Brandt is going big for Fieldays this year with a massive line-up of products, seminars, recruitment drive and a hole-in-one green.
Taking up the size of a rugby field, Brandt is on one of the largest Fieldays sites and they hope to pack a punch with their selection of industry-leading brands and extensive range of John Deere equipment covering agriculture, golf and turf and the construction and forestry range.
A proudly customer-driven company, Brandt Cambridge branch manager Chris Hughes says Fieldays is a way to connect with customers and provide an in-depth look into what’s on offer at the dealership.
“It’s the only time of the year when primary industries come together and directly interact with customers. Normally we go to customers’ places and they invite us into their homes; Fieldays is an opportunity for us to host them, give them a coffee and talk about what they’re up to.”
At the heart of the Fieldays’ experience, Chris says, is “good people looking after good people.”
“What I love about a Fieldays is we get to catch up with our customers. It’s exciting to see all these different primary industries coming together, customers interacting with our site, working with our people, our team and for us to provide a fantastic service for them.”
The Brandt Fieldays’ experience is not just about showcasing their range of products, it’s also about delivering an informal, interactive encounter with all things Brandt.
From seminars, refreshments and finding out what a Brandt career might look like to a range of merchandise and trying your luck at a hole-in-one green, there’s something for everyone.
Brandt have bought in a range of speakers from within its Canadian and Australian businesses as well as John Deere Australia/New Zealand senior leadership team; both John Deere agriculture and John Deere construction.
For the customers, this provides an opportunity to hear about how John Deere is supporting New Zealand industries with new product launches and a dive into technology in the agriculture and construction spaces.
John Deere is making leaps and bounds in the autonomous machine space and this will be demonstrated with a one-off presentation by GUSS, an autonomous sprayer focussed on delivering automation and efficiency into high value crops.
Field operations manager Peter Goodwin is excited about the Fieldays launch of the John Deere 644G wheel loader.
A version of the ‘no frills’ machine was launched in the US/Canadian market a couple of years ago but this is the first machine to make its debut in the Southern Hemisphere.
“It’s an 18-ton loader that has a 40-kilometer an hour road speed, but it’s priced at a market below where we’re currently offering our John Deere loaders.”
The perfect machine for agricultural contractors, quarries, sand pits, landscapers and forestry, Peter says, the price point is very affordable.
While it may be cheaper, it still comes with the full John Deere warranty, including JD link support.
“We haven’t taken any of the smartness out of it and it means we save a lot of downtime and return trips. It’s about working smarter, not harder,” he says.
The technology allows the machine to communicate to the workshop to ensure the correct parts are delivered to operators around the country, some working in remote locations.
Cabs on the mid-sized wheel loaders have been designed to provide different levels of comfort to operators depending on the application. Controls are ergonomically placed to provide both easy access to settings and features, while maintaining comfort.
Peter says the wheel loader’s controls are designed with operators of all skillsets, making it easier to put the loader into action. Automatic shifting of the transmission occurs on the fly to enhance ease of operation. In-cab adjustable boom height kickout, return to carry, and return-to-dig can be easily activated from the SSM.
“With the John Deere 644G, customers are getting the versatility and ruggedness in a machine without any compromises.”
The machines can be customised with a variety of base-level packages including options related to locking differentials, ride control, seats, radio and rear chassis work lights.
Customers can also choose among pin-on bucket options or Hi-Vis/ISO or JRB style couplers, which are compatible with Deere K -Series, L-series and performance tiering buckets and attachments. Owners can add high-lift linkage to gain an additional 14 inches of hinge-pin height over standard linkage.
Optional third and fourth function hydraulics allow the use of a broad range of attachments.
A working prototype will be on display at Fieldays and Brandt is taking orders in June/July for delivery in November/December 2023.
Check the Brandt Fieldays site at M51.
