MACHINERY

JCB telehandler hits the mark with versatility

FARMERS require versatility in their on-farm machinery, and that is what Rocky Point Mulching, Australia’s only family-owned and operated sugar cane farm, has found with JCB’s telehandlers.

Alex Paull
JCB telehandler hits the mark with versatility

Rocky Point is of course, the business owned and operated by the Keith family, who recently took out the Kondinin Group-ABC Rural Australian Farmer of the Year title last year.

Rocky Point operations manager Josh Keith said the operation runs seven JCB telehandlers, which are used across all divisions.

“We’ve been purchasing JCB machinery for the past 10 years and we haven’t looked back as they are so versatile. We use them for picking up the large square bales of the mulch, site maintenance and cleaning, and also general duties around the operations,” Keith said.

“JCB is the only brand of telehandler we buy as they are productive, efficient and help us maximise uptime.”

But what impressed Keith the most about the telehandlers is their versatility and their high tech features.

“We especially find the engine upgrades with the speed cooling fan and transmission electronics most helpful, as well as the boom dampening which all add at the end of the day to our operators comfort and machine efficiency,” he said.

“The engine speed cooling fan is great in the hot and humid Queensland temperatures, as it reacts to changing temperatures, which maximises our fuel efficiency.

“The all-round visibility with tinted glass is another plus as well.”

A JCB skid steer is being sourced to add to Rocky Point’s fleet, to help with the general duties around the operations.

“JCB’s constant product improvements make purchasing a JCB an exciting time, and we try to add a new machine at least every 12 months to keep the fleet up to date with their technology changes,” Keith said.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the farming sector, brought to you by the Farming Ahead team.

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