by Richard Bishop, Contributor to Forbes magazine
AGCO Corporation and Trimble recently announced the completion of their joint venture (JV) transaction. Known as PTx Trimble, the JV combines Trimble’s precision agriculture business and AGCO’s JCA Technologies to form a new company that they say will better serve farmers with factory fit and retrofit applications in the mixed-fleet precision agriculture market.
As AGCO puts it, the formation of PTx Trimble enhances their technology offerings around guidance, autonomy, precision spraying, connected farming, data management and sustainability. What does this mean for vehicle autonomy generally?
“Farmers worldwide need technologies that support them to be more productive and profitable while minimizing the environmental impact of their operations,” said Eric Hansotia, AGCO’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “PTx Trimble will provide farmers greater access to next-generation precision ag tools, no matter what brands of tractors and implements they operate.”
“Farmers are the real winners here,” said Rob Painter, Trimble’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “By combining our expertise and resources through this JV, we aim to accelerate the pace of innovation. With a focus on open technologies, customers will benefit from tech solutions available to farmers across a broad range of tractor and implement brands.”
PTx will be the new brand representing AGCO’s precision ag portfolio and will execute on three go-to-market approaches. Specialized precision ag dealers will help farmers retrofit almost any make or vintage of equipment they already own with the latest technologies. PTx will also expand its relationships with OEM partners that can integrate products from the PTx portfolio directly at the factory. Similarly, new machines from AGCO’s leading brands – Fendt, Massey Ferguson and Valtra – will also offer factory-fit technology from the PTx portfolio.
Seth Crawford, Senior Vice President and General Manager PTx, will lead the new organization as a mixed-fleet precision ag platform serving farmers globally.
“We believe technology should give farmers the flexibility to work their way across brands and throughout the crop cycle,” said Crawford. “Through the PTx portfolio offerings within Precision Planting and PTx Trimble, we’ll provide seamlessly compatible, powerfully simple precision ag solutions. We know farming is easier when platforms speak to each other – and when those systems are designed and supported by experts who understand farmers. That’s what PTx is promising our customers around the world.”
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