increase font size
Visitors to last week's National Fieldays were able to check out the new home for CLAAS Harvest Centre, Waikato and the parts, training and demonstration hub for the network's five other branches in the North Island.
The facility includes a six-bay service workshop, a 1,000 square metre parts warehouse and a 700 square metre showroom, administration and training centre. The centre also houses a high-tech remote diagnostics facility that enables technicians to monitor the location, operating performance and potential service requirements of any CLAAS, JCB, or AMAZONE machinery fitted with telematics in New Zealand.
Located on a three-hectare site adjacent to Hamilton Airport, the area also includes a 6,500 square metre 'hard stand' area, alongside a product demonstration and training area. The site hosts more than 35 sales, administration, parts and service staff under the leadership of branch manager, Stephen Harrison.
Landpower chief executive, Richard Wilson, says the complex will underpin increasing demand for high performance farm machinery and after-sales service and support.
"Hamilton is our largest dealership in the North Island and has developed a solid business based on forage harvesting technology," Richard says. "This expansion will spearhead the continued growth in sales of our extensive range of other lines, including tractors, cultivation, seeding, spraying, spreading and handling equipment.
"Our goal is to gear up farmers for success by providing access to some of the world's leading farm machinery brands and providing an unmatched level of aftersales service. A large part of that promise relies on recruiting, developing and retaining quality staff.
"Having a purpose-built, well-equipped workplace and being able to provide ongoing training throughout our network will enable us to meet that challenge."
Operating large tractors became more expensive back in March due to the ongoing Strait of Hormuz conflict, meaning contractors had to introduce fuel surcharges and farmers had to adjust their budget forecasts.
Close to the Abel Tasman and Kahurangi National Parks, Motueka is known for apples, pear and kiwifruit orchards, alongside specialised crops such as hops. Indeed, that specialisation, saw the area being the New Zealand centre of the tobacco growing, until the early 1980s.
Can-Am has introduced its 2027 range of side-by-side vehicles (SSV) and all-terrain vehicles (ATV), including the industry leading Defender, the Maverick R and the hugely capable Outlander ATV, incorporating a host of advancements designed to deliver an exceptional riding experience.
With battery tools becoming more widespread and more importantly, productive and reliable, it was only time before we saw augers or post-hole borers.
Austrian manufacturer Pottinger has released details of a new compact, linkage-mounted compact twin rotor rake, without a chassis, that is said to deliver impressive manoeuvrability.
Federated Farmers says it welcomes Labour's commitment to reviewing the Sharemilking Agreements Act, calling on other major parties to do the same.
For Canterbury dairy farmers Sian Meijer and Rick Wobben, wearable technology has become one of their most valuable on-farm tools - helping manage 1850 cows across an expansive, high-performing dairy operation while improving efficiency, mating outcomes and day-to-day decision making.
Fonterra has unveiled its annual results for the 2026 financial year, posting $27 billion in revenue and close to $20 billion returned to New Zealand farmer owners and unit holders.
The first major update to the Dairy Cattle Code of Welfare in more than a decade has been released, marking what DairyNZ describes as an important step in ensuring animal welfare standards continue to evolve alongside scientific evidence and on-farm realities.
Ravensdown shareholders have elected Jane Montgomery and Kate Acland to the Ravensdown Board for three-year terms, following a closely contested director election.
Federated Farmers says new legislation replacing the Resource Management Act will cut red tape, unlock investment and help grow New Zealand's export-led economy, after the Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill passed their third reading in Parliament yesterday.
