HarvesTimes Spring 2022

HarvesTimes The journal for agricultural professionals

05.22

CLAAS news Product news Customer stories

The new TORION 1511P A mighty powerhouse

With a massive 228hp

21% more torque than the standard TORION 1511

Larger working hydraulics pump for greater fuel saving

Lighter operating weight and still greater lift capacity

Intelligent SMART LOADING as standard, reducing operator’s workload

The new TORION 1511P is the fully versatile machine for your operations, just as at home on the clamp as it is in your yard or in the field, providing seamless materials handling.

Learn more about the TORION medium series

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Call your CLAAS dealer today for a demonstration.

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Contents 4

CLAAS and Dealer News New Carraro agreement............................................................ 04

Stay connected with CLAAS UK

Showtime!................................................................................. 05 CLAAS in Grass event............................................................... 05 New global academy role.......................................................... 06 6

2022 CLAAS Scholar announced.............................................. 06 Apprentice training brought ‘in-house’....................................... 07 Environmental win-win............................................................... 08 Happy retirement....................................................................... 08 CLAAS recognise UK dealer excellence..................................... 09

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New RICKERBY branch............................................................ 09 Product and Customer News 100th JAGUAR TT..................................................................... 10

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TRION Farm Machine award..................................................... 11 Materials Handling Feature New TORION 530 and 535 and 639 updates............................ 12 Testimonials Wheel Loaders TORION 1511 – Durston Garden Products, Somerset............... 14

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TORION 738T SINUS – Tom Stodart, Lanarkshire..................... 15 Testimonials Telehandlers SCORPION 741 VARIPOWER 2 – Neil Kidd, Lancashire............ 16 Testimonials Green Harvest JAGUAR 850 – Billy Howat, Ayrshire ........................................ 18 JAGUAR 970 – James Faulkner, Essex..................................... 19 ROLLANT 455 UNIWRAP – David Conly, Co Monaghan............ 20 ROLLANT 540 – Gareth Jones, Powys...................................... 21 Testimonials Tractors AXION – Simon Andrews, Bedfordshire..................................... 22 XERION 5000 – Rockscape Contract Services, Lincolnshire...... 24 ARION 460 + FL – Adam Rees, Powys...................................... 26 ARION 440 – Don Ingles, Worcestershire.................................. 28 ARION 610 – Adrian Lavender, Norfolk...................................... 30 ARION 630 – Andrew Wilson, East Dunbartonshire................... 32 ARION 630 & 660 – Marcus Land, Herefordshire....................... 34

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Cover photo: Josh Collins, near Truro in Cornwall CLAAS AXION 830 March 2022 Contact us on: 01284 763100 Email: cuk.reception@CLAAS.com or visit claas.co.uk facebook.com/CLAAS.UnitedKingdom

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CLAAS NEWS

New Carraro agreement CLAAS and the Carraro Group are further expanding their decades-long cooperation, following the signing of a new strategic agreement. In addition to the development and production of special and compact tractors and the supply of axles and gear wheels, the cooperation will also include the mutual knowledge transfer and exchange of skills in the fields of human resources and best practices in sustainability.

COURSE SET FOR GROWTH CLAAS and Carraro Group have worked together for many years.

In addition to the delivery of axles and gear wheels, for example for the ARION 400 tractors produced in Le Mans, the partnership also includes the development and production of vineyard and orchard, in addition to compact tractors.

The two family companies have now laid the foundation for further growth on both sides as part of a strategic agreement. This makes Carraro Group the third company with which CLAAS has entered into a strategic partnership – and the first outside of Germany.

“A clear short- to medium-term goal of our commitment is to increase sales and market share in the special and compact tractor sectors,” explains CLAAS CEO Thomas Böck. “To achieve our goals, we are investing together in new developments, but also in competences and skills of our employees and know-how-transfers.”

In November 2021, CLAAS introduced the latest NEXOS series manufactured by Carraro Group, which meets the Stage V emissions standard and incorporates numerous new technology and equipment features. Based on the even closer cooperation, further new tractor models are to follow in 2022.

STRONG FOCUS ON CSR In the future, strategic cooperation will not only be limited to purely technical areas such as the development and specification of tractors and the supply of axles by Carraro Group, but also to the area of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). “Our decision to intensify the cooperation with Carraro Group is based on a strong mutual trust and a fundamental deepening of our competencies that have grown over many years,” states Thomas Böck.

“Therefore, selected employees from Carraro Group will work at CLAAS locations for short periods and vice versa. In addition to production, this will also include administrative functions in the small tractor business unit. Both family companies will benefit from this knowledge transfer in the medium to long term and strengthen their cooperation as well as their link in terms of brand values.”

Meeting at the Carraro Group headquarter in Campodarsego to sign the contracts: Cathrina Claas-Mühlhäuser, Chairwoman of the Shareholders Committee, Thomas Böck, CEO CLAAS Group, Dr. Martin von Hoyningen-Huene, member of the CLAAS Executive Board and President CLAAS Tractor, Henner Böttcher, CFO CLAAS Group, Alexander Reinhardt, Senior Vice President Product Unit Small Tractor, Enrico Carraro (Chairman Carraro Group), Tomaso Carraro (Vice Chairman Carraro Group), Andrea Conchetto, CEO Carraro Group, Marco Stella, Carraro Agritalia General Manager (Tractors Business Area).

CLAAS NEWS

Showtime!

We are delighted that the national Shows calendar is looking much healthier this year and CLAAS UK and its dealers will be in attendance at many of the forthcoming events, including our own exciting new CLAAS in Grass working demonstration event to be held at Saxham at the end of April.

There’ll also be a full working demonstration of our green line kit, tractors and forager harvesters at the forthcoming Scotgrass event at Crichton. At the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh, the Royal

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Welsh Show and the FTMTA we’ll also be offering our usual CLAAS hospitality and showcasing our latest machinery range. Our dealers will also be supporting many of the local and county shows planned over the next few months.

We are really looking forward to finally meeting up with customers face to face again and hope that you take the opportunity to visit us on one of our stands this year.

Royal Highland Show – June 23-26 FTMTA Farm Machinery Show – July 13-14 Royal Welsh Show – July 18-21 Tillage Live – September 28

SAXHAM VISITS The easing in restrictions has also meant that we can finally welcome visitors to our fantastic headquarters at Saxham. In recent months we have welcomed Young Farmers, local businesess, the local council and professional bodies to Saxham including IAgrE. If you are interested in a visit to CLAAS UK or wish to book our conference facilities for private meetings or functions we can offer a variety of meeting rooms to suit your needs together with a range of refreshments including lunches, hot and cold buffets or bespoke hospitality dependent on your requirements.

Please call 01284 763100 for further details.

CLAAS UK held an exciting new working demonstration event “CLAAS in Grass” at CLAAS UK, Saxham in late April. This event gave customers the opportunity to see the full line up of green harvest kit working in the field with a range of CLAAS tractors, telehandlers and wheeled loaders. There were also guided tours of the Saxham headquarters, the CLAAS Academy and Parts warehouse. What better way to showcase the capabilities of our green harvest kit than with a live demonstration?

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CLAAS NEWS

New global academy role Changes are currently taking place at a CLAAS Global Level within BUSS – the Business Unit Service & Sales, to create a Global Academy, to professionalise the CLAAS qualification management and set industry benchmarks for CLAAS training.

As part of this change Brain Wain, currently Director of After Sales for CLAAS UK becomes the new Director BUSS Global Academy.

Brian, along with his family will relocate to Germany, with his role officially commencing 1st April 2022.

Brian started his career at Renault Agriculture Limited, joining CLAAS UK as Technical Manager for Tractors in 2004.

Responsibility as Academy Manager, Customer Service Manager and Customer Service Director followed.

Since 2020, Brian has been Director of After Sales overseeing Parts, Technical Service, Field Service and the Academy.

Brian has been instrumental in the success of CLAAS UK, and is a well liked

Brian Wain.

and respected colleague. Whilst we will miss his professional and personal contribution, we are delighted that his capabilities have been recognised on a Global level, and that he remains within the CLAAS Group. We wish him and his family all the very best in their new adventures.

As a result of Brian Wains move to Harsewinkel Dr Rob Fillingham will become Head of After Sales, with responsibility for Parts, Technical Service and Field Service, reporting to Trevor Tyrrell.

Rob joined CLAAS UK in 2015 as Technical Manager – Tractors, with promotion to Head of Tractors and Connected Systems in 2019. Prior to formally joining CLAAS, Rob was a CLAAS Scholarship Student and his studies through Harper Adams resulted in his MEng degree and PhD on the subject of combine efficiency.

Dr Rob Fillingham.

2022 CLAAS Scholar announced Molly Robinson, who is studying for a BEng in Agricultural Engineering at Harper Adams University, has been awarded the 2022 CLAAS UK Scholarship, and is the first female student to win this prestigious award.

Now in its 16th year, the CLAAS UK Scholarship was instigated in 2005 at the personal request of Helmut Claas and is awarded annually to a Year 2 Engineering Student at Harper Adams University.

engineering. I am beyond excited for this opportunity, and I cannot wait to start this experience!”

CLAAS UK has enjoyed very close ties with Harper Adams for many years, both through the CLAAS Foundation, but has also sponsored PhD thesis and research work at the University and also provides work placement opportunities for a number of students each year.

Many of these have gone on after graduation to be awarded training and career opportunities at CLAAS UK.

As this year’s CLAAS Scholar, Molly will receive £3,000 towards her education costs each academic year. In addition, she will do an initial three months placement with a CLAAS UK owned dealership, prior to a 12 month paid placement at the CLAAS headquarters at Harsewinkel in Germany. Here she will be working within the Advanced Functional Testing Department, focussing on harvesting machinery.

Prior to attending Harper Adams University, Molly studied at Askham Bryan College for a Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Land Based Engineering. Molly is from a farming background and lives with her family on an arable farm in Darlington. When she’s not studying, Molly enjoys racing a V8 stock car, a sport she has been actively involved in since she was 12.

Summing up on how she felt to be awarded this year’s CLAAS Scholarship, Molly commented: “To be a CLAAS scholar and have my placement with the company, is something I have wanted to achieve since I started my journey in the world of agricultural

CLAAS Scholar, Molly Robson.

CLAAS NEWS

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Apprentice training brought ‘in-house’ For the past 20 years, CLAAS has been an industry leader in the development of its Apprenticeship training programme. During that time over 200 apprentices have passed through the course and have grown and developed their careers within the CLAAS dealer network. This has been as a direct result of the commitment and support of their dealer network and the existing training providers However, CLAAS recognise that in order to stay ahead you have to keep on running. As the CLAAS product portfolio and technology has changed to meet the increasing demands of customers, so the training schemes also need to keep apace of these new developments.

In light of the increased demand for good quality Apprenticeships, in an industry first we have now made the decision to raise the apprentice programme to a new level and to focus on ‘Growing its own’ by bringing the apprenticeship training ‘in-house’, based in a purpose built new Apprenticeship Academy at Saxham, directly adjacent to the award winning CLAAS ACADEMY.

PEOPLE MAKE US WHAT WE ARE People are what make CLAAS the company it is today. The business and its customers businesses are driven by the success of our people and in order to secure their future, we feel that this is the right time to take apprenticeship training to a new level and start the process of truly growing our staff from within CLAAS. The decision to take the Apprenticeship programme in-house, rather than continuing with a third party, will allow us to fully integrate our apprentices into the culture of CLAAS, its extensive product range and its ethos.

The development of the new purpose built Apprentice Academy makes CLAAS the only UK agricultural machinery manufacturer to offer and deliver an in-house apprenticeship programme that is ‘all under one roof’. It’s also a worldwide first for the CLAAS Group and with a significant investment of 3 million Euros, the programme will provide a blueprint for the development of similar schemes within the company’s global operation.

“Our new generation of apprentices will receive specific product training throughout their apprenticeship programme and will be fully integrated and accustomed to CLAAS, leading to further qualification and progression within the dealerships once qualified,” explains Academy Manager Andrew Dunne.

CLAAS will continue its close working relationships with the current partner colleges to ensure all their existing apprentices complete their programmes successfully and continue their careers at CLAAS. The inaugural intake of apprentices from CLAAS dealerships arrived at the Apprenticeship Academy in February, and they will be joined by a further cohort in the autumn. Initially CLAAS UK will be delivering the Land-Based Service Engineer Technician Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard, but as the Academy develops it is planned to expand apprentice numbers and courses available.

CLAAS DEDICATED TRAINERS The apprenticeship programs will be delivered by CLAAS dedicated trainers alongside specialist product trainers from the CLAAS ACADEMY. In preparation for the new programme, not only has the Apprenticeship Academy been developed, but the CLAAS ACADEMY itself has been extended and remodelled to provide additional bespoke facilities for the apprentices, namely specialist fabrication, engine, hydraulic and electronic workshops, classrooms and break-out areas. This expansion sees the Academy grow by a further five workshops and six classrooms, together with dedicated digital studios.

CLAAS UK has received full Government approval to join the apprentice training register. In future CLAAS will also be collaborating with the Scottish Rural College (SRUC) to deliver apprenticeships for Scottish candidates from the new Apprentice Academy at Saxham.

“This is a significant strategic step for the development and sustainability of our business,” explains Brian Wain, who has recently been appointed the new Director of the CLAAS Global Academy.

“In an industry which combines advanced technology with practical applications, we have to invest in the people who will be our future engineers, for our dealer partners, and our final customer, if we are all to succeed in the field.”

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CLAAS & DEALER NEWS

Environmental win-win

The QUADRANT baler is helping farmers in Thailand dispose of sugar cane waste in an environmentally friendly way, while also generating extra income by selling the biomass as a sustainable source of renewable energy.

Sugar cane accounts for a large proportion of the agricultural economy in Thailand, but the problem has always been the disposal of the stalks and leaves after harvest. Because they are very slow to break down if left in the field, historically the solution has been to burn off the waste. However, this is not only harmful to the environment, but the fine dust residues can be harmful to health and

Learn more QUADRANT

damages the soil. Wild fires starting and then burning uncontrollably can also be a major problem.

In an effort to overcome these problems, the largest sugar mill in Thailand has bought six QUADRANT 4200 balers, which have proved the ideal solution for clearing fields of the crop residue.

Not only does baling the residue benefit the environment by avoiding the need to burn, but it has provided farmers with an extra source of income by selling the sugar cane waste bales for burning in local power plants, after which the incineration residue can be returned to the soil as fertiliser. All-in-all an environmental win-win.

Happy retirement CLAAS EASTERN have recently said a very fond farewell to Mike Carvey following 43 years of service at the Sinderby site in North Yorkshire.

Mike began his long term association with EASTERN at Sinderby in 1978 as a lorry driver and demo specialist. He then moved on to a sales role in 1981 selling CLAAS harvesting machinery and tractors. In this first year of Sales he visited the CLAAS headquarters in Germany to learn about the then highly popular Dominator 98, which was the first combine he actually sold.

Mike Carvey (left) with Ed Chilton.

New to the Sales team at Sinderby is Ed Chilton who took over from Mike in January 2022, covering the same area. Ed is already well known to many of the customers in his previous roles of technician and latterly workshop foreman.

CLAAS & DEALER NEWS

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CLAAS recognise UK dealer excellence

Tim McCarthy (right) being presented with the CLAAS ‘Dealer of the Year Progress’ award.

Ken Conley (right), Managing Director of RICKERBY, being presented with the CLAAS Platinum Dealer Excellence Award by Trevor Tyrrell, Senior Vice-President (Western Europe & Oceania) and CLAAS UK CEO. RICKERBY went on to also win the overall ‘Dealer of the Year Performance’ Award.

Each year the high level of service and performance of CLAAS dealers throughout the UK and Ireland is recognised by a number of awards, the highest of which are the ‘Dealer of the Year Performance’ and the ‘Dealer of the Year Progress’ awards. The awards recognise the high overall level of performance by a CLAAS dealer in the UK and Ireland in three key areas: Finance, Dealer Performance and Customer Feedback.

This year’s awards were announced at the December CLAAS Dealer Council Meeting held at Saxham, with the prestigious CLAAS UK ‘Dealer of the Year Performance’ award for 2021 being awarded to RICKERBY, with the ‘Dealer of the Year Progress’ award being made to McCARTHY.

There was double celebration for RICKERBY, because in addition to the ‘Dealer of the Year’ award they were also presented with a CLAAS Platinum Dealer Excellence Award. Winning the ‘Dealer of the Year Progress’ award was also a major achievement for McCARTHY who are based at Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork with a second depot at Lisavaird, from which they provide sales and service for the complete CLAAS product range for the Munster area.

For both dealerships, the ‘Dealer of the Year’ award process not only assessed their overall performance, but also the performance of each of their individual branches. As the UK’s largest CLAAS dealership and with eight branches covering the north of England and the Scottish borders, for RICKERBY to excel in all aspects was a considerable achievement.

In addition to the overall ‘Dealer of the Year’ awards, CLAAS EASTERN were also presented with a CLAAS Platinum Dealer Excellence Award for the high level of performance throughout their seven branches, while Gold Dealer Excellence awards were presented to MORRIS CORFIELD in the West Midlands and ERWIN from Northern Ireland.

New RICKERBY branch The growth of the highly successful RICKERBY business continues with the opening of their 9th branch at Burscough, near Ormskirk Lancashire.

The considerable investment in this site has taken years of planning and has been purpose built to the highest specification. The team at the new branch will be headed up by Robert Todd, Daniel Brown, James Park, Kyle Hambleton and Phil Parkinson with further staff to join them. The RICKERBY business has gone from strength to strength over the past 20 years increasing from just five branches to nine in 2022. The new Burscough depot is perfectly situated to serve existing and new customers across South West Lancashire and is planned to open for business late May.

HarvesTimes

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PRODUCT NEWS

JAGUAR TT

100th JAGUAR TERRA TRAC

The JAGUAR TERRA TRAC was only launched three years ago, but already the 100th machine has been produced, which rolled off the line in Harsewinkel on 4th February.

The 100th machine is due to be delivered to the US, where the JAGUAR TT has proved particularly popular and is its largest market.

“For dairies in the eastern part of the US where approximately two-thirds of our imported JAGUAR TT are sold, TERRA TRAC technology is a kind of insurance policy against mud in corn silage season. But customers in the south and west harvesting in centre pivot irrigated fields also appreciate the TERRA TRAC technology,” says Dominik Grothe, Senior Vice President Forage Harvester. “As a result of the length of the crawler tracks and the wheelbase which is longer than that of the wheeled machine, the JAGUAR TERRA TRAC can’t be matched for the smoothness of its ride when crossing centre pivot ruts or flood irrigation ridges.”

The 100th JAGUAR TT, serial number 49900100, will be used initially for technical training during the JAGUAR EXPERT CAMP scheduled for April. “Our flagship model, the JAGUAR 990 TT, accounts for over 90 percent of the TERRA TRAC machines”, explains Matt Jaynes, Product Manager JAGUAR at CLAAS of America. “When you’re harvesting small grain forage and silage maize in irrigated

fields in the western states, you’re dealing with very high yields which require correspondingly high engine output if you’re going to harvest efficiently. This is why we need the 925 hp maximum output of the JAGUAR 990 here.”

In developing the JAGUAR TT, the engineers at CLAAS took advantage of the well proven benefits of reduced compaction and formation of ruts but added to this special features such as the headland protection system, whereby the front support roller is raised when turning, which reduces the contact area by a third to avoid damage to the grass sward.

“POSITIVE SIDE EFFECTS” “Helmut Claas himself was behind the initiative to develop the TERRA TRAC crawler track units for a wide range of forage harvester applications”, recalls Dominik Grothe. “The aim was to offer our customers a machine that was not only able to deliver high traction and reduced soil compaction for maize harvesting in difficult field conditions, but could also be used for grassland harvesting as effectively as a traditional wheeled machine. It’s interesting to note that the positive side-effects, such as smooth running characteristics and resistance to drifting on side slopes, are regarded by many farmers and contractors as equally decisive factors.”

PRODUCT NEWS

TRION

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CLAAS TRION wins FARM MACHINE award An international jury of agricultural and agricultural engineering journalists have awarded the CLAAS TRION with a FARM MACHINERY award for combine harvesters.

The FARM MACHINE awards are normally announced every two years at Agritechnica, but due to this year’s show being cancelled, the show organisers decided on hold the awards digitally, with one category announced per day over a period of around three weeks.

“The FARM MACHINE Award is a great honour for everyone who worked on this product and confirms our development goal of a strongly customer-oriented, technologically broad-based mid-range combine harvester,” explains Jan-Hendrik Mohr, who is the CLAAS Group Executive responsible for the grain harvesting division.

“Rarely before have farmers and contractors from all the important growing regions in the world been so central to a new development as with the TRION. As a result, we can now cover an equipment

range from low-spec to high-spec from 258 hp, which gives customers the opportunity to catch up technologically with the LEXION, or to use a simple machine without a lot of electronics to suit their business.”

FITS YOUR FARM The TRION was launched in the summer of 2021 under the slogan “Fits your farm.” With 20 models in the range, together with its wide choice of features, it completely redefines the medium combine harvester performance class.

From the 258 hp five-walker to the 435 hp hybrid combine with twin rotors, almost all models are available with, for example, TERRA TRAC crawler tracks, belt inclined conveyors, MONTANA chassis slope compensation or various expansion stages of the CEMOS driver assistance system.

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PRODUCT NEWS

Materials Handling Feature

New entry-level TORION A new entry-level model has been added to the TORION compact wheel loader range. The TORION 530 joins the TORION 535 and TORION 639 models, which also now benefit from an increase in engine power.

MATERIALS HANDLING

The new TORION 530 is powered by a 46 hp Yanmar four-cylinder engine with 2.2l displacement, while the hydraulic system delivers 61 l/min at 230 bar. Weighing just 4,600kg and measuring 2.48m to the top of the cab, despite its compact dimensions, the TORION 530 boasts an articulated tipping load of 3,000kg.

The parallel-guided Z-kinematics of the conical mast allows for a bucket pivot point of 3.18m to be dumped over heights of up to 2.82m and maximum reach of 1.46m. The mast and attachment are conveniently operated using a joystick. Alternatively the two additional control circuits can be controlled using an additional lever or at the push of a button.

On the larger TORION 535 and TORION 639 models, power from the 2.1 l Yanmar four-cylinder engine has been increased to 74 hp.

They are now optionally available with either standard or High-Lift Z-kinematics. In the standard version, overreach heights of 2.82m (TORION 535) or 2.98m (TORION 639) can be achieved, while the High-Lift version can reach 2.97m to 3.18m. Depending on the version, the bucket pivot point is between 3.19m and 3.54m.

Maximum reach is from 1.49m to 1.71m. With a hydraulic delivery volume of 70 or 80 l/min, the articulated tipping load of the TORION 535 is 3,500 kg (High-Lift: 3,300 kg) and on the TORION 639 it’s 3,900 kg (High-Lift: 3,600 kg).

The engines of all three “small” TORION meet the Stage V emissions standard using a diesel particulate filter (DPF) and a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) without SCR. All three models also have a sensitive and durable hydrostatic drive with two speed levels, which accelerates the TORION 530 to a maximum of 20 kph and the two larger models now up to 30kph.

The optional vibration damping of the mast can be activated to prevent rocking on uneven terrain and fast loading cycles. Thanks to the 40° steering angle of the articulated pendulum joint on both sides, manoeuvring is no problem, even in narrow yards and buildings. In addition, when fitted with standard 340/80 R18 tyres, the TORION 530 and TORION 535 remain below 2.50m clearance height.

COMPLETELY RE-DESIGNED CAB The completely redesigned spacious cab has lots of storage options and storage compartments. It offers exceptional all-round visibility and, thanks to the curved front windscreen, the operator has an excellent view of the mast and raised attachments. The glass entry door and the right window can be opened by 180° and locked.

The infinitely three-way adjustable steering column, the air-sprung driver’s seat, air conditioning and the low noise level in the cab ensure pleasant driving comfort. A display unit on the right A-pillar and the clear control panel next to the right armrest make everyday work intuitive and easy. As an option, the cab roof can be fitted with halogen work lights or up to eight LED lights with 360° illumination.

TORION 530

TORION 530, 535 & 639

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TORION 535

HarvesTimes

MATERIALS HANDLING

TORION 639

14 Chris Durston, Durston Garden Products, Compost Manufacturer, Somerset

TORION 1511

Composting efficiency

Learn more TORION

We featured Nigel Baker in the Spring 2021 HT, using his TORION for his composting business.

MATERIALS HANDLING

Since then, not only has the 1511 been joined by a larger TORION 1812, but Durstons themselves have also now bought one of the first of the new Stage V, 184hp TORION 1511 for handling compost at their bagging plant.

Traditionally a supplier of peat based composts, over the past 10 years Durstons have developed a range of growing media, based on Gro Boost PAS 100 green compost, that is mixed with virgin wood compost and other recovered product depending on the blend required.

In addition to their own Durstons and Manor Farm ranges of growing media, Durstons also supply compost in own brand packaging, for instance for Lidl. In all, some 6 million bags, ranging in size from 20 to 60 litres are filled each year by the two packing lines at the company’s factory near Street in Somerset.

PUSHING UP COMPOST Delivered in October, the main role for the new TORION 1511 is to initially push up the Gro Boost compost as it arrives on-site into a mini-mountain of around 20,000 tonnes. Four hoppers, the largest of which is 15m3, are then filled with the required compost ingredients needed for each blend, that is then fed through to the two bagging lines which package around 2,000 tonnes of compost each week.

The TORION replaced a smaller wheel loader, which at 11,000 hours had served them well, but was starting to suffer from reliability issues.

“It had been a good servant, but it was time to replace it and we decided to take the opportunity to look at something larger,” explains Chris Durston. “We had one of their larger wheel loaders on trial, but

didn’t like it, so looked at a different make and eventually placed an order with them.

“However, the delivery delay just kept getting longer, which caused us problems. Meantime I was watching Nigel Baker’s TORION and how well it was performing, and starting to wonder if we had made the right decision. I contacted George (Evans) at CLAAS Western who arranged for us to try CLAAS’ demo TORION 1511, which was in Scotland at the time, and once we saw the machine and had tried it, we did a deal for the machine and managed to cancel the order for the other one.

“An additional important factor for us is that CLAAS Western are only about 45 minutes away. They understand what we need and the service and support that they provide is a bonus, although in the 800 hours it has done so far the TORION hasn’t missed a beat.”

The TORION 1511, which has a load capacity of 9.7 tonnes, is paired with a high capacity Cherry toe-tip bucket on the P kinematics linkage and also has an auto-greasing system. The drive from the powerful 184hp 6-cylinder DPS engine with DYNAMIC COOLING, is through a VARIPOWER transmission, making it ideal for pushing up the compost and climbing the heaps. It also comes as standard with a 170 litre, 350 bar load-sensing hydraulic system.

“The drivers all like the TORION and how comfortable and easy to it is to operate, and having auto-greasing saves a lot of downtime,” comments factory manager Paul Hembury. “Compared to our previous loader, the ease with which the TORION can push up and climb the stockpile heaps means they are now a third higher than previously. It’s surprising how much more you can do.

FUEL EFFICIENCY

Chris Durston

“For loading the hoppers, the TORION and the larger toe-tip bucket are well matched and far more efficient and will do in four bucketfuls what used to take six. Not only does this mean that the operator can keep pace with the bagging lines better, but there is less pressure on him and he has more time to push-up as lorries come in. The pump pressure in the hydraulic system is just right and the TORION is always working well within its lift capabilities, so the engine is not having to work hard, which helps save fuel.”

Tom Stodart, Livestock Farmer, Lanarkshire

TORION 738T SINUS

Tight turning TORION The TORION 738T SINUS has given Tom Stodart the lift capacity and all round visibility he wanted together with a new improved level of manoeuvrability.

With at least 500 head of cattle on the farm at any one time which are all on straw bedding, Tom is highly reliant on his telescopic loader.

This is kept busy with the daily jobs of bedding and handling round bale straw and silage, in addition to loading the farm’s mill and mix plant and a myriad of other jobs a telescopic handler does.

NEVER GOING BACK “I came about the TORION completely by accident and it was Willy who suggested the TORION and Stephen Cook from CLAAS was also a great help,” explains Tom, who farms near Lesmahagow in Lanarkshire. ”Being a new model, I was unaware CLAAS even produced such a machine, but it was a classic case of Willy arranging for me to have one on demonstration and of it never going back!”

Powered by a 73hp Yanmar engine and with a 93 l/min, 230 bar hydraulic system, the central telescopic boom on the TORION 738T SINUS has an impressive bucket pivot point height of 4.96m and it has an articulated tipping load capacity of 3,800kg. A unique feature of the telescopic TORION is its double steering system. This uses a combination of articulation through the central pivot and rear axle steering, giving it a maximum articulation angle of 30 degrees with a bucket edge turning radius of just 4.22m.

Learn more TORION

EXCEPTIONAL MANOEUVRABILITY “Its brilliant. Its sheer manoeuvrability is exceptional. I was initially apprehensive as a lot of our sheds in the old steading are very tight, but with the double steering system it’s amazing where the TORION can get into. I initially thought it would be too big, but it can easily get into places where I didn’t expect it to and where you would never get a side boom machine.

“The high position of the cab means the all-round visibility is great, which is essential when working in old buildings and around cattle.

A conventional wheel loader would not have given me the lift height I wanted, but with the TORION’s telescopic boom I can easily stack bales five high and it has the lift capacity to comfortably carry two silage bales.

MAIN CONTROLS ON ONE JOYSTICK “Having all the main controls on the one joystick makes the TORION extremely easy to operate as everything is to hand and it has a really comfy seat. We can change attachments up to 11 times in a morning, but the ease of operation makes it effortless and the TORION can certainly do far more than the telescopic because it is that much more capable.

“It has a lot more pushing power than the telehandler and plenty of grip and it’s very stable when loading. And being 40k its ideal for moving between the two farms. Also the rear hood access to all the maintenance points makes it easy to service and having auto lube is great and saves a lot of time.

“The TORION really suits our system far better than a side-boom telescopic and it’s really hard to think of a negative because there’s not a lot I would improve. It’s even impressed my son who has only ever known side-boom machines, but now thinks the TORION is great, so it must be all right!”

“It’s even impressed my son who has only ever known side-boom machines.”

Tom Stodart

HarvesTimes

MATERIALS HANDLING

Having run conventional side-boom telescopic handlers for a number of years, Tom was keen to go back to a pivot steer machine with greater manoeuvrability and all-round visibility, and approached Willy Ferguson at GORDONS about a suitable alternative.

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16 Neil Kidd, TE & MM Kidd, Dairy Farmers, Lancashire

MATERIALS HANDLING

A new ‘comfy pair of slippers’ The CLAAS SCORPION telehandler range has come on a long way in the past 12 years as TE & MM Kidd have found, having just replaced their SCORPION 6030 with one of the first of the new Stage V SCORPION 741VP with a VARIPOWER 2 transmission.

“The old SCORPION 6030 was like a comfy pair of slippers,” comments Neil Kidd. “You felt at home in it. It was reliable, easy to use and you just knew where everything was. We kept on putting off replacing it because we could never find anything that we felt could better it. But at 12 years old the time had finally come.”

CLAAS telescopic handlers have been in use on the Kidd’s’ 150ha dairy farm near Lancaster for many years. The first to be supplied

by RICKERBY was a CLAAS TELEPORTER built at Saxham, which was run for 7 years before being replaced by the SCORPION 6030.

Alongside these, RICKERBY has also supplied the farm with tractors since 2007, with the farm currently running a ’14 and ’19 plate ARION 650, plus a JAGUAR 860 and a lot of other miscellaneous machinery.

EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS “RICKERBY look after us very well and we have got on very well with CLAAS, so we have never seen the need to go elsewhere,” says Neil who farms with his father Fred and brother David. “We had a demo of the ‘Mark 1’ Leibherr built SCORPION, which was good but at that stage didn’t do enough to persuade us to change. So when we approached Robert (Bell) about finally replacing the 6030, because of the relationship we have with him, we took it on trust when he explained about all the new features and being a new model we knew that both RICKERBY and CLAAS would support us.

In the event, any nerves have quickly evaporated as the SCORPION 741, which is powered by a 136hp Deutz engine and has a 4.1 tonne lift capacity and the ability to reach to 6.93m, has exceeded their expectations and quickly proved itself a worthy replacement.

“Going up in size has given us considerably more capacity and reach,” says Neil. “You always want that little bit more, but it’s surprising how much difference that extra metre makes.”

Drive is through the new VARIPOWER 2 twin motor transmission, which is similar to the one used in the JAGUAR. This comprises two hydrostat motors inside a compact housing and has three driving ranges, but does away with the need for transfer gears, which ensures a high degree of reliability. The housing oil is

Learn more SCORPION

also continuously extracted from the drive housing by a powerful venturi tube, which considerably reduces churning losses for greater efficiency and a reduction in noise.

“It’s certainly a lot quieter than the old gearbox. It’s a great improvement,” confirms Neil. “It’s far more reactive and relaxing to drive. With the old 6030 you would plant your foot down and then wait for it to react. With the 741 the reaction is instant and it takes off.

There is also considerably more lugging, pushing and climbing power.

Again with the old 6030 if you stopped when climbing the clamp it could take a while to get going again, but the 741 is just instant and the extra size and weight makes no difference. It’s also a lot quieter on the road and you can definitely feel the difference when you start climbing a hill as it just keeps pulling without any die-back.”

The SCORPION 741 comes with a 160 litre, 270 bar hydraulic system, which again has made a noticeable difference. “Operating the SCORPION is effortless. Because it has so much hydraulic power you never need to rev the engine when raising the boom or using the sheargrab. To make use of the extra capacity we bought a larger sheargrab and filling the diet feeder is certainly quicker.

RIGID AND MORE STABLE “Even though it is bigger, it’s a lot more stable, the boom more rigid and the visibility not only to the front but also to the rear is great, which is important when working in the yard. But it’s the small things that make the difference. The cab layout is a lot simpler and clearer.

I like the fact that the fan now reverses automatically and being able to just press a button to de-pressurise the hydraulics is far better. I was initially unsure about the auto handbrake, but now it just doesn’t register and is a great safety improvement. And I also was not sure about having the safety grill inside the cab, but of course that now means you can easily clean the upper part of the windscreen which was very difficult before. And the heated seat is a real bonus!” concludes Neil on what will hopefully become his new ‘comfy pair of slippers’.

Stage V SCORPION 741 VARIPOWER 2

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Neil Kidd (left) with brother David

MATERIALS HANDLING “The cab layout is a lot simpler and clearer, and the heated seat is a real bonus!”

Neil Kidd

HarvesTimes

18

JAGUAR 850

Billy Howat, M&J Howat, Dairy Farmers, Ayrshire

Foraging flexibility

Learn more JAGUAR

Billy Howat

Rather than rely on a contractor, the Howats make their own silage which gives them the flexibility they need, living in an area with up to 55 inches of rain a year.

“We feed an all grass silage diet with bought-in concentrates. So having control over silage quality and being able to maximise the use of home grown forage is important, because that’s where profit is made,” explains Billy Howat, who with his brothers Mungo, Alastair and David runs two dairy herds totalling 350 cows on their farm near Cumnock in Ayrshire. In addition, they breed their own replacements and keep the youngstock on until selling them as stores at 15 to 20 months, meaning there is over 900 cattle on the farm.

“The weather windows can be very tight,” he says. “Last year was easy but that was the exception. Even though we have some very good contractors in the area, we have made our own silage for over 40 years because it gives us the ability in a difficult year to just go out and harvest for an afternoon if necessary.”

The Howats have relied on CLAAS JAGUAR foragers for virtually all the years they have been making their own silage. Starting with an engine-on trailed JAGUAR 60, more recently a JAGUAR 850 bought in 2003 was responsible for silage harvesting for 17 years, prior to being replaced by a new JAGUAR 850 two years ago.

JAGUAR WAS THE ONLY REAL OPTION “Although we did look at the other foragers on the market, even though they are good machines the only real option was the JAGUAR. That’s partly because of the reliability and it’s what we are comfortable with, but also because we are looked after by GORDONS, who are a very good, family owned dealership. There would have to be a very good reason to change away from the JAGUAR. “For the 360 ha of silage we make a year, the JAGUAR 850 is

probably a bit big for our needs, but we originally chose it over the 830 because of its heavier build and over the 17 years we ran it the old JAGUAR 850 was never any trouble. Also further down the line, even though we were looking at it as a long-term investment, when we came to replace it the 850 would be a more appealing machine.”

Comparing the two JAGUAR 850s, even though the basic mechanics and flow through the two machines is very similar, the biggest difference is in the engine bay. Both are powered by Mercedes engines, but while the old 2003 JAGUAR 850 developed 389hp at 1,800rpm, on the latest 850 the Stage V litre engine with turbocompound technology now generates 462hp at 1,700 rpm.

“With the increased engine power, we could have gone for the smaller 840, but the extra power is definitely useful and when we had it on demo you could instantly see the difference that made to output.

There was certainly no need to go up in model size. Even though we don’t monitor fuel use, it certainly seems to be very fuel efficient and our output per litre of fuel will definitely be higher.

TOUCHSCREEN CEBIS “The other big difference is the touchscreen CEBIS terminal and the amount of information I can easily get out of it on engine performance and load to ensure that the JAGUAR is running at optimum efficiency.

“Because of the difference it makes to fuel consumption and output, I am also a stickler for keeping the blades sharp and the shearbar gap tight. I like to sharpen the blades little and often and adjust the shearbar. So having the counter in CEBIS and being able to just press a button when waiting on the headland or moving between fields to quickly touch up the blades or to adjust the shearbar, instead of having to set it manually, is a great improvement.

“Along with things like 4-wheel drive, wider tyres to reduce compaction and the auto-lube which makes servicing easy, the new pivoting system on the pick-up follows contours better and reduces contamination. We now have a machine that will comfortably enable us to clear 40ha a day, but with the capacity to clear far more if we need to push it, which all helps in ensuring we can gain the optimum quality silage.”

JAGUAR 970

James Faulkner, Robert Davidson & Sons, Farmers, Essex

Data recording JAGUAR

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Learn more JAGUAR

“I have been really impressed by the accuracy of the data from the JAGUAR” James Faulkner

Investing in their own JAGUAR 970 forage harvester has given Robert Davidson & Sons (RDS) total control when harvesting the maize and rye crops grown for a nearby gas-to-grid AD plant.

Between themselves and a neighbouring farm, RDS supply up to 40,000 tonnes of silage for the AD plant, developed by nearby crisp makers Fairfield Farms to provide renewable energy for their cold stores and crisp factory.

RDS, based at Peldon near Colchester, farms 1,600ha of which maize and rye account for up to 230ha. To have more control over harvesting and timing, the company decided two years ago to take harvesting in-house, initially hiring a self-propelled forager before investing in their own JAGUAR 970 for last season, equipped with a DIRECT DISC and ORBIS 900 maize header.

“By hiring for a season, this gave us the opportunity to just look at what was on the market and to have the three main foragers in on demonstration,” explains Director James Faulkner.

THE JAGUAR STOOD OUT Of the three foragers that they tried, he says that the JAGUAR stood out on account of its output, low fuel consumption and quality of chop. However, what also set it apart was the performance from the 970’s straight-6 MAN engine, even though at 790hp it was the smallest of those demoed. With a displacement of almost 3 litres per cylinder, a particular characteristic of this engine is the 3,400Nm of torque it delivers at 1350rpm that is sustained over a wide speed range, combined with a fuel consumption as low as 0.41 l/tonne in trials.

“The engine on the JAGUAR 970 is very impressive. I originally thought that we would need a forager with a big, high power ‘torquey’ engine, but the straight-6 on the JAGUAR just pulls like a train. You set it at 100% and it will just keep hanging on forever.

“The JAGUAR ticked an awful lot of boxes and it’s a very nice place to be when harvesting. Also you can’t ignore the long history of CLAAS foragers, along with our close proximity to Saxham and MANNS for service and support.”

ON-FARM TRIALS Not content with just growing crops, James also conducts a wide range of on-farm trials to get a better understanding of which are his ‘banker’ varieties and those that are best suited to the farm and its heavy soils alongside the Blackwater Estuary, where last year yields of up to 53 tonnes/ha were recorded. “We are lucky that we have high heat units here. By growing rye on the lighter land and the maize on the heavier soils, this ensures the maize has more moisture over the summer. On the heaviest soils we do use early varieties so harvest typically will start the first week of September so that we can then get wheat in afterwards.”

In order to provide a wide range of chop lengths, the JAGUAR has been fitted with a 36-blade V-MAX knife drum. “When chopping at 6mm for AD, although spot throughput rates can be up to 300 tonnes an hour, the average is nearer 200, rising to 400 tonnes when chopping at 14mm.”

To help him gain variety data, among the options selected, the JAGUAR was specified with TELEMATICS, NIR sensing and QUANTIMETER throughput monitoring, in addition to AUTOFILL. “I am keen to learn as much as I can about growing maize and have been really impressed by the accuracy of the data from the JAGUAR,” states James. “When we have compared the weights recorded with those from the weighbridge, there has only been about 1-2 percent difference. The information I get from TELEMATICS is invaluable, and by having DATA CONNECT I really like the fact that I can see not only our tractors, but also the sprayer over the CLAAS system.

For foraging it makes planning so much easier. The yield and quality data will also be invaluable when assessing variety performance. And by being able to accurately record the yield, this has allowed me to charge on the basis of yield and distance, which is more accurate and provides flexibility.”

HarvesTimes

20 Conly Agri, Contractors, Co Monaghan, Ireland – by Alistair Chambers

ROLLANT455 UNIWRAP

All wrapped up with CLAAS

Learn more ROLLANT

David Conly

Conly Agri contractors are a family owned and operated business based near Ballybay in Co Monaghan. This corner in the northwest of Ireland, is very much steeped in livestock rearing and family operated dairy farms.

With this in mind Conly Agri offer a very flexible and reliable service to their customers. Slurry spreading and silage making are the services that the Conlys give to their customers. Speaking to David Conly, he said that doing these jobs correctly and on time are very important to every livestock farmer.

A FLEET OF ARION 600 Conly Agri use a fleet of 5 CLAAS ARION 600 series tractors ranging from an 11,000 hour 2010 registered 630 to a brand new 650 which has just arrived in the yard. On the silage making side of the business, they employ a two pronged attack with a CLAAS ROLLANT 455 UNIWRAP combi baler looking after the baled end and a JAGUAR 870 looking after pit silage customers. A new JAGUAR has been purchased this year and its only run so far was in the local Saint Patrick’s day parade. The forager will harvest around 1,200ha once the season begins. The two outfits are run separately with David senior running the JAGUAR and David Junior running the UNIWRAP. The UNIWRAP was bought for grass season 2021 as a replacement for a different brand of combi baler. David said that the two main factors in purchasing the CLAAS machine over the other brands were

the ability of the CLAAS pickup to “wolf down big rows”, where other machines struggled.

These rows are made using a LINER 2900 which works for both sides of the grass business. The other factor in his decision was the service that they have received from LEINSTER FARM MACHINERY. This runs from the Sales team through to the Service Technicians that, he said, are “always on the end of the phone or in the field when you need them.”

Having one full season under his belt with the UNIWRAP and 8,000 issue free bales, David has seen other advantages of the CLAAS over other combi balers. He has found it to be more manoeuvrable than his previous machine, which is an added bonus as many of the roads and fields that he would be working in are on the smaller side of big modern machinery. With much of David’s work being based in the hilly areas of County Monaghan, he has found the CLAAS to be very stable and sure-footed. David has also found that the baler output is up on an hourly and per litre of diesel basis, crucial factors in any contracting business today.

CLAAS CENTRAL TO THE BUSINESS CLAAS machinery will always be central to the Conlys business because of he service he receives from LEINSTER which is “second to none”, and the “amazing second hand value of CLAAS gear”.

David said that as soon as you advertise CLAAS grass equipment the phone starts to ring, and they are never in the yard too long. David uses CLAAS mowers to mow the grass for both the forager and the baler. There are 2 rear DISCO 3200 and a matching DISCO 3200 front mower in the yard along with a LINER 2900 rake.

ROLLANT 540

Gareth Jones, Sheep Farmer, Powys

Density upgrade

21

Learn more ROLLANT

Gareth Jones

Strength of build and bale density set the ROLLANT 540RC apart for Gareth Jones.

“Net feed has always been very good on the ROLLANT, and the 540 is no exception. It’s easy to see from the cab exactly what’s going on and if the net is turning as it should. I never have any problems and having the ramp makes loading new net extremely simple.”

Gareth has been running ROLLANT balers for the past 10 years, starting with a ROLLANT 255 which, he says “was a fantastic baler.”

This was followed by a ROLLANT 375 which in turn was traded in last year for a new ROLLANT 540.

Farming 144ha near Newtown in Powys, and baling around 24ha of hay and silage for his own use, Gareth also does some contract work for neighbouring farms, baling around 6,000 bales a year in total.

“I have always got on very well with the ROLLANT,” he says. “But the new ROLLANT 540 is something else. The gearing is a lot heavier, as are the chains. But all round you can just see how much stronger it is. It’s certainly heavier than the old 375, but that’s not an issue on the hills so long as you have a decent tractor on the front.

“Unlike the 375 I didn’t opt for the MPS swing down rollers, but that makes no difference. I have always run the bale pressure close to the limit, and bale density has always been good, but these are even better and very tight. I’ve certainly had no complaints and my customers have been very happy at how the bales keep their shape during storage.”

PRESSURE AND STRENGTH In addition to a stronger chassis and chains, along with a new design of rollers, the baling pressure on the ROLLANT 540 and the 520 is controlled via horizontally mounted tailgate closing rams to which up to 180 bar of pressure can be applied. This ensures the tailgate stays tightly shut, a feature that has not gone unnoticed by Gareth.

“On the ROLLANT 375, when full the tailgate used to creep open by about 7 to 10cm, which meant that the bale size was nearer 1.3 metres. On the 540 the tailgate remains tightly shut and the bales stay at 1.2 metres. Apart from ensuring the bales are far denser and tighter, this also reduces the amount of netwrap and film needed for each bale.

“Although I do a bit of hay and straw, the ROLLANT is mainly baling silage and generally about half of that will be chopped, but that does depend on the season. I would normally look to change the baler after about 6 seasons, but it does depend on how much chopping it has done as that puts far more strain on the baler than hay and straw, so the added strength of the 540 will be an advantage.”

While he has run CLAAS balers for a number of years, it is only more recently that the ROLLANT has been joined firstly by an ARION 630, which is used with the baler, and then a smaller ARION 420 with an FL80C loader. He also runs a used DISCO 3000 mower, all bought through RESS AGRI. “A few years ago I was looking to replace an old tractor, and saw that REES AGRI had a used 11-plate ARION 640 which looked fairly tidy, so went down to see it, and that was the start of buying machinery from them.

“I can’t see me changing away from CLAAS in a hurry,” states Gareth.

“I do like to change fairly regularly to ensure reliability and service is also very important to me. REES AGRI are very good and fair play to them, even though I am on the limit of their territory and over an hour away, that has never been an issue as I have never had a problem. Even if I do just need service items, their storeman is very good at arranging for these to be dropped off. There is no point in just changing for the sake of changing if you are happy with what you have got,” he concludes.

HarvesTimes

22 Simon Andrews, Arable Farmer, Bedfordshire

The perfect AXION package Performance, price and reliability together with great dealer support makes up a perfect package for Simon Andrews, who runs an AXION 850 and an AXION 830.

“20 years ago you would have looked at specific brands. But nowadays all the main manufacturers produce a good product, so it comes down to price and how you get on with the local dealer,” states Simon The first of the two AXION, a 264hp 850, arrived three years ago to replace a 215hp tractor that was mainly used with a Horsch Terrano and for combination drilling. This was then joined in 2020 by the 235hp AXION 830, which is mainly used with a tine drill, cultivations and top work.

IT CAME DOWN TO PRICE “Although we have dealt with OLIVERS for years, we had run a different make of tractors for a long time, but ultimately it came down to price as the AXION 850 gave me a bit more horsepower for slightly less money. There’s also the added benefit that OLIVERS are only just down the road,” explains Simon, who farms around 800 ha just outside Luton, 720ha of which is cereals.

“With the AXION 830, having looked at all the main competitors and quickly narrowing it down to CLAAS and what we previously ran, it again came down to dealer support and price. I have also taken out a 5-year MAXICARE warranty on both the tractors, which I think is essential these days because of their complexity, and again this was a bit cheaper.

EXCELLENT DEALER SUPPORT “The support from OLIVERS has always been extremely good. I have known John Humphries for many years and we are on first name terms with virtually all the team there, some of whom have been there a very long time, so know us well.”

Although physically there is little difference between the two tractors, unlike the original AXION 850, the 830 is powered by the latest Stage V FTP engine and also comes with the touchscreen CEBIS terminal.

“The newer AXION 830 just feels that little bit more refined and comfortable, and the new CEBIS terminal, through which we also control our KRM spreader, is very easy to use and works well. Both the tractors do a lot of haulage work between the farms, but they are very smooth on the road and the detachable weight blocks on the front are easy to just drop off and reduce weight.”

Simon Andrews and Mark Adams

EASE OF OPERATION For Mark Adams who works for Simon, again one of the biggest selling points of the AXION is its ease of operation and how simple it is to set the tractor up, especially through the new CEBIS terminal.

“The AXION is certainly a lot better compared to a lot of the tractors we tried,” he says. “For someone who had not driven an AXION before, it wouldn’t take long before they could competently and safely use the tractor.

EASY SETTINGS “I find the (HEXASHIFT) transmission on the AXION far simpler to use compared to other transmissions. I mainly just leave it in Auto mode and then set the revs and cruise control, so that the tractor can then

Learn more AXION 800

AXION

just look after itself. The engines never give up and it’s very easy to change the engine settings for particular operations, especially with the new touchscreen terminal. And it’s the little things, like only needing to press the brake pedal to stop without needing to declutch, which help make it so easy to use.”

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“The AXION 850 gave me a bit more horsepower for slightly less money.”

Simon Andrews

HarvesTimes

24 Aaron Kew and Jonny Williams, Rockscape Contract Services, Farmers & Contractors, Lincolnshire

Wheels over tracks

Learn more XERION 5000

pulling power of a higher powered tracked tractor.

I also like the fact we can weight it up for serious traction when heavy cultivating, but in half an hour can strip all the weight off for top work.

FUEL EFFICIENCY “However the biggest selling point for me is the XERION’s fuel efficiency. On top end work, such as when pulling a 6.0m Grange tool bar in combination with a Vaderstad Rexius or Sumo Quattro, we are seeing savings of between 10% to 15% compared to an equivalent 4-track tractor.

On lighter top work, we are getting savings of 25% to 30% and it’s using less fuel than a 480hp half-track. Overall, the XERION is working out at £10 per engine hour cheaper than a 4-track tractor, which over the 1000 hours it will do a year is quite a saving.”

“The fuel efficiency of the XERION is amazing,” adds operator Jonny Williams, who has considerable experience of operating high horsepower tractors. “Even on heavy cultivating the XERION is rarely much above 90 litres an hour, whereas the 4-track would have been well into the 100’s.”

Based at Crowle in North Lincolnshire, in addition to contract work, Rockscape farm and contract farm 2,200ha over a wide range of soils, including low lying warp land. With the water table never far below the soil surface the ability to tread lightly over the soils and avoid compaction is important if the soil structure is to be maintained and improved.

EVEN WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION

Jonny Williams and Aaron Kew

Rockscape Contract Services have seen fuel costs reduce by 30% and by £10 per engine hour since moving to a 509hp XERION 5000.

Having in the past relied on high powered four-track and half-track tractors, with the change in crop establishment policy, Farm Business Manager Aaron Kew and his team at Rockscape took the opportunity to reassess their machinery and tractor needs. They looked at all the high powered wheeled and tracked options before taking delivery of a 509hp XERION 5000 last Spring.

“Of all the tractors we looked at, it ultimately came down to the greater versatility of the XERION. With its four equal sized wheels with variable tyre inflation, when weighted up correctly it has the ability to put a lot of power to the ground,” explains Aaron. “We have had it fitted with AxioBib 900 tyres which on the flat gives the XERION the

“Because the weight of the XERION is so evenly spread between the four wheels, even when running the tyres at 0.6 bar for cultivating, the overall weight is better supported, there is far less tyre deflection than there would be on a conventional tractor where more of the weight is being carried on the rear axle,” states Jonny.

“As we move away from ploughing to low disturbance sub-soil and minimal cultivations, and we ultimately start moving towards a 12m CTF system, even when fully weighted up its important that we keep compaction to a minimum and, because the XERION treads so lightly it will avoid the issue of having to remove wheelings,” comments Aaron.

IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE “The Grange toolbar soaks up a lot of power, but the performance from the XERION is impressive. The TELEMATICS system is brilliant and more than pays for itself with all the data it provides and the information that I can pull off it for invoicing.”

In addition to the overall cab space and visibility, XERION operator Jonny has been particularly impressed with the new CEBIS

XERION 5000

Touchscreen terminal and how easy it is to use. “I absolutely love the CEBIS screen. At first it was a bit daunting, but once you find your way around it’s so easy to use. For accessing and storing settings, to just touch the feature you want and get straight into the settings without scrolling through numerous windows makes it very user friendly. It has to be one of the best on the market now.

“Overall, the XERION is a very impressive machine and you can’t compare it to a 4-track or half-track. It’s a unique machine that is fantastic at what it does.”

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“Even on heavy cultivating the XERION is rarely much above 90 litres an hour.”

Jonny Williams, Operator

HarvesTimes

26 Adam Rees, Hill Farmer, Powys

Boss of the track

Learn more ARION 400

Adam Rees

The best diversification projects are often those that are based on a person’s hobbies or interests. That is certainly the case with Adam Rees who runs the successful Saintswell MotoX and Enduro Practice Track and Race Centre.

The forests of Mid-Wales have had a long association with both rallying and motorbike racing. Having formerly competed in Enduro at both British Championship and International level, Adam was approached about holding Enduro race meetings on his 120ha hill sheep farm near Llandrindod Wells. After a few years Adam decided to develop a course and run events himself.

Saintswell is unique in Wales in that Adam offers both a 1 mile long MotoX track but a separate course on the hill behind the farm is

ideal for the longer cross-country Enduro events. Practice and race meetings are held twice a month but as an Auto Cycle Union affiliated course, he is able to host top Welsh and British Championship races, with up to 6 big meetings held there each year.

SUCCESS DOWN TO PREPARATION A key part of the success of the course is the work that Adam puts into preparing and loosening the surface of the course ahead of meetings. For this, Adam relies on a Teagle Multi-Disc run behind an ARION 460, which is also fitted with an FL100C loader.

This is Adam’s second ARION tractor, both of which were bought through REES AGRI, as was the Multi-Disc. The first was a 155hp ARION 640 bought in 2015 to mainly haul and spread chicken muck from the 16,000-bird free range unit he was building on the farm at the time.

“While it was ideal for hauling and spreading muck, it was really a bit too big for the yard and then as the track developed and I started

ARION 460 + FL100C looking at ways of loosening and preparing the surface, it was certainly too big for that. I approached James Rees both about an implement to loosen the track, but also a smaller used tractor to use it on, that would still be good for the chicken muck. Somehow instead of a used tractor I came away having agreed to buy a new ARION 460!” laughs Adam.

FRONT LOADER

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“Somehow instead of a used tractor I came away having agreed to buy a new ARION 460.”

“The ARION 460 is an amazing tractor and within a week of buying it I was back on the phone ordering a loader for it. I was worried that going down in power and size from a 6-cylinder to a 4-cylinder tractor would be a problem, and especially that the spreader would ‘boss’ the tractor when muck spreading on slopes, but it does everything the larger ARION did. The power and torque from its engine is unbelievable and having the loader really makes the tractor.”

With its FL100C loader, which has a 2.2 tonne lift capacity, 4.0m lift height and self-levelling linkage, the ARION 460 is used for all the loading and handling work on the farm, from clearing out the chicken shed to moving and levelling soil on the MX and Enduro courses.

Under its bonnet, the ARION 460 is powered by an FPT engine with a maximum power output of 135hp but with a power boost to 145hp.

Just as important for Adam is the torque from the engine which peaks at 615Nm and is held over a wide engine speed range.

“Because all the tractor and loader controls are operated using the multicontroller, it’s so easy to use. It’s very impressive and I can’t imagine using a tractor without it. The loader itself is very strong and having the self-levelling system is ideal for grading the track.”

“The ability of the engine to hold on under load is phenomenal,” states Adam. “I have a Teagle spreader and when full the ARION 640 was comfortable in C2 pulling up the slopes and the ARION 460 is exactly the same. It’s also well able to handle the Multi-Disc which is a big implement but also quite long. I also recently used the ARION with a big MC dump trailer at my uncle’s. It was quite happy all day and everyone was very impressed by how it handled the trailer.”

The ARION is also fitted with the optional, higher capacity opencentre 100 l/min, twin pump hydraulic system. One pump serves the rear linkage and the second the spools, but for loader work it’s possible to link the two pumps for greater lifting power. “When the pumps are locked together there is loads of power to the loader, so is ideal for digging and moving soil on the track or for mucking out the chicken sheds.”

Adam Rees

HarvesTimes

ARION 440

28 Don Ingles, Mixed Farmer, Worcestershire

Ideal mixed farm tractor

Learn more ARION 400

“The ARION has been a great little tractor – I love it.”

Don Ingles

“The ARION has been a great little tractor - I love it. It does everything from haulage work to doing all the cultivations and drilling, using a one-pass drill. And having the front linkage has been worth every penny – why I didn’t have that before on tractors I don’t know as it gives the tractor that bit more versatility. For drilling, I have a front press on there, which in combination with the one-pass drill on the back helps retain moisture.

“My policy is to change both the tractor and the handler at five years old, by which time they will have done around 5-6,000 hours. This means they are still an attractive deal, so I can keep on top of the cost to change while keeping pace with technology, and because it’s mainly been covered by warranty, there are no nasty surprises so I have a fairly accurate operating cost to budget with.”

The relationship Don Ingles has with his local dealer is pivotal to his machinery choices.

“By and large most tractors and machinery are pretty reliable and over the last 10 to 15 years dealerships have become far more professional, so it really comes down to personalities. Farming is a people business so the relationship I have with the people I do business with is very important to me.”

Don’s relationship with CLAAS goes back many years to when the farm first had a JAGUAR 61 forager, which was followed by a number of JAGUAR 75’s. But it is only in the last five years that he has firstly bought an ARION 440 from Ed Parker at CLAAS Western at Evesham, which has subsequently been followed by a SCORPION 7030.

“I know that if I ever have a problem, that Ed and the service team at Evesham will do their utmost to get me going – and they have never let me down yet,” states Don.

Until three years ago, Don ran a dairy herd on the 180ha farm near Broadway in Worcestershire, which he had built up to 320 cows. He then made the difficult decision to get out of dairying and sold the herd. “I miss them a lot, but it’s far less stress and my working day is far shorter now,” he says.

ROTATIONAL MIXED FARM SYSTEM Even with no cows, Don has retained his mixed farming system based around a rotation of 2-year leys, going into maize and then winter wheat. “I still farm exactly the same way as I did before, but instead I now supply silage to other local dairy farms, the maize goes to a local AD plant and I get digestate in return. I also buy in straw for baling, about half of which is sold locally and the rest mainly goes into Wales.

“The system works and I have a market for everything. Because of the rotation and the inherent fertility from the years of muck being applied, I need no P and K, I can grow a 10 tonne crop of wheat with only about 180 units of N and I can get up to 5 cuts of grass from the leys. The only problem is maize, which yields about 15 to 20 tonnes depending on soils, but it fits the rotation well, does the soil good and by having the digestate back from the AD plant that replaces the cow muck, so will certainly help keep my fertiliser usage as low as possible.”

The ARION 400, Stage V. Enjoy a sense of freedom.

The ARION 400 comes as standard with • Intelligent operator assistance systems – giving you an easier life • Smart data management – simplifying your documentation • Efficient connectivity – improving your work processes • Exceptional cab comfort – making your day more productive Contact your local CLAAS dealer for a demonstration. claas.co.uk

30 Adrian Lavender of LM Lavender & Sons Arable Farmer, Norfolk

The power of advertising

Learn more ARION 600

Adrian Lavender

An advert usually only has a second in which to catch your eye to take a proper good look at it.

So when Adrian Lavender was flicking through Farmers Guide last May and saw a MANNS advertisement for a new ARION 610C with an on-farm price of £60,000, he decided to contact MANNS Norfolk for more information.

“I initially flicked on past the advert, but it then registered what it said, so turned back to look again at exactly what the offer was,” explains Adrian. “We weren’t in the market to change our tractor, let alone buy a new one, but it was the fact that it specifically mentioned the ARION 610 that initially caught my eye as that is our perfect tractor. Had it mentioned any other model I would not have been interested.”

THE LAST NEW TRACTOR WAS 25 YEARS AGO Adrian and his brothers farm 200ha near Northwold in Norfolk, mainly growing cereals but they also make 40ha of hay for sale. Le Mans built tractors have been used on the farm for many years, starting with a Renault Ares 620 and then progressing onto a CLAAS Ares 656 in 2005, which in turn was superseded by an ARION 610, plus they also run a small AXOS. “The last new tractor we bought was 25 years ago, so to buy new instead of used was a big investment for a small family farm, but it was too good an offer to ignore. Having discussed it with my brothers, I then spoke to Thomas English at MANNS was invaluable to us, because of his considerable product knowledge and being able to tailor a finance deal that suited our cashflow.”

ARION 610C

31

“It was too good an offer to ignore.”

Adrian Lavender

Your 6 cylinder tr

NEW on farm for

actor

under £60,000

IDEAL FOR OUR NEEDS “The ARION 610C is ideal for our needs. We don’t need electronics, just a straightforward ‘no nonsense’ versatile tractor that can be used for cultivating, combination drilling, spraying and fertiliser spreading.

At 145hp, the ARION 610C is a step up in power and weight from our old 610, which was a 120hp 2011 model that had done 3,800 hours.

It could be said its overpowered for our needs, but that’s no bad thing as it will certainly be on the farm for a very long time, so it gives us options for the future. “”The cab layout on the old ARION was very good, but this is better still and there is plenty of room. The visibility is excellent and even the suspension feels smoother. It also seems to be very good on fuel, but it is still early days.

“This has the 24 gear HEXASHIFT, which gives us a wider choice of gears compared to the 16 speed QUADRISHIFT on the old ARION. We also opted for the 540 ECO PTO, which we use for fertiliser spreading, and a front linkage for a press when drilling and broadcasting cover crops. I also like the other features such as the electric control for the PTO with auto shut-off, which is a good feature, and the airbrakes, which give it plenty of stopping power, in addition to small things like being able to swing the steering column up for easier access.”

2021 CLAAS ARIO N 610 CLASSIC 0% FINANCE • 145HP WARRANTY 3 YEA RS / 3000HRS ON FAR

M PRICE £59,950

+ VAT Retail £101,580 s users only. Offer ends 31st May 2021, subject to availabi

Terms and Conditio

ns apply. Busines

lity.*

Contact your neare MANNS Saxham Tel: 01284 77770 0

MANNS Halesworth Tel: 01986 83460 0 MANNS Essex Tel: 01376 34587 5

st MANNS depot

or call Paul Moss

MANNS Kent Tel: 01622 89257 2 MANNS Market Harborough Tel: 01858 46666 0 MANNS Spaldw ick Tel: 01480 89026 9

on 07831 55286

5

MANNS Norfolk Tel: 01328 87807 1 claas-manns.co.uk facebook.com/claas. manns

TURN DESIRE INTO REALIT Y *Finance for busines s purposes only.

Subject to accepta Available on new equipment only. Based nce and affordab ility checks. Applica VAT and a docume nt must be 18 or ntation fee of £75.00 on funding 50% of RRP. The finance over. Promotion valid You will own the product are all due on signing. machine when all until 31 May 2021.

An option-to purchas available under this promotion is paymen illustrative purpose Hire Purchas e fee of £50.00 (includin s only. Finance provide ts have been made. Alternative g VAT) will be collecte e. First payment, full finance options are England No: 585427 d by CLAAS Financia d with the final paymen available, terms & 1. l Services Limited conditio t. , Northern Cross, Basing View, Basings ns apply. Images are for toke, RG21 4HL. Registered in

The advert that caught Mr Lavender’s eye last Spring. This offer is no longer valid, but it is always worth asking your CLAAS dealer what current offers are available.

HarvesTimes

32 Andrew Wilson, Farmer & Contractor, East Dunbartonshire

A change to CLAAS for the better

Learn more ARION 600

Andrew Wilson

Over the course of the last four years, W&A Wilson have not only changed all their tractors to a CLAAS shade of green, but also their combine.

Faced with the closure of their long term tractor dealership, and the prospect of service support moving further afield, W & A Wilson were prompted to speak to GORDONS, who they had already used for incidental machinery. As a result six of their tractors have been replaced with CLAAS tractors, culminating with a three tractor deal last summer. They have also replaced their combine.

SERVICE YOU WON’T FORGET “We have always got on very well with GORDONS,” says Andrew Wilson. “They are very easy to speak to and if you have a problem, you know they will sort you out, even on occasions when it has been for a machine that they didn’t supply. You don’t forget that type of service.

“My brother Stephen was the first to buy a CLAAS tractor quite a few years ago and he got on well with that. So when we were looking to replace a loader tractor, we spoke to Steven Cook at the Highland Show and ended up doing a deal on an ATOS 340 and loader.”

However, the main change started in 2018 when Andrew replaced one of his key arable tractors with a 165hp ARION 630CIS. This particular machine was recommended by Findlay Tulloch who then arranged for Andrew to have one on demo.

Pleased with its performance and versatility, last Spring Andrew contacted Findlay again, this time to replace their main 200hp tractor with another ARION 630. “The 200hp tractor needed various things doing to it, so it made sense to look at the option of replacing it.

Findlay had a 630CIS+ in stock, came up with a good price and the deal was done.

“Even though it’s less power, the ARION is as good if not better than the 200hp it replaced. It does everything that tractor did, from pulling a five furrow reversible plough, to combination drilling, spraying and powering our trailed forager.

“The big thing is the performance from the engine and the amount of pulling power the ARION has, even on standard tyres. The 200hp tractor was on larger tyres, but the grip was not nearly as good as the traction we get with the ARION.” Last summer, Andrew was again on the ‘phone to Findlay, this time to replace his final three tractors, which resulted in the arrival of another ARION 630 CIS+, an ATOS 330 with loader and a used ARION 440.

They also replaced the original ATOS 340 which had clocked up

ARION 630

33

“…the ARION can work all day without refuelling.”

Andrew Wilson

10,000 hours with an ATOS 350. To complete the CLAAS green set, he also changed their combine for a TUCANO 560 MONTANA.

THE RIGHT TRACTORS FOR THE JOBS “Everything is now CLAAS from GORDONS and we have the right tractors for what we need them to do,” says Andrew, who with his father and brothers Stephen and Angus, farms at Bishopbriggs near Glasgow. Between them they manage and harvest 400ha of cereals and 280ha of grazing and silage for a 150 cow dairy herd.

“The little ATOS tractors with their loaders are ideal for yard work and feeding the cows, but it is the three ARION 630s I am really pleased with. The cab comfort is fantastic and front axle suspension very

good – I would certainly not want to go back to our old tractors.

“What I really like is that they have a big diesel tank, so unlike our old tractors that would only last until about 5 o’clock when foraging, the ARION can work all day without refuelling. The transmissions are good, they are easy to operate and the CIS and CIS+ specification is fine for what we want, but the pulling power is fantastic. For ploughing, generally the ARION will quite happily work at 1400rpm in C1 or C2, dropping to B5 or 6 in heavier soils.

“The decision to change to CLAAS tractors has certainly been for the good and means we are now well set-up for the next few years and any changes that happen.”

HarvesTimes

34 Marcus Land, Contractor, Herefordshire – by Mary Evans

The complete move back to CLAAS tractors

Learn more ARION 600

Marcus Land (right) and Will Land (left)

Excellent product, good communication and dealer back up were the main reasons that Marcus Land made a complete move back to CLAAS tractors.

At the forefront of this family contracting business are not only Marcus and Will Land but also their two CLAAS ARION tractors; a 660 CEBIS, CMATIC and 630 CIS +, CMATIC. Up until recently the Herefordshire based business was predominantly an arable enterprise growing cereal crops with approximately 400 acres of this being estate owned. With the estate now taking the farm back under it’s own management, Marcus and Will have scaled-back and really focussed on servicing the demand of their local farmers. This has seen the business concentrate on grassland management and producing their own haylage.

Marcus’ relationship with the RENAULT and CLAAS brand dates back to the year 2000 when he purchased his first tractor from salesman, Huw Brown. Since then, they have purchased approximately 15 CLAAS tractors from the dealership but did hit a slight blip in the road.

A BLIP IN THE ROAD When it came time to change a tractor a few years ago, Marcus needed something with more horsepower whilst maintaining a smaller chassis tractor. This wasn’t something that CLAAS offered at the time, so subsequently on this occasion, he purchased a competitive machine. Despite this move, Marcus did continue to operate an ARION 640 CMATIC and ARION 460 tractor but thought this higher

horsepower competitive tractor might complement the fleet well.

“The whole experience ended up being very disappointing! We had no end of trouble with the machine as well as the service support. I found the tractor to be in the workshop more times than it was in the field and for the success of our business, it just couldn’t continue. We know that all machines have their niggles, but it is how it is dealt with that matters! After 3 years of problems, I had lost all confidence in the tractor and the dealer assistance, so I searched for something to replace it. I already knew the support from RIVERLEA and CLAAS UK was five-star, so it was a natural decision to go back.”

IMPRESSED WITH CMATIC The move back to larger horse powered CLAAS tractors started with a demonstration of an ARION 660 CEBIS, CMATIC tractor from RIVERLEA, Marcus was so impressed with the tractor that it stayed on farm. Soon after the addition of the 660, Marcus had spotted an ex-hire ARION 630 CIS +, CMATIC with an almost perfect specification online. He contacted Huw and put his name on it straight away. The CMATIC transmission was a feature that particularly drew Marcus to both machines largely because of his issues with a bad knee as well as many other benefits it had already provided to his operations.

“Once you have had a CLAAS CMATIC gearbox, I can confidently say, you won’t go back! Our competitor machine was a VARIO style transmission, but it is nothing compared to the CMATIC system.

Both tractors are responsible for a variety of applications including hedge cutting, muck spreading, fertiliser spreading, large square baling, raking and road work during maize harvest. We have found the transmission really makes the job so much easier, not just for the

ARION 630 & 660

35

“Whether you own 40 combines or a single rotor rake, you are a valued CLAAS customer.”

Marcus Land

operator but we have also seen increases in our fuel efficiencies and machine output. Specifically with hedge cutting and baling, the CMATIC is seamless. Another great benefit is the additional control it gives us on steeper terrain, which we have a lot of around here!”

As well as the ease of the CMATIC transmission, both tractors are set up with GPS steering which allows for ultimate precision when out in the field.

GPS PRECISION “With commodity prices as they are, we are aware that we need to be precise in our applications of products such as fertiliser, so the GPS has ensured we aren’t over-applicating. Everything is so easy to monitor from in the cab and through the CLAAS telematics system, which allows us and the RIVERLEA service team to closely monitor the machine.”

With CLAAS tractors firmly back with the Land family, the future plans are set to build upon their loyal customer base that spans a 20-mile radius of their home farm in Ross-on-Wye. Having the support and reliability of RIVERLEA and CLAAS, Marcus is far more confident that these key machines and relationships will be integral to drive his business forward.

“We have built such a strong relationship with RIVERLEA since the opening of their Raglan branch and with the product over the last 22 years, and it really is the whole package from enquiry to sales, parts supply, and the service back-up. The attentive and quality back-up from them is something we simply cannot do without as well as the reasonable servicing costs. Both with RIVERLEA and CLAAS UK, whether you own 40 combines or a single rotor rake, you are a valued customer. For me, running a family business, that ethos and attitude is worth a lot!”

HarvesTimes

Rolling into Spring

Learn more about ROLLANT 540

claas.co.uk

The reliable and durable ROLLANT 540 A fixed-chamber baler with a 1.22 x 1.25 m bale size.

The ROLLANT 540 is tried, tested and ready for your harvest.