“Today on the 28th of November (2020), TAFE completes 60 glorious years of corporate existence and contribution to Indian Agriculture.” – Message from Mallika Srinivasan, on TAFE’s Diamond Jubilee.
TAFE entered into collaboration with Harper Adams in June 2018 to develop advanced technological, agronomic and educational solutions for the delivery of sustainable food production around the world.
Recently, the National Centre for Precision Farming (NCPF) at Harper Adams University successfully hosted its first Agricultural Innovation Conference and Exhibition on July 03, 2018.
The event which was sponsored by AHDB and supported by Agri-Tech West, started with a keynote speech from LEAF Chief Executive Caroline Drummond MBE. She said: “In terms of where innovation is going in agriculture, it’s exciting times.”
Mr. P Nageshwar Rao from TAFE R&D was amongst the speakers for the event. He shared TAFE’s history and the situation in India and said: “Precision farming in India is still in a nascent stage; unique challenges will require tailored solutions in this market.
“We believe by 2025, in India, adaptation of technologies like imaging, FMS, mobile apps, autonomous in agriculture space to be at par with global standards.
With regards to hearing about HFH, Mr. P Nageshwar Rao added: “When I heard about a tractor without a driver, I said this is where we need to jump to join hands together.”
The power of Eicher tractors from TMTL was put to test during the first ever tractorthon journeying from Manali all the way till Khardung La Top, at a height of 18380 ft above sea level, in July 2017. This herculean feat of covering 473 kilometers of varied terrain was the first tractorthon and Eicher’s success of completing this task lives up to its promise of providing an “Umeed Se Zyada” experience.
One of the oldest names in the tractor industry, Eicher tractors are well known for being economical, fuel efficient and its unique distinction of being the pioneer in agricultural mechanization and product technology. The Eicher 548 and 557 embarked on one of the toughest journeys and successfully completed the challenging Tractorthon on the World’s Highest Motorable Road.
The Eicher 548 is packed with the air-cooled technology and Eicher 557 with water-cooled technology, and both tractors traversed the rocky terrains with ease as Egon Eicher and his son, from the family of the first founders of Eicher Germany drove through the stunning lands of Leh. This action packed power ride showcased the signature style of Eicher’s ruggedness and reliability to perform even in the most extreme conditions.
The Tractorthon was a show of power and Eicher tractors’ uncompromising promise of durability, reliability and its promise of an Ummeed Se Zyada experience.
TAFE TRIBE is the original merchandise portal of TAFE, offering a range of interesting, high quality products that embody the essence of the TAFE’s brand, its globally renowned standards of design, quality and efficiency.
Capturing the spirit of TAFE and its people, the products under TAFE TRIBE build a brand new way of life. They are like a badge of honour; a proud proclamation; a marker of identity and living the TAFE way of life.
After a successful year of operation with the lounge store at TAFE head office and the online store, TAFE TRIBE is proud to announce that its newest store at the TAFE Sembiam Plant, Chennai, was inaugurated on 28 June, 2018. The much awaited store presents an amazing range of apparel, travel gear, stationery items, collectibles, gifts and lifestyle gear, carefully curated and designed to reflect the TAFE brand.
The store was inaugurated by Mr. John Edwin (President and Chief Officer), Mr. Shaik Rahiman (Vice President Manufacturing), and Niraj Jain (Head of Materials). The drone parade carrying the TAFE TRIBE flag was a marvel for everyone, piquing their interest and drawing them to the store. Balloons, buntings, and banners in the classic TRIBE colours red and white added to the festive environment of the store launch.
The store was extremely well received and hopes to promote TAFE’s way of life to all. Do drop by at the TAFE TRIBE Store at Sembiam and shop from the exciting collection of Original TAFE Merchandise. You can also shop online at tafetribe.com and avail free delivery pan-India on orders above Rs. 500.
Gear up with authentic TAFE Merchandise. Live the Brand. Join the TRIBE.
Since 1963, TAFE’s Product Training Centre has been playing an integral part in supporting TAFE’s multi-fold growth over the decades by integrating learning and hands-on training modules for the service staff to provide its customers with quality after sales service.
With the needs of customers changing, staying ahead of times is crucial to stay relevant. Over the years, PTC has introduced several programs that facilitate knowledge sharing, ensuring that the technicians and service staff always have access to knowledge.
PTC recently launched a two-day refresher training program for aftermarket private tractor mechanics which aimed at educating the participants about the tractor – its parts like the common and special parts, and the procedure to remove and fit the same. They were also trained on some of the latest changes in the aggregates and adjustments. The training ensures that TAFE customers receive the best service from the technicians and around 338 private tractor mechanics have been trained so far and the training has been well received.
Additionally, TAFE has started training programs for tractor models MF 6028 and MF 2635 at their PTC centers, and also one for the field team dealing with the new IPTO (Independent Power Take Off).
A mechanic skill level competition was organized in Bihar and Jharkhand for PTC trained mechanics where their skill levels were evaluated to encourage them to improve their skills, which was marked by the attendance of about 35 mechanics. The competition comprised of objective-type questions based on repair and maintenance of tractors and the top three scorers were awarded and recognized.
335 dealership technicians from various dealerships across India have successfully completed the basic product training programs and new product training programs; and 593 TAFE personnel from across functions, technical and non-technical teams have successfully completed various training programs at PTC up to March 2018. Apart from this, various electrical models and wiring diagrams have also been introduced in the electrical section for easy understanding of the trainees.
The Product Training Centre is TAFE’s commitment to Cultivating the World and ensuring that customers get the best after sales service. With its expertise, training programs and evolving teaching methods, PTC is paving the way for a one of a kind customer satisfaction experience.
Nurturing young minds is an essential part of TAFE’s journey of Cultivating the World. With the significant increase in the tractor industry’s growth, it is evident that farm mechanization is a key factor in the success of our country’s agricultural sector. Encouraging the youth of the country to take more interest in farming and empowering them with knowledge on the industry is essential to accelerate this growth.
SAE INDIA Southern Section (SAEISS) has been organizing a Tractor Design Competition (TDC) since October 2016 for the undergraduate engineering students of India. The competition was launched by SAEISS in the presence of Mr. Cuneyt Oge, SAE International and gives engineering students an opportunity to understand the customer requirements, design, build and test various tractor models, including a 17 hp tractor. The engineering students have to design, manufacture, assemble, and prove their tractors before a team of technical experts.
This year, the SAEISS Tractor Design Competition was sponsored by TAFE, and Simpsons, and engineers from both TAFE and Simpsons conducted three workshops on the various aspects of tractor design. Each team submitted their design report which was evaluated by the chief judges Mr. C. Varadarajan and Mr. S. Nakkeran. The judges visited the colleges of the 22 registered teams in March 2018 for a preliminary inspection and gave feedback which significantly helped the teams enhance their tractor designs.
The finals of the competition was hosted by SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST) at their Kattangulatur campus, Chennai from 21st to 23rd June, 2018. The competition included design report presentation, and technical inspection of the tractor for both safety and performance. Out of the 22 registered teams, 16 teams demonstrated their tractors in maneuverability and durability tracks. The team from Government College of Technology, Coimbatore was the overall champion and SAEISS TDC – 2019 was launched during the valedictory function.
This tractor design competition is a first of its kind in Asia with a primary objective to encourage interest in the design of tractor and to improve students’ employability. In addition to building technical competencies, student engineers learn to prepare business cases for the project, behavioral competencies like communication, team work and leadership skills.
Tractor Design Competition 2018 was inaugurated by Mr. S. Sriraman, Chairman, SAEISS and Senior Vice President (R&D), TAFE on June 21, 2018. He appreciated the hard work put in by students and their faculty advisors to reach the finals and told students to make use of the opportunity to discuss various aspects of design with the Industry experts during the course of this event. Dr. D. Kingsly Jeba Singh, Dean, School of Mechanical Engineering., SRMIST, and Mr. P. S. Rajamani, Whole Time Director, Simpsons, Chennai also attended the event as guests.
Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited – TAFE has entered into a new international collaboration with UK based Harper Adams University (HAU) to develop advanced technological, agronomic and educational solutions for the delivery of sustainable food production around the world.
HAU is an agriculture university established in 1901 in the United Kingdom. HAU’s Agriculture Engineering Precision and Innovation – Agri-EPI Centre is one of the four national Centres for Agricultural Innovation created as part of the £17.7m UK government investment from UK’s Strategy for Agricultural Technologies to help provide engineering and precision agriculture solutions for the agri-food industry.
The collaboration with HAU’s Agri-EPI Centre will include joint research projects and programmes, joint publications and staff exchanges. The areas of research will focus on agriculture, engineering and technology development programmes on autonomous farming and energy efficient implements, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems and sensor technologies, and the Hands free hectare project to be implemented at JFarm India – TAFE’s adaptive agriculture research centre.
TAFE President & COO – Mr. T R Kesavan said, “TAFE’s collaboration with Harper Adams – Agri-EPI Centre is a reaffirmation of TAFE’s commitment to its vision of ‘Cultivating the World’ as it aims to combine integrated farming techniques with precision agriculture and engineering to develop sustainable farming models that work for both marginal and large farms. This collaboration will provide opportunities for developing a range of advanced training skills, learning and the promotion of international technology transfer and exchange.”
Engineers from TAFE have moved into the new Agri-EPI Centre on the Harper Adams University campus to work on the centre’s first major research and development project. On the team’s arrival, Harper Adams University engineering lecturer, Kit Franklin said, “We at Harper Adams have been building contacts with TAFE for the last 18 months. It’s great to now have this young and enthusiastic team of engineers from TAFE’s Centre of Excellence here in the UK where we’re about to start our first collaborative engineering project. Along with the completion of the project, I hope the team will get a flavour of British agriculture, helping them to return with fresh new ideas.”
Welcoming them to the Agri-EPI Centre, Lee Williams – Newport Centre Hub Manager said, “We’re extremely excited about the first major R&D project coming into the centre, but even more so as it’s a large global tractor manufacturer that’s working in collaboration with Harper Adams.”
At Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited (TAFE), learning is an integral part of its ethos. As a learning organization, TAFE pioneered the development of its employees and channel partners through various training modules at the ‘Product Training Centre’ way back in the 1960’s, which was the first of its kind in the tractor industry. Over the years, TAFE’s commitment to learning has expanded and evolved, leveraging the latest technology to support and encourage its employees to constantly develop and upgrade themselves.
As part of this journey, TAFE was honoured at the 2018 India Innovation Awards by Skillsoft and SumTotal for ‘Creating an Impact in Leadership Development’ amidst HR, L&D industry stalwarts at its India Perspectives 2018 conference. This award honours an organization that develops and implements best-in-class integrated learning and/ or talent programs that demonstrate strong results. Programs feature innovation to overcome challenges and realize success.
Spearheaded by TAFE E-University and the Business Excellence team, the leadership development program -internally branded as LA CAFÉ, is offered as part of the Joy of Execution Excellence (JoEE) initiative. Considering the great need to develop CSF project leaders in the organization who are hard-pressed for time to attend a complete classroom based learning, TAFE partnered with Skillsoft to offer world class online programs, designed and delivered to meet various business needs in a blended learning mode.
The program focused on boosting the success rate of strategic projects by improving the competency levels of Critical Success Factor (CSF) project leaders within the organization. It aimed to develop the project management skills of CSF project leaders in the identified skill gap areas. The skill gaps were consolidated by in-person conversations with business leaders and surveys. The six modules from Skillsoft Leadership Advantage (SLA) to address the critical areas which were contributing to project success were: – Leading Effective Meetings, Problem Solving and Decision Making, Project Management, Managing Conflict, Influence and Persuasion, and Managing Upward Relationships.
The program followed a blended learning approach that provided the right mix of, self-paced learning for leaders to learn anytime anywhere, online webinars to value-add to the online content and motivate learners, café type workshops to encourage collaborative and social learning, business whatsapp conversations to engage and discuss key concepts, senior leader perspectives to align the learning with TAFE’s context, LA CAFÉ buddy for peer motivation to learn, and gamification to make learning fun and engaging. The program’s framework of ‘Learn – Apply – Share – Institutionalize’, supported learners to apply their learning to the projects they are leading, and also transfer best practices to organizational projects by means of horizontal deployment.
The recognition validates TAFE’s constant endeavour to build a continuous learning culture and encourage knowledge sharing. TAFE e-University and Business Excellence team are at an important juncture in the transformation journey, aligning business needs to learning and knowledge sharing, and thereby impacting the business’s bottom-line.
Congratulations to the TAFE E-University and Business Excellence team on this accolade and for ‘Cultivating The World’ with learning.
The Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited (TAFE) – ‘Be a #FarmDost‘ – initiative has been at the forefront of highlighting the importance of farmers and, helping the urban society appreciate the hard work of farmers through various digital media communications and on-ground activities which has brought farmers and the urban population together. These efforts were validated with the ‘Be a #FarmDost’ initiative winning awards at the IAA Olive Crown Awards, PRCI’s Corporate Collaterals Award, ACEF’s 7th Global Customer Engagement Awards, the Rural Marketing Forum & Awards and, the Making of Developed India Awards.
TAFE was bestowed the Chanakya Award in the category ‘Communication Idea of the Year’ for its ‘Be a #FarmDost’ initiative by the Public Relations Council of India (PRCI) during the 12th Global Communication Conclave held in Pune. The TAFE group was among the top winners, winning 15 awards across different categories.
At the prestigious IAA Olive Crown Awards 2018 hosted by International Advertising Association (IAA) India Chapter in Mumbai, TAFE was awarded the Silver Olive Crown in the Events category for its ‘Be a #FarmDost’ initiative’s, ‘National Farmers’ Day’ event for ‘Creative Excellence in Communicating Sustainability’. And at the Asia Pacific Customer Engagement Forum’s (ACEF) ‘7th Global Customer Engagement Awards’, TAFE’s ‘Be a #FarmDost’ initiative won two gold awards. One for its ‘National Farmers’ Day’ event for the ‘Successful use of CSR Activity’ in the Events & Promotions category, and one for its #ThankYouTohBol TV commercial for ‘Creativity’ in the Television category.
The ‘Be a #FarmDost’ initiative by TAFE was also recognized as the ‘Social Development Campaign of the Year’ by the Rural Marketing Forum & Awards. The award recognizes development and integrated marketing concepts which aim to bring about social change for the greater good. TAFE’s ‘Be a #FarmDost’ initiative was also awarded at the Making of Developed India Awards, in the ‘Best Marketing Campaign of the Year (Agriculture)’ category. The award recognizes the efforts of an organization/team to increase awareness for a particular product or service.
About the ‘Be a #FarmDost’ initiative:
Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited (TAFE), the world’s third largest tractor manufacturer, launched the ‘Be a #FarmDost’ initiative with the aim to help the urban and semi-urban population understand the importance of a farmer in their lives. The initiative wants to raise empathy by encouraging people to step into the farmer’s shoes, even if for a small while. The idea stems from the thought that if people realize the effort it takes to cultivate a single crop, they would truly realize what the average farmer has to go through, day in and day out.
The ‘Be a #FarmDost’ initiative is simple, to show gratitude to the farmers who are responsible for sustaining and nourishing us. Launched in April 2015, the initiative is spearheaded by the Corporate Communications team of TAFE. In its first phase, TAFE encouraged the urban population to become farmers in a small way using the #FarmDost seed kit to cultivate crops at home, thereby realizing the effort that goes into the food they eat every day. People were also challenged to meet farmers and thank them for their hard work that nourishes and sustains the world. To support this mission, activities have been carried out throughout the country apart from the daily activity on all its online communities.
The ‘National Farmers’ Day’ by TAFE – Be a #FarmDost was held in December 2017 bringing together the urban residents of Bengaluru, and farmers from nearby regions, on a farm to live the farm life and celebrate ‘Farmers’ Day’ with the farmers. The event got urban residents to become farmers for a day, engage with them, and realize the effort and hard work put in by the farmer to cultivate the food that sustains and nourishes the world. The participants got the experience of, cultivating in a farm (teak, pomegranate or sandalwood sapling); tending to a farm by, harvesting red chilies and radish, and de-weeding the farm; making organic fertilizer; taking a tractor ride; and creating a mock farm in teams with the farmers, during the ‘Build-a-Farm’ challenge. The event channeled all the participants’ inner farmer by the activities, which they enjoyed – discovering the joys of farming.
The ‘Be a #FarmDost’ initiative is primarily driven online, building a global community of #FarmDosts, reaching out to them across media and platforms. The aim is to communicate with and bring like-minded people together who relate to the cause and bring the farmer back into social consciousness. Within a short span, the #FarmDost community grew to become 1 million strong on Facebook and is steadily growing. It also has a notable presence on other platforms like Linkedin, YouTube, Google Plus, Pinterest, and Instagram.
The ‘Be a #FarmDost’ initiative’s simple yet powerful message of gratitude and appreciation for the farmers and the profession of farming has resonated with society and is inspiring people to realize the true value of the invisible hero – the farmer.
Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited – TAFE, the world’s third largest tractor manufacturer by volume, successfully acquired the renowned Serbian tractor and agriculture equipment brand IMT – Industrija Masinai Traktora.
TAFE’s has had a long association with IMT spanning many decades through business cooperation that involved the supply of components, aggregates and technical support. TAFE will support its local partner with supply of components and aggregates for the rollout of IMT tractors in Serbia and allied markets.
Ms. Mallika Srinivasan – Chairman & CEO, TAFE, speaking on this recent acquisition said, “TAFE and IMT have shared a long mutually beneficial cooperation. This acquisition will play a key role in TAFE’s strategic and growth plans for the future.”
Through this acquisition TAFE acquires the right to use the Brand and Intellectual Property Rights, including the Designs, Trademarks and Copyright (IPR) of IMT.
IMT, an iconic tractor brand is a pioneer in farm mechanization and tractor technology with a wide range of implements and tractors suitable for cultivating agricultural land, vineyards and orchards and infrastructure applications. The implements range includes ploughs, trailers, maize planters, seed drills, cultivators and loader forklifts.
Well known for its indigenous R&D, IMT produced a range of tractors between 35 hp and 220 hp and is a popular tractor brand in Eastern Europe, Northern Africa and the Balkans.