The last move in the common combine?

Equipment size and horsepower have grown fast over the years, and nowhere is that more true than combines. For the past two years, the Class 8 combine has dominated the auction markets and now is the most common combine sold at auction, and retail for that matter. Currently on TractorHouse.com there are 11,260 listed for sale and about 35% of the market is made up of used Class 8 combines.

When I started selling equipment in 2006, Class 5 and Class 6 combines were starting to steal the spotlight. Then Class 7 slowly gained in popularity. The idea of 40-foot platform heads increased field efficiency and speed of harvest. Class 8 and 9 were also available but didn’t have the same buzz as Class 7. As the dial slowly turned toward the Class 7 combine, I was unsure how much more could be improved and how much bigger they could get. 

Ten years of Class 8 machines

The popularity of the Class 7 combine started to decline in 2012, paving the way for the Class 8 combine. Sixteen-row corn heads and 45-foot platform heads became the top choices for producers. The goal of achieving more in less time remained, and manufacturers provided real options for combine buyers. It wasn’t just about more horsepower and a bigger tank; manufacturers offered differences between classes that reduced field time and increased efficiencies. The Class 8 combine has been the most popular choice for the past ten years and seems likely to maintain its position for the foreseeable future.  

On the last Successful Farming podcast, Aaron Fintel and I discussed how the Class 10 and 11 combines fit into the picture and will have their day in the sun. The next logical progression for a market boom would be the Class 9 combine, but I think the market will stall at Class 8. The leap from 8 to 9 isn’t going to happen because if you are looking at a Class 9, you are also looking at a Class 10.

Class 8 vs. Class 9 and up

The leap from a Class 8 to Class 9 combine is hard to justify. The size of the combine makes transport tough when roading or moving with a truck. The threshing area isn’t really large enough to create an imbalance in the pros and cons checklist. A significant difference in machine capacity isn’t realized until the Class 10 combine enters the conversation. 

The other argument is that if you have two Class 8 combines, you could consolidate them into one Class 10 or Class 11 because the support equipment and labor are in place. The operation will still need the same number of trucks, grain carts, tractors, and operators. The only labor loss would be one fewer combine driver. Nothing else changes. Two combines running allows the operation to divide and conquer or focus on one area. If the weather isn’t favorable, the operation will have options that they might not have with one bigger combine. 

Transporting a Class 10 or 11 combine is also more difficult. The issue is the size and weight of the bigger combines, which are proving to be more challenging to haul on a trailer or road between fields. Trucking guidelines and infrastructure limitations are issues that will only become more difficult. 

Market domination continues

As I survey the combine landscape, I see the Class 8 continuing to dominate as the most sold combine. The Class 10 or 11 combine might find a place in scenarios where a producer is downsizing from four or more combines to three, but even then, what is the operation truly gaining? The labor requirements decrease, but everything else remains the same. The real wildcard is the impact of autonomous farming on combines. This question is yet to be answered, and it holds the potential to revolutionize the industry. 

For more on used equipment, listen to my episodes on the Successful Farming podcast on the last Monday of each month. Aaron Fintel and I explore current market conditions and factors driving used equipment. Please tune in to the Moving Iron podcast, where I track the economic drivers of the farm equipment business, and check out movingironllc.com for everything related to Moving Iron.