Accommodating requests and being flexible to new challenges has secured a large tractor order for Massey Ferguson and dealer B&B Tractors. 

The international infrastructure group, Balfour Beatty, has begun upgrading some of its ageing UK tractor fleet and has chosen Massey Ferguson to supply the first batch of 20 tractors following an all-encompassing purchasing process.

The deal is the most significant investment in its tractor fleet over the past decade and the new MF 5700 M models will replace tractors that have been owned by the business for over 20 years. Deals like this can be complex to negotiate and finalise and require a lot of investment from all parties.

“Price is only part of the overall package in large deals like this,” says James Gobey, Strategic Plant Manager, Balfour Beatty. “We need to get operator perspectives on all brands in contention and opinions from the in-house mechanics, as they’ll be the ones providing ongoing maintenance. Then there’s the spec to accommodate our specific needs, finance, logistics and delivery – it’s a jigsaw. We want the right product and an easy working relationship with our suppliers.”  

The large tractor fleet at Balfour Beatty handles a variety of jobs involved in the construction and maintenance of overhead powerlines. Tractors are required onsite for moving concrete boxes, operating winches, and using adapted buckets, alongside general work. Adrian Schinkel, Large Plant Manager – OHL + Specialist Equipment, Balfour Beatty, says the tractor fleet is modified to suit the work.

“The type of work and relatively low hours means we don’t have to replace the tractors every couple of years. The areas around the electricity towers are tight, so we needed to maintain a small footprint for manoeuvrability. We have specialist equipment on the rear, which also had to be accommodated.”

Executing a large deal

Massey Ferguson were measured alongside two other major tractor brands offering competitive fleet packages. David Broad, MF areas sales manager, and Chloe Griffiths, B&B sales specialist, led the MF offering.

The process involved several onsite meetings to discuss the spec of the tractors to ensure the machines were tailored to the requirements. Further to this, MF, along with the two competitors, were evaluated by members of the operations team for several days to assess how the tractors would perform on various tasks.

Although the tractors were sold through dealer B&B Tractors, the ongoing maintenance will be carried out by a team of in-house plant fitters at Balfour Beatty. Such is the nature and location of the work, the team carry a small selection of stock parts, but proximity to MF dealers across the country was a key consideration for parts backup.

Adrian adds: “Our sites extend countrywide and a lot of them are remote, so when there’s an issue with a machine, quick access to parts at a local dealer is essential to minimise downtime.”

As discussions continued, the MF 5700 M range was becoming the obvious choice. With horsepower a low priority, the deal was structured around the MF 5709 M with an FL.3823 front loader. A major part of the deal for Balfour was to paint the 20 identical tractors in the company’s familiar blue livery, which MF accommodated through the MFByYou customisation studio. The service allows buyers to add features to new tractors that are not included in the standard specification. This includes central tyre inflation systems and guidance on Visio Roof models to improve field performance, or personalised cabs, seats and decals. The Balfour Beatty models all feature yellow-coloured steps for safety.

 

Tailored spec

“We wanted to modernise the fleet but didn’t want spaceships,” says Adrian. “Having a workforce that can easily operate the versatile tractors was paramount. We have traded out some 20+ year old Case CX85 tractors with manual gearboxes and no air conditioning. The MF’s will be a massive improvement.”

The multiple spec options on offer were tailored to the requirements and Chloe built the deal around features to provide greater benefit to operators. All models have the Dyna-4 transmission, making the operation much easier than outgoing models, and further savings were made in the loader spec.

Chloe says: “I could see there was no need to have quick couplers as the loaders aren’t removed from the tractors. Likewise, the electronic control option for loaders wasn’t required. This was partly down to keeping the tractors simple to use but there aren’t repetitive operations, so manual valves were suitable.”

Some of the budget saved here was used to add more significant features on the tractors. LED work lights and the VisioRoof were both added to improve operator working environment and allow good visibility when working at night. In the product trials, the brake-to-neutral function for loader work was highlighted as an essential option.

Bespoke winches

One area that Chloe needed to accommodate was the bespoke winches Balfour Beatty fits to tractors of this size. These are specifically designed for the type of work but require modifications to the rear of the tractor for mounting.

Part of the deal involved a MF 5700 M being lent to Balfour Beatty’s winch supplier so all parties could agree on the changes required to the tractors. Specs and dimensions of axles widths and tyres spacings were then sent to MF’s factory in Beauvais for the tractors to be custom made on the production line. Two hydraulic pumps, with adjustable flow, were added for operating the winches.

Adrian concludes that the whole process has been straightforward, and it has developed a good working relationship with the team at B&B.

“Both B&B, and David Broad at MF, have been great to work with, responding quickly to our requests and tailoring a deal that is specifically suited to our work and requirements.”

Dealer perspective

“The opportunity for large fleet deals such as this don’t come along very often,” says James Bowring, director at B&B Tractors. “As dealers, if we can’t get excited about these challenges and how to overcome them, then something is wrong.”

“We’ve handled large deals like this in the past and it is about building a relationship with the buyers and showing what the machines can do in the best light. A deal like this doesn’t come down to just one thing, there are many factors and people involved in making the decision.”

After an initial enquiry to Massey Ferguson, B&B were introduced to the pitch following an opening meeting with David Broad, area sales manager for Massey Ferguson and part of the fleet sales team. B&B then handled proceedings from there, with Chloe Griffiths taking the lead. Chloe says that being accommodating as possible and dealing with requests quickly has been key to winning the business.

“We’ve always responded to emails and calls quickly and provided solutions rather than problems. I think this proactive approach has been welcomed by the Balfour Beatty team. It was quite a quick deal and took just over three months from the initial meeting to complete.

“Supporting Balfour Beatty beyond placing the order has been a positive for them. We’ve held tractors at our depot to save space in their yard, which is busy during the winter. It is different to a normal farm sale and consumes time in a different way, such as working out how to fit the specialist machinery, but it is a great feeling to secure it,” concludes Chloe.