Buhler name to go
Shareholders at a special meeting have approved a proposed deal that will see Buhler Industries, the publicly traded Versatile and Farm King equipment manufacturer, fully absorbed by Asko, its Turkish majority shareholder.
Having built the first equal wheel 4WD, the D100, in 1966, the company has gone on to build machines for broadacre farmers in North America and Canada, with a reputation for big, strong and simple.
More importantly they have always fulfilled that main requirement of a heavy tractor – getting the power to the ground. After being a casualty of the CNH merger of the late 1990s they changed hands a few times and the name disappeared, but re-emerged in 2008 after being acquired by Rostelmash.
Recently making a resurgence in New Zealand, the new 320hp FWA series of row-crop tractors certainly seem to knock out some very good stats. Among engines from industry powerhouse Cummins, the 6-cyl QSC 8.6 unit packs a punch at 322hp maximum power and 1383 Nm torque, and maintains emission regulations at Tier 3 levels.
Mated to a Caterpillar-sourced full powershift transmission with 16 forward and 9 reverse speeds, the tractor is easy to get moving and up to operating speed. The heavy duty back end offers specs that allow the machine to be taken to a 15 tonne operating weight, with 3-point linkage capacities of 9000kg and hydraulic flow from the closed centre/load sensing system up to 205L/min.
The operator is well looked after in the HQ cab with 35% more forward visibility, 7m2 of glass and a semi-active air ride seat with swivel; that should add up to a comfortable day night for the operator.
Down in Hawkes Bay, contractor Stu Mawley, Te Mata Contractors, is one such person. Having run two 250hp Versatiles for the last four and a half years, clocking up an impressive 8500 hours on each, he knew his two new 320s would be up to the task.
Te Mata Contractors specialises in row crop work, planting and general cultivation. Many times of the year the company operates 24/7 so reliability and economy are key points in tractor choice. These were uppermost when the 250s came up for replacement.
“The simplicity of the Versatile and, in particular, the easy servicing that can be largely done in house was a clincher,” Mawley says.
“The 320s will be our front line tractors doing specialised work pulling disc harrows, deep rippers, rotary hoes and power harrows. They are used by several drivers, and run non-stop during a lot of the season, so servicing is paramount. Versatile has put a lot of thought into the new models with daily checks all done at ground level using easy to read sight glasses, and a one-piece hood for access.”
Commenting on the latest models, Brett Maber, tractor sales manager Power Farming, says Versatile has spent many millions on R&D on these new models, addressing issues that largely revolved around styling.
“They have always had a reputation for hard work and a long life with over-engineered components; that doesn’t change because it is based on a 50 year history in tough conditions. What we see now, however, is a great deal more sophistication and style that I am sure will appeal to NZ farmers and result in a lot more interest and ultimately sales.”
