Valtra builds 500,000th tractor

On 15 September, the Suolahti tractor factory manufactured its 500,000th Valtra tractor. The lucky owners of this red T190 model are Gilles Quetu and Bruno Renckert, who together grow wheat, oil plants, vegetable and grass seeds, as well as rose hips, on their 260-hectare farm. With one T190 already serving the farm, an M130 is also on its way.

Tractors Made in Finland and Brazil Some 52 years ago, Valtra, or Valmet as it was then known, began to manufacture tractors in its Tourula factory in Central Finland. In 1969, the factory moved to Suolahti, around 45 km north of Tourula, and now turns out around 10,000 tractors a year. It is also worth noting that the Linnavuori engine factory has always formed an integral part of the company.

In 1960, Valmet, then a small tractor manufacturer, ventured to establish a plant in Brazil, which proved a wise move considering that the Brazilian plant's annual output now comes to around 9,000 tractors.

Valtra Inc. has completed its extension project on its Suolahti factory's assembly plant, the related investment of more than EUR 11.5 million enabling the company to raise the plant's annual production capacity to 12,000 tractors. The new 183-metre production line became 57 metres longer while its extension, totalling 5,000 square meters, increased the plant's surface area to more than four hectares.

The largest-scale investment implemented for the transmission plant includes a flexible manufacturing system featuring two machining centres, a palette washing machine and an automated warehouse system for 24 machining palettes and 102 pallets. As an investment, layout changes in heavy-duty transmission assembly will also pave the way for a smoother production process. These investments will enable a daily output of 70 tractors.

Valtra has manufactured more than 500,000 tractors, an estimated 300,000 of which are still in service. Today, Valtra holds the leading position in Northern Europe and comes second in Latin America. With Valtra's market share growing rapidly in North America, Australia and Central Europe, we will not have to wait another 50 years to see the millionth Valtra tractor.