new-horizon-issue-3-construction

NEW

SPRING 2020

Ready, willing

and able!

IN THIS ISSUE

YANMAR IN RECYCLING

P20

FIXED-PRICE SERVICING

P22

ISUZU CHAMPIONS

P26

BI-ANNUAL NEWSLETTER FROM

Welcome to the Spring 2020 edition of New Horizon - our

company newsletter. In the last issue, I shared with you

news of the recent growth in our company and how we had

surpassed expectations in the first six months of the merger

between what was R. Hunt Ltd and New Forest Farm

Machinery Ltd - that formed the Hunt Forest Group. We

want to thank you for your patience as we have integrated

our two different management accounting systems,

different teams and company personalities.

One of the most important factors I mentioned in our previous

issue, related to our after-sales customer service and how we

would not rest on our laurels, and how important it was for us to

continue progressing and enhancing our service back-up. Since

then, we are very happy to say that we have been recognised by

John Deere for having the top after-sales service record, not just

in the UK, but throughout the whole of Europe. This was based

on customer survey forms that were returned to John Deere by

you, our customers. So, from me and all my colleagues at the

Hunt Forest Group, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to

all of our customers for taking the time to complete the surveys

and returning them to John Deere, whilst giving us such high

ratings.

Competition between all brands and companies to provide the

ultimate in customer service, to gain and retain your business

in the future, means we will strive to find ways to improve our

offering even further and in evolving the ultimate customer

experience. So if you have any advice or recommendations on

how we can give you better support, then I want to hear from

you. Your opinion counts!

As one of the very first John Deere dealers in the UK in 1971, this

time next year we will be celebrating our 50th anniversary. From

the very beginning, we started as a family business, a status that

has remained with us throughout and something of which we

are very proud. I believe that a family business has the potential

of empathy with its customers, which is more understanding of

customer needs - and above all, it brings a human element to

our customer connections. We are people oriented. Our people

are the reason we have progressed our business and improved

our customer service. So we acknowledge with great pride the

hard work that everyone has contributed to the ongoing success

of our business.

We’ve seen major developments over the past 50 years, both in

respect to machinery advancement, technological evolution and,

enhanced market share. Our major brands such as John Deere,

Kramer, Yanmar, Ifor Williams, Isuzu and a whole host of other

very successful franchises allows us to offer quality products that

are well respected and are market leaders in their industries. We

intend to continue investing in our people, to bring you the best

in customer service; we intend to bring improved facilities to

offer you the best customer experience, and we look forward to

the next 50 years of business that will continue to challenge us in

finding ways in maintaining and improving our customer loyalty.

Enjoy your read!

Tim Hunt

Managing Director

Hunt Forest Group

Coronavirus alert;

While we are all affected by the Coronavirus pandemic, we at

Hunt Forest Group are licensed under the Key Worker/Critical

Sector assessment, and are able to continue to provide aftersales

service to our customers - to be provided under the

strictest government regulations of social distancing, selfisolation

and PPE.

Parts collection is very simple; call the branch and place your

parts order over the phone, then once the parts are available,

pull up to a designated bay outside the branch, call the

branch phone number and the parts will be delivered near

your bay for collection.

For machine service/repair support, please telephone your

local branch service department who will arrange to schedule

the appropriate technician response.

We are taking this Coronavirus challenge very seriously and

are doing everything to protect our staff and our customers.

Stay safe!

2 HUNTFOREST.COM

I want to grab your attention!

In welcoming the beginnings of a new Spring, as a company,

we have much to be proud of and thankful for. My

responsibilities within the Hunt Forest Group include the

professional and commercial turf sectors and, construction

- both have come a long way in the past twelve months and

signs are very positive for the future.

Recently, John Deere launched the 2750 Precision-Cut Triplex

mower that will change the way you think about mowing greens

and tees, and even approaches and fairways. It’s probably the

most advanced product from any manufacturer that we have

seen in the past decade. It’s that advanced! It is available in

hydraulic or E-cut Hybrid drive versions and, at the time of writing

is the only machine of this type that comes with ‘frequency-ofclip’

mode - a benefit that will bring perfection of greens finish a

true reality. But there’s more to tell!

We have already shared the 2750 Precision-cut Triplex mower

with many customers at four local launch events - and the

feedback has been phenomenal. The first machines arrive in

April and we will be demonstrating throughout the area. If you

are interested in trying one out at your facility, please let me

know. We have a complete range of John Deere professional

turf equipment demonstration machines available and will be

happy to bring them out to you to try for yourself.

Likewise, our construction sector, focussing on the Yanmar

360º Excavator range has seen amazing successes in 2019. The

popularity of the Yanmar product is setting a wave of enthusiasm

throughout our territory, Quality of product, specification,

operator comfort and price positioning have all meant a surge

of interest and, sales have already exceeded expectations. The

equivalent of the number of Yanmar machines we sold in the

entire 2019 season, we have arriving in stock - just for the first

quarter of 2020. Sales of Yanmar equipment have come from

all industries including, construction, property development,

recycling companies, builders, agriculture and a whole host

more. The feedback on the Yanmar range has been phenomenal

as customers get their hands on a quality product, with reliability

and at a highly competitive price point.

But it’s not just machines that matter - it’s all about our people

and our after-sales back-up. We are investing in new team

members who are going through thorough product and service

training to be able to provide our customers with the very best in

after-sales service. Great machines and great after-sales service.

That’s our goal for the coming year.

Come and talk to us - we have much to

share with you.

Ed Smales

Turf & Construction Sales Director

We are here to help you!

So, a decision has been reached and we are at least moving

forward - I am of course referring to Brexit. Now we have

more a little clarity for future planning, although there’s still

a degree of uncertainty it does mean we can look to the

future with a more positive outlook. Ultimately, we look

forward to seeing the business environment improving for

our customers, offering sustainability and greater demand

for their products in all sectors and I am sure that with

change will come opportunity.

At home here at Hunt Forest Group, the joining of two established

businesses over the past twelve months has gone very well as

already reported and, behind the scenes, our business system

has been finally integrated throughout all our branches which

you may have seen with communication post Christmas.

For our customers, it means a smooth transition of accounting

and previous business records, which ultimately means now any

outlet can assist you even if not your most local.

Internally this has benefited the team and ability to conduct our

daily business greatly, sharing information clearly and being able

to react faster, something that was a challenge the last months.

Recent updates in specifications and features to mainline

products by our main supplier, John Deere has meant a strong

drive forward in sales, particularly in the 6M Series tractor

segment, which is a large volume sector in our trading area of

responsibility. John Deere continues to evolve all their product

lines to maintain a technological lead over the competition

and in the 7R and 8R tractor markets - the big boys, brand new

models with specification advancements are just arriving and

we are planning a series of demonstration events in the near

future. So watch this space. I’m sure you will be impressed with

their field performance and of course, the new 8RX quad track

tractor is generating a huge amount of interest and is sure to

revolutionise the industry and set the benchmark.

The marketplace is of course not without its challenges for

almost everyone around us. Inclement weather and higher

than normal rainfall has hampered autumn fieldwork and crop

establishment, and now spring work too. Grassland harvesting

will soon be upon us and we, as a company understand all too

well, the challenges that you are facing. Suffice to say, that we

are here to help you. Whatever support you need, however you

need it, at Hunt Forest Group, our commitment to you is total.

The brands we represent are market leaders - trusted products

that especially during times of challenge - are called upon more

readily as representatives of quality and longevity. Back-up

those products with the very best in after-sales service and you

have the recipe for success in the future which I hope we can

enjoy mutually.

Looking forward to the months ahead,

Paul Burnett

Business Development Director

HUNTFOREST.COM 3

Business efficiency

pays dividends

APS Composting and Waste Manager,

Greg Wachenek “our machinery policy

is aimed at being the most efficient we

possibly can“

Efficiency and quality of production is the name of the

game for the UK’s top producer of tomatoes for the major

supermarkets. The grower - APS Produce Ltd, run yearround

production of tomatoes on the Isle of Wight with

26ha under glass, of which 6ha are grown for the organic

market. But what’s really impressive is how the entire site

is focused on environmental management, where they

recycle everything from pallets, biodegradable cardboard

packaging, and tomato plant trimmings, turning it into

fresh compost for the following crop, without adding to the

industrial waste mountain.

The company’s Composting and Waste Manager, Greg

Wachenek commented, “Environmental planning is very

important to us because there is so much value in the waste

produced through our facilities that it is important to turn it into

a usable form instead of discarding it and sending it to landfill.

We naturally handle a lot of biodegradable materials such as

cardboard packaging, wooden pallets as well as the leaves and

discarded trusses from the large number of tomato plants that

we grow in our greenhouses. It literally saves us thousands of

pounds a year through self-generating compost production

and minimises our overall carbon footprint. We normally keep

enough self-made compost to last us at least two years and by

the time we get to use it, it’s in perfect condition for maximum

crop production. At the same time, we are growing very high

quality tomatoes that go to the top supermarkets in the UK.”

Green waste which comes from the removal of leaves from the

tomato plants - allowing the fruit to ripen quicker, is mixed with

cardboard and wooden pallets and goes through a chipping

shredding system, then into a three-stage bioprocess. This

process uses positive aeration and controlled temperature,

which stimulates natural microbes to break down the materials

into a usable form. The entire process takes up to four weeks

and everything is then screened to remove oversized material,

which then goes back through the entire process again until it

has been broken down sufficiently.

“Likewise, our machinery policy is also aimed at being the most

efficient we possibly can, “ added Greg, “and it is surprising how

many savings we can make through diligent management. We

run two John Deere tractors - a 6120M and a 5100R to handle all

the movement of waste materials and of course the harvested

fruits. We rent these tractors over a four year period, - directly

through our local John Deere dealer, Hunt Forest Group. The

rental includes all warranties, all servicing and all updates -

regardless, and if there is a breakdown - we get a replacement

tractor to use straight away. We know exactly what it will cost us

on a weekly basis, which becomes part of our known operating

budget and, when Hunt Forest come along to service the

product - because these tractors are used day-in, day-out and

are vital to our operation, then they bring a replacement for us

to use while any major service is being carried out. It’s all part of

the package.”

The John Deere 5100R was acquired to replace a lorry, which

was previously used to handle materials, fresh compost and

general transport around the production facility. Added Greg,

“We have strict EA (Environment Agency) regulations to follow

in our production facilities. One of the biggest savings we made

was in choosing the John Deere 5100R to replace a three and a

half ton lorry. It’s much easier to find a tractor driver than a lorry

driver, there are all kinds of safety inspections which takes time

and money when operating a lorry. The lorry had a three and a

4 HUNTFOREST.COM

“On-site composting

literally saves us thousands

of pounds a year through

self-generating compost

production and minimises our

overall carbon footprint.“

Cleanliness of operation maintains machine

condition and reduces disease potential in

the controlled production environment.

half-ton load capacity - whereas the John Deere can handle ten

tons without any issues. and comes fitted with air brakes. A lorry

always has much higher running costs and so by having the John

Deere, we have built-in efficiencies which help us to become

even smarter and more cost-effective at what we do.

the island and I don’t have a bad thing to say about them. Our

drivers love their John Deeres, the tractors are reliable and never

let us down, so all in all, we have a really efficient operation here

which is always looking at ways to reduce our operating costs

and, help with the future environment.”

“The service and back-up we get from Hunt Forest is second to

none. They have a first-class reputation for after-sales service on

TRACTOR AIR CON SYSTEM

CHECK £175 + VAT

Ensure your tractors air con is in full working order with our air

con system check over and recharge offer.

Air con needs regular maintenance to ensure that it is functioning

as efficiently as possible. Over time bacteria, mould and fungi

can build up on the evaporator in your air con system which

produces this unpleasant smell when switched on. In some cases

this can cause sickness and respiratory problems as bacterial

spores are blown into the cab of the machine.

Our full system check includes:

• Cab air intake and recirculation filter check and clean

(replacement if needed)

• Condenser clean

• Compressor drive belt check

• Drain, clean and recharge of refrigerant (top up if needed)

• Leak test and UV leak detector added to the system

• System pressure check and operation check

• System de odour and debug

JD SPRAYER AR SERIES

PUMP OVERHAUL

£700 + VAT

John Deere AR series piston diaphragm pump overhaul.

Ensure your sprayer pump is in tip top condition for the

upcoming season with an overhaul service.

Service includes:

• Pump removal

• Drain oil, strip down the pump and assess the wear

• Replace diaphragms, check valves and o-rings

• Reassemble pump

• Replace pump oil

• Check accumulator pressure

• Refit pump

Within 12 miles of the depot, price is per pump offer valid until

30/06/2020

John Deere sprayers only

Within 12-mile radius of the depot. John Deere tractors only.

Additional refrigerant, filters and parts charged additionally

Offer valid until 31/08/2020

HUNTFOREST.COM 5

Long-term, reliable

performance is a winner

ideal form for the training programs of the day. In the season,

the grass gallops are also mown every day.”

Rob Bettany and his team, take care of the

all-weather surfaces on a daily basis.

Considered to be one of the best-equipped horse racing

establishments in the world, Park House Stables, near

Kingsclere, Hampshire has an enviable record of success.

When you read through the annals of horse racing history,

their achievements have been impressive - including the

1972 Derby winner, Mill Reef - trained by the then Champion

Trainer Ian Balding. Today, headed-up by Trainer, Andrew

Balding, the Kingsclere team last year recorded their most

successful year ever with some 128 winners and prize

money exceeding £3.5 Million.

Park House Stables is based on 400 acres of grassland - forming

the nucleus of the training facility, paddocks and gallops.

Another 600 acres of arable land is farmed by family, alongside

the stables and is run as a separate entity. Anna Lisa Balding,

Trainer Andrew Balding’s wife commented, “We house around

two hundred (200) Thoroughbreds at Kingsclere, mostly for

private owners and syndicates and we also train horses for Her

Majesty the Queen.”

As the weather in the UK is so changeable and often

inclement, Kingsclere runs several grass gallops and allweather

surfaces, which are maintained daily to ensure perfect

training conditions for daily use. Added Anna Lisa, “Around

ninety-per cent (90%) of the daily training routine is focussed

on artificial, all-weather gallops. In order to maintain those

gallops to provide the perfect training environment, we

have a team of professionals who are dedicated to that very

purpose. Every day, the artificial gallops are serviced with a

specially-designed, multi-purpose cultivator that leaves it in an

Kingsclere runs John Deere tractors on the farm and, specifically

for the stable, muck clearance and training work are using a

John Deere 5085, a John Deere 6110MC and a John Deere

5100R with JD543R Front Loader. “We have an approach at Park

House Stables,” commented Ana Lisa, “where we make sure

that everything we do and invest in, is the best possible quality

at every level, because it reflects on our success and how we

achieve that success, We’ve used John Deere tractors for as

long as I can remember and we get them through our local John

Deere dealer, the Hunt Forest Group. We use our tractors every

day of the week, they need to be reliable and give us long-term

service, without breakdowns. The after-sales service back-up

we get from the Hunt Forest Group is absolutely first-class and

we cannot fault the supportive back-up that we get from Jamie

Fisher and his colleagues.”

Typical daily usage moving and spreading muck, grass-topping

and all-weather gallop maintenance means that the tractors are

used every day, clock-up around 1500 hours per year and are fully

serviced directly by Hunt Forest. “Whenever we have needed a

technician for our tractors,” enthused Anna Lisa, “Hunt Forest

have been there at the drop of

a hat and nothing has been too

much trouble - they really do take

care of us. When we acquired

the John Deere 5085 in 2016, it

replaced an old John Deere 5400

that was well over twenty years

old and had given us excellent

reliability and service. Based on

our experience, the John Deere

product and the back-up we get

from Hunt Forest, reflects the

level of attention to detail that we

apply to our own philosophy when

taking care of highly valuable

race-horses. So we know, when we

are onto a winner.”

Trainer, Andrew Balding (left)

and Anna Lisa Balding (right)

“Hunt Forest have been there

at the drop of a hat and nothing

has been too much trouble.”

6 HUNTFOREST.COM

10% DISCOUNT

Special 10% discount on all John Deere merchandise

until 30th September 2020 or, while stocks last.

(inc clothes, tools, toys & mechandise)

HUNTFOREST.COM 7

Giving your best gets

the business

Roger Shearing (left) and Simon Jackson

“if you don’t look after your customers

as they expect to be taken care of, then

someone else is waiting on the side-lines

to take your place…”

One of the most important values employed when taking care

of his customers is timeliness and reliability. “If you say you are

going to be there, then make sure you are.” Said Simon Jackson,

founder of Simon Jackson Contractors Ltd. The business was

established in 1985 and today is one of the most successful

‘specialist’ contractors in the area. Operating from facilities near

High Post, Salisbury, the company serves customers in a radius

of up to 50 miles or more from their premises.

“We very much specialise in a few key areas,” added Simon, “for

example, we have had verge maintenance contracts with major

county council customers since nineteen eighty-eight (1988) and

typically in a year we might cut and maintain over 20,000 kilometres

of verges. We also provide high-end, high volume muck-spreading,

where our teams might spread a hundred acres a day or more for

three months of the year - solid. It’s a very efficient system and we

use high-quality machinery to minimise breakdowns because we

cannot afford to let down our customers. We always strive to offer

the best possible service, no matter what we do.”

Other services offered by Simon Jackson includes; hedgecutting,

slurry spreading, big baling, bulk material haulage and

snow-clearance. Simon’s right-hand man is Roger Shearing, who

has been part of the team since 1988.

Commented Roger Shearing, “Quality of service and reliable

machinery has always been our policy from day one. We’ve

nearly always run John Deere tractors because we have found

them to be very reliable, simple to operate and our drivers love

them too. Today we have ten John Deere’s and although we have

tried the likes of Fendt, Massey, Case and New Holland, for the

work we do, the John Deere suits our operations better than the

rest. Our local John Deere dealer, Hunt Forest Group take good

care of us with a first-class after-sales service, which means we

can rely on them to help us out if needs be, and that ensures we

keep our customers happy. We can’t fault Hunt Forest’s service.”

All the John Deere tractors in the fleet are ‘AutoTrac Ready’

and on particular tasks such as spreading chicken manure, the

integrated solutions technology becomes a very valuable asset.

“When we spread chicken manure,” added Simon, “it’s difficult

for the operator to be sure as to where he has already been.

So we use the GreenStar technology to map the application

pattern so that there are no gaps and no overlaps. Again, this is

making sure that whatever job or task we carry out, we are doing

it properly, to the customers expectations and this is one of the

reasons our customers call us back year after year.”

Machine replacement policy is part of the plan to make sure

customer service levels are maintained. “In the thirty years or so

that we have operated John Deere’s,” added Simon, “we’ve never

had a major breakdown. We probably clock-up some two and a

half thousand hours (2500hrs) a year and when they have reached

as much as twelve thousand hours (12,000hrs) and, if they start

costing us money, then it’s time to move them on. It’s taken me

over thirty years to get to know what’s good and what’s bad and all

the kit we run in our business today is based on our experience.”

It’s hard not to notice, emblazoned across a poster on the wall of

Simon’s office - ‘Let’s take care of and protect our customers - or

someone else will.’

“Our policy is always to take care of our customers,” added

Simon, “which is something we feel clearly from dealing with

the Hunt Forest Group. They know, like us, if you don’t look

after your customers as they expect to be taken care of, then

someone else is waiting on the side-lines to take your place. It’s

all about giving your best in everything you do.”

8 HUNTFOREST.COM

Peace of mind

with PowerGard

Nevile Smith ‘With PowerGard, we can

now budget for an exact operating cost

for the next five years…”

The farming partnership of NG & RW Smith at Idlecombe

Farm, Carisbrooke on the Isle of Wight is a true family affair.

Neville and his son Ralph run the 850 acre sheep and arable

farm together with some whole farm contract work. Anna

Smith, Neville’s wife, runs some 400 acres of National Trust

tenancy at Compton Farm encompassing some of the islands

most important environmental Downland features. Anna

also has a Suckler herd and award-winning Campsite. In

keeping with the family’s focus on rural stewardship, Neville

and Anna’s daughter, Ella, 17, is applying for university

places to study Environmental science.

Neville is Vice chairman of the Isle of Wight Grain Storage Ltd,

a co-operative which stores and markets on average 30,000

tons of island crops annually. It has its own wharfage so the vast

majority of grain goes off by ship. The grain store has been in

business since 1978 and has some 50 members

“At Idlecombe Farm,” commented Neville Smith, “much of the

land is steep chalk and flint so we try to maintain a balanced

mixed farming system. We run six hundred (600) ewes and finish

all the lambs from homegrown feed. We rotate grass leys with

winter wheat, spring barley, oil-seed rape and around seventy

(70) acres of maize crop and whole crop on contract to a local

AD plant

Idlecombe’s main tractor is a John Deere 6155R, which one year

ago, replaced an old 6630, and this time, Neville and Ralph added

the PowerGard extended warranty and maintenance programme

to give additional peace of mind to the main workhorse. Added

Neville, “Farm machinery is becoming far more technical and

electronically managed. By adding PowerGard extended

warranty, we are protecting our investment and we can - without

any possibility of additional invoices for any kind of breakdown.

We’ve had John Deere’s since nineteen eighty-eight, (1988)

and they have always proven to be extremely reliable - the best

thing about them is the back-up service we get from our local

John Deere dealer on the Island, Hunt Forest Group. I can’t fault

them, they are a really nice, friendly team of people and they

look after us really well.”

SERVICE OFFER

JD RIDE ON MOWER OFFER - £99 + VAT

• Pre-season engine oil and filter change on any john Deere domestic ride on mower.

• Ensure your mower is ready for the upcoming season with our engine oil and filter service offer.

• Service includes

• Replacement of machine engine oil

• Replacement of machine engine oil filter

Within a 12-mile radius of the depot. Offer valid until 31/05/2020

John Deere machines only.

HUNTFOREST.COM 9

A brief look at what’s new from

John Deere in large tractors

manoeuvrable while also minimising any noticeable soil scuffing

effect when turning.

These latest 8R Series tractors retain John Deere’s existing, wellproven

and economical 9-litre PowerTech PVS & PSS engines,

with an increase of 40hp on the 8RT 410.

Established transmission options include the 16/5 PowerShift,

which is now available up to the 8R 340 model, the modern

e23 with Efficiency Manager and the stepless AutoPowr. The

rear brakes have been massively reinforced, so front brakes are

no longer necessary even at 50kph, although additional front

brakes can still be ordered. The 8R Series tractors are now

optionally available with a 1500 standard front axle, which is

designed for special applications and is in demand in various

markets worldwide.

7 Series

John Deere’s latest generation 7R Series tractors include a new

flagship model, the 7R 330, which delivers a maximum power

rating of 363hp or 373hp with Intelligent Power Management. The

John Deere 7R Series tractor has already established its economic

efficiency in DLG tests and with many participants in the company’s

ongoing fuel guarantee programme. Extending this concept to the

new top of the range 7R 330 means the advantageous power to

weight ratio of only 30kg/hp can have a further positive impact on

performance, acceleration and fuel consumption.

These new tractors are available with a choice of infinitely variable

AutoPowr or e23 PowerShift transmissions and are universally

suitable for a range of transport applications or PTO operations

such as slurry spreading, drilling, baling or mowing. Using the EZ

Ballast option, the tractor can also be perfectly ballasted from the

cab within seconds for heavier cultivation work. Significant upgrades

in operator cab and control functions means a big boost in in-field

performance and operator comfort.

Contractors, in particular, will benefit from the new CommandPRO

joystick, which is now optionally available on all 7R Series tractors

with the AutoPowr transmission. This operating concept was first

introduced on 6R Series tractors and has quickly proved itself in

practice thanks to its excellent ergonomics and easy configurability.

On both the new 7 Series and 8 Series tractors, the pioneering

AutoTrac automatic steering system, including an optionally

integrated StarFire 6000 satellite receiver, has been further

optimised, with Wireless Data Transfer to the John Deere

Operations Centre provided free of charge for five years. Field

boundaries, guidance lines and set-up data, as well as crop

planning and documentation, can all be managed swiftly and

securely using this web-based platform.

A brand new, revolutionary feature is the AutoSetup System,

which makes it possible to download all field, machine and

implement data required for individual jobs directly to the

tractor. This greatly simplifies the process and means the tractor

is ready to use much more quickly in the field while removing the

possibility of incorrect setup. AutoSetup will be available shortly.

These tractors can also be remotely monitored by the JDLink telematics

system at the customer’s request, to ensure maximum uptime. With

customer consent additionally provided for Expert Alerts, potential

machine damage can be predicted and the likelihood of expensive

repairs can be reduced or completely avoided.

We will have demonstration tractors available to try for yourself.

Seeing and experiencing all the new features on these highperformance

tractors will clearly define the field performance

and fuel efficiency potential on offer through the Hunt Forest

Group - you will not be disappointed.

8 Series - the power of three

John Deere is the first farm equipment manufacturer to produce a

range of standard tractors offering three different drive concepts,

with the launch of the new 8R Series wheeled tractors, 8RT models

with two tracks and brand new 8RX versions with four tracks.

The 13-model range available in the UK & Ireland features a new

cab offering luxury car style comfort (designed with BMW) and

the CommandPRO joystick option.

The industry exclusive 8RX Series has been developed to

maximise soil protection without compromising performance. It

therefore provides by far the lowest contact surface compression

in this class, along with a transport width of less than 3m

and 40kph unrestricted road speed. The tractor is extremely

10 HUNTFOREST.COM

New specification 5 Series and 6

Series tractors have arrived

10.45 tonnes, which means an unrivalled payload capacity in this

class of up to 4.7 tonnes.

5 Series

John Deere has announced several updates to its 5R Series

tractors from 90 to 125hp, designed to increase their versatility and

suitability for small and medium sized livestock and arable farms.

To improve their connectivity for precision farming operations,

from spring 2019 the tractors will be available AutoTrac and

ISObus-ready. JDLink telematics will also be available ex-factory,

together with remote display access (RDA) five-year subscription.

The 5090R, 5100R, 5115R and 5125R tractors are equipped

with fuel efficient, Stage IIIB compliant 4.5-litre John Deere

PWX engines. These diesel-only four-cylinder engines deliver

10 extra hp for transport applications via their transport power

management (TPM) system.

Three transmission options start with the entry-level 16/16

CommandQuad Manual featuring four ranges and four

powershiftable gears within each range. Also available are a

16/16 CommandQuad and a 32/16 Command8 transmission,

which has eight powershiftable gears and an ECO mode that

enables a top speed of 40kph at only 1759 engine rpm.

Front axle suspension and an optional maintenance-free mechanical

cab suspension system are available, while the air suspended

Grammer seat from the 6R Series features up to 15 degrees of

swivel, lumbar adjustment and an optional heating system.

All these latest 6M Series tractors feature a newly designed cab

that is extremely quiet, with a rating of 70dB(A). All the important

operating functions are located on the right-hand panel, which

has been completely redesigned, while models equipped with

the CommandQuad transmission can be optionally fitted with a

Compact CommandArm, with the functions located on the armrest.

Up to four mechanical or electric SCVs are available – the latter

is a new option available for the first time on these tractors.

Switches on the electrohydraulic joystick are fully programmable,

and direction of travel can be changed on both this and the

mechanical joystick via a push-button. Driver comfort is also

enhanced by mechanical cab suspension and the proven TLS

(triple link suspension) front axle, while 360° LED lighting is

optionally available for perfect illumination of night work.

The four new four-cylinder models are powered by a 4.5-litre

John Deere PowerTech EWL engine, while the 6130M, 6140M

and 6145M have a 4.5-litre John Deere PowerTech PSS engine.

Larger models are powered by six-cylinder PVS engines with a

displacement of 6.8 litres.

Three different gearbox options are offered on the new 6M

Series. PowrQuad and AutoQuad are four-step powershift

transmissions, while CommandQuad Plus offers fully automatic

gear and range shifting without using the clutch. The latest AMS

and FarmSight solutions include JDLink telematics, which can

be ordered ex-factory with a free five-year subscription.

Demonstration tractors of both the 5 Series and the 6 Series will

allow you to explore ‘all’ the improvements and changes over the

previous ranges. Ask us now for a demonstration on your farm.

The 5R Series combines a one-piece curved frame design with

a low centre of gravity and has a turning radius of just 3.75m for

excellent manoeuvrability, even when fitted with a front loader.

For loader operation, there is a choice of mechanical or new E

joysticks, both linked to the tractor seat, and rear lift capacity is

4.7 or optionally 5.3 tonnes.

6 Series

These replace the previous 6M, 6MC and 6RC Series and include

four new four-cylinder models from 90 to 120hp, featuring a

2.4m wheelbase. This is a more compact 6M Series tractor than

John Deere has offered before, with the low bonnet design

presenting a clear view to the front of the machine. In addition, a

slimmer steering wheel cowl and the newly designed panoramic

window in the cab roof provides full visibility for loader work or

operation in confined spaces.

Improved manoeuvrability is a result of the short wheelbase,

which allows a tight turning circle of only 4.35m on the new

four-cylinder models. Despite their slim design, these full-frame

concept tractors feature a maximum permissible gross weight of

HUNTFOREST.COM 11

Luke uses a special laptop diagnostics

programme to check for any potential

faults on the machine

Luke drives to the customer with his own

works vehicle, ready to carry out a service.

Luke’s responsibilities

cover a wide range of

products - here he is

working on an Isuzu

Truck

Luke carries out Pre-Delivery Inspections on new

machinery at the Hunt Forest Group workshop

Luke gets to work on Combines, Forage

harvesters, sprayers and a whole host of

machinery - he’s a talented member of the team

From technical componentry to radio installation -

Luke has the skills to handle many jobs

Luke working on a Yanmar Excavator - because

he has been taught all the relevant skills

12 HUNTFOREST.COM

A day in the life

Service Technician Apprentice Luke Haggaty

Luke collects the parts for the job, from the Parts department. In

the meantime, Max would have called the customer to let him

know that Luke will be on his way and gives a suggested ETA,

so the customer is kept informed. Today, over 70% of service

and repair work is carried out on the farm premises. Luke drives

his own workshop vehicle which carries his tools and any special

equipment, plus replacement parts, oils and filters etc.

Luke Haggaty (left) and Service Manager Max Portnall reviewing

the first job of the day.

Top quality career opportunities for qualified or nonqualified

service technicians exist within the Hunt Forest

Group in all sectors of our business, including agriculture,

construction, commercial, residential and off-road vehicles.

With six branches covering most of the South of England,

geographical locations for employees can be very flexible.

Many young people looking to start their career, can follow

a structured apprenticeship programme that will prepare

them for a varied and stable, long-term career opportunity,

with serious potential for career growth

Let’s take a look at a typical ‘day-in-the-life’ of an apprentice

technician. Luke Haggaty, 22, has just completed his threeyear

apprenticeship programme with Hunt Forest Group,

having spent time at Lackham College studying motorsport

engineering, while working part-time at the Tilshead branch of

Hunt Forest Group (HFG). He then decided to focus full-time

in the agricultural and construction machinery sectors at HFG,

undergoing thorough training at John Deere University covering

John Deere products and technology. John Deere is the largest

manufacturer of agricultural and grounds-care equipment in the

world. Luke, now has some of the highest qualifications in our

industry.

Luke also underwent GreenStar training - which is essentially

John Deere’s integrated solutions technology which uses

GPS and data management, that is used to record machine

performance and field efficiency for advanced crop production

management. GreenStar is used on over 70% of the farms in the

UK today. So Luke’s job is highly regarded and valued.

Apart from John Deere, Luke also had exposure to product and

technical training on other brands of product marketed under

the HFG umbrella. These would have included other world

leading brands such as Kramer, Yanmar, Isuzu, Kuhn, Amazone

and many others.

Most on-machine diagnosis today is carried out using a laptop

with diagnostics software. Luke has undergone thorough

training on this system and is capable of identifying any potential

problems on a wide range of machinery. In using the laptop

to run through a code-checking process, this will likely show

an actual or potential fault, therefore isolating the problem,

meaning a prompt repair. However, there may be an underlying

reason for this fault and the software helps Luke to investigate

other components, directly related to the fault.

If additional parts are required, these can be ordered directly by

Luke to the Parts Advisor, from Luke’s laptop while he is on farm

and would normally be available same-day, or on a next day,

overnight delivery service. This minimises machine downtime.

Most faults today, tend to be minor electrical issues, that might

require the replacement of an electrical component, but once

identified and replaced - the machine system undergoes an

additional diagnostic test to ensure all is well.

Luke will then sign-off the job and confirm completion directly

with the customer. Because of his in-depth product training,

Luke can explain to the customer what had happened, how

it was fixed and if there were any other advanced notices of a

potential, medium-term component failure.

Luke will then write-up and complete his job ticket, which is then

passed to Max, as his Service Manager - Max then providing

Luke with the next task for immediate follow-up.

Luke’s skills and training means he is likely to work on a wide

range of machineries such as tractors, combines, forage

harvesters, sprayers, balers, material handlers and many more.

However, if he wanted to, Luke could specialise in one or two

product sectors, which would give him ‘specialist’ status and he

would be one of the ‘go-to’ technicians within the company. With

such a large amount of educational and instructional expertise

from an ongoing product update programme, Luke would in the

long term be able to position himself for Service Department

management opportunities in the future. And, he’s only 22.

If you’re looking for a stable and enjoyable career and would like

to consider joining the Hunt Forest Group either as a fully qualified

technician or, would like to consider an apprenticeship to launch

your career, please contact us at; careers@huntforest.com

Today, as a qualified technician, Luke receives his daily instruction

from Max Portnall, the Service Manager at the Tilshead branch,

who gives Luke a job ticket and they discuss the necessary

machine issue, which could be a breakdown, a component

failure or a regular machine service.

HUNTFOREST.COM 13

Delivering on reduced

operating costs for charity

Nick Painter, Farm Estate Manager,

“Anything that costs us too much money

has to go…”

As a registered charity, The Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary

relies totally on donations to operate successfully and expand

its facilities. Founded in 1987, and currently running on 60

acres of grazing land near Wroxall, the organisation cares

for around 100 donkeys that have either been abandoned,

rescued, need a home because of end of tenancies or just

because the owner can’t take care of them anymore.

Ten full-time staff, backed-up by as many as 50 volunteers,

manage the facility which attracts some 50,000 visitors per year

and with over 7,000 people sponsoring or adopting a donkey to

support the cause.

Farm Estate Manager, Nick Painter commented, “We don’t

charge visitors for entry to the sanctuary, rather depending on

donations from the public. It’s not just a collection of donkeys we

have here, it has in fact evolved into an effective learning facility,

a donkey therapy centre for old people’s homes, schools and

youth groups. It really touches people’s lives!”

Some of the visiting groups come from as far a-field as London

and Birmingham - where some children have never seen a donkey

or even a grass field before. “We find that our donkeys can be

totally therapeutic for all kinds of age groups,” said Nick, “mainly

because the animals are so gentle and approachable. From

young children to the elderly, our donkeys give our visitors a new

dimension, a positive view on life because we organise engaging

activities that get people up close and handling our donkeys. It

builds confidence and pride. Many of our visitors leave with a big

smile on their face and often return over and over again.”

Contrary to popular belief, Donkeys require a fairly basic

grazing regime that relies almost on ‘over-grazing’ because

their digestive system can’t handle lush grasses. At Wroxall,

they use a paddock system to manage the donkey groups and

if the grass gets too long, they make hay from it, for winter feed.

Maintenance mowing with a John Deere Zero-Turn mower helps

them keep everything trim.

“Being a charity run facility, we have to be very controlled with

our operating expenditure,” added Nick, “we don’t have lots

of money to spend on new equipment and anything that costs

us too much in repairs, has to go. We use a Utility vehicle to

transport materials and feed around the site and have just

changed out a Polaris because the repair bills were too high and

we couldn’t justify it. We purchased a ‘used’ John Deere 855D

Gator from Hunt Forest Group on the Island and it has proven

to be the right decision as it has improved the site efficiency and

reduced our operating costs significantly.”

Although the Gator had 1,000 hours on the clock, it had been

thoroughly checked-over by Hunt Forest technicians and been

given a 12-month warranty for total peace of mind for Nick and

his team.

“We once had a glow plug issue on the Gator,” commented Nick,

“and the Hunt Forest team came out and fixed it immediately,

without question. They’ve been really fantastic in helping us and

they always go the extra mile - which is more than comforting

for us. It also gives us peace of mind in buying used equipment.

Even though we don’t own the big tractor or shiny new combine,

we are still an important customer to them and they still give us

a first-class service.”

14 HUNTFOREST.COM

Attention to detail promotes

customer retention

Over the past 22 years in business under the banner of Blade

& Spade, offering garden and estate management services

throughout the Isle of Wight, Andrew Taylor puts his success

down to two key elements; doing the job in a timely and

professional manner and, using the highest quality equipment.

“Stemming back to when I very first started, I’ve still got many

customers from those early days on my regular schedule,”

commented Andrew Taylor, “it’s a personal thing with me because

I always aim at giving complete, customer satisfaction. For

example, where grass mowing is concerned, I’m very pernickety

about keeping the blades sharp on my mowers. If I don’t, then the

customers will complain about the cut finish and I want to avoid

that happening at all costs. Reputation in our industry is key!”

Blade & Spade offers a wide range of garden and estate

management services including beds, borders, lawns, mulching,

pruning, wide-area grass management and hedge-cutting. One

such project he was working on, The Woodland Burial site - had

very low hanging trees and it was almost impossible to trim the

grass other than by hand - which would have been very timeconsuming.

“We decided to find the right type of mower that

would operate in these challenging conditions,” commented

Andrew, “and we purchased a John Deere Z335E mower from

the Hunt Forest Group on the Island. The Z Series mower will

turn on a sixpence, has a very low profile and is almost like a

mini go-kart. But it can access these hard-to-get-to areas and

does a great job, leaving a perfect finish. It’s opened up other

opportunities where a low profile is essential.”

Some of the equipment in Blade & Spade’s arsenal include; a

GreenMech chipper for ‘on-the-spot’ chipping and shredding wood

and green waste for mulching; a John Deere X948 ride-on mower

and a John Deere X335E - both for high-quality grass mowing; a

Kawasaki 750 Quad; a Kramer 357 Tele-handler - handles all kinds

of materials - and also helps out on Andrew’s farm; Ifor Williams

trailer for transporting machinery to the work site and an Isuzu pickup

truck, to tow the machinery around the island.

“All of this equipment I have acquired through the Hunt Forest

Group on the island,” said Andrew, “as they sell what I consider to

be the best equipment, they have an excellent reputation for aftersales

back-up and servicing. Nothing is ever too much trouble for

them and if I have an issue, they could be out within the hour and

we are back up and running again in no time - I have experienced

that happening even on a Sunday! That’s what I call service!

Since we started the business, I’ve had four of the John Deere

ride-on mowers, three of the Zero turn mowers and they have

never had any serious breakdown issues. I’ve had the ISUZU

since 2013 and it’s still doing a great job.”

Daily servicing for Blade & Spade’s equipment requires, in the

main - simple greasing and checking for belt tension or water

levels “Major, year-end servicing is carried out by Hunt Forest and

is always ready in plenty of time before next season commences.”

enthused Andrew. “I have a personal approach to my business

and that is; wherever we have been and completed a job, if I

would be happy to have done this job in my own backyard and

would be totally satisfied with the end result, then I think my

customers would be pleased with it also. I think that’s very much

how the team at Hunt Forest approach their customer service in a

very similar way to us and that’s why we get along so well.”

Meet our Accounts Team at Chilbolton

(left) Helen Trueman as Sales Ledger, Tricia Dewey and Bridget Cox as Purchase

Ledgers and Holly Hunt as Sales Ledger.

Accounting system data at Hunt Forest Group has merged

and we are in the process of consolidating accounts from

NFFM and R.Hunt Ltd. Thank you to our customers for your

patience and co-operation through this time.

The accounts team are now based at our Head Office

at Chilbolton. They can be reached on the following:

Purchase Ledger - purchaseledger@huntforest.com

01264 860 532

Sales Ledger - salesledger@huntforest.com 01264 860 532

We are always trying to do our bit for the environment, so

if you would like to receive your statements and invoices by

email, please email salesledger@huntforest.com

Steve Cox Financial Director

HUNTFOREST.COM 15

West Amesbury Farms buy into

the Amazone technology

Philip Sawkill, West Amesbury Farms “with

the majority of the autumn cereals planted

again this year, its flexibility in terms of

coping with both wet and dry conditions

has proved itself once again.”

‘By maximising inputs by the use of technology, we have

seen a pleasing increase in returns,’ confides Philip Sawkill

of West Amesbury Farms, ‘We have taken on board

soil mapping for seed rates and base fertilisers plus also

applying variable rate N by measuring GAL levels as a

means of matching inputs to soils’.

With around 1,500 acres on the chalk downs with a high flint

content, the farm is split into roughly 1/3 spring and 2/3 autumn

cropping; the rotation consisting of winter wheat, oilseed rape,

beans and spring barley. With both digestate and sewerage

sludge applied in rotation, soil nutrient levels are on the increase,

as is soil workability, and so any subsequent applications have to

be based on actual requirements - both to keep costs down as

well preventing lodging and excessive grain nitrogen content.

The farm utilises a system of leaving a stale seedbed to

encourage volunteer growth and then mixing and loosening

with the TopDown at around 10-15 cm before going in with

the Cayena which is linked to a seed rate map in the GreenStar

2630. ‘On the drilling front, we have been running a 6-metre

Cayena tine seeder now for many years as we love its easy

pull, consistency of planting depth control and the ideal seed

coverage’, adds Philip, and, with the majority of the autumn

cereals planted again this year, its flexibility in terms of coping

with both wet and dry conditions has proved itself once again.

‘We have evened up plant numbers by the use of variable rate

drilling and we have found those even plant stands considerably

easier to manage as well as seeing improving yields’. And, as

the new drill has now the option of fertiliser, the farm can start

to use targeted P application, either as TSP or DAP in winter

cereals and rape as well as adding a starter application of NPK

in spring barley.

Buying into technology was also the policy adopted on the

fertiliser spreader and so, when the old ZA-M Ultra Profis was

due for a change, a new ZA-TS was suggested by local dealer,

Hunt Forest Group. Five years on, the technology has proved its

worth with part-width shut-off via the SectionControl software in

the GreenStar controlling the ins and outs on the headland to

prevent over and under-spread, as well as the twin weigh cell and

tilt sensor combo looking after the accuracy of application rate.

‘We work on 30-metre tramlines and it doesn’t seem to matter

what material we put in the hopper the evenness of spread is

always spot on and the other big advantage of the ZA-TS is that,

before, we were seeing the crop tailing off at the hedge sides

with the border spread Limiter on the old ZA-M Ultra.

However, with the current AutoTS system, the crop is level right

through to the boundary and this has shown up in the yields.’ As

already mentioned, the spreader is also being used for target

applying fertiliser, ‘We are using a mixture of soil mapping

to generate P & K maps along with doing variable rate N in

conjunction with SOYL’s satellite imagery maps so again we

have maximised the use of our fertiliser inputs,’ Philip concludes

‘From our point of view the kit that we have bought has been

fundamental in improving returns’ .

16 HUNTFOREST.COM

We push the boundaries of spreading

to make your fertiliser go further

Accuracy and precision in spreading

doesn’t start in the field - it starts here

in the Amazone technical laboratory.

Consider, for example, the peace of mind generated by

ArgusTwin, where its radar sensors constantly monitor

the spread pattern as it leaves the disc and, if the fertiliser

properties change and the pattern loses its accuracy,

then the delivery system adjusts automatically to get the

distribution precisely back on track.

After all, we should know - we have been at it for

more than 100 years!

EasySet 2 helps improve the

accuracy of the application rate

www.amazone.co.uk

Genuine Kuhn Parts Available

from the Hunt Forest Group

Genuine Kuhn parts are available from all Hunt Forest Group branches.

Ask our parts department for more details

HUNTFOREST.COM 17

New Triplex

mower sets

highest standards

in precision-cut

technology

Arriving in April this year and ready for customer

demonstration, are John Deere’s new, 2750 PrecisionCut

and E-Cut hybrid triplex mowers. Offering more precise

control of performance and cut quality than ever before, at

lower operating costs.

Designed to provide premium cut quality regardless of who

operates the machine, the new 2750 greens mowers feature an

enhanced TechControl system as well as improved access to the

grass boxes, together with a lightweight, open platform design.

“Consistent cut quality across all operators, efficient contour

following and grass box accessibility are all critical needs for our

customers, and understanding these requirements was a key

driver behind the development of these new reel mowers,” says

Hunt Forest Group’s Turf and Construction Sales Director, Ed

Smales. “The 2750 triplex mowers have been designed to tackle

these challenges and take the stress out of fine turf mowing.”

Using the proven, password protected TechControl system, fleet

managers and technicians can input commands, controlling

nearly everything relating to the operator’s performance. This

includes frequency of clip, turn speed, clean-up pass speed and

how fast the cutting units raise and lower, providing consistent

end results on the course whoever is operating the mower.

Featured as an industry exclusive on the hydraulic model for the

first time (and also available as standard on the hybrid unit), the

frequency of clip can be programmed by altering parameters

on mowing speed, reel speed and the number of blades on the

reel. Once programmed, the settings cannot be changed by the

operator and automatically adjust with ground speed, ensuring

uniformity from machine to machine.

Clean-up pass mode, another John Deere exclusive, is a preset

operating mode that the operator can engage to automatically

reduce mowing speed on perimeter passes to increase accuracy,

with less scalping or missed strips. This setting allows the

operator to focus on the task, rather than on manually feathering

the speed.

Adjustable turn speed allows the course manager to control

how fast the operator is able to turn, which minimises the risk of

turf damage. In addition, by selecting Eco Mode, engine speed

can be electronically controlled to conserve fuel. In this mode,

engine RPM are automatically adjusted based on the load,

which can save up to 30 per cent on fuel and reduce operating

sound levels.

The 2750 greens mowers’ frame design provides a low centre

of gravity for excellent stability and traction performance. The

lighter weight also reduces tyre tracking and ground compaction,

while the open platform makes it easier to access the central

grass box. All three grass boxes can be easily removed and

installed with one hand, and there is a translucent yellow option

for better visibility of grass clippings levels.

John Deere’s new 2750 PrecisionCut and E-Cut hybrid triplex

mowers offer a 62in (157cm) mowing width at speeds of up to

6mph (9.7kph). The three-axis lift system on the cutting units

provides up to 18 degrees of steering and 42 degrees of contour

18 HUNTFOREST.COM

following for an even cut, especially on clean-up passes and

undulating terrain. For maximum operator comfort, both the

steering column and the steering wheel can be easily adjusted

without the need for tools.

“The John Deere 2750 Triplex mower,” added Ed Smales, “is

probably the most advanced technology from any brand in the

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