Versatile will launch a new rotary combine at Canada’s Farm Progress Show. The Versatile RT490 combine is the first new combine introduced in North America in more than a decade and will further compliment the Versatile line of equipment.

The threshing system on the Versatile RT490 is unique, featuring a rotating concave rotary system. A 360° concave counter rotates to the rotor for increased capacity, better productivity and reduced loss. This concave ensures that the entire thresher and separator area is utilized. A 4-stage feeder house with a unique inclined chamber replaces the traditional feeder housing with four feeding beaters, providing a considerable increase in processing stability and combine productivity by allowing a uniform layer of material to enter the rotor. The 340 bu. grain tank features standard hopper extensions that are controlled from the cab for transportation or storage.

Like all Versatile products, the new combine is powered by Cummins. The RT490 features a 490 horsepower Cummins QSX 11.9L engine that meets interim Tier 4 emissions standards.

Adam Reid, Versatile Director of Marketing, says this Class VIII combine has been thoroughly tested in a variety of crops and harvesting conditions, both in North America and around the world. “This combine has been through significant testing including more than 2000 acres in fields in Canada and the United States. Nearly every crop grown in North America has been tested including cereal crops, corn, pulse crops and rice. The productivity was excellent and the reliability of these combines was second to none.”

Reid adds that the combine is a welcome addition to the Versatile product line, sharing the hallmarks of reliability, durability and ease of service and maintenance. “The RT490 is simple and convenient to operate and maintain. The number of lubrication points and mechanical drives that need adjustment is minimized and are easily accessible.”

Versatile, a division of Buhler Industries Inc. (TSX: BUI), is the only Canadian manufacturer of agricultural tractors. The factory in Winnipeg, Manitoba covers almost 700,000 square feet with complete manufacturing and assembly capabilities and full research and development facilities. Versatile also has a rural 40-acre test site with a paved quarter-mile circuit and bump-track. For more information on Versatile tractors visit www.versatile-ag.com.