HARDI capacity and reliability a proven winner for Somers
Warracknabeal farmer Scott Somers has always been a HARDI customer, so when his sprayer was due for an upgrade, the decision was a no-brainer. Mr Somers took delivery of his new HARDI RUBICON 9000 self-propelled sprayer last week and said he looked forward to seeing it in action. “We’d been due for an upgrade for a couple of years and then HARDI announced a new model, which it released in July 2016,” he said. “We did a deal to buy one of the first 12 about 18 months ago. Due to some personal reasons we delayed it and I think the one we ended up getting was the 13th in Australia. “It’s a very new machine and we own the first one in Victoria.” Mr Somers said width, tank capacity and reliability were among his primary concerns when shopping for a sprayer. “We’ve always had HARDI sprayers,” he said. “They are good, reliable machines and we’ve never had any trouble with them. “We also know the guys at Wimmera Mallee Ag in Horsham and have a good relationship with them. “We bought our last boom in Warracknabeal, but every other sprayer we’ve bought through Wimmera Mallee Ag.” Mr Somers crops about 4000 hectares a year. “We generally start about mid April and tick away but we’re starting a little later this year,” he said. “It’s just gotten underway and I’ll be using the sprayer in the next couple of weeks. “I spent last week getting the GPS hooked up, which took a while, and it’s ready to go now.” The 9000 is the largest self-propelled sprayer on the Australian market. Its huge capacity – 9000-litre spray tank, 1000-litre fuel tank and 630-litre rinse tank – is matched in scale by an ultra-wide front-mounted HARDI aluminium boom, available from 36.5 metres to 48.5 metres, on-the-go adjustable axles of three to four metres and a huge underframe clearance of 1.85 metres. The rear-mounted 276kw Cummins engine has fully integrated electronic controls and supplies the power to a Danfoss four-wheeldrive hydrostatic transmission, which aims to deliver plenty of power with good fuel efficiency. Mr Somers said he hoped the RUBICON 9000 would allow him more time at home with his family. “I have a partner who wants me home more and we have a second baby on the way,” he said. “The only way to get more time at home is to finish the work quicker, so you buy a machine that gets it done faster.” Wimmera Mallee Ag sales manager Glen Hobbs said the RUBICON 9000 was named in reference to the Rubicon River, crossed by Julius Caesar. “It represents a ‘point of no return’ in self-propelled sprayer efficiency and versatility, particularly in largescale farming,” he said. “RUBICON 9000 was designed and built to cater to the specific requirements of properties like Scott’s. “This machine will actually meet the needs of any large-scale Australian farmer and that’s why I had all the confidence we would have a fair few customers for the big HARDI unit here in Horsham.” Mr Hobbs said HARDI had the operator at front of mind when designing the RUBICON 9000. “The cab boasts superior comfort and the best view in the business,” he said. “Improved ergonomics, unsurpassed visibility of the boom, clean air and minimal sound and vibration levels all contribute to driver comfort and productivity. “An Instantaneous Spraying fluid system, Override suspension and adjustable track width are just a few of the many features that come standard on every HARDI RUBICON.” Mr Hobbs said each sprayer could be customised to meet individual requirements. “That’s the beauty of working with HARDI – nothing is ever a problem,” he said. “With that in mind we are sure to be seeing more RUBICONS in our neighbourhood.”