Green and orange flags at RWZ Rhein-Main eG adorn the middle of golden fields in Riedstadt, to mark out the combine harvester camp. On 30 June and 1 July, RWZ Rhein-Main eG, together with representatives of Fendt, presented Fendt combine harvesters and square balers, as well as the Fendt 1050 Vario in action in the fields. This allowed customers to not only look, but also to try machines out for themselves. A particular highlight at the end of the first day was the combine harvester quartet in action, flanked by the Fendt 1050 Vario with the Amazone cultivator.
Threshing in the Fendt quartet at the RWZ combine harvester camp in Riedstadt
Green and orange flags at RWZ Rhein-Main eG adorn the middle of golden fields in Riedstadt, to mark out the combine harvester camp. On 30 June and 1 July, RWZ Rhein-Main eG, together with representatives of Fendt, presented Fendt combine harvesters and square balers, as well as the Fendt 1050 Vario in action in the fields. This allowed customers to not only look, but also to try machines out for themselves. A particular highlight at the end of the first day was the combine harvester quartet in action, flanked by the Fendt 1050 Vario with the Amazone cultivator.
Christian Seelmann, Head of the RWZ Technology division, welcomes customers.
“Fendt harvesting equipment is a new feature of our range in some regions, and we wanted to use this camp to give our customers a practical demonstration, so that our farmers can form their own impressions. Therefore, we have decided to hold a demonstration in the early threshing area in Riedstadt, and to allow visitors to take the wheel”, says Christian Seelmann, Head of the RWZ Technology division, explaining the idea behind the combine harvester camp. “Following the camp, the combine harvesters will go on tour through the RWZ region. Each machine has an assigned demonstration driver and specialist. This ensures that we provide our customers with the best possible advice. When they buy combine harvesters, customers expect in-depth, detailed information with practical expertise from our sales representatives. We therefore decided back in 2014 that harvesting equipment specialists should support our sales representatives in providing advice. Since the range is very wide when it comes to harvesting equipment, and requires very in-depth detailed knowledge, sales representatives and product specialists work closely together.” This task was assigned to Christoph Freise in 2014, initially for the entire RWZ catchment area, but the demand was so high that Volkmar Zieg was appointed in 2016 as a second product specialist for harvesting equipment.
First the theory, then the practice
In opening the event, the combine harvesters in the C, E, L and X-Series were presented in brief and driven once around a specially prepared ring. The Fendt 1050 Vario made its debut appearance in this ring, and Lars Gloe, Fendt Sales Engineer, explained the technical details of the 1270 S Pro Cut square baler. The demonstration drivers and consultants from RWZ and Fendt then took questions on the individual products alongside the machines.
Gallery: Talking to customers:
(from left): Christoph Freise, harvesting product specialist at RWZ discusses the features of the Fendt E-Series with brothers Joachim and Philipp Kreischer, and Kevin Forster.
Joachim and Philipp Kreischer have been Fendt customers since the mid-90s, and bought their first Fendt combine harvester in 2003. The first model has an instant winner with its 8-straw walker slope control, and 4WD with an excellent cost-benefit ratio. “We were the first owners of a Fendt combine harvester in Rhineland-Palatinate”, says Philipp Kreischer. We have up to 600 ha under cultivation, and the thresher has been in use for an impressive 3,500 hours. What impressed him most was the short changeover times from grain to oilseed rape with the PowerFlow table, and the fuel economy of the thresher. Today, they are mainly interested in the Fendt E-Series, which Christoph Freise presents to them.
These three customers from France have travelled together with consultant Nicola Walter from Baehrel agri, a subsidiary of RWZ, especially for this event.
The results of the decision to provide more advice to customers on harvesting equipment can also be clearly seen at the combine harvester camp in Riedstadt. Interested customers stand around the machines in small groups, and listen to highly-detailed advice provided by the numerous consultants and RWZ demonstration drivers. Whether questions on the terminal, the PowerFlow table or slope control, customers’ questions clearly show that they want to engage with the technology. Christian Seelmann is really pleased to see this. “We have a lot of discussions with customers who ask detailed questions on the products, and are interested in buying them. Customers have even travelled from France, and have bought two 6-straw walker machines, that’s a tremendous result for us!”
The camp is held on a field belonging to the Wald GbR arable farm owned by Mario and Werner Wald. Father and son manage their 700 ha farm together with their wives, and have been loyal customers of RWZ Riedstadt. It’s immediately clear that Stefan Flohn, Head of Sales Operations at RWZ Riedstadt, Norbert Dörr, Advice and Sales at RWZ Riedstadt, and Werner Wald already know each other well. Werner Wald has already sown 70 ha of winter barley especially for the combine harvester camp. Only 3 km lie between his farm and RWZ Riedstadt, and his heart lies very much with Fendt. He runs four Fendt tractors on the farm. “Once you’ve driven a Fendt you’ll never drive anything else, and the best way to find this out is to take a test drive!” Wald GbR also works closely with RWZ as a seed grower, and is very happy with the relationship. “Naturally, it’s great that RWZ is so close by”, he admits with a smile.
Carsten Flohr takes a closer look at the C and E-Series.
Carsten Flohr bought a Fendt 724 Vario some time ago, and also needs a new combine harvester in the long term. “I was personally invited to this event, and wanted to take the opportunity to find out more about the available options. I still have a bit of time before I need to buy anything though”, says Flohr. The slope control and a spacious cab are the most important considerations for him in buying a new combine harvester. He will use it to manage his 280 ha farm with 220 ha of arable land and 60 ha of grassland.
Nick Schmidt came along with his dad, Julian, and is already a big fan of the 1000 Series.
Exciting technology, for young and old
It’s not only adults who find the technology fascinating! Sitting on the tractor itself, seeing how the combine harvester unloads grain, or playing with a toy 1000 Series whilst sitting alongside the big 1000 Series is an adventure for the little ones. There’s something for everyone here, technology to look at and a chance to talk shop, a test drive for those interested, and delicious bratwurst from the local butcher when you get peckish.
Since 2016, RWZ has been an exclusive agent for AGCO, and now offers the whole full-line range from Fendt, that’s why customers are keen to take a test drive in the combine harvesters. Stefan Bohländer has an arable farm and vineyard and has been a customer of RWZ for over 40 years, and is also a long-time Fendt customer. Now he needs a new combine harvester, and therefore is especially interested in the E and L-Series. The deciding factor for him is the cost/benefit ratio, and a compact, user-friendly cab design, which is an established feature of Fendt cabs.
View from the spacious Skyline cab in the Fendt C-Series.
Fendt square balers have also attracted a great deal of interest. Sales engineer Lasse Gloe and RWZ product specialist Christoph Freise are mainly quizzed on the details of the Pro Cut rotor cutter system and the reliability of the baler. The compact design of the square baler, its robust exterior and wide range of optional extras are exactly what customers want to hear. This is reflected in the huge interest in reference machines, since many customers want to see the machines in action at close quarters.
At the end of the first day, all four combine harvesters were in use at the same time, and were flanked by the Fendt 1050 Vario with the Amazone Cultivator Cenius 7003-2TX Super. A picture which will certainly stay in the minds of all our visitors. All Fendt fans grabbed their cameras and smartphones to capture the moment. Bathed in evening sunshine, everyone looked on fascinated by the harvesters’ ballet – the romance of the countryside encapsulated at the end of an exciting first day.
As Werner Wald looks at the trailers at the end of the first evening, he’s impressed. The trailers are full and he is excited about the harvest quality. All combine harvesters have been fine-tuned in the week before the combine harvester camp by RWZ Rhein-Main eG employees, and this work is also reflected in the harvest. After the combine harvester have unloaded, the results of the preparation can be seen, for scarcely any of the grains are cracked. “The grain quality is really excellent”, says Wald. This quality is a central criterion in seed propagation.
Saturday dawns with a refreshing shower of rain – good for the soil, but somewhat unfortunate for the planned demonstration. The vagaries of the weather do not deter either customers or RWZ consultants though, and crowds continue to gather around the machines, followed by a test drive. “All machines were constantly on the move, and actually only stopped to offer advice and to change drivers”, says Felix Glas, enthused by what he has seen. “It was obvious from the questions that our customers were looking very closely into the detail of the machines”, reports Volkmar Zieg. “The discussions were intense and the questions detailed. From questions on the table, to the terminal right through to the slope control, questions was asked on all aspects.
Traditional meets modern
Alongside current equipment, the history of the technology is of course part and parcel of such an event. RWZ representative Kurt Göbel came along on Friday and Saturday with his Fendt Farmer to give visitors a fascinating look at this old favourite. One of the visitors stepped forward with a wonderful story. He had been a customer of the Italian combine harvester plant in Breganze for many years, and informed Christoph Freise that he was very happy with the equipment and had therefore just bought another Fendt combine harvester. “Because I’m absolutely certain that I have a reliable product”, says Wolfgang Scheuer.
The main highlight of Saturday was clearly the meeting of the older and latest generation of Fendt tractors, when a Fendt Farmer 2D met the 1000 Series. The Fendt Farmer and the Fendt 1050 Vario were first presented in the ring so that the technical developments of previous decades were clear for all to see. During the practical demonstration, the two entered the field next to each other and the Fendt Farmer was able to show that it is definitely not ready for retirement just yet. Both are excellent cultivators.
