Midland Machinery


Lexion 8900 fuel use as low as 40p/tonne O


n farm tests of the Claas Lexion 8900 conducted on two UK farms during harvest suggest it is one of the most fuel effi cient combine har- vesters – as well as having one of the highest capacities.


Harvesting both the head- land and the main body of the fi elds the Lexion 8900 recorded fuel consumption fi gures as low as 0.95 litres/tonne while main- taining an average throughput of 94 tonnes/hour. The test was conducted over the course of three days working in Northumberland and Perth. Claas says it was carried in less than ideal conditions that were typical of those experienced by many farmers during harvest 2020. “We wanted the assessment as far as possible to realistically refl ect the effi ciency of the new Lexion 8900 in a true farm envi- ronment,” said Adam Hayward, Claas UK product manager for combine harvesters.


Using telematics data Claas UK has also analysed total fuel consumption fi gures for all the Lexion 8900 combines working


in the UK this year. This showed that for all engine hours, total fuel consumption averaged just 66 li- tres/hour.


Fuel consumption for the Lex- ion 780 and its replacement the Lexion 8800 were also analysed. At 65 litres/hour, the Lexion 8800 was 3 litres/hour more effi - cient, which equates to a saving of £378 with red diesel at 42ppl over a typical 300 engine hours per season.


In a 38ha wheat crop yielding 12.57t/ha, the Lexion maintained


an overall average throughput of 94t/ha, including the headlands. It used 11.98 litre/ha or 0.95l/t. In a 27ha block of wheat yielding 7.84t/ha, fuel use was just 8.88l/ ha or 1.15l/t.


“Fuel is a major running cost,” says Mr Hayward.


“While the Lexion 8900 may be one of the most powerful com- bines on the market, these assess- ments demonstrate how modern technology all help to also make it one of the most fuel effi cient com- bines on the market.”


Boom-time for sprayer manufacturer exports


Rutland-based sprayer specialists Knight Farm Machinery says export trade is booming, with more shipments going abroad than ever before. The company has notched up more 50 sales


to Japan in the past decade. It says it is also se- curing new orders from Israel and New Zea- land, and opening up a fresh market in Bel- gium. Japanese orders are for high specifi cation


Knight has sold more than 50 sprayers to Japan


vehicles with a fully equipped Claas cab and rear mounted engine, to which the Japanese spray manufacturer Kuroda adds a centrally located spray tank and front-mounted boom. “This market has become an extremely im- portant part of our business” says Knight sales manager David Main. The sprayers are used on a wide range of crops including fi eld vegetables. Knight has also sent its seventh self-pro- pelled sprayer to a major kibbutz operator in Israel, fi tted with an air sleeve boom. It is also expanding its presence in New Zealand, with the latest order being for a 2000 series self- propelled model


The company has also delivered two 1800


series self-propelled chassis and spray tanks to a new distributor in Belgium, to which the importer will add their own spray pack. A 2000 series machine is due to be delivered to the country later this year.


38 MIDLAND FARMER• DECEMBER 2020


New chief executive for engineers


The Institution of Agricultural Engineers has appointed Char- lie Nicklin (pictured below) as its new chief executive. Mr Nicklin joins IAgrE af- ter 24 years with JCB in design and manufacture. A chartered engineer, he has held various senior leadership roles at the company, including chief en- gineer for the Fastrac tractor range and engineering lead for Loadall. IAgrE president Paul Hem-


ingway said: “With an expand- ing world population and in- creasing demand for more effi cient yet sustainable food production systems there has never been a greater need for inventive, professional, land- based engineers.” Mr Nicklin grew up on a farm and studied agricultur- al engineering at both Rease- heath College and Harper Ad- ams University, gaining early experience working for a local Massey Ferguson dealership.


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