The appointment of Luke Barnard as precision farming specialist, in addition to his role as area service manager for all of Ireland, strengthens the support available to dealers supplying McCormick tractors throughout the UK and Ireland.

Luke (27) joined the Argo Tractors operation with several years of technical experience working in machinery dealerships to add to his National Diploma in Land-Based Technologies gained with triple distinctions from Riseholme College in Lincolnshire where he lives.

“I’m loving the job,” he says. “It involves a lot of travel, especially to our dealers in Ireland and to the Argo Tractors factories in northern Italy for detailed technical training, but it’s nice to wake up looking forward to going to work.”

Argo Tractors, one of the World’s leading companies that designs and manufactures tractors for farming, commercial horticulture and other rural enterprises, has a global partnership with Topcon Agriculture for precision farming technologies.

McCormick X7 (pictured) and X8 series tractors can have guidance- ready components installed at the factory for quick and easy installation of a satellite receiver and display.

Any Argo-built tractor can be equipped for guidance with a controller and AES-15 steering wheel drive unit, and larger models can be ordered from the factory guidance-ready with the electronics infrastructure already in place.

Topcon AGI-4 receivers and the X25 and X35 displays can then be installed by national specialist distributors – LH Agro in England, Scotland and Wales, and Topcon’s own operations in Ireland.

Luke Barnard explains: “We have a selection of guidance packages available for McCormick X7 and X8 tractors, from a basic EGNOS system operating through our own Data Screen Manager display, to full RTK with variable rate and section control technologies provided by the Topcon X35 console.

“In other words, we have a solution for all applications, with the added option of Easy-Steer on tractors with fully integrated guidance, which the operator can use to reduce the number of steering wheel turns needed to go from lock-to-lock.

“It’s a really nice feature for easier headland turns, loader work and for tight manoeuvres when hitching to an implement.”

In his area service manager role, Luke Barnard supports McCormick dealers throughout Ireland with product training and, when necessary, to help them identify and resolve technical issues.

Adrian Winnett, managing director of Argo Tractors operations in the UK and Ireland, says dealer service technicians are encouraged to keep up to date with the technical make-up and features of the products so they can maintain and repair them as quickly and efficiently as possible in support of customers.

“It’s important for dealers to have this independent capability but it’s also essential that we have the resources to support our dealers in that goal, through effective technical bulletins and face-to-face training.

“Luke joined us to perform that role throughout Ireland alongside the technical staff who support our growing network of dealers in Great Britain, but his past experience with precision farming technologies means he also brings important knowledge on this increasingly important aspect of tractor operation to our business.”

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