SPOTLIGHT: Innovation In Agriculture Equipment

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.

Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada