At the tractor and agricultural machinery manufacturer the temporary shutdown assembly lines are restarting this week at the German AGCO locations Marktoberdorf, Asbach-Bäumenheim, Waldstetten and Hohenmölsen.
Corona: AGCO/Fendt is restarting the production this week with extensive safety measures
At the tractor and agricultural machinery manufacturer the temporary shutdown assembly lines are restarting this week at the German AGCO locations Marktoberdorf, Asbach-Bäumenheim, Waldstetten and Hohenmölsen.
This is possible because important suppliers in Europe and worldwide are now delivering parts again on schedule and reliably after an interruption of several weeks due to corona. After intensive discussions between the management, works council, company physicians, health management and the occupational safety officers numerous measures for the protection of Fendt employees at the assembly lines, the parts production and in the offices have been implemented.
Christoph Gröblinghoff, chairman at AGCO/Fendt management: “We are very pleased that the supply chains are intact again and that our highly motivated Fendt team can get back to work in a concentrated manner. This week the assembly lines with high daily production rates are starting again. The changeover of the tractor assembly to a two-shift model is protecting our employees and it also brings, together with other measures, additional production capacities to work up the backlog partly or if necessary completely. This enables us to deliver the ordered Fendt tractors and Fendt Full-Line machines to our customers via the Fendt sales partners as soon as possible and contribute to securing the food production that is classified as system relevant.”
Extensive safety measures implemented at the AGCO/Fendt locations for the protection against Corona infections
At the transmission and tractor factory in Marktoberdorf, the switch to a two-shift model on the assembly line provides greater protection for the employees and at the same time additional production capacity for reducing the production backlog. In a few areas where the safety distance cannot be maintained despite two-shift operation, the wearing of mouth-nose protection masks will be made mandatory.
Extensive risk analyses were also carried out in all other areas of the company and appropriate measures implemented. In the offices for example the rolling presence models with Homeoffice will be continued wherever possible. Through the rearrangement of desks, the setting up of plexiglass panels and the limitation of participants in the numerous meeting and social rooms the compliance of the minimum distance of 1,5 meters is also possible. Furthermore many measures for the intensive hand and surface hygiene at the work space have been implemented. Additional disinfectant dispensers are available in the bath and social rooms. In addition, there will be significantly expanded disinfection and cleaning plans in all buildings and areas of AGCO sites in Germany.
AGCO/Fendt location Bäumenheim supports emergency services with self-produced face shields from the 3-D printer
The factory manager Thorsten Miethe and the employees at the European AGCO competence center for Fendt comfort cabins at the location Asbach-Bäumenheim are producing so called “Face Shields” from the 3-D printer since the beginning of April. Fendt is providing the emergengy service of the Bavarian Red Cross in Nordschwaben and other medical facilities with face protection shields free of charge. “The feedback so far is extremely positive. The medical personnel like to use them because they are light and comfortable to wear”, says factory manager Thorsten Miethe.
Boom for the digital communication in Corona times
For the teams of the worldwide Fendt distribution, the Fendt marketing as well as parts and services business trips are still reduced to a minimum. Nevertheless the Fendt experts are still in intensive contact with the sales and workshop employees of the sales partner. Nowadays this happens more and more over digital networks. There are numerous online trainings and video conferences in all languages and modern smart telephones with image transfer support the worldwide Fendt sales and service teams.
Christoph Gröblinghoff: “The Corona pandemic is a big challenge for all states, the economy and every single person. Agriculture and agribusiness is classified as “systemically relevant “as a guarantor for the supply of food and is finally once again experiencing significantly greater esteem among the population. With the famous Fendt spirit we are going to do everything possible to support our Fendt sales partner and our Fendt customers with modern and reliable technology.”
