Allison Transmission Equips More Than 70% of Agricultural Sprayers Produced in Argentina

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - June, 2024 - As agricultural output continues to surge in the southern hemisphere, particularly in Brazil and Argentina, the optimization of farming processes has emerged as a key enabler of this growth. Increasingly efficient and sophisticated vehicles are used throughout all stages of farming, including sprayers, which are responsible for deploying applications like insecticides and fertilizers used to grow soybeans, corn and cotton, among other crops. Argentina, which ranks just behind Brazil and the United States in soybean production, has the largest sprayer manufacturing industry in South America, with more than 70% equipped with Allison Automatics annually.

Historically, ag sprayers were equipped with manual or hydrostatic transmissions, but the advantages of fully automatic transmissions have led owner-operators to switch to Allison fully automatic transmissions. In Argentina, farmers typically rent ag sprayers from third-party contractors who own and operate the vehicles.

"We provide services for several farmers," said Victor Hugo Ramirez, an owner of sprayers with 20 years experience in a region 300 kilometers from Córdoba, the capital of the state with the same name. "We work solely in agriculture. We use and recommend Allison transmissions. Without a doubt, I tell anyone considering switching to a sprayer with a fully automatic transmission to buy it as it works very well; they won't regret it."

Among the benefits of using a fully automatic transmission is that the crop spraying is always uniform with no peaks in the product concentration, which is typical in ag sprayers equipped with manual transmissions, which interrupt the engine's power and reduce the machine's speed when changing gears. Greater efficiency in fuel consumption, less maintenance of the sprayer and easier working conditions for the operator are also key benefits.

"One of the advantages of an Allison is that you get into the sprayer, shift into gear, and forget about shifting afterward," said Guido Quintero, sprayer operator. "In other words, you have time to pay attention to different aspects of the work with certainty that everything is going well."

Sprayers, which operate primarily at night as pesticides in contact with sunlight can damage crops, are becoming increasingly sophisticated. The most updated models have air conditioning, a refrigerator and even speakers. Despite having an operator on board, the latest models are GPS-controlled and can largely operate autonomously with minimal operator supervision.

"At the headland, when you have to slow down to maneuver, automatic reductions are much more efficient, and do not affect the continuity of spraying. The versatility of cornering, reversing, restarting and downshifting with fully automatic transmissions is always easier and more practical. I use and recommend Allison transmissions for their practicality, safety and comfort in everyday use," said Facundo Saloco, sprayer operator.

The increasing adoption of Allison transmissions for sprayers is largely attributed to the advanced technologies the company has integrated into the design and development of Allison products. The proven efficiency of the torque converter, which adjusts the power transmitted to the wheels while keeping the engine speed stable, makes it easier to drive the sprayer over uneven and slippery fields. When maneuvering at the headland, Allison Continuous Power Technology™ comes into play, offering full power while smoothly and continuously shifting, ensuring better acceleration, startability and operator comfort.

"Allison has grown very quickly in this market segment in Argentina," said Gabriel Ruggiero, Allison Transmission's Regional Director for South America Operations. "The growing preference among contractors, operators and farmers for Allison transmissions underscores the advantages of integrating fully automatic transmissions in sprayers, leading to enhanced efficiency and performance. These testimonials certainly reflect the rapid increase of Allison's market share in this segment throughout the country."