New Holland has commemorated 60 years since opening its tractor factory in Essex with the unveiling of a Swinging ’60s-inspired T7.300 tractor.
The Basildon site, which has been home to several iconic Ford and New Holland tractors over the years, now sees a tractor roll off its production line every five minutes.
With over 10,000 different production specifications, the site ensures buyers from across the world, with 85% of production exported.
The anniversary tractor, of which only one unit will be produced, was unveiled at the Basildon 60th anniversary celebratory event earlier this month.
The graphics that adorn it were created by CNH Centro Stile, featuring psychedelic shapes and colours of blue, yellow, maroon and pink.
The opening of the Basildon factory coincided with the launch of the 37-65hp Ford 6X tractor series made there, comprising the 2000 Dexta, 3000 Super Dexta, 4000 Major and 5000 Super Major.
These were later known generally as the ‘Pre-Force’ models following the 1968 launch of the ‘Ford Force’ 2/3/4/5000 tractors.
Later significant product introductions included the 7A1 ‘600 series’ tractors in
1975, from the 2600 to the 7600, and the similar ‘7A2’ versions with the new quiet ‘Q
cab’ the following year.
In 1981, these tractors were updated to ‘Series 10’ specification, with later Force II (1986) and Generation III (1989) evolutions.
Late 1991 saw the launch of the all-new 40 series, a range that would later be sold with new branding when Fiat purchased the Ford New Holland agricultural equipment business that year and adopted New Holland as its brand for the future.
The plant produced New Holland TS, TM, T6000 and T7000 tractor lines, and today manufactures the T6 and T7 ranges, spanning 125-300hp.
