New leader dominates market through cooperation
If you spread fertilizer or lime with a spinner box on a self-propelled applicator, chances are the spinner came from New Leader. The nutrient application division of Highway Equipment Company dominates agricultural application equipment manufacturing when it comes to spinner spreaders.
In fact, it has been the spreader of choice for AGCO and its predecessor Ag-Chem for more than 40 years. When John Deere got into the dry application business in 2005, it was New Leader they called. In the years in between, Case IH, GVM and other major OEMs had also signed onto the New Leader bandwagon. Battle lines between these competitive brands often include primary and even secondary vendors for support gear and services. However, New Leader has been unique in working with anyone and everyone from its oldest OEM market partner to its newest.
"Our relationship with New Leader is an extension of our company, and we work closely with them on compatibility," said Mark Sharitz, AGCO. "They are probably quicker than the OEMs they work with at applying new technology. We can't respond with our product line as quickly as they do."
Sharitz pointed to the recent introduction of the continuously variable transmission (CVT) to AGCO's TerraGator line of applicators. Its efficiencies and ability to separate power from ground speed were a perfect match for the precision spread patterns available from New Leader's G4 spreader technology.
"With the CVT, our TerraGators are now able to utilize the attributes of the G4 box better than ever," said Sharitz. "Maintaining a constant speed up hill and down has a dramatic impact on precision of application available with the G4."
Although John Deere is a more recent market partner with New Leader, Cory Venable, John Deere, cited a similar respect for the equipment and the company. "They've been around and know what they are doing," he said. "We were able to use their dry box on our 4920 when we introduced it, and since then the relationship has grown. They've been really good to work with on new technology."
John Deere and New Leader partnered on the recently-released DN345 spreader. This unique commercial dry applicator was designed to complement John Deere's high-speed tractors (current model 8R Series), similar to what New Leader does for all of its OEMs. "We custom build our products specifically for individual OEM chassis, taking into consideration the product to spread, and to meet the proper weight distribution, electronics and hydraulics," said Craig Fenstermaker, New Leader.
New Leader tied its G4 spreader capability into John Deere's GS2 integrated monitor that displays engine functions as well as applicator controls. That was key to John Deere. "Our integrated monitor has been a selling feature for us, and it was important to be able to couple it with spreaders for full utilization," said Venable. "It also allows our SpreadStar software to control on/off and rates through the monitor."
Going Beyond Cooperation
It takes more than cooperation in product development to build the relationships described by these and other OEMs. It takes a product line that delivers the kind of precision application that growers and their service providers demand. It is here that cooperation goes beyond proprietary technology development and extends to suppliers of the product to be spread. When New Leader introduced the G4 spreader system, the company found it could spread material farther than it could deliver a precise pattern. The solution was identified when the company began making forays into the European market in 2005.
"In Europe, we could broadcast at a 135-ft. spreading width," said Fenstermaker. "Fertilizer products there have to be tested and verified, as does the spreading equipment. In 2005, we brought this information back to the U.S."
Meanwhile, U.S. market research showed there would be value in being able to precisely spread at the width of newer 120-foot boom sprayers so that spraying and dry application could be done in the same wheel tracks. To be on top of the market, New Leader wanted to be at that spread width. The European experience identified granule non-uniformity in the North American market as the problem.
"We knew we could deliver the energy required to achieve the spread, but we needed sufficient hardness and aerodynamic granules to handle the energy without pulverizing and creating streaking in the field," said Fenstermaker. "We discovered that if the tip of the granule was less like a Frisbee and more like a hamburger bun top, there was less wind effect and a more even spread."
New Leader Reached Out to Fertilizer Companies
The solution would require helping fertilizer companies see the business-building potential if industry met grower needs. One of the first companies to be approached was Agrotain. Earlier, New Leader had received calls about irregular spread patterns with Agrotain-treated urea. Tests demonstrated that the additive enhanced urea ballistics, could create overlap. Recalibrating equipment for Agrotain-treated urea was the beginning of cooperation and communication between the two companies, which continues today.
Fenstermaker invited company representatives to a demonstration of what was needed in granular design, and they jumped on board. Within two years, accurate spread for its product had gone from 50 feet to 60 feet to 120 feet. Before Agrotain introduced its new SuperU product line, the company provided samples to New Leader for several years of testing.
"While we haven't set the specific objective of making product spread farther, we have tried to produce very round urea granules for consistent look and handling and to harden them so they don't break down," said Jeff Whetstine, Agrotain. "Those qualitative objectives meshed with product specifications allow New Leader equipment to spread our product farther across the field."
Jeff Ivan, Tiger-Sul Products, echoed Whetstine's experience. Tiger-Sul's manufacturing process already provided a high degree of uniformity. However, New Leader delivery technology and research suggested some fine-tuning of the production process. "We made some minor changes and sent New Leader some of our Tiger 90CR Sulphur as well as our Tiger Micronutrients Zinc," said Ivan.
"Working with New Leader, we have been able to make an improved product that will spread uniformly across the range that New Leader is looking for. Their Multi-Bin spreader is a major advancement in spreading technology, and we want to be sure we are involved with this technology."
Ivan suggests that such cooperation is important for the micronutrient industry, and his company intends to continue it. "Long term, we know where they are headed and what they are looking for," he said. "This helps us to determine specifications and what qualities our products require in order to meet the industry changes. Farmers are looking for efficiencies, and we're glad to be offering a solution with New Leader technology."
Partnerships Led to Further Advances
Whetstine cited a similar philosophy for the granular urea side of the business. He suggested that partnering with the leader in granular application is natural and necessary if granular urea use is going to continue to increase.
"Their technology and improvements in it are going to make shifting to granular urea increasingly more compelling for American growers and their retailers," he said. "We know new Leader is continuing to work on new aspects of precision application with efficiency and environmental applications. These advances will help take down barriers that some retailers may have about making the switch from liquid to dry."
Ivan added that cooperation across the industry is a win/win for everyone. "It's safe to say that any change that we have made working with New Leader will be to the benefit of our customers and the end users," he said. "Any time two companies can exchange information and technology improvements, the outcome is always improved for both parties."
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