LEMKEN officially opened its Competence Center Crop Care in Dinteloord, nearby the city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. After half-a-year construction time, it turned out into a modern new production facility for crop care technology.
Construction of the new facility started in February 2023 with the symbolic first pile set by Nicola Lemken and CEO Anthony van der Ley in the local “polder” soil. As early as October 2023, the largest construction phase for the production department was put into operation and the first blue hoeing machines were delivered to customers. With the construction of the new factory, LEMKEN has fully integrated the hoeing technology it acquired from Steketee in 2018 into its own brand world.
In the months that followed, everything from the offices to the cafeteria and the façades were completed and occupied. The total investment at the site amounts to EUR 30 million.
The Dinteloord facility specializes in the development and production of crop care technology. It will also be home to the Competence Center Crop Care for farmers, experts and universities, which will form part of the global network of LEMKEN sites. For this purpose, a sophisticated technical auditorium has been built next to the AgroForum exhibition area, where events and training courses can be held.
Particular emphasis was placed on sustainability of the building. The installed PV systems generate an output of 300 kWp and make a significant contribution to the energy supply for production. All other roofs are designed as green roofs to cool the offices. The office furniture was designed with recyclability and recycled materials in mind. Wooden beams were used for the entire building structure, creating a natural working environment in both the AgroForum and the production halls.
Production is divided into three areas: The manufacturing area includes the manufacture and preparation of parts for the paint line. The warehouse receives and stores pre-produced parts and components from suppliers. Assembly takes place in the pre-assembly and final assembly areas. The plant is set up for stationary assembly and currently has eight assembly stations, which can be expanded as required to accommodate larger machines.
Each machine passes one of the two fully equipped test stations for final inspection before it leaves the factory.
