New French-built tractor brand set to be unveiled?

It has been widely reported that a new tractor brand – Mancel – will be unveiled at next month’s SIMA show in Paris, France.

The tractors will apparently be built in France.

According to French outlet Farm Connexion, the brand-name was first spotted publicly upon the release of the show’s official list of exhibitors. Mancel is apparently owned by Chinese manufacturer YTO.

Interestingly, we recently reported that YTO is ceasing production of existing transmissions and gearboxes in France – at its facility in Saint-Dizier.

Now, it seems, the factory is being prepped to build whole tractors.

According to Reussir Machinisme, a “four-model tractor line-up from 110 to 145hp” will initially be unveiled – presumably at SIMA and bearing the Mancel brand-name.

Image source: Farm Connexion

These will reportedly be built using components sourced mainly from European suppliers.

Reussir Machinisme says that there will also be 85, 95 and 105hp tractors followed, for a later unveiling, by smaller 50-75hp models.

Stay tuned to AgriLand for further updates…

International Harvester (IH) roots

The Saint-Dizier factory is well known in the tractor industry; it was established by International Harvester (IH) in 1949/1950.

At that time, entire tractors were built there. At its height (circa 1980), there were as many as 5,000 employees on-site.

The facility came under the Case IH banner in the mid-1980s, following the fusion of Case and IH.

In 1999, following the coming together of Case IH and New Holland, the facility became part of the CNH empire. Two years later, in 2001, ownership of the factory passed to Argo Tractors (and specifically the McCormick tractor brand).

YTO France SAS was founded in 2011; this saw the Saint-Dizier facility change hands again – becoming part of the wider Chinese entity’s empire.