Machinery Precision Planting opens new Operation Center Morton, Illinois, factory will increase efficiency with state-of-the-art technology. By Karen Jones Karen Jones Karen Jones is the machinery executive editor at Successful Farming and Agriculture.com. She joined the Successful Farming team in 2023 following a 19-year career on the communications team of an agricultural cooperative. Successful Farming's Editorial Guidelines Published on May 8, 2024 Close Photo: Karen Jones Precision Planting has opened a new 510,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Morton, Illinois, about 10 miles from its main location in Tremont. Nearly all of Precision Planting’s products are produced and shipped from the facility that employs approximately 250 people and brings seven smaller factories together under one roof. Karen Jones The facility began production in November 2023, according to Andreas Nunez Nalda, Precision Planting director of operations. “2023 was a year of transformation for Precision Planting,” he says. “We attempt to deliver excellent customer service and the operation center is built for growth. Advanced technology The facility features automated technology like an AutoStore, which uses a fleet of 26 robots to select parts, which reduces human error. An automated packaging system creates custom shipping boxes, seals them, and prints mailing labels in seconds. The facility is currently running a single shift, but can increase capacity as needed. Karen Jones “This building is manufacturing and logistics,” says Eric Hansotia, CEO of AGCO, its parent company. “As the innovation engine is creating new modules that can go to the farm, this place is all about efficiently getting them turned from pieces into kits that can go to 30 countries around the world. We’ve essentially grown this business four times since 2017, and we’ve already got the next doubling planned out.” Plans for the future With the April 2024 launch of PTx, a joint venture with Trimble, the facility plays a key role in delivering new technology to farmers worldwide. Karen Jones Keith Crow, Precision Planting general manager, considers the facility foundational to the business. “We started thinking about this place in 2019 — what was needed to make it possible for us to better support farmers around the world. This investment is a foundational event that gives us the capacity to continue to grow and innovate new products across the crop cycle, not just planters but also sprayers and soil sampling automation.” Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit