SPOTLIGHT: Innovation In Agriculture Equipment
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Innovation
Product: Heavy Equipment Jack
Manufacturer: Eastwood Products based in Arborfield,
Saskatchewan
Last
month our innovation spotlight was on AgTron’s new Legend Wi-fi and ISO Section
Aware Blockage and Rate Systems. This
month, we are highlighting the patent pending Heavy Equipment Jack being
manufactured by Eastwood Products.
Louis
Sigouin, a recently retired farmer has dabbled with manufacturing a few times throughout his career. His
products, all designed and manufactured as a means to making farm operations safer and more efficient, include the combine harvest screen, the bin lid winch,
the H20 Fire-Pro and a High-Clearance Sprayer Jack.
With
a reputation for continuous improvement, he was approached last fall by a local
equipment dealer to find a solution to lifting large and heavy equipment. The dealer was having safety issues with the
jacks they were using. Sigouin spoke
with a few technicians in various dealerships to better understand the
challenges they were facing. He
recognized the problem was broader than the equipment dealers, as farmers were
also struggling with the weight and size of their equipment when needing to
lift or manipulate it.
Feedback
from those intended to use the jack has been vital. Safety is always an important factor when
working with heavy equipment and it is what has motivated Sigouin and his
business partner, Dan Edwards, to develop the Heavy Equipment Jack. Although launched at the Ag In Motion show,
the Heavy Equipment Jack has undergone revisions to make it stronger without
adding too much cost. Sales and interest
have been encouraging with the High Equipment Jack being bought and used in more
than six locations across Western Canada.
Looking
to the future, Sigouin highlights "We’ve introduced our Heavy Equipment Jack to
the Canadian market and we are definitely looking at the US market which is
larger."
To learn more about the
Heavy Equipment Jack, please email Louis at: Ljsign@sasktel.net
ABOUT THE INNOVATION
PROGRAM:
This article was written as
part of AMC’s desire to highlight the great work being done by agriculture
equipment manufacturers to help save farmers money and time. This year, AMC partnered with Ag in Motion
(AiM) and will host an innovation awards ceremony at the opening reception of
the AMC Annual Convention and Trade Show. The opening reception is Wednesday,
November 30th at the Fairmont Palliser Hotel in Calgary, Alberta.
The AiM innovation program
received 13 applicants in its three categories: five in the equipment category, six in
crop and two within service. Judges are independent and AMC does not yield
influence on which product, or company is selected as the winner of the AiM
innovations program. Back to AMC Connection
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