Key Takeaways
- CNH has inaugurated a €21 million dual investment at its San Matteo R&D hub in Modena, Italy, comprising an advanced virtual simulation ecosystem and an automated AutoStore logistics warehouse.
- The virtual simulation hub adopts a digital-twin, virtual-first methodology projected to accelerate time-to-market by over 30% by identifying design issues early in the product lifecycle.
- The AutoStore automated logistics centre reduces parts retrieval time from 15 minutes to under 30 seconds, supporting parts availability within 24 hours for more than 1,200 dealers and workshops worldwide.
- The facility delivers a 70% increase in storage density, an 85% reduction in physical strain on workers, and a 93% reduction in annual energy consumption compared to the previous system.
- CNH has renewed its 2026 framework agreement with the Università di Bologna and maintains ongoing research collaborations with Unimore, anchoring its innovation presence in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna “Tractor Valley” region.
CNH Opens €21M Virtual Simulation and Automated Logistics Hub in Modena
CNH (NYSE: CNH) has inaugurated two major new facilities at its San Matteo R&D hub in Modena, Italy: an advanced virtual simulation ecosystem and an AutoStore automated logistics warehouse. The combined €21 million investment is designed to compress agricultural equipment development cycles through digital simulation while accelerating parts fulfilment through high-speed robotics.
“In a challenging global market, speed and precision are critical. At San Matteo, we are combining advanced simulation with automated logistics to reduce development time, improve product quality, and ensure faster parts availability for our customers across Europe,” said Markus Mueller, President, EMEA at CNH.
Virtual Simulation: A Digital-Twin Approach to Product Development
The new simulation hub establishes a virtual-first development methodology, using integrated digital twin technology to identify machine design anomalies early in the product lifecycle before physical production begins. CNH projects this approach will reduce time-to-market by over 30%, while also minimising engineering risk, optimising field validation, and cutting testing-related emissions.
The simulation ecosystem is built across three technological pillars:
- Dynamic Simulator — A driver-in-the-loop system on an immersive 6-axis motion platform, enabling complex vehicle behaviour testing prior to physical production.
- Multi-Dyno Test Cell — A controlled environment for validating advanced powertrain systems and electric hardware against virtual models.
- Advanced Sensor Test Track — A high-repeatability benchmarking facility with full weather simulation for verifying precision sensors and autonomous features.
Together, these capabilities allow CNH to validate autonomous and electrified agricultural machinery in virtual conditions that would previously have required extensive physical testing programmes.
AutoStore Logistics: Parts in 30 Seconds, 24-Hour Availability
Complementing the simulation hub is a fully automated logistics centre powered by an AutoStore robotic retrieval system. The facility is engineered to provide parts availability within 24 hours to more than 1,200 dealers and workshops worldwide, a significant upgrade on the performance of the previous conventional warehouse.
The performance improvements are substantial across multiple dimensions:
- Speed: Retrieval time reduced from 15 minutes to under 30 seconds, with throughput of up to 550 parts per hour.
- Efficiency: 70% higher storage density and 85% reduction in physical strain on warehouse staff.
- Sustainability: 93% reduction in annual energy consumption compared to the previous system.
Anchoring CNH in Emilia-Romagna’s “Tractor Valley”
The San Matteo investment reinforces CNH’s long-standing presence in Emilia-Romagna, the Italian region known as “Tractor Valley” for its concentration of agricultural machinery manufacturers and engineering expertise. To sustain the innovation pipeline emanating from this hub, CNH has renewed its 2026 framework agreement with the Università di Bologna and maintains active research collaborations with Unimore (Università di Modena and Reggio Emilia).
The dual investment positions San Matteo as a centre for CNH’s European agricultural equipment R&D strategy, integrating virtual product development with physical logistics in a single innovation campus.
