Inferior quality chains on planters were stretching, rusting and breaking, which forced the farmer to replace the chains every season. In addition to high replacement costs, chain adjustments in the field caused constant interruption of the planting process and reduced productivity. The farmer desperately needed a solution and SKF came to the rescue with competitively priced, high quality chain. The planters operate in arduous wet, dry and dusty conditions and according to Gary Czapski, SKF South Africa Manager – Automotive Division (VSM), the SKF chain is hot dipped, pre-lubricated and pre-stressed, “which eradicates the main concerns about rust, which can cause stiff links, and excessive wear.”
“We also offered the farmer a trial run so that he could see how the quality and reliability of the SKF chain leads to substantial savings in time and money and optimises productivity. Farmers today are increasingly putting quality before price and SKF chains offer the best of both,” says Czapski. “SKF Power Transmission complements our core technologies – bearings and units, seals, lubrication, mechatronics and engineering services. Since our entry into the agri chain market in 2011, we can report considerable growth in market share.