AGCO, Your Agriculture Company (NYSE:AGCO) (www.AGCOcorp.com), a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment and solutions, has announced a realignment of its regional structure which will see an increase in its on-the-ground presence in Africa and a further expansion of the Company’s significant operations on the Continent.

Effective 1 January 2017, AGCO will restructure its Asia Pacific region to include Africa.  “With this new move, the realigned Asia Pacific and Africa (APA) region will be strongly positioned to leverage the synergies of similar market dynamics in the two territories,” says Gary Collar, newly-appointed AGCO Senior Vice President and General Manager, APA. “Among these key synergies are the emergence of a growing smallholder farmer segment, product and application similarities, shared consumer finance patterns and growing trade between the two regions.”

Mr Collar has been responsible for all AGCO’s activities in the Asia Pacific region, which includes China, India, the Far East, Australia and New Zealand, since January 2012. He brings wide experience and in-depth knowledge of the African market to his expanded role having previously held the position as AGCO Senior Vice President and General Manager Europe/Africa/Middle East for 7 years.

Reporting to Mr Collar, the AGCO Africa team will be led by Nuradin Osman who has been promoted to Vice President and General Manager Africa. To support the realignment and further boost service to customers and distributors, AGCO is to open a new regional headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa in early 2017 and a new Future Farm in French-speaking West Africa. These initiatives will complement AGCO’s existing parts distribution operation and training center in South Africa and Future Farm in Zambia.

Commenting, Nuradin Osman said: “The new regional structure will build on the significant progress that AGCO has made over recent years and further drive our customer service and business growth in Africa.”

Mr Osman has been with AGCO for 12 years and has a solid track record in growing the Company’s business in Africa. Prior to this new appointment, he was AGCO Director of Operations Africa and Middle East. He is a proven thought leader in Africa and instrumental in raising the profile of key issues such as the significance of mechanization, protein production and post-harvest storage solutions in strengthening the African agricultural sector. Mr Osman will have overall responsibility for all AGCO companies and brands in Africa with the exception of AGCO’s manufacturing operation in Algeria which is subject to a separate Joint Venture. 

“Our core farm equipment Brands which include Challenger, Fendt, GSI, Massey Ferguson and Valtra are playing a critical role providing sustainable and inclusive mechanization solutions to boost the development of agricultural productivity on the African continent,” Mr Osman adds. “Our full line of mechanization, grain storage, seed processing and protein solutions support the complete spectrum of farmers from the emerging sector through to large, professional agribusinesses. As a result of continued investment in product, people, facilities and capacity-building, AGCO’s net sales have grown significantly on the continent in the past six years.”