Renault

Renault Agriculture S.A.S. was the agricultural machinery division of the French car manufacturer Renault established in 1918 from its armored military vehicles division. While in operation, Renault Agriculture had various partnerships with major manufacturers and focussed production on tractors. The company was sold between 2003 and 2008 to German rival Claas. Renault Agriculture was dissolved in 2008 and its facilities became part of Claas' tractor division. Claas' tractor division and Renault's Auto Châssis International are Renault Agriculture successors. History After the end of World War I, the Renault company used its experience in armored tanks to devise agricultural vehicles. The Renault's Department 14 (responsible for the FT tank) developed the first tractor of the company, the Type GP, which was powered by an engine similar to that of the FT (a four-cylinder) and had tracks. The most distinguishable differences of the new tractor with the FT were the front-engine design and the reduced weight. The tractors were assembled in Renault's Billancourt factory since 11 November 1918 on the same production lines that the tanks and tested at Louis Renault's farm in Herqueville. The Type HO introduced in 1921 replaced the tracks by more conventional wheels. In 1926, Renault introduced the Type PE which was extensively revised compared to its predecessors, incorporating a new engine with reduced consumes and a vertical radiator. In 1931, with the PE1, the radiator was moved from the middle position used in the previous models to the front and, in 1933, the model became the first France-produced rubber-wheeled tractor. The company also started to develop versions for specific markets, as vineyards. With the aim of reducing the fuel costs, it introduced its first diesel-engined model, the Type VI, in 1932. By 1938, Renault was producing about 40 tractors per month and was the largest French manufacturer. In 1920, Renault founded the Le Mans engineering centre. Shortly after, plans to move the agricultural machinery production to the new site were revealed. However, the new factory was inaugurated in 1940 and the production was stopped because of World War II. Following the war and nationalisation, the Le Mans plant resumed production. The location was divided into a foundry section, a mechanical parts section (supplying the factories of Flins and Billancourt), a painting section and a tractor manufacturing section.