McConnel General Manager Christian Davies, who has been the driving force behind the company’s export success to date, believes the new appointment is fundamental to continuing the growth of the export business.

“Our export business has been one of the most exciting aspects of our success in recent years. The foundations are in place to build on this and the plan in the future is to increase market share across all global markets,” he explains.

“Mark’s credentials are impressive and the timing of the appointment is perfect. McConnel’s machinery range is rapidly establishing a growing international reputation for innovation and quality and having geared up production at the Ludlow manufacturing plant, we’re now poised to realise our export potential and increase sales accordingly.

” New Zealander McKinnon regards one of his primary roles as establishing solid partnerships with existing and new distribution partners. He will be directing his efforts across Europe, Africa and the Middle East where he has established contacts as well as further developing McConnel’s export business in North America and Australia.

“McConnel already has existing distribution in some key markets and I’ll be making myself known and letting them know that they have a dedicated contact concentrating totally on export,” he says.

“There are certainly opportunities for McConnel and one of the biggest keys, particularly in the current climate, is working closely with distribution partners who are prepared to commit. I’m looking forward to pushing the export business on and giving it even more focus in the future.”

Most immediately apparent is the introduction of a full width roller replacing the two smaller rollers which trailed the sub-soiling leg. This rolls the field over the full width of the pass and in doing so provides a better overall finish. The new grassland Shakaerator working widths are available at 2.0 and 2.5 metres.

Perhaps the most significant change is the option of a third leg on the 2.0m machine and an optional fourth leg on the 2.5m model to further increase the sub-soiling capability. This creates a three and four, 600mm, leg configuration incorporating McConnel’s own technology.

This development is designed to cater for differing soil types and tractor horse power, but essentially the option of closer leg spacing delivers more advanced soil conditioning in a single pass across the full width of the tractor. The introduction of a third or fourth, leg also reduces draught as each individual shank assists the neighbouring leg.

Importantly, the inherent, narrow profile, leg design of McConnel’s Shakaerator is also key to the overall quality of the grassland subsoiling process. Cutting discs are positioned immediately in front of each leg and these create precise cuts in the turf into which the Shakaerator legs slot perfectly creating minimal soil disturbance. The new full-width roller follows to close the opening and complete a superior surface finish.

While the simplicity of design, as is often the case, speaks volumes according to McConnel Marketing Manager Wayne Brown, it is the evolutionary development and combination of factors that make this machine a winner.

“The concept has been around for some time at McConnel, but as with everything we do, nothing stands still and the new grassland Shakaerator delivers the most comprehensive pastureland soil conditioning achievable,” he says.

“With the benefit of the PTO-powered vibration unit working in conjunction with other features of the machine, there is a high level of deep soil conditioning, but with minimal disruption to the soil surface.

“Compaction is effectively countered to improve aeration while the breaking up of the soil plough pan also improves drainage so you avoid the problems of surface run-off in the particularly wet weather and enable the moisture to come up through the ground in the dry weather.”

More than 600 visitors attended during the course of the open days, averaging more than 100 a day throughout the week and enquiry levels and machinery orders set a new record in more than a decade of staging the open days’ event.

In addition to a broad range of new machines including the world’s largest flailhead, a new flex-wing mower line-up, two new power arms and a new discaerator cultivator, there were a number of manufacturing developments and a new static display area.

Following a presentation and factory tour, visitors also got the opportunity to put the new technology to the test on the demonstration site where McConnel’s technical staff were on hand to answer any queries.

“We have tried to pack in as much as possible for our dealers and key customers and give them an insight into how McConnel works for them and responds to their needs. It’s a face-to-face opportunity to get to know what we’re about and for our customers to get their hands on the latest machines. I

t’s their day,” explains General Manager Christian Davies. “It’s also valuable for us because it keeps us in touch with the market. Our dealers and customers use these machines every day of their working lives, so we have to listen to what they’re telling us and feed this into the planning and R&D process.”

“In view of the current economic climate, we’re delighted with the response to the open days this year and will be working as hard as ever to do our bit to keep the flag flying for UK manufacturing,” he concludes.

The four new flex-wing machines, the SR420; SR460; SR620; and SR820 extend McConnel’s previous cutting capability at both ends of the range from 4.2 up to 8.2 metres. The SR line-up caters for dense vegetation and offers improved mulching.

The addition of the robust CY2000 bolsters the series further at the heavy duty end with an uncompromising two-metre rotary cutting capability. It demolishes heavy scrubland and is aimed at the large contractor and forestry markets replacing McConnel’s previous, and smaller, CY60 machine. Designed for tractors in excess of 120hp and with reverse drive, the CY2000 is fitted with a bull bar for removing standing growth.

A further three flail mowers within the range provide contractors with a durable cutting option at narrower cutting widths ensuring all market needs are catered for. The Merlin Xtreme is available at 2.0, 2.5 and 2.8 metre cutting widths providing a high quality finish from front or rear-mounted operation.

“The new mower range offers customers more choice and draws on a tradition of advanced technical capability that we believe delivers exceptional quality. The eight machines cover all the options as far as our markets are concerned,” explains Marketing Manager Wayne Brown.

“Covering cutting widths from two metres up to more than eight metres with what is one of the widest machine of its kind on the market, we’re also combining the best mowing technology with an incredibly tough build. It makes perfect sense for our customers.”

While this is a new development for McConnel the extent of the forward reach brings the cutting attachment right alongside and in front of the driver providing an even safer and more ergonomic operating position.

“While improvements in the operation of power arm technology have been ongoing in recent years as you would expect, this is a notable development. It enables the driver to operate in the traditional cutting position and when conditions allow, power the flailhead forward up to 1.5 metres,” explains McConnel Marketing Manager Wayne Brown.

“The fact that you can also shift the cutting head backwards making it possible to cut directly behind the tractor wheel in narrow lanes and tight environments,” he adds.

Available now from McConnel dealers, the new Variable Forward Reach option has a RRP price tag of £3,600 which the manufacturer believes provides a competitive option for the agricultural and contracting sector given the scope of the advance

While this is a new development for McConnel the extent of the forward reach brings the cutting attachment right alongside and in front of the driver providing an even safer and more ergonomic operating position.

“While improvements in the operation of power arm technology have been ongoing in recent years as you would expect, this is a notable development. It enables the driver to operate in the traditional cutting position and when conditions allow, power the flailhead forward up to 1.5 metres,” explains McConnel Marketing Manager Wayne Brown.

“The fact that you can also shift the cutting head backwards making it possible to cut directly behind the tractor wheel in narrow lanes and tight environments,” he adds.

Available now from McConnel dealers, the new Variable Forward Reach option has a RRP price tag of £3,600 which the manufacturer believes provides a competitive option for the agricultural and contracting sector given the scope of the advance

The PA6500 Reverse Drive power arm is the latest machine designed for the professional contract sector and extends the Shropshire company’s existing reverse drive technology which up until now was only available at the lighter end of the model range.

Previously, reverse drive capability was only available up to 5.2 metre reach with three-point linkage. McConnel’s latest breakthrough with outright bracket mounting means, for the first time, working machines at the heavier end of the working range, up to 6.5 metres, offer effective rear-mount and front-mount application control.

Designed in direct response to demand primarily from the verge mowing professional market, engineers have incorporated all existing PA6500 features ensuring nothing has been compromised in terms of performance for one of McConnel’s most popular contract machines.

The development opens up all sorts of possibilities and enables operation of a heavy and extensive reach power arm in tight working environments according to McConnel Marketing Manager Wayne Brown.

“This is a first for McConnel on a machine of this size and obviously one of the biggest factors that had to be taken into account was the increase in weight. What has impressed is that even with the 1.5 tonne increase in weight, the stability and overall control from the bracket mount is particularly solid,” he says.

“Purely from an operator point of view, it’s going to make life much easier and create a more comfortable working position with much improved visibility for the professional drivers who use our machines for far longer periods than anybody else.”

It combines two rows of large diameter discs with the low draught design of the company’s subsoiler legs. The two rows of 500mm discs are positioned at 15˚ angles between the existing five, or seven-leg, configuration and immediately in front of the packer roller.

According to McConnel’s technical engineering team, this produces deeper soil conditioning and improved drainage for an optimum seed bed in just one pass saving considerable time. For certain soil types and crops, it creates what McConnel claims is a perfect seed bed environment.

With a maximum working width of three metres and the 5-leg configuration pulled comfortably during testing behind a 150hp tractor at a working speed of 8kph, the new Discaerator fits the vast majority of agricultural needs.

The machine also incorporates new break-away legs which break-back mechanically when an obstruction is encountered. A further hydraulic break-back leg options is also available.

Independent agronomist Peter Shillcock believes McConnel’s new Discaerator is a robust, farmer-friendly machine that delivers extremely good results and takes its place with the best high quality machines of its kind on the market.

“Having seen it during the development of the prototype, I think it’s fair to say they have created a very effective, all-in one, subsoiler, cultivator and seed bed preparation machine. During the tests, it enabled drilling directly onto the stubble, cutting out the need for ploughing and cultivating,” added Shillcock, a member of the Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC).