AGCO Corporation, a major worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment, has announced that manufacturing of its Gleaner combines will be returning to Kansas, to within just a few miles of where three brothers from Nickerson, introduced the first self-propelled Gleaner combine.

Through all those years of history and evolution, the familiar silver color and Gleaner name have stood for harvest innovation and engineering excellence. Now that storied history has come full circle, with the announcement that Gleaner manufacturing will be located in Hesston, Kan.

Gleaner traces its roots to 1923 when Curtis, George and Ernest Baldwin, all brothers, introduced the combine.

"We're moving our combine manufacturing line to our AGCO facility," explains Tom Draper, general marketing manager, Gleaner combines. "The move enables AGCO to take advantage of a more modern manufacturing plant and to centralize many engineering and production functions at one location."

The facility has served as the manufacturing center for the Hesston hay equipment line. Gleaner combine production is being moved from an AGCO operation in Independence, Mo.

The Kansas facility and its employees have been honored many times for product innovation and engineering excellence. "This move exemplifies our commitment to maintain and even strengthen our role as a leader in providing combines for producers in North America," Draper says.

"The Kansas facility will enable us to continue the tradition of quality that's synonymous with the Gleaner name. And it will better position our engineering, design, manufacturing and marketing team to be even more responsive to our customers' changing needs."

That's especially important as harvesting technology moves to sophisticated guidance and yield monitoring systems. All Gleaners come equipped to accept AGCO's advanced Fieldstar yield monitoring system, which uses global positioning satellites to relate yield information to field position. Fieldstar mapping software is then used to process accurate field maps, which helps analyze crop and yield data.

In addition to Fieldstar technology, Gleaner's commitment to customer service is evidenced by the dual lines of combines offered. Depending on harvesting needs, customers can choose from the innovative Gleaner R-Series rotary combine line (R-42, R-52, R-62, and R-72) or the Gleaner C-Series combine (C-62), using conventional threshing and separating technology.

Gleaner also offers the most complete line of header attachments of anybody in the industry.