HISTORY
HOWARD INTERNATIONAL
In 1922, Australian agricultural engineer A.C. HOWARD invented a
mechanical rotary hoe, and named it
ROTAVATOR
i.e. HOWARD’s ingenuous trade name, which is claimed to be the
longest word that spells the same, backwards as forwards.
As rotavators gained world-wide popularity for seedbed preparation,
headquarters were shifted to England and production facilities were established
also in other European countries. In
1985 the HOWARD Group was acquired by the Danish Thrige Agro Group (now HOWARD
A/S), by which time there were also HOWARD associate companies in South Africa,
Brazil, Malaysia and USA. In
December 2000 the HOWARD Group became a member of Kongskilde Industries, Soroe,
Denmark.
HOWARD MALAYSIA
Established in 1962 as a trading company by a retired planter,
who wanted to introduce rotavation to Southeast Asian farmers.
In 1976 it was converted to a manufacturing company, in joint
venture ownership between the HOWARD Group and Malaysia’s National Farmers
Association (NAFAS). During this
period, HOWARD played its role in assisting local farmers convert from annual to
mechanical soil cultivation. Malaysian
paddy farmers have today practically fully mechanized their field work, and are
in this respect considered pioneers in Southeast Asia.
DIVERSIFICATION
With its expertise in Implements for Tractor-mounting –
HOWARD’s production range has evolved to cater for three main customer
segments PADDY - TURF-CARE -
PLANTATIONS, common for which are such requirements to :
functionality, Price and Back-up Service. Through
a network of 100 dealers in 10 Asian countries, Malaysian made
tractor-implements are widely distributed, and HOWARD is a leading brand of agro
and turf-care implements in Southeast Asia.
THE FUTURE
Food production (paddy, plantation) and Recreation (golf,
turf-care) are sectors unlikely to go out of fashion.
HOWARD Malaysia intends to further expand its know-how and product range
in these fields. It relocated in
June 2000 to new factory premises in Rawang near Kuala Lumpur, and hopes from
there to serve its customers with same competence it has built-up over the last
40 years.