A few years ago Seamus McCarthy decided he needed to shake up his career, but rather than scouring the job ads he went back to university and found the challenge he needed – without moving far from his existing workplace.
Seamus is the Case IH product manager for mid horsepower and compact tractors in Australia and New Zealand, a role he’s held for 12 months after the certified accountant moved from the finance division of Case IH’s parent company, CNH Industrial.
“I was looking for a change but wanted to stay with the company, so I was looking at other roles within the organisation and thought marketing would be a good fit. I went back to uni and got my Masters degree in marketing and when an opportunity as a product manager came up 12 months ago, I was ready to put my hand up,” he said.
Seamus enjoys the time spent communicating with customers and Case IH dealers, and he’s relishing the opportunity for input into the future plans for the Australia/New Zealand market.
“Working with the global Case IH teams with regard to marketing, product offerings and global platforms for new products coming down the manufacturing line – that will find their way into our market – is really rewarding,” Seamus said.
“I love talking to people so I think this role suits my personality a lot more. I’ve enjoyed getting out into the dealer networks, getting to know the people within the dealerships, and meeting our customers. Each day’s invigorating, with a variety of tasks to be fulfilled and I enjoy it immensely.”
Being involved with the agriculture industry for so long has given Seamus insights into the challenges it now faces – as well as the opportunities – and he sees brands like Case IH perfectly placed to assist.
“The current drought has had a harsh impact on the eastern states, but it’s a case of accepting the conditions provided and doing the best we can until things improve. Our farmers have always been able to adapt, getting more yield out of less resources through hard work and ingenuity, and Case IH as a brand has a big role to play, providing producers with technology and product innovations that complement their efforts and allow them to do so much more with less,” he said.
“Labour shortages are also something proving problematic for our industry and it’s here I see technology advancements making a significant difference. The ongoing development of autonomous technology has a role to play particularly when staff are hard to find and retain.”
Despite the challenges though, the innovation drive remains strong, with plenty to appeal to customers across the broad spectrum of the agriculture industry.
“Each new year brings enhanced innovation to market and the next few years will be no different. We are continually looking to update models and strengthen our product offering as we work to ensure Case IH tractors are suitable for an even greater range of industries and agricultural pursuits,” Seamus said.
The opportunities are many across his product line, the smaller horsepower end of the local tractor market used in many industries and in many areas where drought hasn’t had such a brutal impact.
“There’s opportunity but there’s also a lot of competition in the smaller horsepower section of the market, but we embrace that and it gives us a chance to satisfy even more customers, whether they be hobby farmers or owners of smaller holdings, or part of the horticulture sector. It’s in these areas where we’re very conscious of strengthening our product line-up so it’s relevant to every customer’s needs and continues to reflect the changing landscape of agriculture,” Seamus said.
