For New South Wales farmer James Portelli, having two different sized McCormick tractors is covering the varying needs of his daily operations.

Portelli Farms is based at Glossodia, north-west of Sydney, and is an established horticulture business growing the likes of cauliflower, lettuce and spinach.

The tractors James relies on during harvest time are the pair of McCormick’s, which were purchased from Australian distributor Clark Equipment.

His trusty duo – which have been on the farm for about three years – are the D-MAX 125 and G-MAX 165.

These offer 120hp (89kW) and 160hp (119kW) respectively, which provides versatility for them to be paired with different attachments thanks to the impressive rear lift capacities of both.

“With the G-MAX 165, we use it on an eight-pallet harvester, and we harvest cauliflowers and lettuce with it, and we do spinach as well,” Portelli says. We pull a 120-inch rotary hoe as well and we bed shape and rip with a four-tine ripper. The D-MAX has a 70-inch, and we harvest with the D-MAX with a double fork at the back as it’s a little bit smaller and a little bit lower. The main difference for us is that one tractor pulls a big harvester, and the other one just has a double fork at the back.”

D-MAX 125

Feature packed

Italian-made McCormick tractors have become a popular choice on Australian farms for their durability, strength and ability to handle general purpose needs – along with the ability to handle an array of attachments of various sizes.

Simplicity is another key feature of the range, with the manufacturer preferring to include simple and proven operation over complex electronics – something which Clark Equipment says has resonated with many Australian customers including Portelli.

The smaller of Portelli’s two tractors – the D-MAX 125 – offers a 120hp (89kW) four-cylinder Iveco turbo engine, along with a 4,500kg rear lift capacity and 48 x 16 power shuttle transmission.

The D-MAX 125 is available in full cabin configuration, with Portelli’s tractor including an air-conditioned cabin with air suspension seat and comfortable driving position with conveniently located controls.

A creeper mode is offered as standard on the D-MAX 125, enabling the tractor to move as slowly as 400m per hour and this is something which Portelli highlights as a huge benefit for his operation.

It also has three sets of rear hydraulic outlets and a 110L/min high flow hydraulic pump.

The larger G-MAX 165 offers the same flow rate but has five sets of rear hydraulic pumps, along with a 54 x 18 power shuttle transmission and 160hp (110kW).

Described by McCormick as “a force to be reckoned with”, it is also “built and engineered to handle the most challenging demands of modern farming with ease and in complete safety.”

There is also an 8,400kg rear lift capacity, enabling the G-MAX 165 to handle demanding implements.

Differential lock, wet disc brakes, four wheel-drive and 55-degree steering angle help to increase traction and manoeuvrability of the tractor.

It also offers a 500mm ground clearance, which is another feature Portelli says has been important during the G-MAX 165’s daily work.

“The G-MAX is a big tractor with good clearance which means we can go over the crops without damaging them, he says. The D-MAX has slow creepers and while we’re picking crops in reverse, the tractor is pushing towards us, so we’re behind the tractor. If we can’t keep up, then the tractor could potentially run us over – so the slower they are, the more time we must keep up to speed with picking. They’re both very good tractors and they have the old-fashioned gears, so they don’t give us any trouble.”

G-MAX 165

Superb service

McCormick tractors are distributed in Australia by Clark Equipment, which has a strong network of branches around the country to offer extensive after-sales support and parts.

Portelli had never owned a McCormick tractor prior to the purchase of his D-MAX 125 and G-MAX 165, but the decision to approach Clark Equipment – and specifically sales representative Aaron Becroft – has proven to be the start of a long-term business relationship.

“We really loved Aaron – he was very easy and good to deal with, Portelli says. “He never lied to us, and he was always there if we needed him for whatever reason. We had never dealt with Aaron before, but since then we’ve also bought two zero-turn lawn mowers, we bought two fertiliser bins, and I bought a set of wheels off him for another tractor we have. If we would ever buy another tractor – and what we needed at the time suited us size wise and in terms of wheels, speed, creepers and clearance like these ones have – we would definitely go for McCormick again.”