Running a large and successful vegetable business comes with a lot of moving parts, with reliability and productivity a key component when it comes to keeping supply up not only for domestic markets, but international ones as well.
Arthur Trandos, with brother Jim and cousin Michael, run West Australian Corn Growers, the largest grower of sweet corn and beans in the state, supplying around Australia to the country’s biggest grocery retailers, and exporting to Singapore, Hong Kong and Dubai.
The business incorporates four farms across Western Australia – at Neerabup, Gingin, Beermullah, and Broome – requiring a large machinery fleet.
Four generations of the Trandos family have steered West Australian Corn Growers, and the relationship with Case IH has spanned many of those years. Today they operate more than 50 Case IH tractors and round balers, including four Case IH Maxxum 150s, the most recent addition in the past 12 months.
“They are very versatile for us. We’re using them for planting corn every second day, baling and mowing hay, and loading hay. The horsepower and the physical size of the Maxxums are the main reasons we chose this specific model. It fits those tasks perfectly,” Arthur said.
Farm manager Matt Jupp agrees.
“They simply do what we need them to do. Whether it’s handling the hay gear or seeding, there is plenty of power available,” he said.
Today’s Case IH Maxxum range now offers some of the technology of their higher horsepower cousins, featuring FPT engines with proven technology that provides increased performance and fuel efficiency, equipping them to handle a range of tasks.
The range includes Tier III machines – 110, 125 and 140 – and Stage V models – 115, 135 and the 150 that is such a key member of the Trandos fleet.
From an operator's perspective, Matt said the Maxxum 150 was a top performer in the field, even in the most challenging conditions.
“It’s a very comfortable machine for long hours. The suspension is great, and the cab size and layout are well thought out,” Matt said. “One small but really effective feature is the sliding headrest on the seat. It makes looking around the machine and the field much easier.”
He said the transmission and the technology interface in the Maxxum 150 were effective additions as well.
“The Active8 transmission is really good. The different gear set-ups work well for our varied tasks. The Pro 1200 screen is also very easy to use. While we don’t necessarily use every single bit of the high end technology available, the features we do use are intuitive and the tractor is very fuel efficient,” Matt said.
The business upgraded the standard Pro 700 screens in the Maxxum 150 to the Pro 1200, allowing for remote monitoring and UI uniformity for staff use.
Keeping such a large machinery fleet in the paddock and meeting the demanding schedules of a big operation like West Australian Corn Growers can be a challenge, but Arthur knows assistance is only a phone call away.
“Case IH dealer Boekeman Machinery is one of the reasons we’ve stayed with Case IH for all these years. Their service and after-hours support has helped cement that loyalty, because knowing we have that back-up when we need it is vital for our operation,” he said.
For Arthur, the performance of the Maxxum 150 in the field is obviously important, but its telematics capabilities have also been a game changer from a management perspective.
“The telematics are a critical component. They allow us to see everything happening across multiple farms, which is essential for fleet management,” he said.
“These tractors are a vital part of our overall management strategy. We try to keep everything the same where we can - same staff, same technology in the machinery - to ensure the fleet is manageable. The Maxxums allow us to maintain that consistency while ensuring we have the right technology to monitor the business.”