MASSEY Ferguson has unveiled a new generation rotary combine harvester range which promises a major step forward in performance and productivity.
Among a host of exceptional new features, AGCO says the models in the new IDEAL range offer the biggest integral grain-tank capacity that is now currently available throughout Australia with units arriving in time for the 2019 harvest.
"The IDEAL combine is a brand new design built from the ground up," said AGCO marketing director Fergal Meehan.
"When developing the new IDEAL combine the customer was at the centre of the process.
"We wanted to create a machine that was driven by the customer and not the manufacturer.
"The farmers operating these machines know what works and what doesn't and we really wanted to give them a machine that was based off their knowledge and experience rather than what we thought they needed."
Built at AGCO's European Harvesting Centre of Excellence in Breganze, Italy, the development of the new combine was a collaboration between AGCO's key machinery brands.
"We wanted to make the best combine possible and to do that we pulled all the resources at our disposal," Mr Meehan said.
"The scale of this project is like nothing we had ever done before, we produced 45 prototypes and conducted continuous lab and field testing for more than six years.
"In some respects the IDEAL had a flavour of everywhere but what we wanted to ensure that the IDEAL could perform in Australian conditions.
"So we extensively tested it in almost 5000 hectares harvested throughout WA, SA and Victoria.
"It was incredibly important to us that we tested the IDEAL across different crops, so we harvested wheat, barley and canola mainly but also tested the machine in lentil and chickpea crops.
"We wanted to ensure that the Ideal had the features our local farmers were looking for and that's why we took our time speaking to and developing the IDEAL alongside farmers.
"What we discovered was that technology was a key area and that they wanted a machine that has fully integrated guidance, full yield mapping and automation.
"Australian farmers are innovative which is especially necessary in such challenging conditions and providing farmers with the most up to date technology and software enables a more productive farming experience."
The IDEAL offers three models - the 336kW (451hp) MF IDEAL 7; 401kW (538hp) MF IDEAL 8 and the 483kW (647hp) MF IDEAL 9.
The capacity of the grain tanks in these new models is up to 17,100 litres which is about 18 per cent more capacity than the largest available previously.
Aiding the increased capacity is the 'Dual Helix' rotor which is fixed to the IDEAL 8 and the IDEAL 9.
"The farmers who tested the new IDEAL commented on this feature as well as the smoother cabin ride and ease of operation," Mr Meehan said.
The IDEAL is an addition to the range of Massey Ferguson combines sitting alongside the existing Massey Ferguson 9500 Series.
"The introduction of the IDEAL to the market is designed to complement our existing offering by offering a different platform rather than to replace it," Mr Meehan said.
"The Massey Ferguson 9500 Series is still being manufactured in North America and the demand for this machine in Australia is still going strong."
