Friday, 27 August 2021 09:55

Smart diagnostics and read leather proving a winner

Written by Staff Reporters

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

Gisborne-based maize corn and squash grower H Pak Ltd has taken delivery of New Zealand’s first Case IH AFS Connect Magnum 340.

Case IH diagnostics software is helping a Bay of Plenty-based Case IH dealership to support customers in their new territory on the East Coast.

Case IH’s AFS Connect offers benefits for both users and their supplying dealers. In the case of the former, giving users freedom to adjust, manage, monitor and transfer data, view displays remotely and access support capabilities. In the dealer’s case, it means remote diagnostic information from the tractor is fed to the dealership headquarters, then on to the local dealership team.

Gisborne-based maize corn and squash grower H Pak Ltd has taken delivery of New Zealand’s first Case IH AFS Connect Magnum 340. For owner, Henry Dods, buying the 340 signalled a return to Case IH after a 10-year break. Meanwhile, for supplying dealer Jacks Machinery, the order was a milestone in its recent expansion out of their home base of Whakatane in Bay of Plenty.

H Pak runs a fleet of 20 tractors on the heavy, fertile Gisborne Plains. The arrival at Jacks of tractors of the type and horsepower required meant it was the ideal timing for Dods to return to the Case IH camp.

Working on heavy soil, the tractor was destined to spend most of its life attached to a power harrow. So, when researching a new purchase, Dods went looking for horsepower, full powershift transmission and dual wheels.

The Case IH AFS Connect Magnum 340 allows Jacks to service the East Coast from afar, with the help of a newly established team based in Gisborne.

Users simply log in to AFS Connect to view current field operations, fleet information, agronomic data and more. This allows them to remotely keep an eye on their operation, just as if they were present in the cab.

The display is set up for intuitive navigation and optimum visibility, even on the brightest days. Remote display viewing connects operators with farm managers seamlessly, and Bluetooth capabilities pair the display with a mobile phone to bring everything onto one display.

“If you are used to operating an Android phone, you’d be right at home with the AFS touch screen,” Jacks Machinery says.

And, of course, driver comfort is a top priority too.

Staff immediately took a shine to the red-leather upholstery and were squabbling over who got to drive the new machine, Dods says.

More like this

Case IH launches new Tier 3 Puma Tractor at Fieldays

Case IH is expanding its popular Puma range in New Zealand, with a new model that was released at Fieldays.

Massey Ferguson 8S tractor makes history in Morocco Desert Challenge

It seems that tractor manufacturers will go to great efforts to promote the versatility and durability of their offerings, a recent example being a Massey Ferguson with an 8S tractor entered into the Morocco Desert Challenge.

LDV unveils all-new Terron 9 Elite ute

As if there wasn’t enough choice in the New Zealand ute market, LDV New Zealand is expanding its offering, by showcasing the all-new Terron 9 Elite at Fieldays.

John Deere acquires Sentera to boost smart farming capabilities

While tractors combines and machinery for agriculture and construction is still its key business, John Deere appears to be taking opportunities in the hightech sector via acquisition, with the recent purchase of Sentera, a Minnesota-based company that specialises in equipment for capturing and interpreting aerial images.

Fendt 600 Vario Series arrives in NZ

Released in New Zealand earlier in the year, the new Fendt 600 Vario series, serving the 150-200hp category, is a compact and manoeuvrable 4-cylinder tractor with high performance and payload, at a low power-to-weight ratio.

Featured

Big return on a small investment

Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.

$150B farm succession challenge looms for NZ agriculture

Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.

Meyer Cheese invests $3.5 million in state-of-the-art Waikato facility

Boutique Waikato cheese producer Meyer Cheese is investing in a new $3.5 million facility, designed to boost capacity and enhance the company's sustainability credentials.

Editorial: Sensible move

OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.

DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb NZ wrap up M. bovis compensation support after $161M in claims

Compensation assistance for farmers impacted by Mycoplama bovis is being wound up.

Farmers win as government scraps proposed Fringe Benefit Tax on utes

Selecting the reverse gear quicker than a lovestruck boyfriend who has met the in-laws for the first time, the Coalition Government has confirmed that the proposal to amend Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) charged against farm utes has been canned.