The Red Giant, a standard for Russia!

AgroCentre introduced its customers to the Massey Ferguson brand when they visited the company’s tractor assembly plant in France. Every farmer in Europe knows this brand. The company’s logo, “a trebled triangle” has become for them a symbol of success. AgroCentre believes that this will also bring success to our farmers.

The plant in Beauvais has been operating since 1994. In that year, it was incorporated in the AGCO group.

The guests watched all the stages of production, from engine assembly to the final test drive of finished machines. Each tractor consists of 3,500 components. Some 9,000 parts are available at the depot at all times. Every day, 75 tractors, with power rating from 65 to 370 hp, roll off the production line.

“Each machine is a combination of modernity and production expertise gathered over 160 years of manufacturing,” says Richard Markwell, Vice President and General Director of Massey Ferguson in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Massey Ferguson was the first company to develop products we can’t do without today. Among them are the rear three-point linkage for tractors, crop production maps and automatic control system. Over the last five years, the company has invested more than 200 million dollars in development of new products. It places special emphasis on economic efficiency of tractor engines. Recent tests carried out by PROFI magazine showed that the AGCO Power engine (capacity 8.4 l) installed in the MF 8600 series demonstrated lower fuel consumption than other engines.

The MF 8600 series includes tractors with power rating of 320 and 370 hp. Those have been nicknamed the ‘Red Giants’ for their high power and superior endurance in the field.

The AGCO Power engine (Common Rail fuel supply system and four valves per cylinder) has no peers in terms of power. The electronic controls ensure non-stop regulation of fuel injection with regard to engine rotation and load. This feature is the basis of the product’s economic efficiency.

The Dyna-VT transmission, offering maximum operator comfort, was developed with an eye to the machine’s many years of work loads. The variable speed transmission is surprisingly simple to use. The gears are not shifted and there are no interruptions in linkage or power supply. The unique power control lever quickly and easily changes direction of movement and shifts gears. This feature is particularly convenient in compression and fodder procurement. The Dynamic Tractor Management (RTM) function adjusts the engine speed (rpm) according to the work load in order to minimise fuel consumption.

The Electronic Linkage Control (ELC) system effectively regulates the load, ensuring a more precise setting of treatment depth and a terrain following procedure. The spacious cabin is designed with four, not six, supports, for improved observability. All the controls are arranged on the right armrest. The OptiRide Plus suspension sets ideal shock absorption and levels out the cabin position.

In addition, Massey Ferguson tractors are fitted with GPS and GLONASS navigation systems for precise tilling and monitoring all work parameters and machine movements.

Nikolai Moskalyov, Director of ZAO Agapovskoye JSC (Chelyabinsk oblast):

“It was interesting to learn about another item in the AGCO product line. I think that the MF 8600 tractors are just what we need since they are very economical, despite their power. And power is a must on Russian fields where big and heavy tools are used. It may be the Red Giant for Europe, but for us in Russia it’s a normal standard!”