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Elsworth Contracting
Elsworth Contracting is situated on the outskirts of New Plymouth. The company has grown steadily in recent years, in particular specialising in balage and hay.
Hay and balage is also bought and sold by the company throughout most of the North Island. We interviewed owner Trevor Elsworth on 29 July 2003 to receive some feedback after his first season running a Krone VarioPack 1500MC round baler.
A first impression of the business is positive. The yard is neat and tidy. Tractors and machinery are lined up in a row and all under cover on a concrete floor. Each item has been through it’s winter checks and is ready to go again.All polished and looking like new. The workshop is well equipped, organised and clean. It’s a good look.
We asked Trevor about the performance of his new Krone baler. “The baler has done about 10,000 bales since we got it in December last year.” said Trevor. “It was in at AMT*, and I decided to try it one night when we had a gap. It was such a good baler I couldn’t stop using it.”
Trevor says that he has owned John Deere and New Holland round balers, and used most brands. “The Krone is the best baler I’ve ever owned”. One of the main reasons for Trevor’s enthusiasm for the VarioPack is it’s ability to make neat dense bales in virtually any crop condition.
Trevor is also promoting the cut bales, which increases bale density and locks in feed quality with less air in the bales. However a good portion of Trevor’s customers still prefer feeding out with a simple bale unroller, and hence prefer not to cut the bales too much.
Impressed with Krone Multicut cutting system
Trevor was impressed with the Krone Multicut cutting system - “The Multicut system works well in it.” Trevor’s parting comment was “I don’t believe anybody has built a better baler.”
TFM Comments
It is nice to have good reliable gear, but it is also committed people who make any business successful at the end of the day. Tulloch’s and AMT congratulate Trevor for setting a good example of this.
* Note - AMT is Agricultural Machinery Taranaki Ltd, New Plymouth and will be profiled in a future newsletter.
Trevor Elsworth (left) with Alan Humphries (right) of AMT*, New Plymouth
Krone sells 500th Big-M
Self-propelled mower conditioner anniversary at Krone
Spelle 21st May 2003 - A milestone has been reached at the Krone factory in Spelle, Germany. The 500th self-propelled mower conditioner rolled off the assembly line and was handed over to contractor Mr. Josef Lampe.
This year Mr. Lampe has over 3000 hectares on his order books to be mower-conditioned. For this reason he has ordered two BIG-M II with working widths of 9.7m.
Mr. Lampe is familiar with this technology as he operated a BIG-M I last year with 9.1m working width, about which Mr. Lampe said “Our customers never estimated the better quality of the fodder and quality of cut from the BIG-M.” “The machine is flexible to every condition, as I operate in differing situations from small to large fields. That’s why the BIG-M is a genuine all-round talent, and I don’t know how I managed before without it.”
Mr. Lampe takes possession of the 500th self-propelled mower conditioner rolled off the assembly line.
Latest Developments
We are always striving to improve our service and quite a few things have changed over the last year.
New paved service area
Examples of long term commitments aimed at improving efficiencies include extension to the sealed and concreted area in front of the service department completed in August.
The smooth plant mix surface will make for speedier handling and unloading of containers, while the extended concrete effectively doubles the assembly working area, which will improve efficiencies during the assembly of new imported machines.
Landscaping project on road frontage in progress
New CASE IH tractors (sold in the Wairarapa) and imported machinery on display will be elevated and presented on a new area of grass sloping towards High Street.
DBS system
A major upgrade to our internal computer network was carried out over the last year, to allow higher data transfer speeds on the network, better security, and access for all staff members to any required information, whether it be related to sales, service, parts or administration.
The DBS system was one of the first networks in New Zealand when it was launched in the early 1980s. This early investment in networked computers has allowed the company (in partnership with DBS) to remain on the forefront of technology without the need to change computers every 3-4 years, and without having to employ any IT technicians.
In fact, our oldest computer in the parts department dates back to 1986, and up to July of this year it was still being used for a number of valuable tasks in the parts department.
Stylish New Monitors for Parts Dept
New flat monitors have recently been installed on the front desk in the parts department, and in the administration office. More than looking good, the monitors have a lower power usage, and are said to be easier on the eyes.
All Sales Reps now have laptop computers
Wholesale sales representatives are now all equipped with laptop computers with mobile Internet connection. This enables them to be fully informed anywhere, anytime throughout the whole of New Zealand.
The laptops are equipped with special software allowing them to access a tailor-made database system called DBS which gives access to parts and whole goods information on several shared dealer networks, as well as a dedicated Tulloch customer follow up system.
The mobile system means that current information is always available at their fingertips.
Nick Gillot with his laptop computer.
RABE equipment at Hawkes Bay field days
At work during the annual Tractor and Equipment EXPO near Hastings on 6th and 7th August. RABE Golden Eagle disc harrows 6m working width RABE Milan one way plough 6 furrow.
More RABE field days planned
Further RABE equipment working field days are planned for 17-20 September 2003. If you are interested in attending please contact your nearest dealer or ring us for more details.
RABE Milan one way plough 6 furrow.
RABE Golden Eagle disc harrows in action at Hawke’s Bay.
Another view of the RABE Milan one way plough 6 furrow.
Training - a high priority at TFM
As the machines and distribution systems evolve, so does the need for more specialised skills of our staff as well as dealers’ salesmen and technicians.
Training has taken a higher priority at Tulloch Farm Machines. The aim of our training is primarily to work smarter through focussed training programmes which meet specific training needs.
Some recent training carried out are :
- Sales product training for dealer sales representatives - March 2003
- Parts systems training - July 2003
- Computers - August 2003
- Service training for dealer technicians - August 2003
Sales staff in training
Chain lubrication improves life of chains
An effective chain lubrication can make a huge improvement to the wear characteristics and hence the life of chains.
The diagram (below) shows test results from various lubrication conditions, and the effect this has on chain wear and life (as measured by percentage of stretch, where 3% = maximum allowable stretch).
The graph shows the conditions as follows:
- a) Dry
- b) Initial factory lubrication only
- c) Occasional lubrication interval too long
- d) Effective lubrication
To achieve an effective chain lubrication, a sufficient quantity of oil with the correct viscosity must penetrate the chain links. The cross-sectional sketch of a typical chain link clearly shows how the oil must pass through a narrow gap between the side plates to penetrate into the link pin.
By comparison it is relatively easy for oil to penetrate the chain roller. Hence the importance of applying the oil to the edges of the side plates.
Krone Indent Deal
Consider taking advantage of a special Krone indent deal on a replacement set of elevator chains and slats. The set consists of new sprockets as well as chains and slats, in order to avoid new chains being fitted to worn sprockets.
Brian (Bruce) Faulknor
Service Representative
Brian has become a key member in our busy service team, working mainly in the assembly and pre-delivery of our imported machinery. He has been with the company since 1994.
He has spent a fair amount of time on the road delivering machines all over the country. His special area of competence is electronics as applied to machines such as Krone VarioPack and CombiPack balers, as well as Elho Sideliner and Quadro wrappers.
Brian is known as “Bruce” within the company for no other reason than to avoid confusion with our other Brian in the parts department.
In recent years Brian has been sent on service training courses with Krone (Germany) and Elho (Finland), in order to stay up to date with new service trends and training techniques. He enjoys getting out and about with the machines, so don’t be surprised if you see him at a demonstration day or field day assisting the sales team.
In his spare time Brian enjoys riding dirt bikes, and recently acquired a new toy, a Honda CRF450R. He is looking forward to a good trail riding season. Brian’s partner Helen races huskies, and Brian’s latest project outside work hours has been to build a so-called “scooter” which is pulled by the dogs over rough mountain tracks with Helen in tow.
National Fieldays 2003
The 6m tall Leprechaun acted as a beacon at the Tulloch Fieldays site at Mystery Creek - the mischievous elf held a sign claiming that the VarioPack baler could bale any crop - even a crop of Leprechauns!
Let us know if you want to put the VP to the test in your crop. Free demonstrations are available.
Please specify how you want your Leprechauns wrapped!
e-ward for best website
Tulloch Farm Machines Mystery Creek team was pleased to win a prize - first equal with Zespri - for the best company website referring to the Fieldays website.
John Tulloch was presented with a framed certificate by Paul Swain, Minister of Technology.