‘All-rounder’ Maxxum tractor fleet keeps business ticking for ag contractor

Nico Romano grew up on a Victorian dairy farm and has agriculture running through his veins, but when it came time to leaving school and deciding on a future career path, traditional farming life wasn’t for him.

Instead he became a heavy vehicle mechanic, working at a number of tractor dealerships before a new path beckoned.

“Growing up on the farm, I loved the machinery, and used it on my parents’ farm for the hay and silage, and jobs like that. After I started working in the tractor dealerships, I bought a couple of trade-in tractors that were the right price and some people started asking me to do a bit of work for them on their places,” Nico said.

“It got to the stage where I was doing more and more, and still working full-time, so I realised I had a decision to make. The thought of leaving my job and a regular wage to start my own business was a bit daunting, but I really enjoyed the contracting so I made the jump.”

Romano Ag Services, based at Tatura in Victoria, had its beginnings in 2018 and Nico hasn’t looked back. The small number of clients with smaller holdings that he started with has grown to a broader client base with larger properties. Now, his year is dictated by the hay, silage and sowing seasons.

The heavy-lifters of his machinery and equipment team are three Case IH Maxxum tractors, which Nico says tick every box for his business.

“I like the size of them, and the simplicity – they’re very user-friendly making it easy to show someone else how to use when needed. Another big plus for me is the comfort which is really important. I love them, I could sit in them all day,” Nico said.

“They’ve also got plenty of power for what they are, and I find them efficient in getting the job done.

”When I was in the market for new tractors, I got plenty of quotes, and when it came down to it, the Maxxums represented the best value for money,” he said.

Case IH’s Maxxum tractor is described as “the ultimate all-rounder”, offering state-of-the-art features to help deliver better productivity and greater profitability. It’s designed to handle a multitude of tasks with enhanced cab visibility plus power, fuel economy, ease of use and solid performance.

Nico has two Maxxum 140s, and a Maxxum 125, which he uses year-round for cutting, raking and baling hay, sowing a variety of crops from pasture varieties through to wheat, barley and sorghum, and spraying. Having the three tractors gives him greater flexibility and saves valuable time.

“When we’re coming into hay season, one of the Maxxum 140s is attached to the mower and the other to a round baler, and the 125 has the likes of the hay rake on it.

Coming into sowing season, one of the 140s has the seeder, the other does the discing and ploughing and the 125 is on the boom sprayer. This just means you’re not having to swap out implements all the time,” Nico said.

Currently, Nico’s preparing for the end of hay season, describing this year’s season as “average.”

“We were probably three good rains away from having a fantastic season. Not the worst season, but not a great season,” he said.

Nico says they did between 11,500 and 12,000 bales this year, over 610ha, compared with his best season to date last year, when they topped 15,000 bales.

He’ll get a bit of a break over Christmas, although there’s still some preparation for the sowing season ahead, including his equipment maintenance.

Nico’s local Case IH dealership, O’Connors Shepparton, keeps his Maxxums running smoothly and in the paddock – their responsiveness and customer service a big plus for his business.

“When you’ve got a limited amount of time to get around multiple properties and do the best job you can for them, you can’t afford to have machinery out of the paddock for too long. Yes, time is money – 110 per cent it is.”