Grainswest - Tech 2023

Tech 2023 grainswest.com 25 Swing shift Tiny Winkler, MB, is an unlikely manufacturing hub. Tim Penner of Soaring Eagle Grain Equipment credits the area’s flourishing farm economy and innovative people. Both from farm families, he and business partner Henry Elias are cut from this hard- working cloth. Elias has long built custom machinery, and both have worked in mechanical R&D. Central to their growing line of grain conveyor equipment, they designed and manufacture The Ultimate Swinging Drive Over. “When we started, some guys had shied away from drive overs because some were so big they would hook onto fuel tanks on the truck,” said Penner. “It wasn’t feasible.” They aimed to create a simpler, less cumbersome unit. Approximately 2.5 inches thick, the conveyor bed has a long, low profile. “It gives you lots of room to set up in front of the tractor if you want to,” said Penner. Once the truck is positioned to unload, the unit can be swung from hopper to hopper without moving the vehicle forward. With the auger running, the hydraulics can engage and the Drive Over’s sides fold upward automatically. It can then be positioned in seconds and its sides drop when turned off. The unit also has a unique emergency shut-off. If an object falls on the conveyer, for example, fingers positioned above the belt disengage the hydraulics. Additional features include canola certification and self-cleaning rollers. Though the hydraulic transfer type makes up the bulk of sales, an electric version is also available. These may be used where a grain leg exists, such as in a seed plant yard. Launched in 2018, the business is named for Isaiah 40:31, a Bible verse that equates faith with the ability to soar like eagles. Penner noted business has doubled each of the last three years. “We believe the eagle is flying now,” he said with a chuckle. The Ultimate Swinging Drive Over is designed with a low profile for easy unloading of grain and is available in hydraulic transfer and electric versions. Photo: Courtesy of Soaring Eagle Grain Equipment.