Features Fruit Production
AGCO and Beeline join forces with satellite-based steering systems

AGCO Corporation has reached an
agreement with Beeline Technologies, Inc. to assume responsibility for
the assembly and distribution of the company’s popular satellite-based
steering systems.

AGCO Corporation has reached an agreement with Beeline Technologies, Inc. to assume responsibility for the assembly and distribution of the company’s popular satellite-based steering systems.

Currently, these systems are sold under the Auto-Guide™ brand by AGCO as original equipment (OEM) on high-horsepower agricultural tractors and application equipment, and by Beeline as an aftermarket installation under the Arro™ brand name.

Under the agreement, AGCO will provide distribution for both Original Equipment (OEM) and aftermarket sales in North America and on a worldwide basis through AGCO dealers.

Beeline Technologies will remain the core growth engine behind the Auto-Guide software. The Brisbane, Australia-based firm will continue to develop and integrate technologies for the Auto-Guide product line as a preferred strategic partner with AGCO.

Beeline Technologies was started in Australia by a group of farmers who recognized the potential for enhanced efficiency and productivity if global positioning satellites (GPS) could be used to steer tractors in a straight line. Doing so would eliminate skips and overlaps of between seven to 15 per cent, often resulting in misapplication of costly fertilizer, seed and other inputs, and wasting labour, fuel and equipment. It would also reduce operator fatigue and allow equipment to operate as efficiently at night and in low visibility situations as it does in daylight hours. Beeline was the first company to commercially market a GPS-based steering system. Their patented GPS/INS technology was another first in the industry.

AGCO’s Challenger brand was the first to offer the new technology as a factory-fitted option on its MT700 and MT800 track tractors. Now, Auto-Guide satellite-based steering systems have been introduced on high horsepower Fendt, Massey Ferguson, AGCO and Challenger wheeled tractors, as well as RoGator and Terra-Gator application equipment