We recently reported that Zetor recorded a financial loss last year. It is now implementing a cost-reduction plan for this year (2019).
According to Czech outlet Agroportal24h, the company sold just over 2,000 (2,080 to be exact) tractors last year.
Since 2012, Zetor says that there has been a “fluctuant [unstable] decrease in sales of farm machinery in European markets”.
Moreover, says the company, in the latter part of 2018 markets in central Europe unexpectedly declined as a result of extreme drought and the consequent financial situation that farmers found themselves in.
Zetor also says that, in early 2018, new legal regulations came into effect – establishing “strict rules for the production of new tractors”. This forced the company to make numerous (and presumably costly) product changes.
For this reason and despite attempts to counter it, Zetor’s product portfolio was “limited during the first six months of the year”. Its whole product portfolio was available only from August onwards – too late, it says, to make up for earlier lost sales.
It’s worth noting that Ireland had been an especially strong market for Zetor at one time. The old Crystal 8011, for example, has become something of an icon of Irish farming from times past.
Many farmers and contractors will have fond memories of the marque, despite it sometimes being referred to as a budget-priced brand.
However, during the past year the situation regarding sales and distribution within Ireland has been less than clear. Previous importer McHale Plant Sales has since parted company with the Czech tractor manufacturer.
Presently, Zetor is in the process of completing the appointment of more dealers around Ireland.
70-year history
Interestingly, Zetor was founded in 1946. Since its establishment, it has sold tractors to 136 countries around the world.
In fact, during its more than 70-year history, it claims to have sold 1.3 million tractors.
Since 2016, the company says that it has been “active in entering new markets”.
Since 2017, Zetor has been supplying ‘tractor sets’ to Russia. Last year, it began cooperating with TYM for the supply of the Utilix and Hortus model ranges (enabling Zetor to plug a gap in its product portfolio in the 40-70hp segment).