Machinery: Machines of 2017 in six categories

JCB received two awards, and were one of the big winners at the recent Machine of the Year 2017 Awards.

The 8000 Series JCB Fastrac received the award in the 280-400 horse power tractor category, and the JCB Agripro Loadall telescopic handler secured the accolade in the handling section.

The awards were handed out at the prestigious Sima show in Paris, where the brand new products made their international show debuts.

A JCB spokesman said: “We are delighted to have won both of these awards, which are a tribute to the whole JCB team involved in the design, engineering and manufacturing of these two innovative products.”

The Fastrac 8000 Series won the accolade thanks to its speed, comfort and innovation.

As for the JCB Agripro Loadalls, they feature a unique DualTech VT variable transmission offering customers the best of both worlds, by combining the precision flexibility of hydrostatic with the speed and acceleration of powershift in a single transmission.

The Valtra A104 HiTech won the hotly contested Machine of the Year award in the category of tractors under 150 hp.

Valtra introduced a new A Series covering the range of 75 hp to 130 hp at the Sima event. Their award-winning A104 HiTech is one of the seven A series models having a completely new design which follows the award-winning styling of the fourth generation of Valtra’s N and T Series.

Producing 100 hp and 410 Nm of torque, the new four-cylinder model also boasts many of the same features appreciated by customers for the N and T Series.

Massey Ferguson celebrated success at Sima too, when the MF 6718 S was awarded the Machine of the Year title in the mid-power tractor category.

The New Holland CR and CX combines, featuring the Everest system, took the Machine of the Year award in the combine category.

Vicon’s groundbreaking mower conditioner, the Extra 736T Vario, was named the Machine of the Year in the forage equipment category.

The Machine of the Year winners are decided by a jury of European journalists specialising in farm machinery.

Machines sold in at least five European countries are eligible for the awards.