No fewer than five dealerships supplying and supporting the red and silver machines are exhibiting, some for the first time, as the event continues to grow in popularity.
Among established dealers, Robert Crawford & Son at Frithville near Boston is a regular exhibitor with an outdoor stand showing McCormick models from the top end of the range, while fellow Lincolnshire dealer The Tractor Shop at Louth has opted for a stand in the marquee this year.
“We launched our involvement with McCormick at the show three years ago and it’s become a regular event for us,” says Sam Plowright of The Tractor Shop. “But we decided to do things a bit differently this time, moving into the marquee with McCormick X5 and X6 series tractors for visitors to have a close look at, hopefully in the warm.”
Moore Farm Services, the dealership that recently moved into larger premises at Harworth near Doncaster, has also exhibited at the Midlands Machinery Show before.
But this year’s will be the first with McCormick tractors on the stand following a change of franchise earlier this year as part of an expansion initiative.
“It’s certainly been a useful show for us in the past and this year we have a lot to tell people about,” says Liz Moore. “Not least, explaining our return to McCormick for our tractor franchise and also the move into premises with four times as much workshop space and a bigger area for parts and sundries sales.”
First-time Midlands Machinery Show exhibitors Catley Engineering at Desford, Leicestershire and A Downing Agricultural Engineers based at Gorefield near Wisbech, Cambs are collaborating with a joint stand.
“With LAMMA having moved further west, we find that more of our customers are going to the Midlands Machinery Show instead,” says Andrew Downing. “So it seems to be the right thing to do, following on from our successful field demonstration recently, to help raise our profile.”
As a result of the number of McCormick dealers attending, visitors can expect to see a comprehensive cross-section of models from a range that starts with the 43hp X2.20 compact and extends to the 310hp X8.680 VT-Drive for high capacity tillage and grassland operations.
Between those extremes are different models providing a choice of power outputs, features and specifications including powershift and stepless transmissions, and technologies including guidance, ISOBUS and precision farming applications.
