02 - AGRIDEALERDAY2014 - LODOVICO BUSSOLATI, SAMEDEUTZ-FAHR

I will be very brief, because I understand you are a bit behind schedule and there will be many other interesting topics on today's agenda. We are acting as hosts, and it is an honor to have you here today. On behalf of myself and especially the company, I want to thank UNACMA for having chosen to hold its annual congress here, and I thank everyone who came, especially those who took the opportunity to visit our company this morning. We are very happy to host this event here in Treviglio for several reasons. First, we are naturally hospitable and enjoy opening up. We work with passion, so we have a natural desire to share as much as possible with everyone linked to our sector. Secondly, we are particularly happy to host you, the dealers, because we believe the dealer is essential for the development of a company that builds, produces, and develops new products. The dealer is our main client, and we are well aware that to grow our company we must see the dealer as our best ally. We sell our machines to the dealer, and when we do our analysis and discussions, we always say we have two clients: the dealer and the end customer. That concept is very clear to us. So the question is: how can we, as a manufacturer of tractors and agricultural machinery, best support the dealer in a world that is changing with phenomenal speed and increasing complexity? First, we must be able to provide the dealer with good products. I fully agree with what was illustrated earlier, but the foundation is the products. Our main responsibility as manufacturers is to develop the competencies, industrial infrastructures, and market knowledge to introduce new products that meet the needs of the end consumer. Without that foundation of adequate products in terms of performance and cost, everything that follows has no ground on which to flourish. But products alone are not enough; we must also make them known. I really liked the previous speech that highlighted the oddity of hosting a dealer congress at a manufacturer's site. Coincidence? It is extremely important, because the basis of development is knowledge and curiosity. Without that, any choice has no logical or rational foundation. If we do not put ourselves in a position to be curious, to know, to observe, to have all the elements to think and evaluate, then any choice is an ignorant choice, based on ignorance of external conditions. So the concept of closed associations, lobbies, producers staying separate, or thinking something can be kept secret with iPads, computers, television—just look at our children—what can be kept secret today? They are open secrets. The foundation is to be curious and willing to learn and open up. Ultimately, if a dealer decides to stay with us and sell our brands, or a customer decides to buy our tractor, that choice must be based on conviction, on analysis of having chosen us after also knowing others. Only then do we have a conscious, curious dealer who can grow and keep pace with the rapid progress in our sector. The more we open up and make ourselves known, the better. We do not want a customer's or dealer's choice to be based on ignorance because they only know us. If a dealer chooses us, they must be sure they have chosen the best for their business. Only on that foundation of deep knowledge can future development be built; ignorance and closure lead nowhere. I said I would be brief. I looked at your three points: safety, enterprise, association. They are very similar to the spirit and values we believe in. Safety is a critical issue—a third of workplace deaths involve agricultural vehicles. There is a deep need to address the aging of the fleet, because accidents are concentrated on old tractors. Joining forces to push for a significant reduction is a front that our group and all manufacturers are very attentive to. If we unite and open up, we are stronger and can push decision-makers toward choices that seem obvious but are not made—like Euro 5, 6, 7, 8 for emissions, while nothing is said about renewing the tractor fleet. Clearly, Euro 1, 0, 2 tractors in circulation have a much heavier environmental impact, but we cannot make that understood. Perhaps by uniting with few intelligent choices we could achieve a lot: reduce the average age of the tractor population, drastically reduce accidents, increase safety, help the environment, and stimulate a sector that needs modernization. That would give an important boost to sales. Thank you. I hope there will be other occasions. We are open and want you to know us more. We are in a period of great activity as a group. So the invitation is: study, know, be curious, look at our products, not only in Italy but around the world, and then choose. Thank you and good work.