AGCO says it will invest $42 million over the next three years in infrastructure, increasing production capacity and efficiency as it expands its production facility in Jackson, Minn.
Eric Fisher, AGCO director of operations in Jackson, was joined by city of Jackson Mayor Wayne Walter in a groundbreaking ceremony at the site May 7, 2013, to mark the start of the facility improvement project.
The three-year endeavor is made up of seven phases affecting all areas of the campus, including component manufacturing, the tractor assembly line and the application equipment assembly line. Once completed, the expansion will create 75 additional permanent jobs at the facility, bringing the total number of employees to more than 1,200. The project will increase production capacity by 25 percent for both the tractor and sprayer assembly lines.
The first phase, scheduled to be complete fall 2013, includes a 30,000-square-foot expansion of the component manufacturing area, which will increase capacity by 20 percent and improve efficiency by reengineering the flow of materials to assembly stations. The installation of an additional robotic welder and a sheet laser will improve productivity and positively impact all equipment built in Jackson.
“This expansion builds on the excitement that began in 2011 when AGCO chose Jackson as the location where high-horsepower wheeled tractors for North America would be built,” says Fisher. “Continuing to invest here reinforces AGCO’s commitment to bringing our North American customers high-quality tractors and application equipment built how the customer wants them and delivered on time.”
Remaining phases include expanding the tractor assembly line for increased production capacity, an in-line paint system for the application assembly line, and cutting- edge testing capability of our finished products.