NEWS RELEASE June 25, 2024
Technology Key to Finding Efficiencies for May Brothers Contracting
Crestmead, Queensland (25 June, 2024) — For contractors Phil and Tim May, who work around the Methven area in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island, putting together a fleet of machines with the right technology has been key to achieving productivity gains and maintaining their reputation for efficient, reliable service.
Since starting May Brothers Contracting as teenagers 17 years ago, the brothers have grown the business from a second-hand 1986 Hesston windrower to a fleet of more than 30 John Deere tractors, plus combine harvesters, forage harvesters and windrowers.
Throughout the Canterbury region they're renowned for blending a strong sense of innovation with making the most of opportunities presented. In addition to servicing Canterbury's small grains, forage and grass seed industries, the brothers also grow potatoes for a large global company.
Phil said their ability to streamline their operation, closely monitor expenses and offer a cost-effective service has been influenced by having John Deere machines equipped with JDLink™ and John Deere Operations Center™.
"A lot has changed over 17-odd years. As far as technology goes, everything is so much more efficient — and it's right there on your phone," Phil said.
"We've always got to be managing our costs when we're running machinery, and Ops Center shows us how efficient the machines are, our working times, idle times and how much fuel is getting burnt. It has transport as well, so we can see how much time we're spending on the roads.
"Having these capabilities means we can factor all of that into what we're charging and offer a cost-effective service."
Yield maps provided quickly via Ops Center
Phil said the technology now offered was a far cry from the "old days" when a USB was needed to transfer information from a machine to a computer to create yield maps.
"For example, you've got all the benefits of sending information from the forage harvester straight back to the office.
"I wouldn't look back; this is a lot more user-friendly and all remote — it's brilliant."
-
Methven contractors Phil and Tim May have embraced the connectivity of their John Deere fleet to supercharge efficiency.
Connectivity cutting downtime
As they were growing up, Phil and Tim got to know another local, Pete Etheridge, whose John Deere dealership, Drummond & Etheridge, has been operating in Ashburton for 50 years.
"You do business with the dealership, but it's people who make the business. Knowing Pete has been a big part of our John Deere background," Phil said.
"The ability for the machines to send error codes to the dealership often means that when we phone to tell them we've had a breakdown, Drummond & Etheridge are almost one step ahead of us."
Phil said while it was hard to put a dollar value on connectivity for the business, it saves time by collating data and providing detailed information on their fleet and crop performance.
X9 proves its worth during harvest
May Brothers' latest investment was in a John Deere X9 1100 Combine Harvester which they've put to the test in a variety of crops including ryegrass, rapeseed, kale seed, wheat and barley.
"We've only done the one harvest with the X9 so far, but the performance in cereal crops is probably twice the capacity of anything we've ever owned," Phil said.
"They (John Deere) spend a lot of money on R&D and they're working years ahead of where we are today; they're already onto the next thing."
About John Deere:
Deere & Company is a global leader in the delivery of agricultural, golf & turf, construction, and forestry equipment. We help our customers push the boundaries of what's possible in ways that are more productive and sustainable to help life leap forward. Our technology-enabled products including the John Deere Autonomous 8R Tractor and See & Spray™ are just two of the ways we help meet the world's increasing need for food, shelter, and infrastructure. Deere & Company also provides financial services through John Deere Financial. For more information, visit John Deere at its worldwide website at JohnDeere.com or in Australia at JohnDeere.com.au.
Media enquiries:
Stacey Wordsworth
stacey.wordsworth@bluehillpr.com.au
0438 394 371
