New Boss single disc opener on its way

Boss Agriculture sales manager Dan Ryan said Boss was set to release its new single disc opener, the Boss SX30 row unit.

"It is the first model change on our single disc opener for eight years. While we are always working on improving our units, this is the first serious model change in a while," he said.

"Also it's the next step in the Boss row unit, it has simpler adjustments, less maintenance and better disc and seed boot life."

Mr Ryan said the company had ensured the unit was precision ready, meaning the engineers incorporated features that allowed the unit to accept the latest precision plant technology.

"Farmers can buy our units and if they want to start investing in precision technology they can do so without making a heap of modifications," he said.

Mr Ryan said precision technologies included Delta Force, which replaced the springs or airbags on the planter with hydraulic cylinders, and Seed Firmer, which measured organic matter, moisture, residue and temperature in the furrow.

"These are the type of technologies people are used to for summer crops, now some customers are looking to put it into their winter crop as well, so we wanted to be ready for that," he said.

"If there is value in it and farmers see a return on their investment, our unit can accommodate them."

Mr Ryan said results had been good from the units being tested in the paddock this season.

"We've had some farmers testing out in the paddock as well as bits and pieces we have fitted on machines running already in different areas," he said.

"So we are taking orders for units available for next winter plant."

Mr Ryan said Boss had also developed a number of new frame designs, allowing Boss to enter the wide width, narrow transport market.

However, he said, the company had felt it important to ensure farmers with undulating or contoured country were also looked after.

"Some of the wide equipment that folds forward is very suited to flat country, but its not as well suited to contoured or undulating country," he said.

"Our new forward fold single frames are designed to suit both situations.

Mr Ryan said the company would still do multiple bars on a vertical fold.

"Feedback we are hearing from customers from southern NSW and Victoria is that people are looking at narrower row spacing," he said.

"To do six or seven inch we need to do that on a multiple bar machine."

Mr Ryan said the drought had encouraged the company to extend further into markets south from its northern NSW home base.

"While we have been in Victoria for a while, South Australia and Western Australia are relatively new markets for us, so we want to ensure we have products that suit their system," he said.