Steady as she goes: Three-tyred Ploeger ‘wheels’ into the market

Ploeger’s recently-launched three-wheeled contraption (or trike – as such machines are known in continental Europe) was at LAMMA last week.

It boasts all-wheel-drive, “optimal weight distribution” and “simple operation” – or so says the manufacturer.

The new machine – dubbed the AT4103 – is primarily an application equipment ‘platform’. At LAMMA, the machine was mated with a high-capacity muck spreader.

The company says that, with a suitable ‘de-mount’ machine on board, it is also ideal for spreading liquid or dry fertiliser.

The cab may look familiar; it’s sourced from Claas.

The machine is notable for its long wheelbase. However, despite this, its tight-turning (driven) front wheel enables it to swing about – in a radius not much bigger than the machine’s overall length.

It was first seen (pictured below) at Agritechnica (Germany) – back in November of last year (carrying a tanker).

Of course, it’s not the first machine to employ a ‘trike’ configuration. Vervaet, for example, has long since offered its three-wheeled Hydro-Trike. There is such a machine here in Ireland – in Co. Galway to be exact. It is gainfully employed by a contractor, as a self-propelled slurry tanker and injection rig.

Who Or What Is Ploeger?

Ploeger – now part of the wider Ploeger Oxbo Group (POG) – describes itself as a manufacturer of specialised harvesting and application equipment.

The group not only includes Ploeger itself; it also encompasses Bourgoin, Oxbo and PMC. It has manufacturing locations in the Netherlands, France and England, as well as three facilities in the US.

There is an extensive range of equipment – for harvesting vegetables, root crops, seed corn, grapes, olives, raisins, berries and even coffee. In particular, Oxbo is quite well-known in the US for its range of belt-type grass (hay and forage) swathers and groupers; there’s even a self-propelled model in the line-up.