Category: Focus

The excellent year of the Sdf group

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For the Sdf group, 2023 was an excellent year. In fact, it closed the financial statements with a turnover of over two billion euros, an increase of 12.6 percent compared to the billion and 803 million euros recorded in 2022. The European market was driving the increase with a turnover of one billion and 138 million euros is above all Turkey which in 2023 recorded gross revenues of the order of 488 million euros, up 151 percent compared to the 194 million euros of the previous year. Overall, Sdf’s commercial…

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Massey Ferguson “9S.425” model by Universal Hobbies

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Modellino Massey Ferguson "95.425"

Giorgio Galloni Available on the market at prices starting from 80 euros, the replica of the Massey Ferguson “9S.425” tractor is expected to initiate a new direction for Universal Hobbies, known for its extensive catalog of agricultural machines and equipment, though not always faithful to the original. In this specific case, the fidelity to the original is the best feature of the model, perfect in the reduction ratio of the details from any angle you look at it. Even the handrails inside and outside the cab, often criticized, are impeccably…

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Model making, the Veenuhis “Profiline” series tanks by Universal Hobbies

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Giorgio Galloni While it is true that many collectors love to display their models in specific showcases, it is also true that such structures are not well-suited to protect the reproductions of the Veenuhis “Profile” slurry tankers made by Universal Hobbies. Although these models are at a 1:32 scale, the original machines are as large as a truck, so even when reduced 32 times, you are dealing more with a “big model” rather than a “small model.” In fact, the length can exceed 60 centimeters if the slurry tanker is…

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Nardi plow modeling by Agringegno: it costs money, but it has value

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Giorgio Galloni It took 149 euros to acquire the latest creations from Agringegno, the brand behind which Diego Fasolo, owner of the online store Trattormania, operates—a key reference point for agricultural model enthusiasts. Money well spent, however, as the replicas are perfect and produced in a limited edition. There were 250 pieces in the full moldboard version and another 250 with lighter moldboards, all in the original Nardi color. Additionally, there were 30 pieces in black, all characterized by high-level construction features. Metal frames, ABS moldboards with working joints, and…

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Tractor market in slight recovery

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Furio Oldani At the end of March, tractor registrations since the beginning of the year had shown a decline of over 25 percent, causing significant concern in the sector. It was known that the market would decrease with the end of incentives, but no one expected it to do so so significantly and rapidly. However, by May, the decline had already eased, settling at a value slightly above 19 percent, which further improved to just under 17.5 percentage points in June, thirty days later. It is obviously difficult to determine…

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The agricultural modeling Crosetto by Agringegno

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The agricultural modeling sector is also suffering from a lackluster economic situation, resulting in declining revenues for various manufacturers in the field. To overcome this problem, more than one brand has decided to introduce high-priced replicas to the market, as they are produced in limited numbers and, therefore, intended as investments. However, this is not the case, as simply producing a limited-edition product is not enough to justify a higher than average list price. The model must also boast flawless finishes and assembly, and in the case of agricultural models,…

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30 months after the acquisition

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In 2021, Kubota acquired the Spanish company “Pulverizadores Fede,” officially announcing the acquisition in October of the same year. Approximately 30 months later, the first return on this acquisition emerged: an autonomous self-propelled sprayer named “Kast.” This machine allows for a variety of phytosanitary treatments either fully autonomously or through remote management, both activities being supported by artificial intelligence software. The machine moves using its own internal combustion propulsion system, which ensures the necessary autonomy. Specific cameras and sensors control its movement and spraying while the aforementioned artificial intelligence detects…

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Reduced engine maintenance with Texaco oil

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“Tact Von Eller-Ebersteinsche Bga Gbr” is the name of a mixed-type farm operating in northern Germany. In 2011, alongside traditional agricultural production, it started producing electricity from a cogeneration plant powered by a 250-kilowatt Man engine fueled with biogas. The electricity was entirely fed into the grid, while the heat from the engine’s cooling system was used to heat barns and residential buildings. In 2020, due to the positive results from energy production, the plant was expanded with the addition of a second Man engine, this time with a power…

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Ecovandals destroy research on “Ris-8imo”

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In the May issue, in the Biotech column, there was news about an entirely Italian experiment on a new genetically modified rice variety designed to resist Rice Blast, a serious disease that afflicts rice paddies and necessitates regular fungicide treatments. Resulting from Crispr-Cas9 technologies, the new rice had obtained all the necessary authorizations and was subsequently transplanted in Mezzana Bigli, in the Pavia area, at the farm of Count Federico Radice Fossati. The past tense is used because that rice no longer exists. On the night between June 20th and…

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The deep red of the market

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The first five months of 2024 saw tractor registrations drop from around 8,300 units in 2023 to about 6,700, a decline of over 19 percent. On paper, this is a significant recovery compared to the roughly 25 percent drop recorded at the end of March, but the reality behind the numbers is quite different and aligns with the predictions previously made by Cema, the European association of the sector’s manufacturers. In May, CEMA indeed proposed slightly rising economic climate indices, suggesting the end of the recessionary period that began 14…

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