Combines Why the AFX combinesIJ

diesel

Guest
P.S. In all my negativity, I realize that it sounds like I am slamming the New Holland machine. That was not my intention. In fact, my ranting has little to do with the New Holland machine, and everything to do with changing something that didn't need changed. I belive that the CR is a decent machine, that one day may be considered great (time will tell). In fact, it wouldn't suprise me a bit if the CR is better than the AFX. I almost wander if that is what CNH management wants anyway. Their job would be easier if all of the axial flow owners would simply buy a CR and then they wouldn't even have to worry about making the AFX.
 

Unload

Guest
With the same rotor, they didn't leave any room to grow. There are times I wished I had a longer one. Those guys in the 70's sure did look ahead.
 

Wind

Guest
Diesel, you have made a very strong statement here. More true than you may know. First, the 36" rotor did work, it was tried in a few test bed machines and those things would eat grain. Not only was the rotor larger, but also longer. It could not however, be stuffed into a near current frame. Case had it in process and about 50% complete when JP Rosso (spIJ) made the deal of a life time for himself and the stock holders by selling out to NH. No, it was not a merger except in the Wall Street Journal. The first thing done in the harvesting section was to can what Case had done and give them the dimensions to fit a single rotor into a NH platform. 36" would not fit! Do not think the engineers at Case were happy about it, but what choice did they have. That was their only opportunity to have a new combine on the market. Second, there are so many limitations on the frame of the 2388, that modifying it to take on a larger rotor would have meant a large investment in both capital and manpower. Case was not that happy with the profit margin on the machine and simply adding a few bells and whistles did not make the machine any more profitable as the features were not in proportion to the potential to increase the price. last, if only Case had completed the development of the AFX rotor and taken it to market in '95, when it could have been ready, do you think the landscape of market share and productivity would have been changedIJ I think that then the "merger" would have been the other way around with Case "merging" NH into their platforms and product lines.
 

tj

Guest
Excellent post!! Could not have said it better myself. Thank you. I believe many will agree with you.