Kverneland Group
Norwegian agricultural machinery group producing implements, agricultural electronics, and digital farming services.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Kverneland Group is a Norwegian agricultural machinery company whose business is centered on equipment and technology used with farm tractors and implements. Its portfolio covers soil preparation, seeding, forage and hay production, baling and wrapping, spreading, spraying, agricultural electronics, and digital farm services. The group sells equipment under the Kverneland, Vicon, and Kubota implement brands and operates as part of Kubota Corporation. The business traces its origins to 1879, when Ole Gabriel Kverneland established the company in Norway. It became a limited company in 1894 and developed a strong position in the Norwegian agricultural-products market during the early twentieth century. By the 1920s, it was described as Norway’s largest supplier of agricultural products, with ploughs representing an especially important part of its business. The company remained family-owned for many decades before being listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange in 1983. From the mid-1990s onward, Kverneland Group expanded beyond its original Norwegian base through acquisitions of agricultural-implement manufacturers and specialist brands. These included Underhaug in bale-wrapping equipment, Taarup Maskinfabrik in disc mowers and hay tools, Maletti in rotary harrows, Maschinenfabrik Accord in seeding machinery, Greenland Group in fertilizer spreaders and grass-related equipment, and RAU in field sprayers. This acquisition program broadened the group’s technical capabilities and international distribution footprint. The group subsequently consolidated several acquired identities under the Kverneland name. In 2008, the Taarup, Accord, and RAU brand names were discontinued across the relevant product ranges and replaced by Kverneland branding. Kverneland also entered a long-term joint venture with Gallignani in 2010, covering round balers, wrappers, and drum mowers. International manufacturing capacity was extended with the opening of an assembly plant in Daqing, China, in 2011. Kubota Corporation acquired Kverneland Group in 2012, and the company was delisted from the Oslo Stock Exchange in May of that year. Under Kubota ownership, Kverneland Group has continued as an implement-focused agricultural technology business rather than being absorbed into a single product label. Its activities include manufacturing, distribution, and the integration of machinery electronics and digital services for farming operations. The group’s manufacturing network includes facilities in Norway, Denmark, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia, and China. It has sales companies in 17 countries and exports to approximately 60 additional countries, with most of its workforce located in Europe. Kverneland Group’s role within the wider Kubota organization is to provide agricultural implements and related technologies that complement tractors and support field operations, crop establishment, crop protection, forage production, and material handling.
History
Kverneland Group began in 1879 when Ole Gabriel Kverneland established an agricultural manufacturing business in Norway. The company became a limited company in 1894. During the early twentieth century it grew into a major Norwegian supplier of agricultural products, and by the 1920s it was regarded as the country’s largest supplier in the sector. Ploughs were central to its early development and helped establish the company’s reputation in agricultural implements. The Kverneland business remained family-owned for much of its early and middle history. A major structural change came in 1983, when the company was listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. Public ownership provided a platform for further international expansion, while the company continued to focus on equipment used in mechanized farming. From the mid-1990s, Kverneland Group pursued growth through acquisitions. It added manufacturers and brands covering complementary categories, including Underhaug bale wrappers, Taarup Maskinfabrik disc mowers and hay tools, Maletti rotary harrows, Maschinenfabrik Accord seeding machines, Greenland Group fertilizer spreaders and grass-product machinery, and RAU field sprayers. These acquisitions transformed the company from a primarily Norwegian implement maker into a broader international agricultural-machinery group. The group later streamlined its brand architecture. In 2008, the Taarup, Accord, and RAU brand names were discontinued in the relevant ranges and replaced with Kverneland branding. This created a more unified identity across several acquired technologies while retaining the underlying product expertise. In 2010, Kverneland entered a long-term joint venture with Gallignani covering fixed- and variable-chamber round balers, wrappers, and drum mowers. International production also expanded. In 2011, Kverneland Group opened an assembly plant in Daqing, China. In 2012, Kubota Corporation acquired the group. Kverneland Group was delisted from the Oslo Stock Exchange in May 2012 as a consequence of the ownership change. The company continued operating as a distinct agricultural-implement organization within the Kubota structure. Kverneland Group’s headquarters are in Kvernaland in Klepp Municipality, Norway. Its manufacturing footprint has included facilities in Norway, Denmark, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia, and China. The group has maintained sales companies in 17 countries and exports to roughly 60 other countries. Its activities span soil and seeding equipment, forage and bale machinery, spreading and spraying, agricultural electronics, and digital services. The group’s principal implement brands are Kverneland, Vicon, and Kubota. Its historical development therefore combines Norwegian agricultural-engineering roots, acquisition-led category expansion, brand consolidation, and integration into a global Japanese machinery group.
- 2012
Acquisition by Kubota
[1]Kubota Corporation acquired Kverneland Group, which was subsequently delisted from the Oslo Stock Exchange in May.
- 2011
Daqing assembly plant opened
[1]Kverneland Group opened an assembly facility in Daqing, China.
- 2010
Joint venture with Gallignani
[1]The group formed a long-term joint venture covering round balers, wrappers, and drum mowers.
- 2008
Brand consolidation
[1]Taarup, Accord, and RAU product branding was replaced by the Kverneland name.
- 1983
Stock-market listing
[1]Kverneland Group was listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange after its long period as a family-owned business.
- 1920
Expansion as a leading Norwegian agricultural supplier
[1]By the 1920s, the company had become Norway’s largest agricultural-products supplier, particularly through its plough business.
- 1894
Conversion into a limited company
[1]The company adopted limited-company status.
- 1879
Company founded by Ole Gabriel Kverneland
[1]Ole Gabriel Kverneland established the business that became Kverneland Group in Norway.
Products and positioning
An international agricultural-implement and farm-technology group combining specialist machinery brands with Kubota ownership, manufacturing, and distribution resources.
Soil preparation and seeding
Kverneland soil and seeding equipment
Kverneland’s core implement portfolio includes equipment for preparing soil and establishing crops. The group’s historical strength in ploughs developed into a broader range of soil-working and seeding machinery intended for use with agricultural tractors.
Forage and baling
Kverneland forage and bale equipment
The group supplies equipment for forage harvesting and bale handling, including balers and wrappers. Its portfolio reflects both internally developed products and capabilities added through acquisitions such as Underhaug and the Gallignani joint venture.
Forage and grassland machinery
Vicon forage equipment
Vicon is one of Kverneland Group’s principal implement brands. Its agricultural machinery scope includes forage and grassland equipment within the group’s wider offering for mowing, haymaking, and related farm operations.
Crop input application
Spreading and spraying equipment
Kverneland Group offers machinery for distributing fertilizer and applying crop-protection products. These capabilities were strengthened by the historical integration of Greenland Group fertilizer and grass-product machinery and RAU field sprayers.
Precision agriculture technology
Agricultural electronics and digital farm services
In addition to mechanical implements, the group develops agricultural electronics and digital services for farming operations. These technologies support the operation and coordination of tractors and implements as part of a broader agricultural-technology offering.
Brand decisions
2012
Acquisition by Kubota CorporationM&ABackground
Kverneland Group had operated as a publicly listed agricultural-implement company since 1983.
Action taken
Kubota Corporation acquired Kverneland Group.
Aftermath
Kverneland Group became part of Kubota and was delisted from the Oslo Stock Exchange in May 2012.
2010
Long-term joint venture with GallignaniM&ABackground
Kverneland sought to expand its baling, wrapping, and mowing capabilities.
Action taken
The group formed a long-term joint venture with Gallignani for round balers, wrappers, and drum mowers.
Aftermath
The arrangement added a new range of agricultural machinery to the group’s product portfolio.
2008
Unification of acquired implement brands under KvernelandStrategyBackground
After expanding through acquisitions, the group operated product lines associated with Taarup, Accord, and RAU as well as Kverneland.
Action taken
The Taarup, Accord, and RAU brand names were discontinued across the relevant product ranges and replaced by Kverneland branding.
Aftermath
The change created a more consolidated brand structure for several categories of agricultural implements.
Recent events
- 2012
Kverneland Group was acquired by Kubota Corporation[1]
M&A
Kubota Corporation acquired Kverneland Group, changing the company from a publicly listed agricultural-implement group into a Kubota-owned business.
- 2012
Kverneland Group was delisted from the Oslo Stock Exchange[1]
M&A · Other
Following Kubota’s acquisition, Kverneland Group was removed from trading on the Oslo Stock Exchange in May 2012.
- 2011
Kverneland Group opened an assembly plant in Daqing[1]
Other
The group expanded its manufacturing presence in China with a new assembly plant in Daqing.
- 2008
Kverneland Group consolidated several acquired brands[1]
Other
The Taarup, Accord, and RAU names were discontinued across their product ranges and replaced by the Kverneland brand.
Sources1 sources
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