TIANJIN, July 14 (Xinhua) -- German agricultural machinery brand Krone has injected an additional 19.6 million yuan (about 2.88 million U.S. dollars) into its Chinese sales and service subsidiary based in north China's Tianjin Municipality.
The move marks the 120-year-old brand's latest effort to reinforce its local footprint, a decade after entering the Chinese market. It also underscores the global forage harvesting equipment leader's confidence in seizing opportunities arising from the country's agricultural modernization drive.
Huo Hongyan, general manager of Krone China, said the fresh funds will be channeled into improving the company's sales and after-sales service network across the country, expanding spare parts inventory to ensure rapid maintenance support, accelerating the introduction of new overseas products, increasing brand promotion investment in China, and strengthening the professional local service team. These initiatives aim to enhance the company's overall service responsiveness and operational capacity for its Chinese customers.
Originating as a blacksmith's workshop in 1906, Krone has evolved into an industry leader with business operations spanning more than 70 countries and regions. As a specialist brand in silage and forage equipment, Krone's comprehensive product portfolio covers mowing, raking, tedding, baling, pelleting and transport operations.
In 2016, Krone officially established its China headquarters in Tianjin. Backed by a favorable business environment and a localized operational system, Krone has achieved steady growth in China, with its market presence and service network continuously improving and its investment in the country steadily increasing.
"China is not only a huge market, but is also in a period of accelerated agricultural modernization, with growing demand for high-end agricultural machinery. This is of extraordinary importance to us," said Bernard Krone, the fourth-generation head of the Krone family business.
China's ongoing land consolidation and large-scale farming operations, coupled with the dairy industry's rapid expansion and its rising standards for forage quality, are driving higher requirements for forage quality, harvesting standards and operational efficiency, according to the company.
The latest investment aligns with China's broader efforts to boost agricultural productivity as the country embarks on the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030). The country has rolled out a series of targeted measures, ranging from high-standard farmland construction and seed industry revitalization to the development of a diversified food supply system.
The State Council, China's cabinet, has issued a plan to accelerate agricultural and rural modernization during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.
The plan calls for efforts to achieve major breakthroughs in developing new quality productive forces in agriculture, foster and strengthen specialty industries in rural regions, accelerate the comprehensive green transition of agricultural development and promote green agricultural production methods, and improve infrastructure conditions and public services in rural areas, among others.
Huo said the company remains firm in its long-term confidence in the development value of China's agricultural market. The scaling up of land use and the emergence of new types of farming entities are opening up increased space for high-end equipment.
Looking ahead, Krone is expected to continue to strengthen its sales and service network in China, accelerate the deployment and promotion of new products and technologies, and step up its participation in industry exhibitions and market events.
"Krone aims to become the most trusted partner for Chinese farmers in silage and forage equipment," Huo said. ■
