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MacDon inks deal to build draper headers for Case IH and New Holland

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Cally DupeCountryman
A New Holland combine harvester with a MacDon draper header.
Camera IconA New Holland combine harvester with a MacDon draper header. Credit: New Holland/Countryman

MacDon Industries has inked major agreements to build draper headers for two of the world’s biggest machinery companies, in a boon for farmers looking for more options in the machinery equipment market.

The manufacturer announced the two separate partnerships with New Holland and CASE IH — which are both owned by CNH Industrial — this week, with the co-branded draper headers to be offered worldwide.

The New Holland agreement includes distribution of a full line of co-branded combine draper headers across the world — except in South America — in time for the 2023 season.

The co-branded draper headers designed for Case IH Axial-Flow combines will be available for order worldwide next year, with Australian and New Zealand customers able to order through their local dealers late in 2022.

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They are expected to be delivered in time for the following year’s harvest.

Case IH ANZ general manager Pete McCann said the new partnership aimed to deliver an industry-leading harvesting package for producers.

“Case IH and MacDon have always strived to bring greater efficiencies and productivity to the agriculture industry and we’re looking forward to what this new arrangement can offer our customers,” he said.

“The collaboration is an exciting new chapter in Case IH’s Hay and Harvest product offering, and we believe it gives farmers a high-efficiency draper header-combine solution that will make harvesting easier, and more profitable for local farming businesses.

“As the agriculture industry worldwide is called on to continue increasing its outputs in the coming decades, innovation is the key to helping achieve this, and seeking out new partnerships like this one with MacDon will ensure the bar continues to be raised for the benefit of farmers, and consumers both here and across the globe.”

New Holland Australia and New Zealand general manager Bruce Healy said the global strategic partnership would complement New Holland’s wide offering of combine headers.

Production of New Holland’s Varifeed grain headers and CornMaster corn headers will continue, allowing the brand to offer the best header solutions for all customers.

“New Holland first pioneered the Twin Rotor combine in 1975, and it changed the face of harvesting forever,” Mr Healy said.

“Since then, we have focused on ensuring we meet the needs of our customers by delivering cleaner grain quality and volume while also minimising crop loss.

“With our strong combine history in Australia, and a footprint of over 100 dealerships in our Australian and New Zealand network, combined with MacDon’s world-leading combine draper header expertise and products, we will be able to provide an unrivalled harvesting package for our dealers and customers.”

New Holland Australia broadacre product segment manager Marc Smith said both New Holland and MacDon were leaders within their respective areas of the harvesting process and the partnership would offer immediate improvements to customers.

“Using New Holland’s technical harvest expertise and customer needs insights as well as MacDon’s ability to craft best-in-class headers with increased flex and speed, we can significantly increase our customers’ on-farm performance and efficiency, and decrease their operational costs,” he said.

“This partnership creates a best-case scenario for both brands and our dealers, and most importantly, takes the harvesting experience and performance for our customers to a new level.”

Based in Manitoba, Canada, MacDon has manufactured high-performance harvesting equipment for more than 70 years.

MacDon will still manufacture and distribute its full line of combine draper headers under its own MacDon brand to all its dealers and for all major combine brands.

The company has historically built equipment under its own brand as well as for other manufacturers, including a swather partnership with John Deere.

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