WESTERN PRODUCER — Sweden-based implement manufacturer Vaderstad continues to increase its presence in North America.
Years ago, Vaderstad took over the Saskatchewan air seeder manufacturer Seed Hawk, and it has just recently made another purchase, buying Vaderstad North Dakota-based tillage and planter manufacturer Wil-Rich.
In September it announced it has added a new machine to its product line in Canada and the United States, the new Tempo K high-speed planter. The company said it borrows design elements from the Wil-Rich 10K planter bar. A comparison of the two shows the new Tempo K looks a lot like the will-Rich 10K.
At a working width of 60 feet, the Tempo K will become the largest model to wear the brand name.
“With this planter at its launch there’ll be the one 60-foot bar, 24-row with 30-inch spacing,” said Ben Sander, marketing manager for Vaderstad. “We’ve been testing (other) spacings as well, we’re just not ready to release those. The 30-inch is the most common in the planter market.”
“We need to start somewhere and this will be the start,” added Oscar Karlsson, director of planter product management at Vaderstad. “Of course, we see great potential for different versions and spacings.”
Just like the Wil-Rich 10K, the Tempo K has an option of mounted twin seed tanks for a total of 150-bushel capacity and another two liquid fertilizer tanks for a total of 1,500 gallons (5,678 litres). It will use the brand’s own row units just like the existing Tempo models but they will be on an updated version, which the brand is set to unveil at Agritechnica in Germany in November.
“We’re continuously working with our row units, of course,” said Karlsson. “It’s not a totally new row unit. But we are doing a new control system, which the Tempo K will have from the start. So that’s a big change for us. We’ve proven it in Europe and we’ll continue to prove it in North America.
“The really important thing is the seed meter and the precision we can get with the Tempo. But also the simplicity with our power shoot, where we drop the seed, shoot it down and really get perfect seed to soil contact, giving a better chance for seed germination.”
Each row unit is electrically driven, so each one can be individually controlled to allow for turn compensation and row shut-off to eliminate overlap. Hydraulic down pressure ensures a consistent seed depth across the width of the bar.
“It’s capable of working in no-till and tilled conditions,” Karlsson said. “We have a down pressure system to push the row unit down to make sure we have a stable and steady ride in the field.”
That down pressure can be manually controlled or automatically adjusted and controlled by a sensor on the row unit.
The Tempo K can handle almost any crop type, according to Karlsson, including small-seeded types like sugar beets and canola.
The frame uses a front-fold design for a narrow transport width, and it rides on a set of rubber tracks for enhanced flotation to minimize compaction.
Dealers are expected to accept orders for the Tempo K in late spring of 2024 with delivery in time for the 2025 growing season.
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