There are always some interesting business and machinery developments among manufacturers exhibiting at Italy’s EIMA event, and this year’s show didn’t disappoint. Here are some of the highlights.

New Holland celebrates heritage and puts CVT in T5

New Holland marked the centenary of the foundation of its Fiat heritage in agriculture by using EIMA to unveil a concept tractor, retro livery and a CVT version of its T5 tractor, 100 years after the first Fiat tractor, the 702, began production.

See also: Ultimate guide to buying a combine

Mimicking the livery used by Fiat tractors of the late 1970s and 1980s, the Centenario concept tractor was only for show, but NH will be offering Fiat Centenario Limited Edition tractors in a Fiat-inspired livery, as seen on the T5.120 ElectroCommand in the background.

Meanwhile, New Holland also announced a revised T5 tractor line, spanning 110-140hp (max) and with a new AutoCommand CVT option.

Return to yellow for NH handlers

Also new from New Holland was a revised range of telehandlers. After beginning in yellow when bought in from Manitou, the brand’s telescopic machines were given the same blue hue as the tractor line when NH began offering in-house machines from its Italian factory.

However, with the recent decision to offer New Holland’s construction equipment – backhoes, wheel loaders, mini excavators and skid-steers – through its ag dealers, one result has been a return of the revised telehandler models to yellow.

The six-model 6-9m TH range is available in four spec levels, with features including a new transmission with electronic modulation for smoother shifting and shuttling.

Four-wheel steer from Same

While SDF’s northern Europe focus may be on Deutz-Fahr, the Same brand is still important further south, particularly in smaller and specialist tractors of the type bought widely by farmers in hilly areas and/or with fruit-growing operations.

The new Frutteto line is the maker’s first range in this category to offer the flexibility and fuel-efficiency of a CVT, but arguably of greater interest was Same’s unveiling of a four-wheel-steer system.

The rear axle has an 18-degree steering angle, helping create a 2.8m turning radius, and there are proportional, delayed proportional, crab and manual steering modes.

Case IH reveals Stage V plans

Tractor makers have to meet new Stage V emissions legislation from 1 January 2019 for all models above 174hp, and among those showing the way they will achieve this was Case IH.

Its Optum 250 CVX, 270 CVX and 300 CVX tractors use an enhanced version of existing maintenance-free selective catalytic reduction technology from sister firm and engine supplier FPT Industrial.

Further upgrades include an extended engine oil service interval, up 150 hours to 750 hours, with the transmission oil change extended to 1,500 hours from 1,200 hours.

Optum models are now available with AccuTurn Pro, which combines HMC II headland management and AccuTurn automated headland steering.

Big push from Argo

Argo Tractors’ Landini introductions also focused on easing the workload for operators of smaller, specialist tractors, but such technology could yet creep further up the power scale.

The Advanced Driving System for the Landini Rex 4 aids handling, manoeuvring and responsiveness by reducing steering stiffness at lower (field) forward speeds, and returning the wheels to the central position automatically after a turn.

Meanwhile, stablemate McCormick showed a new in-house suspended front axle for X6 tractors, revealed that a new line of 190-240hp CVT tractors was in development, and suggested that more brand differentiation was likely.

Its new UK management promised one of the largest tractor stands at Lamma 2019, a new dealer recruitment drive and plans to revamp its UK HQ.

Kubota refreshes mid-line models

While its M7, M6 and M5 models continue to spearhead Kubota’s push into the mainstream tractor market, the maker has now given its mid-range 104-143hp MGX models a revamp.

New features include a three-range transmission with eight powershift steps in each and automatic shifting capability.

The hydraulic system has been upgraded to provide 143 litres/min of flow and a rear linkage lift capacity of 6,100kg, while a new 150-amp alternator provides enhanced power for lighting.

Some subtle cab redesigning means improved visibility, while a revised right-hand console is said to be more intuitive to operate, and the cabin interior materials have been upgraded.

Reduced presence for Massey Ferguson

AGCO’s stand was notable for two things – its size and its Massey Ferguson element.

The MF business unit has announced plans to restructure its shows and exhibitions strategy, focusing a larger proportion of its marketing budget on other ways of getting farmers in front of its products and communicating their values and features.

As such, it occupied just a corner of an AGCO stand that displayed the full range of Fendt equipment and five Valtra tractors, but just two MF tractors, a 6713 from its Global series, and a 7726S.

While AGCO has continued to offer Laverda-branded combines in Italy, they were also absent from this year’s show, in favour of a Fendt Ideal.

Production under way at Arbos

Now a familiar sight at the major European farm shows, Arbos has begun production of 100-130hp tractors at the former Goldoni plant in Italy, and is retailing them in the country through the Goldoni dealer network.

Appointment of dealers in other countries is progressing steadily, the company says,and it is also making available a full line of tillage kit through its Matermacc arm.

Key news at EIMA was that Matermacc precision drills that come to the UK will now adopt the Arbos livery, and that the three-model 200-260hp 7000 tractor range will begin production later next year.

Smallest combine at the show

EIMA always attracts a good number of companies looking to raise their profile internationally and talk to the component suppliers who take up a large area of the event.

Among them was Indian company Fieldking, with a combine a little bit smaller than the usual tracked leviathans.

With a 2.2m cut, Indian-made four-cylinder 88hp engine, axial rotor and 1,400-litre grain tank, innovative features include a 180-degree unloading arc.

Rubber tracks powered by hydrostatic drive keep the machine moving in wet rice field conditions.

Italy’s rice growing, mainly in the south of the country, tends to take place on relatively large farms, but Fieldking was reporting a good level of interest in the machine’s design.

Turks target a wider market

While Turkey produces a large number of tractors at various domestic plants and has a healthy export market, its tractor makers generally target markets with lesser emissions standards than those required in Europe.

Basak, though, wants a slice of the wider world’s tractor sector, and made its intentions clear by unveiling this Stage IV 5100-series tractor.

Available in four 95-120hp versions, it uses a Deutz four-cylinder engine with DEF/AdBlue after-treatment, driving through a four-speed/three-range 24F/4R transmission with two-step powershift and powershuttle.

Basak says it wants to expand sales into western Europe in the next two years.