When it comes to better farming, CASE IH has got it sorted. They have a long, proud history of delivering agricultural machinery that is designed to improve productivity and change lives. For total machinery-geeks like us, the release of a new baby from these guys is the stuff of dreams — so a chat with CASE IH General Manager – ANZ, Pete McCann made all our Christmases come at once.
“For 60 years, the Steiger series tractors have been helping producers getting better results in demanding conditions. We couldn’t be more excited about launching the AFS Connect Steiger, which aligns with the recently released AFS Connect Magnum.
“We’ve moved into a totally new dimension from a connectivity standpoint. With the release of the all new Pro 1200 Display we’re unlocking industry leading features such as remote access and service diagnostics via the all new AFS connect Dashboard. Plus, completely customisable and configurable operations including tractor functionality, cab ride and suspension settings. These machines have all the connectivity that our customers are striving for, and more.
“Just like everything we do, this smart tractor is all about maximum productivity. It increases the safety and management aspects, and is the next step towards a completely autonomous tractor,— Pete says excitedly.
It’s another iconic moment that will stick in the mind of this ag-machinery guru — right alongside an unforgettable meeting that Pete had five years ago.
“I was incredibly lucky to be invited to the Steiger plant in Fargo North Dakota as part of their 40-year celebrations. These machines have universally changed the way people are farming — from Australia, to Russia, South America, even Antarctica — they’re universally admired for changing the face of broadacre farming. So, to visit the home of this tractor after 20-years in the industry was pretty amazing.
“But the clincher was the opportunity to meet Maurice Steiger. It was a real bucket list moment for me to be standing face to face with the man who built this revolutionary piece of equipment in a dairy barn with his brother Douglass back in the late fifties.
“His story was by far one of the most inspiring things I’ve ever heard — how and why they decided to build a tractor that looked like nothing else and would go on to annihilate the market in terms of size, horsepower and traction was mind-blowing. Even for people outside the ag industry, it’s a fantastic story of dedication, innovation, future proofing a life-changing product,— Pete says.
“Maurice was a very humble gentleman. He got quite emotional when addressing factory workers who build the machines today and it took me a moment to take in just how phenomenal it must be to stand in front of the people who now mass-produce something you built for your own farm, many years ago.
“What those two brothers did for the history of agriculture was insane. They opened the doors of possibility like never before and to meet Maurice was something I would have only dreamed of when I was growing up on a farm in Central NSW many moons ago,— Pete fondly recalls.
“Not only did they write a huge part of our history, they’ve changed the possibilities for the future too. The recent release of the Magnum and the soon-to-be-released Steiger are testament to that. I, for one, am excited about the future.—
CASE IH have been entrenched in the Ramsey Bros Story for over 27 years. This brand runs through our veins and we cannot wait to introduce this next generation of tractors to the South Australian farming community.