Valtra is a respected brand Down Under
Customers and dealers in Australia and New Zealand got to try Valtra’s new Q Series for the first time in July. The Q Series was enthusiastically received, as it perfectly meets the needs of local farmers and contractors. The Q Series is expected to continue the current success of the T5 Series.
Valtra dealer Nick Butcher on the island of Tasmania appreciates Valtra’s tailormade approach and the Unlimited Studio.
Australia and New Zealand together form a huge area with very distinct farming areas. In northern Australia, sugarcane is cultivated in tropical conditions, requiring reliable tractors with excellent front suspension and a high top speed, for example. In Victoria, Tasmania or New Zealand, on the other hand, a lot of milk is produced in conditions similar to those in Europe. Livestock farms use a lot of implements attached to the three-point linkage, as well as large self-loading trailers. Although livestock graze throughout the year, fodder still has to be harvested between September and March for winter feeding.
“Valtra is one of the most respected tractor brands here. Valtra has a reputation as a very durable and easy-to-use tractor that can be tailored to your liking. Once a farmer has bought a Valtra for the first time, they won’t switch to another brand,” says Mark Hamilton-Manns, Product Marketing Manager for Valtra in Australia and New Zealand.
Only Valtras can be tailored individually
Most Valtras sold in Australia and New Zealand are manufactured in Suolahti, Finland. It’s a long way to Down Under, and it often takes 9–12 months from order to delivery. Still, the possibility to tailor the tractor at the factory and Unlimited Studio are benefits Austraasian farmers like that other brands simply can’t offer.
“The possibility to tailor each tractor individually already at the factory is a decisive factor for many customers. It can be just about the colour of the rims, while many are interested in forest equipment or central lubrication, for example. Thanks to this tailor-made approach, Valtra is the most versatile tractor brand,” says Nick Butcher, Branch Manager at Valtra dealer Gaffney Machinery.
Gaffney Machinery has three outlets on the island of Tasmania, south of Australia. In the area covered by Nick Butcher in the northern parts of the island, more than half of all new tractors have been Valtras.
Q fills the gap between the T and S Series
According to both Butcher and Hamilton-Manns, the new Q Series fills the gap in Valtra’s range between the T Series and the S Series. This power category of around 250–300 horsepower is very popular in Australasia.
“The Q Series is big enough that you can do really heavy work with it on large broadacre farms. At the same time, it is agile and fuel-efficient enough that it can be used for tasks such as feeding on livestock farms,” says Hamilton-Manns.
According to Hamilton-Manns and Butcher, typical tasks performed with the Q Series include tilling with a disc tiller, pulling a silage wagon or sprayer, and baling with a round or square baler. Farmers and contractors who rely on large tractors also want their machines to be available at all times, and this is supported by the new model’s excellent reliability, the comprehensive service network and AGCO’s shared spare parts warehouse in Australia.
Text Tommi Pitenius Photo Tuomas Nevaranta
