The winner of the prestigious SITEVI Innovation Award has been announced.  New Holland’s self-propelled grape harvester has received this recognition with a gold medal for the Blue Cab 4 and honorable mention for PLMTM Connect telematics system.

The Blue Cab 4 is an innovative cab concept designed around the safety and well-being of the operator. It features the industry’s most advanced filtration system. PLMTM Connect is a telematics solution that enables vineyard managers to be well connected with their operation, allowing them to stay in direct contact with their fleet, receiving real time data on their computer or smartphone. The application of telematics is of increasing value as the wine growing sector consolidates, with fewer vineyard businesses working larger areas, and with the harvesting season getting shorter, the need for efficiency has significantly increased.

“We are the world leader in grape and olive harvesting and in specialist tractors, not only because of our established experience in the vineyard industry, but because we are always looking forward, searching for innovative ways of increasing our customers’ productivity, making their work easier and safer, all the while guaranteeing the highest quality harvest and gentlest handling of their vines – which are of the utmost importance to them,” commented Carlo Lambro, Brand President New Holland Agriculture.

The announcements comes ahead of SITEVI 2015 international equipment and expertise exhibition for wine, olive, fruit and vegetable production taking place later this year in November in Montpellier, France.