LEMKEN buys Equalizer

In a big boost for Equalizer, the planter manufacturer in Cape Town, LEMKEN has reached an agreement to buy the company. Equalizer manufactures seed drills in widths of up to 24 m and precision planters up to 36 rows.

Equalizer, which is also a family business, was founded in 2000 and currently employs 180 people. The company serves not only its South African home market, where it is a market leader in precision seeding, but also Australia as its most important export market.

LEMKEN CEO Anthony van der Ley believes that the Equalizer portfolio perfectly complements the LEMKEN seed drill segment and constitutes an important building block for further growth.

“There is no overlap in our portfolios,” he comments. “Equalizer offers solutions for customers and markets that LEMKEN has not been able to serve so far. In terms of our growth strategy, the Equalizer planters and seeders – also in combination with air carts – close a current gap in our product range.”

The acquisition is expected to be completed by springtime, and the two companies are keen to expand the South African site. The first definite project is the extensive expansion of spare parts logistics in 2023.

All Equalizer’s local staff will be retained. So too will the brand name, and the company will continue to be led as an independent subsidiary by its current management.

“We see great potential for new products with LEMKEN on our side, and we look forward to our future collaboration,” says Gideon Schreuder, Equalizer’s Founder and Managing Director.

Karel Munnik, Managing Director of LEMKEN SA, says they are very excited about the development as it will allow both companies to grow faster. The news was released in a video by LEMKEN. (Source: LEMKEN)

A toast to excellent design

New Holland’s Straddle Tractor Concept is the winner of a gold medal at the German Award Design 2023 in the category Excellent Product Design. The German Design Award is awarded by the German Design Council, Germany’s design and brand authority based in Frankfurt am Main. The jury members form a unique network of experts in innovations and design.

Revealed at SITEVI (salon international des équipements et savoir-faire pour les productions vignevin, olive et fruits-légumes) the Straddle Tractor Concept is a co-production of New Holland Agriculture and Pininfarina, the internationally recognised design house, responsible for Ferrari’s designs.

The concept has been explained in a video that has been watched thousands of times on New Holland Agriculture channels by users from all over the world: the idea was specifically designed to meet the requirements of narrow vineyards.

These operations produce high-quality, high-value wines from grapes grown in rows less than one and a half metre wide, often on steep slopes and in small vineyards. In these conditions, grapes are picked by hand and most of the vine maintenance work is done by means of a tractor travelling overhead over the rows.

The futuristic design developed by Pininfarina combines safety, comfort, and technology: it is inspired by the shape of a glass of champagne – tall, wide at the top and tapering down at the bottom – as a homage to premium wine growers of regions such as Champagne, Médoc, and Burgundy.

The cab is completely made of glass, providing the operator exceptional visibility on the vines and all around, and it is angled in the direction of travel, adding dynamism to the design.

The overall exterior look of the machine stands out for the flowing and dynamic automotive-inspired lines. The exposed frame confers a sporty look.

The interior features a large single door and rotating seat, with use of wood contributing to the cab’s plush, luxurious feel, again reminding of wine barrels.

In keeping with New Holland Agriculture’s commitment to all aspects of sustainable agriculture and the brand Clean Energy Leader strategy, the concept has been created as ready for electric traction, for a future of machines driven by alternative energies.

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Carlo Lambro, Brand President of New Holland Agriculture, says: “The revolutionary Straddle Tractor Concept is the result of the co-operation of two specialists in their respective areas, which offer an elegant design, outstanding innovation, and forward-thinking idea of machines in agriculture.

It is an honour for New Holland to receive this unexpected award, it makes us even more willing to continue to develop safe, comfortable, high-quality, and of course, well-designed machines.”

Alfredo Palma, Chief Transportation Designer says: “The futuristic design of the Straddle Tractor Concept is a balanced mix of functionality and style, where comfort and safety meet a unique personality inspired by the shape of the champagne glass. We are very proud of the collaboration with New Holland and the assignment of the German Design Award is a further endorsement of the great result reached together.” (Source: World-Agritech.com)

Prolong the work life of your tines and discs

Bourgault Tillage Tools developed an infused tungsten carbide treatment to protect soil-engaging parts. Called Maxlife, and available from the Canadian company’s UK subsidiary (BTT UK), field tests have shown that it extends tillage tool working life from 300% to 800%.

The heat-applied weld pool contains solid chunks of tungsten carbide. Spread evenly across the face of the wearing part, field tests have shown that the weld deposit is extremely tough and does not chip or flake when subjected to high impacts.

“It is a cost-effective option for high wear applications across a range of parts and has already proven effective when used on harrow tines, sweeps, spikes, shanks and disc scrapers,” says Ian Clayton-Bailey, Managing Director of BTT UK.

“Our parent company’s 30-year experience in producing hard-wearing parts is really coming to the fore in the current business climate,” he continues.

“Having a huge and versatile range of parts is essential for success in countries like the UK, which has hugely variable soil types, climate and topography across a relatively small land mass.”

The company has also expanded the range of machines for which its VOS drilling system can be used. Available for some years on Horsch CO and Sprinter drills, it is now available as a tine conversion for the Weaving Sabre Tine, Amazone Cayena and Kuhn Megant drills. (Source: profi)

ExactShot applies fertiliser on the spot

The ExactShot planter/fertiliser applicator is one of the interesting new technologies John Deere revealed at CES 2023 – the leading tech-show held in Las Vegas. It applies starter fertiliser precisely to each individual seed. This will help farmers to be more productive, profitable, and sustainable.

“Everything we do at John Deere is focused on real purpose and real impact,” said Jahmy Hindman, Chief Technical Officer at John Deere. “This means we are developing technology that enables our customers to provide the food, fuel, fibre, and infrastructure that our growing global population needs.”

ExactShot allows farmers to reduce the quantity of starter fertiliser needed during planting by more than 60%. The technology uses sensors and robotics to place starter fertiliser precisely onto seeds as they are planted in the soil, rather than applying a continuous flow of fertiliser to the entire row of seeds.

ExactShot will help farmers to farm economically and environmentally friendly. With the global population expected to grow from 8 billion to nearly 10 billion by 2050, farmers need to increase production by 60% to 70% on today’s arable land.

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ExactShot uses a sensor to register when each individual seed is in the process of going into the soil. As this occurs, a robot will spray only the quantity of fertiliser needed, about 0,2 ml, directly onto the seed at the exact moment as it goes into the ground.

Across the US maize crop, ExactShot could save over 352 million litres of starter fertiliser annually and prevent wasted fertiliser from encouraging weed growth or increasing the risk of running off the field into a waterway. (Source: World-agritech.com)