Compact Tractors For a Big Business
There is nothing small about the jobs these tractors do for Duplin Winery.
Vineyard manager Carlos Munguia is impressed with the maneuverability of the MF2615.
Though the company operates more than one brand of tractor, Duplin Winery has owned an older MF1220 for more than 15 years, and the quality of that machine led Duplin to purchase a MF2615 from White Tractor, Inc., in Burgaw, N.C., in 2010. “We used the 1220 for a little of everything,” says Carlos Munguia, the winery’s vineyard manager, including spraying, mowing and pulling trailers during grape harvest. “The durability of it, plus the convenience of having a dealer nearby” made the MF2615 an easy purchase decision, he says.
Once they had the new tractor, Munguia could compare it to the other brands of equipment on hand. “We have some Kubotas, and the thing you notice is the MF2615 has a much tighter turning radius,” says Munguia, which is crucial when maneuvering around delicate vines. Getting as close to the vines with the tractor as possible is important both for spraying, to avoid drift, and for mowing, to keep rows tidy for visitors.
Munguia says the quick availability of parts, even for the older MF1220, reduces any downtime drastically. “Just recently the 1220 broke a bearing,” he says. “We had the part from the dealership, got it replaced, and were back up and running in 20 minutes.”
Since 2010, Duplin has added two more MF2615s, both equipped with loaders and used in the production facility, to its fleet.
The formula for success at Duplin Winery, the largest muscadine winery in America, is comparable to the formula for Massey Ferguson’s heritage of quality, says David Fussell. “We make great wines and people expect a certain quality from them, and I think that’s the same as anyone who’s out there buying a tractor. We’ve learned to put trust in Massey Ferguson to provide us with a quality tractor.”
Learn more about the Massey Ferguson 2660 Series tractors at MasseyFerguson.us.
