Massey Ferguson has been presented with France’s prestigious Foreign Exporter award (Le prix de L’Exportateur Etranger).

The award recognises the major contribution that the Beauvais Tractor Manufacturing Facility in Picardy makes to the country’s economy and cites the plant as a leading example of a foreign company established and investing in France.


© Fotagora - Olivier Boucherat. Left to right: Thierry Lhotte, Laurent Pernin, Richard Markwell, Boussad Bouaouli and Eric Odièvre proudly received the BFM Business Award as Best Foreign Exporter in France

The Export Grand Prix Awards are organised by BFM Business, France’s Economics TV and Radio news channel. In selecting the Foreign Exporter award-winner, the jury looks for a foreign company with significant activity in France, a strong record in new product launches and a recognised Brand in its sector. Key partner of the awards event and a member of the judging panel is Business France, a French government agency which helps businesses in France to boost their exports.

At the Grand Prix ceremony in Paris, Muriel Pénicaud from Business France presented the Foreign Exporter prize to Massey Ferguson’s Richard Markwell, Vice-President and Managing Director Europe/Africa/Middle East.

Operated by Massey Ferguson’s parent company, AGCO, which is headquartered in Duluth in the United States, the Beauvais site designs and manufactures Massey Ferguson tractors from 80-400hp. It is France’s largest producer and exporter of farm machinery. Some 14,500 tractors leave the assembly lines each year, 85% of which are shipped to markets all over the world. In the last 12 months, four new MF tractor ranges built at the plant have been unveiled for global markets.

“We are thrilled and honoured to win this coveted award,” says Richard Markwell. “It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our 2500-strong workforce at Beauvais and the global strength of the Massey Ferguson Brand. The Brand has universal appeal and farmers in all parts of the world are choosing our agricultural equipment to help run their businesses.”

“AGCO continues to make major investments in the Beauvais facility and we are renowned as a global centre of innovation, engineering and manufacturing excellence,” he remarks. "Our manufacturing expertise and agility coupled with our wide-ranging, high-quality product line ensures we stay ahead of competitors, meet our customers’ expectations and continue to maintain our lead as France’s number one producer and exporter of farm equipment.”