| 2014-07-23 |    |
Huntleys Keep On Rolling With Twose
Whenever Twose tests a new premium roller it picks a patch where the machine can be put through its paces in tough and challenging work environments. Succeed there and the company can be confident the machine will deliver results in almost all conditions.
One of its core testing partners is Huntley Agriculture Ltd of Great Wishford in Wiltshire, where the family farms around 3,400 acres. The soil has a very high flint content so long-term durability is as big a consideration as performance.
Twose Roller
Twose has tested pre-production models of its premium series of five-gang rollers here and has used feedback from the family to enhance the final design and specification of the range.
Sheridan Huntley, who is a partner in the business with his father Ryland and his brothers Jim and Ian revealed some of the challenges Twose successfully overcame in perfecting the machine.
He said: “Stones are a particular problem here and some sizes of flint were jamming between the rings and the frame because there was not enough clearance.”
Twose responded by increasing the space between the two components, as well as making some minor modifications, including improvements to the optional stone trays – redesigning them as clamp-on items rather than being part of the box frame.
The Huntleys liked their test machine so much that as soon as the new 12m five-section roller was launched they became the first customer to buy one – purchasing the machine from local dealer R Hunt & Son of Chilbolton, Hants.
The family bought a model with 24-inch Cambridge and breaker rings and hydraulic brakes and were not only impressed by the durability of their new roller, but with its weight, comfort in transit, and 12m working width - which has boosted productivity compared with their old 9.0m machine.
Ian Huntley said: “We wanted a heavier set of rolls that was wider to match the tramlines, but the machine also had to be compact and safe on the road due to the distances we travel.”
Other features which impressed the family include the effectiveness of the hydraulic folding system and the castellated rings which are unique to Twose and ensure a tight seal.
Sheridan summed up the family’s verdict on Twose’s new five-section rollers, saying: “They are well built, heavy and technically uncomplicated. Output has increased due to the width and they are capable of covering more than 200 acres-a-day,”
