13th April 2002
News
13th April 2002
News |
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 TECHNOLOGY News | Tractors | Machinery | Motoring
AGCO to launch new brand
The European launch of the latest Challenger rubber tracked tractors - set for the upcoming Cereals 2002 event in England - will also mark the beginning of a campaign to establish 'Challenger' as a new AGCO brand covering combines, field implements and wheeled tractors.
According to Andrew Rabett, who has moved from Claas to AGCO as 'Challenger' marketing manager, there are opportunities across Europe to sell the products through a new dealer network without substituting sales of Massey Ferguson or Fendt products.
"Appointing Challenger dealers only makes sense where we can get additional sales," he says. "There would be no point if all it means is that AGCO sells a yellow tractor instead of a red one."
The latest moves follow the end of negotiations between Claas and AGCO over European distribution of the all-new MT700 and MT800 series rubber tracked tractors. Having had a good run with Caterpillar-built Challengers, Claas had hoped to be able to sell the new models, despite Caterpillar selling all product and manufacturing rights to AGCO earlier this year.
Claas claims to have ended the talks having been offered the tractors at a price that it believes would have made them uncompetitive.
"As with any new product, there is bound to be some increase in price but then we are talking about a very advanced tractor with new engines, hydraulics and electronics,”" says Andrew Rabett. "AGCO has identified ways of removing costs from the assembly plant in DeKalb, Illinois, which it now owns, so I believe the tractors will be priced competitively for their performance potential."
The choice of yellow for AGCO's new 'Challenger' brand is primarily for North America where combines, freshly liveried MF wheel tractors, balers, swathers and a host of other implements, will be sold through Caterpillar agricultural dealers.
In Europe, it is hoped that the colour will help associate the products with Cat's reputation for build and performance, an image further enhanced when the tractors themselves get Caterpillar engines and qualify for a 'Powered by Cat' legend on the bonnet.
Dairypower wins scraper award
Dairypower'ss hydraulic passage scraper system was awarded with a gold medal at Poland's biggest dairy equipment exhibition last week.
The Cork based firm won the award against stiff competition from big brand names from six other countries.
The Dairypower scraper has been tested extensively in Poland and Russia. The patented spring loaded notch cleaning device, has been shown to be successful in both hot and very cold climates.
The system is said to major on animal safety and the scraper will stop in a passage if a cow is down sick, without affecting the scraper operation in other passages.
Dairypower scrapers have been working in Poland for the past five years. John O'Donovan of O'Donovan Dairy Services, the makers of the Dairypower range, said that they installed 50 scraper systems in Poland last year, as well as 12 Dairypower milking parlours.
The Dairypower range is distributed in Poland by JFC Poland - a subsidiary of JFC Manufacturing in Tuam. This firm also distributes equipment from McHales, Mayo Mats and Samco in Poland.
New man at Farmhand
Farmhand Ltd has appointed David Osborne
A native of Killinchy, Co Down, David is very well known throughout the farm machinery industry, having spent over 10 years with Reco and more recently with Traynors of Clonmel.
David Borland, sales director for Farmhand said: "I am delighted that David has joined our team and will be working the patch I covered for the last 15 years.
"This move will enable me to concentrate more on further expanding our sales across the full range of activities, including our Fastparts operation."”
He said that having doubled sales over the last five years, Farmhand is well on track to repeat this performance with revenues so far this year up over 20% on 2001.
Taarup field day at Dunbell
Kverneland Ireland is hosting its biggest ever grassland field day at Dunbell, Kilkenny on Sunday, April 28.
The event will showcase the complete Taarup range of grass machinery from mowers to tedders, balers and wrappers.
The new BIO baler and wrapper system will be in action during demonstrations that will begin at noon and 3.00pm.
Sean Finegan of Kverneland Ireland said that there would be 12 different Taarup machines in action behind a host of different tractors, providing machinery users with an opportunity to see the company's latest machinery range in a real working environment.
Kverneland Group issues more shares to fuel expansion
The Norwegian based Kverneland Group is set to increase its equity base in the company as a means of funding additional growth in its operations.
The company's board of directors has issued more shares in the business as part of its strategy to push turnover to 8 billion NOK
( This growth is expected to come through new acquisitions, so Kverneland is obviously going shopping for additional farm machinery businesses.
Growth strategy
Kverneland is looking to the agricultural and the vineyard segments for the group's growth strategy.
The vineyard segment will be in particular focus, and the company has reported that it is discussion with some companies in this area.
Kverneland Group has as its objective to establish itself as the leading and complete supplier of both vineyard and agricultural mechanisation equipment.
The Kverneland Group increased its operating profit from NOK 112 million ( In Ireland, Kverneland operates through its subsidiary, Kverneland Ireland, based at Kilkenny
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Copyright © : The Irish Farmers Journal 2002 |
