YEAR VI

The harvesting specialist’s journal

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SEPTEMBER 2006

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n°

YEAR VI

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MOTORCYCLE RALLY, THE ALLURE OF THE LAVERDA BRAND Over one-hundred and fifty Laverda enthusiasts met at Breganze to recall the golden years of the motorcycle and discuss the history of mechanization in farming spheres NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN LAVERDA’S FUTURE

page 2

OPEN HOUSE IN BREGANZE TO PRESENT THE GROUP

page 3

ECO-FRIENDLY GRAPE-HARVESTING LAVERDA DEBUTS GALVANIZING, WE’RE MACHINES, A IN BRITTANY, THE AHEAD OF THE TIMES CHAPTER IN “REDS” GET OFF IN EUROPE INDUSTRIAL HISTORY TO A HEAD START

page 9

page 11

pages 14-15

Gruppo Industriale ARGO

The situation by Mario Scapin

An enterprise that’s racing towards the future

Mario Scapin managing director

New technological features in the 2007 range, more power to planning, prototypes and the test division At a time when the going’s not easy for agriculture and just when the harvesting machine market is at its very lowest, Laverda stands out for having taken up some courageous challenges that have enabled it to view the near future with hope. Challenges that have involved a series of investments in product development, human resources, manufacturing processes and customer service improvements.

The next Eima trade fair in Bologna will be the ideal place for Laverda to present a preview of the new 2007 range, which includes brand-new technological features. Just think of the new environment-friendly engines that don’t just comply with the most recent anti-pollution standards but, and above all, have been designed to ensure the lowest possible consumptions, the utmost in running economy and long-lasting use. In the top-range models, a newly designed electronic system will control the power in an intelligent way so as to provide a surplus of additional power when the operating conditions so require. But the 7.60 m cutting bar will also be completely new, as will the grain tank with its new electrically controlled extensions and new filling system. Not to mention further improvements to the level of comfort thanks to a computerized analysis of the acoustic conditions in the cab, a feature that allows the noise level perceived by the operator in the cab to be reduced to an appreciable extent.

And what we’ll be showing at the fair is the mere first step in an ambitious plan that will lead to further and even more significant results when it comes to new technological features and new products.

These are important developments that will involve lots of resources, of both the financial and “human” kind. This is why our engineering division has been given a new lease of life with the addition of a group of newly recruited engineers in both the planning and prototypes and tests sectors.

We took particular care to select bright young graduates who are now being trained to plan and develop electronic monitoring systems and to

experiment with the machines and their functional assemblies.

The need for good quality, reliable machines also implies on-going developments when it comes to the manufacturing processes. And some of the hefty investments that Laverda has made have produced considerable impact on the way the company works.

The already existing welding robot is now flanked by a twin machine, while a new robotized system has been installed so as to feed the two machines in a continuous mode without any help from the operator. These two robots are able to weld complex assemblies like the elevator chute, rear axle structure or steering platform all on their own while providing a quality level that could never be achieved in the manual mode.

Meanwhile, a new machining centre has been installed in the mechanical machining area so as to optimise the quality level in that sector as well.

The control system that’s now the “brain” of all modern factories, has been substituted with the BAAN system, i.e. one of the most evolved tools for managing companies that manufacture complex products like combine-harvesters to be found on

the market.

First and foremost, this new system has allowed us to rationalize the production planning process and the way the customers’ orders are handled. The first result of all this has been to speed up the time it takes to fulfil the orders themselves. But it has also enabled us to optimise all the in-company processes, from the time the orders are received to when the supplies are actually invoiced, while guaranteeing an extremely high level of efficiency.

And there are tangible advantages for the customers, apart from the machine’s qualitative payback and a reduction in the time that elapses between orders and deliveries. For example, this new system allows dealers to order parts via the Internet, to check on stocks and prices in real time and to know immediately when a part has been shipped and its estimated time of delivery.

We’re talking about important investments that tie up hefty financial resources but that allow us, as a company, to face the future with greater optimism and to continue with a success story that has enabled us to celebrate the first 133 years of our history.

The harvesting specialist’s journal Year VI, n. 2, September 2006 Quarterly periodical Registered with the Court of Vicenza n. 1017 dtd. March 5th, 2002

publishing management Mario Scapin Angelo Benedetti Simonetta Lambrocco director in charge Claudio Strati art-work Andrea Rosset Piergiorgio Laverda the following persons collaborated: Giampietro Castellacci area manager for Italy

Patrick Fantinelli

parts purchasing dept.

Serhun Olgun

general manager for Laverda Tarim Makynelery - Turkey

Ferdinando Pomello area manager for Italy

Fabrice Rondeau

sales manager for France

Andres Moradas Lopez Laverda Spain sales manager

Piergiorgio Laverda

curator of the “Pietro Laverda” Historical Archive

photographs Archivio Laverda spa © by Laverda spa 36042 Breganze (VI) Italy via F. Laverda, 15/17 tel. +39.0445.385311 fax +39.0445.873355 www.laverdaworld.com info@laverdaworld.com Printed by Tipografia Campisi

V.le dell’Industria 13 - 36057 Arcugnano (VI) Articles and pictures may only be duplicated if the source is cited.

To all journal subscribers NOTIFICATION AS PER ART. 13 OF DECREE LAW D. LGS. 30.6.2003, N° 196 Your identification data have been acquired by Laverda S.p.A. from either you yourselves or from public lists and registers, thus from documents accessible to anyone, for our marketing activities in the future.

Laverda S.p.A. will deal with these data on paper and/or by computerized or telematic media. The information will solely be used in our company for postal purposes, in relation to our need to acquire new customers by sending commercial proposals, also in the future.

Laverda S.p.A. guarantees that the data will be treated in the most confidential way and that, upon your request, your data may be cancelled (or corrected) from our archives free of charge. You are therefore entitled to exercise all the rights established by art. 7 of Decree Law D.lgs.vo N° 196/2003 and in particular, to wholly or partly allow the data to be used.

Italy by Simonetta Lambrocco

It’s open-house at the Laverda plant The now traditional two-yearly appointment at Breganze takes place for the third time It’s now become a more-than-consolidated tradition. Since Laverda became part of the Argo Industrial Group, the Open-House venue has already been held three times.

During the late spring or summer months, the gates of the most significant factories for the economic and industrial development of the Breganze area are opened to the public on a Sunday or national holiday.

It’s an excellent chance for any enterprise to present itself to the public so that people other than its employees and their families can get to know its products and organization.

Laverda has always subscribed with enthusiasm to the initiative backed by the Town Councillorship for the Promotion of the Territory of Breganze and decided this time to present all those who crossed the threshold of the factory with its range of products and all the innovations made to the production processes within the plant.

We ourselves took the visitors around the factory where they were able to admire the many work stations with their advanced technology, the laser cutting station for example, or the area dedicated to the welding robots, as well as the innovations made to the way the work flow is organized. But that’s not all. Our guests were able to see for themselves how efficient our parts service is during a Sunday in June. Yes, because when harvesting is going on, Laverda guarantees that customers receive unbroken service, and this means Sundays as well, thus technical assistance and spares when required.

And the fleet of machines on show was a pleasure to behold: besides the various series of Laverda combines, the array included Landini tractors, McCormick tractors, big balers and round balers from Gallignani and Fella plus, an absolute innovation, the telescopic handler lifts produced in the Breganze plant and bearing the Landini and McCormick trademarks.

So it was that on Sunday 25 June, a very varied public wandered happily and noisily around the factory or loitered in the show ground where one of the levelling combines was started up every so often, attracting a lot of curiosity and attention. Other visitors preferred to look around the produc-

tion area, yet others decided to browse through our permanent exhibition of vintage Laverda machines on show in the ancient farmhouse within the company grounds, to which new mementoes had been added for the occasion.

Then, as in the best tradition, a rich buffet had been laid out for the visitors under the cool and refreshing portico of the ancient hay shelter as a satisfying conclusion to this interesting day of “discovery” of the combine-harvester.

Amongst the over 2000 visitors who flocked to the plant there was a gratifying number of local authorities, the mayor, deputy-mayor and councillors who voiced their appreciation of an enterprise that has been one of the main driving forces behind the development of this territory for the past 130 years or so.

As a prelude to these Sunday festivities, a new industrial district had been inaugurated in Breganze on Saturday 24 June. Here, a monument entitled “The arch of life” by artist Roberto Lanaro had been significantly installed, and was dedicated to the Laverda brothers, founders of industrialization in the Breganze area.

Our particular thanks must be extended to our Chairman, Valerio Morra who, once again, spent the entire day in the Laverda plant along with his family.

Alongside, visitors flock to the Laverda plant on open-day.

Below, chairman Valerio Morra chatting near the museum.

Forty years of loyalty to the red combines The Fattorini family from Roncitelli (AN) bought its first M 84 in 1966.

And many others were to follow The first combine was a Laverda M 84 model.

This was followed by a Laverda M 120, a Laverda M 132, a Laverda M 112 AL, a 3450, a 3550 and a 524, besides an old Case.

Loyalty to the Breganze brand has now become a historic fact for the Fattorini family, farm-contractors from Roncitelli in the province of Ancona. They’ve been using the “reds” for the past forty years and are convinced that the tradition will continue, seeing as they’ve always obtained tip-top performances from their machines.

“The 450 AL 4 WD combine, purchased in 2004, and which gave us a lot of satisfaction in the past campaigns” explains Giordano Fattorini, who shares all decisions with his father and brothers, “is now flanked by an M 304 LS 4 WD Integrale model. We’ve also got 12 tractors of various makes and with different power ratings, mainly Landini and McCormick”.

Forty years in the business. The Fattorini family’s adventure began in 1966, when the farmcontracting enterprise was started up by Cesare, Benito and Luigi. They were soon to be joined by their sons and grandsons, namely Giordano, Gianluca and Gianfranco who run the company called Fattorini Cesare e Benito s.n.c. Nowadays, the Fattorini enterprise works an average 500 hours per campaign, using the combines to reap principally wheat, but also sunflower and corn crops.

They thresh 1000 hectares per year on average.

How do you rate the running costs?

“The running costs are really economical. The machines use about 4.5 litres of fuel/hour. It’s a bit difficult to evaluate the incidence of routine maintenance because Laverda’s combines need so littIe! Anyway, absolutely never more than 500 Euros per year. Some sort of supplementary work could increase the costs but in all these years, and with all these Laverda machines, we’ve only ever needed one supplementary maintenance job and if we spread the cost out over all the years we’ve worked with the machine in question, it becomes truly negligible”.

What do you think about the quality of the threshed crop?

“The quality of the crops we thresh with our Laverda combines is truly excellent. When we deliver them for storage, they’re never mixed with crops threshed by other machines because the dressing level is decidedly superior. A real satisfaction”.

And the performances?

“They’re excellent, because our output is as much as 100 quintals/hour. Not only this, the

In the photos, the Fattorini brothers with dealer Rosati and area manager Castellacci.

machines are truly quick off the mark and agile. They climb everywhere with the greatest of ease. The cutting header’s also great. The Schumacher blades on the cutting table just “eat up” the crop and the cut is precise even when everything’s damp. The PFR is a very important device because it prepares the crop and spreads it out perfectly so that it reaches the threshing components in a homogeneous and unbroken way. This all adds up to higher productivity and efficiency and, if that wasn’t enough, with lower consumptions. But the MCS is another useful “must” as performances increase if the straw is efficaciously separated from the grain.

And with the MCS, this operation becomes more than efficacious; it’s excellent”.

Long-life and comfort are other important facets of performance. What’s your opinion of Laverda’s machines?

“Their degree of comfort is superior and for people like us, who spend many hours working with the machines, this fact is far from negligible. When it comes to long-life, the galvanized sheet metal used and the quality of Laverda’s machines give guarantees. We’ve experienced this during many years on the job”.

What about assistance.

“Besides the excellent service provided by Breganze, our dealer and local workshop also supply tip-top assistance and give us their ut-

most attention. This perfect customer/dealer combination certainly gives you peace of mind.

And we’d really like to underscore the service produced by Laverda, as well as that of the dealer.

What was your reason for choosing Laverda?

“We chose Laverda because we’d already had a lot of satisfaction with the many other Laverda machines we’d used. And after the first, we’re convinced that the quality and reliability of the “new Laverdas” are unbeatable. This is why we purchased another one this year. We feel confident, because we know that Laverda and our local dealer are with us all the way. And this means a lot in our sort of job, which is extremely dynamic and always liable to changes.

We keep ourselves informed about the innovations, but don’t forget to consult the experts we know and trust. This is why we consider the ability of Laverda and our dealer to understand our needs to be very important”.

The future?

“We’ll naturally think of Laverda for our future purchases because we know that it will continue with its policy and always pay the utmost attention to the needs of customers like us”.

By Giampietro Castellacci

The machine converts in just fifteen minutes Olivo Pessotto, farm-contractor from Codognè, puts the accent on flexibility The Pessotto family’s enterprise in Codognè, in the province of Treviso, was established in 1972 by Vittorio Pessotto, who still supervises various aspects of the business.

Nowadays, the firm is run by Vittorio’s sons Olivo, Lorenzo and Andrea. But their mother Paolina and Silvia, Olivo’s wife, have also always played an active part in the company.

“We’ve always been breeders of dairy cows,” explains Olivo Pessotto, “but alongside this activity we have progressively developed our work as farm-contractors and have also invested a lot of resources in this sector. We now work about 400 hours a year threshing corn over an average area of 200 ha, soya over 100 ha, wheat on 30 ha and forage peas over about 20 ha as well as beans for seeding purposes and edible beans. And Laverda has been important in this farm-contracting work: our fleet of machines currently includes an M 304 with strawchopper, which we bought in 2004. But our first experience with a Laverda machine dates back to 1988, when we purchased a 3790”.

What do you think of your M 304?

“Well, after two years and having worked with it for about 800 hours, it’s never needed any particular maintenance work apart from routine servicing. Anyway, the costs were negligible. What’s more, the machine is extremely adaptable and flexible. Since we often have to change about from wheat to corn and so forth, we think that the time needed to switch the machine around is most advantageous as it takes no longer than 15 minutes”.

Why have you always chosen Laverda throughout the years?

“Our preference for Laverda has been motivated by our need to ensure that our work as farm-contractors is sufficiently profitable. But we also need to obtain a well-processed crop, one that satisfies our customers, as well as keeping an eye on running costs. The average cost of the machine is really convenient and the quality level of the threshed product is defined by the degree of split grain, which is less than 1%, as the technicians in the place where we consign the threshed product have ascertained. But along with this quality, the machines provide

truly excellent performance as they allow us to process about 500 quintals of corn per hour and 160/180 quintals of soya. The crop flow is perfect, especially with wheat, with tip-top dressing. Our Laverda combines have always proved to be very solid and dependable”.

So they’re very reliable.

“Certainly. Everyone knows how solidly built Laverda machines are,” answers Olivo Pessotto “and having used them, and used them for such long periods at a time, I can only confirm this. If you want to know the main reasons why we chose Laverda and will continue to do so, I’d say functionality first and foremost, as you can handle the machines in a practical way on your own, then the fact that you can harvest several different products on the same day. Without difficulty and with just a few truly quick and simple adaptations”.

By Ferdinando Pomello

Argo informs

Gruppo Industriale ARGO

Landini joins forces with Montana, and the new “Brazilian” tractor is born Landini, member of the Argo Group and leading enterprise in Italy when it comes to tractors, has officially begun manufacturing the first series of tractors in the brand new factory inaugurated in Brazil, at San José di Pinhais, a town situated near Curitiba, in the State of Paranà.

This new industrial project stems from Landini’s collaboration with Montana, an important local manufacturer of implements and selfpropelled machines. The first type of machines to be produced is a development of the Legend series specifically dedicated to the Brazilian market. This production is particularly focused on two models, with 140 and 165 HP power ratings, belonging to the 6-cylinder segment and medium-high power bracket, one that during the past few years has reached a 45% portion of the market.

Landini thus provides the ideal answer to the need for mechanizing Brazilian agriculture by offering the right balance when it comes to the mechanical, hydraulic and electronic aspects of the machines, thereby satisfying the need for adaptability in Brazilian farms. Built and marketed locally, these Landini 6-cylinder tractors are designed for work in large areas and Brazil is the ideal market for them as the average farm here covers at least 5000 hectares. The initial target is to sell 150 tractors during the first six months of 2006 and to then proceed towards a more ambitious goal, i.e. to acquire 5% of the market within 5 years with a sales forecast amounting to 1500 - 2000 tractors per year marketed through Montana’s widespread dealer network.

And the new range of tractors made its debut at the Agrishow trade fair in Riberão Preto, the most important Brazilian fair in the sector which took place in May. Landini’s 6-cylinder tractor aroused a great deal of interest and the numerous visitors were able to try it out, appreciate its technological features and design, and get to know how comfortable, economic and versatile it is. All distinctive features that certainly make these tractors stand out from amongst the local proposals.

riders from twenty different nations gathered in Parco Novi Sad, in the heart of the town. A big event, where the Italian Gianni Govoni was an award winner, preceded by Bulgarian Raitchev Rossen and the British contender Robert Maguire, who came first.

Total participation from Landini and not just as a mere brand, but actually in the competition rings with its tractors. Because Landini actually provided a complete team of tractors at each competition, where they were used for an infinite number of jobs in the horse stalls or for preparing the jumping grounds. Various models from the Mistral, Powerfarm and Rex series were at work, besides a Mythos model with front loader and soil bucket.

And there was even a customized Landini obstacle with a Mistral tractor standing alongside the rails.

The Modena venue was followed, during the summer, by two horse jumping competitions in Cortina d’Ampezzo and one in Gradisca d’Isonzo, all filmed live by Sky Sport, Rai Sport and other local TV broadcasting stations. The City of Manerbio trophy (three stars) will bring the series of events to an important close on 2-5 November. But Landini also sponsored other international show jumping events at Pontedera and Sanremo.

Thiene is the venue for the Italian 2006 Tractor Pulling final The Italian 2006 Tractor Pulling Championships will take place in Thiene, in the upper part of the province of Vicenza, just a stone’s throw from Breganze. It will be organized by Highway Truck Team, with backing from Landini, Laverda, McCormick, Tpi Tracteur Pulling Italia, Lega Nazionale Automobilismo Uisp and the City of Thiene authorities. The day will also include acrobatics by tractors weighing over 80 quintals plus helicopter trips for the tourists.

This year, Tractor Pulling has certainly attracted an increasingly larger public, as testified by the television coverage provided by a whole host of local broadcasting stations and not just Sky. You’ll be able to see the pictures and results of the Italian Championship in the next edition of Laverda World.

Landini and show jumping, the partnership continues Horses and Landini tractors. For the second year running, the brand from Fabbrico decided to sponsor one of the most important sporting venues, the 2006 International Show Jumping event, in several of the most qualifying appointments recognized by the International Equestrian Federation.

And the competition schedule was exacting to say the least. It opened with the City of Modena Gran Prix where over 300 horses and 150

The markets by Simonetta Lambrocco

Spain, working well in difficult conditions Bad weather for the grain harvest, but satisfaction from Laverda users The adverse weather conditions in Spain, with prematurely high temperatures in most of the country, affected the winter grain crop harvest in a decidedly negative way, with 16 million tons less grain than usual, according to the latest estimates from the Ministry of Agriculture. The negative influence of this hot spell led to losses that depended on the vegetative cycle of the cultivations, although the crop reductions were more marked in Aragon and in the two Castile areas. Andalusia was affected to a lesser extent since the crops were at a more advanced stage of their growth.

Even so, Laverda’s machines and organization achieved their target during the grain crop harvesting campaign in even this adverse situation, all to the satisfaction of the customers and even the admiration of our competitors. Let’s see what happened during the campaign.

The much-appreciated versatility of the MCS system As always, the harvest began in southern Spain, first in Andalusia which, as to size and geographic diversity, offers a great variety of landscapes and different harvesting requirements.

The habitual users of Laverda’s machines face the season with peace of mind, sure of the good level of the results they’ll achieve. They know that the grain will reach the grain tanks of their machines whole and perfectly drssed, while the separated straw will be abundant and in a sufficiently good condition to be baled and then stored, a very important aspect for animal breeders.

Amongst the fundamental characteristics that allow operators to get the most out of a combine is the well-known, efficacious and exclusive MCS system that is part of the standard outfit on Laverda’s M series combineharvesters. It allows the machines to work in the most varied conditions such as large-scale productions, where the maximum threshing capacity is required and in smaller productions with very fragile straw, especially in the middle of the day when the heat is suffocating and the straw can be easily broken. This is when the MCS electrical connecting/disconnecting system brings all the versatile aspect of the combine to the fore, something that’s essential for Spanish farming practices which are extremely varied and increasingly more demanding.

Levelling System combines: a big success on the hillsides Especially in Andalusia, but also in lots of

other areas of Spain. Many are the occasions when farmers must face the hillsides. And its here that the Levelling System gives peace of mind to those who work on Laverda combines, promising the best results and tiptop productivity. Equipped with the four-wheel drive function as part of the standard outfit, Laverda’s Levelling System combine versions don’t just work on slopes without losing out on efficiency, they are also able to face the steepest hills without reducing their lugging power or making conditions less safe for the operator.

For all these reasons, pride of place goes to the M 306 LS 4WD model, highly appreciated by its habitual users and capable of arousing great interest in anyone who works with the competitors’ machines.

In the middle of the season, the most strenuous for farming activities in Spain, the last particles of grain are still standing in the south while work is already beginning with the early crop varieties in the central areas. In the inland of Spain, in the land of Castile, the Manche, and the south of Castile and Leon, the damage caused by the poor rainfall of the previous months is clearly visible.

right way without separating the crop too much.

The action of the tried-and-tested MCS system can also be combined and calculations made to achieve an air flow able to dress the crop in the best possible way without losing grain. Despite the complex job a combine is called upon to do, it’s fortunately safe to say that work with a Laverda machine is always simple and safe.

Once the grain harvest has terminated, the situation differs slightly from the previous one when you move towards Galicia and to the North of Castile and Leon. The temperatures are lower during the day and work is less tiring. Not only this, the days of work are often interspaced by days off the job owing to rain and storms, which are very frequent in this region.

This area is characterized by small farms where the rye grown there becomes very tall, also owing to the heavy summer squalls in many cases. Here, it’s only proper to underscore the incredible feeding capacity with the M series possesses. The exclusive PFR system provides regular, efficacious feeding even when the crops are planted thickly and there’s lots of straw.

Adjustments for crops that have been badly treated by drought In view of all this, you could be fooled into thinking that the grain in this region must be scanty, light and difficult to reap. But in these situations, the true reaping professionals know that the combine must be regulated in all its parts and with the utmost accuracy. First and foremost, Laverda’s M series has two simple buttons on the control panel that allow the threshing drum to be regulated independently at both the front and rear. The degree at which it opens is displayed on two small computer screens so that the operator can reap in the

Ready for sunflower and corn after 800 hours of work Once the grain season has concluded, with as many as 800 hours of work to the farmcontractors’ credit, the men go back to their homes ready to overhaul their machines and prepare to begin the sunflower, corn and, in some cases, rice season. Here again, the Laverda users are confident: they know that in a little while, and with the lowest possible outlay, their combine will be ready to set out upon the next lap.

Andres Moradas Lopez

You can’t have two without three, even in Turkey One-thousand hours threshing rice and wheat, and Ibrahim Ege is now thinking about a third M 306 Rice and wheat, and as many as one-thousand hours of work a year. These important statistics belong to the enterprise of Ibrahim Ege, Turkish farm-contractor from Ispala (Edirne), whose fleet of machines includes an L627 purchased in 1999, and two M 306 combines purchased in 2004 and 2005.

“If we’ve bought two M 306 machines within two years, I think it’s evident that we were very satisfied with the first one purchased in 2004,” declares Ibrahim Ege. “These two Laverda machines are now used for threshing rice and sometimes wheat in the region of Thrace, in Canakkale and Ipsala”.

Are you satisfied with your M 306 combines?

“I’m really pleased with these two red twins that together, deal with one thousand hours of work every year. And with so many hours and such low routine maintenance costs, I think that the result is more than good. I’d like to emphasize that so many hours in the cab in a climate that’s often sweltering, needs high-level comfort and that we’re fully satisfied with the standards offered by Laverda, which include an efficient air-conditioning system, a practical fridge and a truly ergonomic seat. I set down a whole series of “goods” as answers to the questionnaire about “satisfaction”: the quality of the machines is really good when it comes to manoeuvrability, the performance level, cutting header alignment and the crop flow”.

Is there a weak point?

“Not that I know of. On the other hand, there’s an aspect that’s absolutely in favour of Laverda and that I have very much at heart: the extremely clean crop produced, something that’s highly appreciated when you’re threshing rice”.

Will you stay faithful to Laverda?

“I certainly think I will because I’ve personally found that the Laverda brand and organization stand for diligence, great attention and very professional dealings. It’s a pleasure to work with Laverda, with both their sales consultants and assistance technicians. They’re true professionals, always ready to deal with any situation and help you when they’re needed, when we can’t waste time, like when you urgently need a spare part. High quality and optimum performances when we’re harvesting rice confirm my preference, so within the next few months, we’ll be adding a third M306 to the ones already at work in the fields. On the other hand, like we say in Turkey, you can’t have two without three”.

by Serhun Olgun

LAVERDA’S “FILM LIBRARY” GETS RICHER There’ll soon be a DVD about the LCS series Laverda will be announcing a new DVD dedicated to the LCS combine-harvester series during Eima 2006.

This technical film will contain details about the LCS combines, a series particularly appreciated in France and which, one season after it made its debut, has proved to be fully up to the market’s expectations.

You’ll be able to order your DVD from Laverda’s Parts Service in Breganze from November onwards.

Laverda debuts in Brittany Red combines for dealer Alexandre’s thirty new customers Laverda’s “first time” in Brittany got off to a head start last 9 June in the headquarters of Ets Alexandre, dealer for Laverda and McCormick products in the Côtes d’Armor district.

And you could see the joy, pride and emotion on the faces of the dealer’s staff-members as an event of this kind had never taken place before in this region of France.

Laverda’s thirty-or-so new customers had made a date at Plouisy in order to take possession of their combines and attend a technical course about the machines. This was held by Vincent Gazeau, the regional technical manager, and gave the participants the chance to get familiar with the adjustments required, the maintenance work involved and especially to feel more sure of themselves when using the combines.

The new machine owners were also able to discover the new 255 LCS combine, the first produced in the Breganze plant (N° 001) and sold by Laurent Bouliou.

This combine is Laverda’s answer to one of the current problems in the farming world that needs machines which are increasingly more economical to run and service but without losing out on quality when it comes to reliability and efficiency.

It’s a combine in the medium-high segment that complies with the fundamental criteria of the machines in Laverda’s high bracket: performance, simplicity, reliability.

After a morning of “full immersion” in technical subjects, the course participants joined the dealer’s technical and sales personnel with whom they were able to freely discuss farming practices and combine-harvesters around the refreshment table.

“As dealers, having decided to hold this course and event on our premises allowed us to discuss a lot of issues and exchange opinions. We were also able to explain to the customers how we provide assistance during the harvesting campaign” explained Pierre Alexandre.

Laverda’s combine-harvesters weren’t very well known in Brittany, but this situation was sharply turned about thanks to the will, enthusiasm and professional dealings of Laurent Bouliou, Alexandre’s sales manager,

and to the tradition of the Laverda brand.

It was the persistence and confidence of proprietor Pierre Alexandre that, in less than two years, placed the Laverda brand firmly on the local market.

Not only this, over 80% of the sales negotiations for Laverda machines have been successfully concluded, while the harvesting specialist philosophy has been soundly established by this dealer who had traditionally dedicated his business mainly to tractors.

Our congratulations to dealer Alexandre and all his staff members and all the best for their future successes.

They have certainly set an excellent example.

Fabrice Rondeau

A few snaps of the day at Plouisy and, alongside, sales manager Laurent Bouliou.

10

The products

Well prepared soil with the straw chopper and chaff spreader

The new Laverda campaign dedicated to the product

A fundamental accessory that’s a perfect addition to all Laverda’s combine series

The humanistic outlook of Laverda’s communication messages continues

Laverda’s straw chopper is a perfect integration to the combine-harvesters of every series produced by the Breganze plant.

Not only this, the precious accessory can be used to process any crop that needs to be threshed.

Available with a 64-bladed rotor for machines with six straw-walkers or with 52 blades for machines with five straw-walkers, Laverda’s straw chopper is activated by a hydraulic clutch and efficiently chops the straw thanks to its adjustable counter-blades, serrated on both sides, and to the adjustable indented base.

And to evenly spread the crop residues along with entire cutting width, thus preventing them from dropping back on to the crop still to be threshed, the blower of Laverda’s straw chopper has positionable deflectors that can be governed by either a mechanical control or straight from the cab, thanks to an optional electric control.

If the straw is to be formed into windrows, Laverda’s straw chopper can be deactivated by simply shifting the internal lever that controls the deflector.

To distribute the residues from the sieves in the best possible way and make sure that they are well dug in during the successive soil working phases, Laverda proposes another important accessory: the chaff spreader, which can be adjusted to suit requirements by means of an efficient mechanical control.

Thanks to the two big fans supplied and the speed with which the chaff spreader’s position can be changed, the chopped straw can be efficiently and homogeneously spread over the ground before ploughing.

When it comes to the communication campaign dedicated to the product, Laverda puts the accent on man, true to the policy already adopted for the corporate advertising campaign.

So much so, that the actual machines have been considered as workers!

Our spokesman, the “enterprising and peace-loving entrepreneur” of the corporate campaign can now choose which “worker” to hire for his farm from amongst the various curricula he receives.

Here’s what the slogan of Laverda’s new ad exhorts: “Read the curriculum before you hire a worker”. And below, a combine-harvester describes its personal features, listing skills and prowess, the training it has received and its specializations, for forgetting its aptitudes and professional goals.

In short: a true curriculum.

Simonetta Lambrocco

S. L.

11

The technologies

Breganze: pioneer in care for the environment

Patrick Fantinelli parts purchasing dept.

“Environment-friendly� galvanizing a year in advance of the European Union deadline Galvanizing is the process whereby a thin layer of zinc is applied to steel by electrolysis to protect the metal from rust. The process takes its name from Luigi Galvani, who studied the phenomenon, and was put into practice for the first time by Frenchman Albert Sorel in 1837.

The electrolytic process can be divided into three phases: 1) during the first phase, the metal is prepared by pre-degreasing, pickling and definitive degreasing; 2) after this, the metal is immersed in a solution containing zinc salts in a second phase; 3) current is made to pass through the metal and solution during the third and last phase, and metallic zinc deposits on the surface thanks to this process.

Passivation of the zinc achieves a remarkable reduction in the electrolytic behaviour of the surface material, creating a thin layer of oxide. This increases the ability of the metal to withstand the corrosive action of both the air and other substances.

Until the present day hexavalent chrome, a powerful oxidizer, was generally used to passivate zinc in galvanic processes.

However, since the harmful effects this element has on the health are now known, the European Union decided to prohibit its use and to prefer trivalent chrome. European Directive 2000/53 has been issued for this reason, and must be applied within July 2007. Trivalent chrome is an essential trace nutrient which is actually necessary for correctly metabolising sugars in the human body. Thus, it is not harmful for man in small quantities.

As we at Laverda have always considered man to be the focal point of our business, we dedicated particular attention to safeguarding the environment and will be ready to work with trivalent chrome from first September 2006, i.e. a whole year in advance of the deadline

established by the European Union. Thus, in Breganze, the galvanizing process with trivalent chrome will be used for all the galvanized parts.

And to make zinc passivating with trivalent chrome even more able to withstand the corrosive action of the weather and the substances in the crops, the process ends by sealing the treated parts. Sealing takes place after electrolytic galvanizing and covers the zinc coating with a film of sealing solution to complete the treatment and form an important barrier against the most aggressive corroding actions.

The strength of the galvanic treatment is measured by means of an accelerated ageing test during which the galvanized parts are placed in a saline mist chamber.

Thanks to this test, our researchers can find out the effects produced by corrosion (main consequence of aggression by a salty atmosphere) on the affected materials and components after a certain period of time.

These tests in a saline mist chamber are recognized by the European standard as the most significant way to simulate the real life of a component. They are therefore the most reliable and efficacious when it comes to testing and demonstrating the ability of the treated parts to withstand corrosion in outdoor environments.

Laverda will be changing to this new galvanizing process a year in advance of the norm, thus demonstrating, yet again, a particular attention to man and absolute respect for ecology and the environment, in total fulfilment of the corporate mission.

Patrick Fantinelli

12

The services

The Japanese come to Laverda’s school Three courses in Japan, on the island of Hokkaido, with Kubota’s personnel Relations with Japan and the big island of Hokkaido, the only Japanese area that requires combineharvesters and farm machinery of European standards, are getting steadily stronger. Hokkaido is the place where Kubota, Laverda’s sales partner, operates. Kubota is a leading enterprise on a world-wide scale and has been doing business in the farm machinery sector for many years.

So much so, Luciano Parise went to Japan to hold training courses about the features of Laverda products for Kubota’s salesmen and service technicians.

The first course took place in Kitami, an area that mostly needs combines for use on flat land. Here, the accent was on the M and REV series.

The second course, which was also dedicated to the same series, was held in Obihiro, considered the most important zone for the combine market (again, mostly for use on flat land). Lastly, the third course in Furano was also reserved to the Biei area. In these regions, the demand is mostly for self-levelling machines. Here, Parise concentrated the course on the AL, M Levelling System and REV series.

“The Japanese explicitly wanted their technical staff members to take part in the courses dedicated to sales aspects,” explains Parise, “so as to involve as many of the personnel as possible. Because no one must feel excluded from the Laverda project. They really believe in it. They are investing and couldn’t miss this chance. We’re already thinking about new, even more dedicated courses for the future, some for all the personnel and others just for the sales-people, so as to go into the commercially more important aspects in greater detail“.

Meanwhile, Kubota is working on the Laverda customers in order to consolidate and re-launch the brand, the “extras” that only the technical experience of the Breganze enterprise can provide and an assistance service that’s always alongside the customers during the harvesting season. But

the sales network is already widening its sphere to include other users. Luciano Parise himself took part in numerous meetings with new potential customers, some of whom are interested in the REV combines.

And at the end of the training period, Laverda’s staff members also got the chance to meet Kubota’s management at dinner, with the new chairman of the company (since last April) Y. Fukase, Kubota’s general manager for Hokkaido T. Amano, the sales manager I. Suzuki and Manabe, the Service manager.

“The chairman thanked me for my visit,” concludes Parise, “emphasizing the importance of maintaining active relations with Laverda and of repeating the courses about the product with support from Mr. Mori, because these are important occasions for understanding the salient features of Laverda’s modern combine-harvesters”.

Top, a product is presented to a potential customer in Japan.

Centre, Laverda at the trade fair of Obihiro (Hokkaido), an important farming area.

Bottom, old and new Laverda machines in the fields with technician Gaetano Re during the 2006 threshing campaign.

13

The events

The history of the motorcycle makes its come-back in Breganze Motorcycle rally with 150 Laverda enthusiasts from Italy and Europe on a visit to the “reds” museum Over one-hundred and fifty of them met astride resplendent Laverda bikes of all ages. The third international Laverda motorcycle rally, homage to the years in which Breganze was the capital of Italy’s motorcycle production as well as of farm machinery and centre of an intensive and exciting racing activity on international tracks, brought Laverda enthusiasts from all parts of Italy and Europe from 28 to 30 July, attracted by the initiative supported, amongst others, by the Swiss Giorgio Strehler, one of the main collectors of Laverda motorcycles in the world.

Laverda enthusiasts are die-hard lovers of Laverda motorcycles from the golden years, but they are also interested about everything that bears the brand name or refers to the history of the Breganze factory and its combines.

After a prologue on the Friday in which about sixty bikers tried out the racing track of Adria, a whole crowd of enthusiasts arrived in Breganze on the Saturday, when one-hundred and fifty of them took over piazza Mazzini. They made a first visit to the wine-makers’ association and then proceeded inevitably towards the Laverda plant, where the protagonists of the motorcycle rally spent a long time in the company’s museum of farm machinery located in the renovated ancient hay shelter with Piergiorgio Laverda and Gianni Salin acting as guides. Everyone was very interested in the gadgets with the “reds” logo.

Pierantonio Laverda, formerly manager of Moto Laverda, was also present and was more than happy to talk about some of the events in the fortunate motorcycle season.

And there were a great many vintage “gems” amongst the motorcycles that came to the rally. They included several single-cylinder models dating back to the ‘50’s, a few of the legendary 750 and 1000 models, and 1000 racing bikes. Laverda’s entire production was represented, including examples of the last generation of motorcycles to leave the Zanè factories.

The motorcycle rally was based in San Giorgio di Perlena, where the Fara Vicentino Moto Club had set up an extremely interesting exhibition of Laverda’s all-terrain motorcycles produced during the ‘60’s and ‘70’s. But the Lav-

erda enthusiasts also got the chance to appreciate many of the other attractions in the surrounding area. Starting out from Breganze, they lunched at Pove del Grappa on the Saturday (with a much-appreciated impromptu meeting in the restaurant with several Brazilian dancers on tour) before going on an exciting trip to the Plateau of Asiago, where the long procession of motorcyclists was preceded on the winding roads by outriders and with a technical escort following on behind.

On Sunday, after the farewell lunch, the participants left but not without a dose of nostalgia and not without arranging to meet up again next year, at the fourth motorcycle rally.

Top, a group of participants at the Laverda enthusiasts’ rally.

Centre, a glimpse of the motorcycle parking lot, with numerous vintage models.

Left, the guests while they examine the vintage farm machines in the museum.

14

The album

Wine presses and grape-crushers, Laverda’s wine-making machines Technological development that proceeded through to the ‘70’s

The splendid range of hills that runs across the territory of Vincenza from east to west has Breganze at its centre and has been a grape-growing area for centuries. This is testified by documents dating back to the beginning of the second millennium that tell us how the production of wine has employed scores of small farmers and important land-owning families for hundreds of years.

So no one should be surprised if the young Pietro Laverda, himself from farming stock and grape-growers at that, started up his first workshop by making grape processing equipment. And at the first trade fairs in which he took part around the year 1880, he actually exhibited pumps

for transferring wine, wheel-operated grape-crushers and particularly presses for dregs, for which he obtained various acknowledgements.

Within just a few years, as the old accounting books narrate, there was no farm in the surrounding districts that did not possess a Laverda press or grape-crusher, perhaps for a small production of homemade wine, a very frequent custom in this area. The Laverda company continued for over a century to manufacture these wine-making machines, which soon became widespread even beyond the boundaries of the province of Veneto.

The first presses, which were mainly made of wood, functioned with the

so-called “worm screw”, i.e. with worm gears, a principle dear to Pietro who also applied it to the first hand-operated threshing machines.

However, rather a lot of force was required to turn the gears and press the dregs.

Thus, at the beginning of the 20th century, he switched to the more efficient jack system known as “Mabille” after the Frenchman who invented it, although Pietro designed and patented his own two-speed version. The decision to use this method led to the construction of much more complex cast iron versions which, from the year 1912 onwards, were manufactured in the little foundry installed in the factory of via Castelletto. Even the press vat, previously in wood, was made of cast iron and subsequently of pressed steel in the Thirties. The presses, of which hundreds were sold each year, switches from the three initial measurements to ten sizes and more. There was a range able to satisfy the needs of Italy’s extremely varied vine-making sector.

Meanwhile, the grape crushers used to obtain the must that by fermenting, turned into wine, were employed to a widespread extent by the small wine-making enterprises and also evolved, changing from the first, almost completely wooden models to more efficient versions featuring adjustable cast iron crushing rollers. There was also a grape picker version that, by eliminating the stalks from the fermenting mass, improved the quality of the wine to

Poster publicising the press for dregs using the “Mabille” system, manufactured and marketed by Società Italiana Macchine Agricole at the beginning of the last century.

Below: wine press head using hydraulic pressure according to the Hollmann-Laverda system, in the version with 2 pistons.

15 a remarkable extent.

Pietro Laverda also created a more complex machine at the beginning of the century. It was driven by a motor and was called “continuous dregs press with automatic and regulated feed”, thus a forerunner of the modern continuous presses.

It could process about 30 hectolitres of wine per hour and possessed a 1.5 HP applied power rating. It was presented at the exhibition of Turin but was never marketed, also because the Great War broke out.

After this, the production of a hydraulic system for turning presses marked a great technological turning point as it took much of the physical effort out of the job and allowed the maximum amount of product to be extracted from the dregs themselves. It was in 1928 that, after having acquired the patent of a German

engineer, the Laverda family created the Hollmann-Laverda Hydraulic Device, subsequently called DIHL, to apply to presses of all sizes.

It was a big step forwards and an enormous commercial success for the company. Produced in two versions, with one or two pistons and in various different sizes, the device could be easily applied to existing presses and to olive presses, very widely used in central-southern Italy.

Even very large presses of up to 120 cm in diameter were made for winemaking enterprises all over Italy.

The production of wine-making machines continued uninterruptedly until the ‘70’s, contributing in a significant way towards the success of the Laverda brand in the Italian farming world.

Piergiorgio Laverda

Top, grape crusher from the 1911 catalogue.

Bottom left, a suggestive picture of farming folk in the ‘30’s around an olive press with the single-piston DIHL device.

Bottom right, poster advertising the dregs press with the worm screw system, 1897.

(Photos from the “Pietro Laverda” Historic Archive)

16

The history, the stories

Breganze, or the culture of the vineyard Famous wines since the 15th century and a P.D.O. wine that keeps over 620 hectares of hilly and flat land occupied In North Italy, the 2006 vintage was definitely a particular one, thanks to the uncertain weather: cold in June, then overwhelmingly hot and dry, with a dismal and wet August.

September repaid everyone with bright, sunny days during the grape harvest. In the Breganze area, where wine making is almost a religion, there should only be a slight drop in production. The new wine is deemed to be exceptional and the quality of the overall product excellent: Vespaiolo, for example, an autochthonous white wine produced from grapes of the same name (thus called, because the wasps - vespe - go mad for it when it’s ripe), which produced optimum yields.

Favoured by an area that has proved to be ideal for the vine (volcanic and morainic hillside soils and flat land formed by gravelly and deep soils), the wine producers in the Breganze area were not really affected by the difficult weather of 2006.

In the upper part of the province of Vicenza, at the foot of the Plateau of the 7 Boroughs, between the plains and hills, not by chance has Breganze become one of the “capitals of agriculture and its technologies. Here, the farm production culture has become extremely consolidated and grape growing is one of the more evident historic examples.

The same story as Pietro Laverda’s industrial adventure, which began in the 19th century and then proceeded through the 20th century with a production range of wine-making machines, wine presses and grape crushers to meet the needs of the local wine-making category.

Breganze is one of the oldest wine-making areas in the Veneto region and reports about some of its famous wines date back long, long ago: one of these examples is Vespaiolo, traces of which go as far back as the 15th century, or Torcolato, first mentioned in the 17th century. For centuries families have handed down the secrets and rules for making excellent wine and obtaining tiptop quality from the vines. And as in every serious vine-growing area, the land is often covered by the vines in a scientific way, right down to the smallest offshoots.

One interesting fact about the local wine history concerns the phylloxera pest, which devastated the vines of a good part of Europe in the second half of the 19th century.

In Breganze, they were able to transform that setback into an occasion for renewal.

So much so, when they replanted, they introduced new varieties such as black and white Pinot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which have given a lot of satisfaction throughout the decades.

Breganze’s Protected Denomination of Origin zone, one of the first in Italy to be recognized with the law of 1968, to which Torcolato was added in 1995, extends throughout the boroughs of Breganze, Fara Vicentino, Mason Vicentino, Molvena and partly those of Bassano del Grappa, Lugo di Vicenza, Marostica, Montecchio Precalcino, Pianezze, Salcedo, Sandrigo, Sarcedo and Zugliano, all in the province of Vicenza. There are numerous enterprises in the area, some of which of national fame, such as the “Beato Bartolomeo” wine-makers’ association, which boasts one-thousand members and an annual production of around 50 thousand hectolitres of wine, accounting for about 70% of the total. And the wines bear names like Rosso Breganze, Cabernet, Pinot Nero,

Laverda S.p.A. via F. Laverda, 15/17 - 36042 Breganze [VI] Italy t. +39.0445.385311 f. +39.0445.873355 info@laverdaworld.com www.laverdaworld.com

Marzemino, Bianco Breganze, Vespaiolo, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Torcolato, depending on the vines cultivated or their territory of origin.

But the great history of Breganze wine has created international fame and demand over time. So much so, that the Road of Torcolato (a legendary liqueur-like wine, so-called because the bunches of grapes were twisted with string and hung to dry from beams) and of the Wines of Breganze has become one of the most popular winetourists’ itinerary in the Veneto area. From Thiene (Colleoni Castle) to Lonedo di Lugo (the Godi Malinverni and Piovene Palladian villas) right up to Breganze, heart of the PDO zone, and then to Marostica, also famous for its cherries, and the zone of Bassano del Grappa, a city rich in the artistic creations of Da Ponte and Palladio. From the wooden bridge “Ponte Vecchio”, the road meanders through a countryside that speaks of a centuries-old civilisation that developed at the foot of the Venetian Pre-Alps, where the culture of wine has always been a value handed down through time and generations.

And it continues to progress despite the fact that investing in vineyards is certainly more difficult and demanding than it once was.

This journal has been printed on recycled paper in full respect for the environment