New Holland Agriculture is to launch worldwide the new CR11 combine harvester, thanks to significant investment in the brand’s factory in Zedelgem, Belgium.

The new machine gained recognition during its recent global unveiling at Agritechnica 2023, where it received the only Gold Medal assigned at the fair’s Innovation Awards. Praise was given to the CR11 for its potential to reduce harvesting time per hectare by up to 25%, and lower fuel consumption by around 20%. Along with a wider 15m cutting width that means fewer field passes are required.

The new combine was designed - and will be produced - at New Holland’s Center of Harvesting Excellence in Zedelgem, Belgium. To prepare for full production, the factory has undergone a complete assembly line renovation, thanks to government-supported company investments in modernisation. One of the main improvements is the introduction of automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) which have replaced the traditional assembly line, allowing more flexibility in the manufacturing process and the accommodation of machines with different characteristics, significantly improving efficiency.

The manufacturer also says that in keeping with their commitment to sustainability and better management of waste, new integrated oil filling stations improve production quality and minimise oil spillage risk when filling the machines with the fluids they require before leaving the production line. Visitors to Zedelgem can now observe the full process of that production line thanks to a new factory tour on offer, with complete visibility of the full manufacturing process.