31 Jan Harvesting the benefits of lubricants in farm equipment
For cane and broadacre farmers, maximising crop yield is a constant challenge. To confront this challenge, farmers can turn to a number of different solutions, such as soil testing, changing chemical treatments, and better utilising fertilisers. A commonly under-utilised method, however, is to treat harvesters with better-quality lubricants.
“Essentially, you want to get the same level of cut from the start to the end of your paddock,” Gulf Western Oil’s National Account Manager, Christopher Bright, says.
“If you have a hydraulic fluid that is eternally shearing down, what happens is your harvester will drop its blades down to the ground, and then you’ll end up in a situation where you start picking up the dirt, or the bottom of the cane or the grain for example, which is not then able to be used for harvest.”
To maximise the level of the cut, and avoid that dropping effect, lubricants play a very important part.
“One of the products that we provide, the Gulf Harvester, is designed specifically for the harvester with a new highly shear stable viscosity modifier that minimises the thinning effect that the fluid experiences as operating temperature increases, therefore you get the same level of cut throughout the day”, Bright says.
Recently, GWO reformulated the Gulf Harvester due to an advancement in the technology. In 2019, the fluid formula was changed to incorporate one of the most shear stable viscosity modifiers available in the global market.
The Gulf Harvester is a premium grade, high viscosity index, super shear stable hydraulic oil designed specifically for extreme applications where very high temperatures are common, such as cane harvesters. It is formulated with extremely shear stable additives offering minimal viscosity loss, minimal oxidation and thermal stability.
“Because of this, the Gulf Harvester outperforms its competitors, which are good products but they are still using the old technology before the advancements in 2019. So, they have that issue where, over time, they deteriorate and they shear down, which ultimately changes the cut,” Bright says. “It’s like upgrading from a Plasma TV screen to an LCD. The market may be going well, but this is a significant enhancement. We’ve upgraded to one of the most shear stable viscosity modifiers available on the global scale.”
According to distributor BSC’s National Product Manager, Steve Keown, this technology is especially significant because farmers have a limited window in which to sow and harvest crops.
“The Gulf Western Harvester provides protection to the highly stressed hydraulics systems of the modern-day harvester, resulting in less time spent on maintenance and letting farmers get on with the job.”
Keown emphasises BSC’s presence in the Australian agriculture market – the company has been around since 1921. Moreover, ‘BSC AG’ is a newly developed division of BSC that has been created specifically for this market, wholly specialising in agricultural products for broad acre farmers. Alongside harvester lubrications, BSC distributes lubricants for all farm equipment.
“From heavy duty diesel engine, drive line and ancillary system lubricants, through to bespoke lubrication solutions, our customers rely on us to have a large amount of stock available,” Keown says.
With its national branch network, BSC has built a reputation as a respected distributor of products to the Australian agricultural market. Through BSC’s network, they have the capability to deliver parts directly to the farm.
The brand’s large presence means, not only that they have access to the significant technical expertise for bespoke solutions, but that they are agile one-stop shop for farm equipment, from procurement to maintenance and more. As such, BSC is constantly adapting to the changing demands of the market.
The relationship between BSC and GWO is ideal in that BSC can provide the support in the field and are available to customers 24/7, while GWO keep their pulse on the market with an ever-evolving line of high-quality lubricants.
“Harvesting and agriculture is the backbone of our business – it’s what we’re known for,” Bright says.
While Keown reiterates, “BSC customers rely on the advice we provide them as well as our ability to deliver products and services around the clock. We’re proud to have GWO in our portfolio as their products are of such a high standard.”
