McCormick Doncaster Factory has storied history

The Doncaster home of McCormick Tractors International Ltd has a reputation for producing quality products - and has numerous awards to prove it.

In 1999, when the plant celebrated 50 years of tractor production, it was awarded international quality certification QS-9000 from Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance.

"This was the most significant in a long line of honours to have been won by the plant and its workforce," says Roger Purdy, plant manager at the time and now McCormick’s managing director. "It was the first major tractor assembly plant in the world to receive this award and reflected a magnificent effort on the part of our quality engineers."

The factory, a distinctive landmark on Wheatley Hall Road, was built by International Harvester Company in 1938. It began full-scale assembly of farm implements after the Second World War during which it was requisitioned for munitions manufacture. When tractor production started in 1949, it was under the McCormick International banner with the Farmall Model BM.

Remarkably, the very first production model off the assembly line recently returned to the plant to take a place of honour in a display of historic tractors related to the plant and its previous owners.

There have been many changes at the factory in its long history, perhaps the most significant being the recent $16m refit by Case Corporation. This provided an all-new assembly line, new cab dressing and computerised test facilities, and an automated test centre at the end of the assembly line. This performs key function and quality checks on tractor transmissions, hydraulics and electrical systems.

As a result, McCormick Tractors International inherits a manufacturing facility widely recognised as one of the most efficient and cost-effective in the industry.

For the next two years at least, McCormick's manufacturing operations will have two strands:

• Making tractors carrying the McCormick name for sale within and beyond Europe through a new McCormick distribution network.
• Supplying CNH Global NV with tractors for sale through Case-IH dealers.

"The contract manufacturing agreement with CNH Global will maintain production volumes and efficiencies of scale while the McCormick range is established," notes Roger Purdy. "It also demonstrates CNH Global's continued confidence in the ability of this plant to produce high quality tractors at economic cost."

It will also enable the plant to continue making a valuable contribution to Britain’s positive balance of trade in agricultural tractors and engines for tractors which, in 1998 and 1999 respectively amounted to 1027m (GBP) and 781.5m (GBP).

Based on past performance, McCormick Tractors International expects some 80% of production to sell into export markets around the world. Continental Europe and Scandinavia, North America, Australia and New Zealand, and the Far East will be among key destinations for its tractors.