At the end of 1966 the factory was moved to a new and modern factory of 6,000 m 2 at Farverland in Glostrup. Turnover was now more than DKK 8 mill.

Transcription

1 957 Company start Farming was during the 3 s and 4 s developing from manual work, using horses as the main power, to mechanisation with investments in tractors and implements as well as accelerated use of fertilizer and chemicals to get a more efficient production. A typical farm in Denmark in 957 could feed app. 9 persons. These figures would increase drastically over the next 5 years as a result of the vast change of farming habits. Hartvig Jensen & Co. was founded and became a registered limited company on August 7, 957. The shareholders of the company were Hartvig Jensen, Ove Fuglsang and Niels E. Rasmussen. The strategy the company was built on was each farmer his own sprayer, and a factory was built at Sydvestvej in Glostrup. The first products The initial idea for Hartvig Jensen & Co. was to develop a simple, durable sprayer and utilize a diaphragm pump operated directly from the tractor s PTO shaft. HARDI was the first company in the world to introduce sprayers with this type of pump. The new pump was so strong that the warranty period was three years which was absolutely unheard at that time. The pump range consisted of two models the 2 and 3 model. The tank looked like a red painted steel drum available in three sizes: 3, 4 and 5 litres. Boom sizes were 5, 6 and metres. At the end of 966 the factory was moved to a new and modern factory of 6, m 2 at Farverland in Glostrup. was now more than DKK mill. Export Export to UK started in 959 and to Sweden in 96. Sales to Germany and Holland started in 962. Already in 965 the export to Australia was initiated. Average size of typical Danish farm was 6 ha Average yield in wheat in Denmark was 37 hkg/ha with the use of 4 kg N/ha 6 25, persons were employed on the farms in 4 Denmark Petrol and diesel tractors, pulled combines were getting common, and ploughs as well as other implements grew in size as the pulling power was increased from the tractor. Rome treaty was signed - the start of the EU and Sputnik was launched (957), Cold War, First nuclear power plant in US (95), Kennedy murdered (963), Cultural Revolution in China (966). Elvis Presley, Charlie Parker

2 957 Expansion Hartvig Jensen & Co. became more and more successful, and new products and markets were added. The number of staff both in Denmark and abroad continued to increase. The customers were impressed by the robust HARDI sprayers, and three-shift in production as well as weekend shifts were introduced to overcome the increased demand. SVENSKA HARDI was founded as the first HARDI subsidiary in 967. The product range was in the late 6 s expanded also to include trailers as a, litre trailer named TR was introduced. Later on the trailed range was expanded to TRV 5 and TRV 2. Booms were up to 6 metres. From 97 all tanks were made in polyethylene. The Farverland factory was extended to, m 2. Market Denmark had more than 2, dealers, and a corporation with SHELL DK was important for the sales and service in Denmark. Export grew to 6% of the company s turnover. The demand kept on increasing, and another factory in Glostrup of 5, m 2 was built in 97 - a few hundred metres from the main factory at Farverland. In 97 Rasmus Sigvardt Maskinfabrik at Falster was acquired a company producing mistblowers. The mistblower production was in 974 moved to a new 5, m 2 factory building in Nørre Alslev. The factory became quickly too small and was extended step by step. Logo was changed in 974. Average size of typical Danish farm was 3 ha (+% in one decade) Average yield in wheat in Denmark was 42 hkg/ha with the use of kg N/ha 6 73, persons were employed directly on the Self-propelled combines. Investments in comfort on the machines started to take place. Ploughs with more than 2 furrows and with break-back as protection for stones. First man on the moon (969), First micro processors in use, Denmark joins the common market (972), Oil crisis (973), Vietnam war ends (975). Bob Marly ABBA

3 957 Complete product range The constant change in farming and in the business environment in general started a new era at HARDI. More focus on product development and manufacturing processes, administration, business systems (IT), and internationalisation of the sales and marketing was implemented. New range of lift mounted and trailed sprayers - MX and TRX with BK controls and tanks up to 2,4 litre - were introduced in 97. With the RY-2 knapsack sprayer and the mistblowers, HARDI now had a complete product range. During the late 7 s electronics were introduced into farming. This was driven by an increased demand for easier and more precise control of the sprayers. Therefore, HARDI in 97 introduced the company s first electronic spray control - the HARDI TRONIC. in 97 was DKK 3 mill. Export rate was around %, and subsidiary companies were founded in Kenya (97), UK (979), Spain (9), France (9) and Canada (92). The Nørre Alslev factory was expanded to 26,m 2 in 979, and HARDI invested in the second welding robot introduced in Denmark. At the same time one of the first powder painting systems was installed in Nørre Alslev. Marketing became more professional with sales through: information, exhibition, demonstration, education and collaboration. Brochures in many languages and sales staff uniform were introduced. Auditorium and a,4m 2 showroom was built in Nørre Alslev during this period. In 96 HARDI received King Frederik the lx export award as a result of the company s strong export efforts. Average size of typical Danish farm was 43 ha (+43% in one decade) Average yield in wheat in Denmark was 47 hkg/ha 6 with the use of 25 kg N/ha 2, persons were employed directly on the Cabin mounted on almost all tractors and 4WD for handling the bigger implements. Power harrows and mechanized implements were introduced. Micro computers (97), Broad band technology (9), Invention of the CD (9), Falkland war (92), Tjernobyl melted down and Challenger disaster (96). Miles Davis Bruce Springsteen

4 957 New brands in the Group To expand and penetrate markets even more significantly, HARDI invested in products and new brands by acquiring: EVRARD (97) ILEMO (9) HARDI products as MASTER, MEGA and METPOLE were developed during this period, and the field sprayer model range was now available from 2 to 3,5 litres. HARDI introduced the unique TWIN concept (99). COMMANDER trailed series was introduced (994). ALPHA self-propelled series was launched (995). METEOR trailer series (997). The company name changed to HARDI INTERNATIONAL A/S (99). A subsidiary in Norway was included (9). was the highest ever - DKK 6 mill. (99), and new Group head office and component factory in Taastrup was built. Recession (99-993) due to farming restructuring, GATT negotiations and drought in Europe. The agricultural sector was calmed down in both Europe and USA. This had an impact on all farming investments and did also affect the result at HARDI. The market picked up and made time for expansion again. Cooper Pegler was brought into the Group (996), and an COOPER P E G L E R S P R A Y I N G T E C H N O L O G Y w w w. c o o p e r - p e g l e r. c o m Australian production company was established (996). Average size of typical Danish farm was 62 ha (+44% in one decade) Average yield in wheat in Denmark was 64 hkg/ha with the use of 4 kg N/ha 45, persons were employed directly on the Larger capacity is demanded, self-propelled sprayers are getting into the market, air-seeders and combination sets are becoming more common, structural development in the farming is closing a lot of small farms, extended use of winter crops due to EU legislation. Reunion of Eastern and Western Germany (99), First Golf war, Disintegration of the Soviet Union and Windows getting common (99), World Wide Web in function (993). Madonna Sting

5 957 `LHYZ Globalisation From being a privately owned company HARDI in 997 became part of a large conglomerate Group Cheminova Holding later named Auriga Industries A/S. Launch of New COMMANDER trailed sprayer (25). Launch of the intelligent sprayer COMMANDER i (25-) and launch of the largest mass produced trailed sprayer COMMANDER 9 (-). RANGER was launched (-). Launch of new medium range trailer, NAVIGATOR () - HARDI has a complete global trailed product line with same design idea Functional design. Manufacturing factory in Australia was established (996). The Australian market was consolidated by taking over the successful 5 importers activities creating one strong unit in Australia (22). The world s largest producer of aluminium booms, Pommier, was acquired (999). New painting facilities at the Nørre Alslev factory. Consolidation of production facilities with Nørre Alslev as the main plant of the Group. Restructuring of the production to large complex trailed sprayers including final test. Shared service centres for Scandinavia, Germany, Austria, Poland and UK were introduced. 7 International The COMMANDER concept receives more than 7 product awards (25-). Awards New COMMANDER AGRITECHNICA / D AGROMEK / DK 3ILV E AGRITECHNICA / D R 3)-! )../6!4)/.!7!2$3 AGROMEK / DK SIMA / F Functional design FIMA / E SANT MIQUEL / E FIMA 25 / E SIA / F Aust Machine NAB Best Best Aust Best Aust Machine of the Year New ReleaseAgri Machine Agri Machine of the Year Elmore Eyre Peninsula Tractor& Machinery Dowerin Assoc of Aust Henty Machinery HARDI - Your Sprayer Specialist HIA-MARKETING HIA / Aus Outsourcing of production of plastic and machining processes (-) to achieve flexible capacity and lower capacity costs. Average size of typical Danish farm is ha (+63% in one decade) Average yield in wheat in Denmark is 75 hkg/ha with the use of kg N/ha 35. persons employed directly on the farms in Denmark Precision farming is taking form, electronics on nearly all agricultural machines, GM crops (generic modified) are becoming more common and minimum tillage growing in popularity. IT bubble bursts (2), World Trade Centre (2), First approved preparation to gene therapy and American forces goes into Iraq (23) EU 25 (24). Robbie Williams Diana Krall 997- The COMMANDER plus was introduced, the lift mounted sprayer MASTER was updated. These products were now the most significant HARDI products.