Claas and Carraro plan closer cooperation
While developments at the mid, to higher end of the power scale tend to grab the attention of industry watchers with Claas and Carraro signing an agreement to further intensify cooperation between the companies.
Carraro think compact
While best known for their production of axles and transmissions, the Carraro Group has also been building tractors since 1958.
Rather than chase the ever-receding star of higher output tractors, the company has focused on producing smaller tractors suitable for orchard and vineyard work.
Far from being scaled-down siblings of more mainstream machines these smaller tractors are becoming more tightly adapted for the type of work they are engaged in.
A high power output, for instance, is essential for driving misters, while an airtight cab is required to keep the mist produced away from the operator – yet it sill has to fit between rows of vines.
Small but perfectly formed
Fitting these, and other requirements, into a compact package has become almost an art form and it is one which the major manufacturers are happy to leave to the Italian company.
Carraro’s tractors can be found beneath the liveries of Massey Ferguson, John Deere and Valtra. They are also sold under Carraro’s own name in certain countries.
Another customer is Claas, which sells the Italian tractors under the Nexos brand stretching from 75-112hp. Although this may overlap with the Axos range in terms of power, they are different animals altogether.
Industrial fusion
Despite this portfolio of competing customers Carrao has gone ahead with an agreement to move on from the standard OEM arrangement.
In a joint statement issued with Claas the companies say they “have now laid the foundation for further growth on both sides as part of a strategic agreement”.
“A clear short- to medium-term goal of our commitment is to increase sales and market share in the segments of special and compact tractors,” said Claas CEO Thomas Bock
“To achieve our goals, we are investing together in new developments, but also in competences and skills of our employees and know-how-transfers.”
While the emphasis is on the smaller tractors there is a clear indication that the companies will also be exchanging industrial know-how and manufacturing expertise as part of the agreement.
How this will play out with Carraro’s other customers is not known at present, but with a rival manufacturer snuggling up to an important supplier to a specialist market segment they may feel uncomfortable with the deal.
Specialisation requires cooperation
The are few surprises in Claas wanting to do this; they haven’t the financial clout or presence to forge ahead without heavy reliance on suppliers such as Carraro.
Claas note that the trend is for companies to become more focused on their core competencies. This automatically leads to a high share of external input in the finished product.
This is not unique to Claas and has been slightly less delicately termed ‘Innovation harvesting’ by one major rival.
Claas has experienced problems with suppliers before, and so wishing to bring trusted component makers more closely under its wing is an understandable move.
Axle and transmission production will also benefit from the sharing of their knowledge basis. Personnel from both sides will be exchanged for short periods to more deeply intagrate the design, manufacture and development teams.
The first fruits of this liaison are expected to be revealed at SIMA, which is to be held in Paris, France in early November.
