“Agritechnica ‘99” – a Record

From 9th to 13th November 1999 all eyes of Europe’s agricultural industry were again on Hanover, where the eighth (since 1985) international DLG trade fair for agricultural technology, “Agritechnica ‘99” was held on the site of the future Expo, the third time in succession at this venue. The German Agricultural Society (DLG) as organisers reported an impressive number of bookings: 1,500 companies in total (531 of them from abroad) presented a complete agricultural programme at the Hanover exhibition centre, an increase in exhibitor numbers of nearly 14 p.c.

over 1997, the date of the last such fair. The total exhibition area was also extended by almost 20 p.c.

since 1997, to 190,000 square metres. Agritechnica also reported the strong presence of the tyre industry, led of course by the “Big Three” in the tractor field, Michelin, Kléber and Pirelli (the latter now under its new name “Trelleborg Wheel Systems”), which in the last few years almost carved up the lucrative original equipment business in tractor drive-wheel tyres between them. Now other suppliers, Continental, Goodyear, Firestone and Taurus try to muscle in on the OE business.