Agritechnica 2017

[david]

Anyone seen the mf ideal combine yet??

It was also available with Fendt badges glued onto it.

 

[Clive]

Anyone seen the mf ideal combine yet??

Yes - impressive looking thing

Lexion beater maybe ?

 

[Chris F]

Mark Crosby showed us round the New Holland stand. The obvious big news was the redesign of the methane powered concept tractor, which now has much better visibility and even a panoramic roof (not 100% sure why) but it looks good. The other was the autonomous T8 concept.

But aside from the concepts, it was clear they wanted to show that NH offer the entire range, including telehandlers and construction which were on the stand. Right the way from the small T4 upwards. Also on offer was the new S models, these are the models with the same grunt, but without the tech and creature comforts, a "simple" spec that offers a cheaper way to get the same power. It will be interesting to see the prices on these and how they stack up against other brands. It was also nice to hear from Carlo Lambro on the global positioning of New Holland and what they are trying to achieve. It's at this point you start to realise how small the UK market really is (in fact the whole show makes you realise that).

What is amazing about Agritechnica is the fact that the stands are so big, that NH's biggest combine with 45ft header, doesn't actually look that big and the small compact combine looks really quite small.

Pictures of the New Methane Tractor

Stand tour:

Combine CR10.90. Had a number of upgrades, up to 10% more production, power up to 700bhp, 45ft spreading with fine chopper and better visibility. They also said the machine was more capable in less experienced hands, meaning when you drive has a bad day the machine doesn't. Think this comment was aimed at the farmers paying the bills and not the farm workers driving them. But I suppose we all have a bad day sometimes and other times you main driver could be off. So I got their point.

If anyone wants any more information on the press releases from the show, I have them all.

 

[david]

Agree with Chris F, agritechnica is one hell of a show, credit to the Germans for organising the event.

I guess the UK's premier machinery show is LAMMA, which involves being mainly outdoors or marquees, usually freezing cold/wet/dark, and tramping around in muck. As well as being a pain in the arse to get in and out of the showground.

May be they will make a better job of it when they move LAMMA to the NEC in 2019

 

[Chris F]

One of the most amazing thing about getting to the show, is that the Germans make the dual carriageway that leads from Hanover to the show ground one way in the morning (as is the ring road that runs around the showground). There was literally no traffic jams at all. Can't imagine them doing that on the A45 by the NEC!

 

[Chris F]

Its time to go orange and the was a lot of orange kit at Agritechnica. The Kubota stand was a LOT bigger this year! No surprise I suppose considered who they have aquired recently.

So there were:

Orange Balers
Orange Wrappers
Orange tedders
Orange drills
Orange mowers
Orange spreaders
Orange ploughs!

But most impressive of all was that Kubota have the only fully operational autonomous tractor. It was a smaller tractor called the Kubota AgriRobo. Its a 60hp tractor. It can work autonomously, but also can work together with another tractor, in a master-slave combination. A driver can operate the first tractor, but the second tractor follows its lead. The difference here is that this tractor is actually working fields out in Japan. Kubota developed operational management software, specifically designed for the use of standalone tractors, in partnership with the Japanese company Topcon and the US State University of Kansas. They will be on sale in Japan in January. But I couldn't find out when or even if they will be available in the UK. There's a video of it working in the stand tour.

A tour of the stand:

I suppose the next question is when will we see an Orange Combine and an Orange telehandler? Place your bets!

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

One of the most amazing thing about getting to the show, is that the Germans make the dual carriageway that leads from Hanover to the show ground one way in the morning (as is the ring road that runs around the showground). There was literally no traffic jams at all. Can't imagine them doing that on the A45 by the NEC!

Yes it’s pretty well thought out, the whole ring road one way tidal systems and using the hard shoulder. Over head signs/gantries using ‘old style’ moveable signage (rather than dot matrix displays we have here) work really well. Did you clock the traffic cop/wardens madly waving their arms guiding cars into the various car park entrances.

 

[Chris F]

Yes it’s pretty well thought out, the whole ring road one way tidal systems and using the hard shoulder. Over head signs/gantries using ‘old style’ moveable signage (rather than dot matrix displays we have here) work really well. Did you clock the traffic cop/wardens madly waving their arms guiding cars into the various car park entrances.

Yes - and they don't half shout at you if you don't follow their every instruction!

 

[Chris F]

Some Pictures from Hall 15:

 

[Chris F]

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

I suppose the next question is when will we see an Orange Combine and an Orange telehandler? Place your bets!

Telehandlers would be pretty easy and natural for them. They already do orange mini pivot steer loaders (repainted Tobroco from the Netherlands) and there’s construction gear (mini tracked loaders/bobcats) offered in the North American market we don’t get here.

I doubt they’ll do a combine any time soon. They are a very conservative company, despite having a monumental cash mountain. The business case would need to be rock solid. The counter opposite to certain large North American companies which have a monumental debt pile

 

[How much]

Agree with Chris F, agritechnica is one hell of a show, credit to the Germans for organising the event.

I guess the UK's premier machinery show is LAMMA, which involves being mainly outdoors or marquees, usually freezing cold/wet/dark, and tramping around in muck. As well as being a pain in the arse to get in and out of the showground.

May be they will make a better job of it when they move LAMMA to the NEC in 2019

,


what surprised me was how well DLG seem to control who exhibits it was agricultural machinery and stuff related to ag machines , wrap , nozzles ,components etc just about soley and very little else

no cars
no farm diversification stuff
no supermarkets
no guns and fishing rods
etc etc

i read that the the most exhibitors as opposed to visitors cam from ITALY followed by China German manufactures where well down the list

 

[david]

Spot on.........

No 'car boot sale' crap there.

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

Spot on.........

No 'car boot sale' crap there.

There were a couple of old boys selling fancy strimmer heads in a couple of the halls, but that’s was generally the limit. It’s not on par with scale or custom we get here. Totally in a league of its own really.

 

[Clive]

Telehandlers would be pretty easy and natural for them. They already do orange mini pivot steer loaders (repainted Tobroco from the Netherlands) and there’s construction gear (mini tracked loaders/bobcats) offered in the North American market we don’t get here.

I doubt they’ll do a combine any time soon. They are a very conservative company, despite having a monumental cash mountain. The business case would need to be rock solid. The counter opposite to certain large North American companies which have a monumental debt pile

If they bought someone like Claas they would have telehandeler, bigger tractors and combines in one go ................. it’s been rumoured for years and I bet they can afford to if minded to

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

If they bought someone like Claas they would have telehandeler, bigger tractors and combines in one go ................. it’s been rumoured for years and I bet they can afford to if minded to

I think if they were inclined it would be only for their harvesting technology. The Claas tele’s being a rebadge job (now with Liebherr) and with the tractors I think they’ve laid out their strategy going down the DIY route on the larger arable ranges. It’s a rumour that keeps persisting though.

 

[How much]

If they bought someone like Claas they would have telehandeler, bigger tractors and combines in one go ................. it’s been rumoured for years and I bet they can afford to if minded to

Agreed And from a distance it makes some sense but I' sure you have visited the class factory yourself , we visited en route to Hannover and where mighty impressed , and got the distinct feeling that class where very happy paddling there own boat , with ventures in china , india , the US Europe etc , some joint ventures with the likes of Liebherr a fellow Family run Business that they
seem happy to be in cooperation and with big investments made in new research facilities i dont see them looking to sell.
And as a very wealthy family already , a huge pile of cash is in all honesty probably of limited use to the family who already are running a very successful business with a proud manufacturing heritage.

 

[York]

lodging near Agritechnica:
I have ample space.
we are renting a seminar center which can be filled with at least >80 people.
Well below 45€/night, including breakfast.
very good Brasilian Steak House near by. OK, after the 4th evening there, incl. "flat rate on steaks" it's time for a change.
I was happy when Wednesday was our last day so my US troup was ready for some Berlin adventures.
As we always have some "Exhibitor" tickets we always have people leaving with little sleep to be at the show around 7 in the morning to "sneak" around the exhibition.
Unfortunately JD has a good "secret service2, last time they where thrown of as they started to crawl into a combine from the discharge side.
4 days are rely enough for my likes nowadays. didn't get around much.
The only days I can recommend is the 2 preview days. Tuesday & Wednesday I noticed the 1st people beeing drunk at 2PM. Don't know why I do the afford of going to Agritechnica & get drunk at mid day. I have had better beer for much less money, as give away at the show it's still costing a lot.
York-Th.

 

[Suffolk Serf]

Agreed And from a distance it makes some sense but I' sure you have visited the class factory yourself , we visited en route to Hannover and where mighty impressed , and got the distinct feeling that class where very happy paddling there own boat , with ventures in china , india , the US Europe etc , some joint ventures with the likes of Liebherr a fellow Family run Business that they
seem happy to be in cooperation and with big investments made in new research facilities i dont see them looking to sell.
And as a very wealthy family already , a huge pile of cash is in all honesty probably of limited use to the family who already are running a very successful business with a proud manufacturing heritage.

Germany has many large, privately owned, internationally recognised, highly successful businesses, like Claas, that are likely to remain so. In contrast to here, where there appears to be a strong temptation to build a business then sell it, either though flotation on the stock exchange, or to a multinational brandishing cash.
I'm not sure why that is, but it is why most of out decent firms are now foreign owned.
There are of course notable exceptions, such as JCB.

 

[Chris F]

Here are my pictures from the AGCO (read Fendt) stand - this stand was split in roughly quarters 2 years ago, I would say it was 2/3 Fendt now. There was a lot of attention around the Fendt Combine, the Xavier robot and their electric tractor. It was a shame we couldn't have been shown round by someone from Fendt as we had lots of questions about what we saw.