Argo SpA was established in 1988 by Valerio Morra and his brother Pierangelo, now holders of the company’s entire capital.
The idea was for Argo to become an industrial holding and service-providing undertaking for the companies in the Group. In actual fact, the Morra family, which originally came from Piedmont, where it first started business, possesses long and soundly established experience in the agricultural machinery business.
An incredible growth process obliged the Group to combine the enterprises into a single holding company. This allowed the business to be coordinated in a more decisive way and allowed the undertakings to benefit from the synergies achieved by them belonging to the same sector. Thus Argo SpA was established.
The more significant stages in the Group’s history:
1980
Valerio Morra and his brother Pierangelo, owners of several companies, acquired MBS SpA, an enterprise situated in Reggio Emilia that manufactured gears and transmission components for the farm machinery industry.
1987
Year in which Pegoraro of Vicenza, a leading manufacturer of implements for secondary soil working operations, was acquired.
1988
The Morra brothers established Argo, which was to become an industrial holding and service-providing undertaking for the companies in the Group.
Argo acquired Fort of Luzzara (Reggio Emilia), a manufacturer of agricultural machines, the very same year.
1994
Argo acquired majority shares in Landini SpA, with headquarters in Fabbrico (RE).
1995
Year in which Valpadana SpA of S.Martino in Rio (RE), well known manufacturer of low-powered specialistic tractors, was acquired.
2000/2001
The Argo Group acquired Laverda SpA of Breganze (VI), thereby venturing out into a new sector, that of combine harvesters and big balers.
Argo acquired Sep, a very well known brand of small farm machinery
As a development of its internationalization policy, the Group acquired the historic McCormick brand along with the plants in England and France where tractors and transmissions were manufactured.
2004
True to its international development mission, the Argo Group acquired Fella-Werke Gmbh & Co. KG and the relative business and industrial activities through its subsidiary Laverda SpA.
2005
Now directed towards full-line management, Laverda acquired 50% of the capital of Gallignani SpA, a leading enterprise in the field of forage crop harvesting and baling machines
2007
The Group boosted the harvesting division to a further extent in a joint venture with Agco Corporation, the world’s third most important player, through the participation of Laverda, the common goal to become principal players in the markets of Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
During the month of October 2007, Landini and McCormick became part of a single undertaking: Argo Tractors SpA.
In November, an agreement was signed with Kamaz Inc., an important Russian undertaking, whereby a partnership was established for the production and sale of tractors in Russia.
2010
Argo Industrial Group focus its business on agricultural tractors and sells its participating share in Laverda SpA to Agco in exchange for a significant equity participation in the American Group.
2011
Valpadana becomes part of Argo Tractors SpA by integrating into this latter its own production, commercial and managerial activities.
Argo Tractors signs an OEM agreement with Daedong for the supply of tractors ranging from 22 to 91 HP which will compliment the current product offering in the compact utility tractor segment.