Ben Wells checks paint quality in Sleaford Three.
SIMBA RECRUITS NEW STAFF
Simba Great Plains' new factory starts full production in the first quarter of 2012, with the new shot blast, paint line and drying oven now working full time, and other facilities being installed over the next few weeks.
The new facility – named Sleaford Three - is presenting career opportunities for existing staff, and providing fresh employment, says Colin Adams, Simba's Managing Director:
"We traditionally take on extra employees on short-term contracts each summer and are delighted that five people who took up these contracts last summer joined us full time from the start of January 2012.
"We have also promoted Ben Wells to become Production Manager of the new plant, and recruited Tim Jackson to lead the team in Sleaford Two, now the smallest of our three production facilities".
Sleaford One – the original assembly plant – is being re-arranged following the removal of the shot-blast plant and oven, which leaves a lot of space to be redeployed.
During 2012 the company will also expand its exports division with the recruitment of new staff based in key territories, as Simon Revell, Exports Director, explains:
"Our ambition is to ensure that overseas customers receive the same level of professional support and service as our UK equipment users. Being able to hold training sessions with our staff and those of importers and dealers in the new conference facility at Sleaford will help achieve this".
MEETING CUSTOMER DEMAND
The DTX300 – meet its 'big brother' at LAMMA.
A new 3.5 metre version of Simba Great Plains' popular DTX one-pass cultivator will make its debut at LAMMA 2012 (Stand B95, Avenue N).
The new model is being introduced in response to customer demand. Still a mounted unit, it features six Pro-Lift legs that work between 250mm - 400mm deep to perform a thorough, deeper soil restructuring operation.
Behind these, two rows of 500mm cultivating discs are set at a nett spacing of 125mm, these being followed by a roller – with purchasers having a choice between either DD600 or DD600 light rings, or an Aqueel 2.
Users can have a seeder factory-fitted, and choose the company's LD (Low Disturbance) legs fitted as a no-cost option. These complete a similar restructuring operation but cause minimal surface disturbance.
Ben Covell, Product Development Manager, says: "Many farmers and dealer staff said there is demand for a bigger machine that offers greater output, and the DTX350 is our response".
The DTX350 needs between 200hp and 360hp according to the soil type and the working depth of the legs.
Price depends on roller choice – the DD600 rings bringing the unit price to £23,973; the DD Light 600 (£23,275) and the Aqueel 2 £22,750.
Low Disturbance (LD) tines can be supplied in addition to the standard Pro-Lift versions at £456/tine. A factory fitted oilseeds seeding kit costs £6,573. Prices for following harrows and lighting kits are available on application.
The V-300 – proven in Europe; coming to the UK.
TAKE A LOOK AT LAMMA
Simba Great Plains' stand at LAMMA 2012 will feature a complete range of cultivation equipment and drills for the UK.
These include the market-ready version of the Centurion cultivator drill, which has undergone significant field testing over the past six months in all main British soil types and conditions with excellent results, and the new DTX350.
The Great Plains kit will be led by the V-300, a 3m mechanical drill from Great Plains that is being introduced to the UK after several years of excellent results across Northern Europe.
SIMBA SUPPORTS EVESHAM OPENING
The SL400 – a popular choice.
Simba has some strong enquiries to follow up after attending the opening of Western Harvesters' new Evesham branch. The company's machines will also feature strongly in forthcoming field trials being organised by the company.
WH will now operate from new purpose-built premises at Evesham, where it has developed a 1.5 acre site to include a brand new facility that can handle new equipment sales, parts supply and a modern three-bay workshop.
Simon Manasseh, of Western Harvesters, expects the branch to thrive: "We hosted some 250 farmers at an open evening and received plenty of interest in all the machinery on show. Our previous Evesham branch closed in 2005. After a six year break it was great to re-establish contact with so many old acquaintances and customers, and we are looking forward to building healthy business at the branch".
James Kissock, Simba's Territory Manager, said the company's SL400 and 3m X-Press and ST bar both attracted interest, and he expects to start field demonstrations soon.
L/R: Mark Dolby, James Kissock, Craig Thomson, Daniel Rauchholz, David Holmes, Stephen Cook, James Clark and Martyn Hall.
SALES TEAM SEE SALINA etc
Simba's UK-based sales team are the latest staff to visit parent company Great Plains' headquarters in Salina, Kansas, USA, and visit the company's manufacturing facilities. And they got an added bonus – as they were among the 1,100 guests at the company's Christmas party.
"It's obvious from that event that everybody who works at Great Plains really feels part of the company", says David Holmes, UK Sales Director who led the visiting group.
As well as touring the production plants and the research and development facilities, the UK team also saw the company's various drills – including the Spartan and the Centurion – working in field trials, and discussed a range of technical issues with Great Plains' staff.
"We briefed them on how our current approach to cultivation has evolved over the years, starting from the co-operation with Monsanto on Eco-Tillage, and working right through to the current machines and techniques.
"One issue which provoked much discussion was consolidation. Simba has always realized its value, which is why the rear roller is such an essential element of our machines, but is something that American farmers have yet to focus on in the way we have.
"Tom Evans from Great Plains briefed us on the successful "Vertical Tillage" system for soil structure and residue management, as well as their Twin Row maize planting system facilitated by the YieldPro planter range, which enables fertilizer to be placed at the same time.
"We were all impressed by the scale and efficiency of the Great Plains plants – and saw the new 60,000 square foot facility alongside the existing Salina plant".
The Territory Managers were similarly impressed:
James Kissock: "The ethos of everybody who works for Great Plains is incredible. They are all really happy to work there. I was very impressed with the production facilities and their investment in research and development is phenomenal".
James Clark: "I have been around plenty of factories during my career, and the Great Plains plants are among the best. They are very impressive and busy – we never saw anyone standing still the whole time we were there!"
Craig Thomson: "The scale of the factories is impressive, as is the professionalism, attitude and friendliness of the staff. They produce many machines and components that will be of interest to UK farmers".
Stephen Cook: "I was impressed with the efficiency of all the plants. The quality of the facilities is excellent and all the machines they produce are outstanding".
DEMOS DO THE BUSINESS
Simba's X-Press worked well in the Ukraine.
Simon Revell, Exports Director, covered over 100,000 acres while standing still when he addressed two seminars held by Amako, Great Plains' dealers in the Ukraine.
While the total audience at the two events was just 60, that included some farmers with massive acreages: the "small" ones worked a mere 2,000 hectares. The biggest ran some 70,000 hectares!
"Amako did some very good demonstrations during the autumn, and the SLD and X-Press both did excellent work at the events.
"I talked about how farmers in USA and UK aim to achieve efficiencies in their operating systems by choosing machines which can eliminate passes and ensure tractors and men are used to optimum benefit.
"We also discussed the agronomic benefits available through improved timeliness, and how that can help achieve increased productivity".
Amako's Liliya Panchenko said the Simba models demonstrated impressed the audience "These farmers are looking for new ways to establish crops like maize, soya beans and wheat. At the moment most of them use the plough in the autumn and drill crops in the spring.
"But they could reduce the area they plough by using a machine like the SLD or SL, which would do the work in one pass, and might also help break up the compaction caused by previous cultivations.
"The SL might also be a useful tool in hard conditions, or where ploughing is not possible".
Simba's CultiPress (pictured) and X-Press are popular in Yorkshire.
SUCCESS FOR P&B AT SELBY
Simba Great Plains was pleased to help Peacock & Binnington celebrate their success in selling the company's equipment by attending a branch open day, where they showed a full range of the company's cultivation equipment, says David Holmes, UK Sales Director:
"We received a lot of interest in machines like the CultiPress and DTX. This is a region where many farmers still plough. These machines help reduce the number of passes taken to work down that ploughing into a seedbed, and so help these farmers achieve greater efficiency and output".
P&B Salesman Trevor Hardy says Simba's X-Press range is also adept in this role: "The day went very well and we had some 500 customers visit over the day. Business has been building well in the year since the Selby branch started offering the Simba range in its region.
"Alongside the CultiPress, DTX and SL, the X-Press is also widely used to work down ploughing and produce a finished seedbed in very few passes, which helps reduce the time and cost of crop establishment".
MORE MACHINES FOR PFG
The first SLDs are on their way to New Zealand.
Simba Great Plains has just dispatched five containers of equipment to the Power Farming Group, the company's importers for Australia and New Zealand.
And the company can expect to build its market presence further, judging by the interest shown in the companies' equipment at the recent Federation for Arable Research (FAR) annual exhibition, held at Lake hood, near Ashburton on New Zealand's South Island.
Exports Director Simon Revell attended the event, speaking to an audience of 80 specially invited arable farmers at a PFG seminar the night before the main event, and then again to visitors attending the event:
"I briefed them on how the current CAP reforms might impact on cropping and cultivation practices, and how farmers might be expected to respond to the proposals if they are adopted in anything like their current form.
"Sadly the event days were so wet we could not run any machinery, but PFG's staff had clearly done an excellent job of demonstrating the equipment earlier in the season, so we were always busy with enquiries".
Graeme Leigh, from PFG, says a broad range of Simba equipment is attracting interest across both countries, with the latest consignment of kit including two SLDs, SLs and a range of other models.
"We have a lot of interest in the 3m X-Press, 90% of which are sold with the ST Bar as well, and an increasing number fitted with the lighter cage roller that Simba has developed for selected export markets.
"There's also a bit of competition between four or five big farmers over here to be the first to work with the Centurion drill".
