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Tom Ruddenklau has taken up the role as chief executive of Power Farming.
Well known motor industry face Tom Ruddenklau has been appointed as chief of the Morrinsville-headquartered, Power Farming Group.
Brought up on a beef and sheep farm at Dipton in Southland – famous for also being the home of former Prime Minister Bill English – Ruddenklau’s interest in things mechanical started when he helped in his father’s secondary contracting business. After university, a young Ruddenklau took up positions in the motor industry in the UK, before returning to New Zealand to lead brands such as Hyundai and Volkswagen. During that time, he was instrumental in establishing the sponsorship package with the iconic Country Calendar programme that endures to this day.
“Joining the Power Farming Group has fulfilled an underlying desire to get back to my rural roots and the engine room of the nation,” he says. “What could be a better job than leading the largest privately-owned importer, distributor and retailer in the Southern Hemisphere and be there to see that business develop in a time of complex regulatory changes?”
Initially, Ruddenklau will take the time to understand a business that is obviously in good health, with operations in New Zealand, Australia and the US. He notes that PFG is very focused on its people, typified by its joint venture retail operations throughout NZ.
“Our JV’s are built around committed individuals who have some skin in the game,” he adds. “Rural business is undoubtedly built around people, complemented by great products and supported by 5-star back up when the do-do hits the fan.”
Ruddenklau told Rural News that the PFG stable houses some great brands sourced from around the world, including UK brand JCB. He says these will support its latest venture, Power Farming Construction, which will give the company the ability to fill the farm shed even more.
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With the biannual Italian EIMA machinery Expo less than a month away, Case IH has taken out a Technical Evolution award for the Advanced Vehicle Suspension system available on its Optum 360–440 series tractors.
The Advanced Vehicle Suspension system, available on Optum 360, 390, and 440 models, responds to changing conditions, automatically adjusting how the suspension reacts to absorbs shocks and controlling vehicle movement.
In operation, sensors monitor the vibrations transmitted from the tractor chassis to the operator cabin, allowing the system to adjust suspension damping in real time. The control system incorporates key priorities, such as comfort at lower speeds and stability as speed increases, while also reacting to factors such as lower tyre pressures, where the tyres absorb more of the initial shock.
Case IH said as suspension requirements change throughout the working day, as tractors move between the paddock and road transport, the system manages suspension response in the background as tasks, speeds and conditions change, leaving the operator without the need to make manual adjustments.
Richard Hollins, Optum series tractors global product manager, said: “Pioneering technology must earn its place in the working day. Farmers and contractors will judge an investment by what it delivers, including manageable ownership costs, dependable up-time and the versatility to tackle different jobs. With AVS, we are putting intelligent control to work for comfort and stability, without giving the operator another setting to manage.”
Organised by FederUnacoma, the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation, the contest has been part of EIMA since 1986, with the Technical Evolution distinction awarded to products that introduce original improvements to solutions already manufactured or patented.
www.caseih.com
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