Customer Magazine 1/2015

+ + + Biogas AutoGuide Valtra Developed An efficient Set in to meet tool for small Stone users needs farms page 21 page 12 page 16

New T Series Machine of

the year page 3 Valtra team Customer Magazine 1/2015

editorial

04

ast November Valtra introduced a brand new series of L – the fourth generation T Series. With engine powers ranging from 141 hp to 215 hp T4 models were first mooted in the late 1980s when en- 10 gineers were given a blank sheet of paper – or was it a computer screen? From that blankness a new tractor 06 was put together piece by piece: engine, cab, a new transmission (as well as the tried and tested Direct and First new T-series Versu). The new model was produced reach customers in various prototypes and these were 16 tested in the laboratory and the field; 40,000 hrs of testing on some units. Finally came the launch date, Novem- In this issue: ber 2014. But it did not rest there. Sales brochures had been produced, 03 Fourth generation T Series 19 Half a century of stepless driver’s manuals and a host of other named Machine of the Year transmissions support items. The British and Irish agricultural press gave the tractor de- 04 News: New T Series launch 20 Keeping up with the changes served accolades – pages of it! attracts 1500 guests In January 2015 came LAMMA at 21 Multitasking in Ireland Peterborough, England and hot on 05 News UK its tail the FTMTA exhibition at Naas, 22 Finnish ice hockey stars train Ireland. At both events queues formed 06 New T Series tractors hard with kids from local farms to take a look at the new T4 ma- at work throughout Europe chines. Then came the roadshow – 20 23 Valtra Collection locations in under a month. 10 T4 Launch & Road Show: We’re proud of our all new tractor The Road to Success 24 Valtra models and we’ve done our best to make sure every one had a chance to see it. 12 New generation of If you haven’t seen the New Valtra T biogas tractors Series they’re coming off the produc- tion line you read this and dealers 14 New T Series reduces service have demonstration machines. Go see costs by over 20 percent one – Now. It will be worth the effort. 16 AutoGuide steering assist and Mark Broom hydraulics assistant – the right national sales manager tools even for small fields 12

2 Valtra team 1/2015 Fourth generation T Series Innovation

Machine of the Year The new Valtra T Series has been named Machine turn. SIMA and Agritechnica are two of the biggest of the Year at SIMA, the Paris International Agri agricultural shows in the world. Business Show. The jury consisted of 19 independent The T Series was selected Machine of the Year agricultural journalists representing 17 European in the 180–280 horsepower category. Altogether trade magazines in France, Germany, Poland, there were 17 different categories, and the winners Romania, Denmark, Croatia, Hungary and . were selected from 94 nominees. The jury paid Competition is organized by Terre-net in France and special attention this year to innovation and user German publisher DLV. The awards are presented usability. • annually at the SIMA and Agritechnica shows in valtra.co.uk

Valtra team 3 The launch of the new T Series in Germany was a big success, with dealers and importers placing orders for over a thousand tractors. New T Series launch attracts 1 500 guests text Tommi Pitenius photos Valtra archive

round 1500 dealers, import- offered the chance to familiarise The convenient servicing and main- ers and journalists attended the themselves with the new T Series tenance features of the new T Series A launch of Valtra’s new T Series from as many perspectives as pos- were also demonstrated. in Wörth am Main, Germany, last sible . They could drive the tractor The new T Series received a pos- November. on the field with a harrow or plough, itive reception, and over a thousand The launch event was spread over drive it on the road, use it with a new units were ordered by import- two weeks with around 150 differ- front loader and try out the TwinTrac ers and dealers. The first tractors ent guests attending each day. The reverse-drive system. were delivered to , France guests got to find out more about Altogether 11 new T Series trac- and Germany. Deliveries to other the new tractor first at an evening tors were available, allowing suffi- countries began soon afterwards event and the following day in prac- cient time for each guest to enjoy as production was ramped up over tice on the field. The guests were a comprehensive test drive. the winter. •

ISSN 2342-3285 (Print) Internet: valtra.co.uk ISSN 2342-3293 (Online)

Editor in chief Hannele Kinnunen, Valtra Inc., [email protected] Edition Tommi Pitenius, Medita Communication Oy, [email protected] Editorial Marc de Haan, Mechan Groep, [email protected] // Adam Wiatroszak, AGCO Sp. z.o.o., [email protected] // Emanuela Agostini, AGCO Italia SpA, [email protected] // Siegfried Aigner, AGCO GmbH, [email protected] // Sylvain Mislanghe, AGCO Distr. SAS, [email protected] // Thomas Lesch, AGCO Deutschland GmbH, [email protected] // Lindsay Haddon, AGCO Ltd., [email protected] Publisher Valtra Oy Ab, Valmetinkatu 2, 44200 Suolahti Translations and editing Crockford Communications Oy Layout Juha Puikkonen, INNOverkko Printed by Grano Oy Photo Valtra archive if not otherwise mentioned Valtra is a worldwide brand of AGCO

4 Valtra team 1/2015 Read more: valtra.co.uk News UK

Configure your new Valtra In comfort and at home Valtra have announced a new App for mobile phone users enabling users to configure their next Valtra tractor from the comfort of their favourite chair. Years ago Valtra became the first tractor manufacturer to build tractors to specific customer requirements and specification. (Not as many other manufacturers do; take a tractor from stock and expensively adapt it.) Now Valtra have taken this process one stage further by introducing The Valtra page in App Store. Tap on Configurator to down load an iPad App that will enable customers and get to work specifying a new tractor to sit in comfort and build up the specification of a new Valtra tractor. iPad users can simply open up the App Store and in and you’re away – all the latest models from which to the search box type in Valtra. The user will then be of- choose. Simply tap on the required model and start fered a range of suggestions. A simple tap on the cor- configuring a machine to meet your specific farming rect icon and Valtra Configuration will appear and com- or contracting requirements. mence downloading. A further tap on the red Valtra icon It certainly is not difficult – and it’s free. •

Santa – His home is in Finland We’re not sure if the Boss of Valtra and Santa are one and the same person. Sometimes we think they are, after all Valtra is the official suppli- er of tractors to Santa whose home, as we all know is of course in the north of Finland. However when a letter like the one you read here arrived in Jari Rautjarvi’s­ office at Valtra HQ in Finland he had to get in touch with Santa and organise something. A real S Series was out of the question – Daniel is not old enough to drive, even on a private road. The next best thing was a model and Daniel is seen here with his dad Bruce (standing) from Alan Snow Agricultural Engineers Ltd and Valtra Area Manager, Gareth Jones at a surprise presentation at Daniel’s school in Cornwall. •

Valtra team 5 Christian Horn and Ralf Geißler are happy with the new T4 which they received from their dealer Udo Seibert (from right to left).

Ralf Geißler praises the compact design and maneuver- ability of the new T-series, as well as its new roof windows, which become handy in collection of straw and hay bales.

6 Valtra team 1/2015 First 4th Generation T Series Reach Customers Valtra From Experience

Coinciding with the launch of the new T-series in white T174e Direct with front November 2014, the factory in Suolahti, Finland, loader and AutoGuide sys- tem stands on the forecourt began mass production of the newly developed and of our dealership, Udo Seib- extensively tested tractor range. Across Europe, ert LKG in Babenhausen, Hesse. T he tractor was purchased including in Germany, the first machines are already A working on farmland and with contractors. We were through the Machine Maintenance, Soil Cultivation and Landscape Man- present at one of the handovers, and talked to the agement Association of South Hesse new owners. (MBLV in German) for a group of members. The MBLV is not a ma- text Thomas Lesch photos valtra archive chinery syndicate in the usual sense of the term, but operates under a different model. For more about the MBLV, see page 9. The three members of the MBLV who will share the new Valtra are al- ready long-standing Valtra custom- ers as their group already uses a T202 and an N142, which were also acquired through the MBLV. The new T-series will replace the N142. The businesses of Ralf Geißler, Manfred & Christian Horn and Wolfgang Geißler are confident with the Finn- ish technology and dealer support; the first of them is still running a Val- tra N92. The farmers cultivate a total of 350 hectares of arable land and 50 hectares of grassland, which are individually financially managed.

Valtra team 7 The three member businesses of MBLV have confidence in Finnish technology and local dealer support.

The group has invested in private machinery co-operatives since 1995, and also through the MBLV since 2010. The arable land is sub- ject to a very broad crop rotation. Wheat, barley, spelt and rye form the largest share with around 200 hectares; sugar beet accounts for around 35 hectares, and the re- mainder is planted with maize, rape, fennel and, on the Horn farm, turf is also produced. The soil quality varies from 20 to 70 merit points, averaging out at 35. This permits an average yield of 70 decitonnes of wheat per hectare. When necessary, the grain is dried and stored on site, and marketed directly to a mill. The The new cap convince the customer. Also the C3000 display is already installed for grassland is used for hay produc- the AutoGuide GPS system. tion, which is used in over 60 horse stalls on the farms. The necessary over the next few years. Sowing, Geißler’s horticulture and landscap- straw and oats are also produced crop protection, fertilising, tillage, ing operations, the compact design on site. and transport should add up to and maneuverability of the new Due to the mostly sandy light 1,000 hours per year. The AutoGuide T-series, as well as its new roof land and low rainfall, all three farms parallel driving system with its windows, have impressed the com- are irrigated from wells or rivers. C3000 terminal and RTK precision pany. Additionally, the three farms The light soils are fertilised with will prove extremely helpful, and chose Valtra because of their com- horse manure and ploughed; the the front loader will also get plenty patibility with other machines within heavier-soiled fields are cultivated. of use for the collection of straw the MBLV. We wish them much con- The T-series will have plenty of work and hay bales, yard work, or Ralf tinued success with our tractors. •

8 Valtra team 1/2015 The handover on the yard of Seibert LKG in Babenhausen: from left: Reiner Haas (managing director MBLV), Udo Seibert, Ralf Geißler, Ludger Heydler (area sales manager Valtra) and Christian Horn. About the Machine Maintenance, Soil Cultivation and Landscape Management Association of South Hesse (MBLV) Originally planned as a machinery (with third-party finance) and made arranges a so-called ”association syndicate, the MBLV was founded available to the members. They have show”, where machines are visited in 1992 as a water and soil man- the right, as well as the obligation, unannounced and tested by a group agement association. This asso- to use it. Group members document of inspectors. ciation is not a registered society usage during the year and record The association is funded like a machinery syndicate, but is everything in vehicle logbooks. At through a small fee. For the mem- a public company which, thanks to the year end, all machine costs are bers, this has the benefits of trans- an amendment to the Hesse Wa- collated by the MBLV and billed to parent, independent accounting of ter Board Act, is also permitted to the group according to their use. The the pooled machinery, increased invest in the typical activities of a costs of operating resources, such capacity utilisation resulting in lower machinery syndicate. The 550 mem- as diesel or AdBlue, are paid for by costs and, not least, higher liquid- bers – mainly farmers, but also deal- each member individually (e.g. a ity for the individual farms, as ma- erships and municipalities – ben- tractor always leaves the farm with chines are financed through the efit by purchasing their machines a full fuel tank). To ensure that the association. These advantages are through the MBLV. machines are maintained in good also evident in the growth of the The system works as follows: A condition, a chairman is appointed in MBLV as, while the number of mem- group of members (at least three) the group for each machine, who is bers has remained roughly constant, makes a decision to use a machine. responsible for the machine and co- the area farmed by the members is This is then purchased by the MBLV ordinates use. Additionally the MBLV increasing. •

Valtra team 9 The new T series was introduced to dealers and press in Germany and to UK customers at LAMMA.

New T-series Launch & Road Show The Road to Success text and photo Roger Thomas

Last autumn dealers and journal- The new T Series features a wider, manual mode. The press reviews ists descended on Wörth am Main, lighter and roomier cab, new engines said it all! Germany, for the launch of the 4th and different hydraulics. In addition, As Christmas approached it generation Valtra T Series. This was Valtra Active models are also now was obvious that the new T Series an important event, as the T4 has available alongside the established would be a success, as enquiries been designed and developed from Direct and Versu models. The Ac- kept pouring in. Early in the New a clean sheet of paper – or blank tive models offer revolutionary pow- Year the LAMMA show in Peterbo- computer screen if you prefer! ershift technology with mechanical rough, England, was followed by The new T Series tractors were load-sensing hydraulics, a hydrau- the FTMTA exhibition in Naas near unveiled at a conference centre, but lics assistant, and separate hydrau- Dublin, Ireland. Again crowds gathe- the very next day guests had the lic and transmission oils. The driver red to get a look and see what the chance to drive them in the field. can choose between automatic and fuss was all about – and they were

10 Valtra team 1/2015 Continues on page 15 ...

First fourth generation T Series to Shropshire The first retail sale for a new T4 – a 210 hp T194 – came from Bill Preston of P G Preston & Sons of High House Farm, Row- ton in Shropshire. This Bill’s eighth Valtra and like several be- fore it was purchased from Edwards and Farmer of Bayston Hill near Shrewsbury. The T194 was handed over at the Valtra Road Show held at Edwards and Farmers premises in early March. Bill will admit he enjoys driving Valtra and this is his third with a Direct CVT transmission. His first was a T162 and again, this was the first Valtra with a CVT transmission to be retailed in the UK. There then followed a T203 which in 3 years clocked up 3500 hours before this most recent change. Bill Preston spends most of the time operating in a wide range of organic vegetable crops grown under contract for a leading supermarket and finds the Valtra provides him with the type of accurate control re- quired for working in this type of organic crops. As Rupert Farmer reports, Bill finds his Valtra extremely reliable. “He has the tractor serviced on the button according to ’the book’ but other than that we have very little to do with it as, like Gareth Jones of Valtra with Rupert Farmer, customer Bill so many other Valtras, it is extremely reliable. When Bill changes Preston and Robin Edwards with the new T194, the first T4 his tractors they’re very easy to sell on as used machines.” • to be retailed in the UK.

Valtra team 11 Biogas tractors New generation of biogas tractors Valtra began limited series production of biogas tractors a few years ago. Since then the tractors have been further developed, and now the latest dual fuel models have been launched. The N103.4, N113 and N123 models are available with the HiTech 3 or HiTech 5 transmission.

text Tommi Pitenius photos Valtra archive

he development of biogas diesel alone or on a mix of diesel The N103.4, N113 and N123 HiTech and HiTech 5 biogas tractors has been based and biogas, in which case a small tractors are manufactured on the needs of users, who amount of diesel is required for at Valtra’s Unlimited Studio. expect them to operate combustion. In order to run on bio­ exactly the same in all gas alone, the engine would require Ttasks, in all conditions and with all spark plugs, in which case it could Developed in Sweden equipment whether they are run not be run on diesel alone. and Germany on diesel or biogas. Essentially, the Whereas Valtra’s first biogas trac- Valtra’s biogas models have operator should not notice which tors ran on a fixed mixture of 83 been developed in cooperation fuel is being used. Other key princi- percent biogas and 17 percent die- with the Swedish government fi- ples include maintaining a high level sel, the new models alter the ratio nanced MEKA project and a project of efficiency, optimising the use of dynamically according to the driving sponsored by the state of Bavaria biogas and controlling emissions. conditions. For example, after cold in Germany. One of the objectives For tractor owners, using biogas starting the engine, it can run com- of the Swedish project has been to as a fuel can also mean significant pletely on diesel, whereas after hard obtain measurement data that could savings in fuel costs. use it can run on up to 90 percent be used for Swedish and possibly Dual fuel tractors can be run on biogas. EU legislation, as registering biogas

12 Valtra team 1/2015 The development of biogas tractors has been based on the needs of users.

tractors currently still requires spe- tially environmentally friendly, since cial approval due to the lack of leg- they run on a renewable fuel. How- islation. ever, work continues on reducing Dual fuel tractors have also been the nitrogen oxide, particulate and received well in Russia, where Valtra especially methane emissions of was awarded the silver medal at biogas tractors. Since some meth- the AgroSalon exhibition in Moscow ane does not combust in biogas last year. The alternative fuel used engines, intelligent engine manage- in Russia is not biogas, however, ment systems and various catalytic but natural gas. converters have been developed to Recent development work has combat this problem. focused on increasing series In order to facilitate series pro- production and man- duction and spare parts service for aging emissions. Bio­ biogas tractors, all the components gas tractors are essen- have been standardised and docu- mented. For example, the fuel tanks and their frames are delivered to the assembly location as a single package, the exhaust pipe has been redesigned especially for biogas tractors, and the methane catalytic converter has been converted to fit the shell of a traditional DOC cata- lytic converter. •

Gas tank (3x) VALTRA DUAL FUEL ENGINE

Exhaust

Catalyst for CO, Extra tank HC and Methane Electromagnetic Pressure lock-off valve sensor Air Pressure intake regulator Gas ECU Manometer Filter Diesel ECU Throttle valve Service Gas injectors connection Connector

Diesel fuel Diesel common rail

Dual fuel engines run on a mix of biogas and diesel, and they can also run on diesel alone. Each fuel is injected separately. The system injects the fuels in such a way that the driver cannot notice any difference in performance.

Valtra team 13 “Do you sometimes wish there could be 25 hours in a day? Now it’s possible!”

New T Series reduces service costs by over 20 percent text Tommi pitenius photo valtra archive

ervice intervals of the new also for these fluids. Naturally, the the new T Series was used 24 hours T Series have been increased extended service intervals apply not a day for seven days in a row, the S to 600 hours compared with only to oils but also to all filters and service interval would be four days 500 hours on earlier models. When other service parts. longer compared to the old T Series. compared with competitors, service “The scheduled maintenance is Accordingly, if the new T Series is costs of the new machiner are ex- also easier and quicker to on the used 12 hours a day during the peak tremely low. new T Series. For example, adjusting season, the service interval would “Savings of 20 percent in service the valves, a most labour-intensive be 8 days longer. costs can add up to several thousand job, is now considerably easier and “Extending the service interval by euros after just 5000 hours,” says is done at 600 and 2,400 hours, and over a week can be decisive during Service Technician Jussi Lappi. then every 2,400 hours. Previously, the peak season. When the weather The new T Series can offer extend­ it had to be done at 500 and 1,500 is good and the harvest is at its best, ed service intervals for several rea- hours, and then every 1,000 hours,” no one wants to interrupt the work sons. The use of selective catalytic Lappi explains. in order to service the tractor. With a reduction (SCR) without exhaust gas The extended service intervals 600-hour service interval, the tractor recirculation (EGR) reduces the heat and simplified maintenance not only requires less frequent servicing and, load on the engine and helps keep add up to big savings in terms of more importantly, servicing does the engine oil clean. The transmission money, they also save time and allow not have to be delayed because the and hydraulic oils are also kept sepa- work to continue uninterrupted dur- tractor is needed out in the fields,” rate, allowing longer service intervals ing peak seasons. Theoretically, if Lappi adds. •

14 Valtra team 1/2015 ...continued from page 11.

not disappointed. owners and operators of many well, as the prototypes clocked up Then followed the Valtra T4 Road different brands who were clearly over 40,000 hours during develop- Show from Perth in Scotland down impressed by the new T Series ment. But don’t take our word for it, to the South of England, seventeen tractors. get in touch with your Valtra dealer venues in almost as many days. Lucky customers have already and then talk to the happy new T4 Again customers just kept coming taken delivery of their new T Series owners. We’re confident they’ll give – not just loyal Valtra customers but tractors. We’re confident they’ll do their new tractor a good report! • The AutoGuide steering assist system can steer the tractor with an accuracy of just a couple of centimetres. The 21-metre boom on the Amazone UX3200 trailed sprayer has seven hydraulic blocks. The ISOBUS controlled section control opens and shuts the seven valve blocks as needed, for example when the tractor is driven across a wedge-shaped unsprayed area.

Spraying made easy with AutoGuide steering assist and section control

tractor connected to an Amazone The AutoGuide steering assist system and section UX3200 trailed sprayer. The systems control features available on Valtra tractors make on the tractor and the sprayer work spraying crops much easier, as Jyrki Rantsi, a pig well together through an ISOBUS farmer from Varpaisjärvi in the North Savo region connector. On the fields the tractor is steered automatically by the Auto- of Finland, can attest. Guide steering assist system, while

text and photos Tommi Pitenius the section control opens and shuts the seven valve blocks on the 21-met- re boom as needed. In this way the utomated steering is often cing around 10,000 pigs a year. Most pesticide is sprayed only where nee- thought of as a tool desig- of his fields are within a five-kilomet- ded, even if the combination is driven ned for working on mas- re radius, but some are as far away diagonally across a section of field sive fields, but in fact like as 15 kilometres. that was partly sprayed before. The the section control feature “Many people think that automa- nozzles open and close precisely on too, A it is of most use on small fields ted steering and section control sys- the borders of the unsprayed areas. with irregular shapes. Using these tems are useful on enormous prairies “I am not at all interested in techno- systems does not require advan- or steppes. In fact, they are needed logy or computers, but I don’t need ced engineering skills either, simply more on these kinds of small, hilly to be either. What I am interested in is the motivation to do the work faster, and irregularly shaped fields that doing my work faster, better and more better and more easily. make it challenging to drive in long easily. It has been surprisingly easy to Jyrki Rantsi farms around 160 straight lines,” Rantsi explains. learn these systems and begin using hectares and has 400 sows, produ- Rantsi drives a Valtra T163 Direct them,” Rantsi says.

16 Valtra team 1/2015 “What I am interested in is doing my work faster, better and more easily.”

Rantsi considers the costs of the systems to be quite reasonable. He uses the AutoGuide steering assist system with an RTK correction signal that allows the tractor to be driven with an accuracy of just a couple of Finnish pig farmer Jyrky Rantsi is not interested so much in machinery, computers or technology, but rather in the quality and efficiency of his work. Valtra’s AutoGuide centimetres. The correction signal is Steering Assist and Section Control systems do not require any special operating skills. also necessary because so far north the satellites are often behind trees and hills on the horizon. The system Rantsi does not drive the same tricky. The keyboard on the smaller is also good at detecting if the trac- lines from one year to the next, even screen is easier to use on bumpy tor and implement are leaning to one though the AutoGuide system would surfaces, and it leaves more space side when driven across the hills, and make this easy. Nevertheless, he in the cab,” Rantsi points out. can correct the steering accordingly. does drive along the same lines Jyrki Rantsi is definitely not the “The subscription for the signal during a single season. He has tried kind of farmer who buys machine- costs around four euros a year per the bigger C3000 touch screen and ry just to have it. For example, for hectare, which is easy to make up the smaller C1000 keyboard screen several years he experimented with with the better harvests. Some far- and finds advantages in both. outsourcing all his field work to a mers spend thousands of euros on “The bigger screen is easier to contractor. The scheduling and or- bigger tyres and don’t consider that read, of course, and it can be used ganisation required for this convin- too expensive. To me AutoGuide is with the reverse camera, but it also ced him in the end that operating the same kind of investment,” Rantsi obscures visibility and using the his own machinery was a better adds. touch screen while moving can be option for him. •

Valtra team 17 teamwork

EVERY SECOND TRACTOR EQUIPPED WITH TYRES FROM MITAS Supplier Mitas is a long-time manufacturer and trusted European AwArd tyre supplier to Valtra tractors. Our reliability and our teamwork in tyre development and production has been proven by AGCO´s „Supplier Award 2013“ in the „Quality“ category. We are proud of this and we will be working hard to make sure that our partnership continues.

www.mitas-tyres.com oldtimer text Timo Teinilä photo Valtra archive

The hydrostatic creeper gear was intro- duced with the Valmet 565 in 1966.

CV of the CVT hile the first 50 years of trac- gear, allowing the speed to be tors focused on developing adjusted steplessly between 0 and W engines, the following 50 3 km/h. years has focussed on developing The next stepless transmission transmissions. The result of all this came with the Valmet H800, which development work is the stepless featured a fully hydrostatic trans- The Valmet H800 featured a fully hydro- static transmission with no fixed mechani- or “continuously variable transmis- mission. Each wheel on the tractor cal transmission at all. sion”, CVT for short. CVT transmis- had a three-speed radial piston hub sions solve many issues related motor and variable displacement to usability, efficiency and optimum pump. The differential lock was op- ratios. erated by valves, allowing the same The CVT acronym can also be amount of oil to flow to each wheel. extended to PSCVT for “power split The rear PTO shaft was also pow- continuously variable transmission”, ered by a hydraulic motor, so the as all stepless transmissions on tractor had no fixed mechanical agricultural tractors today comprise transmission at all. The driver could both the mechanical and hydrostatic adjust the speed using a lever or transmission components. the pedal, which was referred to Valmet tractors traditionally used as the “speed pedal” instead of mechanical transmissions, like a “gas pedal” for the first time in Valtra 202 featured the modern CVT trans- other tractor brands, but it also in- connection with the H800 model. mission called Direct, which is a combina- troduced hydrostatic transmission Valtra’s experience with hy- tion of mechanical and hydrostatic drive. components. The Valmet 565, was drostatic transmissions therefore launched in 1966, and was available stretches back half a century al- gearboxes on the same PTO shaft. with an optional creeper gear. When ready. The Direct transmission, that This enabled the exact properties the creeper gear was engaged, was launched in 2008 combined required for the optimal perfor- a hydraulic motor helped spin the the hydrostatic and mechanical mance of tractor tasks. •

Valtra team 19 Ken Tounge finds his T Series comfortable, easy to operate and above all reliable.

a Valtra T190 in TwinTrac mode but now fits to his S374. “Some fields around here suffer from fly tipping with stuff left on the headlands a particular problem. With the reverse-drive system, everything is right there under my nose where I can see it.” Since grass contracting only fills a four-month window, some time ago Ken looked at the woodchip market and specified a custom-built chipper: the chassis came from Warwick Trail- ers, the crane from Jas P Wilson in Scotland and the actual chipper from Heizohack – an HM10 500K. At first Ken used the T190 with the chipper, but it was a bit of a hand- ful for the tractor and Ken felt he was not getting the best from his invest- Keeping up with ment – time for a change. After careful consideration Ken opted for the S374, which provides the changes plenty of power for the chipper and, importantly, the capability to keep up Ken Tounge Agriculture relies on Valtra to stay ahead. with traffic on local roads when haul- text and photo Roger Thomas ing heavy trailers, including the chip- per itself. With an output between en Tounge trained as an ag- “Actually the tree work fits in well 100 and 150 tonnes per hour when ricultural engineer, but as the with the other work,” Ken tells us. chipping dry timber, the system can K world around Bisley in Surrey, For these operations Ken needs produce three sizes of chip with a England, changed, so Ken adapted, just two tractors: a Valtra N163 and simple change of screen. changing to jobs that included work- a new 400-horsepower Valtra S374 “Our eventual customers cover a ing on airport machinery at Heath- fitted with a loader. wide range. There’s the new Terminal row Airport. However, in 1998 Ken “I still don’t consider a tractor a 2 at Heathrow Airport, plus hospitals, returned to agriculture by starting up tractor unless it has a loader,” Ken schools and private homes,” Ken his own contracting business, Ken comments. “If I bump up a field of says. Tounge Agriculture. Since then he big bales, I don’t want to run miles The timber for chipping is most- has had 17 Valtra tractors “and has to find a telehandler to stack them. ly locally sourced from forests and been pleased with them all.” I simply arrive with the loader on woods, and occasionally from back Changes in the countryside have the tractor, park the loader while I’m gardens too, and it is stored before affected everyone, not least Ken’s baling, then drop off the baler and delivery in a disused cattle shed. business. Today there is very little fit the loader. I can have the bales When required a tractor loader fills livestock farming in this part of Eng- stacked in the time it would take tipper lorries, bulk tankers or drop land with the exception of horses, me to travel and collect another ma- bodies with a hook for loading and and increasingly parcels of land be- chine.” unloading onto the truck chassis. ing taken up for building. Alongside With years of Valtra experience horse owners, whom he supplies S Series offers behind him why does Ken keep re- with hay, Ken’s clients now include power and speed turning to this brand? The answer tree surgeons that require large trees For mowing, Ken also invested in a is really simple: “Reliability, comfort removed from gardens after felling. large triple mower that he used with and overall ability.” •

20 Valtra team 1/2015 The Valtra tractor’s time is split between farm and quarry duties, sometimes both combined.

Multitasking in Ireland T Series handles quarry and farm duties with equal ability. text and photo Roger Thomas

cMonagle Stone, based at an important part of the production The company’s driver Mick Carr Mountcharles near Donegal process. McMonagle Stone depends also likes Valtra, and Michael admits M City in the North of Ireland, on an eight-year-old Valtra T130 with that this too is important. owns 5 quarries and produces a 11,000 hours on the clock. Apart “If the driver likes a machine, it range of stone products from pav- from regular servicing, the tractor is less likely to have problems,” he ing and sets through architectural has an almost clean sheet as far as points out. and landscaping to garden furniture, maintenance costs are concerned. construction and on to chippings According to Michael McMonagle, Farm duties for roads and paths. In addition reputation was an important factor On most days the T130 carries out to using local stone, the business when purchasing their Valtra. quarry duties and is connected to also imports stone from the UK and “We use mostly Volvo machinery a heavy-duty tipping trailer. Late beyond. When cut to size and pol- in the quarries and factory yard, and in the day and on weekends it is ished, if required, the stone is sold we knew Valtra had had a relation- often driven to a nearby 220-acre throughout Ireland or exported, ship with that company, so we made beef farm. There the Valtra is used for example to the UK, Europe, the enquiries and found that, while the for pasture maintenance and for USA and Japan. Volvo relationship ended some time spreading slurry and muck, the The company was founded by ago, the tractors maintained an by-products of the 40 suckler cows Dan McMonagle, and while he excellent reputation,” Michael says. and between 300 and 350 stores re­mains involved, the day to day Dealer location was also a key brought in for finishing. running is in the hands of sons consideration. “The nearest dealers The Valtra tractor is key to opera- Michael, sales director and Daniel, for Volvo equipment are in Belfast tions at the quarry and on the farm, operations director. and Dublin, and while parts deliver- carrying out both duties with equal ies can be made the next day, down ability. Since Valtra Team visited Quarry duties time is problematic. We’ve a Valtra the McMonagle quarry, stone ma- One of the local quarries produces a dealer just up the road and they can son’s yard and farm, the company popular Quartzite with a unique soft be here very quickly – not that we’ve has decided to replace its existing colour. With some distance between needed them for anything other than T130 – with a new Valtra T model, the quarry and factory, logistics is routine matters,” Michael adds. of course! •

Valtra team 21 Mikko Salmio, head of the Valtra-JYP ice hockey academy, gives tips to the enthusiastic juniors at the Rantasalmi ice hockey rink.

Finnish ice hockey stars train with kids from local farms text and photo TOmmi Pitenius

he local ice hockey rink in players told them and practiced well. with the local Rantasalmi team three Ranta­salmi, Finland, is bustling “Many of the exercises were ex- times a week. Finnish ice hockey star T with activity as 30 kids show actly the same as they do with their Jarkko Immonen played on the same up to play with professionals from regular trainers, but they took it re- team as a junior. the Valtra-sponsored Jyväskylä ice ally seriously this time,” says Mikko “It’s been a lot of fun,” Eetu admits. hockey team JYP. The kids, both Lappalainen, father of 11-year-old “We practiced handling the puck and boys and girls, are between the ages Eetu. “They might not learn a lot of our skating technique. of 6 and 12 and most of them come new things in just one day, but they I’ve been to watch JYP play, so I from farms in the area. certainly get a lot of extra motiva- already knew the players who came “The kids looked really excited tion. The pros’ passion for the game to train us today.” and even came out to the parking is really contagious.” Those players included Mikko lot to meet us,” says Mikko Salmio, The Lappalainen family has a Salmio, Antti Jaatinen, Valtteri who plays offense for JYP and is also farm with 400 cattle and 160 hec- Kemiläinen­ , Henri Auvinen, Juuso head of the Valtra-JYP ice hockey tares of fields nine kilometres from Pulli and Aleksi Salonen. Valtra’s academy. “It’s great to train such the ice hockey rink. Their fleet of long-term sponsorship deal with the enthusiastic kids – it reminds me of tractors includes a Valtra T191, an JYP ice hockey team includes an the time I played junior ice hockey!” N141, a 6400, a T130 and a 565. annual “friendly” between JYP and The kids paid close attention to Eetu began playing ice hockey Valtra, with the Valtra team compris- what the professional ice hockey at the age of four and now trains ing both customers and employees. •

22 Valtra team 1/2015 Order items from the Valtra Collection for delivery direct to your home by visiting our online store at www.shop.valtra.com The Valtra Collection is also available at Valtra dealers (items in stock may vary). Check out the Valtra Collection: www.shop.valtra.com Valtra Collection

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Valtra team 23

See us online: valtra.co.uk Valtra Models

A series I S O 14396 model max. hp/nm T series N series A53 50/196 model max. hp/nm model max. hp/nm A63 68/285 T133 HiTech 158/630 N93 HiTech 99/430 A73 78/310 T153 HiTech 170/680 N103 HiTech 111/465 A83 HiTech 88/325 T173 HiTech 190/730 N113 HiTech 130/530 A93 HiTech 101/370 T193 HiTech 210/800 N123 HiTech 143/560 T144 Active 170/680 N143 HiTech 160/600 T154 Active 180/740 N93 HiTech 5 99/430 T174e Active 190/900 N103 HiTech 5 111/465 T194 Active 210/870 N113 HiTech 5 130/530 T214 Active 230/910 N123 HiTech 5 143/560 T234 Active 250/1000 N123 Versu 143/560 T144 Versu 170/680 N143 Versu 160/600 T154 Versu 180/740 N163 Versu 171/700 T174e Versu 190/900 N123 Direct 143/560 T194 Versu 210/870 N143 Direct 160/600 S series T214 Versu 230/910 N163 Direct 171/700 model max. hp/nm T234 Versu 250/1000 S274 300/1300 T144 Direct 170/680 S294 325/1390 T154 Direct 180/740 Your S324 350/1500 T174e Direct 190/900 S354 380/1590 T194 Direct 210/870 working S374 400/1600 T214 Direct 230/910 machine

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