Within weeks of acquiring an RB150 New Holland baler, Scottish agricultural contractor Sandy Munro is convinced that his work-rate has increased significantly. Sandy Munro runs a family business which specialises in round baling silage, hay and straw as well as grass reseeding.

From mid-June to mid-September Sandy will bale hay, straw and silage across nearly 1,500 acres of land in the north of Scotland and west coast of Scotland including the western isles. This will amount to 4,000 bales of silage, 3,000 bales of hay and 2,000 bales of straw. 

In order to get through this high workload, Sandy needs a reliable, efficient baler that can complete his jobs with minimal hassle and disruption. Despite only having the RB150 baler for three to four weeks, Sandy is already impressed with how the machine is performing. 

Sandy says: “With the RB150 I completed 118 bales in one hour without pushing the machine too hard, so straight away I was really impressed. This was an improvement on previous balers which were completing around 108 to 112 in the hour.”

The new RB150 balers have advanced roll belt technology that can improve capacity by up to 20 per cent and density by up to five per cent. This allows farmers and contractors, such as Sandy, to work fields faster and be more efficient.

Besides the speed of baling, Sandy was impressed with the bale shape produced by the RB150, especially for silage bales.

Sandy explains: “The RB150 makes the best shape bale in the market at around four foot high and 800 kilos. This is a lovely tight bale that helps with my jobs out on the field.”

Other features on the RB150 that impressed Sandy are the improved monitor and the baler’s ability to handle different crops and diverse land. The RB150 allows users to select a more rigid setting for flat fields when baling uniform straw swaths, or a more flexible setting when working in undulating terrain or uneven silage swaths. 

Sandy continues: “The ability to handle different crops and terrains along with a more intelligent monitor has helped me immensely in my day-to-day job especially when moving between different fields.” 

RB150 users can quickly transform the baler from transport to field mode by simply swivelling the gauge wheels into position. This means that they can get from field-field quicker, making the most of dry weather conditions for baling.

Sandy has been a New Holland customer since 1991 and has noticed considerable improvements over the years. In addition to the RB150, Sandy also has seven New Holland tractors as part of his farming operations, which includes four TMs, two 7810s and a T6.120. The reputation of New Holland and reliability of its machinery is one of the main reasons why Sandy has remained a loyal customer for 25 years.

Sandy says: “Reliability is hugely important to me and the job that I do. The one thing I do not need is a machine that consistently breaks down on me, as this is letting down my business and more importantly letting down my customers. All of the New Holland balers that I’ve used have been extremely reliable and have never broken down when I’m out on the field. This helps me get through more work and means that the customer is happy as the job is done quickly and efficiently.” 

Sandy is also positive about the long-standing relationships he holds with his nearby dealer, the Ravenhill Ltd Dingwall branch, and his New Holland representative.

Sandy explains: “A good relationship with the local dealer and New Holland is very important to me. On the rare occasion that I do experience any problems with the machinery, James Doyle, my contact at New Holland, is always very helpful.”

James Doyle, New Holland’s General Sales Manager for Scotland and ROI says: “We are delighted that Sandy is already having such a positive experience with the RB150 baler. A big part of what we do at New Holland is continuing to innovate and improve our products so our customers can be more efficient and productive on the field.”

In order to reach the big targets that Sandy set for himself, he is aiming to reach 800 bales a week until mid-September. A challenge that Sandy believes he can fulfil with good weather and the RB150 baler.

Sandy says: “I have the right machine which will allow me to bale more rapidly during the harvest period. All I need is the weather to hold up and then I’ll be all set!”