ICT innovation is CEFRIEL job and we often wonder if it may be a success key even in the most traditional fields. On one hand we are well aware that information technology is pervasive and transversal and provides a strong contribution in all sectors, on the other hand we wonder whether there could be market values specific for certain sectors. Agriculture machinery, for instance, is an industry in which tradition seems to count more than innovation. At least it would appear so. To find out more we asked Massimo Bordi, CEO of the Same Deutz-Fahr group, one of the main manufacturers of tractors, engines, combine harvesters and agricultural machines in the world.

"Innovation is one of the cornerstones of our group", Bordi explains, "as early as 1927 Francesco Cassani built the first agricultural tractor equipped with a diesel engine in the world and in 1952 he introduced the four-wheels drive. That was the beginning of a story of innovation and courage, two elements entered in the DNA of the group. I like to define Cassani an engineer and also a thinker, not just a skilful designer but a man with a vision of future and the courage to face it."

In 1932 Cassani founded SPICA (Società Pompe Iniezione Cassani e Affini) to manufacture fuel injection systems for diesel engines. He achieved a considerable success despite the monopoly of the German company BOSCH. In 1942 he left the company and, right in the middle of the World War II, he founded SAME (Società Accomandita Motori Endotermici), together with his brother Eugenio.

"It is a success story", Massimo Bordi goes on telling us, "when Cassani left SPICA he received a prize thanks to which he starts the company of his dreams: producing machines with engines as a whole, not only mechanical parts. And all that under bombing, with the shortage of raw materials and using few production means".

Today Same Deutz-Fahr group is present in the world market with four brands: SAME, Lamborghini, Deutz-Fahr and Hürlimann. In 2005 the turnover was 936,5 M? with a production of 33.650 tractors, 22.600 engines and 27.000 transmission gears, manufactured in five factories: in Italy, Germany, Poland, India and Croatia.

"Innovation is still our main engine and our fixed thought", Massimo Bordi explains. "Competitors are well structured and resolute even if they are not many: six western groups and some few extra European groups. We cannot afford to hesitate, we must be quick and flexible, it is progressing continuously and paying attention to market requirements that we manage to keep and improve our position".

What does innovation mean today? We ask.

"Up to a few years ago, innovation in our field was mainly applied in mechanics and hydraulic systems", Bordi explains. "Now we have modern engines, self levelling cabs, automatic gear boxes and many other new devices and systems, then we need a high level ICT innovation. The group structure became stronger exactly in the research and innovation area. It is important to have solid internal competence bases. In some very advanced fields of ICT development, we took advantage from the experience of specialists in technology such as CEFRIEL, a Technology Transfer Centre able to understand our requirements and propose solutions up to the toughest challenges".

So we're having more and more complicated machines.

"Just inside" Bordi replies. "The technology, mainly Information Technology is often invisible and allows to produce low-consumption machines, safer and easy to drive. Moreover, there is a sensible difference among the requests from the markets in the world. Innovation means also design the most suitable products for a specific market such as, for instance, simpler machines for the emerging countries such as China. Not simply adapting all designs, but creating a product which works properly in a particular situation".

And what about the future?

"The market is more and more international", is the Bordi conclusion. "So, we must to be quicker and quicker, as well as more and more flexible, paying special attention to energy and environment. For example with hybrid systems, with internal combustion and electrical engines together, where ICT plays an outstanding role".