From Our Archives

The First Association Newsletter

September 5, 1972

Revisiting our historic documents as we celebrate our 50th anniversary has been interesting and entertaining. Since we enjoyed this inaugural issue of our first ever newsletter, we thought you would too! This issue was published on September 5, 1972, by PIMA President Clem Roles. This newsletter illustrates both how our industry has stayed the same as well as how much it has changed. In 1972, we spoke of factories; now, we talk of plants or manufacturing facilities. When this newsletter showed up, it was a physical document you got through the mail, and not an electronic one in a machine on your desk. The association then was asking for input from members in several areas; this is equally critical to our success working on your behalf today. AMC’s membership has grown greatly from the then record of 13 paid with eight additional members on their way. Now we are 250 strong and growing. The name was changed to PIMA Pulse in 1975 and the format was updated.

HAPPINESS IS, One Western Canadian short-line manufacturer told us this morning that he upped the output per man hour on one job by 400%. Pretty Good eh! How many jobs do you have now in your plant that you could do the same with. Look around your factory today, tomorrow, and the next day and see. Ask yourself – Should I change: – the man, the method, or redesign the part? Maybe change all of them? Or maybe you don’t need the part at all. We would sure like to have your report on any spectacular successes so we can pass them along. We will report them without mentioning your name if that’s what you want. Clem Roles TRUE or FALSE? There is a famous expression “Your company will go as far as your sales force takes it.” Ask, “What can I do for PIMA; not what can PIMA do for me? GRANT It looks like the work your PIMA executive did last winter to help promote the grant for the New Products Dept. at the University of Saskatchewan will be successful. We will soon have definite word and it will then be passed along to you. PIMA members should get some fall-out from it.

FIAT The PIMA members who met August 4, 1972 in Regina are going into action. There is still time to join this group if you feel it fits your organization. If you want to get in it, phone Floyd Rousell, Regina (area 306-543-7474). Pick up the phone and do it now. Farm Machinery Sales are way up this year. Are you getting your share!

GREAT Things are great. There are more paid memberships for this year than we have ever had in the past. 13 memberships are fully paid, 8 others have indicated they will be sending their cheque shortly. Please do it now. It takes valuable time to send reminders. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS We are looking for associate members for PIMA. Do you have any suggestions as to firms that we could approach. Your suppliers – paint companies, steel companies, plastic companies, wheels & hub suppliers, welding supply firms, wholesale houses, banks, farm papers, – any firm that regularly sells or services our industry is a candidate. We will approach them if you will just give us suggestions. Remember the fee for associate members is only $50.00. It would be nice to have 10 to 20 associates. Right?

PIMA FACTORY ACTION Until somebody comes up with a better name the PIMA newsletter will be called, “Factory Action.” Suggestions Please. Thanks for your help. But we need more material for the Factory Action. It’s your show, let’s hear more from you. We are going Metric PIMA has been invited to form a committee to study the problems of the metric system of weights and measures. Canada and the United States will soon be adopting this system, which is now used almost universally throughout the world. Please let us know your opinion and indicate problems that might occur in your factory.

Are you changing the way business is done in your company or industry? SPOTLIGHT

Hi-Tech Seals Re!magining Products

Hi-Tech Seals is excited to introduce our family of high-performance cast urethane materials, BoKure™ urethane. We offer a range of standard and custom BoKure urethane compounds that can be specifically designed for your needs. Our compounds offer superior physical attributes that increase product longevity and reduce costs. Providing many advantages, BoKure urethane has become the material of choice for demanding applications where impact, wear, and corrosion are a concern. BoKure urethane components are a great alternative when looking to replace rubber, plastic, and metal parts in agricultural application. They provide exceptional load-bearing abilities, good resistance to cracking, and remarkable flexural strength. Our recent investment in HMI fully automated equipment helps us provide high-quality results at competitive prices. Contact us to learn more about BoKure urethane compounds and our cast urethane manufacturing capabilities.

JCA Technologies Re!magining Technology

The complexity of developing an effective and scalable autonomous machine architecture presents a barrier to many OEMs in their development of autonomous machines. With the goal of lowering this barrier for OEMs, JCA Technologies has developed a cohesive autonomous framework (AFW). JCA has built on its experience in development of many highly automated and autonomous machines for a wide variety of different agricultural applications to define an AFW that is adaptable. The AFW has a defined and versatile system architecture as well as core technologies to implement the common components of each autonomous subsystem, while allowing for customization for each unique autonomous machine function.

The JCA AFW not only consists of key components that are ruggedized, reliable, and designed for autonomous purposes, but also defines a system architecture that addresses the challenges often encountered by proof-of-concept autonomous machines. The core components are integrated with software systems that provide for a cohesive, efficient, and scalable production system.

Superior Finishes Re!magining Processes

In 2020, when COVID-19 made travel difficult, Superior Finishes found a new way to conduct line trials at potential customer sites: virtually. Line trials consist of testing paint in the customer’s facility, with hands-on assistance from Superior Finishes. The first virtual line trial was a shining success, with involvement of the quality assurance manager from the potential customer’s site in Northern Quebec, and the Superior Finishes staff closely monitoring the process virtually over three days. It encompassed everything from mixing the paint, and evaluating application details and appearance of the coating, to discussing with the customer’s team about how well suited the proposed product was with their entire production process. Director of Technical Sales Jacqueline Guertin says both the client and her team were very pleased with the new line-trial format, and the results. Their client benefited from a strong Superior Finishes team that included eight people. The virtual line trial test saved hotel and airfare costs, and didn’t take her staff away from their families. “There was that sense of community and feeling connected, and the hands-on and technical processes were accomplished so easily.”

Showcase your Re!magination...

The AMC Re!magination Spotlight is an opportunity for AMC members to showcase how they are reimagining business! In order to qualify, your company should be reimagining business in one of the following categories: Business Models: Examples could include shifting gears to adapt to changing business supply demands, expansions, or new acquisition strategies. Workforce: Examples could include a virtual workforce, an outsourced workforce, or an automated workforce. Products: Examples could include new product development, innovation, and new-to-market ideas. Services: Examples could include adapting offerings to a changing environment or reinventing your delivery of services to meet customer needs. Technology: Examples could include the development of a new software, new technological equipment, or automation. Distribution: Examples could include new sales tactics, new supplier channels, or new network opportunities. Other: Examples could include reimaginations that do not fit into one of the above categories.

Submissions are easy!

Just send us a 150-word write-up telling us a little bit about your reimagination, the category it qualifies for, and the impact it has on your business. Submissions are free and you can submit more than one entry.

It’s not too late to submit an entry.

This will be a recurring section in Implement Success, so submit now to have your company featured in an upcoming edition! Submissions can be sent to: lbursch@31stline.com with the subject line AMC Re!magination Spotlight Submission.

SMART SENSING TECHNOLOGY

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RAM Smart Sensing Hydraulic Cylinders give your equipment a competitive advantage! Contact the RAM team of experts today!

Achieve consistent height on sprayers, combines or swathers Control the depth of placement in seeding equipment GPS controlled steering maintains a very straight line Operators can focus on running equipment rather than settings

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HarvestFaster.ca 306.296.2297 Sales@HoneyBee.ca

New Member SPOTLIGHT

Please join us in welcoming our newest members to the Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada!

In addition to being owned and managed by our own employees, BFL CANADA is one of the largest risk management, insurance brokerage and benefits consulting firms in Canada. We approach our clients’ needs by thoroughly assessing their risks, threats and opportunities. This allows us to help them sustain stability and strategic growth. Our business model is based on providing our valued employees the opportunity to demonstrate creativity, leadership and entrepreneurship — principles that make up our raison d’être and push us to deliver on our commitment to support our clients and the communities we work with.

Each manufacturing operation is different and exposed to specific risks. BFL CANADA will design your insurance program to fit your specific needs after reviewing and understanding the uniqueness of your business. Our team’s priority is to provide you the security of knowing that the scope of your coverage will match the needs of your organization. Visit us at www.bflcanada.ca. Gaber Distributors was established in 1984, and provides agricultural products to farm equipment dealers across North America. We are connected to leading manufacturers in Canada, Europe and South America, allowing us to bring the very best of the world to every customer we serve. We distribute tillage tools like cultivator shovels, harrow tines and coulters and we are the North American distributor of Pommier spray booms, which are manufactured in France. Always looking to the future, Gaber Distributors has sales staff in Saskatchewan and Alberta, a tillage tool warehouse in North Dakota, and boom parts warehouse in Minnesota. Visit us at www.gaber.com.

A global company with global resources when it comes to process and technology, Sika Canada Inc. manufactures chemical primers and adhesives. We specialize in transportation adhesives as well as glass bonding. We sell to many different manufacturing industries where customers need to structurally bond materials together. Sika Canada provides our own testing on specific substrates and can also provide methodologies as well as the process. The Canadian hub operates under dual certification: ISO 9001 for quality management systems and ISO 14001 for environmental management systems. Sika has local representation across Canada, along with production facilities and four Canadian warehouses. Visit us at www.sika.com. At Tribridge, we help companies clarify and gain Traction® on their vision while building a healthy and engaging workplace for their teams. We do this by teaching, facilitating and coaching you through implementation of the Entrepreneurial Operating System® or EOS® as it’s better known. EOS is a simple, proven system with practical tools implemented and used by over 10,000 companies worldwide.

Simply put, we help your leadership team clarify what matters most so that you can mobilize your teams to quickly and efficiently make that happen. We summarize that as getting better at three things we call Vision, Traction, Healthy. The best part is it works in any type of small and midsize company regardless of industry... providing you have people! If you’d like to learn more please visit us at www.tribridge.ca.

Western Union Business Solutions equips agricultural manufacturers with the tools and knowledge they need to manage currency risks and payments. Our extensive global network, spanning 200 countries/territories combined with our understanding of the agricultural industry ensures that clients aren’t adversely impacted by highly volatile currency markets, such as those we have seen throughout COVID-19. Visit us at www. business.westernunion.com.

Renew your membership today!

To pay by EFT contact Cherrille Price: Cherrille@a-m-c.ca or 204-666-3518. OR mail to: Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada, 5-725 Corydon Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3M 0W4