L C Longtown's September Journey

What Is the Lely Journey? 

Farming never stands still, and neither do we. 

Lely is an international company leading the way in agricultural automation. Around the globe, farmers are benefiting from innovations developed at our headquarters in Maassluis, the Netherlands. It’s here that decades of research, feedback, and testing come together to create the technology that powers farms today. 

For Lely Center Longtown, this is the heart of our Lely Journey. A trip that offers farmers a rare chance to see how Lely’s ideas turn into real, working solutions. From the first Lely Acrobat in 1948 to today’s Astronaut A5 Next, our mission has never changed: to make farming more efficient, sustainable, and enjoyable. 

These trips inspire both staff and customers by showing how innovation helps farms of all sizes, from family-run dairies to large-scale operations, adapt, thrive, and future-proof their businesses. 

 

Where Innovation Lives – The Lely Campus 

The first stop was the Lely Campus in Maassluis, often called our green innovation hub. Built to work in harmony with the landscape, the campus spans 10 hectares and proudly holds a BREEAM-Outstanding certification making it one of Europe’s most sustainable industrial buildings. 

Natural light floods the factory floor, where even trees are planted indoors. What stands out most is what you don’t see: no assembly robots. Every Lely Astronaut A5 is built to order, customised to meet the needs of each farm. As we toured the factory, it was incredible to see finished robots destined for farms across the world, from the UK to Argentina to Japan, Lely is global. 

 

Learning from Real Farms 

Being close to the campus gave us the chance to visit several test farms that collaborate directly with Lely engineers. These farms trial and refine upcoming innovations, ensuring every product performs in real-world conditions before reaching market. 

Demo Farm Nieuw Bijstervelt 

Run by Marlin and Peter, this farm showcases a full range of Lely solutions, from the Astronaut A5 Next and Vector M2 Next to the Collector C2 and Sphere system. 

Peter shared fascinating insights into the Lely Sphere, which transforms manure management into a circular process. It separates faeces and urine, converting nitrogen emissions into a valuable liquid fertiliser. The result? Improved barn climate, better soil health, and reduced emissions. This becomes important when relating to the consumer at the end of the production line. In a 2023 AHDB and Blue Marble study, 51% of UK consumers said the environment is an important factor when choosing food, proof that sustainability now plays a real role in purchasing decisions. 

Farm Oostdam 

The Oostdam family use Lely automation to expand their business opportunities. Since 2020, around half their milk has been processed in the Lely Orbiter into whole milk, cream, and yoghurt for local sale. This gives them more control over quality and traceability. Again, something that matters to consumers. Recent AHDB research shows that 80% of shoppers check where their food comes from, with most preferring to buy British. Provenance and trust are key, and Lely technology helps farmers deliver both. 

Farm van der Starre 

Here, we saw the Lely Exos in action. An innovation solving a real-world challenge. In the Netherlands, slurry disposal is heavily restricted. The Exos addresses this by cutting grass for zero-grazing systems while also applying slurry to improve soil health and grass growth. Watching the Exos and Vector work together seamlessly showed how automation can close the loop between nutrition and sustainability. 

 

Farm Rotgans 

The Rotgans family run a successful on-farm processing business powered by the Lely Orbiter, which pasteurises and bottles milk ready for sale. By keeping production in-house, they’ve built a thriving direct-to-consumer brand — a perfect example of how automation creates new business opportunities. 

The Continuous Journey – The Future of Farming 

Our journey to the Lely motherland was packed with inspiration and insight. Farmers who joined us returned with fresh ideas and renewed excitement about what’s possible on their own farms. 

But don’t just take our word for it. Sit back and watch Richard Wheelwright’s experience of the trip.

 

With Lely, you gain more than cutting-edge robotics. You gain a partner committed to constant innovation, from smarter milking and feeding to sustainable waste management. The new Milk Filter on the Astronaut A5 Next and the Lely Sphere system are just two examples of how we’re shaping the future of farming. 

Join Us on the Next Journey 

We’re already planning our next Lely Journey to the Netherlands in Spring 2026. 

If you’d like to see where innovation happens and how it could transform your farm, get in touch with the team at Lely Center Longtown today. 

📞 01228 792 735 
📧 info@lclongtown.co.uk 

Evening meal at the Rotterdam Euromast