Spelle, 19th April 2013: “Learning is like rowing against the current – if you stop, you find yourself drifting backwards. That’s why it is essential to keep up to date with the latest developments, especially in the agricultural engineering business.” This was the message delivered by Bernard Krone when he officially opened the new Krone training centre in Spelle (Emsland) yesterday. He told the 200 specially invited guests at the ceremony that the ultra-modern facility was intended to be a key investment in the future of the company: “Modern agricultural machines such as our Big X harvester are highly complex technical constructs – true masterpieces that reflect our combined expertise in electronics, mechatronics as well as electrical and IT engineering. It is no longer possible for a mechanic working at the dealiership to understand the complex workings of our machinery simply by reference to the manual; intensive training is the only way of ensuring that customers can derive the full benefit of the products they have purchased.”

Around 5,000 people from all around the world pass through Krone’s training programme every year; they include end customers, service staff and dealers, but also lecturers from agricultural machinery colleges. Occupying a 2,900sqm site, the new training centre has six extensive workshops and six modern classrooms. To ensure that course participants are not only well versed in the theoretical aspects, there is a test track at the back of the building where the newly acquired knowledge can be put into practice. Krone has invested around €3 million in the project.