Two demonstration days held by John Deere’s WA dealer for construction and forestry, Afgri Equipment, have been hailed as a success
Afgri held the event at a private property near Gingin, north of Perth, which was the first chance for its customers to see some of Deere’s new construction and earthmoving products.
Afgri general manager of construction and forestry James Mckillop says the new initiative was important for the company and had been beneficial in showcasing various pieces of equipment to new and existing customers.
“I think we’re getting exposure for a lot of Deere products that have not really been pushed in this part of the country, and even in this part of the world,” he says.
“When you bring skid steers, track loaders, graders with Premium Circles, the 1050K dozer that nobody had ever seen – customers haven’t even demoed before because they were never brought into this region – we’re giving customers another choice now of another dealer and OEM that manufactures really good equipment.
“We’ll gauge the feedback but, so far, we’ve got contractors and local governments here who are new to us so I definitely think it’s something we will do year-in, year-out.”
672GP/772GP motor graders
Two of Deere’s motor graders were on display – the 250hp (187kW) 672GP (below) and slightly larger 270hp (201kW) 772GP (above).
Both models have eight speeds in forward and reverse, six-cylinder engines and can run in six-wheel drive.
Both models received “some wanted revisions” about 18 months ago, Afgri sales representative Leigh Esplan says.
New look decals, a power increase of between five and 15hp, a changed colour scheme and updates including an LCD screen as standard were among the changes, Esplan explains, adding that the versatility of the six-wheel drive was one of the graders’ best features.
Both models feature Deere’s new SmartGrade technology.
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John Deere’s 772GP motor grader
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The 672GP motor grader has Deere’s Premium Circle installed
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E210LC excavator
Only launched last year, for many customers this was a first look at Deere’s E210LC excavator.
It has 118kW of power at 2,000rpm, 645Nm of torque, a four-cylinder engine, speeds of between 3.2km/h and 5.5km/h, 6.73m maximum digging depth and an operator-friendly cab design with a 17cm touchscreen.
Excavators are a new addition to Deere’s product range in Australia, but Afgri sales representative Damon Pavlinovich explains the company had aimed to keep the “durability, serviceability and commonality” that existing Deere products were known for.
“If customers have purchased graders from us before and they sit inside an excavator or a dozer, it brings back a lot of the familiarity and they know what they’re doing,” he says.
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The E210LC excavator was only launched last year
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544L wheel loader
This utility loader is a mid-range model for Deere within its L-Series. This alternative to the K-Series was introduced about two years ago.
The 544L has a 14-tonne operating weight, 6.8L PowerTech PVS 6068 engine, hydraulic brakes and a range of features for practicality and comfort.
Inside the cab, there is about 7cm more legroom than the K-Series, a joystick to control the bucket and bucket vibrate functionality for better removal of loose materials.
A reverse camera is also fitted as standard.
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Deere’s 544L wheel loader
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E36ZS compact excavator
The E36ZS compact excavator is ideal for small spaces.
A zero tailswing design allows the operator to rotate the machine in tight areas while a four-way adjustable windshield helps to increase visibility.
The 22.2kW (29.7hp) excavator runs up to 106.6Nm of torque and has an operating weight of 3,718kg and a maximum digging depth of 3.24m.
Despite its compact size, there is plenty of room for the operator inside, multiple storage compartments and both USB and auxiliary inputs.
An innovation rather than a machine per se, John Deere showed off its SmartGrade technology, which allows motor graders to run without any external masts or cables.
Fully integrated and calibrated from the factory, the GPS inside the machine gives the operator full control with a host of automated features and an elimination of setup time.
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The E36ZS is one of Deere’s compact excavators
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SmartGrade
SmartGrade allows the operator to preconfigure settings according to their requirements, further enhancing productivity, while Esplan explains there is also safety and precision technology built in.
“There is auto-articulation, so the machine will articulate and steer the back for you when it sees you going into some turns,” he says.
“It comes with a machine damage avoidance which stops your blade from being able to hit any of your tyres or your steps to stop any unnecessary damage.”
Deere also describes its SmartGrade motor graders as the industry’s first “with no limitations to blade angle, blade pitch or articulation”.
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SmartGrade technology was shown to the Western Australian public
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