PEOPLE OF CNH
BART VAN DAMME – PRODUCT FIELD SPECIALIST – AGRICULTURE, APAC
In this issue of On the Ground we find out more about Bart Van Damme, an agriculture product field specialist for the APAC region and ‘DJ of CNH’.
Read on to learn more about Bart’s 26-year journey with CNH and how he’s used his passion for music and DJ’ing to unite cultures and connect with customers.
Bart (right) at work in the DJ booth
How I’m bringing ‘a little music’ into CNH and the world of agriculture
They call me the 'DJ of CNH,' which is funny, considering I started out just trying to keep those combines rolling. My journey has been a whirlwind of combines, challenges, and continents. It all started in 1998 as a field test engineer in Zedelgem, Belgium, where I dove headfirst into developing the New Holland CX and CR combines. Just three years later, I found myself in Canada, supporting the harvest with the first 20 CX combines – a truly immersive experience. From there, I transitioned to after-sales, becoming a technician supporting combines across Eastern Europe and in 2004 I took on a central service support role, contributing to the launch of the Case IH AFX8010 combines in Europe.
Each role was a stepping stone, deepening my understanding of our products and the needs of our customers. But the desk job wasn't for me. I yearned to be in the field, connecting with customers, showcasing our machines, and bringing their feedback to our teams. So, in 2006, I moved to marketing. My focus? Ensuring we offer the best solutions by understanding our customers' experiences firsthand. Today, I'm thrilled to be part of the next-generation combine launch – a truly revolutionary product. These past 26 years have been an incredible journey, witnessing the evolution of agricultural machinery and learning how to collaborate with people from all walks of life. It's been an incredibly enriching experience.
400 dealers attended the New Holland Next Gen CR11 Combine launch in Zedelgem, Belgium.
But my story doesn't end there. Alongside my CNH career, I have another passion, DJ’ing. It started with a fascination. Every festival, every party I attended, I was captivated by how DJs used music to connect people. In 2019, I decided to explore this fascination by taking DJ training. The highlight was The Tomorrowland DJ Academy in Belgium in 2022. It was a complete immersion into the world of music. Since then, I've continued training, played at various events, and even supported the Tomorrowland DJ Academy in the Alpe d'Huez ski resort in France. Meeting people from all over the world, united by their love of music, is an incredible feeling.
Last year, I had a crazy idea: A custom DJ booth to launch the CR New Holland combine in Zedelgem. I built it myself! And when the French dealers arrived, I surprised them. I played in a robot mask, my identity hidden. When I finally revealed myself, the reaction was priceless. "Wow! That's Bart, the combine guy?", they said.
Since then, I've taken my DJ’ing global, playing in Europe, Africa, and even China. At the CIAME Farm Show in China last October, I saw firsthand how music could bridge cultures. Customers, even competitors, came to the CNH booth with smiles on their faces. It was incredibly rewarding to bring people together through music.
Now, I'm working on a new DJ booth for the next-gen Case IH Axial Flow combine. Each booth, each performance, is a unique challenge. I want to create a special experience every time. It's amazing – I'm now known as "the DJ of CNH." It's a privilege to combine my two passions and bring a little music into the agricultural world.
Bart teamed up with a local DJ at the Kenya Case IH training event evening gala.
CNH & Trelleborg teaming up for "On the Same Track" field festival in China
PLANT SPOTLIGHT: CURITIBA PLANT, BRAZIL
Aerial view of the Curitiba Plant in Southern Brazil
50 years of technology and innovation: Brazil’s Curitiba Plant
Our New Holland and Case IH plant in the city of Curitiba, in southern Brazil, has been at the forefront of agricultural technology and innovation in the region since 1975.
With around 2,500 employees, the plant produces great iron and tech that positions our brands as pioneers - helping farmers to grow more, waste less and put food on the region’s tables as efficiently and sustainably as possible.
The main products manufactured include tractors and harvesters designed to serve both the Brazilian market and other countries across Latin America.
With a production capacity of around 62,000 machines per year, the Curitiba plant is recognized as one of the country’s key industrial hubs, reinforcing CNH’s and its brands' commitment to developing sustainable innovations to meet the demands of an increasingly competitive market.
The Curitiba Plant produces a range of tractors and combine harvesters by CNH brands, New Holland and Case IH. These include the New Holland T6, T7 and T8 tractors and TC and TX combine harvesters as well as the Case IH Farmall, Magnum and Puma.
The plant has around
employees and a production capacity of around
machines per year
Team members on the line assembling a New Holland combine harvester
Putting the customer first
Always striving to provide the best experiences for its customers, the Curitiba Plant features the New Holland Gallery, a dedicated space designed to host visits from customers and dealers.
The gallery also includes a showroom showcasing the brand's equipment and an auditorium used for product launch events, employee training sessions, and press conferences. All these initiatives aim to foster closer connections with customers and other stakeholders.
The opening of the New Holland Gallery: Left to right: Eduardo Luis (New Holland Vice President), Rafael Miotto (LATAM President), Darci Piana (Vice Governor of Parana), Carlo Lambro (New Holland Brand President)
Our people at work in the New Holland Intelligence Center
Innovation: It’s what we do
Within the New Holland Gallery is the New Holland Intelligence Center, where all of our connected brand machines across South America are monitored in real time. In this space, specialists are responsible for providing support to dealers and developing projects to improve equipment availability in the field. The goal goes beyond mere monitoring - this intelligence hub delivers data and solutions to enhance productivity, reduce costs, and optimize customer operations.
The commitment to our planet and future generations is also a priority for the New Holland Curitiba team. Strategic efforts focus on continuous investment in technologies and innovative solutions that deliver practical, tangible benefits for both customers and the environment.
Examples include the energy-independent farm in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, southern Brazil, which uses organic livestock waste as fuel for heavy machinery, and the T6 Methane Power tractor powered by biomethane - an alternative to fossil fuels.
The New Holland T6 Methane Power tractor working at the energy-independent farm in Mato Grosso do Sul
Rubens Chuves, Quality Technician
“CNH is an essential part of my life. It's been 46 years of partnership during which I’ve learned so much and built everything I have, especially my family. I consider CNH a second family because of the many friendships I’ve made over this time. I take immense pride in this journey, filled with the knowledge I’ve gained. It’s incredibly rewarding to see the products I helped create being used in the field and to hear customers talk about how important the machines we manufacture are to them”, said Rubens Chuves, quality technician.
Case IH Farmall A
