies, but over a certain period of time the standards will ultimately be the same the world over. ‹F›: Is there such a thing as a highend market for agricultural machinery, where people demand no less than the latest technologies where cost plays a minor role? ‹Richenhagen›: Yes there is. These are the professional farmers who base their purchase decision primarily on ROIC (note: return on invested capital) and the costs over the entire life cycle. ‹F›: What do you think are the biggest challenges facing a globally active agricultural equipment manufacturer? ‹Richenhagen›: The challenge we face is to help farmers make advances in productivity by offering them intelligent technology, as they try to meet sharply rising demand for food and renewable energies. ‹F›: All over the world, there is a lack of good engineers while the technical demands on the tractor, and, consequently, on the development team are on the rise. What do you tell young people in order to get them interested in agricultural engineering? ‹Richenhagen›: Our industry is currently experiencing a major surge in growth, and over the next few decades the demand will continue to be much higher than the supply. AGCO and its brands are global technology market leaders with 2,500 development engineers in all of the relevant markets. AGCO’s vision makes jobs for well-trained young people very attractive and our internal human resources development program is really great. < > AGCO offers a broad variety of products through more than 3,100 dealers in more than 140 countries.
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