Catering for all farmers’ needs from tractors to implements, Farm Maintenance Services (FMS) of Pietermaritzburg has grown into a formidable force in the KwaZulu-Natal agricultural industry and farming community. “We are a Massey Ferguson dealership first and foremost,” says Andrew Nicholson, who became involved with the business in 2016, but which has been a going concern for 20 to 30 years.
FMS prides itself on supplying the full spectrum from the highest specification Massey Ferguson tractor to top end implements and everything in-between, so farmers have peace of mind in having complete solutions at hand.
Andrew concurs that service excellence is a key differentiator. “We sell tractors, but at the end of the day our main goal is to ensure that the tractors we sell perform optimally for their entire lifespans. That satisfied customer will then happily buy his next tractor from us.”
This is what is referred to as the total cost of ownership (TCO), which considers the upfront cost of the tractor, its capabilities, capacity and uptime. Andrew argues that farmers do not give due consideration to TCO, which should ultimately be the most important factor in their final purchasing decision.
“At the end of the day, we need to look at how much it costs a farmer to effectively operate a particular tractor,” says Andrew. He has done specific calculations for Massey Ferguson machines, and proudly points to a tractor that had clocked up 7 000 hours, equating to service and maintenance costs of R30 an hour. “Actually, the exact cost we worked out was R29.80,” Andrew says proudly.
He ascribes this incredible value for money to Massey Ferguson’s continual development and investment in and refinement of its tractor range, such as the MF Global series. “I joined FMS at about the same time as the first tractors were introduced into the local market.” And the dealership has never looked back.
Andrew says the MF Global series, especially in the range of 61 kW to 98 kW, is ideal for the diverse farming operations in the province. Here farms are generally on a smaller scale, while the larger ones tend to consist of several smaller fields, making the MF Global series ideal.
“The fuel consumption of the AGCO Power engine is phenomenal. It really performs out of its boots. We are only servicing every 500 hours, while most competitor tractors have 250 hour service intervals. There are some dry clutch options, but most of these tractors come with wet clutches, which reduces the service costs,” explains Andrew.
The perception in the marketplace that only older model tractors are rugged and dependable has been totally dispelled by the MF Global series. “They are not overly electric, to the extent where they are easy to work on and maintain. It is all about maintaining them properly. If you have a tractor with 8 000 hours on it that has not been maintained, its value depreciates considerably, as opposed to a well looked after tractor that retains its value,” highlights Andrew.
With the development of the MF Global series, Massey Ferguson has taken the concept of the sub 130 hp tractor and re-engineered it from the ground up to meet the needs of present and future farming. The MF Global series consists of the MF 4700 series (82 hp to 92 hp), the MF 5700 series (92 hp to 102 hp) and the MF 6700 series (112 hp to 132 hp).
FMS boasts a R4 million spares stockholding and is also on the N3 corridor, meaning it has ready access to the main AGCO warehouse in Johannesburg for anything urgently it does not have available. Andrew is also particularly proud of how spotless the dealership is. “Housekeeping plays an important role in any smart dealership. If you look at our floor and think it is spotless enough to eat from, then you have an inkling of how well we look after your tractor,” he concludes.
Would you like to partner with a world leading agricultural company like Massey Ferguson and grow your offering to farmers around South Africa? Get in touch with us at africasales@agcocorp.com.
Last year Massey Ferguson, a worldwide brand of AGCO (NYSE:AGCO), was excited to announce a fresh look for its iconic Triple Triangle logo and its new ‘Born to Farm’ brand identity in celebration of its 175th anniversary. MF has offered farmers around the world straightforward and dependable machines since its inception. Few global brands can claim such a lasting impact in the agricultural industry.
In support of the farming community, Massey Ferguson has an extensive network of over 35 dealers covering the whole of South Africa, catering for parts, service, aftersales and new sales. Potential customers interested in the MF range can obtain all information from www.masseyferguson.co.za. Upon completing the contact form, potential customers will have the video, brochure and dealer contact details sent to their WhatsApp and email within 30 seconds.
About Massey Ferguson
Massey Ferguson has built up 175 years of global experience in manufacturing for the agricultural industry. It produces a full line of both high and low horsepower tractors, and has factories in China, Brazil, India, Europe, and North America. Massey Ferguson also has a wide range of implements and combine harvesters. It has an extensive and established dealer network in South Africa and an extensive distributor network in Africa.
About AGCO
AGCO (NYSE:AGCO) is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision ag technology. AGCO delivers customer value through its differentiated brand portfolio including core brands like Fendt®, GSI®, Massey Ferguson®, Precision Planting® and Valtra®. Powered by Fuse® smart farming solutions, AGCO’s full line of equipment and services help farmers sustainably feed our world. Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, USA, AGCO had net sales of approximately $12.7 billion in 2022. For more information, visit www.AGCOcorp.com. For company news, information, and events, please follow us on Twitter: @AGCOCorp. For financial news on Twitter, please follow the hashtag #AGCOIR.
AGCO Africa Contact
Robert Keir
Brand Marketing Communications Specialist
082 349 7441
Robert.Keir@agcocorp.com
www.agcocorp.com