History

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History

Quicke’s history is intimately linked to Karl-Ragnar Åström. During the early 1940s, he took over the large and well-developed family farm in Brännland. His interest in technology and his innovative personality led him to actively seek out ways to make farming more efficient.

In 1947, at the age of 27 he designed and built the first front loader in Sweden. After he had built and sold loaders to his neighbours, word spread and farmers from around the region expressed interest.

In 1949 he formed AB Ålö-Maskiner. His workshop filled the old barn.
The former chicken coop became the cafeteria for his employees. In 1958 when he designed the world’s first drive-in frontloader, he opened the door to exports. He continued as Managing Director at Ålö until 1978.

Karl-Ragnar was stubborn in many ways. He was a problem-solver who never gave up. And his industriousness is well-known. When the obstacles became too great and the road impassable, he would quickly switch gears and move on to new goals. He was just as comfortable discussing a technical problem with a worker on the shop floor as he was with discussing business with a business contact in a foreign country. Decorated by the king, he was basically a farmer with an entrepreneurial drive that made things happen.

HISTORY 1947–2004

1947 Quicke, the first Swedish front loader is designed by Karl-Ragnar Åström.

1949 Small-scale serial production of Quicke

1949 AB Ålö-Maskiner is registered.

1958 Quicke is introduced as the world’s first drive-in loader.

1959 The first Quicke front loader is exported.

1960s Competition between companies increases. AB Ålö-Maskiner decides to only sell front loaders and associated implements. Focus on export.

1967 More loaders are sold through export than on the Swedish market.

1980s Decreased sales of tractors on the domestic market leads to increased efforts on the export markets.

1988 KMW is acquired. The company is later reformed as Alo North America.

1990s Production triples. Towards the end of the decade, Ålö becomes the world’s leading manufacturer of front loaders with associated implements.

1992 The French company Agroma is acquired and the sales company Agram Manutention is formed.

1993 Balticgruppen becomes the new majority owner with Krister Olsson as the Chairman of the Board.

1999 Olle Pehrsson becomes the new Managing Director. Reorganisation of staff duties is implemented. A Danish competitor and importer for Great Britain is acquired that same year.

2000 Ålö acquires Trima, and thus gains access to an additional major brand and a production facility in Bergsjö. The previous owner of Trima, Atle, receives a 20 percent participating interest in Ålö.

2001 Atle is acquired by the London based Private Equity company 3i. As a result, 3i becomes a new minority owner of Ålö.

2002 3i becomes the new majority owner of Ålö. Stelio Demark is appointed the new Chairman of the Board.

2003 Group management develops a whole new production strategy. The Board decides to implement an extensive programme of investment based on the new strategy.

2004 The new generation of front loaders, Quicke Dimension is launched. Construction of the new plant in Brännland, Umeå, begins.

2005 A new production facility in Brannland, Sweden and a new paint shop in Matha, France begin operations and a new production system is introduced in parallel.

2006 Alo signs a contract for deliveries to Case New Holland. The factory in Brannland switches to work-station assembly which provides results in the form of increased productivity.

2007 The Alo group sets a new production record. Alo signs an agreement to acquire all shares in the French loader manufacturer MX.

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