Track tractors and sprayers
Challenger finally turns Fendt green
Rumors have been circulating for months and Fendt will provide clarity on Wednesday 26 July. Challenger is disappearing from the map, including in Europe. All tracked tractors and field sprayers that the company builds will be supplied by the Germans themselves from the end of 2017. Part of the production will also be relocated for this.
In April, the English Farm Machinery Journal picked up on a rumor that Agco was pulling the plug on Challenger in Europe. The rumor mill went to work and that is now finally clear. In Europe and the Middle East you can buy a Fendt tracked tractor, self-propelled or trailed sprayer from the end of November.
Grubbenvorst stops production
In all other regions Challenger will continue to supply their tractors and machines. In North and South America, for example, nothing will change. Agco will also announce what will happen to the Dutch factory in Grubbenvorst, which it took over from Ag Chem. Kurstjens started his fertilizer production there. After the termination of the European Terra-Gator, the self-propelled RoGator sprayers are still being built here. That production will move to Hohenmölsen. Fendt has a factory there where, in addition to the Katana shredder, all the trailed sprayers are built. However, the location continues to play a key role for product development, Fendt reports.
For sale from Agritechnica
With the addition of the Challenger package, Fendt once again underlines its ambition to act as a European full-liner. The Fella haymaking implements in the Fendt colors were previously added to the range. For example, the manufacturer from Marktoberdorf wants to provide their mechanization companies with a complete package of tools. From Agritechnica 2017, Fendt dealers in Western and Central Europe will be able to sell tracked tractors and sprayers. These will be delivered from the first quarter of 2018. In Eastern Europe that is only a year later. These are Ukraine and Russia.
Client wants full-line strategy
“The integration of the Challenger products is the next step in the Fendt Full-Line strategy,” says Fendt CEO Peter-Josef Paffen. "Professional farmers and contractors demand a wide range and high-quality machines with a high capacity. In the future, the machines will be able to communicate with each other more easily. That is still very complex at the moment."
iron move
From the perspective of Fendt and Agco, the step that Fendt is now making is a monster move. The brand enjoys a growing market share in Western Europe. The green-red color and Fendt stickers will undoubtedly help sales. Challenger is, compared to the other tractor brands, a neglected child at Agco in Europe. The heart of the new MT700 tracked tractor is the Vario transmission. A Fendt logo fits with that.
Dutch situation
The question is what will change in the dealer area in the Netherlands. Importers Abemec and Mechan Groep both already sell Challenger products. The sale of Fendt crawler tractors will not take off immediately. The share is now quite small. Often these are machines that have been imported second-hand to keep costs low.
Things will be different when Fendt starts demanding exclusivity. In addition to Challenger, Abemec now also sells Agrifac, Lemken and Bargam field sprayers. Does Fendt tolerate this competition? In addition, there are more Dutch Fendt dealers who now sell other brands of sprayers. This also applies to haymaking equipment. In view of the current ins and outs in dealer land, it is certainly not inconceivable that in the long run a mechanization company will have to opt for 1 brand. Individual mechanical engineers have it covered and must seek connections with the tractor manufacturers
Also read:
Agco ends Challenger in Europe
A little Challenger and a little Fendt
Agco focuses on Fendt in Europe
900 series on tracks?
At the end of last week, Challenger launched a new tracked tractor in the United States announced with Vario transmission. Chances are this is the TA 400 transmission with 2 separate hydropumps. That is also in the 1000 series, with which the new MT700 shows great similarities. The Italian website Trattoriweb published some images and details that may reveal more about the tractor.
Despite the same nose, the tractor is not called 1000 series but 900 Vario MT. There is a good chance that these will be the 938, 940 and 943. Challenger also uses that designation. Powers are a maximum of 380, 405 or 431 hp. The cab is a mixture of Fendt and Challenger. The construction is Challenger, the roof Fendt. The dashboard is again from Challenger but the armrest is Fendt. The simple joystick is striking. The cabin has optional suspension, the Italian site writes.
The specifications are, as you might expect, impressive. A 140 or 170 liter hydraulic pump is standard. As an option you can get two separate pumps that each deliver 220 liters.
Will this be the Agritechnica's showstopper? That chance is high. He might look something like this.
This is what the interior of the Challenger looks like. Signature parts from both brands. The small and simple joystick is striking.
Niels van der Boom
© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.