Jim Breen

Jim Breen Profile Picture

Jim Breen is from a farming background. He studied Engineering in University College Dublin. He worked for agricultural media outlets and, most recently, was the mechanisation advisor for DAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs) and engineering programme manager at CAFRE (College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise). He now lives in Offaly.

‘We’ve been building 4-rotor rakes for 20 years’
‘We’ve been building 4-rotor rakes for 20 years’

20 years ago, Claas claimed to have introduced the world’s first four-rotor rake – namely the Liner 3000. The aim...

Co. Armagh manufacturer rolls out new trailers
Co. Armagh manufacturer rolls out new trailers

SlurryKat, based in Northern Ireland, has recently expanded its ‘Panterra’ range, with the introduction of a new line-up of trailers....

Business climate in European machinery industry ‘deteriorating significantly’
Business climate in European machinery industry ‘deteriorating significantly’

The ‘general business (climate) index’ of the agricultural machinery industry in Europe has “continued to deteriorate significantly”. That’s according to...

Owned by John Deere but built in Italy: New sprayers at Cereals 2019
Owned by John Deere but built in Italy: New sprayers at Cereals 2019

Mazzotti self-propelled sprayers made their UK show debut on the John Deere stand at last week’s ‘Cereals’ event in Boothby...

Spotted at Cereals 2019: Is it a tractor or a tool carrier?
Spotted at Cereals 2019: Is it a tractor or a tool carrier?

Lite-Trac – the specialist engineering and manufacturing company – showed off the latest incarnation of its ‘multi-function’ tractor / carrier...

New 100-130hp tractors from Case IH; or is it just a new ‘name’?
New 100-130hp tractors from Case IH; or is it just a new ‘name’?

We recently reported (May 24) that Case IH was faced with the prospect of having to rename its recently launched Versum CVXDrive tractors....

Italians confront the French as big machinery show row escalates
Italians confront the French as big machinery show row escalates

Back in April, the organisers of the well-known (French-based) SIMA show announced that the next such event will be held...

Have you got a Fendt firearm in your ‘sights’?
Have you got a Fendt firearm in your ‘sights’?

Fendt and JP Sauer & Sohn – apparently Germany’s oldest gun-maker – have teamed up to produce a tractor-themed hunting...

Tractor sales across the world: What’s up and what’s down?
Tractor sales across the world: What’s up and what’s down?

2018 figures indicate a decline in sales of new tractors in Europe, China and Turkey, and growth in the US...

‘Smart’ plain bearing warns drivers about excess wear
‘Smart’ plain bearing warns drivers about excess wear

A company known as ‘igus’ claims to have developed the “world’s first intelligent plain bearing”. Apparently, it’s a “high-performance plastic...

The new face of Fendt’s next-generation 900 Vario tractors?
The new face of Fendt’s next-generation 900 Vario tractors?

Pictures believed to depict the next-generation Fendt 900 Vario series tractors are circulating on social media. Unconfirmed reports suggest that...

‘World’s biggest tub feeder’ on its way from Europe to the US
‘World’s biggest tub feeder’ on its way from Europe to the US

What is being described as the “world’s largest mixer wagon [tub feeder]” is making its way from Europe to the...

John Deere to cut back production in some factories
John Deere to cut back production in some factories

Deere & Company has posted healthy looking second-quarter financial figures. However, the company is now “looking at slowing production of...

Latest Case IH tractor came in February, but has the ‘name’ vanished?
Latest Case IH tractor came in February, but has the ‘name’ vanished?

According to Dutch publication Mechaman.nl, Case IH is faced with the prospect of having to rename its recently launched Versum CVXDrive...

50 years of JCB loaders; but which was the ‘must-have’ silage machine?
50 years of JCB loaders; but which was the ‘must-have’ silage machine?

JCB is celebrating 50 years of wheeled loading shovel manufacture. The company originally entered the wheeled loader market with the...

New ‘IDEAL’ combine wins big award, but awards don’t pay the bills
New ‘IDEAL’ combine wins big award, but awards don’t pay the bills

Massey Ferguson’s IDEAL combine harvester has won the Platinum A-Design Award (in the Agriculture, Horticulture and Fisheries Design Award category)....

Pair of ‘unmanned’ Valtras on test at active airport
Pair of ‘unmanned’ Valtras on test at active airport

Robotic vacuum cleaners and lawnmowers are already here, but can the same technology be applied to a 7t machine that...

Extended SDF Indian factory can now ‘build 15,000 tractors per year’
Extended SDF Indian factory can now ‘build 15,000 tractors per year’

The inauguration of new SDF (Same Deutz-Fahr) production lines in Turkey took place this month. The renewed plant (in Bandirma) is...