HarvestTimes Jan 18

HarvesTimes The journal for agricultural professionals

Agritechnica Awards Customer viewpoint New CLAAS Academy

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Forward thinking farming >> FLEET VIEW app – Provides real time position of combine and current grain tank fill levels, for improved efficiency.

AUTOMATIC DOCUMENTATION – Produces field specific documentation for every job, based on field boundaries and recorded tracks.

13.8m CUTTER BAR – Fully compatible with 40m tramline Controlled Traffic Farming.

“CLAAS is a long way ahead of the competition when it comes to its telemetry package. That really helps in planning harvest logistics from flagging up when machines are going to need refuelling to identifying areas of downtime.”

Andrew Crossley, August 2017.

Running a 40m tramline Controlled Traffic Farming operation with 3 LEXION 780 TTs, 13.8 m cutterbars, Telematics, AUTOMATIC DOCUMENTATION and FLEET VIEW has significantly improved both efficiency and output up to 25% at Thurlow Estates in Suffolk.

CLAAS providing forward thinking solutions for today’s forward thinking farmers.

Call the hotline: 01284 777666 or claas.co.uk

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Come and see us at LAMMA ’18

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Cover Story: Equipped to do everything in-house at Grosvenor Farms

Contents CLAAS News............................................................................... 04

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Dealer News................................................................................ 08 Product News............................................................................. 09 Customer Focus Mark Roach JAGUAR 870.............................................................. 12

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Martyn Meredith LEXION 630 MONTANA....................................... 14 Mervyn Petch LEXION 750 TT........................................................ 16 Bruce Christie LEXION 760............................................................. 17 Paul Kingdon AVERO 240.............................................................. 18 Chris Legg AXION 920................................................................... 20

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Jack Neale ARION 440................................................................... 22 David Newman ARION 550............................................................ 24 Max Pickerill AXION 830................................................................. 25 Neil Corbin Pre-Series QUADRANT ............................................... 26 Dealer Awards............................................................................ 27

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Don’t miss our CLAAS TIMES Product News delivered with this issue of HarvesTimes

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Contact us on: 01284 763100 Email: cuk.reception@claas.com or visit claas.co.uk facebook.com/CLAASUK

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Forward thinking farming >>

New CLAAS electronics development centre opened CLAAS has opened its new electronics development centre at Dissen, 12 miles from Harsewinkel.

terminals, camera systems, automatic satellite-based steering systems, and many other innovations.

The new building brings together around 200 software developers, engineers and other specialists from CLAAS E-Systems centres around Europe, who will work on pioneering solutions that will enable the networking of machinery to help the farmer manage his business more efficiently. These include control units, electronic architecture,

The new building features open-plan meeting rooms on every floor, equipped with cutting edge media technology, the latest internet VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) telephone systems and solar powered charging points for electric bikes and cars. The 5.0ha site also includes workshops, a test track and arable land.

New CLAAS test centre Construction has started on a new 15 million Euro test centre at Harsewinkel, that will significantly increase combine harvester, forage harvester and tractor component testing capacity.

The new state-of-the-art test centre will use 300 kilowatt electric drive units instead of diesel engines to test the transmission components and will also satisfy modern standards of energy efficiency. A heat recovery process will be installed into the test systems, so that a conventional heating system will not be necessary in winter, while a water system with heat exchangers fitted to the underfloor radiators will provide cooling in summer.

The building will have total floor space of roughly 8,000 m², of which half will be used for assembly, the laboratories and the actual test facilities. Adjacent to these areas will be over 200 workstations for test engineers and developers, as well as additional facilities containing the technical supply systems.

CLAAS NEWS

New CLAAS Academy opened at Saxham The first stage of the complete redevelopment of Saxham has started with the opening of a new ÂŁ1.2 million purpose built CLAAS Academy, designed to provide industry leading training for dealer sales, service and parts staff, and also customer operator training.

A key element in ensuring that the high standards CLAAS set for customer service and support is maintained, is through the service and support training it offers its dealer staff.

Training has come on a long way since the first Academy was opened in 1954, employing just one trainer. Advanced Master Mechanic training was introduced 20 years ago and the highest Master Technician level was formed in 2002, creating the current 4-step career progression pathway for dealer Service Engineers.

Today, the new CLAAS Academy employs a total of 11 staff and has the capacity to offer over 5,000 training days a year. In addition to customer operator and dealer sales, service and parts staff training, the CLAAS Academy plays an integral role in developing the industry standard training pathway that young apprentices and service mechanics follow.

The new CLAAS Academy features extensive classrooms, break-out areas and five workshop areas capable of accommodating the largest CLAAS combines and forage harvesters, and the new facilities will

enable trainers to fully demonstrate all the advanced features of the machines to customers and dealer staff.

Every year, the new CLAAS Academy will utilise almost ÂŁ6 million worth of machinery. The Academy is also developing a new cutting edge eLearning facility using videos and animations, with two staff dedicated to this new facility which is expected within three years will offer over 20 eLearning programmes. The Academy is also setting new standards in the use of bar and QR codes to support self-discovery training, in addition to the introduction of 3D printed training aids.

The number of training programmes has also been increased. A new sales training programme has been introduced, which mirrors the current Service and Parts training. Full in-house training to OEM level on the full range of third-party engines used within CLAAS machinery is to also be offered, using a dedicated workshop.

(from L to R): Hattie Fletcher, Trevor Tyrrell (CEO CLAAS UK), Bernd Ludewig (Member of the CLAAS Group Executive Board), Terry Clements (Mayor for St Edmundsbury), Vivienne Clements (Mayoress), Lothar Kriszun (CLAAS Group), Thomas Spiering (CFO CLAAS UK), Temi Animasaun.

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Apprentice intake and graduation This, however, is just the start of their training with CLAAS. Having qualified, the young technicians will have access to ongoing training and development aligned to the Landbased Technician Accreditation (LTA) scheme. Having gained LTA 2 status, with further training and dealer experience, they will have the opportunity to reach product specific LTA 3 (Master Mechanic) status before going onto the highest LTA 4 (Master Technician) level, or even into more senior management roles within their dealerships or with CLAAS. This autumn has also seen a further 15 new students start their CLAAS Agricultural Technician Apprenticeship. Of these, 8 students are joining the Reaseheath course including one who will be studying for the Parts Apprenticeship.

Some of the 16 young technicians who recently received their certificates at a graduation ceremony held at Saxham.

The CLAAS Agricultural Apprenticeship scheme recorded a number of firsts this year. The first Graduation ceremony was held in the new CLAAS Academy at Saxham, instead of holding individual events at Reaseheath and Barony; the first Parts apprentices completed their courses, and the number of apprentices training at Barony has now passed 100.

At the graduation ceremony held at Saxham in early October, 16 students were presented with their certificates in recognition of their completing the 4-year CLAAS Apprenticeship. Of these, 7 students from Scotland and Ireland have been studying at SRUC Barony near Dumfries, and the 9 graduants from Reaseheath College near Nantwich include two who are the first to complete the new Parts Apprenticeship course.

Completing their studies at Reaseheath were: Lewis Garrett and Charlie Holland from MANNS; Callum Gregory, William Beacock and Matthew Ackerley from EASTERN, Charles Izod from WESTERN and Alex Yeates from HAROLD R JOHNS, along with Parts Apprentices Tom Brealey and Carl Brewer from EASTERN. Graduating from SRUC Barony were: Adam Graham, Lewis Allan, Jonathan Lough and Thomas Perfect from RICKERBY, Grant Gordon from SELLARS, Connor Saunders from GORDONS and Thomas Motherway from McCARTHYS in Ireland.

Starting their studies at Reaseheath are: David Wyman and Ollie Humphrey from OLIVERS, Lewis Perkins and Sam Carter from MANNS, Jack Wilson from EASTERN, Henry Swaffer from SOUTHERN and Harry Bean from RIVERLEA along with Parts Apprentice Michael Peyton-Bruhl from OLIVERS. Joining the Barony course are 7 students from dealerships in the north of England, Scotland and Ireland, bringing to 102 the total number of students who have studied at the college near Dumfries over the 9 years that CLAAS has offered this course.

Just to show that servicing and repairing agricultural machinery is not just for the boys, this year’s Barony intake also includes its first female apprentice, Aleisha Kinghorn, who works for RICKERBY at their Cornhill branch in Northumberland..

Over the first three years of their apprenticeship, the students will receive comprehensive training, in addition to CLAAS product and general technical training while working with their dealership, where they will be mentored and supported. In addition, they will also spend time at the CLAAS UK headquarters at Saxham, Suffolk, where they will be some of the first students to train in the new state-of-the-art CLAAS Academy opened this autumn.

The six new CLAAS Apprentice students commencing their studies at SRUC Barony are Aleisha Kinghorn from RICKERBY, Murdo Bruton, Andrew Simpson and Mathew Drumond, all from GORDONS. Joining from Ireland are Adam Harrington from McCARTHYS, Michael Bagnel from BREENS and Gareth Roberts from ASHFIELD & WILSON.

Having completed their formal training, during their final fourth year the Technician Apprentices will then undertake additional advanced technical and industry training, and selected students will also have the opportunity to visit the CLAAS Group headquarters in Harsewinkel, Germany, so that by the time they graduate from the apprenticeship they will be eligible for LTA 2 status.

CLAAS NEWS

CLAAS student wins Reaseheath Apprentice of the Year award Congratulations to CLAAS apprentice Jacob Chater, who has been named the 2017 Reaseheath College Land-based Engineering Apprentice of the Year.

The award was presented to Jacob at an awards ceremony marking the completion of his three-year apprenticeship course at Reaseheath College near Nantwich in Cheshire, where he studied for an Extended Diploma in Landbased Technology.

For the final year of his four-year CLAAS Agricultural Apprenticeship Jacob, who works for MANNS at their Halesworth branch in Suffolk, will undertake additional advanced technical and industry training, so that by the time he fully qualifies next summer, he will be eligible for LTA2 status.

Fantastic Experience “To win the award and be recognised in this way was a complete surprise and an honour,” states Jacob. “Studying for my apprenticeship at Reaseheath has been a fantastic experience. The college is very supportive and really helps to guide you, and it seems to be able to bring out the best in you.”

“You get to meet a great mix of people, both other CLAAS students, but also those from other companies and across different courses.

With the other CLAAS students you do get to form a tight knit group, that you know in future you will be able to contact and bounce problems off each other.”

Jacob, who is from a non-farming background but has always enjoyed tinkering with old Land-Rovers with his father, first got interested in agriculture through his girlfriend, whose family farm near Brampton in Suffolk. From helping out on the farm, he then heard about the opportunity to complete an apprenticeship with CLAAS through their local dealership.

a problem. MANNS give you freedom to get on with the job, but are also extremely good at ensuring that you are comfortable with what you are doing, not pushing you too hard but also willing to go with you if you want to push on, and as a result gave me the opportunity to be in a van by the end of my second year.”

Whats next?

After he fully qualifies next summer, Jacob will then have access to ongoing structured training and development. Having gained experience, he has already set his sights on reaching product specific LTA 3 Master Mechanic status, probably specialising in balers, prior to then working towards the highest LTA4 Master Technician level.“I would also be really interested in taking my education a stage further by completing an HND or one of the management courses that CLAAS offer.”

WHY agricultural service engineer?

So why did Jacob want to be a agricultural service engineer? “For me, I like the challenge and the responsibility. Every day is different. It’s also the opportunity to prove yourself to others, that you do have the skills and knowledge to help them. When you are out on a farm attending a problem with a machine, the farmer is totally reliant on you and you are the sole person responsible for sorting the problem out and getting them going again. They are glad to see you arrive, and even happier when you are leaving!”

“I like the freedom – it’s the closest thing to being your own boss.

And it is the greatest confidence boost and feeling when customers obviously trust you and start to phone you direct with any problems or queries.”

“I came into this with an open mind – and CLAAS has not disappointed.”

“I have always admired German engineering and the quality of product.

I also liked the fact that because CLAAS is a family owned company, they understand people better and want you to feel part of the family.

In addition, as an apprentice with CLAAS the pay and the overall package is good, so it’s ‘Win Win’. If a company looks after their employees, they in turn will look after the customers.”

Great support “I liked the 4-week block release structure of the CLAAS course as it seemed to work far better than the 2-week structure of other manufacturers courses. It provides a good balance between work and college and gives you time to settle-in and to really get to grips with what you are learning.”

“In addition I have had great support from CLAAS and MANNS, and especially from my mentor Dan Sherwood. As a Master Technician, he has considerable experience and a lot of what I have learnt has come from him. He has been extremely supportive and always there if I have

Jacob Chater | Apprentice of the Year 2017

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DEALER NEWS

WESTERN take on Horsch Following the appointment of SOUTHERN and MANNS as Horsch dealers earlier this year, WESTERN has also now taken on the cultivator, drill and sprayer franchise throughout its five dealerships in the south and west of England.

MANNS / KIRBY rebrand Following many years of trading as part of the same group, the KIRBY branches at Spaldwick and Market Harborough have been incorporated under the MANNS banner. Other than a change of name above the door, it will be business as usual at the two branches.

“Horsch has an impressive product line up that is synonymous with performance, quality and reliability,” says WESTERN sales director Will Greenway. “Our customers, both large and small, require highperformance machinery that will enable them to farm to the highest standards, across a wide range of soil types, operating conditions and establishment techniques.”

“I’m delighted that WESTERN will be able to exclusively offer Horsch’s exciting range of products and support its existing and future customers from our five branches covering Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Dorset and Somerset.”

“Each CLAAS dealer across the UK operates as an independent business unit, selecting the brands that best serve its customers locally and that complement the CLAAS offering,” says CLAAS UK’s director of Retail Operations, Richard Vaughan.

“CLAAS and Horsch have worked very well together in East Anglia and the South East, and I’m sure this success will be replicated by Will’s team at WESTERN.”

New HAMBLYS signage This autumn saw the start of a roll-out of new CLAAS dealership branding at HAMBLYS six branches throughout the south west of England. HAMBLYS is the latest dealership to implement the new branding which is gradually being adopted by dealerships throughout the UK and Ireland.

Samson join EASTERN

New MORRIS CORFIELD branch

Development of the new MORRIS CORFIELD branch at Ocle Pychard near Ledbury, Herefordshire is nearly complete. The new purpose built premises has been constructed on a derelict site, which had previously been a garden centre.

EASTERN has expanded its range of complimentary franchises having taken on the Samson range of slurry and rear discharge manure spreaders.

Manufactured in Denmark, over the 90 years that the company has been in business it has built a high reputation for its innovative, robust products along with the customer service and support it provides its customers and dealers.

Two slurry tanker ranges are available, the PG II and the SG, and with capacities of up to 28m3, and with a wide range of incorporators and injectors, these are ideal for both high capacity slurry and digestate spreading.

The rear discharge manure spreader range again comprises two models – the SP and the Flex, with the option of a total of 10 versions with capacities from 9m3 up to 23m3.

PRODUCT NEWS

New appointments to the Sales and Marketing team CLAAS UK has further strengthened its customer and product support, especially for the continually expanding tractor and materials handling product ranges, following the recent appointments of Steffan Kurtz, Alastair Bourne Steffan Kurtz and Alastair Bourne and Chris Lee. Steffan has been appointed to the role of Tractor Product Specialist, based at Saxham. Steffan comes from a farming background in west Wales, where he previously ran his own contracting business, prior to joining a local large agricultural machinery dealership as a salesman. This combination of practical and retail sales experience will be invaluable to his new role supporting the continued growth of the CLAAS Tractor product range within the UK and Ireland.

A graduate of Harper Adams University, Alastair Bourne takes on the role of Product Specialist – Telehandlers and Wheeled Loaders.

Alastair brings considerable experience to this role, having worked in Telehandler and Tractor product marketing. Alastair also takes on the position of Regional Sales Manager, responsible for the EASTERN dealership, which has six branches covering the area from Nottinghamshire up to North Yorkshire.

Chris Lee takes on the joint role of Regional Sales and Finance Manager for the Anglia region, working with the MANNS dealership.

By combining these roles, he can provide a better end-to-end service for the business and its customers. Chris has considerable experience, most recently as Finance Manager for a large East Anglian dealership.

We have the builders in!

The relocation of the CLAAS Academy to its new purpose built centre has cleared the way for the start of the first phase of the complete redevelopment of the Saxham site. The demolition of the old MANNS offices, Academy and the conference centre is currently underway.

Meanwhile it is business as usual on the rest of the site.

AEF ISOBUS certificate for tablet app The EASY on board app has received official AEF certification as an ISOBUS terminal. This app is the first, and so far only, app for a tablet that can be used to operate any ISOBUS implement.

The Agricultural Industry Electronics Foundation (AEF) has certified two functionalities of the CLAAS app – ISOBUS UT and Auxiliary Control. ISOBUS UT (Universal Terminal) means that the app can be used to operate a wide range of ISOBUS implements. This has the great advantage that users only need one terminal for all the different implements. Auxiliary Control, on the other hand, means enhanced user-friendliness and flexibility as the various implement functions can be transferred from the app to the function buttons of any Auxcompatible multifunction control lever.

Having obtained certification, the EASY on board app is now listed in the official AEF database so that farmers and contractors can check which implements can be controlled with the EASY on board app before making a new investment.

EASY on board app can be used on an Apple tablet (iPad Air or newer) with the operating system IOS 9.0 or later. On the machine side, the app assumes that the implement and tractor are connected by an ISOBUS cable and the rear ISOBUS socket. A special WLAN adapter (CWI - CLAAS Wireless Interface) and a universal mount for the tablet are also needed. Both are available from CLAAS dealers.

The EASY on board app is available in the App Store for free download to a tablet

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CLAAS win Agritech CLAAS was awarded one of only two gold medals by the DLG ahead of this year’s Agritechnica show, and also won a further four silver medals. The medals are presented by the show organisers in recognition and to draw attention to technological groundbreaking innovations.

• CEMOS for tractors, which is a new, dialogue-based driver assistance system for optimum adjustment for tractors and implements. Using the touchscreen CEBIS terminal, the operator can gain advise on the optimum settings for the job in hand and the ambient conditions.

The gold medal was awarded to CLAAS for CEMOS AUTO THRESHING, which is the latest module that contributes to the automation of the combine harvesting process and automatically adjusts drum speed and concave clearance.

• The CULTI CAM stereoscopic row camera for mechanical hoeing, which is a new, high-resolution 3D row guidance camera for steering row crop hoes. The camera analyses the leaf structure of the row crop on the basis of colour information and 3D surface models to identify the rows and calculate precise control signals even in windy conditions, crops with severe weed infestation or plants which are not green.

The four silver medals were awarded for: • The AXION 900 TERRA TRAC, which is the first half-track tractor with full suspension and uses a fully suspended TERRA TRAC crawler track system

CEMOS AUTO THRESHING

• The Large Vehicle Alert System which warns other road users via their satnav systems or smartphone apps of slow moving agricultural machinery ahead.

PRODUCT NEWS

hnica gold and silver AXION 900 TERRA TRAC

CEMOS for tractors

Large Vehicle Alert System

CULTI CAM stereoscopic row camera

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Grosvenor Farms | 2,428ha | Chester

Equipped to do everything in-house With nearly 3,000 hungry mouths to feed, the team at Grosvenor Farms have their work cut out when it comes to silage season.

This year the business took delivery of a JAGUAR 870 complete with 300HD grass pick-up, 500 Direct Disc wholecrop header, 8-row Orbis maize header and SHREDLAGE corn cracker.

“With such a big herd we need to be able to have control of our own forage production,” explains workshop manager Graham Sampson.

“We’ve run our own forager for a long time but have relied on contractors previously for wholecrop harvesting. Now we’re equipped to do everything in-house so we’re never waiting and we always catch crops at their optimum.”

Previously the farm ran a 2004 JAGUAR 870. An increase in horsepower of over 160hp has lead to some significant gains in daily acreages with the new machine comfortably chomping through 28ha of maize a day and in excess of 60ha of grass on average.

by Nick Fone

But it’s not all about raw grunt. The combination of the JAGUAR’s DYNAMIC POWER package and a 40kph travel speed have seen significant fuel savings.

“In lighter third and fourth cut grass we were seeing noticeably less diesel burnt each day thanks to the DYNAMIC POWER system only delivering the output required according to load.

“The other area where we’ve saving is in travelling times. Where the old machine would take an hour and half to get to our outlying blocks of ground, the new one does it in half the time. And rather than running with the engine flat out, once the forager reaches top speed it cuts back the revs so we’re saving diesel there too.”

Why Shredlage?

“We concentrate very hard on cow welfare as we know happy, healthy cows mean good milk yields,” explains managing director Mark Roach.

“To that end we’re always looking to improve nutrition for the herd. We had the opportunity to try out a SHREDLAGE machine last year and liked the concept. Greater fibre digestability and better grain cracking should result in better intakes and therefore improved yields.

“Ultimately we’re looking for better rumination which then leads on to improved overall cow health. That means we maintain milk quality even

JAGUAR 870

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when our cows are averaging over 12,000-litres a year - and we’re not having to introduce other less palatable sources of fibre into the ration so we maintain or even improve intakes.”

Optifill and GPS steering “The biggest improvement on our new machine from a driver’s point of view is the OPTIFILL trailer filling system,” says operator Dave Hewitt.

“I can just set it running and concentrate on what’s coming into the machine. We swap the GPS auto steering set-up over from our LEXION 780 so that keeps the header full at all times. The combination of the two systems makes for a much more stress-free day for the driver and ultimately means that we can get more done.”

Why CLAAS? “The JAGUAR is honestly the best in the business. We’ve tried other makes but nothing will really touch a JAGUAR,” says Mr Hewitt.

“For a relatively small forager the 870 is really impressive - when you push the stick forward it really doesn’t hold back.”

But it’s not all about output

Managing director Mark Roach, workshop manager Graham Sampson and operator David Hewitt comprise the team at Grosvenor Farms.

“The back-up we get from MORRIS CORFIELD is absolutely superb.

Any colour machine will break down but what really counts is how quickly you can get it back up and running again,” says Graham Sampson. “MORRIS CORFIELD’s spare parts stock is second-to-none and their fitters will work alongside us to get things sorted as quickly as possible.”

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Not a single grain goi

Martyn Meredith | 170ha + 150ha Contracting | Herefordshire

Martyn Meredith’s current LEXION 630 MONTANA is his second CLAAS combine. It’s a move that has paid off according to the Herefordshire owner/operator.

“As relatively small farmers and contractors, I’d always had the view that we couldn’t afford CLAAS kit, but we’d got to a stage where our old combine had become so unreliable we had to change, and I wasn’t convinced that another of the same would be any better.

“So we sat down and did the figures on a 2010 LEXION 530 MONTANA. On paper it looked tight but helped by a decent finance package we could see we could make it work. Now seven years later we’re onto our second and it’s been worth every penny.

“The combine is so much better put together than anything else, it’s more capable in getting the output and it produces a quality sample.

Critically these CLAAS combines hold their value, so when you come to change it doesn’t hurt so much.”

Performance “Generally we’ll average 200 tonnes a day in wheat, but if the going’s good and we’re in decent sized fields we’ll be well over that.

“But it’s not all about quantity – we can maintain a good quality sample even at those outputs. All you need to do is look down through the returns window in the cab and tweak your settings accordingly.

by Nick Fone

“And we’re not burning stupid amounts of fuel either. In fact the new combine is much better on diesel than the previous one. Before we’d do a day and half on a full tank. Now we can easily stretch that to two days.

“Much of that is down to the ‘Eco’ engine mode that pulls revs right back for transport. That’s pretty important as a contractor – we spend quite a bit of time on the road.”

MONTANA full body levelling “We’ve always been used to full body levelling and would probably struggle to do our job without it given the rolling countryside around here. As a contractor we can’t be seen to have a single grain going over the back, and to manage that with a level-land combine you’d have to be creeping along.

“With the MONTANA we can keep going at a decent pace without having to worry. It might be an expensive option but for us it’s a complete no-brainer – it means we can cover the acres whilst still doing a decent job.

“Additionally body-levelling means even weight distribution all the time, so we never struggle with traction, even on the steepest ground.

Without it we’d probably have to have four-wheel drive.

“The other big advantage is that it means quite often we can change fields without having to take the header off. I simply jack the hydraulics up and more often than not that’ll give me enough clearance to get over the top of the hedges. Our customers love it because it means they’re not hitching and unhitching trailers to move the header – it’s another massive time saving that means we maximise the machine’s output.”

LEXION 630 MONTANA

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ing over the back.

LASER PILOT auto steering

“The new VARIO is even better again – changing between crops used to take well over an hour. Now, without plates and belts to change, it’s a matter of minutes.

“This new generation of LASER PILOT is brilliant – because I’m not concentrating on steering it means I can tweak settings to minimise losses and get maximum output.

“Also, when I’m in the cab I treat it like my office – I’m constantly on the phone organising jobs and I know the header’s always kept full and the combine’s at maximum capacity. It also means I can eat my sandwiches without having to worry about spilling anything down my front!”

VARIO header “We’d come from a belt-fed header on our previous combine so we were used to getting a decent crop flow into the machine. Off the back of that the VARIO had a lot to live up to. But it didn’t disappoint – the ability to adjust the cutterbar position is just brilliant and in tall crops of rape because the reel is always behind the knife you don’t get crop trying to come over the back of the header – it just channels it straight into the throat.

“The side-knives are so much more convenient – simple things like having a box for them on the header trailer mean you’re not having to run back to the yard.

“And the header itself is now so much more responsive. It’s twice as fast to react thanks to the combine’s new hydraulic set-up.”

Why CLAAS? “We know we can get the output we need from the MONTANA and because it’s so well put together we have the confidence in keeping it a decent amount of time – our old 530 had clocked 1000 drum hours and we’d never had to do a single major repair.

“More importantly we get fantastic back-up. MORRIS CORFIELD have looked after us really well, even as a new customer coming to them from another brand.”

“The combine is so much better put together than anything else, it’s more capable in getting the output and it produces a quality sample.”

Martyn Meredith, August 2017

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LEXION 750 TT

60 years of CLAAS combining

Mervyn Petch | 66th harvest Great Ayton, North Yorkshire

The 2017 harvest was not only notable as one of the earliest finishes to harvest that Mervyn Petch can remember, but also the completion of his 66th harvest, 60 of which have been behind the wheel of a CLAAS combine.

about,” states Mervyn. “There was a big difference and we only kept it a few years before changing back to CLAAS again and a 204 MEGA.”

The complexity and size of CLAAS combines may have come on a long way since Mervyn first got behind the controls of a CLAAS combine, but 60 years later the concept of how a combine threshes a crop is little changed between that first combine, a trailed SUPER 500 with a 7ft cut, and his current 25ft LEXION 750TT.

“Being a veteran driver, it may sound flippant but one of the biggest advances for me has to be having a cab, especially now that they have climate control. The older you get, the more you appreciate it. Also it’s just the sheer capacity of the LEXION which even in this year’s difficult conditions where we have had a lot of laid crops, has still comfortably cleared around 28ha a day including moves, rising to 38ha in good going, in crops that have still averaged10t/ha with bushel weights of 76-77kg/hl.”

CLAAS Super 500 “At the time we bought the SUPER from Bob Scaling at Wigginton, there were probably just two others in the area,” says Mervyn.

“The SUPER had an amazing capacity, especially compared to the binders we had used up until then. When we got the SUPER, it had a bagging unit and we soon realised that having a tank would be a far better option, so after a year had it modified. On a good day, it could comfortably clear 4.0ha in crops yielding at best 5.0t/ha, but we still had to carry the bags up the steps into the granary, so you certainly knew about it!”

After about four years, realising that self-propelled machines were the way forward, the SUPER was changed for a silver CLAAS SF, since when a series of MATADOR, SENATOR, DOMINATOR, MEGA and LEXION combines have passed through the gate at the Petch’s farm at Great Ayton near Stokesley, North Yorkshire, reflecting the development of the CLAAS combine range.

“The only time we moved away from CLAAS was after Scalings closed, and we changed one of the DOMINATORs for a different machine.

That was when we learnt what CLAAS and their combines were

lexion 750 TT

As someone who has grown up with combines fitted with cabs and electronics, Mervyn’s son Alan says that for him, the biggest step change was when they changed a LEXION 520 for the LEXION 570 with tracks and the VARIO cutterbar.

“Tracks has to be one of the biggest benefits for us, not only due to the reduction in compaction on our heavier soils, but on our steep land at Kildale, which is at 700ft, it enables us to harvest crops and brought capacity on land that you might otherwise not justify cropping.”

“Dad is a true expert when it comes to combining and still has great enthusiasm for the job. It’s great when you hear him talking to Richard Thompson, the combine expert at EASTERN who looks after us, and you hear that enthusiasm skipping a generation as they talk ‘combine’ when trying to identify out a problem.”

“Combining has to be one of the jobs I enjoy most,” concludes Mervyn.

“After a year of growing and looking after your crops, combining provides you with the proof of what you have aimed for and the satisfaction of seeing the fruit of your efforts safely gathered in.”

Jeremy Preece (right) presents Mervyn Petch with a mounted CLAAS combine in recognition of his 60 years of combining with CLAAS combines. Mervyn is holding the user manual from the first CLAAS combine he used, a trailed SUPER 500.

Lexion 760

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Automation ensures sample quality that the LEXION 760 would give us a higher capacity but in a narrow bodied machine. SELLARS lent me their demonstration LEXION 750, which was fitted with CEMOS AUTOMATIC. Not really knowing anything about CEMOS, having tried it out I was very impressed with how easy it was to use and how well it worked.”

using Cemos Automatic Arable cropping on the farm is split between feed winter barley, malting spring barley for distilling, feed winter wheat which also goes into distilling and oilseed rape. While the farm’s grain drier does have a precleaner, this is old and its capacity doesn’t match the combine, so by using CEMOS AUTOMATIC to achieve the best possible sample, this ensures that Bruce can still achieve the high sample quality he aims for.

“As a rule I aim to only cut below 20%, but this year did cut some wheat at 23%, and set CEMOS AUTOMATIC to achieve minimum losses and for best possible sample. This does compromise throughput but I don’t want to see any green stripes appearing across the field. I also cut as low as possible as we bale all the straw for bedding and spreading over carrots. But the LEXION’s capacity means we can still typically average between 60 to 70 tonnes an hour in 9.0-plus tonne crops, and we still have plenty of capacity to spare if conditions are difficult and we need to really push on.”

Bruce Christie | 550 ha | Brechin, Scotland

“CEMOS is amazing, it’s so simple to get a really good sample without spending ages tweaking settings and getting frustrated.”

Bruce Christie is the first to admit that had the demonstration LEXION he tried not had CEMOS AUITOMATIC, then it’s unlikely he would have specified it when buying a new LEXION 760. But having tried it and seen the benefits it provides, he would not be without it.

“For what extra it costs, CEMOS AUTOMATIC makes a lot of sense as it enables me to use the combine as a tool to achieve the best sample possible, especially in malting barley, and not incur penalties,” says Bruce, whose LEXION 760 is fitted with AUTO SEPARATION, AUTO CLEANING and CRUISE PILOT. CLAAS combines have been used since 2001, when he bought the first LEXION 480 in Scotland for harvesting the 550ha of cereals on the Dalhousie Estate, which he manages on the outskirts of Brechin.

In 2007, this was replaced by a LEXION 580 which in turn was changed for the current LEXION 760 with a VARIO 930 cutterbar.

“I was originally intending to just change like-for-like, with the aim

To get the best out of CEMOS AUTOMATIC, Bruce stresses that it’s important that the combine is set up properly. Yields are regularly cross checked using a weighbridge and the specific weight and moisture content is constantly checked through the day.

Trusting Cemos to do its job “You also have to have a lot of trust in what CEMOS is doing,” states Bruce. “Occasionally it will do something really radical, but you mustn’t panic, and just leave it be as there will be a reason as to why it has done what it has. It is amazing what it does and it makes it so simple to get a really good sample without spending ages tweaking settings and getting frustrated.”

“CRUISE PILOT is also a great tool and in wheat I will allow the LEXION to go as fast as it needs for CEMOS, but in lighter crops the maximum speed can be set according to the terrain.”

While Bruce normally drives the LEXION himself, he adds that another advantage of CEMOS is that if necessary he can confidently put a less experienced driver on the combine, safe in the knowledge that without a lot of training he will still be able to get the best out of the combine.

“Having CEMOS AUTOMATIC has certainly been extremely beneficial and I have been very happy we did decide to go to that level of sophistication. Anything that helps you get the most out of the combine has to be a benefit.”

“Obviously I do keep an eye on other manufacturers machines, but to get me to change would take a lot of doing, due to the combination of the combine itself, which is so well made and reliable, and the service and support that SELLARS provide, which is excellent. And I am obviously not the only one as CLAAS combines are by far the most popular around here.”

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Paul Kingdon | 120 ha + 120 Contracting | Devon

Standing the test of time Having run CLAAS kit for decades, the Kingdon family knows the value of reliable, hard working harvesting kit and strong dealer support.

Having given up their silaging around 13 years ago to concentrate on their own beef and arable operations, the Kingdons knew they would need to replace their 30-year-old combine if they were to continue cutting their own crops and doing a small acreage of contract combining.

“At the time we were looking to upgrade to another second-hand machine but we struggled to find anything small enough to get down our narrow lanes and anything we could find was serious money,” explains Paul Kingdon.

“Out of interest I got a price for a brand new AVERO and I was really surprised. For the same money as a bigger machine we could get a brand spanking new four walker combine.

“Financed over seven years and run over ten, we worked out we would need to be clearing 120ha a year to justify it, which was almost exactly where we were in 2010.

“But immediately people learned we had got a new combine, more work started coming in and we now regularly average 160-200ha.

That’s not bad for a 200hp, four walker machine with a 4.9m cutterbar.”

by Nick Fone

AVERO 240

Why an AVERO 240?

Cab and controls

“When we were first looking at changing the combine we didn’t have a huge acreage to cut and the AVERO matched it well.

“We love that fact that every control bar the drum and fan speed is mechanical. Keeping it simple gives us the confidence that the AVERO will last the test of time – that’s important because our figures are worked out on it staying with us for at least ten years.

“As the area of contract harvesting has grown, the 240 has kept up without any difficulties. Despite being a four-walker machine it can match the output of a five-walker because of the extra threshing “I always set it up following the CLAAS guidelines for each crop and capacity from the APS. That’s what keeps it narrow – a very important generally they’re spot on for a start. I’ll keep and eye on things and factor with the narrow lanes and tight gateways here in mid-Devon.” tweak accordingly through the day. That’s made so easy by having the returns window in the back of the cab so I can see exactly what’s How does it perform? going back onto the sieves.”

“We’ll comfortably average 8-10 tonnes an hour, even with our small Reliable? fields and regular header changes. It really is quite impressive given it’s the smallest combine CLAAS sells in the UK.” “In six harvests we haven’t had a single major breakdown. In fact the only thing that’s ever gone wrong on the AVERO was a drive belt for Hilly terrain the hydro-pump.”

“The rolling Devon countryside around here can get pretty steep at Why CLAAS? times to the point where we sometimes have to fit dual wheels in the wet. We’ve found the 3D sieves make a huge difference in maintaining “Having run CLAAS Jaguar foragers when we were silage machine output without creating losses. contracting, we know we’ve got brilliant back-up from our local dealer HAMBLYS. “The header AutoContour is incredibly responsive too. It reacts instantly to any slight undulations and means we’re never picking up “Their attitude is brilliant. They’re always there to get us out of trouble, stones or soil.”

24 hours a day. That’s why we run CLAAS tractors, balers and the AVERO.”

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Ideal driver’s tractor Two AXION tractors are spearheading changes that have been made by a Norfolk farming company as it prepares for the impact of Brexit.

Looking ahead to the potential impact of Brexit on their business, and changes to the Single Farm Payment, over the last 12 months Maurice Mason Ltd has conducted a comprehensive review of all aspects of the business, with a view to ultimately cutting costs by over 10%.

Cutting back costs The result has included changes to cultivation policy and a complete reassessment of machinery requirement. As a result four tractors have now been replaced by just two - initially an AXION 920 CMATIC bought last year from MANNS at Thursford and more recently a 295hp AXION 870 CMATIC that arrived in July.

“To prepare for the changes that are coming, we felt it was important to thoroughly look at the way we farm and tailor the business accordingly,” explains farm manager Chris Legg. “We have looked at cultivations, why we do what we do and what it’s costing, also the weight to horsepower to job requirement and what that horsepower is costing.”

Cropping on the 1520ha farmed by the company based at Fincham near King’s Lynn, is split mainly between wheat, sugar beet and oilseed rape (which is cold pressed and sold under the Mr Hugh’s brand), plus maize and rye for AD. “We have been really impressed by the AXION, it ticks an awful lot of boxes and has been extremely reliable. CLAAS has really taken driver comfort and operation to a different level and this is why we have now bought the smaller AXION 870,” states Chris.

Chris Legg | 1,520 ha | Fincham near King’s Lynn

AXION 920 Adapting to the job at hand “For its power the AXION 920 is fairly compact and the horsepower to weight ratio is ideal. It’s just as happy pulling a trailer as it is the Topdown, a 7-furrow plough, 9-leg Flatlift or our 8.0m Vaderstad drill.

I am also obsessed by weight and will add or remove weight to the AXION so it’s only using as much as necessary for the job in hand. We therefore specified AxioBib 710/85 tyres which are run as low as 10psi for jobs like drilling to spread the weight.”

With soils that range from blowing sand to heavy clay, another big change has been the decision to go away from tillage trains with deep working legs and discs and use faster, more specific cultivations. Also using the RTK steering on the AXION 920, where possible they now use 64m headlands to reduce compaction, with the first headland drilled at 32m.

“Also I have never had anything as accurate as the S10 terminal. I have no problems getting a signal and it’s extremely easy to set-up, save and recall all the headlands and A-B lines, which are all listed for you. It’s a great improvement on the previous terminal where you had to reset them each time.”

“CEBIS makes it simple to alter the droop and engine settings if you want to, and I have various setting saved for different jobs. However, most of the time I just leave the AXION to look after itself and tell me what it wants to do, as that tends to be the most efficient.”

“For instance when ploughing, I will just set the revs to 1300rpm and put 10kph as the target speed, then just leave it to look after itself.

Generally it will quite happily tick along at 1270rpm, using around 35 litres of fuel.”

easy for the operator Robert Cockerill is in charge of the AXION 920 and like Chris Legg has been very impressed with its ease of use and overall performance, but also the driver comfort.

“I can’t knock it – it’s been flawless and done everything I have asked of it. For the operator, the cab is really nice. It’s spacious, very comfortable and got lots of creature comforts. The CMOTION controller makes it extremely easy to quickly set-up and operate the tractor, as everything is at your fingertips. You don’t need to touch anything else and it is very handy.”

A thorough review of their business conducted by Maurice Mason Ltd has seen four tractors being replaced by just an AXION 920 and a smaller AXION 870. Farm manager Chris Legg (left) and AXION 920 operator Robert Cockerill.

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Jack Neale (left) and son Christopher with Nealford Monarch.

Good breeding counts For Jack Neale and his sons Christopher and James, their ARION 440 PANORAMIC offers the best of both worlds. Fitted with a FL100 loader, it’s small and nimble enough for jobs around the yard, but out in the field its power means that if necessary it can stand in for their larger ARION 610s.

The 120hp ARION 440 was bought in December to replace a smaller 98hp loader tractor, and is now the fourth CLAAS tractor to have been bought by the Neales.

“The main reason for having CLAAS on the farm is because we have always dealt with HAMBLYS due to the back-up they provide. Also we get on very well with Martyn (Conway) who really knows his product and is very good to deal with,” explains Jack Neale. “The tractors we have run over the years reflect what they have sold, and we certainly had no fears about buying CLAAS because of the good name that they have for their machinery, and on the farm we also run a DISCO mower, ROLLANT 340 baler and a LINER rake.”

“We initially saw the ARION at the Beef Expo at Exeter last November and liked the look of it. HAMBLYS brought the tractor out for us to try in December and it never went back. We were surprised by how gutsy it is. It also has a very good turning circle and the PANORAMIC cab makes a big difference for loader work. Having everything on the (multifunction) joystick makes it so easy to drive – you just jump in and off you go. For a small tractor it’s extremely good.”

A Leading herd The Neales farm 280ha at Werrington near Launceston in Cornwall.

Originally a dairy farm, but since coming out of milk in 2004 they have gradually built up their Nealford herd of pedigree Limousins, originally established in 1988, which has grown to become one of the leading herds in the country.

In all they run 300 pedigree cattle including calves and are regularly to be seen in the show ring where they have achieved considerable success. “Typically we will sell between 30 to 35 bulls a year for breeding,” says Chris Neale. “Most are sold privately but the best we will hold back for the herd society sale at Brecon, plus there is also an increasing market for semen and embryo transfer, which is becoming increasingly popular due to concerns about TB, even though we are completely free.”

“We aim for quality and to achieve that we are prepared to invest in good breeding and we will wait for the right stock bulls to come along.

Recent purchases have seen us buying from Ireland and Carlisle, and we have even travelled as far as Aberdeen to look at potential bulls.”

In addition to the Limousin herd, the Neales also buy in a further 200

ARION 440

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“We have a number of small sheds, but it can go everywhere it needs to go and will quite happily power the bale shredder”

Jack Neale

Versatile Tractor fleet “There’s always a place for a small tractor on a farm and the ARION is ideal in this respect,” says Jack. “We have a number of small sheds, but it can go everywhere it needs to go and will quite happily power the bale shredder running at 540 Eco. Most of the heavy handling work is done using a telehandler, but the loader on the ARION has the same headstock so that it can share the same attachments and be used as a back-up.”

“Most of the heavier field work, such as cultivations or baling and mowing are done with the larger tractors, but the ARION 440 is ideal for raking and if necessary it does have the power to stand in for the larger ARIONs, so does mean that we have three field tractors.”

Jack Neale | 280ha | Launceston store cattle to fatten, which they aim to either finish after 100 days or will sell on at 2-years old depending on the market. Finally they also lamb 650 ewes, including 40 pedigree Texels, and buy in between 500 and 800 store lambs a year, with all their lambs going to Waitrose, who they have supplied for about 10 years.

With all this livestock on the farm, one of the main jobs for the ARION is to power a trailed McHale two-bale capacity shredder, which in addition to bedding down is also used to shred and feed out silage bales on some separate livestock buildings three miles from the main farm.

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ARION 550 CMATIC

Versatility from CVT transmission

“In the past I have always been wary about CVT transmissions, so have just run CIS specification ARIONS with 50kph and creep speed ‘boxes. However, when I tried the CMATIC on an ARION 620 that WESTERN let me have on demo I could see the potential and that it would be a step-up from the HEXASHIFT. Because it changes range automatically, it gives me the smoothness I want but also infinite variation in speed from just 100 m/hr up to 50kph.”

“Also the ARION has been very economical. Over the last 202 hours it has averaged 5.4 litres/hour and currently on verge mowing is averaging 7.7 litres.”

Easy and Flexible TO OPERATE Just as important to David are the CMATIC’s ease of use and the range of different operating modes. He has found the ability to alter the engine and hydraulic settings using CEBIS gives him far more flexibility, as has having all the main operating controls grouped together on the CMOTION controller.

David Newman | Utility contractor | Cricklade The flexibility that the CLAAS ARION and CMATIC CVT transmission offers in terms of specification and operating modes makes it the ideal tractor, states utility contractor David Newman.

David’s latest tractor, a 163hp ARION 550 CMATIC that has already done over 1,000 hours in 6 months, is the latest in a long line of tractors bought through local dealer WESTERN Cirencester that dates back to before the introduction of the CLAAS tractor range.

“I have had 6 CLAAS tractors in 12 years, working my way through the ARES and now the ARION range, with each tractor being replaced after 4 years by which time it will have done up to 7,000 hours.”

“As a contractor, the most important reason for staying loyal to WESTERN and CLAAS tractors has been the service and back-up I have had from both the dealer and CLAAS themselves over the years.”

Extremely reliable “The tractors themselves have been extremely reliable and the ARION’s running costs have been very low; it’s things like that which are important to me. Comfort is also second to none. The others are trying to catch up, but the CLAAS cab suspension system is still by far the most comfortable, especially if you are going to be working long hours.”

Based near Cricklade in Wiltshire, David specialises in utility work which he has done since 1990. The main operation is verge mowing and vegetation control mainly using a Shelbourne Reynolds HD865 VFRT side arm mower. The ARION has also been fitted with purposebuilt guarding, additional LED lighting, cameras to the front and side and Sat-Nav. “As the largest 4-cylinder tractor in the range, the ARION 550 has the strength, power and weight to safely handle big mowers, but it’s still compact for working in tight lanes or forestry and the short wheelbase gives it a tight lock.”

The ARION has also been fitted with the ELECTROPILOT joystick control, which is used for loader work and to operate the front linkage, especially when using a front-mounted mulcher that has a hydraulic top link.

“I now have so many different ways I can control the tractor and machinery. Although most of the time I will use the CMOTION control, in more fiddly or confined areas I still have the option to control the tractor using the foot throttle and REVERSHIFT paddle, or on longer runs I can just set the cruise control to a certain speed. It gives me so many control options and great versatility as to how I operate machinery.”

“Being able to operate the spools and having all the Function buttons on the CMOTION is ideal. It’s very rare that I now use the main spool valves and the various hydraulic options make it easy to fine tune the ARION.

It’s all about efficiency, safety and ergonomics working together.”

AXION 830 CMATIC

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Chalk and cheese When you compare the latest AXION 800 tractors with previous versions, there is just no comparison reckons Max Pickerill, who has run four in the past 10 years.

Comfort, engine power, economy, ease of use and overall refinement are all things that set the latest FPT-powered AXION 800s apart from their predecessors in Max’s opinion. This was why, as soon as he saw one, an order for a new AXION 830 CMATIC quickly followed, specified with a fully active seat, LED lighting, climate control and electric mirrors.

“The new AXION sold itself,” he says. “Comparing it with my previous AXION 840, they were chalk and cheese. There’s no comparison – it’s just a fantastic tractor.”

Based near Loughborough in Leicestershire Max’s company, Specialised Groundcare Ltd, provides agricultural contract services and site clearance, working mainly within the commercial sector throughout the UK. He offers a wide range of services, but mainly specialises in site clearance, groundworks and supplying woodchip for biomass or horse bedding.

“The new AXION is far more refined and extremely comfortable. The cab is a really nice place to be and the visibility due to the four-post design is excellent, which is important for scrub clearing work,” states Max. “The FPT engine is great and pulls like a train, plus it’s noticeably more economical. For instance with the Claydon when drilling, it will tick along at about 1300rpm and use as little as 11litres/ha in fuel. I like the way that for roadwork it will just throttle back and the CMATIC transmission is also quicker to react and holds its speed far better.”

The CMOTION control also comes in for Max’s praise. “It’s so easy and intuitive to use. Everything you need to operate the tractor is there at your fingertips and it makes it very simple to set-up, edit and use the headland management system.”

Great service “The important thing for me is the service and support from EASTERN Markham Moor, which is excellent and any parts are always readily available. They are good people to deal with, and Will Clark is very knowledgeable and interested. I do always look and compare all options before buying, but it always comes back to reliability and support. I cannot afford breakdowns as we often have to work to extremely tight time constraints, so I have also opted for CLAAS extended warranty for peace of mind.”

moving to a bigger machine His first AXION was an 830 with a HEXASHIFT transmission, but following the introduction of the CMATIC CVT transmission this was replaced at 1500 hours by an AXION 820 CMATIC. “That was an extremely good tractor and did me really well, but as the workload increased I needed something bigger, so changed it for an AXION 840 CMATIC, and now that has been replaced by the new 830.”

Working in both the agricultural and the commercial contract sectors, the 235hp AXION 830 and a smaller 102hp AXOS 340 are expected to handle a wide range of operations. On agricultural work, the AXION does everything from ploughing, cultivating and drilling with a 4.0m Claydon. For commercial work, it is often used with a heavy duty forestry mulcher or flail mowers for clearing scrub and brambles ahead of development work, or when landscaping around new developments the AXION and AXOS are used for the initial cultivations and levelling before final finishing with compacts.

Max Pickerill | Ground care contracting | Loughborough, Leicestershire

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PRE-SERIES QUADRANT 5300

Fewer bales, greater density A change to a QUADRANT 5300 baler, fitted with APC (AUTOMATIC PRESSURE CONTROL), Knotter Control System and the new weigh cells on the bale ramp has paid dividends for D G Corbin & Sons.

The new QUADRANT 5300, which produces a 90 x 120 cm bale, was bought to replace a smaller QUADRANT 2200. It joins a further QUADRANT 3200 and a 2100, and between them the three balers annually clear around 2,800ha of straw, which is sold into the west country.

WE NEEDED HEAVIER BALES “The theory behind changing to the QUADRANT 5300 was that apart from the larger bale size, the automatic density control system (APC) would enable us to achieve consistently heavier and denser bales,” explains Neil Corbin. “The QUADRANT 3200 has always produced a good bale that stacks and loads well, but the chaser driver was always up against it to keep up. With the QUADRANT 5300, there are fewer bales to clear, so the job is quicker and we are able to achieve heavier loads on the lorries.”

Compared to a 70 x 120cm bale produced by the QUADRANT 3200, which Neil says on average weighs around 350kg, bale weights for the larger 90 x 120cm bales from QUADRANT 5300 are typically at least 550kg.

“The new APC and Knotter Control systems work extremely well and we now don’t get any bales popping their strings. We have changed to an HD string, which we find works far better, although the downside is that the string length is shorter. It certainly avoids the problem in the past where you try and increase the bale density to get the most out of the baler, to then only find you have a line of bales with broken strings behind you.”

Neil Corbin | Straw Merchant | Dorset

The QUADRANT 5300 has also been fitted with the new bale weighing system, using weigh cells fitted into the bale ramp. “The weighing system has worked very well. The main benefit is for the operator as it’s another tool he can use in conjunction with the automatic density system to ensure that bale density is being maintained and that he is getting the best out of the baler. Overall, setting the baler and density system up using the COMMUNICATOR is very simple and it just looks after itself.”

From their base near Sixpenny Handley in Dorset, D G Corbin run their own fleet of lorries, with up to three on the road at the peak of the season. Here again, the larger, denser bales have the benefit that fewer bales need to be handled, with each lorry carrying 32 bales instead of 40, but there is only 100mm difference in load height, and load weights have been substantially increased, so basically they carry one less layer for the same load size.”

TAKING BALING TO ANOTHER LEVEL “We are more than happy with the QUADRANT 5300, it has more than met our expectations, and done what WESTERN Dorchester said it would,” states Neil. “On the lorries we are getting more weight for the same volume. We did speak to our customers about the change and we have already had some coming back to us saying they want more, because they save storage space and due to the higher density, one bale will do what they might have needed one and a half bales for before.

“We have run QUADRANT’s since the 1990’s and they have always been very good to us and the service from WESTERN and CLAAS has been excellent – in the past we have even had taxis turn up here from Saxham with parts. The new QUADRANT 5300 has certainly taken baling to another level and when we come to replace the QUADRANT 3200, I would think we will go for another 5300 as that certainly seems the way to go,” concludes Neil.

DEALER AWARDS

CLAAS UK recognise dealer excellence The high level of commitment, sales, service and support offered by CLAAS dealers throughout the UK and Ireland was recognised in the annual Dealer Awards presentations.

The Awards were announced at the recent Dealer Council meeting held following the opening of the new CLAAS Academy. The Awards recognise overall dealer and tractor sales performance, with five dealers being recognised, including HAMBLYS in the South West of England winning two awards.

The first of the HAMBLYS awards was the Tractor Sales Growth Award, which recognises the dealer who achieved the highest percentage growth in CLAAS tractor sales in the UK and Ireland. In receiving this award, Steve Perryman, Sales Director at HAMBLYS, said that the company would be dedicating the award to the memory of Richard Berryman, who was the main driver behind the sales growth in tractors by the company, but sadly recently passed away after a long battle against cancer.

Steve Perryman (right) receives the CLAAS Tractor Sales Growth Award from Lothar Kriszun (CLAAS Group).

The CLAAS Tractor Sales Performance Award recognises the dealership that achieved the highest number of CLAAS tractor sales per branch in 12 months. This was awarded to ALAN DOUGLAS MACHINERY based at Enfield, Co Kildare and is the second year running that a dealer from Ireland has won this award.

Alan Douglas (right) receives the CLAAS Tractor Sales Performance Award from Lothar Kriszun (CLAAS Group).

Five dealers were also awarded CLAAS Platinum and Gold Dealer Excellence Awards. These take into account all aspects of the dealer’s business, including not only standards of service and support offered by all the dealer’s branches to their customers, but also the company’s commitment to its own staff and the CLAAS franchise.

HAMBLYS and RICKERBY were both recognised with the highest Platinum level award. For both dealers, who are two of the largest multi-branch CLAAS UK dealers in the UK and Ireland, this was a

Oliver Morris (left) receives the CLAAS Gold Dealer Excellence Award for MORRIS CORFIELD from Bernd Ludewig (Member of the CLAAS Group Executive Board).

Mark Pryce (right) receives the CLAAS Gold Dealer Excellence Award for EASTERN from Bernd Ludewig (Member of the CLAAS Group Executive Board).

Paul Moss (right) receives the CLAAS Gold Dealer Excellence Award for MANNS from Bernd Ludewig (Member of the CLAAS Group Executive Board).

Ken Conley (right) receives the CLAAS Platinum Dealer Excellence Award for RICKERBY from Bernd Ludewig (Member of the CLAAS Group Executive Board).

Steve Barrett (right) receives the CLAAS Platinum Dealer Excellence Award for HAMBLYS from Bernd Ludewig (Member of the CLAAS Group Executive Board).

considerable achievement. In winning the Platinum level award, all six HAMBLYS and eight RICKERBY branches were individually evaluated as part of the overall assessment and each assessed as reaching the highest standards required to win this award.

Gold level Dealer Excellence Awards were presented to MANNS, EASTERN and MORRIS CORFIELD. Similarly, in winning this award each of these dealerships individual branches would have been appraised as part of the overall dealership assessment.

“Between them, these five companies have a total of 31 branches.

To manage to achieve such high appraisal ratings across such a large number of branches is a huge achievement. Winning these Platinum and Gold Dealer Excellence Awards is just recognition of the considerable commitment they have invested in their businesses,” stated Trevor Tyrrell, CLAAS UK CEO.

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It’s Showtime!

Come and see us and our new products at the LAMMA SHOW 17th and 18th January, 2018