Beet Harvester Production Restarts

4th February 20266th February 2026 webmaster Agrifac, Speelman

Dutch manufacturer Speelman Machines has acquired the licence to produce and develop the LightTraxx and OptiTraxx sugar beet harvesters for the Benelux and northern Germany, safeguarding continuity for these specialised machines after previous production ceased.

Under the agreement, Speelman is authorised to manufacture, further refine and market the wheeled LightTraxx and tracked OptiTraxx models under its own banner from 1 January 2026. The move positions the company to serve professional beet growers and contractors in key European beet-producing regions.

Production plans focus on a small annual volume of around four to five units, reflecting a niche, high-value approach rather than large-scale manufacturing. Speelman also intends to upgrade the platform, including increasing bunker capacity from approximately 12 tonnes to 17 tonnes and adapting wheel configurations to support higher payloads, while maintaining the core chassis design.

The first machines are expected off the production line in early 2026, maintaining availability of proven sugar beet harvesting technology for farmers and contractors in the region.