Dealers tend to avoid open days during the season of long nights for the very good reason that machinery can’t be viewed unless there is light, and that the weather can be expected to be even more inclement than in the summer.

Atkins of Birr though, takes a different view and held its most recent event at the start of November commencing 6:00p.m, when it was guaranteed to be dark, and in doing so they a brought a whole new approach to displaying products.

It was not just a question of hiring in a few floodlights, the lighting had been arranged to show off the tractors in a stylish manner, rather than just being illuminated, which would have been the way of many other companies.

Image is vital

But then, it is a main dealer for Fendt, and Fendt has a reputation of quality which was extended through to the presentation of the machines as well. It was all rather novel and impressive.

Yet, there was more to it than the lighting – Trevor Richardson, manger of the Birr depot, had arranged for the history of the 700 series to be illustrated with a model from each generation being lined up in the yard.

700 series tractors in line — The impressive display of 700 series tractors from the earliest to today’s model was the highlight of the evening

At the start of the line there was a Fendt Favourite 716, this would have been the biggest of the series available at the time with 160hp being provided by a Deutz six-cylinder engine.

The tractor was based on a cast steel frame with integral front suspension and came with a vario box as standard, the first time that a CVT had been fitted to a tractor of this power class.

Fendt Gen 1 700 series — The original 700 series from 1999 set the trend with a cast steel frame and front suspension establishing the series as a quality product

Therefore, it was that the reputation for the solidity of Fendt was given a boost, and that has not changed since.

Continuing through the series it was with the fourth generation launched in 2011 that a completely new design was introduced, although it still relied on a the same Deutz 6.1L diesel.

Meanwhile such items as auto steer and tractor management had been introduced keeping the company ahead in the technology stakes until we arrive at the latest reiteration of the 700 series.

Heavy duty frames and front suspension have become much appreciated features of Fendt tractors

In the most up to date Fendt 700, the lowest power available is now 200hp and this from the new AGCO CORE engine which can now produce that number of horses from a four cylinder unit.

This is more than double the power density of the original Favorit 715 of 25 years ago and illustrates well the advances in tractor technology, especially engine management, that has taken place over the last quarter of a century.

Tractor development does not stand still, nor is it confined to the 700 series. Like all manufacturers, Fendt is constantly looking to offer that little bit extra over its rivals and the cab on the 7th generation machines shows the lines along which its designers are thinking.

Fendt controls — Colour coordination and multifunctional joysticks are the way forward for Fendt

One of the major objectives, is that all the cabs across the range should be similar in layout and the controls should be the same, therefore the colour coordination of the switches shows orange for the engine and transmission functions, while blue relates to the linkages and so on.

This lends an air of familiarity and gives a family feel, making it easier for operators to switch from one model to the next without having to learn the workings of each individual tractor.

Fendt is also trending towards having as many of the controls on the armrests as possible.

Going full line with Fendt

In addition to the tractor display, there was news that Atkins Birr was going full line with Fendt equipment and would no longer be selling Pottinger once the present stock had been sold.

Pottinger implement — Atkins Birr will no longer be selling Pottinger one the current stock has gone

There was a great deal of overlap between the two ranges explained Mark Wolfe, MD of Atkins, and neither was quite big enough to be sustainable, thus it was decided to go with the tractor brand rather than an independent supplier.

Yet there are downsides to this decision, the sales process for implements is a lot smoother where the manufacturer is independent of a corporation.

Tractor manufacturers treat implements as they do tractors and the pricing mechanism is a lot less straightforward.

Expansion in Co. Cork

Mark Wolfe stresses that he still considers Pottinger a quality product and the Cork branch will continue with both, as it is Kubota which tends to serve a different market in Ireland, and therefore compliments rather than competes with the other marques carried.

In other news from Atkins, the redevelopment of the Bandon branch at a cost of €3.5 million is on schedule with the old building now levelled and the new showrooms and parts department planned for an April opening.

Yet the evening was not all about Fendt. On display was a K110 11 which at 11m³ is the smallest version of the Bredal XE SC range, the top model can hold up to a shade under 19m³.

These machines rely on twin discs spaced well apart at the rear, fed by a conveyor to each, resulting in a 30m working width for lime, 40m for urea and 48m for mineral fertilizer

This is the first machine of the type to land in Ireland and reflects the demand for ever larger machines as acreages covered get larger and the availability of horsepower increases.

It is the sort of machine that is unlikely to be purchased without being viewed in the flesh and bringing one over for stock suggests that Atkins is not too worried the the future of agriculture.

That is indeed the case, Wolfe points to the fact that dairy prices are up and although the tillage hasn’t had the best of times during the last year or so it wasn’t as bad as had been feared.

The fundamentals are still sound he believes, and farming will always be around.

Image is vital

Going full line with Fendt

Expansion in Co. Cork

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Machinery: Fendt theme at Atkins Birr open evening