Choose Your Harrow. RiteWay 5 Bar or 7 Bar.

Posted by Jeff Brown Apr 12, 2024

If you’ve heard good things about RiteWay tine harrows, and you’re thinking of buying one, you might be wondering if the HH8200 5-bar or MH7200 7-bar model is right for you. 

Both are designed to best serve the needs of customers but in different ways to suit different purposes. Let’s start by looking at the most important working feature of both harrows.



Tines
The five-bar harrows are equipped with 25 28” tines –longer than the 26” tines you usually see in competitor models. The HH8200 offers two tine thickness options – the standard 9/16” or the stouter-than-usual 5/8”. Whichever thickness you choose, you can upgrade your tines with Riteway’s “Max-Life” high-wear edge. 

The MH7200’s carbide-tipped tines are smaller than the 5-bar at 24” long and ½" thick, but with two more rows, there are 49 of them – almost twice as many as the HH8200’s 25. They’re also closer together, with only 1.43” of space between them, as opposed to the 5-bars 2.64”. Last but not least, they come standard with the high-wear edge. 

Which is better for you? The answer depends on what you need to do with your harrows.



Two Harrows. Two Purposes
The 5-bar model is a heavy harrow, designed to endure tough going. If you stand the harrows straight up, those thicker, more durable tines can dig in like a chisel plow. They can also help remove certain weed seedlings and enhance your herbicide penetration. You can also fill in ruts and level your field, but you may lose moisture doing it. 
 
The 5-bar's main feature is its aggressive approach to crop residue management. It shatters heavy straw for more even re-integration back into your soil. The RiteWay HH8200 excels at raking and disturbing the soil, blackening your field, and leaving a firmer soil pack.
 
If you’re mission is better trash management, the 7-bar is your ultimate seed bed prep tool. Its more-numerous ½" tines produce more whipping action than the rigid 9/16” or 5/8” of the five-bar, doing a better job of breaking up of your soil’s top crust. You’ll free up more soil absorption, clear the path for plant emergence, and create a more uniform dispersal of crop residue, seed, and chemicals. 

More tines, more flexibility, and shallower harrow depth also mean less “down pressure.” Because its down force is more spread out, the Riteway MH7200 leaves the soil less compacted and easier to penetrate. Some users prefer that feature because it allows them to reduce the pressure setting on their seed drills.  

Once you’ve decided what kind of field work you need to do, RiteWay offers the harrow to get it done. 

Flaman is the right place to find your Riteway Harrow
You’ve just read a few of the features and benefits of the RiteWay MH7200 and HH8200 harrows. There are many more you can discover by calling or visiting your nearest Flaman location. Our tillage experts will be glad to tell you about RiteWay’s heavy-duty construction advantages, its downforce-enhancing parallel linkage system, and more.
Posted in Product Information | Tagged with RiteWay Harrows | More articles by Jeff Brown

You Asked for Diesel.

Posted by Jeff Brown Mar 14, 2024

The Flaman Custom-Build team has finished work on our first Hatz Diesel powered Meridian 12 x 39 Auger. We’re excited to say that the test results have been impressive. Everything ran smooth as silk – operating quietly, while delivering loads of power. So, this Spring, we’ll build more diesel ready Meridian augers and conveyors for our customers.   

You’ll soon be able to see them at select stores. For now, we wanted to share our excitement with a sneak peek, along with some of our team's favourite features.  

In the words of Curtis Trumier from the production team,

” Every time the conversation comes up with customers about cold starts, the answer is always, ‘We should have bought a diesel engine.’ Well, now they can!” 

Cold Weather Start
Engine intake pre-heater and circulating block heater.

"A diesel engine has twice the torque as a gas engine. That’s a huge plus, and the inline-block heater will be excellent for cold-weather starts. Customers tell me their diesel engine will, on average, outlast three-grain augers.
Sheldon Sleeva (Yorkton)  

Real Power
24.7 HP Hatz diesel with 90ft/lbs of torque delivers over twice as much torque as a 40 HP gas option. 

"My customers have been asking for a diesel option for forever. Gas engines don't like to start in the winter, they blow seals, and bigger augers are underpowered with gas. A diesel option just has more power. This is a unique option at a great price point." 
Phil Flaman (Southey)  

 

Robust Auger Frame
A reinforced auger frame designed to handle the weight of a powerful diesel engine.

"For years, my customers have asked for an affordable load-out auger option with a diesel engine. It’s great knowing we can offer this option to customers frustrated with their gas engines. I know a diesel engine will outlast the auger, and I appreciate our build team reinforcing the auger frame for added stability.
Darrell Knash (Yorkton) 

 

No Fail Hand Clutch
Soft start hand clutch for years of bulletproof operation. No expensive electric clutch to fail.

I always get phone calls about the electric clutches quitting. Whether it’s due to the clutch or the soft start module failing, replacing these parts is very expensive. Having the manual hand clutch eliminates all electrical problems and will save money down the road.
Curtis Trumier (Prince Albert)

Our production team in Prince Albert has done an incredible job with our first diesel-powered auger and will begin building more for sale at select stores. Interested in seeing one in action? Contact your local Flaman representative.

 

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with Meridian Diesel Auger | More articles by Jeff Brown

A Quick Response Solution to Combine Fires

Posted by Jeff Brown Jan 11, 2024

Quick Response Fire Suppression Skid

Combine fires can start in a fraction of a second and burn for up to 30 minutes before they’re noticed, damaging farm livelihoods, and economies. “It seems like every trade show I'm at, every customer I talk to knows somebody who’s had a fire on a combine,” says Ryan Flaman, at Flaman Group of Companies. “All it takes is one bearing to heat up, and those bearings are usually covered in dust or have dust all around.” Combines are often destroyed before a fire truck can arrive, adding callout costs of up to $10K.

Inspiration

Ryan focused on two words, “quick response.” 

He sought to improve on the idea of mounting a quick response unit on the combine’s mobile shadow, the grain cart. Flaman already sold tanks, pumps, hoses, and other components they would need. Early in December, 2022, Ryan started envisioning fire protection that was more effective, comprehensive, affordable and accessible than what farmers could rig for themselves. Their input would prove invaluable. 


Built-in fork pockets allow you to move the 48” wide skid to your half-ton truck or grain cart easily.

Finding the Right Components

Ryan studied available options and reviewed them in meetings with the Parts and Hardware department throughout the winter. There were units powered by rechargeable 12-volt batteries. Other small electric units offered a 35-gallon tank. Gas-powered kits offered 60 US gallon tanks and either mounted on grain carts or sat in the back of an RV or pickup truck. But many farmers were asking for more spray volume. 

A 150-gallon tank that fits neatly out of the way on a grain cart.

Unfortunately, 250-gallon tanks took up too much space and weighed up to 3000 pounds with the necessary mounting hardware. The customers he talked to had their own number in mind – 150 Imperial gallons or 180 US gallons. The closest Ryan could source were 125 gallon tanks. 

That tank was part of a prototype Ryan showed to his uncle Don Flaman. Don was excited, but Parts and Hardware thought they could come closer to the volume customers had asked for. So, they had a tank molded that could hold 150 gallons and fit neatly out of the way on a grain cart. It’s a uniquely Flaman component, unavailable any place else.

The skid plate was a slightly different story. Ryan had envisioned a hanger system to hold the unit from the top, but he needed a strong plate underneath that could support everything and be compact enough to fit in a tight space. This would also make it easy to transport and store. He scribbled the dimensions on a napkin diagram, scanned it, and sent it off to an engineer. That began a process of back-and-forth tweaks, honing a skid plate that met all the necessary criteria. 


3/16” powder-coated steel skid. Ruggedly built to handle heavy use.

The final skid plate uses 3/16” thick metal, protected by Powdercoat. Similar products settled for a 1/16” thickness can be squished even flatter when the bolts are tightened. The Flaman skid also features fork pockets, so it can be easily moved to your grain cart, the back of a pickup truck, or any storage space when not in use. 

Cost-effective, reliable, and user friendly cartridge based foam delivery system.

Fire Suppression

Next, Ryan and the team looked at fire-suppression foam. Direct-injection liquid foam systems seemed promising. Their foam mixing system was ideal for several home applications, but was it right for Flaman’s new firefighting unit? 

Liquid foam has a limited shelf life, and it requires agitation once a month. With harvest coming once in a busy farm year, it was easy to forget the monthly maintenance. Ryan didn’t want his customers depending on something that had any chance of failing them at the exact wrong moment. 

So, he opted for a solid foam cartridge system that restricts water flow. This creates more back pressure, so the stream can spray farther and hit flames harder. The cartridges don’t require shaking or have a predetermined expiry date. You can keep them in your pickup’s glove box until you need one. 

100 feet of 3/4 inch 150 PSI hose on an industrial cox reel

Reliable Hose Access

Other firefighting units Ryan has seen have opted for clear air seeder (PVC) hose looped around two small hooks, which looked likely to tangle up at the worst possible moment. The Flaman Firefighter uses a black rubber hose rated at 150 PSI and spooled around a trusty Cox hose reel. Ryan chose it because it was compact, well-built and able to hold 100 feet of hose – putting plenty of reach in a small space. 

2” Aluminum Pump with Honda GX200

The Pump for the Job 

“The only thing that we readily had in stock was the pump,” Ryan says. The popular BE WP-2065HL general purpose water pump was ideally suited to the job. Equipped with a cast-iron impeller, it’s lightweight. Powered by a Honda GX200 Engine, it has the power to go all day every day.

But will it work?

After a winter of planning and assembling all the components, the team took the prototype out for field testing. To everyone’s gratification, there was no need to adjust its operation.

“We took the prototype number one and filled it up with water and throttled it up and water would shoot like 30 feet,” Ryan says. That’s some heavy pressure, but you’ll have a good 20 minutes of continuous flow without draining your tank, thanks to constriction at the nozzle. 

The only necessary changes were to the tank's shape and the width of the skid. Those alterations made, the Flaman Firefighter was ready to report for duty – or more correctly, duties.

Built-in fork pockets

More Uses than One

The Firefighter may be designed for combine fires, but its quick response capabilities lend themselves to other emergency applications, like grass and brush fires. Mounted on the back of a pickup truck, it can provide a first line of defense for more remote communities.

Value for Money

“I looked at what customers could get and what they would have to pay for it,” Ryan says. “I figured we could give them something better at a more affordable price.” That took a lot of planning, shopping around and testing, but the end product delivered the safety and functionality the customers wanted at the right size and price. 

“Our customers’ feedback identified the issues we needed to address. They asked us to deliver a bigger tank, a heavier skid, a pump with a bigger motor, and a hose reel that’s compact but still heavy-duty. They answered the question, ‘How can I make something better?’ I think I made more work for myself than I needed to, but I’ve enjoyed this.” 

See the Future of Farm Firefighting at Your Nearest Flaman Location

The Flaman Quick Response Fire Suppression Skid is one of many farm, home and business safety solutions we offer. Drop by and see this Inhouse-designed unit at any of our seven Flaman Sales locations in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. 

Call or visit your nearest location – Swift Current, Swan River, Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Southey, Yorkton, or Moosomin. Our fire suppression experts will be happy to show you the many features that could make all the difference one day.

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with Combine fires firefighting Quick Response Fire Suppression Skid | More articles by Jeff Brown

Three Phase Electricity for Grain Handling

Posted by Jeff Brown Nov 06, 2023

Three-Phrase Grain Handling Power. Doable. Valuable.
More acres seeded might mean more bushels brought into your bin yard. But it doesn't have to mean more work and expense. As farming grows, new technologies emerge to boost your grain operation's speed and efficiency.



Technology Boosts Productivity.
Grain Dryers like our AGI NECO and Oakland models are designed to run continuously and safely. There's no need for you to spend your time or hire a hand to supervise them. And with remote monitoring systems, you can spend more time working in the field.



The same goes for the Walinga Blower System. Its airflow can move dried grain to your dry bins at rates of up to 2,000 bushels an hour. Achieving those higher volumes depends on the size of your piping and your motor's horsepower. The latter can be a sticking point for many farmers.



Amping Up Your Operation
Most farming operations are still wired for single-phase power. The high-volume systems mentioned above require three-phase power, which hits its peak amplitude three times as often as single-phase for three times the power output. It’s the optimum circuit for power generation. Higher-phase systems prove too complicated and expensive to be worth pursuing. 

Despite its benefits, Farmers aren't often eager to rewire their farms to facilitate three-phase. Fortunately, they don't have to.

How to Convert from Single to Three-Phase Power Safely and Affordably
Walinga Blower Systems and AGI NECO and Oakland grain dryers all employ VFD technology. Variable Feed Drives have two outstanding features. First, they allow your motor to slow down and speed up, limiting energy consumption to reduce your power bill.
Walinga's Variable Frequency Drive Systems monitor and automatically adjust motor speeds

More importantly, they can be set up to draw current from your existing single-phase power source and convert it to three-phase electricity. So, you don't have to change your farm's entire power supply to run one or two bigger machines.



It's worth noting that not every variable frequency drive motor can deliver these results, but AGI, Oakland, and Walinga have engineered their motors with the farmer's single-phase/three-phase dilemma in mind.

Savings and Convenience to Help You Get Growing
There’s a big benefit to this small-scale phase shift. It removes a giant obstacle to building up your bin yard. Instead of waiting until you’ve saved up for a big change, you can increase your grain handling capacity in stages. More high-quality grain in your bin allows you to purchase more components down the road.



Ready to Lower Grain Handling Electricity Costs and Boost Production?
Get in touch with your local Flaman dealer and ask our bin yard experts how you can convert single-phase to three-phase power, add valuable components, and get your bin yard humming.

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with grain handling three phase power walinga neco oakland | More articles by Jeff Brown

Farmer-Approved Moisture Testing from Perten

Posted by Jeff Brown Jul 11, 2023

In agriculture, nothing is ever absolutely certain. However, farmers who’ve used the Perten AM 5200-Farm Moisture Meter say its instantaneous accuracy comes impressively close.

“When you have so many different people around - four different people using it - it was nice not to use the scale,” says Bruce Elke of Jansen, Saskatchewan. “Everybody puts it in and gets the same result.”

 
Bruce Elke shares the benefits of the Perten 5200-Farm

It’s not the first moisture tester to have its accuracy praised, not even the first one Bruce has praised. His previous tester was also bang-on, but the 5200-Farm brings something extra to the table. “I think really it was the ease of use and just taking out the possibilities of error,” he says.
 
“Customers like that,” observes Shaun Gettis, Vice President of Sales at Flaman. “No need to weigh or take temperature tests.”
 
A Simple Process
For a machine that delivers precise moisture reports for various grains, oilseeds, pulses, beans, lentils, seeds, and more the 5200-Farm is a breeze to operate.
 
Just select the grain type you’re analyzing from an extensive onscreen menu showing virtually every type available in North America. You can then enter ID info for your sample, saving your bin number, test date, and time for future reference.


 
Then scoop your sample in until the 5200’s cup is full and click GO. The tester intuitively takes the prescribed weight it needs and removes the excess. After a 25-second analysis, your sample’s moisture, bushel weight, and temperature all show up on the 5200’s colour touch-screen display. Every kernel in the machine drops into a clean-out drawer for easy removal. Need to do another sample? Just hit NEXT.


 
“There was no chance of finding the wrong page in the book or using the wrong weight and having mistakes made,” says Bruce Elke. “That was one of the things that I really liked.”
 
Reliable Readings. Customer Confidence.
The moisture curve remains accurate throughout a wide range of temperatures. That’s critical for farmers drying grain or harvesting on hot days. Not surprisingly, it’s one of the benefits potential users are most curious about. 
 
Some have seen the Perten 5200-Farm at work in their local elevator. Others have had a Flaman rep bring one out to their farm to demonstrate the tester’s advanced accuracy sampling their own grain, and the response has been positive.
 

Ask your local Flaman sales rep about an on-farm demo

“Farmers like that the test data is logged,” says Shaun Gettis. “The bushel weight gives them more insight into their grain.” That, along with consistent, reliable moisture testing results – even in extreme temperatures – allows producers to make their combining and grain drying decisions with confidence, which is value for money.


 
Experience Perten AM 5200-Farm Accuracy at Flaman
Call or visit your nearest Flaman location to discuss how the 5200 can give you confidence in your crop’s readiness. Talk to a moisture-testing expert at any of our 11 locations across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. 

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with perten grain analysis moisture testing | More articles by Jeff Brown

Five Reasons to Upgrade Your Grain Handling

Posted by Jeff Brown Jun 20, 2023

Wish managing your bin yard was a little less complicated? A tied-in grain-handling system can make that happen. Flaman offers several innovative components that can eliminate the effort, expense, and inconvenience of getting your grain safely in your bins. Bringing them together in one place yields a bumper crop of benefits.



1. Reduce Manpower and Save on Labour Costs
Consider all the moving parts involved in traditional grain handling – augers, tractors, and semis to drive in and unload, plus the manpower to keep them moving. Setting up a grain handling system can save you the time it takes to move and operate equipment plus the expense of hiring help.

Options like belly dumping or side dumping grain into a pit that feeds a bucket elevator can be done by one person – saving you a lot of hiring, hollering, and hand signals.



2. Minimize Maintenance Costs
You’re probably all too aware of the cost of running a tractor back and forth to your grain bins. In addition to fuel, extra operating time will also mean more wear and maintenance. Your auger flighting can also wear out, suffering more metal-on-metal damage as time goes by.
 
A self-propelled, belt-driven bucket elevator is designed to avoid impact points, and a pit system can eliminate the need for a tractor to move or power anything.



3. Eliminate Seed and Grain Damage
Of course, if metal can damage metal, it can easily crush any seed that gets caught between an auger’s flighting and its tube. Brittle pulses like lentils and peas are particularly vulnerable to significant and costly damage.

A gentler handling option makes good economic sense. You could employ a low-cost Hutchinson Chain Loop system, operating like a sideways-mounted bucket elevator, or you could opt for the bucket elevator itself, which carries your grain in plastic buckets for minimum damage.



Walinga’s air system takes seed and grain protection even further. Its vacuum intake and blower combo gives your crop an air-cushioned ride to the bin.



4. Invest in the Future Growth of Your Operation with a Staged Expansion Approach
Not everyone can afford to set up a state-of-the-art grain handling system on day one. Fortunately, Flaman can help you structure a budget-friendly plan to expand your grain operation whenever and however you feel comfortable.



You can build up in stages over a number of years. For instance, Stage 1 might mean setting up a reliable bin-and-auger process. Your second stage might include tying all your bins together with a grated pit and bucket elevator system. In stage 3, you might add grain storage or introduce a truck scale or an overhead unload bin you can drive your truck under. Your fourth stage might see the addition of cleaning and processing equipment.

This is just an example. You could switch it up to expand your operation as you see fit. Every customer is different, and Flaman helps each one find an individual solution.



5. Increase Efficiency
Nothing saves time and money like speed and volume. Flaman offers both. Our low-maintenance grain handling equipment is proven to provide a high degree of safety for your crop and yourself. These include grain-moving options with impressive capacities of up to 20,000 bushels an hour.



From Start to Finish, We Have It Handled
If you’d like to make life on the farm more than kinda laid-back, Flaman proudly offers the best-in-class industry experts to help you do it.

You can count on our team of certified technicians. Their collective grain-handling expertise, service, and support are yours throughout the setup, optimization, and maintenance of your operation.

Get efficient this year. Talk to Flaman about the grain handling options that can start saving you money – and about the expansion you can achieve with the money you save.  

Start your better bin yard conversation here. 

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with grain handling walinga bucket elevator hutchinson grain pump | More articles by Jeff Brown

U-Drain Narrows Down Your Search for Ideal Floor Drainage

Posted by Jeff Brown May 18, 2023

Nothing says, "hope this will last" like cementing something into your floor. Fortunately, U-Drain pre-engineered floor drains were designed by carefully studying what drainage systems should do - and what they've failed to do in the past.
 
U-Drain engineers examined the drawbacks of previous systems and came up with several unique improvements.


 
Grate-Free Floor Drainage
Over time grates tend to buckle and bend after being removed and replaced for cleaning, eventually ruining the level, low profile of your floor. U-Drain uses no floor grates. Instead, it replaces them with a slotted design engineered to stay in place for decades of service. There's no need to remove or replace anything.


 
So Many Options!
U-Drain includes many features to make both homeowners and business operators happy.


Residential and commercial U-Drain installation examples
 
The slotted surface track is narrow and stays level with your floor, never sticking out from the moment you finish your concrete pour. As a result, homeowners and other property owners can now protect their garage floors, pools, driveways, and walkways without sacrificing style. U-Drain looks good and stays looking good.


 
Because larger commercial buildings may require more than one drain, U-Drain offers commercial customers several accessories for their specific drainage needs. Commercial packages are built to handle heavy-duty workplace drainage from fire halls to animal shelters. Our team will help you choose the accessories that best suit your unique business needs.


 
Long Lasting
Unlike other systems that can show up damaged before you even use them, U-drain is made galvanized and stainless-steel construction. The zinc galvanizing process will provide decades of protection against bacteria, rust, and corrosion.


 
Easy to Install
U-Drain's pre-engineered design makes installation simple. Sections bolt tightly together, lined up perfectly with laser-cut markings. The commercial sections measure 10' in length, unlike the usual 3 to 5' of other drainage systems. That means not only quicker and easier assembly, but also a straighter line going out. Special anchors are welded firmly onto the sections and sump corners, allowing you to secure them directly to your rebar grid.


 
Structural Integrity
Unlike grate systems that can start buckling from the weight of equipment rolling over them, the slim U-Drain track channels the weight into the surrounding concrete. That's why its residential and commercial safe live load capacity exceeds 10,000 lbs.


 
Easy to Clean
U-Drain provides a very simple cleaning alternative to removing and replacing grates. A specially designed cleaning paddle inserts easily into your drain slot. You can walk the full length of your drainage slot, sweeping debris into your sump for convenient disposal. Excess water drains out of 4" commercial and 2" residential outlet pipes running from your sump.


 
Learn More about U-Drain at Flaman
Flaman always takes pride in giving our customers one less thing to worry about, so we'll be happy to talk with you about how a U-Drain system can help make your home, workshop, or business tidier and more productive. We'll have your coffee and plenty of advice on options, benefits, and installation.
 
You can find U-Drain at any of the 11 Flaman dealerships across the prairies. In Alberta, you can find us in Nisku (just south of Edmonton), Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, and Fairview. Saskatchewan has six locations: Moosomin, Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Southey, Swift Current, and Yorkton. We also serve Manitoba, through our Swan River location.
Posted in Product Information | Tagged with U-drain floor drain drainage systems | More articles by Jeff Brown

The Right People are the Key to Superior Service

Posted by Jeff Brown May 11, 2023

“It pays to invest in people,” says Rick Knight, Service Manager at Flaman’s Nisku, Alberta location since 2021. He’s describing what brought him to Flaman after 30 successful years in the automotive, motorsport, and trailer service industry.

“It’s people and family oriented,” he says. The company’s care for its team and its customers impressed him. So did its principle of always wanting to do what’s right, a keystone of its founder’s philosophy. “I knew about Frank Flaman and his involvement in the community. I also heard when he gave up his entire company to charity, I respect that so much.”  

Rick applied his years of experience to building on what Frank Flaman had begun. Inspired by Flaman’s 60 years of growth, Rick knew his service department could take its own leap forward.  


Common Problem. Flaman Solution. 
It would be tough. Qualified trades people were in short supply, but Flaman already had a solid strategy for growing teams like Rick’s service department - promoting from within.  Rick deemed it a tailor-made solution.

“Most of our employees have mechanical experience and/or welding/fabrication experience. Some have farm experience, but we also have people come straight out of high school and be successful.” 



Natural Born Mechanics 
James Usselman can tell you exactly how that happens. 

“I was looking for employment and dropped off an application,” James recounts. “I knew Flaman was in the Ag business, and I grew up on a farm, so I already knew about Flaman’s products and services.” He knew what made them work as well. His father was a self-taught mechanic. “No training or certification, just a natural-born mechanic.”  

James says his father put his skills to work for several neighbours on farms in his community near Allan, Saskatchewan. “For as long as I can remember, I was by his side – mostly in the way – for a number of years.” It wasn’t a huge number of years, as James was already a reliable mechanical helper at the tender age of 10. “Things just progressed from there. We did automotive, ag, and heavy-duty repairs – everything from oil changes and brake jobs to full engine rebuilds.”  


Aptitude can take you a long way.  
When James went job hunting, he could present an impressive list of skills, but he lacked the certification to go with them. That might discourage other employers, but not Flaman. 

“Any certifications I have, I received here,” James says. Flaman started him on forklift engine rebuilds and general maintenance on all company vehicles. His talents earned him a spot in the service department, where he continued to impress. In 2005, the department moved into a new building, and James moved into a new role – Flaman’s Saskatoon-based Service Manager. 

Great Beginnings to Promising Futures 
James isn’t the only success story.  

“We had an entry level position for wash bay attendant,” Rick Knight recalls. “A 17-year-old showed up on his last day of school after writing his last final exam. He had a great attitude and personality; we hired him on the spot. Within 7 days, we realized his ability and skill set, moved him into the Service shop, and started to train him as a Tech.” 


A High Service Standard 
A high service standard is what Flaman Service Department shoots for. James agrees: “We try to do the job like we’re working on our own equipment.”  

In one sense, they ARE working on their own equipment, because Flaman services virtually everything it sells. But the team also services equipment bought elsewhere. Trailer repairs may be the star attraction, but it’s on a long list of items Flaman staff can fix and maintain, including: Augers, Conveyors, Discs, Grain carts, Post pounders, Pressure washers, Rough cut mowers, Seed tenders, Water pumps.
The staff also install truck decks and accessories, and they’re pros at in-house fabrication and customization. It all adds up to a wide range of services.


Good Opportunities for Good People 
No mechanical background? Not a deal breaker.

“We do start people from scratch,” Rick says. Flaman employees have earned training and advancement by demonstrating a great attitude, willingness to learn, punctuality, and a consistent work ethic.  

That policy pays off in the biggest dividends a Service Manager could hope for. 

“In return, we get great people, long-lasting team members, people with the same goals. They appreciate everything we have done, and we all truly become a family,” Rick says. “When it comes to doing the work and repairs, we haven’t failed to meet a challenge yet. 

“We are very confident in our team here at Flaman.” 


We value positive, long-term relationships with our employees. 
Do you have the customer-focused, team-oriented qualities described above? How about the experience, aptitude, or interest to pursue a mechanical career? Flaman employment opportunities offer much more than great service jobs. Successful candidates can take advantage of career training, advancement opportunities, competitive compensation, an extensive benefits package, RRSP and incentive programs.  

At Flaman, we value positive, long-term relationships with our employees.  If that sounds good to you, our service department is hiring. Visit Flaman Careers to apply.

Posted in Testimonials | Tagged with Careers Service Mechanic | More articles by Jeff Brown

AGI Batco UCX3 Conveyor. U-Trough Convenience. All Commodities.

Posted by Jeff Brown May 08, 2023

We could speak volumes about the volumes the all-commodity AGI Batco UCX3 U-Trough Belt Conveyor can process. It’s powerful, high-capacity, and fast. In ideal conditions, it can move up to 12,500 bushels (about 340 tons) of canola in a single hour.

At that rate, it’s not sheer fantasy to imagine loading a Super B in 10 minutes. Even heavier crops like wheat and peas still whistle through at about 10,000 BPH.  



Fast as that ride might be, the cereals, pulses, oilseeds, or fertilizers you put through it come out hardly the worse for wear. Gentle handling is the beauty of a U-trough system – especially one with the UCX3’s problem-solving design. It focuses on eliminating points where spillage, crushing, and other damage can occur, from intake to spout.



Advanced Leakage Protection
That starts with the redesigned collapsible hopper. It’s built low, so you can be sure it will fit easily under any bin. The new, reinforced design also maximizes grain flow by minimizing potential leakage and grinding along its sides.



A double-lip sealed edge keeps your commodities tightly in place as they travel up the conveyor’s 15” Direct X belt. It’s a U-trough-ready update of the chevron pattern used in the successful AGI Batco BCX3 tube conveyor. 

Sticking With What Works
The BCX3 design worked so well that many of its features have been incorporated into, or adapted to, the UCX3. These include:

Turbo clean wash system, two belt scrapers, and belt brush. Working together in one remarkably easy clean-out process, they keep your belt debris-free and oilseed-friendly.



Redesigned S-Drive. Easily adjusted with normal tools, this feature keeps your belt running straight and true without the risk of overtightening your pinch-roller bearings. 

IBEX Mover Kit. Redesigned with a built-in braking system and a 160° turning radius, the IBEX is powerful and easy to maneuver whether you’re on a flat, dry surface or navigating deep muck. Two features provide the outstanding traction you’ll need to get you through a rain or snow-drenched day in your bin yard: Skid steer-style tires for better traction and single-wheel drop-and-go convenience and balance.



More Power to U. 
One notable difference between the U-Trough Conveyor and the BCX3 is the size of their engines. The BCX3 offers a choice of two gasoline engines – the 32HP Kohler or the 33HP EFI Vanguard. The UCX3 bumps the power up with a 40HP EFI Vanguard motor and upgraded drive components to further increase hydraulic performance and longevity. 



Learn what the UCX3 can do for you at Flaman.
Want to know more about the AGI Batco UCX3 U-Trough Conveyor? You can find expert advice at 11 Flaman dealers across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Drop by your nearest Flaman location and get an up-close look at features like the ergonomic command centre, IBEX Mover Kit, and spillage control.



Ask our knowledgeable sales staff how the UCX3 or any of our other equipment can help your farming operation.  

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with agi batco u-trough conveyor belt oilseed | More articles by Jeff Brown

Seed Tenders: A Seeding Efficiency Game Changer

Posted by Jeff Brown Mar 28, 2023

Seed tenders were invented to reduce your transport time, lower labour costs, keep your work concentrated in the field, and enable you to seed more acres. Flaman offers several innovative models that meet those marks with remarkable efficiency.



Commercial Seed Tenders
The Convey-All CST-1550 Seed Tender is one of the largest seed tenders available today. Its 1550 cubic feet of storage and attached conveyor save you time and money while providing a new level of convenience. You can load it from either side at your bins, station it at your optimum fill site, and save multiple trips between home and field.


 
Designed to prevent cross-contamination, this tender’s six stainless-steel, epoxy-coated compartments can carry different seed types along with fertilizer in the same load.

 
The CST-1550 is a manpower saver. Remote control gives a single user command of a 25' conveyor, powered by a 50HP diesel engine and fully contained hydraulic system. As master of the conveyor’s 144-degree swing range and two-tons per-minute unload rate, you can fill air seeders and trucks precisely and evenly. There’s no need to bring extra help to reposition anything and you can fill both tanks of your air seeder so they both empty at the same time.

 
Users say those advanced features yield impressive numbers. They’ve reported saving 30 minutes each time you fill your drill. Multiply that by four or five fills a day, and you’re gaining an extra 2.5 seeding hours per day. A 76’ drill seeding 34 acres/hour can use that time to add 68 to 85 extra acres to your daily total. Over 10 days, you could seed an entire extra section.
 
Side-Draw Solutions
If you already have a conveyor (and there are plenty of good ones), the Convey-All CSC-1545 Seed Cart is a good choice.



Instead of a conveyor, the CSC-1545 utilizes a side-drop chute system, offering stainless-steel slopes and gates. Otherwise, it provides comparable features to the CST-1550, including six separate stainless steel-lined, epoxy/polyurethane-coated compartments and an overall capacity of 1,525 cubic feet.



Flaman also offers two excellent Side Draw Seed Tenders from Haul All Industries.

"The Haul All Side Draw Seed Tender is like a Swiss army knife. It can be used to load air drills, clean seed with, and it can also be used as a harvest surge trailer."

The four-hopper Haul All 1580NT features a 1260-bushel capacity and rides on a 40-foot tri-axle frame. The slightly smaller Haul All 1185NT model carries up to 945 bushels in three hoppers mounted on a 30-foot tandem trailer. Like Convey-All, Haul All builds its hoppers with stainless steel.



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Our seed tender experts can help you find the seed tender that best serves your operation. We have 11 Flaman dealers located across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Drop by the one nearest you, and let’s talk about your optimum grain-handling solution. 

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with seed tender seed cart side draw seeding Convey-All Haul All | More articles by Jeff Brown

What's it like being a Flaman Rental Dealer?

Posted by Jeff Brown Jan 17, 2023

We could explain how we support our dealers and how our Rentals division reflects Flaman’s history and community culture (which we will). However, to provide a clear picture of the actual dealership experience, it’s best to let our dealers speak for themselves.  



Today, we are sharing the experience of current rental dealers with you.   
 
An Unforeseen Advantage: Brian Headon
 
We recently talked with Brian from Headon Rentals in Lloydminster. He shared his insightful perspective on how becoming a Flaman dealer added to their existing livestock farm.   

We decided to become a Flaman Rental Dealer because it complements our farm. We have a year-round livestock operation and don’t have the same seasonal demands as grain producers. Flaman Rentals just made sense as a cash-flow business. Now that rental income has morphed into its own enterprise in the 11 years since we’ve partnered with Flaman.   
 
There’s an unforeseen advantage in creating this massive relationship with the community. You really don’t know what other producers are doing. We sort of became this hub, and we get to see how innovative other growers have become.   
 
Our success in the first year happened because of the early support from Flaman Rentals. Whenever we had a question or concern, we could count on Flaman, and the local farming community could count on us.   
 
—Brian Headon, Headon Rentals, Lloydminster, AB.   

The Roots of Flaman Rentals 
 
The national company you now know as Flaman began in 1959 with Frank Flaman and a baler and swather. You could say that custom baling and harvesting in the Southey, Sask area was Frank’s first rental venture. The commodities were his equipment and his manpower. This was the seed that would grow to become Flaman Rentals in 1993. It was nurtured by Frank’s desire to reduce the financial pressure on farmers and help make a difference in his community.   
 
Over 80 Flaman Dealerships exist across Western Canada and the U.S., supported by management, administrative, IT and marketing teams in our head office. We’ve expanded the range of products offered by our rental services to meet our client’s ever-changing needs. Even though many things have changed, one thing that remains the same is Flaman’s commitment to the customer.   
 
With the success of our existing Flaman Rental dealers, we expect to see many new ones sprout up. Many people share our vision of making a difference by helping local farmers succeed in today’s climate.   
 
The greatest thing about being a Flaman Dealer: Chad Cissell
 
Chad Cissell of Darkside Rentals shares a story similar to Brian’s. He took over an existing Flaman dealer five years ago.   

Flaman support was top-notch as we were first getting started. And even through the years, if you have a question, our Territory Manager will have an answer. We are one of the larger dealers with loads of experience, and we pass on our expertise to other Flaman Dealers.   
 
We serve lots of smaller farms that can’t just buy high-dollar equipment – ones that need quality implements in the short term to remain competitive. We offer that option at a fraction of the cost.   

Being part of the dealer network is the greatest thing about being a Flaman Dealer. We share tips and tricks, stories from the field, and help each other grow. There is still that competitive spirit amongst the dealers but… it just makes everyone better. That network is valuable.   
 
For those considering becoming a dealer, it’s very different day to day. Especially when you’re working with 100-plus customers over the year. You're used to seeing them at the grain market or auction house on occasion. It’s different when you become hands-on with them and understand what they need.   

Being a Flaman Rental Dealer is a challenging experience and I enjoy every minute of it!   
 
—Chad Cassel, Darkside Rentals, Ponoka, AB.   

Big Commitment. Ample Rewards. 
 
As you can see, a lot goes into becoming a Flaman Rental Dealer, but it comes with ample rewards. If you operate a farm or an agriculture-related business like delivering fuel or fertilizer, it's a great way to supplement your income. Dealership candidates with a solid understanding of the needs of farmers, farming communities, and agri-business go to the front of the line. We look for people like Brian and Chad who realize that maintaining that level of involvement is a reward.
 
At Flaman, we pride ourselves on being supportive; If you think you’re the kind of person who’d enjoy this kind of opportunity, join our team, you can count on our help finding the right equipment for your location. Flaman helps you succeed so you can continue to be the center of the community - meeting everyone in the surrounding area and being part of an invaluable and coherent dealer network.

If you are interested in joining this mutually supportive network of dealers, learn more about the Flaman Rental opportunity here.   

 
Posted in Testimonials | Tagged with Rentals Ag news | More articles by Jeff Brown

Be ready for harvest 2022: Summer is the time to build your bins & install your grain handling equipment

Posted by Calla Simpson Jun 24, 2022

Now that seeding is complete and the crops are growing, you may be starting to think about the next steps in your farming operation for 2022. This likely includes thoughts of additional Grain Storage, Grain Handling, and even Grain Drying equipment.



It may seem early to plan for harvest, but summer is a great time to build your bins and install your grain handling equipment to move the crop come harvest time. Buying now will ensure your equipment is installed and ready to go in the fall – so you can have peace of mind all season long.

Lean on the Pros
At Flaman, our Grain Systems team is equipped to work with you on developing your yard for the future. Let one of our industry experts come to your yard to measure, draw, and discuss your needs for the coming year. Our tactical approach provides you with various drawings and site layouts that can utilize your existing equipment, and plan for future expansion in a multi-phased strategy.

We can create a yard design based on your operational needs and the desired function of your site.

We specialize in full grain handling setups, including a wide range of bucket elevators and pneumatic conveyors – such as the Walinga Ultra-Veyor. Our turn-key offering also includes grain dryer systems, like the NECO Mixed Flow Dryer, as well as grain cleaning and processing facilities, automated bin sites, and producer loading sites.



Our team is here to guide the entire setup and installation process of your grain handling system and provide maintenance and service for every item that goes in and out of our doors.

Schedule your appointment today for a free, no commitment site assessment. 

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For more information on our grain handling and grain drying solutions, talk to one of our agriculture specialists at your nearest Flaman location.

Posted in Ag news | Tagged with grain systems grain handling grain drying grain cleaning turnkey bin site NECO Walinga | More articles by Calla Simpson

Grain Cart Unloading Done Just Right

Posted by Jeff Brown Jun 16, 2022

It really does matter how you look at it. Watching those harvest bushels pour out of your auger may do your heart good, but your back and neck don’t fare so well.
 
That’s because traditional grain carts unload on the left-hand side, causing you to turn away from your tractor controls. Meanwhile, anyone in your buddy seat has to do his own contortions to stay out of your way while you try to accurately offload grain. All that straining and stretching to see what’s happening makes for a long, unpleasant day - and a sore, sleepless night. 
 
Thankfully, one simple common-sense improvement gives you a clear view of your auger without the aches and pains.



Right-side augers change everything! 

J&M Manufacturing’s right-side auger grain cart makes the most of your tractor’s cab layout. Easy access to controls and unobstructed visibility allow you to effortlessly aim your auger right into the semi-trailers. The increased comfort makes grain handling more operator-friendly— with fewer visits to the chiropractor. 



It works with the extended right-hand swivel of most tractor seats and provides a consistently clear view of your controls and monitors. No more groping around, hitting the wrong button, and spilling your valuable grain. 


 
Farmer Approved

Operators have noted the left-to-right change left them less fatigued at the end of the day. 

“It's hard to look to your left when your controls are on the right. It’s just a piece of cake.” 
Bill Carter, Carter Farms

 
Different Side. Same Great Quality.

J&M builds their right-side auger model to the same high-quality standards as the rest of their grain cart line. All components and wearable parts remain as durable, dependable, and available as ever. Only the auger position has changed, and it's just one of this cart’s outstanding features.


 
Speed, Accuracy, and Convenience

The X-tended reach straight auger enables you to transfer 1400 bushels of grain in 2.5 minutes. Meanwhile, J&M’s patented telescoping hydraulic flow control spout sharpens your offloading aim – reducing the amount of grain that spills on the ground.
 
A 3-position auger system offers a 'storage' position to reduce machine width during transport and parking. The 'field' position limits stress on the auger and keeps the auger clean of any mud. The auger quickly extends to the 'unload' position to drop grain off. 

J&M Grain Carts at Flaman

Flaman carries the J&M 1412 grain cart with single 32” wide wheels or a 36” V4 Track to reduce soil compaction. Other heavy-duty standard components include:

-  V-Truss axles designed for strength, preventing twisting or bending
-  Oversized 6” spindles
-  10-bolt and 20-bolt hubs available
- Computer-balanced bullet auger flighting for quick unload speed and durability

All of our 1412 X-tended reach right-side auger grain carts will be wrapped with special edition Canadian decals, and will feature an iFarm scale, rolling tarp, and 1 ¾" PTO drive.

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Numbers are limited for 2022. Contact your nearest Flaman Ag expert and reserve your new J&M right-side auger grain cart today!

Posted in New Products | Tagged with J&M grain carts right side auger x-tended reach grain handling harvest | More articles by Jeff Brown

6 Reasons to Use a Riteway 7-Bar Harrow This Year

Posted by Mitch Flaman May 06, 2022

When it’s time to get your fields prepped for seeding, there are a few different equipment options to choose from. 

For many years, harrows have been used to prepare fields in different capacities. Whether you are levelling off ruts, busting up hardpan, or removing trash before seeding, both the Riteway 5-bar and 7-bar harrows have a specific purpose in the tillage cycle. With low-till or zero-tillage farming practices gaining popularity in the last decade, you need a way to create ideal seedbeds for your crop.


Riteway 5-Bar Heavy Harrow in use

Heavy harrows, often known as 5-bar harrows, are very common and do a great job moving dirt, even in wet conditions. The Riteway 7-bar harrow is lighter than a traditional heavy harrow and has twice as many tines, offering you the flexibility you need to deal with excess straw post-harvest and residue management before seeding.


Riteway 7-Bar Harrow

We put together six reasons why you should consider using a Riteway 7-bar harrow this year.

1. Trash and Residue Removal

“At its most basic point: if you’re looking to move soil – stick with your 5-bar, but if you’re looking for trash management there’s no better way to go than the 7-bar harrow.”
Brad Grass, Territory Sales Manager at Riteway Manufacturing

Think about how you use a large fan rake to clean up all the leaves in the fall. You go over the surface of your lawn, gently collecting the leaves and removing them. When using a garden rake, you collect everything from the roots of your grass – eliminating everything that protects the soil.

7-bar harrows work much the same as a large leaf rake, cleaning up and breaking down straw residue, while leaving the soil mildly agitated. Featuring twice as many tines as a heavy harrow, the 7-bar’s ½” tines provide better agitation as the harrow floats over the field – allowing for greater trash removal and distribution.

24" long 1/2" tines on the Riteway 7-Bar Harrow

2. Moisture Retention

The smaller diameter tines on the 7-bar harrow provide greater agitation while disturbing less ground. By only mixing up the top layer of the soil, it allows the moisture to stay in the ground. The goal is to remove extra trash on the surface, not dry out the soil. 
 

3. Less Soil Compaction

The 82’ Riteway 7-bar harrow weighs 19,900 lbs and is the heaviest and strongest 7-bar in its class. Despite its weight, the 7-bar won’t compact the soil down as much as a heavy harrow because it floats over the topsoil instead of digging down. Less compaction, combined with better moisture retention, creates a better environment for plant development. 


Riteway 7-Bar Harrow in use

4. Seed Bed Prep

Remove all the trash and debris left from harvest and prepare your seedbeds without removing soil. This allows the seed drills to move easily through the field with less straw build-up around the knife. After using a 7-bar harrow, you’ll end up with a nice, clean surface for a fresh start in the spring.


Riteway 7-Bar Harrow field demo

5. Herbicide Application

As some weeds become resistant to certain herbicides, older chemicals are making a comeback. Because granular herbicide mixes well with topsoil, the 7-bar harrow can effectively protect your crops from invasive weeds. The 7-bar helps introduce the granular chemical into the soil just enough so that it can be evenly distributed throughout the field.
 

6. Mechanical Weed Removal

The 7-bar’s lightweight spring tines help manage weeds that start to thrive in your field after harvest. By damaging these weeds enough so they stop growing, your crops have less competition for nutrients in the soil.

Spring Pressure Kit on the Riteway 7-Bar Harrow

As you can see, there are many advantages to using a Riteway 7-bar harrow to prepare your fields for seeding and manage the crop residue after harvest.


Brad, Riteway Manufacturing, walks through the features on the 7-Bar Harrow

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If you have any questions about our Riteway 7-Bar, Heavy, or Rotary Harrows, or any of our other tillage equipment, contact us or visit your nearest Flaman location.

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with Riteway harrow 7-bar heavy harrow tillage field prep seeding | More articles by Mitch Flaman

Maximize efficiency during your planting window with a seed tender from Flaman

Posted by Mitch Flaman Mar 24, 2022

Timing is everything. In the farming world, it is important to be ready to go when nature calls. Seed tenders are great tools to maximize efficiency and reduce downtime during the planting window. Similar to how grain carts keep the combines rolling at harvest time, seed tenders are designed to keep the drills in the field and maximize available seeding hours in the spring.

Some of the main reasons seed tenders are growing in popularity include:

1. Speed & Efficiency
2. Convenience, Versatility & Portability
3. Scale Benefits

Speed & Efficiency

Speed and efficiency are often the deciding factors that influence producers to purchase a seed tender. By reducing downtime when filling and maximizing the available hours to plant, farmers will notice the immediate benefits of owning a seed tender. There are only 24 hours in a day, and when utilized properly, more work can get done in less time. Seed tenders are often able to load an air cart faster and safer than a stand-alone seed truck and traditional auger.


Convey-All CST-1550

Convenience, Versatility & Portability

Convenience, versatility, and portability are all key aspects to improving efficiency. Seed tenders give you the ability to load up seed in advance and strategically position your fill site where it needs to be. This can reduce the manpower needed to move seed around the countryside if your farmland is scattered. One person can independently use the onboard conveyor to conveniently load the drill with the ease of a remote, reducing the need for extra bodies to move around in trucks and start/stop the fill auger before it overflows the tank.

Scale Benefits

Scale systems allow producers to precisely meter products when filling and emptying the seed tender and when filling the air cart or planter. This ensures operators know exactly how much seed is being allocated to which compartment This also allows for even distribution when filling the air cart to ensure there is no excess product left in one tank and not the other.
 
Whatever your reason for wanting to improve efficiency, the time is now to visit your local Flaman dealer and learn how to maximize your planting window with a new seed tender.
 
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At Flaman, we offer three options of seed tenders in our product lineup – the Convey-All Commercial Seed Tender, Convey-All Seed Cart, and the Haul All Side Draw Seed Tender. 


New to our product offering: Side Draw Seed Tenders from Haul All Industries

There are many different options and features to be aware of when considering a seed tender, including size, capacity, and functions. For more information on these three seed tenders options or to learn which one would best suit the needs of your operation, talk to one of our ag specialists at your nearest Flaman location.

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with seeding planting seed tender J&M Convey-All Haul All | More articles by Mitch Flaman

Why You Should Choose Flaman for Your Next Custom Screen Project

Posted by Calla Simpson Mar 18, 2022

Flaman Grain Systems is Western Canada’s largest custom screen manufacturer.

Not only do we stock over 50 varieties of material for any type of screen you may need, but we also have a team with over 50 years of combined experience in the Grain Systems industry.

From large terminals to small plants, we ship custom screen orders anywhere in North America – but especially throughout the prairies.

Inventory

One of the advantages of working with Flaman for your custom grain cleaning screens is our extensive inventory. We have 54 different types of screen materials in stock and on the shelf, as well as the frames to go with them.

Round Hole, Slotted, and Triangular Screen Options
 
We have screens available for almost any make or model cleaner, as well as custom-built to your specifications. We offer round hole, slotted, triangular, wire mesh, and specialty perforating screens, with either wooden or aluminum frames.

Grader Shells
 
We also carry grader shells, scalper reels, indent shells, and ball racks, along with a full supply of durable hand screens and sieves in a variety of materials and sizes. Specialty order hand screens are also available.

Hand Screens & Sieves

We begin by assessing your needs from technology to capacity, so we can accurately match you to the proper equipment for your grain cleaning operation. After we find the right machine for your farm or commercial operation, we work with you to determine the correct size and type of screen.
 
We hand screen grain samples for size and quality, so we can provide you with an accurate recommendation of screen sizes. Then we decide between wood or aluminum frames, wire meshes, or specialty orders, as well as any other accessories or add-ons.

All of our screens are manufactured in-house out of our Grain Systems shop in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

 

Experience

When it comes to our screen division, it is our people that really make the difference. From sales and operations to carpentry and welding, our team has long-term experience in the Grain Systems industry.
 
With over 20 years of experience with Flaman, Roy prides himself on getting the right equipment in front of his customers. Roy’s extensive grain cleaning knowledge and his passion for helping find solutions for his customers is the foundation of the Grain Systems team.
 
“My favourite part of working with this team is the people. We have a lot of fun here, too.”

Roy, Shop Manager & Grain Systems Analyst
 
With a smile, Mike keeps the sales and operations side organized and running smoothly in a busy atmosphere.

Mike, Grain Systems Sales
 
Our screen manufacturers are integral to the shop and the Grain Systems team. They are consistent, hard-working, and skilled woodworking and metal manufacturers. Gerwin has been with the company for over 12 years, and Wency has been part of the team for 10 years.


Wency, Screen Manufacturer

Both Gerwin and Wency are motivated by family and take great pride in their work. Their happy attitudes and humour make all the difference in making the workplace a positive environment.
 

Gerwin, Screen Manufacturer
 

From Start to Finish

 At Flaman Grain Systems, we believe in supporting you from start to finish – from screen manufacturing and operations, right up to processing plants and turn-key grain system installations. This includes supplying, installing, and servicing various grain cleaners, bucket elevator systems, and other grain handling equipment.

 
With our unmatched inventory and long-term experience, Flaman is a great choice for your next custom screen project.

When you buy from us you are not just buying a product, you are gaining the ongoing support of a team with over 50 years of experience.
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If you have any questions about screen manufacturing, or any of our on-farm or commercial grain cleaners, grain dryers, or grain handling equipment, contact us or visit your nearest Flaman location.

Posted in Division News | Tagged with grain systems grain cleaning grain cleaners screen manufacturing perforated screens custom screens processing plants | More articles by Calla Simpson

When Melted Snow Must Go, Flaman Pumps You Out

Posted by Jeff Brown Mar 07, 2022

It's great to see the winter snow melt, but it can leave a sea of excess meltwater on your farm, acreage, or worksite. Flooded ditches, construction sites, dugouts, or even just low-lying spots in your field can accumulate serious pools of water. The sucking mud that comes with it can make you miss frozen-solid winter ground.

Fortunately, Flaman carries a number of water pumps to help you move winter snowmelt water quickly – giving your spring growth room to breathe.



Our large selection of water pumps range in size from 1” to 4” from brands like Honda and BE. We also carry two brands of floating pumps: Watermaster and Warthog.

The Watermaster floating pump is a high-volume, low horsepower pump, available in either gas-powered or hydraulic configurations. The Warthog floating pump is a highly fuel-efficient piece of equipment that is capable of pumping continuously up to 15 hours at 850 gallons per minute (51,000 gallons per hour). It's so compact it can fit in the trunk of a car.


From right to left: BE water pump, Warthog floating pump, Honda water pump

For your existing spraying or pumping operation, we have all the hoses, fittings, and filters you'll need to keep things running smoothly. 

Our variety of spraying and pumping hoses includes lay-flat, air-seeder, and industrial-grade suction hoses at an affordable cost. They can be purchased pre-cut to a specific length, so you can have the option to build your own efficient system right off the shelf.



Our large selection of hose and pipe fittings are offered in both aluminum and plastic, with options for manifold or threaded style. We specialize in 1” to 4” size fittings that include cam locks, ball valves, reducers, pipe thread, flanges, and more.



We carry Super Flo water filters, rated at over 4,000 gallons per hour and equipped with easy-to-replace foam and mesh. If your pump-to-filter hook-up needs some tweaking, we have adapters available for your convenience. Some Flaman locations also carry filter floats, which help remove some common hurdles of pumping water. They eliminate the need for waders and keep your filter submerged in sloughs, ditches, ponds, and dugouts as low as 10” deep.

Filter Float demo video

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From water pumps, floating water pumps, filters, fittings, hoses, and accessories, Flaman is here to provide you with efficient, reliable, and cost-effective solutions to move water. To learn more about our product selection or to get expert water-moving advice, talk to one of our team members at your nearest Flaman location. 

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with water pumps filters fittings hoses meltwater spraying operation moving water | More articles by Jeff Brown

Winter Tune-up: The Health Benefits of Snowmobiling

Posted by Jeff Brown Jan 10, 2022

At first glance, it might be hard to believe snowmobiling is good for your health. After all, you are just sitting on a motorized machine that does all the work, aren't you?

No, you're actually doing much more than that. Here's a rundown of the health benefits of "sledding," and how you can take part if it sounds like your kind of outdoor fun.

More Than a Mechanical Sleigh Ride

According to the Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations (CCSO), sledding can positively impact both your physical and mental health. In 2019, the organization released its Physical Activity Health Study, a summary of independent research done by the University of Guelph. The report included physiological data from field-testing in Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec.

The study highlighted how snowmobiling could restore a sizable list of healthy habits that go missing as the days get shorter and colder - physical activity, outdoor time, exposure to nature, and socialization. Unfortunately, their absence can result in weight gain and reduced strength, endurance and immunity. With winter seemingly closing in on us, we can add Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) to the price of our sedentary sins.

Physical Benefits

After following over 4,000 snowmobilers, the study found that the average rider used 5.6 METs while riding. The term "MET" stands for Metabolic Equivalent, a measure of the calories you burn sitting still. The study used body-position sensors to determine snowmobiling is much more than "sitting still."

There's a lot of standing, kneeling, stabilizing, handle gripping, and changing position involved – especially if you head out into the backcountry or up into the mountains. The study also mentions peripheral tasks like digging out a stuck sled, clearing obstacles and truck/trailer loading and unloading.

The study also measured these activities' exertion, fatigue, and aerobic exercise value. Again, uneven terrain was a significant factor. Trail riders reached an average of 68% of their maximum heart rate, while backcountry and mountain riders reached 71% and 82%, respectively.

The researchers admit that cardio calculations can be logistically tricky with all the moving around. Measurement can also be obscured by exhilaration, which sometimes goes by another name - fun.

Emotional Benefits

Snowmobiling is so much fun, you might overlook the workout you're getting - and that physical activity makes you feel even better. It combats changes in the brain that can lead to Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and General Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Time out on the snowy trails can also do wonders for sleep cycles and blood flow to the brain. It can even enhance the structure of the brain itself.

Furthermore, frequent leaning and shifting positively affect stress hormones, inflammation, and neurotransmitter production. It works as well or even better than prescribed antidepressant medications at reversing depression symptoms. One weekend trip can keep your contentment charged up for up to a week.

Social Dynamics Make Social Dynamos

The study also points to several social benefits vital to mental health and physical safety. For example, isolation is a significant contributor to depression and other mental disorders. Because snowmobiling works best as a group activity, it offers several group dynamic pleasures, benefits, challenges, and rewards. Leaders choose the path and set the pace, and followers look out for those before and behind them. Negative thoughts are replaced by the good feeling of being part of a group that relies on your best qualities.

It's also a great way to learn skills from others and develop your own sense of mastery. Feeling capable when you encounter challenges lowers your levels of stress and anxiety. So does gaining confidence within a group. Last but not least, there's a proven link between physical activity and improved mood. All of these benefits are easier to realize in an affirmative group setting.

So, where do you get started if you're interested in snowmobiling but don't have any snowmobile friends? There are several snowmobile associations and federations across Canada representing 729 individual clubs.

Reclaim Your Time with Nature.

It's not just what you do, but also where you do it. Getting outdoors in the winter allows many of us to confront and befriend the fearsome snow beast of our imaginations. It's more than liberating. It's restorative. You're reclaiming a connection you thought you'd lost with the summer sun, and the scenery is still gorgeous to behold.

Happy Trails!

The CCSO reports there are over 121,000 km of organized snowmobile trails in Canada, used by over 1.5 million family members across the nation. No doubt many of those snowmobilers get excited when the snow starts falling.

Just remember to take good care of the trails you travel, those who share them, and yourself. Follow that rule, and snowmobiling can be great fun and fitness for everyone who jumps on and throttles up.

Flaman Has the Trailer That Can Take Your Sled to the Snow.

You take pride in owning a snowmobile that can take you where you want to go. Take the same pride in a trailer that takes your sled where you want to go. Flaman Trailer Stores sells and rents outstanding utility, enclosed, and flat-deck trailers to take one or more snowmobiles to the trails. (We also deal in gooseneck, stock and dump trailers.)

You can count on our accredited Trailer Service Department for quality maintenance, inspection, repair, warranty, or upgrade work. You put a lot of care into your sled. Let our professionals put the same care into the trailer that carries it. Call or visit your nearest Flaman Trailer location and talk about giving your great ride a great ride!

Posted in Contests | Tagged with Winter Contest winter recreation snowmobiling ice fishing trailers | More articles by Jeff Brown

Get Out and Enjoy Winter Part 4 - Fun

Posted by Jeff Brown Dec 12, 2021

For countless winters, Canadians have instinctively taken to the outdoors. That habit has given us a national sport, long average lifespans, and a reputation for friendliness, hardiness and adaptability.

Most of us went out without the knowledge of studies documenting the good we were doing our minds and bodies. Fresh air, being active, and the natural beauty of our country were reasons enough.

Even if we find ourselves spending less time outside, the door is always open. So here’s some information for those who’d like to regain the joy of winters past and those yet to fully discover what the season offers. It’s our way of encouraging you to get out and enjoy the glories of a great Canadian Winter.

Part 4: Fun!



In part 3 of this series, we offered some timely tips to ensure your time outdoors is safe. As lovely as a regret-free winter sounds, FUN sounds even better. It's good for the mind and body and for our relationships with nature and each other. 

Done correctly, fun has the admirable power to make you feel younger AND extend your lifespan. So it's never a waste of your time. 

Raring to Go Outside



Recent events have made "going out" feel like a long-ago dream. That's certainly taken a toll on everyone's mental health, but at the same time, it's elevated our appreciation of our time outdoors. A recent study by the Centre for Addiction and mental health (CAMH) reported that getting outside was the most popular coping method - touted by 93.5% of survey respondents. Remember, that's in an age when people were already spending too much time indoors gawking at screens.
 
We've also become wiser and more respectful of each other's space – and there's plenty of it outdoors. So the time has come for us to reap all the benefits of a brisk winter day, safely sharing time with family, friends, and neighbours.
 
That renewed socialization comes with a whack of benefits. While our bodies enjoy reduced blood pressure and stronger immunity, our minds gain a better mood, more confidence and self-esteem, purpose, improved communication skills, increased brain health, and reduced risk of cognitive decline. 

Winter Frolics – Go Outside and Play



And we can have fun doing it. Just look at some of the entertaining activities out there and the health benefits they provide:
 
Downhill skiing: Do cardio-metabolic benefits like improved insulin resistance, body composition and glucose metabolism, and lowered blood pressure, blood lipids and heart rate sound like you're going downhill? According to a 2018 Time Magazine article, you are if you're on skis. Downhill skiing's cardio benefits are compared to those of rowing and cycling. But it's also a fantastic full-body workout, especially when your carve up those moguls. It's also a form of interval training with downhill dashes and rides back up on the chairlift. 

Cross-country skiing: The gliding motion makes it low-impact. Using your upper body, arms, legs, and core makes it a supreme strength and toning exercise. Because it's so good for your heart and easy on your joints, people enjoy it into their 90s.

Skating: It also uses a gliding motion that's easy on your joints. It actually enhances your joint flexibility. You'll be moving in directions that don't apply to regular walking and getting great aerobic exercise as you gradually build up your heart rate and respiration. You'll also dart around in quick bursts, which is a fantastic anaerobic exercise to build up your muscles. 

Snowshoeing: You can walk or run on them over snow that would otherwise cave in and leave buried up to your waist. (If you want a REALLY TOUGH workout, try walking around like that.) Because it keeps you on top of the snow, you can cover a lot of ground and see a lot of nature. But that doesn't make it a stroll in the park. There's enough drag over the surface to burn up to 50% more calories than you would walking the same distance. Meanwhile, you're building up muscular endurance as you work your flexors, quads, glutes, hamstrings and calves.

Cold Weather Hiking: We've discussed the benefits of forest bathing, which is more relaxed and nature-focused than the driven pace of a full-on hike. However, the effects of forest surroundings work the same – increasing the physical benefits of a good, brisk walk. It's even better if you take your hike in the mountains. Participants in a 2017 PLOS One study said they found it more pleasant and less tiring than a treadmill workout. 

Old Familiar Fun in the Snow



Wish you were a kid again? It might be your sense of propriety and not your years that you need to overcome. Every winter, you can find plenty of snow to build forts, snow people, or snowballs to fling about. 

Put on your warm, waterproof clothing, then flop down and make a snow angel. Take a downhill plunge on a toboggan, tube or other gravity/good push-propelled vehicle. If you've got kids, use them as an excuse. They'll understand what you're getting out of it. 

• If you want more excuses, here's a bunch of them:
• You're getting a great cardiovascular workout that just feels like you're enjoying yourself.
• You'll be stimulating brain function.
• You'll activate your imagination.
• You'll bring back childhood memories and optimism that can lift the burden of adult problems off your shoulders for a while. 

Winter's Calling You to Come Out and Play.
 
If you remember your childhood correctly, you'll recall what came before all that romping in the snow. There was the getting roused out of bed and the bundling up your parents made you do. As adults, we can make our own choices, and we often decide to forego the inconveniences that come between us and getting on with life. 

It's easy to stay indoors in your pyjamas and wait for winter to just end already. But you'll miss out on all the invigorating, emboldening, and just plain fun benefits of the season. 

So go out and make a friend of winter. You'll miss it when it's gone. 
 

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Warm Up to Winter Contest
Have you entered our Warm Up to Winter contest on our Facebook and Twitter pages yet?

It's that time of year again – and we're giving away some awesome prizes! Enter to win a $3,000 trailer purchase credit plus weekly prizes like trailer rentals, Koenders snowmobile sleds, gas cards, and more! Draws are made at the end of every week until our Grand Prize Draw on February 4th. Enter now – and good luck!

 

Posted in Contests | Tagged with Winter Contest winter recreation snowmobiling ice fishing trailers | More articles by Jeff Brown

Get Out and Enjoy Winter Part 3 - Safety

Posted by Jeff Brown Dec 12, 2021

For countless winters, Canadians have instinctively taken to the outdoors. That habit has given us a national sport, long average lifespans, and a reputation for friendliness, hardiness and adaptability.

Most of us went out without the knowledge of studies documenting the good we were doing our minds and bodies. Fresh air, being active, and the natural beauty of our country were reasons enough.

Even if we find ourselves spending less time outside, the door is always open. So here’s some information for those who’d like to regain the joy of winters past and those yet to fully discover what the season offers. It’s our way of encouraging you to get out and enjoy the glories of a great Canadian Winter.

Part 3: Safety
 


In part 2 of this series, we went over the mental and physical benefits of getting outside in winter. But, of course, our coldest season brings some hazards beyond the usual sniffles or minor frostbite. 
 
However, that's no excuse to avoid winter altogether. Here are some common-sense tips for balancing safety with the joys of outdoor winter activity.
 
Don't Let Jack Frost Bite You.



Here are some tips from the Mayo Clinic and other leading experts on best practices for keeping fit out in the snow:
Talking to your doctor before starting any exercise regimen is always a good idea.

Create a schedule and stick to it. Consistency is essential all year round. However, during the short days of winter, finding the right time for working, sleeping, exercise and eating are vital. Healthy, balanced meals will help keep you energized while the sun's up. That will help you make the most of your exercise, which will help you restore your circadian rhythm. Proper sleep and a consistent sense of time will help you stave off SAD and the physical, mental and behavioural problems that come with it.

Check the weather – especially if you have heart issues, lung problems or asthma. Remember, the colder it is, the harder it gets on your lungs and respiratory tract. Respiratory symptoms and lung function begin to change at -15 C, according to University of Alberta exercise physiologist and associate kinesiology professor Michael Kennedy. He advises slowing down if you go out on bone-chilling days. Indoor exercise may also be an option.

Dress in layers. As you exercise, your body will naturally warm up. So instead of taking off a big coat and instantly switching from too hot to too cold, you'll be able to adjust your clothing insulation like you'd change your thermostat at home.

Choose the right gear for winter running conditions. That includes reflective clothing for those dark morning runs and good shoe traction for icy conditions. In addition, a skiing, snowboarding, or snowmobiling helmet could offer vital protection if you do have a slip.

Keep hydrated. Drinking water or sports drinks before, during and after a run is a good idea, even if you're not feeling thirsty. Colder weather doesn't eliminate the threat of dehydration through sweating or even breathing.

Stay properly nourished. Carbohydrates are a great source of the energy you'll need. You can get them quickly from a pre-run banana or glass of orange juice. For longer runs, you'll want to bring along fruit, granola bars or other snacks to keep your strength up and your body warm.



Run against the wind on your way out. That way, you can get the "wind resistance" benefits of your run while you're fresh. You'll also have the wind behind you on the way back. Not only will it give you a push, but it will also protect you from a chill after you've been sweating. 

Take time to acclimatize yourself. Don't burst out of the door running or immediately jump on those skis or snowshoes. Instead, spend a little time getting used to the cold around you and do a slow warm-up before you take off. This practice will help you build up your metabolic rate gradually and safely.

Consider making it a walk. Running isn't the only way to cover ground and keep up with your fitness.

 
Wind Up Your Exercise Wisely



After a good workout in the cold, you might not want to wait to go back inside. Instead, you'll want to resist that urge, according to Associate Professor Kennedy. Rewarming is an exertion unto itself, and you don't want to inflict it suddenly on your chilled airway. Instead, it's best to cool down slowly while gradually reintroducing your body to a warmer environment. 

If you've driven to a skiing or snowshoeing area, driving home with the heat off can help your airway slowly regain its surface liquid before going into your home.

Once You're Back Indoors 



You can warm up further with a hot beverage and a meal that combines protein and carbs. Options include hot cocoa, chicken noodle soup, a tea latte made with dairy or soy milk, whole-wheat toast with peanut butter and banana, or oatmeal with warm milk, raisins and walnuts.
 
Eat it within 30 minutes of your re-entry to properly replace your spent fluid and glycogen resources. In addition, the walnuts offer an added refuelling benefit. Along with foods like almonds and lettuce, it can provide the melatonin that helps you get a great night's sleep.

Just remember that doing something out in the snow is not all work and no play. Exercise is great, but just going out and having a blast can do wonders for you as well. So, in Part 4, we conclude with a refresher on winter fun – and how to have it.
 

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Warm Up to Winter Contest
Have you entered our Warm Up to Winter contest on our Facebook and Twitter pages yet?

It's that time of year again – and we're giving away some awesome prizes! Enter to win a $3,000 trailer purchase credit plus weekly prizes like trailer rentals, Koenders snowmobile sleds, gas cards, and more! Draws are made at the end of every week until our Grand Prize Draw on February 4th. Enter now – and good luck!

 

Posted in Contests | Tagged with Winter Contest winter recreation snowmobiling ice fishing trailers | More articles by Jeff Brown

Get Out and Enjoy Winter Part 2 - Benefits

Posted by Jeff Brown Dec 12, 2021

For countless winters, Canadians have instinctively taken to the outdoors. That habit has given us a national sport, long average lifespans, and a reputation for friendliness, hardiness and adaptability. 

Most of us went out without the knowledge of studies documenting the good we were doing our minds and bodies. Fresh air, being active, and the natural beauty of our country were reasons enough.

Even if we find ourselves spending less time outside, the door is always open. So here’s some information for those who’d like to regain the joy of winters past and those yet to fully discover what the season offers. It’s our way of encouraging you to get out and enjoy the glories of a great Canadian Winter.
 
Part 2: Benefits  

In part 1 of this series, we discussed the mental and physical costs of staying cooped up all winter. Then we showed how other cold-climate regions get out and make the most of our coldest season. We also mentioned the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing” – seemingly nothing more than an observant walk in the woods. But its proponents argue that their time in nature is much more than a pleasant pastime. Researchers agree with them – pointing to documented benefits. For instance, the aromatic scent of evergreen trees wafting airborne essential oils that can boost your immunity for weeks.
 
And that’s just the beginning of the mental and physical benefits winter holds for you.
 
Scientifically Proven
 


Studies indicate connecting with nature can help lower your body mass index (BMI) and lessen your risk of obesity and related conditions. A Central European study of late spring and winter forest bathing showed blood pressure levels dropped as well. 

Findings suggest it may reduce the prevalence of chronic illnesses including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Studies further show it speeds recovery from other ailments. There’s even research indicating that it bolsters NK (natural killer) cells in their battles with cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

It’s also shown to be as good for your mind as it is for your body – improving your memory, mood, motivation, energy, attention span, focus, creativity and problem-solving. Forest bathing has been attributed the power to enhance spiritual benefits like mindfulness and gratitude.
 
A Symbiotic Relationship
 


The relatively new field of Environmental psychology puts much stock in the notion that time in nature helps us resolve internal, interpersonal and societal ills. It holds that human beings are more readily adaptive to natural environments than man-made ones. Other tenets include:

• Natural light quickly helps reduce stress levels, lower blood pressure, and boost our immune system
• Strong connections to the environment make us more aware of it and how we fit into it.  
• Humans can always improve the environment they live in.
• We’re active adapters to changes in society and the environment. We can reshape our social identities and affiliations to the physical space we occupy.

 
You can read more about our relationship with nature here. 
 
Of course, many like to add a little physical exertion to their enjoyment of nature. That, too, can be an invigorating experience – if it’s done correctly.
 
Exercising in Winter



Short days and chilly weather can discourage you from going out for that daily jog or brisk walk. But once you get out and do it, you can adjust to the difference and reap a long list of benefits.

Your body will thank you for awakening a metabolism that just wants to sleep in. It will help keep your figure trim even throughout the feasting holidays. Outdoor exercise pumps up your heart health and lowers your blood pressure all year long. But in winter, the cold acts as another form of resistance.

Meanwhile, the sun sends down buckets of vitamin D – even in winter – bolstering your bone strength and immune system. Studies indicate it also aids weight loss and helps protect us from the flu, multiple sclerosis, and heart disease.

You won’t have to tax your heart rate as much as you do in the summer, meaning less sweat and more energy. And who wants to sweat in all that winter clothing? The weight of those layers helps you become stronger and fitter at the same time.
 
The Heart-Warming Effects of “Chilling”



Piling on those clothes can take a load off your mind. Going out to exercise is an ironic escape; You’re breaking free of a debilitatingly oppressive winter by fleeing into a refreshingly liberating one. 

Same winter. Different perspective. Instant change.

This isn’t purely philosophical. Science has proven exercise makes you happier by releasing delightful endorphins. It ends your day with a relaxing sleep, which helps you greet the next day with more energy and enthusiasm and a sharper focus.

The air in natural areas like park trails along rivers is high in negative ions. In this instance, it’s believed that negative is better than positive – especially when it comes to emotions. An Australian study backed this belief – showing runners who ran outdoors reported more mood elevation running outdoors than on an indoor treadmill.

Further research has indicated:

• Vitamin D helps battle anxiety and depression.
• Exercise can improve your response to stress
• Exercise may help your brain produce new cells – boosting performance and clarity

With winter exercise, the “how” is as important as the “why.” Its many benefits come with some sound advice on keeping your time outdoors, safe, productive and enjoyable. That’s in Part 3 of this series.
 

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Warm Up to Winter Contest
Have you entered our Warm Up to Winter contest on our Facebook and Twitter pages yet?

It's that time of year again – and we're giving away some awesome prizes! Enter to win a $3,000 trailer purchase credit plus weekly prizes like trailer rentals, Koenders snowmobile sleds, gas cards, and more! Draws are made at the end of every week until our Grand Prize Draw on February 4th. Enter now – and good luck!

 

Posted in Contests | Tagged with Winter Contest winter recreation snowmobiling ice fishing trailers | More articles by Jeff Brown

Get Out and Enjoy Winter Part 1 - Appreciation

Posted by Jeff Brown Dec 12, 2021

For countless winters, Canadians have instinctively taken to the outdoors. That habit has given us a national sport, long average lifespans, and a reputation for friendliness, hardiness and adaptability. Most of us went out without the knowledge of studies documenting the good we were doing our minds and bodies. Fresh air, being active, and the natural beauty of our country were reasons enough. Even if we find ourselves spending less time outside, the door is always open. So here’s some information for those who’d like to regain the joy of winters past and those yet to fully discover what the season offers. It’s our way of encouraging you to get out and enjoy the glories of a great Canadian Winter. 

Part 1: Appreciation



"Like it or not, winter is here", the saying goes. Unfortunately, too many of us choose “or not, “ and that’s a shame when winter has so much to offer. As children, we went outside and played in the snow and on the ice. As adults, we largely resent those frozen things as inconveniences or even threats. That outlook causes us to dread winter when it’s coming, endure it while it’s here, and celebrate its departure. Combined with our own physiological response to changing seasons, it’s caused us to suffer all manner of problems. 

The Cost of Avoiding an Entire Season



One of the biggest problems – and often the root cause of several others – is seasonal affective disorder (aptly abbreviated as SAD). It can happen in spring and summer but is more common during fall and winter. While it can cause depression at any time, it also drains you of energy and bedevils your moods in the winter.
 
It can make you feel down all day, diminish your interest in your favourite activities and knock your circadian rhythm (AKA internal sleep clock) completely off-kilter. Sufferers have trouble concentrating, and might feel anything from sluggish and irritated to worthless and hopeless, so it’s something you’ll want to nip in the bud.

Even if you’re just feeling a little groggy and grumpy, you’re still bringing on negative physical effects. You’ll eat more – with a greater craving for carbohydrates. Unless you have a way to burn them off, you’ll gain weight. The extra weight can deepen those negative feelings and throw higher cholesterol levels and blood pressure onto the heap.
Too much sedentary time at home can start to feel like a prison sentence. Which, in an odd way, is a good way to look at it. It will spur you to break out. 

Change the Way You Look at Winter.



Admittedly, winter can send some cold winds, pile its snow up deep, and create white-knuckle driving conditions. However, taking winter as a whole season – and only at its worst – is a recipe for anxiety, isolation, depression, and physical illness. 

We need to reclaim our childhood wonder for the season. Few things are more beautiful than a winter landscape on a sunny day, and few things are fresher than a breath of winter air. There are plenty of clear days to bundle up and enjoy both. Some days, you won’t even have to bundle up that much.
 
It’s more a feeling of befriending winter, rather than conquering it. To accomplish that, you need to venture out into its worst elements. If you do, stay warm and don’t venture out too long or too far. Then you can come back in, put your slippers on, and sip your cocoa triumphantly, like an old sea dog who’s rounded the horn.
 
How Other Countries Warm Up to the Cold


Photo by Robson Hatsukami Morgan (unsplash.com)

Getting outside in winter is nothing new. Cold climate areas around the world have been doing it for centuries. The UN consistently rates Norway as one of the happiest countries on earth. Yet, during their long winter, its citizens see an average of only 6-8 hours of sunlight during the day – and that’s in the south.
 
The northern Norwegian city of Tromsø, where the polar night lasts for three weeks, hosts an internationally-known half marathon in the darkest part of January. (They also host an outdoor film festival that month.) It’s citizens are ski-crazy, walking uphill on skis then schussing down, guided by the light of headlamps. When it’s always dark, this is an anytime thrill. It’s also not unusual for families with small children to have a winter campout on a frozen lake.
 
Meanwhile, Yakutsk, Russia posts a frigid average winter temperature in the -40s. Houses are built on stilts so the amount of heating needed to make them livable doesn’t melt the permafrost underneath them. Still, the city’s outdoor markets stay open year-round. Wired magazine reported that although the Siberian winter yields some days that can quickly send you scurrying indoors, kids still get out and ice skate.
 
Commune with Nature


Photo by Tobias Bjørkli (pexels.com)

Just as Yakutsk isn’t constantly cold, Tromsø isn’t completely pitch black. During certain times of the 15-day night, the sun manages to turn the sky a deep cobalt blue, known as the ‘polar twilight’. Even better, it’s occasionally animated by dancing Northern Lights. When full daylight finally dawns again, it reveals a beautiful city ringed by islands and fjords – a sight that no doubt contributes to the local population’s vigour.
 
Time in nature’s beauty is another internationally revered commodity. The Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku – “forest bathing” – can be as simple as a walk in the woods or a three-hour guided eco-therapy tour. The point is consciously connecting with what’s around you through a concentrated use of your senses.
 
If it sounds a little new-agey to you, consider that science confirms several of its benefits. We’ll address those in part two of this series.
 

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Warm Up to Winter Contest
Have you entered our Warm Up to Winter contest on our Facebook and Twitter pages yet?

It's that time of year again – and we're giving away some awesome prizes! Enter to win a $3,000 trailer purchase credit plus weekly prizes like trailer rentals, Koenders snowmobile sleds, gas cards, and more! Draws are made at the end of every week until our Grand Prize Draw on February 4th. Enter now – and good luck!

 
Posted in Contests | Tagged with Winter Contest winter recreation snowmobiling ice fishing | More articles by Jeff Brown

Flaman Launches First Storefront Location in Peace River Region

Posted by Jeff Brown Oct 27, 2021

WELD (verb) 

1. join together (metal pieces or parts) by heating the surfaces to the point of melting using a blowtorch, electric arc, or other means, and uniting them by pressing, hammering, etc. 
2. cause to combine and form a harmonious or effective whole. 

Oxford Dictionary 

The bond between Flaman and Dunvegan Fab & Welding has made both parties stronger – not to mention what it’s done for life in the Peace River Country. 
 
It was officially forged at the beginning of March 2021, when Flaman Sales purchased the busy shop from Trevor Kerschbaumer of Kerba Group. But Flaman’s relationship with DF&W goes back for years, and its presence in the Peace River Country goes back even further. 


Flaman’s Presence in the Peace River Country 

Frank Flaman got to know the beautiful Peace River Country well, travelling through it extensively in the 1980s. It didn’t take long for him to see how Flaman could serve this productive agricultural region. Over the years, several area businesses incorporated Flaman Rentals into their product/service offering. 

These businesses now operate in Fahler, LaCrete, Grande Prairie, and High Prairie in Alberta and Dawson Creek in BC. However, the opening of the Peace Country’s first Flaman storefront operation is a very recent development. 

 

Dunvegan Fab & Welding 

Norm McLachlan opened his first welding shop on the family farm in the mid-90s. Around 2003, the demand for agricultural welding and fabrication spurred him to open a second shop in Fairview, Alberta. In 2011, in response to his customers’ needs, McLachlan expanded his in-town operation to include Flaman Rentals. 

Dunvegan Fab & Welding wasn’t the first Fairview shop to offer Flaman Rentals, but the partnership clicked. As in other agricultural regions, Flaman’s selection of rental products was the perfect fit for farmers in short-term need of expensive equipment. 
 

The Rental Advantage 

We rent grain vacs, disc harrows, heavy harrows, rock rakes, rock pickers, and bale carts,” says Tina Gelech, in charge of Flaman Peace Country Administration. 

She adds a mower, bio spreader, and grain bin mover to that list – as well as two or more post pounders, grain bin cranes, stock trailers, gooseneck trailers, and flat-deck trailers. 

Customers have also been able to rent man lifts, scissor lifts, and even a washroom car for leisurely family and community gatherings. Renting makes economical sense, Gelech says. 

“When you're looking at a 60 foot set of disc harrows that costs like 160 grand. That's a big payment if you only need to do 1,000 acres. You’re going to take the one-time payment versus paying $160,000.” Before Flaman’s arrival, the region’s counties and municipal districts were a farmer’s only rental resource. 

 

Full-Fledged Flaman 

McLachlan’s successful record of customer service and his relationship with Flaman continued until 2017, when he sold Dunvegan Fab & Welding to Kerba Group, which in turn sold the operation to Flaman this March. Becoming the region’s first full-fledged Flaman distributor brought some changes to Dunvegan Fab & Welding, but some things remain as they were before. 

The Flaman Fairview location is now a hub, meaning it also shares its equipment with Falher, Grande Prairie, and Dawson Creek. That makes for some long delivery drives, especially with some roads having 60 km per hour speed limits. It’s one of a few new responsibilities that Regional Manager Kevin Kulak and his staff are working to streamline. 

It’s been hard to gauge how the new status has affected farm equipment rentals. That’s because the weather has been the predominant deciding factor in 2021. 

“This year, the discs have been in and out all summer because of the weird weather we've had,” Gelech says. “Lots of people started discing way earlier this year because there was nothing growing in the field. So why wait until fall?” 
 

More Staff to Do More Stuff  

However, some benefits of storefront status are more tangible. For instance, the Walinga Blower Systems sold through Flaman are customized to meet the needs of each individual farmer. That calls for more of the expert welding and fabricating the Fairview shop was built upon and delivers 40 hours a week.  

The business also offers these services onsite. This has resulted in the hiring of another welder and another potential hiring in the future.

The shop’s even brought on a full-time “security guard” – a brown tabby with the imposing moniker of “Miss Kitty” (AKA “Missy.”) She mops up on any opportunistic mice daring to take advantage of an open shop bay door. Not surprisingly, this fierce feline is a hit with the customers. So is the service.  
 

The Future of Fairview, Flaman, and Farming 

Tina Gelech says dealing with the customers is the best part of her job. New faces are always refreshing. Greeting them with a friendly smile and thorough attention is one of Tina’s many responsibilities. These include invoicing, record-keeping, managing rentals, and reporting to the Alberta headquarters in Nisku.  

Gelech says the aim is to build a fully stocked store modeled after Flaman’s Nisku, Medicine Hat, and Lethbridge locations. That plan is good news for Fairview – a town of around 3,000 souls keenly interested in a thriving agriculture-based economy.

The Peace Region represents Canada’s northernmost agriculture-ready lands – over 5.8 million acres for canola, oats, peas, barley, cattle ranching, and honey bees. Since Western Canada’s last great wave of agricultural settlement in the 1910s, farmers have survived the great depression, mosquito-bitten summers, bitter winters, droughts, and floods.  

Today, Peace River farmers set the pace for agricultural seed production and own 14% of Canada’s bison-producing herd. New challenges will undoubtedly arise, but they’ll be met by a resilient community always plowing toward that next goal.  

“Everybody's always happy when a business is growing versus moving out of town,” Gelech says. Signs like the town’s first Tim Hortons location inspire hope, but you still have to venture to a bigger center to buy a pair of jeans. 

That’s one of many things Flaman’s new storefront location is helping to change.

Posted in Local News | Tagged with flaman fairview peace country alberta sales rentals | More articles by Jeff Brown

Reclaim land with a Kello-Bilt Disc Ripper from Flaman

Posted by Mitch Flaman Oct 14, 2021

It’s time to get ripping this fall and reclaim that land that hasn’t been seeded in years.

When the fall weather permits, tillage and other end-of-season work is necessary to get a jump start on prepping next year’s seedbed before the spring rush. Disc ripping is a great tillage method that you can use to break up hardpan and compaction layers, manage trash and crop residue, and increase acres by reclaiming some of the low spots in your field.

In-field product demo at the Discovery Farm site in Langham, SK

Given the dry conditions this year, the opportunity to reclaim low spots and disc dried-up sloughs is available. Using a Kello-Bilt Disc Ripper from Flaman allows you to improve moisture retention and root development by digging deeper into the ground.

Kello-Bilt Disc Rippers feature five adjustable ripping shanks that allow for depths of 12”, 15”, and 18”, setting them apart from conventional tillage or other types of tillage practices. The heavy-duty shanks on this machine dig below the compaction layer beneath the soil’s surface and demolish the hardpan.

Effectively shattering the hardpan with a Kello-Bilt 275DR allows plant roots to penetrate the soil further while accessing additional nutrients and moisture.

An interesting analogy when trying to understand how disc rippers reclaim land in dried-up slough bottoms is to think of a pool liner. After years of water sitting in a low spot on your field, the water saturation in the soil tightens up and creates a layer much like a pool liner. Disc ripping a dried-up slough bottom penetrates this liner, aerating the soil and allowing it to breathe again.

This increases soil efficiency with better moisture retention, microbial activity, and balanced pH levels to help reduce saline patches. In other words, “healthier soil” that will produce healthier plants.



The beauty of seeding into a low spot (once the slough bed has been properly disc ripped) is the likelihood of that land seeing moisture in the following crop year. In dry growing seasons, this additional moisture can be the difference between a heavy, high-busheling crop and a below-average yield.


 
For more information on how a Kello-Bilt Disc Ripper can help with seedbed preparation, managing post-harvest crop residue and trash this fall, or increasing acres next year by reclaiming land that hasn’t been seeded in years, talk to one of our ag specialists at your nearest Flaman location.


 Shaun walks through the features of the Kello-Bilt 275 Disc Ripper

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Interested in trying out the Kello-Bilt 275DR on your farm but not ready to purchase? We offer short-term rentals of tillage and field prep equipment, as well as grain handling equipment, hay and livestock equipment, trailers, and more. Contact your local dealer for rental inquiries and current product availability.

Posted in New Products | Tagged with Kello-Bilt disc disc ripper disc ripping tillage | More articles by Mitch Flaman

Need to move water? We have solutions

Posted by Calla Simpson Jun 11, 2021

With heavy rainfall in many areas across the prairies, you may be dealing with excess water on your farm, acreage, or worksite. Flooded ditches, construction sites, dugouts, or even just low-lying spots in your field can accumulate serious pools of water. Not to worry, though, we have a number of water pumps to help you move water quickly.

We have a large selection of water pumps ranging in size from 1” to 4” from brands like Honda, BE, and Robin. We also carry two brands of floating pumps: Watermaster and Warthog. The Watermaster floating pump is a high-volume, low horsepower pump, available in either gas-powered or hydraulic configurations. The Warthog floating pump is a highly fuel-efficient piece of equipment that is capable of pumping continuously up to 15 hours at 850 gallons per minute (51,000 gallons per hour) and is so compact it can fit in the trunk of a car.


From right to left: BE water pump, Warthog floating pump, Honda water pump

For your existing spraying or pumping operation, we have all the hoses, fittings, and filters you will need to keep things running smoothly. 

We carry a variety of spraying and pumping hoses including lay-flat, air-seeder, and industrial-grade suction hoses at an affordable cost. They can be purchased pre-cut to a specific length, so you can have the option to build your own efficient system right off the shelf.



Our large selection of hose and pipe fittings are offered in both aluminum and plastic, with options for manifold or threaded style. We specialize in 1” to 4” size fittings that include cam locks, ball valves, reducers, pipe thread, flanges, and more.



We carry Super Flo water filters that are rated at over 4,000 gallons per hour and are equipped with easy-to-replace foam and mesh. If your pump to filter hook up needs some tweaking, we have adapters available for your convenience. We also carry filter floats at some of our locations, which are useful in removing some of the hurdles associated with pumping water – eliminating the need for waders and keeping your filter submerged in sloughs, ditches, ponds, and dugouts as low as 10” deep.

Filter Float demo video

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From water pumps, floating water pumps, filters, fittings, hoses, and accessories, Flaman is here to provide you with efficient, reliable, and cost-effective solutions to move water. To learn more about our selection of products or to get expert advice for all your water moving needs, talk to one of our team members at your nearest Flaman location. 

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with water pumps filters fittings hoses Honda BE Robin Watermaster Warthog | More articles by Calla Simpson

Heavy harrow meets high speed tillage: Why the Schulte SoilStar Disc Harrow is the best of both worlds

Posted by Mitch Flaman Jun 03, 2021

There are a lot of different discs and harrows on the market, but there is nothing quite like the Schulte SoilStar Disc Harrow.

Whether you are cleaning up after a bumper crop or dealing with pulse residue post-harvest, properly managing the trash in your field is important prior to seeding. The Schulte DHX combines a 5-bar heavy harrow and a double row of wavy coulter discs. This unique design is engineered to properly size straw and manage it in the top 1.5” – 2” of the soil.

Pictured above: 5-bar heavy harrow & wavy coulter discs

Although traditional discs can be effective at leveling a field, they are also known to bury heavy straw residue down into the soil and not properly size it. The result of this is that the field may look like it has been left clean, but the straw remains intact below the surface. The problems arise when the air seeder brings the straw back to the surface in spring and creates trash piles.

Harrowing can also prove effective in providing a finer finish to the field prior to seeding, but heavy trash that remains after a large-yielding crop can bunch up and create substantial piles of material behind the equipment.

Schulte 60' Disc Harrow in action

The Schulte Disc Harrow is the best of both worlds. The 18” double row of wavy coulter discs are spaced at 7.2” and are available in 8 wave and 13 wave options – effectively sizing the straw in the top 1.5” – 2” of the soil. This levels the soil without being overly aggressive and without over-disturbing the topsoil like a concave disc.

The coulter discs move independently from the main frame, which allows the operator to either maximize the weight of the machine on the cutting edge of the discs or lift them completely and use the DHX as a 5-bar harrow.

The Schulte SoilStar is available in 36’ and 60’ widths and requires a minimum of 8 HP per foot. Depending on the stubble and soil conditions, the DHX can be pulled between 7-10 mph. 


DHX-600 (60' model) 

DHX-360 (36' model) 

Whether you are prepping the field in late fall or early spring, the Schulte DHX is proven to get you in the field sooner and maximize your time. With the ability to adjust the disc depth and tine angle from 35 degrees to 90 degrees, you no longer have to wait for ideal conditions to get rolling – the Schulte Disc Harrow is just as effective in wet conditions. When used in the springtime, the DHX can warm up the soil and speed up weed seed germination to promote a proper pre-seed burn off for producers hitting the field with a sprayer.

The versatility of the Schulte Disc Harrow is what sets it apart from the competition in the tillage world. 

Reagan from Schulte Industries walks us through the features of the DHX-360

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For more information on how the Schulte DHX can help you manage post-harvest trash and straw residue in your field this fall or quicken soil warming and increase water penetration next spring, talk to one of our ag specialists at your nearest Flaman location.

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with Schulte DHX disc harrow soilstar 5-bar coulter discs | More articles by Mitch Flaman

From start to finish, the Flaman Grain Systems team is right beside you

Posted by Mitch Flaman Apr 07, 2021

At Flaman, we understand that investing in your farming operation and expanding your yard site is important for continued growth and efficiency. That’s why we believe in supporting you from start to finish. 

Customers share their experiences working with the Flaman team for their drying & handling setups (above)

Our Grain Systems team are experts in grain handling, grain drying, and grain cleaning. When you buy from us you are not just buying a product, you are gaining the ongoing support of a team with over 50 years of experience.

From Start to Finish

One of our industry experts will sit down with you to discuss and understand what your needs are for the coming year, as well as any future plans you may have. From there we will design a phased approach, with future expansion in mind.

We provide complete engineered drawings constructed in-house, with multiple alternatives to come up with a solution that works for your operation.

Once the equipment is decided on, we will continue to work with you through the site preparation and construction. Our job is not done until your equipment is handling grain the way you expect it to. And even then, we don’t consider our job to be done. Rather, we shift our focus to make sure you remain satisfied with the performance of your equipment.

That’s where our Service Team comes in. This dedicated team of certified technicians specializes in after sales support including warranty, pre-season and post-season maintenance, optimization, and commissioning of your machines to ensure your equipment is always running at peak performance.


Our Service Team Lead explains what you can expect from our team even after the sale (above) 

We also offer access to a customer service hotline with live tech support after hours (in season only).

When you buy from us you are not just buying the equipment, you are buying the total solution. We have been here for over 60 years and we look forward to continuing to grow with you as your farming operation grows.

Map of Flaman Grain Handling and Drying sites throughout Saskatchewan & Manitoba (2021)

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If you are considering adding grain handling, drying, or cleaning equipment to your farm, give us a call or talk to one our Grain Systems specialists at your nearest Flaman location. 

Posted in Division News | Tagged with grain systems grain handling grain drying grain cleaning optimization site drawings yard planning | More articles by Mitch Flaman

From start to finish, the Flaman Grain Systems team is right beside you

Posted by Mitch Flaman Apr 07, 2021

At Flaman, we understand that investing in your farming operation and expanding your yard site is important for continued growth and efficiency. That’s why we believe in supporting you from start to finish. 

Customers share their experiences working with the Flaman team for their drying & handling setups

Our Grain Systems team are experts in grain handling, grain drying, and grain cleaning. When you buy from us you are not just buying a product, you are gaining the ongoing support of a team with over 50 years of experience.

From Start to Finish

One of our industry experts will sit down with you to discuss and understand what your needs are for the coming year, as well as any future plans you may have. From there we will design a phased approach, with future expansion in mind.

We provide complete engineered drawings constructed in-house, with multiple alternatives to come up with a solution that works for your operation.

Once the equipment is decided on, we will continue to work with you through the site preparation and construction. Our job is not done until your equipment is handling grain the way you expect it to. And even then, we don’t consider our job to be done. Rather, we shift our focus to make sure you remain satisfied with the performance of your equipment.

That’s where our Service Team comes in. This dedicated team of certified technicians specializes in after-sales support including warranty, pre-season and post-season maintenance, optimization, and commissioning of your machines to ensure your equipment is always running at peak performance.


Our Service Team Lead explains what you can expect from our team even after the sale

We also offer access to a customer service hotline with live tech support after hours (in season only).

When you buy from us you are not just buying the equipment, you are buying the total solution. We have been here for over 60 years and we look forward to continuing to grow with you as your farming operation grows.

Map of Flaman Grain Handling and Drying sites throughout Saskatchewan & Manitoba (2021)

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If you are considering adding grain handling, drying, or cleaning equipment to your farm, give us a call or talk to one our Grain Systems specialists at your nearest Flaman location. 

Posted in Division News | Tagged with grain systems grain handling grain drying grain cleaning optimization site drawings yard planning | More articles by Mitch Flaman

Increase efficiency & reduce downtime during spraying this year

Posted by Mitch Flaman Mar 05, 2021

What started in the fall of 2020 as an idea to build an innovative sprayer trailer designed with functionality and convenience at the top of mind has resulted in the ST series of agriculture sprayer tender trailers from Flaman.

Model ST-9100

With safety, speed, and ease of use as the three pillars of design, these trailers were created to efficiently mix different batches of chemicals and quickly fill your sprayer – all with minimal downtime.

Now that all the planning and engineering has been completed, we are excited to have these units rolling through our production lines and hitting the market for the spring 2021 and 2022 seasons.

“We listened to our customers and put together all their best ideas into these all-new, all-encompassing sprayer tailers. Giving the customer all the features that they have always wanted to have – all in one unit. Flaman is proud to bring this product offering out to the marketplace just in time for the busy spring farming season.”
Bret Watson, Engineer 

The Flaman ST-9100 and ST-9200 are tender-style trailers, built around a 53’ Behnke tri-axle trailer with a heavy-duty air ride suspension and 22.5” tires. They have an 80,000 lb GVWR, cross members on 12” centres, powder-coated paint, and Apitong hardwood decking. These trailers feature a 48” heavy-duty undermount toolbox for additional storage, mud flaps, and dual 2-speed jacks. The most notable difference of the ST-9100 and ST-9200 from other units on the market is the custom-designed 11’ upper kick compared to traditional 10’ upper kicks. This allows for a heavy-duty, low-profile 3,200 US gallon tank to clamp securely to the top deck with heavy-duty deck pins.


Chem Handler III

These ag sprayer trailers are completely outfitted with 3” hose and pipe for speed when filling and emptying the 4,500 US gallon (17,000L) tank on the back and the 3,200 US gallon (8300L) tank on the front. They are fastened directly to the trailer deck with heavy-duty steel mounting pins for safety instead of ratchet straps or chains. The entire system is controlled and mixed with a heavy-duty 3” Chem Handler III, a chemical handler that is fast, safe, and easy to use. The 3” steel piping is mounted under the trailer to keep the deck clean and eliminate the potential for tripping. The fill station is versatile and can feed either each tank individually or at the same time. 

Features that make the ST-9100 and ST-9200 stand out include: 

Stowable Fill Arm 

The stowable fill arm has been engineered with 5” HSS tubing to manage the hose when filling the sprayer. This versatile fill arm takes care of the weight of the 3” hose when it’s full of product, and it swings out when filling the sprayer and easily folds back in when you are done. Your back will thank you!
 

Stowable Stairs & Grate Tread

The stowable stairs give safe and easy access to the deck when managing the Chem Handler III. In a matter of seconds, the safety pins can be pulled out and the stairs can be folded down – no more hopping up and down from the deck like you are training for a Spartan Race! The textured grate steps provide additional traction and reduce the potential for unnecessary slips and falls.

Tote Storage

The tote storage is loaded with innovative features and has been engineered to safely store two chemical totes on top with secure ratchet strap tie-downs. It is easily accessible from both sides of the trailer, as well as from on top of the deck. It can be used to store extra fuel, additional hose and couplings, chemical jugs and treatments, tools, extra parts or sprayer nozzles, and safety equipment. It has strategically been offset towards the passenger side of the trailer to allow for additional walking room on the driver side and access the upper kick with an integrated safety handrail.
 

Sight Tubes

Both tanks have built-in sight tubes for easy water level readings.

LED Light Kit

The trailer comes standard with four LED lights to increase safety and reduce the chances of an accident after the sun goes down. There is a convenient light switch located on the passenger side of the tote cage and in easy reach from the ground or deck. All wires are run inside of the frame and are powered by the 7-pin trailer plug.

Hot Tank (available on the ST-9200)

The ST-9200 includes an additional 1680-gallon (6400L) Chembine Hot Tank. Designed to reduce wait times and increase efficiency, the Hot Tank can mix and agitate the next batch of treatment while the sprayer is out in the field. When the sprayer is ready for another fill, the Hot Tank can quickly unload the next batch of chemicals that have already been already prepared. This feature can be added to any ST-9100.

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For more information on the Flaman ST Series Sprayer Trailers, talk to one our ag & trailer specialists at your nearest Flaman location.

Posted in New Products | Tagged with spraying sprayer trailer ag trailer Flaman ST-9100 ST-9200 | More articles by Mitch Flaman

When the elevator calls on a cold day, will your auger be ready? Take these tips for a dependable cold weather start

Posted by Mitch Flaman Feb 11, 2021

With the cold weather snap we've been having, I'm reminded that my dad always said, "Things just start breaking down and don't work well after -25". That being said, you don't always have the luxury of taking a day off when the elevator calls for grain in the middle of winter. In case you're in a rush and it's too cold to fire up the auger to load the trucks, take a few minutes and remind yourself of a couple of key tips to ensure that your auger or conveyor starts when you need it to.

Fuel
Fuel problems always seem to show up when the cold hits. The two most common fuel problems are:
1. Old/dirty fuel
2. Water in the fuel

Make sure you are always using good clean fuel. Check your fuel filters often, and replace them when necessary. It's the easiest way to ensure the auger engine will start easy and run clean at a cold, crucial time. The last thing you want when you're in a rush is pausing to clean the carb or rip the engine apart. If you're not sure how old the fuel is in the jerry can you're about to use, you're better off using it for a bonfire. Go get some new stuff and prevent the headache.

Water in fuel is as bad as dirty or old fuel, and sometimes worse. Because water is heavier than fuel, it will usually find its way to the bottom of the tank, often where the fuel line feeds the carburetor. And you can be sure that it will either freeze up when it's cold or prevent the motor from igniting when you need it to most. If there is a drain valve on your auger, it is recommended you periodically drain the fuel in the spring or when the unit is warmed up in the shop. Fuel additives such as Sea Foam or isopropyl-based gas line antifreeze can also help mitigate the problems old or water-based fuel can pose on engines.

EFI vs Carbureted Engines

Most farms have augers or conveyors with both carbureted and EFI (electronic fuel injection) motors. Although they operate very much the same, the starting procedure may differ.

On a carbureted engine, add a small amount of throttle to ensure the engine will idle, pull the choke fully out and start to crank the motor over. Be sure not to over-throttle and flood the engine. Once the motor fires and runs for a few seconds, you can usually push the choke in half-way and let the engine warm-up for 5-15 minutes. After the engine is good and warm, you can push the choke in all the way and you should be good to go.

When cold starting an EFI engine, there are a couple other things to consider. Set the throttle to approximately one-third open (between idle and one-half throttle), turn the key on, and watch for any lights on the control panels. This will ensure everything is powering up. Listen for a humming sound to confirm the electric fuel pump is working. After the pump kicks in, fully turn the key to the start position and start cranking the engine over. If it stalls or does not start after a few seconds, cycle the key to the off position, and repeat this step. Wait for the electric pump to kick in again and start cranking the engine over. This may need to be repeated multiple times. Once the engine is idling and running, allow 5-15 minutes for it to warm up before putting any load on it.

Following the tips above will ensure you the best chance of making sure your auger/conveyor starts in the cold weather. Sometimes it is just too cold for an engine to start regardless of what prep work you do. In that case, it might be time to go inside where it's warm, and browse here for a new auger with modern technology and new, clean fuel in the tank!

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For more information on our grain handling equipment, auger accessories, or to learn more about cold starting an engine, talk to one of our agriculture specialists at your nearest Flaman location. 

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with auger conveyor engine EFI carburetor cold start | More articles by Mitch Flaman

After 50 years, Kello-Bilt discs remain innovative, family-manufactured, and built to stand up

Posted by Mitch Flaman Feb 03, 2021

When buying a field disc, you need the confidence to know that it is going to work the way you expect when you need it and not break down, leaving you stranded with work to be done. This is why Flaman chose to team up with Kello-Bilt products over 40 years ago. Like Flaman, Kello-Bilt remains a family-owned business that keeps quality and reputation top of mind. A field disc is meant to be put through tough conditions. Continued innovation is what has kept Kello-Bilt tillage equipment ahead of the curve and outlasting its competitors.
 

Kello-Bilt Tandem Disc - Model 225TSW

For over 50 years, Kello-Bilt discs have been Canadian-made to “be better”. They’re built heavy and designed to last in the toughest conditions. The company has continued to evolve with experience and improve the things that “didn’t work” or simply didn’t stand up to other discs in the tough Canadian environment. This is how the idea for the self-lubricating oil-bath bearing was born. The self-lubricating oil-bath bearing proved to be superior to traditional greaseable ball bearings.
 
Today, regardless of price, Kello-Bilt discs are still manufactured to the highest standard with Canadian and North American steel. They are constructed with high-strength steel tubing, heavy gussets, and powder-coated components to ensure best-in-class quality and performance. This ensures the longevity of your purchase for years to come. The oil-bath bearings and boron steel blades are designed and sourced from Brazil and Argentina specifically for Kello-Bilt. Boron steel blades are less brittle than traditional carbon steel blades. 
 
Oil-Bath Bearing Interior

The oil-bath bearing uses two tapered roller bearings mounted in a cast housing. The dual-cone seal constantly lubricates the bearing. They sit on the interior axle, which is never in contact with the actual gang shaft. Tapered roller bearings are ideal for a disc application because they are designed for side thrust. Most of the pressure a disc blade faces is side pressure, NOT radial pressure. Ball bearings are designed for radial pressure. Oil-bath bearings are extremely low maintenance. Testimonials show Kello-Bilt discs from the 1980s are still operating with their original bearings after over five or more sets of replacement blades. The beauty of the oil-bath bearing is that they’re rebuildable. As long as you make sure not to run the blades too loose, as it will put pressure on the housing and cause leakage, the bearings can last for decades. 


Kello-Bilt Offset Disc - Model 275
 
If you’re serious about purchasing a quality field disc, contact your local Flaman dealer today. A Kello-Bilt disc with oil-bath bearings might be as serious as you are.
Posted in New Products | Tagged with Kello-Bilt disc field disc tillage | More articles by Mitch Flaman

Three reasons the Batco BCX3 needs to be your next conveyor

Posted by Mitch Flaman Jan 21, 2021

It’s here. The legendary orange “gentle giant” from AGI/Batco has received more than a facelift for 2021. After a complete redesign from hopper to downspout, the BCX3 conveyor has a few new features worth bragging about. Aside from the redesigned S-Drive, new Turbo-Clean Wash System, and remodeled fuel tank, there are still 3 big upgrades that make this the most versatile conveyor yet.

1. Move All Commodities - Most notably, the biggest feature of 2021 is the BCX3 conveyor’s ability to move all farm commodities - that’s right, INCLUDING CANOLA. Gentle on pulses, quick on cereals, and capable of oilseeds, you now have one tool for all your jobs. This has been made possible with a redesigned hopper & downspout, plus the new Turbo-Clean wash system with multiple scrapers & brushes. As with the use of any oilseed, additional maintenance and cleaning is required to ensure the longevity of your conveyor.  
    
2. Multiple Controls, One Location - Redesigned, with functionality and safety in mind, you will find all the controls in one location. This means you can adjust the throttle, engage the clutch, change the height for both hopper & discharge, and drive all from one spot. No more reaching. The conveyor’s control center has been relocated to provide better ergonomics and visibility as you drive, as well as additional clearance when setting up underneath your hopper.  
   
   
   Ergonomic Command Centre
    
3. Move with Ease - A completely redesigned mover adds substantial traction and maneuverability for your conveyor. The new all-terrain tire design has been coupled with an internal braking system to prevent rollback. The drop-and-go design is simple and safe - no more engaging or locking hubs. The drive wheel has been relocated to better utilize the weight distribution of the conveyor. This adds strength and exceptional traction. Did we mention the increased turning radius? The new mover design offers unparalleled maneuverability and versatility. 
   
   
   Redesigned Mover Kit

You need to see it to believe it.  

For more information on our AGI Batco BCX3 conveyors, talk to one of our ag specialists at your nearest Flaman location or give us a visit and we would be happy to show you what all the buzz is about! We may even let you take it for a spin. Even with winter conditions, we can assure you that you won’t need to worry about getting it stuck! 

Posted in New Products | Tagged with conveyor Batco BCX3 grain handling | More articles by Mitch Flaman

Top Outdoor Destinations to Visit This Winter

Posted by Jennifer Thompson Jan 12, 2021

This winter will be the perfect opportunity to have that staycation you’ve always dreamed about, to stick close to home and enjoy the beauty your own backyard has to offer. With snow and freezing temperatures come exciting outdoor adventures and activities the whole family can enjoy. So bundle up and make warm and lasting memories, without traveling too far from home.
 
We’ve put together a small list of great outdoor destinations – but there are so many to choose from! As always, please follow local health authority guidelines about traveling and check with the destination to make sure they’re open.


 
Prince Albert National Park
Winter is a beautiful time to visit northern Saskatchewan, especially Prince Albert National Park, a million acres of snow-covered wilderness. This winter paradise offers many family-friendly outdoor activities like cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing, skating, winter camping, wildlife photography and much more. Snowmobiles are not permitted in Prince Albert National Park but there are hundreds of kilometers of excellent, groomed trails outside the park (see below for more info).


 
Blue Mountain Adventure Park, North Battleford
If you’re looking for a fun and unique getaway this winter, then Blue Mountain is the place to go. This beautiful outdoor destination has everything on your list, including a tubing park, over 30 kilometers of groomed trails for skating and cross-country skiing, designated trails for snowshoeing, plus a nice chalet to warm up in when you’re cold! You can rent snowshoes and cross-country skis onsite, but you do need to bring your own skates.
 
Johnston Canyon Ice Walk, Banff
This is one of the most popular attractions in Banff National Park, and home to spectacular frozen waterfalls. This guided hike takes you along steel catwalks built into the canyon walls up to the iconic frozen upper falls, with beautiful views into the gorge below. Wander through a natural cave to gaze down at the frozen falls up close or continue onto the upper falls – a tower of ice that rises 30 metres above your head.
 
Canmore and Kananaskis
With gorgeous snowy mountains and many winter activities, Canmore and Kananaskis is fun for the whole family. Enjoy scenic snowshoeing at Chester Lake, cross-country or Alpine skiing, waterfall and ice-cave climbing, underground tours of the famous Rat’s Nest cave under Canmore’s Grotto Mountain or even SnowFlow yoga, designed specifically to elevate your season on the slopes with a mindful, proactive approach.
 

Local Snowmobile Trails
As of the date this blog was posted, snowmobile trails are open in Saskatchewan and Alberta. There are hundreds of kilometers of well-maintained trails in both provinces for sledders to enjoy.


 
Check out these articles from SnoRiders magazine for the top places to snowmobile in Saskatchewan and Alberta. For eight years, readers voted Hudson Bay their favourite spot in Saskatchewan. It offers consistently deep and fresh snow, lasting well into April, and 690 kilometres of maintained trails with 16 warm-up shelters.
 
Or check out one of Alberta snowmobilers’ top picks: Athabasca, on the banks of Alberta’s longest river. This outdoor-oriented town boasts 300 kilometres of groomed trails west of Baptiste Lake, with terrain and scenery including boreal forest, river valleys and rolling hills. Two staging areas allow for easy access to the trails, and there are cabins and warm-up areas with picnic tables, fire pits and firewood.


 
Visit the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association’s website, Snowmobilers of Manitoba’s website, or the Alberta Snowmobile Association’s website for more up-to-date information on the status of your local snowmobile trails.
Posted in Local News | Tagged with winter recreation staycation snowmobiling ice fishing | More articles by Jennifer Thompson

Hitting the Road: Which Sled Trailer is Right for You?

Posted by Paul Boechler Dec 01, 2020

Hitting the Road: Which Sled Trailer is Right for You?

The winter of 2020/2021 is shaping up to be a great year for sledding.  A huge dump of snow across much of the prairies in early November coupled with a global pandemic keeping people at home is the perfect recipe for spending quality time on some fresh powder. 

There’s a lot that goes into buying a snowmobile trailer. We’ve talked about it before, but some of the big considerations include choosing between an open vs. enclosed trailer, steel vs. aluminum frame and heated vs. not.  A lot of your decision-making will likely come down to budget, storage requirements, your vehicle’s towing capacity and where/how much you’ll use the trailer.  If you’re looking for customization, our parts & service team can help you upgrade your trailer to fit your lifestyle.
 

Enclosed Sled Trailers

Inline:

Inline enclosed sled trailers are great for people with half-ton trucks who want to haul 3 sleds (or 2 sled with some extra storage).  By parking one sled via the front ramp door and two in the main ramp, a 7’ or 7.5’ width inline is an ideal design for smaller trucks.  
 

Deck over/Highboy:

The deck over (aka highboy) is the perfect trailer for the serious sledder.  Available in 8’ or 8.5’ width models, they’re designed to easily fit up to 4 sleds in, with heated and insulated models available.  Keep in mind trailers this big typically require a ¾- or 1-ton truck to haul.  They’re also built with higher clearance so you’re able to pull them in rough terrain or snowy conditions.
 

Lowboy:

The lowboy toy or car hauler is designed with a lower deck with the clearance to fit a car, side-by-side (UTV) and other toys. Typically, these trailers are 8.5’ to accommodate space requirements.  They’re also ideal for pulling sleds with a long track & skis, making it ideal for pulling mountains-ready sleds.
 

Open Sled Trailers:

Open deck sled trailers are much more economical than their enclosed counterparts.  The argument of steel vs. aluminum frame comes into play here. Aluminum is lightweight while maintaining similar towing capacity and increased longevity, as it doesn’t rust or weather as quickly.  However, if you’re looking for versatility beyond hauling snowmobiles or ATVs, steel is more economical as they typically cost less than an aluminum trailer would.
 

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Winter Staycation Contest:

If you previously weren’t aware, we’re giving away some awesome trailer accessories to make your sledding experience even better this winter. Things like tie downs, explorer sleds and wheel locks are up for grabs simply by liking our Facebook or Twitter page, liking the posts and tagging a friend. Our Winter Staycation contest is on now until mid-January, 2021. Visit our social pages for more information!
Posted in Trailer Tips | Tagged with sled trailers trailer comparison | More articles by Paul Boechler

Top Destinations to Ice Fish This Winter

Posted by Jennifer Thompson Nov 25, 2020

This winter, there’s no better time to explore the great outdoors in your own backyard. And one winter activity that’s both fun and family-friendly is ice-fishing!



Even the kids can enjoy this popular winter pastime and come home with exciting stories of their great catch. It’s easy to create long-lasting memories of a day out on the frozen lake: just bring along your fishing gear, hot cocoa, and a little bit of patience.


 
Whether you’re a seasoned angler or new to ice fishing this winter, Flaman has you covered with many of the ice fishing accessories you need for a successful trip. Haul your gear (or the kids!) to your favourite spot with a sled. An ice shack is a great option to stay warm and sheltered from wind while out on the ice. And there are various accessories to make your trip just a little bit easier: like fishing rod holders or ice hole cover safety screens, so you’ll never lose your keys or phone!
 
Once you have all the necessary gear, the hardest part is finding a top spot to drop your line. No problem – we’ve collected some great ice fishing spots to visit this winter, recommended by local anglers.

 
Top Ice Fishing Spots in Saskatchewan and Manitoba
Tobin Lake, SK
You can’t talk about ice fishing without talking about Tobin Lake. The northern Saskatchewan lake holds the world ice fishing walleye record with an 18.3-lb. walleye caught! Anglers will also enjoy the variety of fish available to be caught, such as perch, pike, whitefish, goldeye or maybe even a sturgeon. Fed by the Saskatchewan River, it continues to produce trophy fish due to great catch and release practices. 

Ice fishing, Tobin Lake Tourism Saskatchewan/Rob Weitzel Graphic Productions


Ice fishing, Tobin Lake Tourism Saskatchewan/Calvin Fehr

Last Mountain Lake, SK
Last Mountain Lake is a favourite spot for ice fishing for many locals. At 93 km long, this lake has almost endless potential for fishing spots. Couple that with a large amount of forage, and you’ll see many trophy-sized walleye, pike, perch and carp. The size and healthy populations of fish mean there is always a new spot to try out with the family.
 
Buffalo Pound Lake, SK
This is a great lake for families to visit – with an abundance of fish, even the kids will have a successful day with the catches they’ll be able to reel in. Lots of perch to be found and even the odd walleye make an appearance. Plus, many locals also say that this lake always seems to have consistently safe ice.
 
Twin Lakes, MB
A twenty-five minute drive north of Roblin, this is a popular destination at the foot of the scenic Duck Mountains. It is one of only a handful of lakes in the province that is home to a brown trout and brook trout hybrid named tiger trout. Add to that specimens caught here regularly surpass Master Angler size and you have a must-fish lake for anyone’s list. 

 
Top Ice Fishing Spots in Alberta
Crawling Valley Reservoir
Sometimes referred to as Barkenhouse Lake, Crawling Valley Reservoir is an offstream irrigation storage reservoir about 150km east of Calgary, near Bassano. Known for great pike and walleye, locals also report decent whitefish and burbot fishing mid-winter. Off the reedy shorelines which are quite shallow, you will find more northern pike and as you transition into deeper water (9-14 feet) there are more walleye.
 
Lesser Slave Lake
This lake is about a five-and-a-half-hour drive from Calgary and just under a three-hour drive from Edmonton. The most frequent fish caught here are walleye and burbot (and the burbot are known to put up a fight!) There are many fishing hot spots on this lake. It is recommended to bring an ice fishing shack or tent because the lake is notorious for winds blowing down its 100-kilometre length.
 
Gull Lake
Gull Lake is part of Aspen Beach Provincial Park and is popular for its whitefish ice fishing. The lake has also been stocked with walleye in recent years. In wintertime, whitefish, pike, and burbot are plentiful, good-sized, and usually easy to catch.  Locals recommend using a slow retrieve with a small worm or beadhead nymph.


 
Things to Know Before You Go
Wherever you fish, be sure to check the regulations for open seasons and bait allowance each year at the lake you visit. And always check local ice conditions to ensure it’s safe to head out on the lake.
 
For more up-to-date information on provincial ice fishing regulations, licenses and other rules, please check out the following resources:

• In Alberta: https://albertaregulations.ca/fishingregs/
• In Saskatchewan: https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/parks-culture-heritage-and-sport/hunting-trapping-and-angling/angling/copy-of-regulations

Posted in Local News | Tagged with ice fishing winter recreation ice fishing shack | More articles by Jennifer Thompson

A long-distance grain rescue made possible by Bin-Sense

Posted by Jennifer Thompson Oct 14, 2020

You can anticipate grain spoilage as a farmer, but you can never be sure when it’s going to pop up. Or where you’ll be when it does.
 
And what happens if your grain starts to spoil or heat up and you’re nowhere near home, but thousands of kilometers away on a family vacation? That’s what happened to Blake Bergen of 3B Acres in Drake, SK in the fall of 2019 when his Florida vacation was interrupted by news that a canola bin was heating up.



He was getting alerts from his Bin-Sense Live wireless grain monitoring system, an award-winning monitoring system that gives you instant access to your stored grain at any time and from anywhere.
 
With this system, farmers no longer have to be in the same physical location as their hopper or flat bottom bins to monitor them. They can get valuable information about the grain's quality and stay connected with up-to-date text alerts sent to phone or email.



Those alerts warned Bergen about the situation in his bin, when he otherwise may never have known.

“That bin was not top-of-mind among riskier bins, said Bergen. “We thought we had that one well looked-after so it surprised us when we got the alert.”
 
Surprised, but not surprised. There were many factors that had led Bergen and his father to install Bin-Sense Live. They had witnessed a dry spring, which led to late crops in July. They also had questions about the storability of straight-cut canola. “We knew we were going to get some stagey canola coming in,” said Bergen. “It wasn’t going to necessarily be swathed at exactly the right time. There was potential for green seeds.”

The Bergens took the proactive approach through grain drying and monitoring. “We thought the odds of having something happen, just the way the crops were looking, were pretty good. We knew if we had a train-wreck, we’d buy a system so it wouldn’t happen again, so why not buy the system before the train-wreck and then it pays for itself?”
 
In summer 2019, Flaman installed a Live system. Moreover, among their 200,000 bu of monitored grain storage, they also have 42,000 bu worth of hopper bins connected to supplemental heat air drying with temperature and moisture cables monitored by Bin-Sense Live. But it was later that fall when Bin-Sense Live’s communicating technology became critical.


An example of Bin-Sense installed on a bin

“We were going on a two-week vacation to Florida with our extended family,” said Bergen. “On day 1 after landing, we got a chirp on our phone that a bin of canola that had increased in temperature. We decided to watch it for two or three days and could see a constant climb of 1 to 1.5 degrees every day. We phoned home and asked some friends to take a semi-load out of the bin. They took it to the elevator and we saved that bin of canola.”
 
Even though heat rose in the smallest of bins, the save justified the cost of monitoring the entire yard. “There are lots of misconceptions out there about spoilage and the size of bin,” said Bergen. “I look at grain monitoring as a solid return on investment,” noting that he paid upwards of $17,000 for the system. Saving 5,000 bu of canola, Bergen estimates Bin-Sense Live paid for itself twofold.
 
He doesn’t spend much time reconsidering the choice between Bin-Sense Live and systems where you check grain on foot. “You can hem and haw about the investment when you have the capability to check your bins manually, but you still have to make a point of doing it. We have 30 bins on the system so it’s more than a three-minute job. It’s a lot of plugging in and downloading. It’s nice to just bring everything up on your phone or your computer and read the colour-coded heatmaps. It’s quick to interpret and see what’s going on.”
 
So how to thank colleagues who have rescued valuable crops? Blake Bergen squared up, returning from Florida bearing gifts of fine imported bottles. Add the cost to the grain monitoring bill, and he still came out ahead.
 
Call your local Flaman dealership today to find out more about how Bin-Sense can make sense for your farm.
 
Posted in Product Information | Tagged with grain monitoring grain bins Bin Sense grain temperature | More articles by Jennifer Thompson

Grain Bag Storage Maintenance Tips

Posted by Calla Simpson Oct 07, 2020

When dealing with a high volume crop, you may decide that short term storage is best to maintain the quality of your harvest. Grain bag storage is a flexible, cost-effective solution for short term storage of bumper yields, provided certain quality control steps are taken. Site preparation, site maintenance, and machine servicing all need to be done properly and timely to ensure your grain holds its quality and value.

Below you’ll find tips on the preparation and maintenance steps required to ensure that grain bagging is a successful storage option for your operation.

Site preparation makes for easier maintenance 

Selecting the right site for your grain and production is key. It’s best to select a site that is accessible even when the weather is wet, and located in the open to help deter animals. Once an appropriate site has been found, preparing the site is the first step required to set yourself up for easier maintenance.

First, remove any debris such as sticks or sharp objects, then grade the site and ensure the ground is firmly rolled to prevent the grain bags from sinking or water pooling around them. If possible, spray the site with a rodent deterrent to prevent mice and vermin from burrowing under the bags once laid. If proper preparation is not completed, then the bag may not be impervious to air or liquid and can lead to grain spoiling. 

Site maintenance once bags are laid and full 

The biggest threat to the filled grain bags is animals, especially during the winter months. Snow can create drifts for deer to climb onto the bags, however, using pallets at the ends can deter them. An electric fence, or any sturdy fence, can be used to keep bears and deer away. Year-round, mice pose the biggest risk to the bags as they are known to burrow under, weakening the soil and allowing water to pool, and also chewing through the bag material causing wastage and grain spoilage.

Bird damage is another threat that ongoing site inspections and bag maintenance can help prevent. Birds like to land on the bags, pecking bags to access insects stored within the grain. Using Grain Bag Armor is one of the best methods of preventing bag damage. 

Regular inspections of the bags are needed to ensure no damage from animals, weather, or insects. During wet weather, if the number of mice and vermin are up, then daily bag checks may be required to ensure they stay unharmed. In normal weather conditions, check weekly at a minimum. If there are any punctures, rips, or other damage visible, patching these will prevent moisture from spoiling the grain.

Machine servicing and maintenance

Regular maintenance of Grain Baggers and Grain Extractors helps ensure minimal downtime. Reading and following the manufacturer’s manual is key to keeping these machines in top condition. The manuals describe in detail the following mechanisms and their respective maintenance – the driveline, shear bolts, drive chain tension, and alignment along with the following items needing servicing – fluids and lubricants, auger wear plates, greasing, and servicing intervals. There is also a section on troubleshooting typical issues that can arise such as augers not running, the machine doesn’t move or low unloading capacity.

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Now offering discounted pallet pricing when you buy four or more pallets of grain bags. For more information, talk to one of our agriculture specialists at your nearest Flaman location. 

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Click here to view the original blog post by our friends at Pro Grain Equipment.

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with Pro Grain grain bags grain bagging grain baggers grain storage harvest | More articles by Calla Simpson

Move your grain with the all-new AGI Hutchinson Double Run Chain Conveyor

Posted by Paul Boechler Sep 14, 2020

The AGI Hutchinson Double Run Chain Conveyor is a brand new product to the Flaman lineup. It is built in Western Canada with the prairie farmer in mind. Manufactured at AGI’s plant in Swift Current, SK, it is designed to handle delicate crops grown on the prairies, like pulses, far more gently than an auger would.


The UHMW plastic paddles gently convey grain 

Maneuverable in Tight Spaces:
Modeled after the clean grain elevator on your combine, its UHMW plastic paddles convey crops to your bin in a gentle manner. A huge benefit of this is the ability to operate at full capacity from nearly any angle, fitting into tighter spaces.
Another feature of the Double Run is the easy to use swivel arc kit, which makes the unit highly portable around the yard.  You can move it from bin to bin or dryer, by simply swapping a few pins.   


The swivel arc kit allows for easy maneuverability 

Low Power Requirements:
While the Double Run is powerful in getting your grain into the bin, it has a low horsepower requirement compared to alternative grain handling equipment. As an example, 8” model with a length of 82’ requires just 18 HP at a 45° angle (see chart below).  These units are available with an electric motor or PTO drive, giving you plenty of power options.
 


Proven Reliability & Longevity:
We all know an unreliable auger can be a huge problem for your operation at harvest time.  The Double Run was designed as a solution to this problem.  The chain conveyor requires less maintenance and has more longevity than your typical auger. Keep the chain running straight and tensioned properly, and these units will just run. And run. And run. 



Travis Frey of AGI walks us through exactly what makes this unit different:
 

The Double run comes in lengths of up to 82’ on the 8” and 10” models, with up to 4,000 BPH capacity on the 8” and 6,000 BPH on the 10”. It is also available in a 12” model, which has a 10,000 BPH capacity and lengths up to 130’.
 

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Stop by your local Flaman Ag store or give us a call for more information on this unit.
Posted in New Products | Tagged with AGI Hutchinson Double Run chain conveyor grain handling grain systems Flaman | More articles by Paul Boechler

Beat the Weather with Grain Bagging

Posted by Calla Simpson Sep 11, 2020

The benefits of grain bagging are far and wide, chief among them being the ability to use the weather to your advantage. Since the weather can always turn and change on a dime, it’s important to work around it whenever possible, which is where grain bagging comes in. The airtight, controlled environment inside of a grain bag allows you to store grain and plentiful harvest in a dry space, even when the weather outside is less than ideal. By extending the storage life of your grain, allowing you to store more at once and giving you more flexibility in the way you do so, grain bagging gives people the option to have more options.

Pro Grain Equipment is most passionate about keeping operations running in all weather and situations, saving customers time and money. By grain bagging, you can get your crops off of the field by planning around severe weather to improve efficiency on all sides. The Pro Grain lineup of baggers and extractors work so you can work less, with impressive specs, heavy-duty designs, and improved ease and efficiency for your harvest.

Tip 1: Don’t push the limits of your grain.

Grain bagging allows for safer storage of grain, even during periods of severe weather and freezing temperatures. However, patience is key here. When loading the bags, the weather outside needs to be cool, and the bags should be sealed immediately to ensure that your grain isn’t sitting at a higher temperature than the outside environment. For grain with higher moisture levels, it needs to be dried as soon as possible after the winter season is over. Grain with a lower moisture content can stay in the bags a little bit longer. However, regular temperature monitoring is paramount to making sure that your grain stays in good condition.

Tip 2: Be smart about storage.

Severe weather comes with the territory when farming, and simply when doing anything related to the outside weather. Choosing a storage space that makes sense for your grain is of the utmost importance. When storing grain, look for a place that is highly elevated and away from any sort of drainage that could seep into your bags. You won’t want to store your grain in any manner that could allow natural drainage to affect it, especially during severe storms or periods of melting ice. Before choosing the storage spot for your grain, it should be examined closely to ensure a lack of flooding before severe storms and bad weather. Even though grain bags provide a dry environment for your grain, they can be more susceptible to bad weather — especially if you’re not strategic about placement. You may also want to look into the possibility of grain armor for your grain storage, which gives an extra layer of protection against both weather and wildlife.

Tip 3: Keep a watchful eye on the grain in severe weather.

Grain should be checked periodically, at least once a week, for punctures from severe weather or issues that can arise because of the outside environment. From cosmetic damage that could severely affect the quality of the grain inside to keeping a watchful eye on the temperature of the grain, it’s important to use the weather outside as a gauge for what’s inside your grain bags. By placing the bags in a north to south manner when storing them, the sun will heat the bags evenly for a more consistent environment inside the bags, regardless of the weather.

Tip 4: Be strategic about your timing for a better crop.

One of the biggest benefits of grain bagging is the added ability to increase efficiency by bagging grain right in the field. When you’re expecting severe weather around harvest, grain bagging allows you to control when the crop is loaded into the bags and the condition of the grain. Since grain bagging is a quicker alternative to more traditional means, it allows you to get to your crop before the weather does. Once the grain is in the bag, it’s essentially going to stay the same moisture as when you put it in. By being careful and strategic about your timing, you’ll be able to better store your crop and do so around bad weather.


A Pro Grain bagger in action during Harvest 2019

To learn more about grain bagging and to see which grain bagging products could improve your harvest capabilities, get in touch with us. We would be happy to walk you through everything you require for your grain bagging needs and answer any questions you might have.

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Now offering discounted pallet pricing when you buy four or more pallets of grain bags. For more information, talk to one of our agriculture specialists at your nearest Flaman location. 

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Click here to view the original blog post by our friends at Pro Grain Equipment.

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with Pro Grain grain bags grain bagging grain baggers grain storage harvest | More articles by Calla Simpson

Reduce labour when filling bins: Automate your grain handling site with a Walinga Blower System

Posted by Calla Simpson Aug 31, 2020

A Walinga Pneumatic Blower System may be one of the most versatile pieces of equipment you can add to your Grain Handling lineup. The Ultra-Veyor is designed to fill bins of various heights and distances from the ground up, allowing you to easily add the system to any pre-existing site.

Walinga Sales Rep Doug Termeer explains how a blower system works

Many yard sites weren’t originally designed with the thought of adding a grain handling system or grain dryer down the line. As farms continue to grow, larger bins are being installed and grain storage is being built further and further away. The only way to hit all these bins of different sizes and distances economically is with a blower system. By allowing you to keep the current bins and other infrastructure you have already invested in, a Walinga Ultra-Veyor prevents you from having to redesign your entire yard site – saving you a lot of money in the long run.

A grain handling setup in Saskatchewan utilizing a Walinga blower system to reach bins of various heights

Walinga blower systems are also very flexible and expandable, so you don’t need to have your whole yard designed and planned out ahead of time. You can easily expand down the road as your business grows and you start to add more acres or dry more grain. These systems can be installed under driveways to reduce the risk of damaging any pipes as you load/unload trucks in your yard.

The Walinga Ultra-Veyor is also a great add-on to any grain dryer, especially continuous flow dryers like NECO. Automating your grain dryer and grain handling reduces the number of augers, legs, and additional trucking necessary to move grain around your yard. This maximizes accessibility to any drying or storage facility. Your grain can go straight from the dryer into the final storage bin, so you don’t have to move it around multiple times before you get it where you want it in the end. It’s faster, more efficient, and most importantly, safer.

A NECO Grain Dryer unloading into a Walinga system

With the Smart-Flo feature on your Walinga blower, you have the ability to control the airspeed which reduces unnecessary damage to product and piping. This Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) system monitors and adjusts motor speeds depending on crop type, volume of product, and distance – optimizing performance and reducing energy costs. The Smart-Flo system can also be wired into your continuous flow grain dryer to speed up and slow down as necessary.

A blower system is not only an economic and affordable solution for long-distance conveying, it is also simple to install and is gentle on product – moving grain virtually dust and damage-free. Walinga Ultra-Veyors can move anywhere from 400 bushels/hour to 2,100 bushels/ hour, depending on the size of your operation.

Hear first-hand how a Walinga Ultra-Veyor made a positive impact on this customer's operation

Want to invest in a Walinga Pneumatic Blower system and automate your grain handling site this year? Contact us to schedule a free, no-commitment site assessment today.

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For more information on our grain handling and grain drying solutions, talk to one of our agriculture specialists at your nearest Flaman location. 

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with grain systems grain handling Walinga Ultra-Veyor blower system NECO grain dryer | More articles by Calla Simpson

Reduce labour when filling bins: Automate your grain handling site with a Walinga Blower System

Posted by Calla Simpson Aug 31, 2020

A Walinga Pneumatic Blower System may be one of the most versatile pieces of equipment you can add to your Grain Handling lineup. The Ultra-Veyor is designed to fill bins of various heights and distances from the ground up, allowing you to easily add the system to any pre-existing site.

Walinga Sales Rep Doug Termeer explains how a blower system works

Many yard sites weren’t originally designed with the thought of adding a grain handling system or grain dryer down the line. As farms continue to grow, larger bins are being installed and grain storage is being built further and further away. The only way to hit all these bins of different sizes and distances economically is with a blower system. By allowing you to keep the current bins and other infrastructure you have already invested in, a Walinga Ultra-Veyor prevents you from having to redesign your entire yard site – saving you a lot of money in the long run.

A grain handling setup in Saskatchewan utilizing a Walinga blower system to reach bins of various heights

Walinga blower systems are also very flexible and expandable, so you don’t need to have your whole yard designed and planned out ahead of time. You can easily expand down the road as your business grows and you start to add more acres or dry more grain. These systems can be installed under driveways to reduce the risk of damaging any pipes as you load/unload trucks in your yard.

The Walinga Ultra-Veyor is also a great add-on to any grain dryer, especially continuous flow dryers like NECO. Automating your grain dryer and grain handling reduces the number of augers, legs, and additional trucking necessary to move grain around your yard. This maximizes accessibility to any drying or storage facility. Your grain can go straight from the dryer into the final storage bin, so you don’t have to move it around multiple times before you get it where you want it in the end. It’s faster, more efficient, and most importantly, safer.

A NECO Grain Dryer unloading into a Walinga system

With the Smart-Flo feature on your Walinga blower, you have the ability to control the airspeed which reduces unnecessary damage to product and piping. This Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) system monitors and adjusts motor speeds depending on crop type, volume of product, and distance – optimizing performance and reducing energy costs. The Smart-Flo system can also be wired into your continuous flow grain dryer to speed up and slow down as necessary.

A blower system is not only an economic and affordable solution for long-distance conveying, it is also simple to install and is gentle on product – moving grain virtually dust and damage-free. Walinga Ultra-Veyors can move anywhere from 400 bushels/hour to 2,100 bushels/ hour, depending on the size of your operation.

Hear first-hand how a Walinga Ultra-Veyor made a positive impact on this customer's operation

Want to invest in a Walinga Pneumatic Blower system and automate your grain handling site this year? Contact us to schedule a free, no-commitment site assessment today.

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For more information on our grain handling and grain drying solutions, talk to one of our agriculture specialists at your nearest Flaman location. 

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with grain systems grain handling Walinga Ultra-Veyor blower system NECO grain dryer | More articles by Calla Simpson

Early season utilization: Increase the grade of your grain with a NECO Grain Dryer

Posted by Calla Simpson Aug 26, 2020

As harvest is well underway in most areas of the province, many producers are utilizing their grain dryers early on this season and increasing the available window to combine. Some farmers have even noticed increases in their durum quality as their grade improves after drying.

20% moisture durum before going into the NECO grain dryer (left) and 14.5% moisture durum after being dried (right)

Nolan Gettis, a farmer in central Saskatchewan, discusses how his NECO Grain Dryer has improved his operation:

“Two years ago, I would have been waiting to combine saying, ‘It’s getting close’. Right now, I’m full on harvesting because I have this dryer as a tool. I’m not waiting to use it. I’m literally taking off 20% durum and it’s coming out dry and just shining. It’s amazing how much better this durum looks once it comes out of that dryer. When you have a crop of unicorn #1 amber durum, you’ve gotta go get it.

I’d have to say the biggest benefit of this NECO dryer is that we’ve taken on more acres this year and I’ve already conquered that land without buying another combine. I have three bins on the go; a dry bin, an aeration bin, and the dryer. It’s a total harvest management tool.”

Nolan's grain drying setup in Semans, SK

Mixed flow dryers reduce the risk of crop damage, resulting in higher test weights. This drying process helps mature the kernels and brings out the rich colour evenly, producing higher quality grain with more consistent results. This dramatic difference in quality increases profitability and improves yield.

It's not too late – contact us to book your dryer install with Flaman today.

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For more information on our grain handling and grain drying solutions, talk to one of our agriculture specialists at your nearest Flaman location. 

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with grain systems grain handling grain drying NECO grain dryer mixed flow continuous flow | More articles by Calla Simpson

Early season utilization: Increase the grade of your grain with a NECO Grain Dryer

Posted by Calla Simpson Aug 26, 2020

As harvest is well underway in most areas of the province, many producers are utilizing their grain dryers early on this season and increasing the available window to combine. Some farmers have even noticed increases in their durum quality as their grade improves after drying.

20% moisture durum before going into the NECO grain dryer (left) and 14.5% moisture durum after being dried (right)

Nolan Gettis, a farmer in central Saskatchewan, discusses how his NECO Grain Dryer has improved his operation:

“Two years ago, I would have been waiting to combine saying, ‘It’s getting close’. Right now, I’m full on harvesting because I have this dryer as a tool. I’m not waiting to use it. I’m literally taking off 20% durum and it’s coming out dry and just shining. It’s amazing how much better this durum looks once it comes out of that dryer. When you have a crop of unicorn #1 amber durum, you’ve gotta go get it.

I’d have to say the biggest benefit of this NECO dryer is that we’ve taken on more acres this year and I’ve already conquered that land without buying another combine. I have three bins on the go; a dry bin, an aeration bin, and the dryer. It’s a total harvest management tool.”

Nolan's grain drying setup in Semans, SK

Mixed flow dryers reduce the risk of crop damage, resulting in higher test weights. This drying process helps mature the kernels and brings out the rich colour evenly, producing higher quality grain with more consistent results. This dramatic difference in quality increases profitability and improves yield.

It's not too late – contact us to book your dryer install with Flaman today.

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For more information on our grain handling and grain drying solutions, talk to one of our agriculture specialists at your nearest Flaman location. 

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with grain systems grain handling grain drying NECO grain dryer mixed flow continuous flow | More articles by Calla Simpson

How to Address Farming Challenges with the Right Equipment

Posted by Calla Simpson Aug 20, 2020

With grain bagging at your side, farming challenges won’t loom over your head.

As we begin to enter the new days of the upcoming farming season, there’s one constant: the harvest challenges that will lie ahead. A huge part of being in the farming business is being able to anticipate challenges and to pivot to them, and every good farmer understands that. However, every good farmer also desires to rise above the challenges presented to them, which is where the right equipment and the right mindset come into play.

In the 2019 harvest season, we saw challenges ranging from supply chain management issues and an excess of labour costs to late harvest starts, inclement fall weather, the prediction of lowered storage availability, and an abundance of leftover crops. As the 2020 season begins to come to shape overhead, it’s our job as farmers to think ahead and problem solve the best way we know how.

A great way to pivot and stay on top of things is through the use of grain bags, which have been a huge help to farmers looking for ways to minimize cost along with improving harvest efficiency.

Challenges farmers are facing in 2020

The 2020 harvest season is a unique one as the COVID-19 pandemic hit the globe and affected each and every farm operation. As farmers, the job is always to continue harvesting and providing for others — which can sometimes prove to be a hard thing. As we enter a new season, the issues facing farmers are:

Storage: there is a struggle to find adequate storage space for grain and harvest amid the pandemic.
Supply Chain Issues: stemming from a lowered labour force and leftover grain.
Inventory: confusion in inventory forecasting.
Physical Distancing: the need for physical distancing and increased health measures among labour forces on farms.

How can grain bags help farming challenges?

Flexibility is everything when it comes to farming, whether it be through finding new storage methods or by looking for new ways to cut costs. By using grain bags in your farming operation, you’ll be able to deal with many of the common farm operation challenges that harvesters are facing in 2020.

You’re also able to maximize space and minimizing risk (both financially and personally). The addition of grain bagging equipment and grain bags leads to optimized space on your farm, as well as a lowered need for labour, grain transportation, and grain storage. Here’s how:

Flexible Storage: grain bags allow you to store your harvest directly on your land, completely eliminating the need for extra labour to transport and store grain externally.
Reduced Costs: grain bags simply cost less than other grain storage methods — up to 2/3 less — making them a no-brainer when it comes to downsizing costs in your farming operation.
Increased Productivity: grain bags allow for better time management in your harvesting operation, from less downtime on the combines to more productivity from the workforce at hand.
Harvest Faster: grain bags are helpful when it comes to supply chain issues and excess crops, as they’ll keep your harvest safe from wildlife, spoilage, and weather while you wait.
Increased Efficiency: grain bags help to deal with varied demand, as they offer both efficiency and storage to assist with your needs.



When it comes to challenges, farmers are no stranger to making it work. Farmers are more able to pivot than any other profession in the world, whether it be from weather, cost, or even global pandemics. With grain bags, you’ll be able to take some pressure off of your shoulders when it comes to incoming farming challenges.

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Now offering discounted pallet pricing when you buy four or more pallets of grain bags. For more information, talk to one of our agriculture specialists at your nearest Flaman location. 

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Click here to view the original blog post by our friends at Pro Grain Equipment.

Posted in Ag news | Tagged with Pro Grain grain bags grain bagging grain baggers grain storage harvest | More articles by Calla Simpson

Tips and Resources for a Safe Harvest

Posted by Jennifer Thompson Aug 17, 2020

As harvest begins to start in many parts of Western Canada, Flaman is here to provide the tools and equipment you need to get your crop off quickly and safely. Along with our wide variety of Harvest Helpers to aid you in your work, we’ve collected some important and useful safety tips for harvest time. We want to make sure all our customers return safely from the field and have the resources to support their employees and family members on the farm.
 
This post will look at 4 main types of safety:

1. Grain bin entrapment
2. Fire safety and prevention
3. Machinery and power lines
4. COVID-19 safety

 

Grain Bin Entrapment
Tough grain is one of the leading causes for producers to enter a bin. Many studies have shown that entering a bin to break up spoiled grain while operating unloading equipment is the leading cause of grain entrapment. A person could become completely covered within 20 seconds. Across Canada, there’s an average of six fatalities every year from grain entrapment or engulfment.
 
If you need to enter a bin to asses grain, there is a Grain Bin Assessment chart from the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association you can use to assess if it’s safe to enter the bin.
 
This fact sheet from the Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture also has some helpful information about how grain entrapment occurs, as well as preventative and safety measures.
 
And finally, if you wish to create a Confined Space Management Program for your farm, this quick start guide from Ag Safe Alberta is a useful tool. Along with grain bins, confined spaces also include sumps, wells, feed bins, attics and even some equipment.
 

 
Fire Safety and Prevention
Fires in the field can happen all too suddenly when working with dry, flammable material and hot mufflers and electrical wiring. There are some simple pre-cautionary measures you can take to help avoid the risk of injury or loss of equipment due to fire.

1. Have working fire extinguishers mounted on equipment, ideally one in the cab and one accessible from the ground. Alberta Agriculture recommends a 10 pound dry chemical, multi-purpose ABC extinguisher and a 2.5 gallon pressurized water extinguisher on combines.
    
2. Remove crop residue, dust, debris, dirt and excess lubricant around all heat sources regularly. Check for a buildup of combustible crop residue around engines and exhaust systems, concealed drive belts and pulleys that can overheat due to friction.
    
3. Be careful when using low clearance vehicles in fields, as exhaust pipes and catalytic converters can ignite dry grass or stubble.
    
4. Check exposed wiring and fuel/hydraulic lines for damage, wear and deterioration.
    
5. Allow engines to cool before refueling.

And for added safety, Flaman carries a variety of firefighting pump and tank units, such as the Enduraplas Fire Ranger or the BE Fire Cart, to allow you to quickly put out any fires in the field while harvesting.
 

 
Machinery and Power Lines
Electrical safety is another important area to be aware of when working with large machinery on a farm. More than 40% of agricultural workers in Canada have reported direct hits or near misses with power lines. In 2019, there were 326 farm safety incidents reported to Sask Power. The most common causes of electrocutions on the farm are portable grain augers, large combines, high clearance sprayers and other tall equipment that can come into contact with overhead power lines.
 
There are two types of electrical injury that can occur:

1. Electric shock, when electric current passes through the body causing injury or death.
    
2. Arc flashes: a blast of energy caused by an electric arc, which can produce sounds waves, extreme heat, shrapnel and more, This can lead to lung injuries, ruptured ear drums, burns, blindness or death.

This guide “Electrical Safety on Saskatchewan Farms" from Sask Power talks about potential risks and hazards and offers safety tips, guides and checklists to make sure you and your workers come home safe. Or you can print out this Farm Safety Checklist to make sure everyone knows how to avoid overhead lines and what to do if an accident occurs.
 

 
COVID-19 Safety
This year, farming operations will have the added tasks of protecting workers and their family from COVID-19. As an essential service, we recognize that farmers must continue to work to grow our food and feed our country.
 
Along with the general pre-cautions such as hand washing, physical distancing, cleaning of work attire and wearing gloves, this fact sheet from the Canadian Centre for Occupation Health and Safety offers many safety tips specifically for the agricultural industry in areas such as:

• Transportation
• Sanitation
• Group Living and Residence Recommendations
• Team and Site Management
• And much more.

 
 
For those interested in creating an overall safety plan for their operation, this workbook from Ag Safe Alberta lays out the steps to create your own Farm Safe Plan.
 

Posted in Ag news | Tagged with harvest safety farming grain bins electrical safety | More articles by Jennifer Thompson

The Top 10 Reasons to Use Grain Bags

Posted by Calla Simpson Aug 04, 2020

Grain bagging has been gaining acclaim and popularity among farmers for being a resourceful, flexible, and time and money-saving grain storage option. The benefits are many, and farmers appreciate the efficiency of this innovative storage technique.



If you bag grain, you can expect to experience the following 10 benefits during your harvest season:

1. Saves the farmer's time.

When you bag grain, you reduce time loading grain into trucks and transporting it to grain bins or elevators. You can harvest the grain and store it right there in the field, which drastically cuts down on work time by eliminating so much back and forth to older, more traditional storage containers.

2. Increases harvest efficiency.

Grain bagging is easily the most flexible and efficient method for storing grain. You can store the bags anywhere that’s convenient (field, farm, or other lots), you have unlimited capacity, you have fewer labour constraints, you can move grain faster, and you can segregate grain variety easily into different storage bags. Overall, the processes during harvest are completely streamlined and made as productive as possible with grain bagging.

3. Improves commodity marketing.

Grain bagging preserves grain due to the ideal environment for grain within the bags themselves. When the bags are sealed, they are airtight, which eliminates the need for preservative chemicals and retains the grain quality. If commodity prices are low, and where storage constraints exist, bagging provides flexible unlimited storage. This allows farmers to control and plan the right time to market the crop for top dollar.

4. Reduces labour problems.

Because fewer trucks are required with grain bagging, your labour inefficiencies and costs will naturally reduce. Grain can be stored in the field where it’s bagged, which lowers the need for additional labourers.

5. Provides a storage solution for rented land.

For farmers who rent additional land and either don’t have their own storage bins, don’t have room in storage bins, or don’t want to deal with the cost and inconvenience of using the elevators, grain bagging allows easy storage for those rented land crops. There are virtually endless amounts of storage when you bag your grain.

6. Allows for unlimited storage capacity.

Even if you don’t rent land, if you have a bumper crop, or if your previous year’s crops are taking up storage space, you can utilize grain storage bags to safely and effectively store unlimited amounts of grain directly in the field.

7. Is a cost-efficient storage option.

You can store your grain in bags for about 7 cents per bushel (or less, in some cases). Alternatively, traditional grain bin storage can range anywhere from 14 cents to 37 cents per bushel, a massive expenditure in comparison to grain bagging.

8. Reliable and easily transportable.

After grain bags are sealed, oxygen levels decrease and carbon dioxide increases. This change in the environment can eliminate several strains of fungal diseases and insects without having to use harsh chemicals. Plus, when you are ready to market and sell the crops, you can unload them after harvest when it’s a more convenient time, more labour is available and truck costs are more sensible.

9. Expands the harvest window.

Farmers can start harvest operations earlier in the season and run later into fall by bagging grain that is higher than average moisture. You can unload the grain and dry it at a later time to lower the chance of bottlenecks at a grain dryer.

10. Improves the ability to avoid weather-related harvest issues.

Because your harvest operation will be moving faster and more efficiently, if there are weather delays or setbacks, you’ll be able to easily pivot and adjust your timeline. Your larger window for harvest also allows greater flexibility in dealing with weather restraints.

To learn more about grain bagging and to see which grain bagging products could improve your harvest capabilities, get in touch with us. We would be happy to walk you through everything you require for your grain bagging needs and answer any questions you might have.

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Now offering discounted pallet pricing when you buy four or more pallets of grain bags. For more information, talk to one of our agriculture specialists at your nearest Flaman location. 

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Click here to view the original blog post by our friends at Pro Grain Equipment.
 

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with Pro Grain grain bags grain bagging grain baggers grain storage harvest | More articles by Calla Simpson

A Brief History of the Newest Flaman Store in Swift Current

Posted by Jennifer Thompson Jul 07, 2020

Flaman Group of Companies started on the farm over 60 years ago, when founder Frank Flaman saw a way to help other farmers by buying bins in bulk. That spirit of “making things better” for the farming community continues on today, so when Flaman had the opportunity to partner with an innovative, farm-focused company like Gatco Manufacturing, known for its quality products designed for farmers, the choice was easy.
 
The Flaman Swift Current and Gatco location

Products Designed by a Farmer, For Farmers
Gatco was started by a Saskatoon area farmer, Gary Schreiner. Schreiner had a problem: he was losing canola bins to overheating and needed a solution for remote bin yards that had no power.  He began trying different combinations of perforated tubes in an effort to create a venting system inside the grain bin.  This led to the creation of the GrainAir Tube powerless aeration system.  The GrainAir tube allows heat and moisture to escape the bin quickly, by letting heat collect in the central tube and relying on convection to remove heat from the bin without any fans.
 
A couple year’s later, Schreiner was moving his load out auger and plastic hopper in his yard and slipped while maneuvering the plastic hopper.  He knew there had to be a safer way to do this, and so the Auger Hog Hopper was born. This adjustable, detachable grain auger hopper attaches and detaches in seconds with a single mount pin, stays on your auger between bins, and adjusts from 12" to 29" in height merely by moving the handle. Due to the Auger Hog’s u-trough design, it also increases the average augers speed by 20-25% and prevents any product loss.
 
The Auger Hog

With the GrainAir tube working well, Schreiner felt there had to be a way to make a more efficient aeration system.  While researching grain dryers, he found that air moved through grain easier horizontally, so he developed louvered wall columns that were pressurized with a common aeration fan.  The air would leave the wall columns and travel horizontally to the central GrainAir tube and be released out through the bin lid quickly and easily.  This CrossFlow system is far more efficient than traditional air systems, as the air travels less distance and moisture and heat is removed from the bin much faster. 
 
“Gary came up with these unique solutions to help make farming easier,” says Bret Watson, Gatco division manager, who’s worked for the company since 2013.

 Bret Watson (Gatco Division Manager & Flaman Operations Manager)
 
A Natural Partnership in Swift Current
It was that line of innovative, farmer-proven products that made Gatco a natural fit to join the Flaman team, says Watson, who is also the operations manager for Flaman’s Swift Current location. Gatco was purchased by Flaman Sales in 2018, when Schreiner decided he wanted to devote more time to his farming operation. “The companies are both family-owned and started on the farm,” says Watson. “We were selling to the same customers and trying to provide that same level of service. It was a nice, natural fit.” 



With that purchase, Flaman Sales started their 7th store in Saskatchewan. The Swift Current location began as one-person business with Watson, but since February 2020 has added 5 more staff in sales, administration and yard staff, along with acquiring a second, 4-acre yard to expand on-hand inventory and provide better sales and service.


Mellissa Paxman (Administration), Bruce Deg (Ag Sales), Brittany Fiddler (Logistics Coordinator), and Rick Spanier (Yard & Support)

The Swift Current store is a full-service Flaman Agriculture equipment dealership, offering a wide range of in-stock grain-handling equipment such as augers, conveyors, post pounders, grain vacs, grain carts, grain bins, grain dryers, grain monitoring, and water and fertilizer tanks. Customers can also order products from the Flaman catalogue like discs, mowers, chem handlers, pumps, and more.

Bob Schafer (Ag Sales)

“We’re proud to offer equipment options to the local community,” says Watson. “Farmers don’t have to drive to Saskatoon or Southey anymore. This location allows Flaman to serve customers all over southwest Saskatchewan.”

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To contact our Swift Current location, please click here.
To view some of the products in inventory, click here.
Posted in Division News | Tagged with agriculture Swift Current Flaman new store local shop local southwest Saskatchewan | More articles by Jennifer Thompson

Move your auger or conveyor safely with the Lift-EZ Hydraulic Jack

Posted by Jennifer Thompson Jun 30, 2020

If you’ve ever moved grain with a conveyor or auger, you know that standard screw jacks can be inconvenient and a hassle to hook up and connect with your tractor. And if you’ve ever said to yourself “there has to be a better way,” then you’re not alone. The Lift-EZ Hydraulic Jack is a safe and convenient way to connect your auger or conveyor to your tractor
 
We spoke with the product’s inventor, Bret Watson, the operations manager at Flaman’s Swift Current location, about where the idea for this product came from, and why every farmer could use one.



Tell me where the idea for this hydraulic jack came from?
Bret: I invented it two years ago with Bob Schafer. Bob has a service company that deals with farmers, and his customers were having trouble with their jacks getting damaged. They needed another option.
Bob and I were having coffee one day and we said to ourselves, “this is something we could do.” Bob is a mechanic by trade, and I have an engineering degree and manufacturing background. Hydraulics are readily available on back of a tractor so that’s why we chose that route.

 
What was the creation process like?
Bret: We started with some drawings on a piece of paper, then I used CAD to develop it and make a prototype. Then we fine-tuned it to make sure it was user-friendly. From concept to completion it took about 3-4 months.
 
Tell me about the jack and what makes it different.
Bret: With this jack, the farmer can back up to auger/conveyor, connect the jack hoses and then safely lower/raise the unit from the cab of his/her tractor. They can easily get everything aligned, then slide in the implement pin, raise the Lift-EZ jack and then they’re good to go. It uses the hydraulics that tractors already have, so it’s easy to add on. I haven’t seen anything like this for farm use before.
 

Tell me about the added safety features of this hydraulic jack.
Bret: The jack comes with a hydraulic safety valve, so if there is any damage to any hydraulic hose the jack won’t come down. You can adjust the jack from your seat safely. When you get out of the tractor, you don’t have to worry about the jack creeping down, the valve locks it and won’t allow it to come down unexpectedly, which of course could be very dangerous.
 
Can this jack go on any auger or conveyor?
Bret: Yes, it can be retrofitted to any auger or conveyor. The jack stub can be mounted at any height in order to replace any standard screw jack. It’s very user-friendly.
 
What inspires you to invent products like this?
Bret: I’m driven by solving problems and safety. This product came right from a farmer’s need. It’s a safer product and something that will help them.


The Lift-EZ Hydraulic Jack will be available at most Flaman locations in Saskatchewan. Please call your local Saskatchewan store to ask about availability or to speak to a product specialist. 


Posted in Product Information | Tagged with jack hydraulic jack auger conveyor safety | More articles by Jennifer Thompson

Dry your grain with ease: Get ahead of harvest this year and book your NECO dryer install with Flaman today

Posted by Calla Simpson Jun 26, 2020

There are many advantages to owning a grain dryer. As we learned last year in Western Canada, harvest 2019 had its challenges; most of which showed up when the crop needed to come off the field. Being able to dry your grain allows you to better manage your timeline and start combining as soon as it’s time to go! The earlier you can get started, the less likely you are to get caught with crop out in the field over winter.



NECO Mixed Flow Grain Dryers are designed to easily and efficiently condition all types of grain for storage. With no screens to clean or unplug, this industry-leading grain dryer is designed not only for its performance, but also its versatility.



The flexible, modular design of these grain dryers make for easy installation and can be customized and expanded to suit any farming operation.


A time lapse of a NECO Grain Dryer installation near Saskatoon

The NECO Grain Dryer’s mixed flow operation ensures even heating and cooling to provide consistent, high-quality grain. The improved air flow, quieter fans, and unequalled fuel efficiency make this dryer a valuable addition to any farming operation.



NECO dryers use Commander Control with a Dryer Master moisture control system to protect the quality of your grain and prevent over- or under-drying. The COMMANDnet system allows remote access to your NECO Grain Dryer to monitor its performance from your smartphone or computer – providing you with total control over your dryer wherever you may be.



It is never too early to start planning for harvest, as we never know what mother nature has in store for us. Bookings are filling up fast, but there are still a few spots left to get your name on a dryer for fall. Our Grain Systems team can customize a complete grain drying system to suit your needs, guiding the setup and installation, and providing service and maintenance along the way.


Hear first-hand from Flaman customers what a NECO dryer can do for your operation

Be ready to get ahead of harvest this year – contact us to book your dryer install with Flaman today.

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For more information on our grain handling and grain drying solutions, talk to one of our agriculture specialists at your nearest Flaman location. 
Posted in Product Information | Tagged with grain systems grain handling grain drying NECO grain dryer | More articles by Calla Simpson

Dry your grain with ease: Get ahead of harvest this year and book your NECO dryer install with Flaman today

Posted by Calla Simpson Jun 26, 2020

There are many advantages to owning a grain dryer. Being able to dry your grain allows you to better manage your timeline and start combining as soon as it’s time to go! The earlier you can get started, the less likely you are to get caught with crop out in the field over winter.



NECO Mixed Flow Grain Dryers are designed to easily and efficiently condition all types of grain for storage. With no screens to clean or unplug, this industry-leading grain dryer is designed not only for its performance, but also its versatility.



The flexible, modular design of these grain dryers make for easy installation and can be customized and expanded to suit any farming operation.


A time lapse of a NECO Grain Dryer installation near Saskatoon

The NECO Grain Dryer’s mixed flow operation ensures even heating and cooling to provide consistent, high-quality grain. The improved air flow, quieter fans, and unequalled fuel efficiency make this dryer a valuable addition to any farming operation.



NECO dryers use Commander Control with a Dryer Master moisture control system to protect the quality of your grain and prevent over- or under-drying. The COMMANDnet system allows remote access to your NECO Grain Dryer to monitor its performance from your smartphone or computer – providing you with total control over your dryer wherever you may be.



It is never too early to start planning for harvest, as we never know what mother nature has in store for us. Bookings are filling up fast, but there are still a few spots left to get your name on a dryer for fall. Our Grain Systems team can customize a complete grain drying system to suit your needs, guiding the setup and installation, and providing service and maintenance along the way.


Hear first-hand from Flaman customers what a NECO dryer can do for your operation

Be ready to get ahead of harvest this year – contact us to book your dryer install with Flaman today.

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For more information on our grain handling and grain drying solutions, talk to one of our agriculture specialists at your nearest Flaman location. 
Posted in Product Information | Tagged with grain systems grain handling grain drying NECO grain dryer | More articles by Calla Simpson

Be ready for harvest 2020: Summer is the time to build your bins & install your grain handling equipment

Posted by Calla Simpson May 29, 2020

As seeding is coming to a close throughout the province, you may be starting to think about the next steps in your farming operation for 2020. This likely includes thoughts of additional Grain Storage, Grain Handling, and even Grain Drying equipment.

It may seem early to plan for harvest, but summer is a great time to build your bins and install your grain handling equipment to move the crop come harvest time. Buying now will ensure your equipment is installed and ready to go in the fall – so you can have peace of mind all season long.

Lean on the Pros
At Flaman, our Grain Systems team is equipped to work with you on developing your yard for the future. Let one of our industry experts come to your yard to measure, draw, and discuss your needs for the coming year. Our tactical approach provides you with various drawings and site layouts that can utilize your existing equipment, and plan for future expansion in a multi-phased strategy.

Our Specialists can create a yard design based on your operational needs and the desired function of your site.

We specialize in full grain handling setups, including a wide range of bucket elevators and pneumatic conveyors – such as the Walinga Ultra-Veyor. Our turn-key offering also includes grain dryer systems, like the NECO Mixed Flow Dryer, as well as grain cleaning and processing facilities, automated bin sites, and producer loading sites. Our team is here to guide the entire setup and installation process of your grain handling system and provide maintenance and service for every item that goes in and out of our doors.

Schedule your appointment today for a free, no commitment site assessment. 

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For more information on our grain handling and grain drying solutions, talk to one of our agriculture specialists at your nearest Flaman location.

Posted in Ag news | Tagged with grain systems grain handling grain drying grain cleaning turnkey bin site NECO Walinga | More articles by Calla Simpson

Chembine: Canadian-made chemical handling solutions

Posted by Calla Simpson May 04, 2020

We are excited to offer two new products in our Chem Handling lineup: the Chembine Chemical Mixer and the Chembine Hot-Tank.

Designed and manufactured in Western Canada, the Chembine Chemical Mixer from Freeform Plastics is an innovative solution for batch mixing chemicals on your farm. With a capacity of 75 US gallons (62.5 imperial gallons), this tank saves you time and money with its faster drain time, new knife block design, and the latest innovation in agitation.

This new chemical mixer was also designed to be more user-friendly and ergonomic, so you won’t have to bend over as often to reach the valves – preventing unnecessary strain on your back.



The Chembine is sold without a pump, however there are two optional pump kits available to create a complete system. The first option is a 6.5 HP Honda with a Wetseal Banjo pump, and the other option is a 13 HP electric start Honda with a Hypro pump.

To learn more about the features of the Chembine Chemical Mixer, check out this interview with Freeform Plastics: 



The Chembine Hot-Tank is another beneficial product for your farm, as this high-capacity tank can hold up to 1680 US gallons (1400 imperial gallons) at once.

The Hot-Tank will agitate your chemical mix, so that it doesn’t separate. This will allow you to pre-mix your entire chemical load ahead of time, so when the sprayer arrives everything is prepped and ready to go.



Instead of paying for the tank, the parts, and the labour separately, this convenient alternative comes plumbed up and ready to use – allowing you to spend more time mixing and spraying.


Justin walks through the features of the Chembine Hot-Tank

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For more information on these products and to view the rest of our Chem Handling solutions, click here.
Posted in Product Information | Tagged with Chembine chemical mixer chemical handling chem tank Hot-Tank | More articles by Calla Simpson

Harvest 2019: An unconventional way to dry your grain in wet conditions

Posted by Paul Boechler Oct 09, 2019

The 2019 harvest is shaping up to be frustrating for most.  It’s no secret that harvest is well behind this year, with only 34% of crops being combined in Alberta (47% 3-yr avg), 47% in Saskatchewan (75% 3-yr avg), and 71% in Manitoba (85% 3-yr avg) as of last week.  Wet weather has plagued the prairies, with record rainfall in Manitoba and snowfall in southern Alberta & Saskatchewan in September.  A combination of high moisture levels and widespread crop damage has contributed to diminished grade.

It’s now a race to get remaining crops off the field and although we can’t control the weather, we can help you maintain the grade of your grain by getting it dried faster and limiting spoilage.  The most effective option is a NECO dryer from Flaman, which can be scaled to the size of your operation.  However, dryer installs are contingent on many environmental and logistical factors and it’s far from a guarantee that a dryer purchased today would be installed before the end of harvest. 

So, what does a farmer do if he or she can’t get a dryer installed in time?

Our team in Saskatchewan has heard a lot of stories from our customers who’ve resorted to unconventional methods to dry their grain. The overwhelming favourite by local farmers has been the Frost Fighter (available only at our Saskatchewan locations), which is a diesel-powered 350,000 BTU industrial heater designed to heat remote construction sites and shops. As it turns out, they are also easily adaptable to a bin aeration system and can pump heat into two bins simultaneously. It’s been a lifeline given the soggy conditions.

Kelly Stewart, the operations manager at our Flaman Moosomin location, was the man who made this idea a reality:

“I saw a video a couple years ago of an Alberta farmer using a similar method and he claimed it worked like a charm. It inspired me to try it out given how wet it’s been this year. Some local farmers put it to work and were extremely pleased with the results.  It’s not a perfect solution and we know it’s not recommended by the manufacturers, but desperate times have forced us to think outside the box.

With a little extra work, moving your grain around and monitoring your moisture levels closely, we’ve heard from many happy customers that have seen up to 30,000 BU dried in a week. Obviously, the best way to dry your grain is with a dryer but given how wet it’s been and with more precipitation in the forecast, this has been a great makeshift way to salvage what has been a tough harvest.”

Interested in learning more about grain drying? Talk to one of our agriculture specialists at your nearest Flaman location.
Posted in Ag news | Tagged with grain drying frost fighter neco dryer flaman harvest crops aeration | More articles by Paul Boechler

NECO Grain Dryer Build

Posted by Paul Boechler Jun 12, 2019

We recently had the opportunity to build the largest private NECO grain dryer in Western Canada – a NECO Mixed Flow 6 Burner D24380 -- for a large farming operation outside of Edmonton, AB.  It was a complex endeavour with many moving parts, and it required many hours of planning to execute.   

We had help from several outside sources: Freeway Transport, who were responsible for the dryer delivery; Xcaliber Crane & Rigging who handled the hoisting of the dryer; and Continental Bins, who provided assembly services.  Additionally, Ron Kleuskens from NECO supervised the build and many members of the Flaman Nisku team assisted throughout the day where they were needed.  And most importantly, the 4 owners of the farm and their sons, daughters, grandchildren & significant others were all present at one time or another throughout the day.  They were the real supervisors! 

Build Day was kicked off with the delivery of the dryer.  This consisted of 7 truckloads originating in Omaha, Nebraska. Each delivery was staggered by 2 hours, which allowed enough time for our crane and assembly teams to position and install each section before the next was delivered.

With the help of our partners and employees – more than 20 people in total -- we were able to install this behemoth of a dryer in one jampacked, 10 hour day.

The dryer will serve as a flagship operation in the area and will likely create business not only for our customer’s farm, but others in the area as well.  It’ll be an economic driver in the area for many years to come. We're thankful to be a part of this project and meet the needs of our customer. Customer service is one of the core beliefs Flaman was founded on and it’s why we’re celebrating 60 years in the agriculture industry in Western Canada.
 
Posted in Ag news | Tagged with grain dryer farming neco flaman install | More articles by Paul Boechler

Disney's NEW Leadership Excellence Training Course

Posted by Nov 17, 2017

Announcing Walt Disney NEW Leadership Excellence training coming to Saskatoon 2018!

Register Now!

Leadership is the foundation for business excellence.

You now have the opportunity to learn Disney’s Approach To Leadership Excellence that is responsible for The Walt Disney Company legacy known around the world today. Enhance your own customer experience using Disney principles as a guide.

First time ever in Saskatoon March 20, 2018
TCU Place 8:30am-4:30pm
 

Behind everything Disney does, are leadership insights time-tested by decades of success. Insights you will learn when you join us for “Disney’s Approach To Leadership Excellence” professional development course, presented by Disney Institute facilitators who will educate and inspire individuals and organizations to enhance their own customer experience using Disney principles as their guide.

Who is Disney Institute?
The professional development training arm for the Walt Disney Company. For nearly three decades, Disney Institute has helped professionals discover ways to positively impact their organizations and the customer they serve through immersion in leadership, service and employee engagement.
 
Tickets  *** ON SALE NOW***

 
Leaders take action, reserve your seats click here
Event details below
 
The 2017 Disney program SOLD OUT quickly– Take advantage and secure a spot for this NEW 2018 Disney program while quantities last.

 
Group registration? Simply scan and email this registration form click here to info@investinyou.today
 


Hear how two of 2017’s Saskatoon attendees benefited:
 
 "The course was transformative to our thinking. The session itself was remarkable in how it brought the concepts to life which provided clarity and deep understanding. I personally came out of the course with a deep belief of what quality service really is and how every single team member at Flaman Group of Companies is so important to making our customers' experiences remarkable.” ~STEVE WHITTINGTON Vice President Marketing and Customer Experience FLAMAN - Group of Companies
 
"Treating Donors, Clients and Volunteers the Disney Way is an inspiration every day. Bringing the Disney experience to your business or organization is so much fun!!" ~ CINDY FUCHS Vice President - 
The Canadian Red Cross in Saskatchewan





Course: Disney’s Approach to Leadership Excellence
Date: March 20, 2018
Time: 8:30am-4:30pm 
Location: TCU Place 35 22 St E, Saskatoon, SK
Event Overview click here
Cost:
General Admission $697 
Chamber Member VIP Rate $597 
*Non-profit Rate $597
Cost includes: Disney's Approach to Leadership Excellence participant guide, parking, Wi-Fi, lunch, coffee, tea and treats plus a personalized Leadership Excellence ***Disney Institute Graduation Certificate*** to add to your credentials
Who should attend?
Disney insights and illustrations are beneficial to any leader or employee interested in learning how to improve the customer experience and raise the standards of leadership in their organization.
Reserve your seats: click here
Questions: please ask the ACC Sponsored Disney Institute Program Event Coordinators: Sherry & Shelagh Kennett 
P:   1.780.518.1495 / 1.604.619.9393
E:   info@investinyou.today
W:  www.investinyou.today 
 
Flaman Group of Companies, helping to bring Disney Institute to Saskatoon.
 
"Whatever you do, do it well. Do it so well that when people see you do it they will want to come back and see you do it again and they will want to bring others and show them how well you do what you do." ~ Walt Disney
 

 
Posted in Local News | More articles by

Disney's Approach To Quality Service

Posted by Steve Whittington Feb 24, 2017

Flaman Welcomes Disney Institute to Saskatoon.

We aspire in the betterment of your staff, and our customers

In 2017 retail brands are scrambling to differentiate themselves.  There is still some product exclusivity left but for the most part product X can be replaced by product Y.  This then just leaves price and the experience.  Customer Experience that is the key to making your customers loyal, giving them a reason to pick your organization over the one down the road. In fact if you are good enough the customer will talk you up and tell their friends if you need product X go see Retailer ABC.  If you are really good the customer will become a promoter, a brand ambassador and is excited about doing business with you and receiving messages from you; the customer might even be delighted by any interaction with your retail brand.   There is a company that creates this experience consistently; Disney.
 
We have been in a boom economy for a long time.  It was good times.  Business was good, in fact it was so good some might be honest enough to admit it was easy. It is not easy anymore.  Combine a tightened economy with a customer that has more choice and the power to broadcast any mishap a brand makes via social media and review sites business has gone from being interesting at times to frightening.  Customer Service Excellence has to be a top priority for every business. I personally lead the customer journey focus at Flaman Group of companies measuring all the touch points to rank for improvement. This is a journey we believe can never stop. This is where Disney Institute comes in and why Flaman Group of Companies has assisted to bring Disney Institute to Saskatchewan. 

So what does bringing to Saskatchewan mean?
 
Well on March 9th Disney Institute will be hosting their full day interactive learning experience:  Disney's Approach to Quality Service sponsored by ACC and Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce and co-sponsored by FLAMAN Group of Companies.
 
Who is Disney Institute?
 
Disney Institute is the professional development and external training arm of The Walt Disney Company. The company showcases 'the business behind the magic' through seminars, workshops and presentations, as well as programs for professionals from many different industries, including healthcare, aerospace/aviation, government/military, food/beverage and retail.
 
What will the course provide?
 
The one-day event will help area professionals begin to examine how they can differentiate their service to become a provider of choice and understand the processes necessary to develop a culture that consistently delivers that exceptional service. This day of Disney Institute training uses business insights and time-tested examples from Disney parks and resorts worldwide to inspire individuals and organizations to enhance their own customer experience using Disney principles as their guide. Disney’s Approach to Quality Service gives participants the chance to explore how customer experience insights and time-tested examples from Disney parks and resorts worldwide can provide relevant illustrations and engaging stories to help organizations deliver the type of long-term results they are capable of delivering.        
 

So I have taken the course…
 
The course woke me up to what I needed to do, in fact the course was transformative to my thinking. The session itself was remarkable in how it brought the concepts to life which provided clarity and deep understanding. I personally came out of the course with a deep belief of what quality service really is and how every single team member at Flaman Group of Companies is so important to making our customers' experiences remarkable. After the course, I applied the thinking to Flaman Group of Companies to aid our culture shift towards the entire customer journey.
 
So why is Disney Institute coming to Saskatchewan important?
 
Beyond learning to create remarkable experiences for your customers, there are other things happening with Disney Institute coming to Saskatchewan.  This course could be the start of movement in customer service excellence which will help define and differentiate how business is done in Saskatchewan. This is not pie in the sky thinking it could happen and imagine where the companies could rise to if they embark on this journey.

Steve Whittington



Walt Disney Company’s 90 years of world-renowned Customer Service Excellence into your organization March 9, 2017 at TCU Place.
 
Disney Institute, the training arm of the Walt Disney Company, is coming to Saskatoon with their full day interactive learning experience:

Focusing on the customer experience has become the single most important way for an organization to achieve success — often becoming its key differentiator and competitive advantage. You have the opportunity to learn Disney’s Approach to Quality Service. One of the world’s most recognized names in business solutions; Disney Institute, the professional development training arm of the Walt Disney Company, is coming to Saskatoon.

Saskatoon Testimonials:
 
"The course was transformative to our thinking. The session itself was remarkable in how it brought the concepts to life which provided clarity and deep understanding. I personally came out of the course with a deep belief of what quality service really is and how every single team member at Flaman Group of Companies is so important to making our customers' experiences remarkable.” ~STEVE WHITTINGTON Vice President Marketing and Customer Experience FLAMAN - Group of Companies
 
"Treating Donors, Clients and Volunteers the Disney Way is an inspiration everyday since taking my very first Disney training in Regina. Bringing the Disney experience to your business or organization is so much fun!!" ~ CINDY FUCHS Vice President -
The Canadian Red Cross in Saskatchewan
 
Thank you Event Sponsors, Hosts and Marketing Participants: The Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, FLAMAN Group of Companies, the Canadian Red Cross in Saskatchewan, and Saskatchewan Industrial and Mining Suppliers Association.



 The Walt Disney Company’s 90 years of Customer Service Excellence Best Practices March 9, 2017 at TCU Place Saskatoon is now sold out. To receive information on the next Disney learning experience and/or pre-reserve your seats; email info@investinyou.today 
 
As to Disney artwork/properties: © Disney

Posted in Division News | More articles by Steve Whittington

The 2017 Trailer Divison Meeting

Posted by Steve Whittington Feb 10, 2017

Every year the Flaman Trailer Division gather to enhance our product knowledge and customer processes. 

We bring our partner suppliers from across North America to train with us on their products, new technology and industry trends. We focus our team on customer service and set our product line up for the spring. It is a once a year boot camp for the trailer division to get focused and this year did not disappoint!

As a result of this meeting we have a new additions to our line up. In the spring expect the following new and exciting products:

• Hook lift Dump Trailer from Southland Trailers -  A powered lift to service multiple job-sites at once

• Blackwood Decking from Diamond C  IC  - Non slip rubber decking inserts.  Great deck grip!

• Quest Car haulers from ATC  IC - These Leading edge trailers will now be stocked at multiple locations 

• Express Aluminum Enclosed Cargo trailers from High Country  - Lighter but just as strong an industry shift is happening and we are leading the charge now stocking in Saskatchewan

• Detachable Gooseneck Equipment Haulers from Behnke, B-B Trailers  - Big equipment no problem call us to determine your needs

 

• Travalum stock trailers - top quality trailers available at all locations

 

---

 

Prior to getting down to work, we like to get the team primed and focused with some teambuilding. So what do you do in the Canadian Rockies?  We  went Ice Climbing and Dog Sledding  (No salesman or dogs were harmed). After a day in the great Canadian outdoors everyone was recharged to learn for the rest of week.

 
All in all another successful meeting helping Flaman Trailers reach higher, providing new product offering and more focus on our customers.
 
SW

 
Posted in Division News | More articles by Steve Whittington

Disney's Approach To Quality Service

Posted by Steve Whittington Nov 18, 2016

Flaman Welcomes Disney Institute to Saskatoon.

We aspire in the betterment of your staff, and our customers

In 2017 retail brands are scrambling to differentiate themselves.  There is still some product exclusivity left but for the most part product X can be replaced by product Y.  This then just leaves price and the experience.  Customer Experience that is the key to making your customers loyal, giving them a reason to pick your organization over the one down the road. In fact if you are good enough the customer will talk you up and tell their friends if you need product X go see Retailer ABC.  If you are really good the customer will become a promoter, a brand ambassador and is excited about doing business with you and receiving messages from you; the customer might even be delighted by any interaction with your retail brand.   There is a company that creates this experience consistently; Disney.
 
We have been in a boom economy for a long time.  It was good times.  Business was good, in fact it was so good some might be honest enough to admit it was easy. It is not easy anymore.  Combine a tightened economy with a customer that has more choice and the power to broadcast any mishap a brand makes via social media and review sites business has gone from being interesting at times to frightening.  Customer Service Excellence has to be a top priority for every business. I personally lead the customer journey focus at Flaman Group of companies measuring all the touch points to rank for improvement. This is a journey we believe can never stop. This is where Disney Institute comes in and why Flaman Group of Companies has assisted to bring Disney Institute to Saskatchewan. 

So what does bringing to Saskatchewan mean?
 
Well on March 9th Disney Institute will be hosting their full day interactive learning experience:  Disney's Approach to Quality Service sponsored by ACC and Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce and co-sponsored by FLAMAN Group of Companies.
 
Who is Disney Institute?
 
Disney Institute is the professional development and external training arm of The Walt Disney Company. The company showcases 'the business behind the magic' through seminars, workshops and presentations, as well as programs for professionals from many different industries, including healthcare, aerospace/aviation, government/military, food/beverage and retail.
 
What will the course provide?
 
The one-day event will help area professionals begin to examine how they can differentiate their service to become a provider of choice and understand the processes necessary to develop a culture that consistently delivers that exceptional service. This day of Disney Institute training uses business insights and time-tested examples from Disney parks and resorts worldwide to inspire individuals and organizations to enhance their own customer experience using Disney principles as their guide. Disney’s Approach to Quality Service gives participants the chance to explore how customer experience insights and time-tested examples from Disney parks and resorts worldwide can provide relevant illustrations and engaging stories to help organizations deliver the type of long-term results they are capable of delivering.        
 
So I have taken the course…
 
The course woke me up to what I needed to do, in fact the course was transformative to my thinking. The session itself was remarkable in how it brought the concepts to life which provided clarity and deep understanding. I personally came out of the course with a deep belief of what quality service really is and how every single team member at Flaman Group of Companies is so important to making our customers' experiences remarkable. After the course, I applied the thinking to Flaman Group of Companies to aid our culture shift towards the entire customer journey.
 
So why is Disney Institute coming to Saskatchewan important?
 
Beyond learning to create remarkable experiences for your customers, there are other things happening with Disney Institute coming to Saskatchewan.  This course could be the start of movement in customer service excellence which will help define and differentiate how business is done in Saskatchewan. This is not pie in the sky thinking it could happen and imagine where the companies could rise to if they embark on this journey.

Steve Whittington


Walt Disney Company’s 90 years of world-renowned Customer Service Excellence into your organization March 9, 2017 at TCU Place.
 
Disney Institute, the training arm of the Walt Disney Company, is coming to Saskatoon with their full day interactive learning experience:

Focusing on the customer experience has become the single most important way for an organization to achieve success — often becoming its key differentiator and competitive advantage. You have the opportunity to learn Disney’s Approach to Quality Service. One of the world’s most recognized names in business solutions; Disney Institute, the professional development training arm of the Walt Disney Company, is coming to Saskatoon.

Saskatoon Testimonials:
 
"The course was transformative to our thinking. The session itself was remarkable in how it brought the concepts to life which provided clarity and deep understanding. I personally came out of the course with a deep belief of what quality service really is and how every single team member at Flaman Group of Companies is so important to making our customers' experiences remarkable.” ~STEVE WHITTINGTON Vice President Marketing and Customer Experience FLAMAN - Group of Companies
 
"Treating Donors, Clients and Volunteers the Disney Way is an inspiration everyday since taking my very first Disney training in Regina. Bringing the Disney experience to your business or organization is so much fun!!" ~ CINDY FUCHS Vice President -
The Canadian Red Cross in Saskatchewan
 
Thank you Event Sponsors, Hosts and Marketing Participants: The Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, FLAMAN Group of Companies, the Canadian Red Cross in Saskatchewan, and Saskatchewan Industrial and Mining Suppliers Association.



 The Walt Disney Company’s 90 years of Customer Service Excellence Best Practices March 9, 2017 at TCU Place Saskatoon is now sold out. To receive information on the next Disney learning experience and/or pre-reserve your seats; email info@investinyou.today 
 
As to Disney artwork/properties: © Disney
 
Posted in Local News | Tagged with Disney Institute Customer Service Seminar TCU Flaman Saskatoon | More articles by Steve Whittington

Trailering 'Rules of the Road' Updated

Posted by Flaman Agriculture Jun 08, 2016

There are a wide variety of trailer regulations imposed across Canada - these regulations cover everything from annual inspections, to dimensions, to brake requirements.  Your trailer my conform to your province’s regulations, but what happens when you travel into another province?
 
You may be completely law-abiding in your province, then travel into the neighboring one and find-out an inspection is required the instant you enter the other jurisdiction.  Or maybe your trailer is fine, but now since  you have attached a trailer to your truck, the truck now requires an inspection.  Or maybe the load this time is heavier than last time, so last time you were OK in the next jurisdiction but this time you are not.
 
Flaman Trailers has grown to become North America’s largest trailer retailer.  This growth is in part due to, and brings with it a responsibility to be aware of the various provincial regulations regarding trailers.
 
So, Flaman Trailers VP – Steve Whittington created a “Rules of the Road” presentation to address these issues.   This presentation was first conducted at NATDA (North American Trailer Dealers Association) in 2012 and has been updated to 2016 regulations
 
“Rules of the Road” is available for free download here
 
If you have any questions or concerns about trailering, we are happy to help!
 
Posted in Trailer Tips | Tagged with Information Regulations | More articles by Flaman Agriculture

10th Annual Frank J. Flaman Foundation Gala 2016

Posted by Feb 08, 2016

The 10th Annual Frank J. Flaman Foundation Gala is taking place on March 18th, 2016 in Edmonton, AB. (By the way, Frank Flaman founded "Flaman.")


The location is new – it will be at the Fantasyland Hotel - and the theme is “The Roaring Twenties!”  There will be prizes for best costumes and the evening is sure to be an extraordinary and unforgettable one.
 


Frank Flaman funds the administration and overhead costs of the Foundation, so 100% of every dollar donated goes to a charity, event, or someone in need.  To date, over $10-million has been donated to various charities.

The Frank J. Flaman Foundation’s and Frank’s mission to help those that need assistance in our community, our country, and around the world.  The Foundation will focus more on the needs of children and families locally in 2016.



Read more about "Why Frank Cares" here.

The goal is to raise $80,000 at the Gala, with the funds, in addition to the hundreds of thousands of dollars that the Frank J. Flaman Foundation gives each year, being pledged to various charities including the ones mentioned here [https://www.flaman.com/foundation/charities ].   Through these joint partnerships, the Foundation hopes to improve the quality of life for all in need and help to end world suffering. 

The Frank J. Flaman Foundation’s “Gala” is the annual main fundraiser for the Foundation.  During this elegant and fun evening, a silent auction takes place as well as dinner and dancing. But this event is not just about raising money, it’s also about showing attendees and supporters how their contributions are making a difference. Representatives from a number of charities are on hand to receive their donations from Frank himself. As well, charitable groups are showcased for everyone to learn about the great work that they do.



Why does Frank want to make a difference in the world?  Frank has spent many years learning, reading and researching opportunities in the world and how he can help to end global suffering.  He has discovered two major things:

1. The lack of unsafe water and sanitation are the world’s largest causes of illness.
2. Food security is of utmost importance!  Lack of sustainable food sources leads to malnutrition and death in most parts of the world.

And, in the words of Mother Theresa, "If you can’t feed 100 people, then feed just one."

So, for over 30 years, Frank has personally funded and helped countless charities, both locally and around the globe.  In 2005, he formally established the Frank J. Flaman Foundation to expand these philanthropic efforts.  In the first two years alone, he brought aid to thousands worldwide and every year following the foundation continues to spread the generosity of Frank and other donors to those in need.
The Frank J. Flaman Foundation is funded by Frank’s share of the profits from the Flaman Group of Companies, as well as private donations from others. 


 
The cost per ticket is $150 and per table of 10 is $1350.

Also, you can support the event with your donation of silent and live auction items.  “One of a kind” or unique items bring in the most money in an auction.  Examples of items that have been very popular at auctions include sports memorabilia, artwork, gift certificates and rare or different collectibles.  For any item you donate, you will receive a charitable receipt in the amount of the full retail value of the item along with recognition at the event!

Contact is Syndy Harriott @ 780-955-3402 or email her at syndy.harriott@flaman.com

For hotel reservations, please contact the Fantasyland Hotel (780-444-3000 or 1-800-737-3783).  Ask for the Frank J. Flaman Foundation Dinner or Frank J. Flaman Foundation Gala.  The pricing is $175/night/room.  There is a room block set aside at this special price.  Their address is 17700 – 87 Ave NW.  Edmonton, AB.  T5T 4V4. 
 
Posted in Local News | Tagged with Frank Flaman Foundation | More articles by

Why Frank Cares

Posted by Feb 08, 2016

Why does Frank Flaman want to make a difference in the world?  (By the way, Frank founded "Flaman.")  Frank has spent many years learning, reading and researching opportunities in the world and how he can help to end global suffering.  He has discovered two major things:

1. The lack of unsafe water and sanitation are the world’s largest causes of illness.
2. Food security is of utmost importance!  Lack of sustainable food sources leads to malnutrition and death in most parts of the world.

And, in the words of Mother Theresa, "If you can’t feed 100 people, then feed just one."

So, for over 30 years, Frank has personally funded and helped countless charities, both locally and around the globe.  In 2005, he formally established the Frank J. Flaman Foundation to expand these philanthropic efforts.  In the first two years alone, he brought aid to thousands worldwide and every year following the foundation continues to spread the generosity of Frank and other donors to those in need.
The Frank J. Flaman Foundation is funded by Frank’s share of the profits from the Flaman Group of Companies, as well as private donations from others. 

Frank funds the administration and overhead costs of the Foundation, so 100% of every dollar donated goes to a charity, event, or someone in need.  To date, over $10-million has been donated to various charities.



The number of organizations that have received support from the Foundation is includes both local and global charities. Frank believes that every one of us can make a difference and that a needy person is a needy person, whether they live just down the street or thousands of miles away.   The Foundation will focus more on the needs of children and families locally in 2016.



Charities supported by the foundation include: 

• Crystal Kids (mentoring children and teens in the urban Edmonton area)
• E4C Snack Program (offering school lunch programs in Edmonton inner-city schools)
• Kid’s Kottage (promoting the health and wellbeing of children and their families and helping end child abuse and neglect)
• Lurana Shelter (meeting the needs of women and children fleeing from domestic violence)
• Mennonite Central Committee (the foundation assists MCC in their quest to ensure sustainable food sources, adequate housing, education and independent living),
• Mother Teresa Missionaries of Charity (serving the “poorest of the poor” with more than 500 missions in over 100 countries)
• Operation Eye Sight (with Frank’s donations over 5,000 individuals in the developing world have had their eyesight restored)
• Oxfam (tackling the root causes of poverty and inequity, and helping people to create self-reliant and sustainable communities)
• Partners in Health (saving lives, revitalizing communities & transforming global health)
• Pilgrims Hospices Lottery (Edmonton’s only free-standing voluntary Hospice)
• Room to Read (transforming the lives of millions of children around the world by focusing on literacy and gender equality)
• The Salvation Army (largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in Canada)
• Effect Hope (healing the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of people affected by leprosy living in the poorest areas)
• Water Ambassadors Canada (changing lives with clean water)
• YESS - Youth Emergency Services Shelter (empowering youth from difficult realities)
• WIN House (Edmonton Women’s Shelter Ltd)
• ADF - Alberta Diabetes Foundation (Funding life changing diabetes research in Alberta)
• Change for Children (the Foundation assists Change for Children in promoting action for systemic change and sustainable development.   It aims to support the poor in securing their own food sources, safe water and political autonomy.)  
• Catholic Social Services (offering over 100 programs to all faiths and cultures in central and north east Alberta)

The Frank J. Flaman Foundation also takes volunteers, staff members from the Flaman Group of Companies, and others interested, on mission trips around the world including to Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.   You can see the trip photo albums here.  At these locations, teams work to build schools, medical facilities, and water infrastructure.



The Frank J. Flaman Foundation’s “Gala” is the annual main fundraiser for the Foundation.  During this elegant and fun evening, a silent auction takes place as well as dinner and dancing. But this event is not just about raising money, it’s also about showing attendees and supporters how their contributions are making a difference. Representatives from a number of charities are on hand to receive their donations from Frank himself. As well, charitable groups are showcased for everyone to learn about the great work that they do.

This year’s gala is March 18th at Edmonton’s Fantasyland Hotel; the theme is “The Roaring Twenties” - there will be prizes for best costumes and the evening is sure to be an extraordinary and unforgettable one.  The goal is to raise $80,000 at the Gala, with the funds, in addition to the hundreds of thousands of dollars that the Frank J. Flaman Foundation gives each year, being pledged to various charities including the ones mentioned above.   Through these joint partnerships, the Foundation hopes to improve the quality of life for all in need and help to end world suffering. 

For ticket sales or more information, please contact Syndy at 780-955-3400 or see https://www.flaman.com/foundation/events/
 
Posted in Local News | Tagged with Frank Flaman Foundation | More articles by

Flaman Fitness wins Edmonton Journal Readers Choice Award

Posted by Flaman Agriculture Nov 30, 2015

On November 27, 2015 the Edmonton Journal published . . .

“Today’s the Day.” Those three words have been dominant at Flaman Fitness in the past year. But for the national fitness company, they are not just a slogan, but a powerful message that Flaman wants to spread to all Canadians.

“It’s a message of hope that you can start your fitness journey any day,” says Steve Whittington, Flaman Fitness’ vice-president of marketing. “You don’t have to wait for a Monday or New Year’s Day. You just need to start. And it doesn’t have to be this grand gesture of a diet or a detailed workout plan. Just be a little more active each day and eat smarter. And we’re here to help you with that journey.”
The company launched the “Today’s the Day” campaign in October of last year and Whittington says customers have responded positively. A large proof of their success is the engagement that customers are having with the resources Flaman provides to help them. More people are coming to their website and reading their fitness blog.
But Whittington says customers can now look forward to a new, mobile-friendly website they’re launching shortly. A new section, called Learn, is loaded with fitness resources, including articles, workouts, videos and much more.
“Learn is for anyone, whether you’re a fitness enthusiast or just starting out,” says Whittington. “You can go here to get inspired and get great information on setting goals and improving your personal health.
“People are interested in the support we’re providing,” he adds. “We feel that this new site is o ering much more support for the customer and we hope it will resonate with them.”
Whittington believes that being selected for a Reader’s Choice Award in Edmonton again this year is reinforcement of the path the company is on to serve the customer first. And they want their message to reach beyond just their current customers.
“We have a health crisis in Canada,” says Whittington. According to 2014 statistics from Health Canada, 54 per cent of adults in the country and 23.1 per cent of youth in Canada are overweight or obese.
“As a national fitness brand with the reach that we have, I believe we have an obligation to join the fight to make Canada a healthier place.
“Maybe you didn’t run yesterday, but today’s the day you can!” says Whittington. “Every day can be a day that you can start. Fitness shouldn’t be solely about image, it’s about feeling better and living better.”
 
Here's how the page looked:


 
Posted in Local News | Tagged with Edmonton Journal Readers' Choice Flaman Fitness | More articles by Flaman Agriculture

SK Snowmobile Registration Changes

Posted by Flaman Agriculture Nov 30, 2015

The Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association reminded riders last week that effective November 1, 2015 snowmobile registrations have changed to coincide with the snowmobile season, which is July 1st - June 30th as defined in The Snowmobile Regulations.
This was done to ensure the proper snowmobile registration fees were being collected.  Prior to this change, some snowmobile owners paid the snowmobile registration fee once but the snowmobile registration spanned over two riding seasons.  This change will close that loophole.
Please be advised that you may still pick any expiry date for your snowmobile registration, but the registration term cannot extend past June 30th of any given year.  For example, you could register your snowmobile from November 1st to April 15th.
All snowmobiles must be registered and the operator licensed before being driven on public land (i.e. roads (where allowed), ditches, other highway rights of way, provincial parks, Crown land, designated snowmobile trails, rivers or lakes).  And, to clarify, registration is not required to drive on privately-owned land if permission is granted by the owner/tenant.
And on a side note, although an ATV cannot be registered, it must be insured with a $200,000 liability policy before it can be operated in public areas.
For more information and a link to the “Snowmobile Act” go here
The guide from SGI called “Snowmobiling in Saskatchewan” is here
 
Posted in Local News | Tagged with Information Regulations | More articles by Flaman Agriculture

Ultra Lav Podcast

Posted by Steve Whittington Jun 12, 2015

In this episode of Trailer Talk Steve talks with Brent Sheehan from Ultra Lav. Brent shares with us insights about mobile restrooms and showers units that are a fast growing segment of the industry. Listen, learn, Enjoy!

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Podcasts UltraLav | More articles by Steve Whittington

Interview with Flaman Nisku's Shop Foreman, Jeff Luciow

Posted by Flaman Jun 03, 2015

 

Posted in Local News | Tagged with shop foreman Flaman Nisku cooperation team leader | More articles by Flaman

Alcom Podcast

Posted by Steve Whittington May 28, 2015

In this episode of Trailer Talk Steve talks with Dan Mills from Alcom. Dan has lots of thoughts about the impact of Aluminum trailers on the trailer industry. Listen, learn, Enjoy!

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Podcasts Alcom | More articles by Steve Whittington

Flaman Yard Safety

Posted by Flaman May 27, 2015

Safety is everyone’s responsibility!

Posted in Local News | Tagged with yard safety Flaman | More articles by Flaman

Frank Flaman Foundation 9th Annual Gala

Posted by Charlene Swanton Apr 06, 2015

Myself, as well as all that I have spoken with who attended, agree that it was an amazing evening and we can’t wait for next year’s event. 

Posted in Testimonials | Tagged with gala Frank Flaman Flaman Foundation | More articles by Charlene Swanton

What is the NATM?

Posted by Flaman Feb 23, 2015

So if you’re looking for a new or used trailer, keep this in mind. Look for NATM dealer associate marked trailers and do your research. It’s worth it. 

Posted in Trailer Tips | Tagged with NATM trailers safety Flaman | More articles by Flaman

Nisku's Own JP Blenke Featured in Edmonton Journal

Posted by Flaman Feb 10, 2015

 I am fortunate to get to work with an amazing group of people here at the Flaman Nisku store. We are all kind of like one big, crazy, supportive family. It makes coming to work everyday enjoyable because I know that at some point today I will get the chance to talk to one of my co-workers and learn something from them or share a laugh.

With the position that I have here (Marketing Coordinator), I get to work closely with almost everyone here at some point in time during the year. Some people are graced with my presence in their office more often than not. JP is one of those lucky people.

JP and I work together on a weekly basis keeping the Ag Clearance site up to date. He was recently featured in an article in the Edmonton Journal about his accomplishments and how he has adapted to life after a childhood accident took both of his arms.

Check out the article:

www.edmontonjournal.com/Lees+Farm+equipment+sales+poster+triumph+over+adversity/10797409/story.html

Posted in Local News | Tagged with JP Flaman Edmonton Journal article triumph accident | More articles by Flaman

2014 Flaman Rental Meeting in VEGAS!

Posted by Flaman Dec 10, 2014

    

Posted in Division News | Tagged with vegas rental flaman fun | More articles by Flaman

All-Sport Trailers

Posted by Steve Whittington Nov 17, 2014

If you have been in the trailer industry as long as I have,you can reflect on trends and the evolution of a product.  One product I believe that has been evolving  quickly is the enclosed all sport trailer. The best place to see this evolution at its most diverse is the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Show and Sale or the Alberta Power Sports Show.  While both of these shows have been dubbed “sled shows” and are run by the provincial snowmobile associations they are so much more than just Snowmobiles shows. 

Over the years I have watched non-snowmobiling recreation power sports creep into these shows (there was a wake boarding boat at the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Show and Sale this year). As the products on display have broadened so too has the versatility of trailers at this show.  Many of the trailers showcased were not just “sled” trailers they were trailers to haul products for all seasons and all sports.  Thus the name all sport. 

So what is an all sport trailer? Its name suggests it is a unit that can transport all power sport equipment.  Fair enough, but the reality is that most of the “all sport” dubbed trailers can only transport a few types of units the name would otherwise imply. So if you are shopping for a true all sport trailer, below are characteristics to look for and reasons why:

1. Extra Height: If you want to just haul sleds and quads height is not an issue. But as soon as you decide to transport a UTV you will need extra height to clear the rear ramp door opening.  I generally recommend an 84” interior height that will allow for 78” in rear ramp door clearance.  With lots of UTV’s having 76” as their overall height that provides the clearance you need.
2. Lowboy or Middeck as opposed to the traditional 8.5 ft wide highboy (deck over trailer):  This type of trailer allows for a lower ramp incline making it easier to load quads, sleds, or UTV’s.  The lower ramp angle makes it easier to back sleds in, which is required for many loading configurations with a lowboy or middeck trailers.  The lowboy trailer also allows you to haul a vehicle, and with that toy hauling capacity, now you have an all sport.
3. 5200 - 6000 lb axles: The machines keep getting bigger and thus heavier.  In the case of mountain sleds 11’ in length is not uncommon and these come with bigger engines every year.  While the manufactures strive to keep the weight down it does continue to creep up. The same trend goes for ATV’s and UTV’s. With the primary cargo getting bigger and heavier more axle capacity makes sense, certainly if you are transporting extra gear along with your snow machines or quads.  The larger axles also provide the payload capacity for a vehicle and can handle some of the rougher roads you may need to travel on to get to your adventure destinations.
4. Extra Length: As mentioned before all the units are getting bigger and longer. A thrity foot long trailer used to be a rare unit, now we try to keep in stock. While it is not the common size (26’ is still 90% of the units sold) it is no longer uncommon.  Twenty foot long (16’ straight wall plus 4’ v-nose)  3 place trailers with extra height are a very popular size; but because they are too short to transport a car they are not considered an all sport trailer.
5. 8.5 wide: While 7’ wide inline units are gaining popularity as a multi-use units (they fill in as a standard cargo trailer in the off season) and are easier to tow, turn, back up and park; they have less capacity and of course cannot haul a car (8.5’ wide is needed for a vehicle).

Several additional points to note:

• These units can be steel frame or aluminum frame. The difference is weight and cost. I use the 1/3 rule: aluminum reduces the curb weight by about 1/3 but adds to the cost by about 1/3 more.
• Escape doors: Many folk insist they need these.  I agree shimming out your window like a Bob and Luke duke is not a fun task in a confined space of an enclosed trailer. I have a few words of caution.  First if your car has very low clearance there is chance you will not be able to use the escape door because the car door will not clear the inside fender of the trailer.  Second, customers have gotten quite excited about the escape door only to discover after loading their car the escape door does not line up their door, so I would suggest taking some measurements first.
• Heaters, cabinets, stereos, benches, fan tails, oh my!  The list of options is vast.  Customers sometimes buy the options instead of the trailer.  Figure out what you need and then what you really want and go from there…

Shopping for an all sport can be an exciting experience.  Have fun, and talk to an expert.

Posted in New Products | Tagged with All Sport Enclosed Trailers | More articles by Steve Whittington

CJAY Trailers Podcast

Posted by Steve Whittington Oct 29, 2014

In this episode of Trailer Talk Steve talks with Brad Harvey from Cjay Trailer. Brad fills us in about his organization and some unique new products only available from Cjay Trailers. Listen, learn, Enjoy!

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Podcasts CJAY Trailers | More articles by Steve Whittington

Govi Podcast

Posted by Steve Whittington Oct 28, 2014

In this episode of Trailer Talk Steve talks with Christian Aitkin from Govi. Christian educates us about the emerging market of trailer refrigeration. Listen, learn, Enjoy!

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Podcasts Govi | More articles by Steve Whittington

NATM Podcast

Posted by Steve Whittington Sep 02, 2014

In this episode of Trailer Talk Steve talks with Pam O’toole Trusdale from the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM). Pam provides the history of the association, its mission and delves into details about how the association is helping the industry and the end trailer customer. Listen, learn, Enjoy!

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Podcasts NATM | More articles by Steve Whittington

Flaman Dragon Slayers Rip Up the River!

Posted by Flaman Aug 22, 2014

    

Posted in Local News | Tagged with dragon boating Flaman Dragon Slayers Edmonton Dragon Boating Festival 2014 Rip up the River paddling | More articles by Flaman

QAI Podcast

Posted by Steve Whittington Aug 22, 2014

In this episode of Trailer Talk Kevin Tsumura speaks about the Canadian pre-clearance program for trailers. Steve also asks Kevin about the risks consumers face when the purchasing from US retailers that do not have to comply with the program. If you thinking about buying state side you should listen and learn.

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Podcasts Canadian | More articles by Steve Whittington

Why built in Canada still matters

Posted by Steve Whittington Jul 25, 2014

It was a Friday.  I was at our Nisku location and I was leaving the dealership walking through the lot headed home for the weekend. I walked past a Trailtech TD 210 that had a few  modified options on it. I looked the trailer over as I always do when walk past any unit in our yard. As I walked along the length of the unit from taillights to hitch I noted the features, fit and finish, quality of build, overall appearance, etc, etc, etc…when I reached the hitch  I saw this trailer had just gone through our pre-delivery inspection process (as the sticker slapped on the front of the gooseneck indicated).  I then stopped and looked back down the length of the trailer.

“This is a damn fine trailer”  I thought to myself.  So  I took a closer look at the welds and the convenience features on the unit (some installed by us).  I started to really critic the unit looking at the decking for cracks and other imperfections; I looked under the frame at the paint coverage; I followed the wiring harness (note I wrote wiring harness not strand wiring) along the frame paying attention to how it was secured and protected.  Everything on this trailer was perfect. No matter how hard I looked I could not find any problems with the trailer.  Quite honestly, this is not an exception to the rule, it is the rule: Trailtech product has outstanding consistent quality. 

Call me bias (Trailtech is Canadian built, and a brand FGC has a longstanding history with) but I believe the quality that goes into to trailers built in Canada, for Canadian conditions is underappreciated. To address this I decided to give you reasons as a Canadian consumer why you should buy a Canadian built Trailtech.

1)      Quality of Build.  As in many products there are a good, better and best for light industrial trailers. At Flaman Group of Companies  we sell products that fit into all three categories in order to meet the various needs of various customers.  These categories are differentiated by features and quality which ultimately means different pricing.  Trailtech as a brand offers a good, better and best  models for each category. Where I believe they really shine (and customers have been voting this way with their dollars) is in the best category.  The Premier and Industrial series generally have no equal in the market place.  If you need a reliable trailer as a tool for your business, to me it makes sense to invest in a Trailtech that will always do what you need and last the test of time.

2)      Canadian weather and road conditions. They are awful, both our roads and our weather and many trailer brands are built for the warm flat highways of the southern states as opposed to the gravel and pitted frozen highways of the Canadian north.  For these conditions you need paint that can absorb some of the mechanical impact of road rocks at -40 and a RV plug that will not shatter when you fight to plug it into your tow vehicle.   Trailtech based in Gravelburg SK lives in and understands these conditions.  A Trailtech trailer is made to deal with this weather without fuss.

3)      Warranty: We sell thousands of Trailtech products every year.  They get horribly abused by some customers (another story) and yet we rarely hear of any issues. That said no company is perfect.  The product is built by people and people make mistakes (as we all do).  What defines a product and company is what they do when that happens. It has been my experience that between Trailtech and Flaman when a mistake happens that affects the customer,  the Trailtech and Flaman people always make it right.

Lastly Americans market buy American all the time to support American companies and American workers. Let me be shameless and proudly yell the same thing: Buy Canadian!  Yes I am a hypocrite as we sell many American brands across many of our divisions( including the Trailer Division).  Being a leader in retail we need to provide the leading products in their appropriate categories in order to provide the best customer experience to our customers. That said, there are Canadian products that we sell that are the best in their categories (Trailtech is one of them)…Buy Canadian and support Canadians.

 So if you are in the market for your first trailer or are adding one to your fleet. Think about Canadian quality.  Quality comes with a cost but I believe it is worth it.

 

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with Trailtech Flatdeck Canadian built Trailers dump trailers ag transport | More articles by Steve Whittington

The Face Behind Flaman Communications

Posted by Flaman Jun 17, 2014

My email address is erin.mitchell@flaman.com and I’m hoping that you guys will send me some interesting content, some new blog postings or even just a quick email to say “hi”. I want to meet as many of you as possible. Have a wonderful day! :) 

Posted in Division News | Tagged with feedback Facebook blog emailer newsletter | More articles by Flaman

Reflecting Back on the April 2014 Frank Flaman Foundation Guatemala Humanitarian Trip

Posted by Flaman Jun 11, 2014

 This blog was written with input from Brian Rask, Dave Schultz, Wayne Sumners and Barney Bartley all from our Prince Albert, SK location.

Posted in Local News | Tagged with Frank Flaman Foundation reflecting Guatemala humanitarian trip | More articles by Flaman

B & B Podcast

Posted by Steve Whittington Jun 03, 2014

Jim Behnke from Behnke Enterprises talks to Steve about Ag Transports and changes he has seen in his 27 year career in the Trailer Industry. Behnke Enterprises is a truly world class and worldwide brand with distribution in many countries and continents. Behnke Enterprises manufacturers a diverse product line of Ag Transport equipment and industrial trailers that allows evolving. Listen, learn, and enjoy the podcast.

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Podcast Flaman Trailers Steve Whittington Behnke Enterprises Ag Transport Industrial Trailers | More articles by Steve Whittington

Seed of Hope

Posted by Lorna Mutch May 21, 2014

Posted in Local News | Tagged with Guatemala Flaman Foundation experience hope | More articles by Lorna Mutch

Semi Flatbed Trailers, Stock Trailers, and Level loading Trailers. All new this year at Flaman Trailers

Posted by Steve Whittington May 07, 2014

Every year we have Trailer Division training in February and every year we find new products to bring to you our customers.  Organizing the event this year I surprised at the logistics required to make this happen.

Five years ago we had three manufacturers to focus on. We now supply fifteen trailer manufacturers to Western Canada eleven of which were at our inside training event. We consumed an entire exhibition hall in Lethbridge to show case the equipment inside from the cold. Ultimately, that is a lot of product choice for you. Now that spring has sprung these trailers are in our lots ready to be viewed.

Many of these fifteen manufactures many are what I consider speciality products: Office Trailers, Concession Trailers, Mobile Restroom trailers, Sprayer Trailers, car dollies, level loading trailers, fuel trailers... the list goes on. But to be fair many are also mainline manufacturers and we have aligned ourselves with the best in the industry to provide our customers pricing and specification choices or simply put their pick of good better or best. 

What I was excited about most this year however are products I believe we have be needing to supply for quite some time;  Stock and Horse Trailers (which we used to supply), and Semi flat bed trailers. To meet these needs we have aligned ourselves with Corn Pro Trailers for Horse and Stock Trailers and B&B Trailers for Flat Bed Semi Trailers. We have more product information on our website. Both of these brands have been in the industry for a long time and we excited to offer them.  

The last new trailer type we had in our training is quite unique. The company Air Tow Trailers are a worldwide industry leader for level loading trailers. When I was first exposed to this trailer I will admit I raised an eyebrow and thought what use are these trailers? The idea is nice but regular trailers can do the job. The fact is they cannot. The bed of these units lowers completely to the ground and when raised for travel the bed self levels depending on weight distribution on the deck. For loading safes, pianos, sky jacks, pallets, etc. this trailer does a job that other units cannot do: painless and safe loading plus smooth transport. So if you have a special moving consideration, this is the trailer. Listen to our podcastto learn more.

Posted in New Products | Tagged with Trailers stock level-load flatbed office concession restroom sprayer car-dolly fuel-pup air tow | More articles by Steve Whittington

Southland New Products 2014 Podcast

Posted by Steve Whittington May 06, 2014

In this Episode we talk with Ryan Sailer General Manager of Southland Trailers. Ryan takes us through three exciting new products from Southland Trailers. The E270 Dump Trailer, the SL 280 Dump Trailer and their Fuel pup trailer. Enjoy the conversation.

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Podcast Southland Trailers Steve Whittington Ryan Sailer Flaman Flaman Trailers | More articles by Steve Whittington

Sled N Snap 2013/2014 Winners

Posted by Flaman May 02, 2014

Our 2013/2014 Sled’n Snap contest has come to a close and the winners have been announced. This year was my first experience with this contest and it sure was fun to witness. All of the pictures that people submitted were amazing! The trick riding shots and the ones of kids having so much fun were my favourite.
 
This was also the first year that Sled’n Snap went international with North Dakota joining Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The more the merrier! Making this contest available to more people is what it’s all about.
 
I also found it interesting that there was a lot of conversations happening on the Sled’n Snap website during the contest. People were sharing their favourite routes and commenting on their favourite pictures. That’s the best way to discover new trails to explore.
 
I believe that this contest is only just getting started. This year's was great, but I have a feeling that next year is going to be awesome! I’m really looking forward to seeing what pictures the snowmobiling community snap next year.
 
Congratulations to Jason Holt of Saskatchewan for winning the grand prize! Jason won the use of a 4-Place Enclosed Snowmobile Trailer for a year.
 
Have a look at the video of the name drawing for the 2-place Aluma trailers There was one winner for each region.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJzo8v8EMX0
 
Check out the other winners at https://slednsnap.com
 
Posted in Division News | Tagged with sled n snap winners 2-place aluma trailer photos | More articles by Flaman

Bull Dog Truck Deck Podcast

Posted by Steve Whittington Apr 22, 2014

In this episode of Trailer Talk we talk with Brett McDowell who shares with us the innovations and evolution of bull dog truck decks. Have a listen and gain insights on how the use of the decks has changed over the years and continues to expand. Trucks Decks are not just for Sledding any more.

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Podcast Truck Decks Bull Dog Decks Super Decks Flaman Flaman Trailers Brett McDowell Steve Whittington | More articles by Steve Whittington

The 8th Annual Frank Flaman Foundation Gala: A Night of Glitz, Glamor and the Flaman Man!

Posted by Flaman Mar 31, 2014

I really did enjoy myself that evening. I even managed to drag my boyfriend out on the dance floor for a couple of songs. The energy in the room was lively and happy. Flaman Man himself even made an appearance and I got the chance to get my picture taken with him! Dream come true as a Flaman employee! The Gala was once again a fantastic success! I am looking forward to attending next year’s. 

Posted in Local News | Tagged with gala frank flaman foundation generosity flaman man | More articles by Flaman

Flaman Helps Taylor's Dream Come True

Posted by Flaman Mar 26, 2014

Flaman is so happy that we could help Taylor out with her dream. Who knows how big her business is going to get. Great job Taylor, and keep up the good work 

Posted in Local News | Tagged with donation entrepreneur Taylor Saskatoon dream | More articles by Flaman

Corn Pro Trailers Podcast

Posted by Steve Whittington Mar 10, 2014

Brian Frette from Corn Pro Trailers talks us through the manufacturing of the product and shares his views on the versatility of their products. (For instance snow machines in a stock trailer?) Have a listen to some great information about this respected brand.

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Flaman Brian Frette Steve Whittington Trailers Trailer Talk Stock Trailers Horse Trailers Podcast | More articles by Steve Whittington

Keeping Things Fresh at the Frank Flaman Foundation

Posted by Crystal Flaman Mar 10, 2014

Posted in Local News | Tagged with Flaman Foundation gala humanitarian trip website | More articles by Crystal Flaman

Air Tow Podcast

Posted by Steve Whittington Feb 13, 2014

Albert Behr from Air Tow joins us for this episode of Trailer Talk. He shares the history of how level loading trailers came to be and the evolution of the product line. Albert also explains a multitude of uses for the product that you might never have thought of...which got me thinking about what the trailers can be used for...the list gets quite long.

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Air Tow Podcast | More articles by Steve Whittington

ATC Trailer Podcast

Posted by Steve Whittington Jan 29, 2014

In this episode of Trailer Talk we learn about ATC trailers, their value stream manufacturing and some really unique products. Industry veteran (24 years!) Trent Sheets tells us the story.

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Trailer Talk Podcast ATC | More articles by Steve Whittington

Flaman Serves Up Some Hot Lunch

Posted by Flaman Jan 15, 2014

The Frank Flaman Foundation contributes funds to this and many other charities locally, and around the world. As an employee, it’s great to see the change that our donations can make within the community. I got to sit and eat with the grade one students and the smiles on their faces put things into perspective for me. It makes me proud to work for a company that contributes to worthwhile causes. 

Posted in Local News | Tagged with community Frank Flaman Foundation school hot lunch volunteer | More articles by Flaman

Trailtech Trailers Podcast

Posted by Steve Whittington Jan 03, 2014

In this episode of Trailer Talk we hear from Ryan Miller at Trailtech, one of our long time partner manufactures. Ryan gives us a sneak peak at his ideas about the future of the trailer industry.

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Trailer Talk Podcast Trailtech | More articles by Steve Whittington

Flaman's Annual Rental Meeting in Phoenix: Fun and Learning in the Sun!

Posted by Flaman Dec 20, 2013

Rental dealers from all across the prairies including BC and even Montana all gathered at the Arizona Grand Resort in Phoenix, AZ on Nov 27 - Dec 1

There were just over 100 of us for this year's meeting trip. We were also proud to have in attendance some of our top suppliers and business partners such as Riteway Mfg, Schulte, Haukaas, Wheatheart, Calidon Leasing, National Leasing.

Also attending was 3 of our new SK and MB dealers!

The trip was a great escape from our tough winter conditions and the overall experience was very positive.  While some areas had slight decreases in revenue this year, everyone agreed that the current economic situation in Western Canada is very favourable and with a lot of hard work and a little luck in the way of weather, we will plan for a very strong year coming up.  The goal of our annual meeting is to bring all of our rental dealers together to share information to continue to grow our business.  The mingling of dealers, suppliers, and staff allows us to keep moving forward and strengthening the business and personal relationships that are so important and somewhat rare in this digital world.  We still believe that face time spent together is the best way to build a successful business and that is what the annual dealer meeting is all about.

Highlights included:

Golf, golf, golf. Many dealers took advantage of the beautiful course and golfed daily while the ladies shopped, shopped, shopped

NHL game sat night with the Blackhawks in town! Was an exciting game and experience

ATV tour - about 15 dealers went on a quad tour in the desert! Was a blast. Someone (Scott from Riteway) got a little carried away and may have injured his tailbone as his quad did a backflip

Steve Whittington, Flaman’s VP of Marketing and Communications took us on a detailed journey of his trip up Mount Everest.

Awards night gala presenting top dealers in each territory and top new dealer and community service awards

Meeting topics discussed included:

Introduction of new dealers
New dealer agreements
COOP advertising improvements
Advertising plan for 2014
Tips on increasing rental revenue
Introducing the new corporate stores (Lethbridge, Medicine Hat)
Year in review both corporate level and rental dealers
Flaman Foundation
Booking program introduction for Alberta and improvements
New products and equipment
New rental rates 2014
GPS for tracking acre counts

I would like to thank all rental dealers who attended the meeting for your support and hard work that goes into our business every year.  Thank you to the key suppliers that joined our meeting and helped sponsor the cost of the meeting to keep the costs down to dealers who attended.  Thanks to the Flaman staff who came and helped keep everyone looked after and entertained.  Thanks to Wayne, Ken and Kelsey for helping to organize the meetings and events. A very big thank you to Wayne Beckett who came up with the idea to have the meeting in Phoenix and did most of the work organizing the venue and travel arrangements.  And last, but not least, thanks to Rocky Amson and Frank Flaman for allowing us to organize these meetings for rental dealers and to give us the means to keep building this business.

Parrish Kondra

2013 Flaman Rental Dealer Awards

Top New Dealer – Interlake Rentals – Arborg, MB
Community Service Award (Sask/Man) – MarDee Enterprises – Brandon, MB
Community Service Award (Alberta/BC/USA) – Nanton Rentals – Nanton, AB
Top Retail Sales (Sask/Man) – Triple D & P Farms – Birsay, SK
Top Retail Sales (AB/BC/USA) – Smoky River Equipment Sales and Rentals – Falher, AB

Top 5 Dealers (Sask/Man)

#5 – Ike Friesen – Morden, MB
#4 – B & D Rentals – Cutknife, SK
#3 – Brendonn Holdings – Russell, MB
#2 – B & A Petroleum – Swift Current, SK
#1 – Reliant Sales and Rentals – Windthorst, SK

Top 5 (Alberta, BC, USA)

#5 – Wetaskiwin Bulk Sales – Wetaskiwin, AB
#4 – Koch Fuels – Carstairs, AB
#3 – Ray Agro & Petroleum – Barrhead, AB
#2 – Will’s Welding – Ponoka, AB
#1 – Keddie’s Rentals – Grande Prairie, AB

 

Posted in Division News | Tagged with rental meeting rental dealer awards top 5 deals phoenix | More articles by Flaman

Grow a Mo to Support Your Bros

Posted by Flaman Nov 29, 2013

    

Posted in Local News | Tagged with Movember moustache donation | More articles by Flaman

Aluma Trailers Podcast

Posted by Steve Whittington Oct 24, 2013

In this episode we hear from Mike Lloyd, President of Aluma, CFO of Kay Corporation and President of NATM (National Association of Trailer Manufacturers.) Lucky for us Mike has taken some time out of his busy schedule to tell us the back story of Aluma and what is on the horizon for Aluminum trailers.

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Trailer Talk Podcast Steve Whittington Aluma Trailers | More articles by Steve Whittington

Sled N Snap Photo Contest turns international

Posted by Jennifer Thompson Oct 23, 2013

The Sled’N Snap photo contest has launched for its third year and we’re excited to showcase a brand new website! This site will make it even easier for people to share, view and comment on each other’s photos.

Visitors to www.slednsnap.com can upload their pictures in a variety of categories and in April the public will vote for the grand prize winner. The site is also a place to celebrate all things snowmobiling, while promoting safe riding and registered sleds. It has valuable information like trail maps, upcoming events and safety articles.

We’re also happy to announce that Sled’N Snap has turned international and Snowmobile North Dakota has joined the contest! Anyone with a registered sled in that state can enter a photo.

“We are really excited about joining Sled’N Snap,” says Keri Wanner, executive director for SND. In 2011, she attended the Saskatchewan snowmobile show where an enclosed trailer with “Win Me!” on the side caught her attention. It was the grand prize given to the winner of Sled’N Snap to use for a year, which prompted Wanner to find out more about the contest and get involved.

“As a manager of snowmobile trails, there is no other opportunity that can outshine promoting snowmobile registration,” adds Wanner. “That’s how you can maintain trails and do the work behind the scenes to make sure you can ride.”

“Having North Dakota join Sled’N Snap is something I pushed for,” says Chris Brewer, executive director of the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association (SSA), another Sled’N Snap partner. “I don’t believe in borders as a snowmobiler. We all have a common cause: we love to enjoy winter. To open up internationally is absolutely fantastic for snowmobilers.”

Sled’N Snap isn’t the only thing turning international this winter. A new snowmobile trail linking Saskatchewan and North Dakota is opening in February. The first of its kind trail will connect the two systems at the Port of Carievale and allow snowmobilers from either side of the border access to thousands of kilometers of new trails. An international ride to commemorate this trail opening will take place on February 15.

Snowmobilers with a legal sled in North Dakota may cross into Saskatchewan free of charge. Snowmobilers with a legal sled in Saskatchewan coming into North Dakota must purchase an out-of-state permit for $15. This fee will be waived for the International Ride on Feb. 15. Snowmobilers must still cross at the normal border security crossing and have a valid passport.

Sled’N Snap is put on by the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association, the Alberta Snowmobile Association, Snowmobilers of Manitoba, Snowmobile North Dakota and Flaman Group of Companies. For contest details visit www.slednsnap.com.

Posted in Division News | Tagged with sled'n snap photo contest trailer international trail | More articles by Jennifer Thompson

Everest Edition trailer celebrates Flaman manager's summit

Posted by Jennifer Thompson Oct 08, 2013

Standing at 28,700 feet above sea level, the crisp mountain air whipping around him, the first rays of morning sunlight glittering on the untouched snow ahead of him, Steve Whittington, Saskatoon mountaineer and Flaman Trailers division manager, took his final steps onto the South Summit as the top of Mount Everest exploded into view. The Hillary Step and final summit ridge were all that remained between him and the top. At that moment, after living on the side of a mountain for almost two months, he knew he was going to make it. 

Posted in New Products | Tagged with Everest Edition sled trailers snowmobile trailers enclosed trailers flatdeck Mt Everest Steve Whittington | More articles by Jennifer Thompson

NATDA Podcast

Posted by Steve Whittington Oct 08, 2013

In this Episode we are joined by the President of the North American Dealer Association(NATDA) Andy Ackerman. Andy shares the history of NATDA, membership benefits and how NATDA is working to improve the trailer industry.

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Trailer Talk Podcast Steve Whittington NATDA | More articles by Steve Whittington

Picking a Sled Trailer part 2

Posted by Steve Whittington Sep 30, 2013

Part 2 of Steve's Sled Trailer guide. To see part 1 which focuses on steel vs. aluminum click here

Picking an Enclosed Sled Trailer:  You decided you did not want to clean off your sleds every time you reach your destination. Or you need somewhere to store your machines in the summer, or you want to work on your sleds out of the wind in the staging area.  Whatever your reasons, you’re going to buy an enclosed trailer; now which type? Your options are many.

 To help you understand your options here are how they’re generally classified:

The first way enclosed sled trailers are classified is by how many sleds they carry: 2 place, 3 place or 4 place. 

The second way they are classified is by deck height: lowboy (deck is as low to the ground as possible) mid-deck (the deck is raised for some clearance but not too high, keeping the ramp angle down) and highboy (the deck is above the wheels so the platform is a full 8’ wide).

The third way the trailers are classified by is width, which tends to fall into two broad categories 7’ or 8’ wide (which is really 8’6” wide).

Lastly, the frames will either be steel or aluminum.  

 When it comes to deciding which class of trailer is right for you, it really comes down to your specific needs, but I will give you some things to consider with the most popular classes that may help your decision making.

 2 place, highboy, 8’ 6” wide:  This class of enclosed sled trailer tends to be the most economical.  It is usually single axle without brakes, so a half tonne truck can pull it with no problem.  They are often aluminum so they are quite light, which makes them even easier to move around.   It is a great starter enclosed trailer. The down side of this trailer is that unless you bump up to tandem axles you do not have a drive off front ramp, and if you add another axle and a front ramp your costs sky rocket.  That said, with a reverse option on today’s sleds, is the front drive-off ramp really needed?

 2 or 3 place, lowboy, 7 wide:  This trailer with a steel frame is also very economical.  Being 7’ wide and lower to the ground means they pull well behind a truck. Plus, they are tandem axles so their ride is smoother than a bouncy single axle trailer.  They also have a front ramp so you can drive your sleds in and out with ease.  Beyond those points this trailer is also being used year round as a traditional cargo trailer because it is just the right size – not too big, not too small. Contractors love the access to the trailer with two ramps.  The downside of these trailers is that the loading of three sleds can be difficult, but once you figure out the configuration needed it is not an issue.  As well, being only 7’ wide there is not a lot of room on the inside for cabinets and racking.

 3 or 4 place, lowboy, 8 wide:  These enclosed units have become more popular as a multi-use unit or toy haulers.  Instead of just sled trailers the ramp can be reinforced and you can haul a car or side by side MUV if you make the rear door opening high enough.  If you have a lot of different toys this becomes a really economical option. Instead of two trailers you can get one built for all your toys.  The down side is that you have full size fender boxes inside the trailer to maneuver around when loading your sleds, but trust me that is not a difficult issue, and if it is, are you sure you want to chase powder  between the trees?  The other issue with the lowboys is adding a heater. Generally the propane tanks will have to go on an extended hitch so your trailer gets a little longer overall.

 3 or 4 place, mid-deck, 8 wide: These units are another popular class of toy hauler, but with a little bit more clearance.  The extra clearance comes in handy for added features such an underbelly mounted fuel tank and propane tanks.  The fender boxes inside the units are not as high and can be easily driven over. The disadvantage of these units is the extra clearance; if it is going to be a toy hauler trailer a lot of cars will not be able to make it up the higher angled ramp.

 3 or 4 place, highboy, 8 wide: If there is a traditional enclosed sled trailer, this is it. It is still the most popular option for an enclosed sled trailer. They have a full width deck so it is very easy to drive and position your sleds for travel. The full width provides lots of room for cabinets and racking on the walls.  They have lots of clearance, they track well behind a vehicle on snowy roads, plus with all the deck clearance there are no problems adding options such as on board fueling stations or under deck mounted propane tanks.  Quite simply, they are specifically designed to load sleds and all their accessories the easiest out of all the trailers on the market and as a result, people buy them the most.  The downside of the units is the fact that they are specifically designed for hauling sleds, being so high up you have a hard time loading cargo or recreational power sport vehicles.  Lastly, again being so high up in a cross wind they act as a big sail and they push the tow vehicle around a lot.

 There many other options to consider when buying a sled trailer such as adding heat or cabinets, the type of interior walls, little features such as kick plates and floor drains...the list is endless.  I was talking to a manufacturer about his enclosed sled trailer production run this year and he estimated that 90% of the trailers will be unique coming down the line. The point is, there are a lot of choices in the market place. Make sure that when you are looking for a trailer you talk with someone that can educate you and provide you with all the options so you can get your trailer, your way.

Posted in Trailer Tips | Tagged with sled trailer steel trailer aluminum trailer enclosed trailers | More articles by Steve Whittington

Picking a Sled Trailer part 1

Posted by Steve Whittington Sep 26, 2013

 I grew up in the small northern mining town of Thompson, Manitoba.  We were a family of sledders, four of us, but at times we had upwards of six sleds. For my brother and I we had a red Yamaha Bravo, an orange Élan and a yellow Tundra. Mom and dad had bigger machines, both Polaris, a Cutlass SS and Indie Trail. The Cutlass was eventually upgraded to a liquid cooled Indie 400, and when we got older we could take it for a rip. It was fast.

Posted in Trailer Tips | Tagged with Information | More articles by Steve Whittington

Sled'N Snap Podcast

Posted by Steve Whittington Sep 20, 2013

In this episode we talk with Chris Brewer President of the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association (SSA) about the Sled'n Snap photo contest. The Sled'n Snap photo contest has been running for three years and has reached thousands of snowmobilers sharing their photos and comments in a fun online forum with a potential to win great prizes. SSA and Flaman Group of Companies united to create this intuitive and Steve reflects with Chris about how the contest has grown and provided benefits to the associations and members that were never expected. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Trailer Talk Podcast Steve Whittington Sled'N Snap | More articles by Steve Whittington

Sourcing new trailers at NATDA 2013

Posted by Steve Whittington Sep 18, 2013

I landed in St. Louis at 11:30 pm Wednesday the day before the North American Trailer Dealer Association Tradeshow started.  I have been making the pilgrimage to NATDA for that last five years.  The event has been improving every year with more vendors exhibiting in the tradeshow and a higher quality speaker line up for the education sessions.  As a team we travel to St. Louis to stay on top of industry trends, to learn about new and innovative products and how to improve our business practices.  Attending the show refocuses us on the trailer business and provides us with great ideas for what more we can do for our customers.

Posted in Product Information | Tagged with NATDA new trailers camper trailers fuel trailer horse trailers speciality trailers | More articles by Steve Whittington

Download the new free Flaman Mobile App

Posted by Jennifer Thompson Sep 17, 2013

Flaman is excited to announce the launch of our first mobile app!

We realize that a lot of our customers are coming to our website on their cell phones, and we wanted to make the mobile experience even easier for them. Simple download the free app and you can look for trailers or equipment, plus check out the lastest blogs, videos and downloads.

Looking for equipment? Get instant access to our pre-owned and clearance equipment and trailer inventory right from your smartphone. See what each Flaman store has available and can check out the pictures, specs and prices. Contact Flaman right from your phone when you find what you need. Never miss out on a great deal again!

If you’re out in the field and need to rent some equipment, you can use your phone to quickly and easily find your local rental dealer. See what equipment they carry and use the app to contact them directly as well.

Want even more information? With the app you can get alerts when there are new catalogues posted online, new blog posts and new videos, so you’ll never miss anything. Read the blogs or watch the videos right from your phone.

And if you’re trying to call or visit us, you can conveniently find contact info for all Flaman stores, including Flaman Fitness and our trailer and ag stores. To download the app, visit the iTunes app store, Google Play or go to www.flaman.com/mobile

Posted in Technology | Tagged with App Rental finder Pre-owned Clearance specials | More articles by Jennifer Thompson

Sled'N Snap Calendars have arrived!

Posted by Jennifer Thompson Sep 16, 2013

Now you can relive your favourite snowmobiling memories all year round with the new Sled’N Snap calendar, available from Flaman.

 This 2014 calendar features beautiful winning photos from last year’s Sled’N Snap photo contest. Use it to keep track of your all important events, trips or keep on top of the kids’ activities schedule. The calendar also includes important dates and events from the Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba and North Dakota snowmobile associations, and Flaman Group of Companies.

 Even in the sweltering summer you can enjoy the photos and day dream about hitting the fresh powder next winter with your sled.

 Stop by your local Flaman store today to pick up your free calendar. Or you can get a calendar from the Flaman Trailers booth at the upcoming Alberta Snowmobile Show in Edmonton Oct 18-20 and the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Show in Saskatoon Nov 1-3. Don’t forget to grab one for your friends too!

 You can sign up for a Sled’N Snap account and submit photos to contest online at www.slednsnap.com. Next year your photo could be in a calendar!

Posted in Division News | Tagged with Sled'N Snap Calendars snowmobiling contest | More articles by Jennifer Thompson

Truck Boss Podcast

Posted by Steve Whittington Aug 19, 2013

Aidan Thygessen and Kent Natrass, joined me on a call to explain truck decks, the evolution of truck decks and how the Marathon Truckboss is the pinnacle of that evolution. Marathon has been building Truck Decks for 17 years there have been a lot of changes along the way. Today the Truckboss is much more than just a truck deck, have a listen and learn why the truck boss is shipped and used all over the world.

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Trailer Talk Podcast Truck Boss Aidan Thygessen Kent Natrass Marathon sled deck sleddeck truck deck truckdeck truck cargo management system | More articles by Steve Whittington

Wells Cargo

Posted by Steve Whittington Jul 31, 2013

They called themselves the tinker club and during this timeframe the original design for an enclosed cargo trailer came about and so there was a decision that was made I think it was like in 1953 to hop into the cargo trailer business and start building trailers. You can actually see the first wells cargo trailers that were basically produced and sold on our dealer website.

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Trailer Talk Podcast Steve Whittington Wells Cargo | More articles by Steve Whittington

What's New With Diamond C

Posted by Steve Whittington Jul 15, 2013

A flatdeck is a flatdeck and customers sometimes just say, “I'm looking for a flatdeck”. They're not looking for a particular brand; they're not looking for anything like that, because they believe a flatdeck is a flatdeck. So that being said, what do you believe makes your trailers standout so they're not just another flatdeck? To find out listen to the podcast below.

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Trailer Talk Podcast Steve Whittington Diamond C | More articles by Steve Whittington

Southland Trailer Podcast

Posted by Steve Whittington Jul 08, 2013

With having associations like NATM it kind of allows the collaboration of all the manufacturers so we can all get together to say "what are our big obstacles right now". Whether government regulations or whatever it may be we can all work together to figure out how we can come up with a resolution to those...

Listen to the rest of the podcast below.

Posted in Podcasts | Tagged with Trailer Talk Podcast Southland Trailers Ryan Sailer Steve Whittington Flatdeck trailers Royal Cargo XR Series Enclosed Trailers | More articles by Steve Whittington

Trailtech Multideck: The solution to almost all of your problems.

Posted by Mark Flaman Jul 03, 2013

So imagine this. You've got a weekend warrior that you run at the track, and you need a lowboy trailer to throw your high horsepower car on top of. You've subsequently purchased a garden shed that measures eight feet by twelve, and you need a highboy to haul it up to the lake so that you don't have to worry about fitting it in between the fender wells. You need something that can tilt in either configuration so that you don't have to mess around with heavy ramps. Well fortunately for those of you who need this kind of versatility, we have an option that you may want to look further into.

In 2012, we started carrying the Multideck built by Trailtech in Gravelbourg SK, and saw that the optional towing configurations of this trailer are the closest thing to endless we've seen yet. You can order them with a stationary deck on the front in case you've got a skid steer and you need a place to store a bucket that doesn't move. It features a four way lift system that not only elevates from a lowboy up to a highboy and back down, but also a two-way tilt feature to get the back of the deck on the ground for ease of loading. The trailer uses an electric / hydraulic pump to actuate the lift systems, and has an optional fast-charge kit so that you can plug the trailer right into the truck to charge it.

Like the idea, but concerned about the weight on the hitch? No problem. We offer the Multideck in a gooseneck option as well. Some models come with hinged dovetails. It would be nice to one day see a charge kit built in so that you could simply plug it into a 110V receptacle, but I don't think it'll be too far down the road, as we're starting to see manufacturers implement this technology into trailers that feature electric components. Either way, you're sure to be hassled by your friends to use it on a constant basis.

Posted in Trailer Tips | Tagged with trailtech multideck lowboy highboy configurable | More articles by Mark Flaman