Potato Review

www.potatoreview.com POTATO REVIEW MARCH/APRIL 2020 45 MACHINERY Cultivation costs tackled with new soil-engaging parts A new range of hard-wearing soil-engaging components for commonly used cultivators, subsoilers and tine seed drills has been developed by Lincolnshire-based Spaldings. e availability of the SPL Ultra range of points, wings and shins follows investment in both engineering technology and product development engineers to create a higher- performance range. A common feature of the products is the use of tungsten tiles to protect the most vulnerable soil-engaging surfaces – such as the leading edges of points and wings – along with strategically positioned ribs and serrations that help ward o collateral wear to the underlying component. Additional material and hard-facing techniques help maintain each component’s shape and form, with accurate manufacture ensuring a good t to legs and tines. e items are designed for a number of speci c subsoilers and cultivators. Spaldings MD Steve Constable said: “Listening to our customers’ experiences has enabled us to identify soil-engaging parts that would bene t from enhanced performance. Detailed analysis of wear patterns by our development engineers on both OEM and non-genuine wearing parts has then resulted in design improvements that make a real di erence to the life of these parts.” Mr Constable said eld experience showed that the SPL Ultra heavy-duty cast point for Simba / Great Plains Prolift and Flatliner 500 subsoilers or Solo and DTX combination cultivators, can outlast standard points by as much as eight times. “While soil abrasion inevitably takes its toll, the SPL Ultra parts are designed to maintain their original shape to provide e ective compaction-loosening or soil- cultivating performance for as long as possible,” he said. Further items will be added to the Spaldings SPL Ultra range later this year. Scotts PrecisionManufacturing, designer and manufacturer of vegetable harvesting machinery, says its topper sales have increased with the banning of diquat. e Lincolnshire company sold 70 Evolution separators last year, 20 more than its previous high, and recorded a record number of sales for its Trinity range of haulm toppers in 2019. Orders for 2020 toppers are currently higher than at this point last year, buoyed by the launch of two newmodels at LAMMA. Scotts is introducing both an eight and nine-row topper to complement its single, double, triple and six-bed Trinity toppers. All Scotts’ 2020 toppers will feature new front and rear LED side lights and quick change ails for reduced downtime. e toppers o er a broad range of cutting heights and come with static shear plates that provide a “mulching” e ect. Scotts has included a replaceable steel inner liner that o ers hood protection and variation of ail lengths. Scotts’ Evolution separator uses unique patented rollers to ensure that clod, stones, haulm, vines and loose soils are separated from the crop in a way that doesn’t damage the crop. Predominately used with potatoes, the Evolution is equally suitable for handling sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, bell peppers and alliums. Scotts, which is celebrating 25 years in business this year, moved into its new, expanded factory at the end of 2019. Diquat ban contributes to increased topper sales New green kids on the block Razorback recently debuted its new green livery when it exhibited at LAMMA earlier this year, and has added a new residue management system to its range. Razorback’s evolution over a relatively short period has seen its family of products grow from a single reach mower to a full range of reach, rotary and flail mowing solutions. The range now features the Auto- Level reach mower series with Co-Pilot technology and the RT 500 & Residue Harrow.