Seal Innovations has over 50 years of experience designing, engineering, and manufacturing hydraulic sealing products for agricultural OEMs.

O-rings are a farmer’s best friend

As the agricultural harvest season approaches every year, the maintenance and repair experts at Motion Australia and Seal Innovations work together to ensure that Australian farmers have fitted their agricultural hydraulic and fluid transfer equipment with reliable sealing solutions. Read More
ploughing

Ploughing ahead with quality bearings

When it comes to farming Australian soil, equipment is predominantly produced by local manufacturers who understand local conditions. And in many cases, they choose NTN agricultural bearings because of their ability to withstand the rigours of applications such as tilling and ploughing.
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lubricant

Tech support made easy for oils and lubricant

A few years ago, Thomas Higgins decided to start his own business repairing header equipment for the harvest season from his home on Eyre Peninsula in the South Australian grain belt.  He promoted his business by word of mouth, operating solely on referrals and repeat business. It was not long before he identified some issues with the recommended oils and lubricants on his John Deere headers, finding some components were prematurely failing. Chris Wheatley, the Agriculture, Food & Beverage Manager at BSC in Adelaide had been supporting Thomas’ business needs for several months and was quick to suggest that Thomas consult with Viva Energy’s, Shell Lubricants Technical Helpdesk Service so that he could better assess his lubrication options.  “It’s an efficient option,” says Chris. “I felt Thomas would benefit from having that service on hand when he’s out there in the field alone. He can have peace of mind knowing the oils he is using will keep his machines running optimally.”  When it comes to aftermarket service on his lubricant products, Thomas has come to rely on the Shell Lubricants Helpdesk for quick solutions.  “Sometimes it’s easier to consult the professionals when it comes to technical advice regarding the selection of optimum oils for specific situations, rather than to do all the research yourself, which would eat into time that would be better spent elsewhere,’ says Thomas.  Read More
lubrication

Keeping the Riverina slick with Australian made lubrication

DJ Sincock is a strong believer in using Australian made products and recognises the importance of high quality oils and greases, particularly during peak header repair season. This was one of the reasons he chose to become a distributor of Gulf Western Oil (GWO) products through CBC, in addition to running a header repair service business in the Riverina region of New South Wales.  “I stock the full range of GWO and have changed 90% of my customers over to GWO for their header oils,” enthuses DJ. “GWO are Australian owned and operated and I’m a strong believer in using Australian made products. This is a premium quality, genuine oil product and a more economical choice for the farmer.”  With its ample water supply for irrigation, temperate climate and flat landscape, the Riverina region of south-western New South Wales is one of the most affluent and diverse agricultural regions in Australia. With this in mind, DJ Sincock, saw the opportunity to start a business in his hometown of West Wyalong, specialising in agricultural header repairs and spare parts supplies. In 2003, he began his business as a sole trader mechanic fixing agricultural machinery. “For the first few years, I did everything on my own,” says DJ. Today, DJ Sincock Header Repairs employs a team of three other mechanics and has one apprentice. “We are one of the largest header repair businesses in New South Wales. We operate seven days a week, and 12 months of the year. The area we cover for header repairs spans 200km in all directions across Central New South Wales,” says DJ. “We are very proud to be Australian and to promote Australian-made products, like GWO.” “The header oil is a very popular product, and we move it with ease. We sell roughly 30-40 of the 20L drums per week and half a dozen of the 205L drums of GWO a week,” describes DJ. “The GWO Truck and Farm Grease is another one of our best-sellers. Farmers love the quality of it.” Read More
header bearings

Keeping ahead of the work

“Prevention is better than cure, when it comes to header bearings,” says Shaun Thorneycroft, Director of Precise Header & Ag Repairs. He has been in the header repair business for more than 18 years, before starting a joint business venture with his wife in 2017, servicing and repairing John Deere headers.  “Since we started out, we have expanded in a good way. We have been getting busier with every year. Right now, we have about 72 headers on our books,” he explains. “I start repairing my first header mid-December and it takes me right back through the middle of the following October. I travel about 250km in all directions for work.  It’s a year-round gig.” According to Shaun, the biggest challenge he faces is getting parts, which is where he relies on BSC Swan Hill on the supply side. To meet his customer’s needs, he requires a quick turn-around time on receiving the right parts.  “BSC is unreal at providing fast service and having stock on hand. Usually, if I need a part, the guys at Swan Hill can get it on a courier to me the same day,” he stresses. “A header takes a full day to pull apart and then it takes at minimum another day to put back together. We go over it with a fine-tooth comb. We go in and pull out every belt, every chain, all the bearings, all the augers, and run over it with a torch and crowbar.”  For the bearings on the John Deere machines, Shaun uses NTN bearings supplied by BSC.  “The NTN bearings go on the shaker pans on the header. The shakers are two big pans that separate your grain,” he explains. “If these bearings fail, they can cost thousands of dollars in repair damage to the farmer.” Moreover, Shaun says he typically replaces a bearing every two years, if not once per year. “I grease the bearing once and then replace it next time,” he says.  Elaborating on the bearing maintenance process, he says, “For example if I replace the bearing this season, next year, I will drill and make a small hole in it and regrease it. The year after that, I will replace it. Risking any further wear is not worth the risk of a bearing failure.” Read More

Plan for a strong yield

As the agricultural sector is poised for another bumper harvest season, Grant Gray encourages those working in the paddock to plate industries to have a conversation with their local CBC or BSC branch about upcoming equipment requirements. “Preparation is so important, particularly in light of the supply chain challenges that have been felt across the globe,” stresses the General Manager National Sales for CBC, BSC and WebsterBSC, a part of Motion Asia Pacific. “I’d suggest to our readers and customers to reach out to your local branch to discuss what your needs are. What does your service model look like? This will help us arrange for the supply of parts you need, when you need them.” Besides securing parts supply, Grant highlights the importance of keeping abreast of the latest technological innovations.  “We’re heading into a very technology-driven age, particularly in farming and agriculture where we are seeing a lot of innovation,” he explains. “Our staff have an immense amount of collective knowledge and expertise and can advise people within this sector as to any newer technologies that can help make more efficient use of resources and inputs. This, in turn, can reduce costs, increase product yields and improve the longevity or performance of equipment.” Read More

Timken expands product line for Food and Beverage sector

With populations growing rapidly around the globe and factories producing at higher levels than imaginable some decades ago, the risk of food contamination across those factories is higher than before. The machinery at the heart of those operations requires premium components that can ensure the highest level of hygiene in production For the past few years, Timken® has been working on a new range of bearing units for the food and beverage industry. Though Timken is relatively new to the food and beverage market segment, its solutions are already finding global acceptance in original equipment. With the next harvest season on the horizon in Australia, Motion Asia Pacific’s businesses – namely CBCBSC and Webster BSC – across the country are stocking up with the new Timken bearing solutions for the Australian food and beverage industry.  “It’s an exciting time for both Timken and Motion Asia Pacific,” says Alf Mangano, Timken’s Regional Sales Manager for the Victoria, Northern Territory and South Australian regions. “We have partnered with Motion Asia Pacific on our food and beverage package. Australia is taking the lead on these products, and we want to help get the right products to the right markets.”  Read More