Member Article

New artwork is tribute to Coventry's tractor manufacturing legacy.

Coventry is to receive a new public artwork celebrating the contribution of the Banner Lane tractor manufacturing plant and workforce to the City’s heritage and global reputation as an industrial centre.

The new work is the gift of farm machinery manufacturer Massey Ferguson and its parent company AGCO. Crafted in bronze and granite, it is set to be unveiled at a special ceremony on Sunday 6 July at Bannerbrook Park in Tile Hill, the site of the former factory.

“This new artwork celebrates the production of over 3.3 million Ferguson and Massey Ferguson tractors at Banner Lane from 1946-2003,” explains Richard Markwell, Vice-President and Managing Director, Massey Ferguson, Europe, Africa, Middle East. “We are extremely proud of the legacy of the Banner Lane factory and the pioneering work of Harry Ferguson, which initially took us to the site. The creation of this prestigious new piece is a tribute to all those who worked there over a 60-year period. They helped drive the spirit and camaraderie of one of the world’s most famous farm machinery brands and laid the foundations for its ever-growing success today.”

Banner Lane was the largest tractor factory in the western world and, in further recognition of the Massey Ferguson legacy at the site, it is planned for a road to be named Ferguson Close while a new bridle path - Massey Ferguson Way – is scheduled to open in 2015.

AGCO fully vacated the Banner Lane site in 2006 and established its European Office facility at Abbey Park Stoneleigh, some eight miles away, where it employs 500 people.

July 6 has been chosen for the unveiling of the Massey Ferguson artwork as this marks the date that the first tractor, a Ferguson TE 20, left the assembly line 68 years ago. The ceremony starts at 11 am and will take place at Astoria Drive, Bannerbrook Park. Members of the public will be able to view the artwork following the ceremony. A small section of Astoria Drive will be closed from 9.00am to 1.00pm.

About AGCO:

AGCO (NYSE: AGCO) is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery. AGCO supports more productive farming through a full line of tractors, combines, hay tools, sprayers, forage equipment, grain storage and protein production systems, tillage implements and replacement parts. AGCO products are sold through five core machinery brands, Challenger®, Fendt®, GSI®, Massey Ferguson® and Valtra® and are distributed globally through approximately 3,100 independent dealers and distributors in more than 140 countries worldwide. Founded in 1990, AGCO is headquartered in Duluth, GA, USA. In 2013, AGCO had net sales of $10.8 billion. www.AGCOcorp.com

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Amandeep Garcha .