Our History

They changed the traditional ways of agriculture

Already at the start of the last century, as children, the brothers Cornelis and Arij van der Lely sat by the open fire of their parents farm playing with a box of Meccano trying their best to give form to their ideas for alleviating the hard physical labour of farming.

With the invention of unique products like the Lely fertiliser spreader and the Lelyterra power harrow the brothers have changed traditions in agriculture.

Improving both the financial and social wellbeing of farmers and agricultural contractors is still the unequivocal mission of the globally operating company that we are today.

The second generation

It is also under the inspiring leadership of the second Van der Lely generation that the company keeps looking for ways to improve the quality of cattle farmers’ lives, both financially and socially. Olaf van der Lely became CEO of the Lely Group in 1992. He was succeeded by his youngest brother, Alexander van der Lely, in 2004.

This family owned company is managed by the Board of Management consisting of five persons in total.

To read more about the Board members, click here.

The second generation - Olaf van der Lely

Olaf van der Lely, the second son of company founder Cornelis van der Lely, finished his training as a mechanical engineer at the Technical University of Zurich in 1982 and then joined the Lely company. In 1992 Olaf became the company’s CEO: ’the innovative drive as well as the decentralised management approach were the company’s critical success factors’.

Under his leadership, Lely shifted its focus to dairy farmers and enhanced its investments in robotic technology. The introduction of the Lely Astronaut robotic milking system and the start of its market development constituted a great milestone for Olaf. At the end of 2004 Olaf decided to pursue other avenues outside the agricultural business.

The second generation - Alexander van der Lely

At the time when Alexander van der Lely graduated as a mechanical engineer at the Technical University of Zurich in 1995, the Lely Astronaut robotic milking system was introduced. So, instead of joining an outside company and experiencing working life beyond the family company, he started with the Lely company. ‘The only way to do great work is to love what you do. And, like any great relationship, for me it's just getting better and better as the years roll on.’

In 2004, Alexander was appointed CEO of the Lely Group. His portfolio includes the R&D and patent activities of the Lely Group as well as Human Resources and Marketing Communications.

Lely international

Since the start of the company in 1948 successful innovations such as the finger wheel rake and the Lely fertiliser spreader followed each other in quick succession.

But it was with the development of the Lelyterra power harrow in 1968 that Lely made its real breakthrough. This development also marked the internationalisation of the company and an unprecedented growth in sales.

Lely starts with milking equipment

At the end of the 20^th century, the most revolutionary invention of the century was introduced into the dairy business: the Lely Astronaut robotic milking system. An astounding and cutting edge concept for milking equipment. The milking robot is the most consistent and reliable milker one can possibly think of; 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for many years in a row.

This invention also marked a change in our company as new products are increasingly using robot technology. However, all inventions are developed with the mission to create a bright future for dairy farmers worldwide.