AGCO transmission facility expansion completed

AGCO Corporation, manufacturer and distributor of agricultural and precision ag technology, announced completion of the expansion of Valtra’s Suolahti (Finland) transmission plant. The expansion, which is part of Valtra’s $38 million investment project, adds thousands of square meters of new production space that will enable the production of new AGCO continuously variable transmissions (CVT) at the facility.

The first AGCO CVTs completed in Valtra’s expanded production facility in Suolahti, Finland. (Photo: Valtra/AGCO)

Currently, the factory produces gearboxes for the Valtra N and T Series tractors and supplies transmissions for the South American market and components for other AGCO production facilities. The introduction of the new Valtra Q and S Series gearbox test bench will facilitate the production of higher-performance tractors and meet growing customer demand.

“Our Suolahti plant plays a critical role in AGCO’s global manufacturing network for tractors and components,” said Tim Millwood, AGCO senior vice president, chief supply chain officer. “The completion of the CVT expansion in Suolahti enables us to meet the growing demand for not only AGCO CVT’s for Valtra but also AGCO’s other leading brands.”

The expansion was designed using a digital twin, a real-time virtual replica of the entire production facility, including machines, processes and workflows. This enabled the simulation of production efficiency, safety and worker ergonomics, which AGCO said allows production to start directly at the optimum level.

“This investment will allow us to double our transmission capacity and bring new expertise to the Valtra lineup of tractors,” said Kullervo Mansikkala, Transmission Plant manager. “We are improving the safety and working environment for our team through increased automation and precision machining, which will provide a cleaner and quieter workplace.”

The expansion is expected to create new job opportunities in Suolahti.