This year’s Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA) show would appear to have been a great success according to many exhibitors, there being a palpable sense of serious business research being done by visitors.
Although the weather turned wet and blustery on the afternoon of the second day, enough interest had been sown up until then for most companies to have decided that attending the show had been a good move.
New Holland’s new models
Last autumn, New Holland announced a 300hp addition to its seven series with the T7.300, the first example of which has just landed on Irish shores and was on display at the FTMTA show.
The tractor is designed to be compact, and while it may only 2.9m in length it is still an impressive size, yet it is said to be nimble and manoeuvrable despite the 280hp, boosted to 300hp with the power take-off (PTO) engaged, packed into its chassis.
The machine on show had a full suite of electronics installed and is a showcase for the company’s precision land management capabilities. It will be going on a demonstration tour with the dealers, Armstrong Machinery, Co. Louth, this summer.
Further down the scale, New Holland also had the first T5.100S to arrive in Ireland, a tractor which is intended for less intensive use but still be capable of many tasks around the farm with a useful 98hp on tap.
Claas backs CVT as essential option
Over on the Claas stand, the emphasis was very much on its version of continuously variable transmission (CVT) with the CMATIC units now taking around 70% of the company’s larger tractor sales in the UK.
It is this sort of success that it would like to see duplicated over here and although the price premium over a standard box may be around €10,000, the fuel savings are said to be impressive. CVTs are also better suited to onboard tractor-control systems.
The company had also brought along a new tractor in the shape of the Arion 470, aimed at farms requiring a loader to go with a useful amount of punch (153hp in this case).
Case keeps contact with customers
Case is another company finding that digital tech is proving an asset to both its customers and its dealership network.
There has been a tremendous increase in interest in it from farmers over the last couple of years, mainly fueled by fertiliser prices. Yet it is not all stick that is driving its adoption; a younger generation brought up on electronics is wanting to deploy the power of the chip on the family farm too.
Dealers are finding that customers who embrace the technology tend to keep in contact with the dealers to a far greater degree than has been the case. This is proving beneficial in return business whether it be a software update or a new tractor.
JD reports serious interest
John Deere has also enjoyed a good show with it being noted that the visitors were doing their research rather than just kicking tyres.
As farms grow larger they are becoming more businesslike with finance plans that stretch several years ahead rather than just to next season.
In doing so, the cost of machinery can be factored in as an ongoing expense rather than a lump sum off the bottom line – but dealers have to be on the ball as well and able to respond intelligently to farmers’ requirements.