Displaying items by tag: machinery

'Tried and tested for more than 15 years’ was a phrase that came to mind when an ex-dairy farmer in Taranaki decided to set up a fencing business in the Manawatu and had a post rammer on the shopping list.

Already an emerging leader in alternative fuels for use in tractors with its T6 Methane tractor, New Holland recently raised its stake in the rapidly emerging sector by taking a majority interest in Bennamann, a company specialising in methane capture.

Nearing twelve months since CNH Industrial cancelled its distribution agreement for Case IH and New Holland products with CB Norwood Distributors on July 1, 2022, followed by the establishment of a new retail footprint for New Zealand, with Norwood now having departed from the CNH Industrial dealer network in January 2023, the events have ushered in some big changes that are creating more positive outcomes for customers across the country.

In a move that sees further realignment in the New Zealand farm machinery market, Palmerston North headquartered Norwood and German manufacturer Horsch have announced they will end their exclusive distribution and retail agreement.

Valtra Unlimited, the specialist division of Finnish manufacturer Valtra, is celebrating its first decade, over which time around a third of all tractors produced have passed through its doors, taking customisation to a new level, so that bespoke machines are created to suit individual customer’s exact requirements.

Distributed in New Zealand by Giltrap Agrizone in the North Island and Cochranes of Canterbury in the South Island, HiSpec muck spreaders can handle a wide variety of manures, with the top-end Xcel 1250 capable of dealing with everything from burnt lime to chicken manure to effluent.

Since Covid-19 arrived on the scene in early 2020, farmers and contractors have become accustomed to demand often exceeding supply – due to shutdowns and labour and material shortages extending delivery times.

Up to 50 jobs look likely to be axed at Irish mixer wagon manufacturer Keenan, who have weathered the post-Covid storm with some difficulties that saw production and profitability compromised.

Brett McIntosh of the Palmerston North-based family agricultural engineering firm McIntosh, says their Multi-4 and 5 bale feeders offer a major leap in productivity if you need to lift and feed 10 or more bales daily.

While we have become accustomed to vehicle manufacturers offering alternative fuel sources for its ranges, other than New Holland with its commercially available T6 Methane tractors, the agricultural landscape is firmly fixated on diesel power.