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ADVERTISING FEATURE
AGRICULTURE DIGEST
THE GOLDEN AGE OF AUGER
From their humble beginnings in rural Canada, Westfield augers have built a global reputation for reliability and dependability, as well as for design and innovation. Still manufactured in Rosenort, Manitoba by AGI Westfield, last year the Westfield auger celebrated its 70th anniversary.
HISTORY The modern-day grain auger is a very Canadian invention. In 1945, Peter Pakosh built the first-ever auger in Toronto, Ontario.
Then, in early 1950, Abraham Plett from Rosenort, Manitoba bought an auger to resell to a customer. When the undercarriage failed, he decided he could build a better one. Abraham called his business Westfield and chose to paint his augers in the now iconic bright yellow. He did so because it was the same colour as the golden wheat that grew on the Canadian Prairies.
The first two Westfield augers were sold in 1951 and the news of their quality soon spread. As the company grew, it quickly became synonymous with durability and workmanship, as well as design and innovation.
In 1965, Abraham handed the reins of Westfield over to his four sons. After a major flood in 1966, the Plett brothers relocated their factory to a nearby property. Two years later they finished building a modern Westfield manufacturing complex that allowed them to redesign their grain auger and expand the line-up of Westfield models.
Before long, Westfield had started supplying augers to farmers in the United States then they moved on to supplying global markets, including Australia in 1983.
In 2000, Canadian agricultural company Ag Growth International (AGI) acquired Westfield Industries. AGI is one of the most recognised equipment manufacturers in the global agriculture industry, with over 35 brands. In 2010, an addition to the Rosenort factory increased AGI Westfield’s manufacturing facilities to 16,250 square metres. The factory now produces over 13,000 augers a year, and is the leading grain auger manufacturer in the world, with a reputation for producing high-quality reliable products.
Over time, AGI Westfield has developed, redeveloped and refined the auger – understanding that farmers want affordable, simple, straightforward designs that save them time and labour, and hold up to all the conditions that a climate can throw at them – including Australia’s.
Through a commitment to farm-proven designs and innovation, the company has earned a solid reputation for superior quality products. It also takes pride in innovating within the grain auger industry to improve farmers’ profitability and lifestyle.
AGI Westfield’s augers are built to provide value and performance using the best materials, components and features.
The next time you see yours working hard in your back paddock, remember Abraham and his can-do spirit, which exists among the prairies of Manitoba just as it does through the grain fields of Australia.
FARMRITE Founded in 1993, Farmrite is an Australian, family-owned and operated company based in Moree, New South Wales. In January 2021, AGI appointed Farmrite as a national distributor of the AGI Westfield range of augers and belt conveyors. Before this, Farmrite distributed the AGI Wheatheart range of augers. Farmrite imports AGI Westfield Augers and Belt Conveyors and distributes them through its Australia-wide dealer network.
The AGI Westfield brand is well-known and highly regarded around the world. Farmrite is proud to offer AGI Westfield augers via its dealer network.
THE AGI WESTFIELD RANGE
The AGI Westfield range includes swing away augers, transportable augers, the X-Tend retracting hopper, U-Trough augers and belt conveyors.
X SERIES SWING AWAY AUGERS Available in 10 and 13-inch tube sizes and in lengths from 73 to 94 foot, the X Series uses a scissorlift frame with cross members to maximise reach and reduce swaying. This helps keep the auger in place once it has been positioned at the silo. The 10-inch models use heavy-duty cable trussing. However, for longer, heavier models, AGI Westfield uses commercial-strength steel trussing. Trussing acts like the auger’s backbone, keeping the tube and flighting aligned so that it’s easy to set up at the silo. The X10 is capable of up to 170 tonnes per hour while the X13 can achieve up to 295 tonnes per hour.
MKX SWING AWAY AUGER The MKX Series is available in 10, 13 and 16-inch tube diameters and lengths from 53 to 125 foot. It features over 75 proven performance enhancements, specialising in ease-of-use and serviceability. The A-frame undercarriage withstands bowing and maintains rigid alignment during heavy loads along with precision engineered flighting, a commercial strength frame and trussing, and an easierto-use hopper, guaranteeing unmatched dependability. Suited to large farming and commercial operations, it is capable of 10 tonnes per minute, and is the biggest and best auger available on the market today.
TRANSPORTABLE AUGER Available in lengths from 41 to 61-foot, the STX2 Load Out transportable grain auger has been redesigned from top to bottom and is engineered to perform optimally. Built for durability, longevity and capacity, it gets the job done fast.
U-TROUGH AUGER The AGI Westfield UTX 44 U-Trough loadout auger is fast and can deal with up to four tonnes per minute. Its unique design allows it to move grain efficiently without damage. The U shaped auger barrel increases capacity and allows space for the grain to move freely. The AGI Westfield UTX 44 U-Trough loadout auger is built with resilience and longevity in mind, with a heavy-duty mover kit, hydraulic winch and LED work lights. The electric clutch and triple banded drive belt coupled with a reversing gearbox and top drive chain tensioner make for a bulletproof drive train. RETRACTING HOPPER The AGI X-Tend Retracting Swing Away Hopper is available for both the X13 and X16 Swing Away Augers. The X-Tend retracting swing auger offers the convenience of being able to extend, swing side-to-side and retract, without having to move or reposition the truck. Once a grain trailer is in position, the swing tube is extended. The power swing moves the low profile hopper side-to-side, reaching the truck hoppers with ease. The X-Tend then retracts to allow grain trailers to drive away.
BELT CONVEYORS Westfield Belt Conveyors are built tough to perform, yet designed and engineered for gentle handling of delicate seeds and commodities. Specialty crops, seeds and some commodities are very susceptible to impact damage caused by conventional grain handling systems. A Westfield Belt Conveyor minimises impact damage and helps protect grade quality and germination performance of seed.
CASE STUDY: STAND-OUT A FOCUS ON THE FEATURES: MKX 16 A FOCUS ON THE MKX 16
A-FRAME UNDERCARRIAGE withstands bowing and maintains rigid alignment during heavy loads.
PROFILE DUAL FLIGHT HOPPER features left and right hand flighting to pull grain toward the centre of the hopper so it flows efficiently up into the tapered boot.
SQUARE FLIGHT JOINERS Square, one-bolt flight connections provide improved performance through positive torque transfer.
1000 RPM SPEED REDUCER is required for tractors with 1000 rpm PTO output to reduce the speed of the auger to 540 RPM. This is optional.
THE REVERSER allows the flight direction to be reversed for quick and easy clean-out.
DURABILITY Like all AGI Westfield augers, the flighting has been reinforced with Wear Edge Technology™, which provides an extra layer of steel welded to the flight edge at critical wear points.
POWDER COAT PAINT A durable powder coat paint is used to protect the finish and prevent rusting.
EASILY ACCESSIBLE SERVICE POINTS allow for quick maintenance of u-joints, chains, bearings, and gearboxes. TOOL-FREE INSPECTION AREAS include the hopper chain cover, neck transition, boot clean-out and swing headcover.
