If a tractor model sells well and fits farmers’ needs, why build a replacement?
A case in point is the Buhler Versatile mid-horsepower series 2000 tractors. They’re good tractors that are being discontinued in favour of a new design.
Versatile chose the Farm Progress Show in Regina, which runs June 18 to 20, for the Canadian debut of the new model, which will be powered by the Cummins QSM in horsepower configurations of 305, 340, 375 and 400.
Although the 2000 remains popular, the Cummins decision to drop the previous engine prompted Versatile to start from scratch on a new design, which is based on the new QSM.
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“There are wants and then there are needs, and they’re not the same thing” said Eric Allison, director of sales for Versatile.
“The simple, powerful tractor of 20 years ago might still do today, but would we be able to sell that simple tractor forever? No.”
Today’s tractor is no longer used just for pulling a cultivator or simple seeder. It is an integral part of the seeding mechanism that requires advanced hydraulics and electronics.
As well, he said every design has a limited life expectancy and sooner or later, sales would slide.
But if customers are satisfied with the tractor that’s already on the market, the decision to develop a new one can be expensive.
To avoid such mistakes, Allison said Versatile does market analysis, consults with dealers and customers and studies the competition.
“I’m not ashamed to tell you, we look at what the competition is building, too. The big guys are always ahead of us, but that’s just been the nature of the beast at Versatile tractor over the years. Our engineers are every bit as smart as theirs, it’s just that they have lots more of them.
“The average lifespan now for any new tractor design is just seven years. That means we need the same top calibre computer engineers, hydraulic engineers, mechanical engineers to stay competitive with the big companies.”
