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Hunt Forest Group Appointed Arctic Truck Dealers for Southern England

We are incredibly proud to have been appointed the official Arctic Truck dealer for Isuzu DMAX AT35 in Southern England covering Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight.

James and Gareth visited the Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC at the beginning of September to see the first prototype of the AT35 in the UK which you can see by clicking here.  It really did steal the show.

Information is incredibly limited at present but with the launch of the vehicle targeted to be in February next year, information will be with us shortly.  Please email isuzu@huntforest.com with your details to be kept informed.

We are going to be having disruption to our phone lines across our branches this month.

We are hoping this will be for around 30 minutes in the morning, if not these are the contact details to help you.

We thank you in advance for your patience.

 

Monday 13th September – Sparkford:

Service/Parts: 07973 801891

 

Wednesday 15th September – Isle of Wight:

Service/Parts: 07943 760 953

Sales: 07940 389 291

 

Thursday 16th September – North Warnborough:

Service: 07534 218 597

Parts: 01264 860 532

 

Monday 20th September – Tilshead:

Service: 07766 900 001

Parts: 07780 703 514

Sales: 07880 550 331

 

Wednesday 22nd September – Chilbolton:

Service/Parts: 07802 913 143

 

Thursday 23rd September – Blashford:

Service: 07973 801 896

Parts: 07971 088 385

A new fully integrated tyre pressure control system for John Deere 8R Series tractors equipped with independent link suspension (ILS) can now be ordered ex-factory.

Using an on-board compressor, this John Deere manufactured system allows the tractor driver to continually monitor and adjust tyre pressure with just the push of a button. Constant optimisation of tyre pressure can increase efficiency both in the field and on the road, making overall tractor performance better than ever before.

Low tyre pressure in the field helps to prevent soil compaction, protects soil structure by reducing fuel-sapping wheel slip and bulldozing effects, and increases pulling performance. On the other hand, high tyre pressure on the road improves driving behaviour, while rolling resistance and tyre wear are reduced.

Additionally, fuel consumption is significantly lower. The environment therefore benefits from lower CO2 emissions and farmers benefit from higher yields and lower operating costs.

Tyres can be deflated for field work to increase their footprint by nearly 25 per cent, with a reduction of up to 3psi in ground pressure, giving two to four per cent less wheel slip. This also helps to increase field speed while reducing soil compaction and smearing. Back on the road, the simple button press reinflates the tyres to optimum pressure for travelling and transport operations.

John Deere’s new central tyre inflation system (CTIS) can be easily adjusted using the tractor’s CommandCenter display and features uniquely quick inflation and deflation times.

For example, the internal pressure of a large tyre combination (710/75R42s with 650/60R34s) can be increased from 0.8 to 1.8 bar in less than six and a half minutes, while less than four minutes is needed to release the pressure from the tyres. This is ensured by the inside diameter of the air lines, which are 33 per cent larger than other solutions.

An external compressed air connection allows even faster inflation, for example by taking air from a slurry tank compressor. It is also possible to connect an air gun for cleaning purposes, if required. Instead of the usual standard plastic air lines, strong fabric hoses are used, which are safely secured to the tractor’s front and rear wheels.

John Deere is also responding to customer demands for higher performance tyres and is increasingly offering a wider choice of VF (very high flexion) options. Consequently, this allows operators to work with the lowest tyre pressures even when using higher ballasting weights.

Price of the new John Deere CTIS option is £13,490 in the UK, or €14,555 in Ireland.

Club Car, the world’s largest manufacturer of small-wheel electric vehicles and an Official Supplier to the European Tour, has announced Hunt Forest Group as a new UK distribution partner.

Hunt Forest Group is based in the south of England, with nine branches across five counties, and supplies specialist machinery, parts and services to the professional turf, construction and residential markets. Earlier this year it acquired Smart Agricultural Services to nearly double in size, now employing 180 staff.

The new partnership will help strengthen Club Car’s presence in the south and south-west regions of the UK, supplying their industry-leading golf, commercial and consumer vehicles to a large, diverse customer base.

Andy Bourke, Club Car’s Regional Manager UK&I & Nordics, said: “This is a very exciting partnership which will allow Club Car to continue growing across the south of the UK.

“There are more than 120 golf clubs in this region, and having Hunt Forest Group on board will allow Club Car to serve and support this market. Hunt Forest Group is an ambitious organisation that places an emphasis on excellent service and strong relationships, so it’s an excellent fit with Club Car and we look forward to building together.”

Ed Smales, Hunt Forest Group Sales Director, said: “We are extremely excited to add Club Car to our portfolio. Club Car will strengthen our position in the professional turf and commercial market, giving us fantastic product power.

“Coupled with our service and support, we feel this will be a mutually beneficial partnership for not only Hunt Forest and Club Car but also our customer base and the existing Club Car customers.”

Club Car’s wide range of highly acclaimed vehicles will be available through Hunt Forest Group, including its versatile, reliable commercial cars favoured by some of the world’s biggest resorts, airports and sports organisations.

The region’s golf facilities will also now have Club Car’s vast selection of innovative golf products at their disposal, including the award-winning Tempo, the flagship fleet cart, which can be customised with numerous options including GPS Connected Technology.

Club Car is the official supplier of golf cars The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) and St Andrews Links Trust, as well as the European Tour.

For more information on Club Car visit: www.clubcar.com

For more information on Hunt Forest Group visit: www.huntforest.com

John Deere has added two new models to its 9000 Series self-propelled forage harvester range. At the heart of the 9500 and 9600 is an all-new 18-litre John Deere engine producing 700 and 750hp respectively.

The 9000 Series foragers are well known for HarvestMotion, the company’s unique low engine RPM concept which boosts productivity and efficiency, with 10 per cent more performance and 10 per cent lower fuel consumption. Building on this success, the 9500 and 9600 utilise the new JD18X engine, which requires no DEF.

This award-winning engine design introduces HarvestMotion Plus, which delivers an exceptional torque rise and even more power at low engine RPM. It also produces extra power up to 766hp on the 9500 and 787hp on the 9600. All these features will provide customers with a 10 per cent lower fuel cost per harvested tonne and 33 per cent lower oil cost compared to other machines in the same horsepower class.

The new 9500 and 9600 self-propelled foragers also come with a new, 20cm longer eight-row spout design, featuring optimised contours and styling to enable a higher throughput. Servicing is made easier by additional openings to help increase machine uptime.

The large crop channel width of 850mm is tailored to handle the tremendous throughput of these machines, to ensure the best possible forage quality and chopping efficiency. Because of the higher engine horsepower, these new foragers feature a reinforced drivetrain and improved mainframe. The proven DuraDrum cutterhead is also designed to handle massive crop flows independent of the selected length of cut.

Kernel processor Rolls are available with a standard sawtooth design on the Premium KP unit, and either the sawtooth or a new XCut design on the XStream KP, which features a spiral cut groove across the roll surface. Both roll designs are also available with the proven Dura Line heavy-duty coating for increased durability.

These two new 9000 Series self-propelled forage harvesters are available with John Deere’s complete range of ISG (Intelligent Solutions Group) precision farming systems, for improved operator comfort and cutting quality. These include:

John Deere’s new R975i sprayer is the biggest trailed model the company has ever produced. This 7500-litre machine will join the rest of the R900i Series line-up, with tank capacities of 4400, 5200 and 6200 litres, in 2022.

As with other sprayers in the range, this new model benefits from John Deere Precision Ag technologies, enabling customers to profit from additional smart solutions. The R975i is designed to meet customer requirements for larger tank volumes and wider booms, as well as higher accuracy, reduced chemical use and more comfort when filling and operating the sprayer.

The machine’s new larger volume will mean farmers and contractors can spend more time in the field spraying, and so increase productivity by covering larger areas with one tank. The proven PowrSpray dual-circuit solution system also helps to speed up filling times, improves spray application and increases accuracy.

For the first time on John Deere sprayers, the M900(i) and R900i Series models will offer 25cm nozzle spacing as an option. This is an ‘On Centre’ solution that means an additional nozzle is placed between each 50cm nozzle body on the spray boom. John Deere has also added a nozzle body plus an additional nozzle at each end of the boom to offer full coverage and eliminate underdosing at the boom ends.

All trailed sprayer ranges will also benefit from the options launched on the R700i Series for 2021. These include Individual Nozzle Control, which limits over- or underdosing to help preserve yields while saving input costs. Nozzle Control offers savings in crop protection products worth up to 6€/ha* on top of Section Control.

Another feature is the new Closed Transfer System, which is an ISO approved coupling. This prevents contact with and any spillages of crop protection products, to ensure filling the sprayer is safe for the environment as well as the operator.

On the M700(i) and R700i Series sprayers, an additional key feature for the German and Netherlands markets is a new 33m wide boom with 3m Section or Individual Nozzle Control options. This boom will complement small 3m grain drills as well as 75cm row crops, enabling fewer passes with one tankful and therefore also increasing productivity.

Dear All,

Due to continued expansion and growth, as part of the dealer of tomorrow strategy John Deere have awarded an increased trading area in East Hampshire to Hunt Forest Group previously covered by another John Deere dealer. Because of this, we have taken this opportunity to re-align our current area, redistribute our resources accordingly and invest heavily in our Chilbolton capacity and facilities. All to serve our customers to the best of our ability in the future.

The project is planned to begin in the summer and involves redevelopment of the site to incorporate a completely new building, purpose built for sales and after care of professional turf, homeowner and Isuzu products. As well as this, it will also house more back office support for the business in areas such as Connected Support, training and boast modern meeting facilities. This in turn allows a restructure of the existing building at Chilbolton to add more capacity for agricultural business, enabling us to meet demand.

“Whilst the acquisition of the Smarts business has been a catalyst, trading conditions in recent years and the forming of the Hunt Forest Group has meant growth for the business at a rapid rate” comments Tim Hunt, MD. “This has meant that we have to consider our capacity for increased sales and aftermarket business as well as for non-traditional and new roles related to technology such as telematics, data management and proactive customer support. Helping manage field and machinery fleet data or contacting a customer when a machine is about to be due a service, suggesting a mutually convenient time is just as important as being able to carry out that work. This all needs more people, space and resources that we are growing all the time. It makes total sense to centralise that as much as possible in the interests of efficiency and easier management. As a family run business, we won’t ever lose our personal touch, but a larger hub and pooling resources will make for a more flexible and stronger business”

As of November 2021, all sales, service and parts for agricultural and professional turf relating to Hampshire and the East will be run from Chilbolton to better service our customers both new and existing. The restructure of the John Deere area and the reduced requirement for a location in the North East means the current North Warnborough staff and business will be relocated to the new facility.

The new area as detailed below will be covered by an expanded sales team and increased service technician capacity. This also allows the business to align its agricultural area with its professional turf area, which previously was not. We look forward to meeting new customers and welcoming them at our new, larger premises when complete.

John Deere’s leading precision ag technology solutions for arable farmers and contractors will be featured on the company’s stand (525) at Cereals 2021 on June 30 and July 1, alongside its latest new products.

Among these, and making their event debut, are the 7R 350 and award-winning 8RX four-track tractors, while the R740i trailed sprayer and Mazzotti MAF 4080 self-propelled sprayer with 36m boom can be seen in the Sprays & Sprayers demonstration arena.

Built in a compact frame for easy manoeuvrability in the field, the 8RX Series has been developed with the aim of maximising soil protection without compromising tractor performance. Following a series of dealer roadshows, individual customer demonstrations and virtual events in 2020, the 8RX has proved to be extremely popular with UK farmers and contractors, who have recognised and experienced its successful combination of soil preservation with greater productivity.

Also featured for the first time at Cereals 2021, the flagship X9 combine represents the next level of John Deere harvesting performance to help large-scale farmers achieve more tonnes per hour and more hectares per day, specifically in tough, high yielding, wet conditions. The X9 1100 can harvest wheat at an impressive 100 tonnes per hour at less than one per cent grain loss.

An 8RX tractor and ExactEmerge planter combination were featured in a virtual John Deere display at the US Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January, which is billed as the world’s largest technology event.

In the lead up to this year’s show, the new X9 Series combines were recognised in the Robotics category of the 2021 CES Innovation Awards. This was the second straight year John Deere has received such an award, after the 8RX tractor was honoured in the ‘Tech for a Better World’ category in 2020.

These awards recognise outstanding product design and engineering in technology products that impact society and the world in a positive way. The X9 Series combines also received a 2021 AE50 Award for outstanding innovations that improve production agriculture.

Featuring the stepless AutoPowr transmission as standard, the new top of the range 7R 350 tractor develops up to 388hp with Intelligent Power Management. With a minimum shipping weight of only 11.4 tonnes, this latest 7R Series model boasts an impressive power to weight ratio of just 29kg/hp. Upgrades include a new luxury cab with top-quality massage seat, the CommandPRO joystick and enhanced Precision Ag technology features.

Especially now, John Deere and its dealer network see the future of farming in connectivity that makes the most of machine, field and agronomy data in the decision-making process and provides full control of the production chain. The company is pioneering the use of such data based around the new MyJohnDeere.com website portal and proactive Connected Support systems, to provide increased uptime, higher performance and reduced operating costs.

Investment in a premium connectivity package can provide average savings of up to £48/ha. These figures can typically be achieved through a combination of increased productivity and machine efficiency, consistent accuracy, less wear and tear on equipment and typical fuel savings of 10 to 15 per cent, as highlighted by the recently expanded Fuel Guarantee programme.

The John Deere Operations Centre in MyJohnDeere.com serves as the central online location for users to safely and securely connect to their machines and fields. Additional support is available from third-party implement manufacturers, input suppliers, software companies and service providers such as crop advisors and other specialist consultants.

In addition, with the newly simplified, free of charge Operations Centre mobile and web versions, users can view, manage and analyse all their operations from any location.

Precision and intelligent technology are also incorporated in the mid-range R740i trailed sprayer. This 4000-litre capacity machine offers boom widths from 18 to 30m, with premium features including a new multi-functional control lever, the Solution Command operator station and the proven PowrSpray dual-circuit solution system. This reduces filling times, improves spray application and increases accuracy.

This new sprayer is also available with a closed transfer system (CTS)-ready option, and can be equipped with an individual nozzle control (INC) system. This electronic solution allows customers to save up to five per cent of the cost of plant protection products.

Mazzotti’s new compact self-propelled sprayer, the MAF 4080, also makes its UK show debut at Cereals 2021. This Tier 5 175hp 4000-litre capacity model features a new M-Spray dual-circuit solution system, a wide range of MK spray booms from 24 to 36m wide, John Deere spray controls including INC, a new John Deere-sourced operator station and a high-performance hydrostatic 40 or 50kph transmission as standard.

John Deere and training provider ProVQ have announced plans to open a brand new Apprentice Training Centre this autumn, at a farm site in Upper Saxondale near Bingham in Nottinghamshire. This will mark the 30th anniversary of the company’s first Ag Tech apprentice intake, who were enrolled at original partner Brooksby Melton College in 1992.

Designed specifically and solely for John Deere dealer apprentices attending the company’s award winning Ag Tech, Turf Tech and Parts Tech training programmes, the first John Deere Apprentice Training Centre was established at Radcliffe-on-Trent five years ago. These premises have now been outgrown, due to the programmes’ success and increasing dealer demand.

The Ag ,Turf and Parts Tech apprenticeships focus on developing the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for dealer personnel of the future. Each year group trains at the centre for up to eight weeks a year in four blocks of two weeks. Some of this time is also spent at John Deere’s Langar HQ when working with the largest equipment and the latest technologies.

John Deere appointed ProVQ Limited in summer 2015 as its new business partner to deliver the apprentice training programmes on behalf of its dealers in the UK & Ireland. Since that time the strength of the partnership has allowed the programmes to develop and grow to meet the needs and expectations of a modern John Deere dealership. The current full-time ProVQ staff will continue to be managed by James Haslam at the new Apprentice Training Centre from the autumn.

ProVQ started its apprentice training programmes in 2005, and went on to develop a full range of national services including apprentice recruitment, training, vocational assessment and qualifications. Today the company trains over 600 apprentices and many hundreds of adult learners on technical, parts and customer service programmes.

“We are really looking forward to establishing this new bespoke facility close to our UK headquarters at Langar,” said John Deere Limited training centre manager Allan Cochran. “Our joint investment in the expanded Apprentice Training Centre will be in the region of £1.5 million. This will allow us to continue our growth and ambition to attract more young talent to develop successful careers in land-based engineering through the John Deere agricultural, turf and forestry dealer network.

“As our dealership businesses continue to grow, there is increasing demand for qualified technicians equipped with the correct knowledge and skills to support that growth. We have therefore recognised the need to increase the capacity of our already successful and industry leading training programmes even further.

“The new site will feature a purpose-built two-storey unit in addition to refurbished and extended farm buildings, effectively almost doubling our available square footage. The premises will include a bigger workshop space as well as larger classroom and cafeteria facilities.

“Most importantly, this will give us the capability to double our throughput of trained technicians to meet dealer demand. ProVQ will maintain its current staffing levels and continue to provide the full suite of apprentice technician training programmes at the new premises.”

ProVQ managing director Stuart Jones added: “Together with John Deere, we have already jointly developed a very high quality training environment in which apprentices can learn to master the technology that underpins the company’s comprehensive agricultural and amenity turf product ranges.

“We are now looking forward to seeing many more young people come through the doors of our new training centre at the start of what is undoubtedly a very exciting and rewarding career in engineering and parts support. The facilities we are developing will help them to achieve their full potential in a rapidly changing industry that offers a great opportunity to work with some of the most advanced technologies supporting food production, land management and environmental sustainability.”

Photo caption:

An impression of the new John Deere & ProVQ Apprentice Training Centre, which is due to be officially opened in the autumn.