Czechia, or the Czech Republic as it is more frequently referred to, is not always thought of as a great manufacturing region, but it does have a fine legacy of engineering achievement.
Zetor and Skoda, were two companies that bloomed up until the drop of the iron curtain, and they are still immediately associated with the country, yet there is a good deal more industry going on which is gaining the confidence to expand beyond its borders.
Rozmital
Two agricultural implement companies in particular are starting to make waves in the rest of Europe, and both have new machines which they hope will gain a wider market.
The first is Strojirny Rozmital, s.r.o., a manufacturer of forage equipment from a town of the same name, which has selected SIMA to launch its new SC-301R disc mower.
SIMA is known as the international exhibition of technologies and solutions for efficient and sustainable agriculture and takes place from November 6-10, 2022 in Paris, France.
This is a front-mounted unit of 3.01m and it complements the company’s rear-mounted machines, particularly the 820M C butterfly unit which provides a cutting width of 8.2m.
The cutter bar of the SC 301 is supported by coil springs and the machine is equipped with an overload-protecting gimbal friction clutch. The soles are made of Hardox.
It is available with either finger or roller conditioner and weighs it at 954kg with the former type, or just 752kg if ordered as a plain mower.
Czech made for light work
What does remain in some doubt is its suitability for Irish conditions with the sales director, Pavel Jahoda, noting:
“With the new mower we are meeting the demand of farmers and customers, especially in southern Europe, where there is a great demand for models with roller conditioners. This type of mower is generally appreciated by every farmer who processes alfalfa, clover and similar crops.”
A small selection of other forage machines from the company will also be on display, including a four-rotor tedder and a single-rotor rake.
The company is actively looking for new dealers throughout Europe and while the equipment may not be ideally suited for a busy Irish contractor, it may well find a home on smaller farms for topping or haymaking.
SMS
The second company is SMS of Rokycany, a manufacturer of what it categorises as soil and meadow technology.
It has launched a new generation of its Ontario disc cultivator this year. This new product will be presented together with three other machines at SIMA 2022.
The company is celebrating its 30th year of manufacture in 2022 and the new machines are hailed as being part of its birthday celebrations.
Petr Jirsa, managing director of SMS CZ said:
“The visible innovation of the Ontario 500 and 600 is that it has an integrated axle between the front two rows of discs and the rear cylinder. The resulting machine is shorter and with better manoeuvrability. By placing the axle in the middle of the machine, the cultivator is also more efficiently loaded, which in turn has a positive impact on even tillage.”
It is also claimed that the innovative design, with the centre of gravity closer to the drawbar, prevents the machine from swaying at higher working speeds, and leads to an even working depth.
As to its suitability for Irish conditions the company notes that “wide support wheels are suitable for soft or waterlogged ground”. SMS appears to have done its homework.
Despite this, the company expresses only an ambition to expand into France for the time being, hence its presence at SIMA, but its equipment may well work in Ireland as well.
