FELLA celebrates its 95th anniversary

As a medium-sized, Franconian company in the agricultural technology sector, FELLA-Werke GmbH of Feucht near Nuremberg can look back over 95 years of history. Since it began in 1918, FELLA has developed into a specialist in green forage harvesting, and since 2011, has been pleased to be the European centre of excellence for mower units, hay tedders and rakes as part of the AGCO Group, driving forward the specialisation of harvest technology for AGCO as a high-performance, customer-orientated partner thanks to its "Made in Germany" quality.

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On 9th February 1918, the company "Bayrische Eggenfabrik AG" was founded in Feucht. The brand name FELLA, however, only came about three years later, in 1921, and was probably derived from the Egyptian word "Fellache" (meaning farmer or farmhand).

Under the direction of its first director, Albert Löffler, the Feucht harrow factory purposefully extended its range of products. Thus in 1923, for example, ploughs and front carriages were added to the production programme.

In 1932, grass mowers, reaper-binders and hay tedders were incorporated into the product portfolio, which was an important cornerstone for the specialisation in green forage harvesting that we know today.

As early as 1953, the predecessor of the current "FELLA effective conditioner" came onto the market – the FELLA PTO grass tedder. This new product, which laid the foundation for the company's current range of conditioners, was awarded the Große Bronzene Preismünze (great bronze medal) by the DLG (the German Agricultural Association). A year later, Jupiter, the first self-powered combine harvester, was introduced. With it, all types of corn, including corn for storage, could be harvested and threshed with ease.

Rakes, the latest product group of the machines marketed by FELLA today, were added to the product range in 1968.

From 1980 onwards, FELLA-Werke shifted its focus to the development and production of tedders. In 1997, an entirely new concept of assembly was started – four self-controlling factories within the company. Following this concept, one foreman and one manager each are responsible for the employees and oversee the production in accordance with the instructions from the factory management. In 1999, FELLA received the International Best Factory Award for this concept.

As a result, around 2000, FELLA, among other things, invested in new buildings, such as a large assembly hall measuring 3200 m² and a modern administrative building with training room. A new centre for spare parts and customer service also opened its doors in 2003.

In 2004, due to the takeover by the Italian agricultural technology group ARGO, FELLA became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Laverda, and in 2007, through the joint venture between ARGO and AGCO, in which each had a 50% share, FELLA became part of both companies.

In early 2011, FELLA-Werke GmbH was taken over in full by AGCO and has since then been the group's European centre for green forage harvesting.

The forage harvesting specialist can look back with pride over a 95-year history of success and is already looking forward to its grand 100th anniversary in 2018.

Dagmar von der Linden
Manager Marketing and Communication
Tel.: +49 (0)9128 73-297
Fax: +49 (0)9128 73-117
E-mail: [email protected]