FTMTA member Kellys of Borris Ltd. will be holding their Show & Sale days on Friday, April 26^th, from 11am – 10pm and on Saturday, April 27^th, from 10am – 6pm.

There will be a focus on the new range of CLAAS ARION 500 and 600 series tractors with an opportunity to test drive the new ARION 500 4 cylinder range and the new ARION 600 6 cylinder on both days.

There will also be a wide range of new and used machinery on display from CLAAS, JCB, Horsch and Househam amongst other brands.

Refreshments served will be served and all are welcome.

FTMTA Credit Policy

Declan Flood of Irish Credit Management Training worked closely with the Association on the development of the FTMTA ProDealer Credit Policy. Declan is now offering a credit review service to FTMTA member firms with a substantial saving for the first ten firms to sign up for the service. The review will involve a three hour visit to the business to conduct a review of the debtors ledger, the existing credit policy and the procedures in place in the business.  The member will be supplied with a written report outlining recommendations to improve the ongoing position of the debtors ledger. Declan is well known to many FTMTA members having spoken at a number of FTMTA conference and delivered credit control training for the Association over recent years. Please contact the FTMTA office at 045 409309 for more information in relation to this service or to request your copy of the full FTMTA ProDealer Credit Policy.

FTMTA Trip to AGRITECHNICA 2013

Following the highly successful and enjoyable FTMTA trips in previous years, the Association plans to organise a similar trip to the AGRITECHNICA show in Hanover in November.

AGRITECHNICA is the world’s largest agricultural machinery and technology event. It is organised every two years by the DLG (German Agricultural Society) and was first held in 1985, moving to its present location at the Hanover Exhibition Grounds, which are the largest such facility in the world, in 1995. The 2011 event was visited by slightly over 419,000 people of whom nearly 100,000 were international visitors with approximately 6,000 of these being from Ireland. Irish visitors were in fact the fourth largest group of foreign visitors in 2011.

Over 2,700 firms from 47 countries exhibited at the 2011 event, including the largest ever number of Irish exhibitors. It is reported that stand bookings for this year’s event are running at 10% higher than for the 2011 show.

AGRITECHNICA 2013 will take place from November 10^th to 16^th with November 10^th and 11^th being preview days which are aimed at trade and press visitors. Details of the FTMTA trip have not yet been finalised pending confirmation of flight availability and pricing. In previous years the group has travelled on the Saturday, attended the show on the preview days of Sunday and Monday and returned home on Tuesday and it is hoped to do something similar this year. As soon as the trip details are available they will be advised to members.

Be a part of a stronger farm machinery industry – join the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association – contact FTMTA at 045 409309 or membership@ftmta.ie for details.

FTMTA member, and recently appointed New Holland dealer, Lyons & Burton Ltd. will be holding a New Holland launch at their premises near Kilcock, Co. Kildare on Thursday and. Friday, April 4^th and 5^th. The event will run from 2pm each day with special offers available on both days. All are welcome.

SAMCO joins FTMTA

Samco Agricultural Manufacturing Ltd. was admitted to membership of the FTMTA at the March meeting of the Executive Council of the Association. Samco is based in Adare, Co. Limerick and was founded by Samuel Shine in 1997. The firm is a long time exhibitor at the FTMTA Farm Machinery Show and the Association is pleased to welcome them as a member.

The Samco System, is “an ingenious system with three machines integrated into one”. The machine sows maize seed, sprays the ground with a pre-emergence herbicide and covers the embedded seed with a degradable film. The film is proven to increase temperature which ensures rapid plant growth throughout the season and also protects the young plant from early frost.

Samco is not only a machine manufacturer; the firm also manufactures the degradable film for their system.

The firm has received national and international media coverage over recent years and has signed an agreement with Dupont Pioneer in China for the supply of Samco machines and film for the Chinese market. An agreement was also signed during 2012 with Cavac, a large Co-Op in Brittany, to supply Samco machines and film to customers in the Vonde region.

Samco has now produced its 500th Samco Maize Drill and Film Layer and is delighted to have been recently awarded “Best Exporter of the Mid-West Region” by Limerick Chamber of Commerce.

Be a part of a stronger farm machinery industry – join the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association – contact FTMTA at 045 409309 or membership@ftmta.ie for details.

Following the recent, highly successful, FTMTA Farm Machinery Show, the Association has received a number of inquiries about the next FTMTA Grass & Muck event. No decision has been reached on the exact date of the event but, as previously announced, it is intended that FTMTA Grass & Muck will return to the Gurteen College site during May of 2014. An exact date will be announced in the coming weeks and exhibitor packs will be issued during the second half of this year.

Farm Machinery Industry Training Centre

The FTMTA Farm Machinery Industry Training Centre (FMITC) near Naas, Co. Kildare was opened by the FTMTA in 2007 as a headquarters for the Farm Tractor & Machinery Trade Association and also as a purpose built training facility for the Irish agricultural machinery industry. The primary purpose for the building of the training centre was to provide a local facility for the technical and commercial training delivered by machinery manufacturers and distributors to personnel from their dealer networks. Prior to the building of the FMITC much of this training was conducted at the manufacturers’ own premises in the UK which put additional burdens in terms of cost and time on the Irish dealers when sending staff for training. The centre has also been used by various manufacturers for operator training for their end customers.

The training centre provides a spacious machinery hall for hands on technical training, a general purpose classroom and a dedicated IT training room with 13 PCs. The building has wireless internet access throughout, canteen facilities and ample parking.

The FMITC had its busiest year since opening in 2012 and there have already been a number of training events held this year with a number of others already booked for the coming months. The use of the centre is provided at attractive rates to FTMTA member firms and anybody interested in using the facilities should contact Patrick Rogers on 045 409309 or at membership@ftmta.ie .

Be a part of a stronger farm machinery industry – join the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association – contact FTMTA at 045 409309 or membership@ftmta.ie for details.

The well known machinery manufacturer LEMKEN together with, fellow FTMTA member firm, Templetuohy Farm Machinery Ltd. have launched an awards programme at Kildalton College for the second year students on the Machinery & Crop Management course.

Mr. Diarmuid Claridge, Regional Sales Manager for LEMKEN said “At LEMKEN, we believe proper ploughing is essential in maintaining good soil structure and in the fight against weed control. Proper plough settings are invaluable in achieving this and this is why we have launched the ‘LEMKEN Plough Operator of the Year’ award programme at Kildalton College.

LEMKEN has sponsored the programme by placing a new 4 furrow EurOpal 7X plough at the college for the students to train on and to see the benefits of using a LEMKEN plough and its true line systems. Throughout the course of the spring season, the students will be trained on the correct procedure for setting a plough up, to maximise productivity, efficiency and profitability, from tractor settings to final plough settings. Each student will spend some time ploughing a number of acres with the LEMKEN plough as part of their course. Over the next two to three months LEMKEN representatives will be spending a couple of days with the students to train them on plough maintenance, techniques and proper infield set up.”

A competition will take place towards the end of March where each student will be assessed on their knowledge of ploughing, in field settings, maintenance and general plough operation. The winner will receive a Waterford Crystal trophy and a trip to the LEMKEN factory in Germany’

January Tractor Registrations

The most recent figures from the FTMTA Statistics Service show that 420 new tractors were registered during the month of January which was an increase of 5 units on the same time in 2012. The counties with the highest levels of registrations were Cork, Wexford and Tipperary South with 55, 32 and 26 new tractors registered respectively.

The latest registration figures from the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA) in the UK show a similar situation with a nearly unchanged number of registrations in January as against 2012 – 738 units were registered in January 2013 and 739 units in 2012.

Be a part of a stronger farm machinery industry – join the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association – contact FTMTA at 045 409309 or membership@ftmta.ie for details.

The FTMTA Farm Machinery Show closed on Saturday, February 9^th, and was the best attended ever with visitor numbers of approximately 18,000 over the three days. The opening day on Thursday saw a strong turnout despite very poor weather conditions and 7,000 people visited the Show on Saturday.

During the Show there was a very evident mood of confidence in the wider agricultural sector which was commented on by many exhibitors and visitors.  There are reports of a substantial level of business being done at the Show with a number of exhibitors reporting that all machines which they were exhibiting had in fact been sold from the stands. A number of exhibitors stated that they had done their best level of business at such an event in many years.

There were many positive comments received in relation to all aspects of site services. The Association is keen to thank all the members of our own team, contractors, suppliers and Punchestown staff as well as the exhibitors and visitors who all contributed to the success of the event.

The Association was pleased to welcome a number of new exhibitors to this year’s Show alongside many regular participants and hopes that they all had a successful Show which will set the tone for a successful year for the farm machinery trade.

In opening the Show, Mr. Conor Breen, FTMTA President, highlighted that “this year is a very special one for the FTMTA as the Association celebrates 100 years in existence, 100 years of supporting the development of Irish farming through the supply and service of evolving new farm machinery ideas to generations of farmers.”

Mr. Breen stressed “that tradition of service continues to be at the heart of what FTMTA is about; supporting our farmer and contractor customers with the best that modern machinery can offer and then backing that up with trained service teams that can ensure the machines achieve their optimum in the field.

Our motto of, “What We Sell We Service,” was at the cornerstone of the foundation of the FTMTA.  That message is as true today as it was when our founding fathers set about establishing this association 10 decades ago, this year.”

As has been widely reported, the end of year figures from the FTMTA Statistics Service show a good recovery in sales of new tractors during 2012. A total of 1,893 units were registered during the year which was a 23% increase on 2011. While the figures are encouraging, they are still some way short of the average of 2,000 units for the last 20 to 25 years which is probably the minimum level needed to deliver a viable market into the future.

The three counties with the highest levels of registrations during 2012 were Cork, Wexford and Galway with 213, 137 and 112 units respectively. The most popular power band by far during the year was 101 to 120hp which represented nearly 34% of all new tractors registered. 73% of all tractors registered during 2012 had greater than 100hp.

FTMTA cannot release detailed market share information for a given year until 12 months have passed due to competition regulations but can, at this stage, issue information regarding registrations by brand during 2011. Of the total of 1,543 tractors registered in 2011 the top five brands were:

John Deere with 26%,

New Holland and Massey Ferguson tied with 18% each,

Case with 7%

Zetor with 6%.

Registrations of telescopic loaders also saw an increase during 2012 with 119 units registered which was a 37% increase on the 2011 figure.

Registrations of new tractors (>50 hp) in the UK during 2012 fell by 1% to 13,951 units, according to figures released by the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA). The average power of a tractor sold in the UK during the year was 148hp which is slight increase on the previous year.

FTMTA Farm Machinery Show 2013

It is now possible to advance purchase tickets online for the FTMTA Farm Machinery Show. A link on the home page of the FTMTA website at www.ftmta.ie will take you to the ticket sales site. People buying tickets in this way will receive an e ticket by email. The online tickets are available at a cost of €13.50 as against a charge of €15 for printed tickets.

People who would prefer to receive a traditional printed ticket can still place advance orders for tickets to the FTMTA Farm Machinery Show 2013 until Friday, January 18^th. Anybody wishing to order such tickets should contact the FTMTA office on 045 409309 or at show@ftmta.ie. A 20% discount is available on bulk orders of 10 tickets or more.

All exhibition space at the upcoming FTMTA Farm Machinery Show is fully booked and, while a waiting list is being kept, it is unlikely that any space will become available at this stage.

The FTMTA Farm Machinery Show takes place at Punchestown Event Centre on February 7^th, 8^th and 9th and will be the premier Irish farm machinery event of 2013.

 FTMTA Diary

There are a very limited number of additional diaries available and any member firm wishing to purchase additional diaries should contact the FTMTA office on 045 409309 or at membership@ftmta.ie as soon as possible.

Be a part of a stronger farm machinery industry – join the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association – contact FTMTA at 045 409309 or membership@ftmta.ie for details.

http://www.ckstickets.ie/events/viewproperty/farm-machinery-show/12

Kellys of Borris are hosting a GPS steering information afternoon at their premises on Friday, December 14^th, from 2pm to 6pm. The full range of Leica GPS systems will be displayed on the day, with accuracy from 20cm to 2cm. Such systems improve productivity and reduce diesel consumption, inputs consumption and driver fatigue.

All are welcome and refreshments will be served.

Tractor Registrations

The figures for registrations of new tractors in Ireland during November, as reported by the FTMTA Statistics Service, show a sustained improvement in tractor sales. 35 new tractors were registered during the month which brings to 1,883 the number of new tractors registered during the first eleven months of 2012. This is a 23% increase on the level of registrations during the same period in 2011.

The most popular power band during the year has been the 101 hp to 120 hp category which has accounted for one third of all tractors registered.

Cork, Wexford and Galway continue to be the counties with the highest levels of registrations during the year to date with 211, 137 and 112 units respectively

Registrations of telescopic loaders have also recovered somewhat during 2011 with 118 units registered so far as against 87 during all of 2011.

FTMTA Credit Policy Training

A detailed policy document in relation to the FTMTA ProDealer Credit Policy has been prepared which contains step by step guidelines as well as templates for the various documentation required to implement the policy fully and successfully in a farm machinery business.

FTMTA member firms should contact the FTMTA office to receive their copy of the full FTMTA ProDealer Credit Policy which will be issued by post.

The first training course in relation to the implementation of the FTMTA ProDealer Credit Policy was fully booked and further training will be offered to FTMTA member firms during 2013.

FTMTA Farm Machinery Show 2013

Preparations are well underway for what is sure to be the farm machinery highlight of 2013, the biennial FTMTA Farm Machinery Show at Punchestown. The Show will continue its well established three day format and will run from Thursday, February 7^th, to Saturday, February 9^th. The Show opens to the public at 10am each day with closing at 6pm on the Thursday and Friday and 5pm on the Saturday. The organisers have repeated the 2011 inclusion of a Saturday in the show with the intention of making Ireland’s premier farm machinery event accessible to part time farmers and others who may find it difficult to attend on a week day.

The Show has attracted a capacity level of exhibitors and in fact the exhibition space has been increased somewhat to cater for the unprecedented demand for stand space. Over 120 participating firms will exhibit across over 150 stands.

The site at Punchestown near Naas is well proven at this stage as a tremendous venue for this event and this will be the sixth FTMTA Farm Machinery Show to take place there. Punchestown is easily accessible from all over the country and has the excellent parking facilities and top class on site facilities that are a prerequisite for such an event.

Be a part of a stronger farm machinery industry – join the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association – contact FTMTA at 045 409309 or membership@ftmta.ie for details.

The national conference of the Association for 2012 was held on November 29^th and was a very successful and worthwhile event. A large representation of the industry from across the country attended and listened to a wide variety of presentations from an interesting panel of speakers.

The Association is grateful to the conference sponsor, Genfitt, for their support in making the event possible and also to our speakers and, most of all, to those who attended.

A major focus for the conference was the launch of the FTMTA ProDealer Credit Policy which is designed to improve the cash flow position in the farm machinery industry by tackling the long standing issues around credit and debtors in the sector. The policy was well received by the conference with recognition that it is a necessary move. In his closing remarks, FTMTA President, Mr. Garry Daly summarised the mood by stating “there are a lot of things that we need to do better as an industry but without getting the area of credit in hand, none of the rest will matter – you cannot, and will not, survive without cash”.

FTMTA Gold Award

The FTMTA Gold Award for 2012 was presented by the FTMTA President, Mr. Garry Daly, to Mr. Matt Dempsey, Editor of the Irish Farmers Journal, at the National Conference. The FTMTA Gold Award is made every two years to a person who is considered by the FTMTA Executive Council to have given outstanding or long service to the Association or the agricultural machinery industry in general.

The FTMTA Gold Award was made to Matt Dempsey in recognition of his outstanding input to, and support of, the agricultural machinery industry in Ireland over many years as Editor of the Irish Farmers Journal.

Credit Policy Training

Following on from the official launch of the FTMTA ProDealer Credit Policy at the recent national conference, the first training course dealing specifically with the implementation of this policy will be held at the FTMTA Farm Machinery Training Centre on Thursday, December 13^th. The course will be delivered by Declan Flood who worked with the Association on the creation of the policy and who spoke in relation to it at the national conference.

The closing date for the course is Friday, December 7^th and bookings can be made by contacting the FTMTA office eon 045 409309 or at membership@ftmta.ie .

Be a part of a stronger farm machinery industry – join the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association – contact FTMTA at 045 409309 or membership@ftmta.ie for details.

The November meeting of the FTMTA Executive Council has agreed that an award will be made for the most innovative new product on display at the FTMTA Farm Machinery Show in February. This will be first time that such an award will be made at an FTMTA Farm Machinery Show. The judging process will be independent of the Show organisers and details of how to enter will be circulated to all confirmed exhibitors during December. It is felt that is appropriate to make such an award to reflect the fact that the FTMTA Farm Machinery Show is Ireland’s premier farm machinery event.

FTMTA Farm Machinery Show Tickets

It will be possible to purchase tickets online for the FTMTA Farm Machinery Show through the FTMTA website www.ftmta.ie and further details of this facility will be announced within the next two weeks. In the meantime it is possible to purchase tickets from the FTMTA office by contacting 045 409309 or info@ftmta.ie. Show tickets make an ideal Christmas present for a machinery enthusiast.

FTMTA ProDealer Credit Policy

The FTMTA has recently launched the FTMTA ProDealer Credit Policy which is designed to improve the cash flow position in the farm machinery industry by tackling the long standing issues around credit and debtors in the sector.

The guiding principle of this policy is that credit in all business relationships is a privilege, not a right. That is as true of a farm machinery firm’s dealings with its own suppliers as it is of the firm’s dealing with its customers.

The viability and sustainability of the farm machinery sector overall and of individual businesses is endangered by inadequate control of credit. Many dealerships have levels of outstanding debtors than are totally disproportionate to the turnover of the business. As well as the amount owned there is a substantial problem with the age of some of the debt.

The Association has calculated that it is currently costing many dealerships up to 20% of the book value of their debtors to collect that money. This is made up of staff costs, cost of money and write downs. It seems unlikely that any sector can take such a cost and the farm machinery trade certainly cannot. The sector is one of tight margins with limited availability of working capital finance from banks and much reduced credit from all suppliers.

The FTMTA policy very much allows for the provision of credit but on an agreed and formalised basis. The policy is in no way intended to cause difficulties for customers and in fact the feedback from member firms which have independently moved some way in this direction in recent times is that their customers accept this and understand the realities around the provision of credit by any supplier.

The duty of the Association is to encourage conditions and standards that will deliver a future for member firms and this policy is an important part of that. It is in the interests of FTMTA members’ customers that a viable and local farm machinery industry continues to exist to deliver the support that they require.

Be a part of a stronger farm machinery industry – join the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association – contact FTMTA at 045 409309 or membership@ftmta.ie for details.