Weichai Loewo, the leader of smart agriculture equipment, builds a new ecology of global smart agriculture
Leader in Intelligent Agricultural Equipment
Weichai Lovol Builds a New Global Smart Agriculture Ecosystem
1Case Introduction
Weichai Lovol Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co., Ltd. (referred to as "Weichai Lovol"), as a core sector of Shandong Heavy Industry Group and a leading enterprise in China's agricultural machinery equipment manufacturing, was founded in 1998. Based on the strategy of "Global R&D + Full-chain Products + Smart Ecosystem", it has built an industrial system covering all categories of equipment such as tractors and harvesting machinery, as well as smart agricultural solutions. Through the layout of a global innovation network and industry-academia-research collaborative ecosystem, it has broken through core technologies such as high-horsepower CVT transmission and intelligent decision-making. In 2024, it achieved 17.4 billion yuan in sales revenue, with many of its main products ranking first in domestic sales. Its "AI Brain + Intelligent Equipment + Full-process Service" model has not only reshaped domestic agricultural production methods but also accelerated global layout with customized products and technology output, becoming a benchmark for the high-end, intelligent, and international development of China's agricultural machinery.
2Detailed Case Introduction
Since its establishment in 1998, Weichai Lovol has always focused on agricultural equipment and smart agriculture. By 2024, it has grown into an industry leader with 10,000 employees and 17.4 billion yuan in sales revenue, belonging to six business sectors of Shandong Heavy Industry Group. The company has built a full-dimensional product matrix covering tractors, grain harvesting machinery for wheat/corn/rice, special harvesting machinery such as silage machines, and a full range of agricultural machinery for soil preparation, sowing, and plant protection, providing an overall solution for full mechanization from planting to harvesting.
In the field of technological innovation, Weichai Lovol has built a "5+2" global R&D system - with 5 research institutes (centers) in China and technology innovation centers in Europe and Japan overseas. It has localized the introduction of 20 international expert consultants, with a R&D team of over 2,500 people. Relying on this system, the company has overcome core technologies such as power, transmission, hydraulics, and electronic control, breaking the foreign monopoly on high-end equipment such as high-horsepower CVT continuously variable transmission tractors. It has accumulated 2,140 patents, won 1 second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award, and undertaken 29 key national R&D projects during the "14th Five-Year Plan".
In terms of industrial implementation, the company has created a full-link ecosystem with "intelligent equipment + digital platform": Lovol Gushen unmanned harvester has a feeding capacity of 12 kg/second and can independently complete route planning and obstacle avoidance; P2404-7V unmanned CVT tractor with electric-driven precision seeder achieves a single-seed sowing rate of over 99%, with operating efficiency increased by more than 50% compared with traditional equipment. By 2025, the smart agriculture management platform has achieved online services for over 7 million mu of farmland through 50 smart farms nationwide, forming a virtuous cycle of "data training models, models guiding equipment, and equipment generating data".
3Implementation Locations
Global Headquarters and Core Base
Weifang City, Shandong Province (overall management, core R&D and main production base, undertaking the manufacturing of full-series agricultural machinery and output of smart agricultural solutions).
Key Domestic Application Scenarios
Smart farm demonstration bases: Jiangzhuang Town, Gaomi City, Shandong Province; Large-scale planting service areas: Zhangqiu District of Jinan, Qingdao, Gansu cross-region operation area, Dongfang City of Hainan, etc.
Global R&D and Market Nodes
R&D centers: Europe (high-end transmission technology), Japan (precision manufacturing and intelligent control); Overseas markets: Europe, Southeast Asia, South America and other regions.
4Brief Description of Implementation Effects
Industry Status and Market Performance
2024 sales revenue reached 17.4 billion yuan. The sales volume of main products such as tractors, wheat harvesters, and corn harvesters ranked first in China, with the sales of high-end power shift tractors growing explosively.
Technological Breakthroughs and Standard Leadership
Breaking the foreign monopoly on high-end agricultural machinery technology, core technologies such as CVT power assembly have reached the international advanced level, participating in the formulation of multiple industry technical standards.
Improvement of Agricultural Production Efficiency
Intelligent equipment has increased sowing efficiency by more than 50%, precision fertilization has reduced fertilizer usage by 10%, and under the guidance of AI models, the average yield per mu has increased by about 200 jin (100 kg).
Expansion of Smart Agriculture Coverage
The smart agriculture management platform serves an area of over 7 million mu, with 50 smart farms forming a replicable large-scale application model.
5Solutions and Cooperation Methods
Diversified Cooperation Models
- •Industry-University-Research Collaboration Model: Leading the establishment of an industry-education integration community, establishing a "platform co-construction + project co-research + talent co-cultivation" cooperation mechanism with universities and research institutes, and jointly carrying out national scientific research projects and technological research.
- •Full-Chain Solution Model: Providing integrated services of "intelligent equipment customization + smart platform deployment + full-process technical support" for customers such as large-scale farms and agricultural cooperatives, covering all links from cultivation to harvesting.
- •Global Resource Integration Model: Relying on technology innovation centers in Europe and Japan to carry out technology introduction and joint R&D, launching customized products with emission compliance and functional adaptation for overseas markets, and building localized service networks.
- •Industry Ecosystem Co-construction Model: Joining hands with agricultural machinery promotion departments and vocational colleges to carry out technical training and equipment demonstrations, establishing a three-level service system of "enterprise-college-farmer" to promote the rapid implementation of technological achievements.
6 Case Image Display
7User Feedback Summary
Large-Scale Farmers
Wang Zhaoxue, a large grain grower in Zhangqiu, Jinan: "The optimal sowing period predicted by the platform is accurate and reliable. The yield per mu of the plots not sown according to the recommendations was 200 jin less. Now 8,600 mu of land is managed entirely by the smart platform, which is worry-free and high-yielding."
Cross-region operator in Gansu: "Lovol training has enabled us to master the operation skills of new equipment. The efficiency of unmanned harvesters in cross-region operations is 30% higher than that of manual operations, and there are fewer failures."
Industry Experts and Institutions
Li Shaokun, Leader of the Expert Group for the Corn Yield Increase Project of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs: "Lovol's electric-driven precision seeder achieves precise control of sowing depth and plant spacing, providing key equipment support for the implementation of dense planting technology."
China Agricultural Mechanization Association: "Its technical training system is professional and practical, effectively solving the technical bottleneck problem of grass-roots maintenance personnel."
Cooperative Colleges
Relevant person in charge of Jiangsu University: "The industry-education integration cooperation with Weichai Lovol has achieved a win-win situation in technological research and talent training. 8 national-level platforms have promoted the independent and controllable process of agricultural machinery and equipment."
Government and Industry Associations
Yantai Finance Bureau: "As the 'chain leader' of the industrial chain, Weichai Lovol has set a model for the transformation and upgrading of the agricultural machinery industry with its open innovation and chain-integration innovation model."
China Agricultural Machinery Industry Association: "Its smart agriculture solutions have accelerated the deep integration of agricultural machinery and agronomy, promoting the transformation of agricultural production to intelligence."
8Technical Support and Training Services
Technical Support Content
- •Core Equipment Technology: Providing high-end equipment such as high-horsepower CVT tractors, unmanned harvesters, and electric-driven precision seeders, with core technologies including power shift control.
- •Intelligent Decision Technology: Outputting AI models for smart farms, covering intelligent algorithms such as crop growth prediction, optimal sowing period decision-making, and variable fertilization prescription generation.
- •Intelligent Collaboration Technology: Building a "cloud platform + intelligent agricultural machinery" linkage system to achieve accurate delivery of operation instructions and real-time monitoring of equipment status.
- •Customized Development Technology: Optimizing equipment performance and operation parameters according to different crop and regional characteristics, such as developing Euro 5 emission series products for the European market.
- •Maintenance Support Technology: Providing agricultural machinery fault diagnosis systems, parts supply systems, and remote technical guidance to solve grass-roots maintenance problems.
Training Service Programs
- •Equipment Operation and Maintenance Training: Conducting training on operation skills and daily maintenance of tractors, harvesters and other equipment for farmers and operators, covering over 10,000 person-times annually.
- •High-End Technology Special Training: Offering maintenance courses on core systems such as power shift and CVT transmission for maintenance personnel, having trained thousands of technical backbones.
- •Smart Agriculture Application Training: Explaining smart platform operation, AI decision model application, data interpretation and other contents for farm managers.
- •School-Enterprise Joint Training: Building training bases with vocational colleges, offering customized courses, carrying out "modern apprenticeship" training, and定向输送农机专业人才.
9Providing Enterprises/Institutions
Leading Enterprise
Weichai Lovol Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co., Ltd. (overall industrial chain coordination, core technology R&D and equipment manufacturing)
Research Cooperation Institutions
China Agricultural University, Jiangsu University, Shandong Agricultural University, Northwest A&F University, Nanjing Institute of Agricultural Mechanization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, etc.
Industrial Chain Supporting Enterprises
Shandong Heavy Industry Group (core power assembly supply), domestic agricultural machinery parts manufacturers, intelligent sensor suppliers, more than 30 in total.
Platform Supporting Institutions
China Modern Agricultural Machinery Equipment Industry-Education Integration Community, Key Laboratory of Intelligent Agricultural Machinery and Smart Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, etc.
