Despite last year’s 10% fall in the global farm machinery markets, SDF closed 2015 with a 15% higher turnover of €1.39 billion, with net profits up 23% to around €50 million. Tractors accounted for just over €1 billion of the turnover, and of this Deutz-Fahr generated the lion’s share of over €626 million (62.38%). Deutz-Fahr also absorbed much of last year’s record SDF investment figure of €103 million, the most significant being €41 million for the first phase of construction of the new €90 million tractor plant at Lauingen. When it comes on line at the end of this year/early 2017, the new facility will make up to 40 new tractors a day. The Group also invested €33 million in new products last year, and €43 million was spent to acquire a 95% majority stake in the joint venture in China. In the company’s 2015 annual report SDF CEO Lodovico Bussolati outlined further plans to invest and renew and complete the product ranges, and to set up production and commercial activities in China and Turkey – two of the company’s top-five markets. While the global market situation for the first few months of 2016 remained very similar to that of the previous year, the SDF top man remains optimistic for the medium to long term. He expects volumes to increase slightly this year, due to the improvement of its tractor market shares in Europe, Turkey and China, a significant increase in sales of combine harvesters, a slight increase in sales of spare parts and the continued positive performance of sales of Grégoire grape harvesters and sprayers. Despite the 5% fall in the European market, SDF’s European revenue rose by 8% to €990 million during 2015. Overall, SDF made 33,494 tractors and 6,784 harvesting machines last year.