Feed pad with rubber matting hailed as game changer
For Otago farmers Michelle and Rogan Borrie, a newly constructed feed pad on one of their three farms has been a game changer.
While Nokia is more likely recognised for mobile devices, a major investment of €70m (NZ$126m) by global farm machinery brand AGCO at its facility in Linnavuori, in Nokia, will see the plant establish a new laboratory for testing combustion engines running on alternative fuels, alongside a range of electric solutions, including hybrids, fuel cells and high-voltage battery technology.
Building on more than €100 million already spent at the plant over the past five years, and where around 1000 staff are employed, the new 11,000m² buildings will be completed through 2024/25.
They will include a training and visitor centre, a production hall for machining cylinder heads and manufacturing CVT components, alongside a new paint shop and testing capabilities for remanufactured engines.
The new production hall will also house a new machining line with a high degree of automation for manufacturing the cylinder heads of AGCO CORE engines.
The €70 million investment will also allow the facility to expand the manufacturing of CVT components for AGCO’s Fendt, Massey Ferguson and Valtra brands, with plans to produce more high precision transmission components.
Juha Tervala, managing director of AGCO Power, says that the investment will allow the company to grow its remanufacturing capabilities.
“Remanufactured products are stripped down to their individual components, inspected, cleaned and fully rebuilt. We have remanufactured used engines toward a circular economy since 1990. Any product improvements are based on the latest revision, as they are repaired, before the thoroughly tested and painted engine is signed off with a full factory warranty.”
Tervala says that the facility currently produces around one million gear wheels and axles annually, but this will double after the new facilities come fully on stream.
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.