This was according to MF’s Richard Markwell, who was speaking at the range’s launch in Beauvais, France. “As modern agriculture becomes ever more challenging and hungry for efficient and appropriate mechanisation, these tractors represent a new source of power for world agriculture.”
The series will comprise a line-up of 45kW to 98kW tractors introduced over the next five years. The first model, the 61kW MF4708, is already in production for African markets. Larry Martens of FMS in Pietermaritzburg, suppliers of agricultural machinery and a supplier of Massey Ferguson and other big-name brands, said there had been “much anticipation” about the launch of the MF4708, especially as it was based on the highly successful MF5600 series.
“Feedback from research in local applications has been extremely positive,” explains Martens.
“The inboard reduction units are sure to enhance haulage capability and the forward/reverse shuttle is a welcome feature that has long been sought-after,” he said.
Starting from scratch
The new Massey Ferguson Global tractor series was conceived by multinational engineering teams working on a clean-sheet design. Their brief was to take the concept of the utility tractor and re-engineer it from the ground up, while retaining MF’s dependable operation.
Some 90% of the components are completely new. Over 36 000 hours of lab and field testing have seen prototype models working in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.The manufacturing strategy is to create a network of factories where major units and complete tractors can be produced and assembled.
Plants are based in Canoas in Brazil, Chennai in India, Manisa in Turkey and Changzhou in China. In the latter, a state-of-the-art factory has been built to act as an anchor facility for manufacturing and the supply of major components.
