CPANEWS
Advert is ing fea ture
Issu e No. 22
Jan 2016
w w w. c r o ppa c k a g i ng. c o m
The Future Of Crop Packaging
By: Aviv Linn | Commercial Director
T
ama has been a well-known company in the CPP
industry for quite some time now. Whilst Tama has
been selling Netwrap, Twine and Stretch film for
many years, it is most likely recognized as the Netwrap
global leader, providing the highest quality products on
the market, continuous innovations and special after-sales
service. However, the other products in our range, especially
the twines, were not so different than all other commodity
products on the market, which for many years showed a lack
of innovation.
1. With defined focus on developing
a longer and stronger twine, which will
improve the performance and provide
economic benefit to the customers,
Tama was able to make a significant
breakthrough right away, and this is only the beginning.
2. In order to move faster Tama made several acquisitions,
including some famous brands such as Teufelberger, Saint
Germaine and Bihr.
3. With the early “wins” from innovation, and the successful
acquisitions, demand exceeded our expectations. Hence,
Tama invested in increasing its twine capacity in both
Hungary and Israel plants in order to support the constantly
growing customer demand.
All of the actions above have led Tama to become the largest
global twine producer within only two years! Customers
who have tried the new technology can testify that Tama
technology is indeed the best performing twine on the market.
With this in mind, Tama is currently continuing to invest
in development, and expects to present new advanced
technologies in the near future.
So, how come Tama suddenly invested over €20m in
increasing its twine capacity, whilst there is clearly over
capacity on the market?
Well, the answer is simple. It all started with a strategic
analysis that clearly proved two points 1. The square bale system is a growing segment within the
CPP industry, in particular, the high density solutions.
2. Over the last 30 years there was very little innovation
within twine products. A company like Tama, with its proven
innovative capabilities, may be able to "change the rules of
the game" with some new innovative products that will
support the special needs of the customers.
As part of the global farming community, and our farming
way of life, it is a great pleasure being able to once again
present new innovations that will improve farmers’ lives, all
around the world.
Tama - striving for continued improvement and ultimate
customer satisfaction.
With that in mind, Tama made a decision to start to invest.
And as was proven in the past, when Tama decide to do
something, it is done very thoroughly, with complete
commitment to the results.
Over the last two years since the decision was taken, Tama
has moved forwards with full power:
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Welcome to the future
By: Bart Cope | European Commercial Director
F
or more than 30 years, I have been supplying baler
twine to the UK farmers and contractors. I have seen
brand names come and go; big balers get bigger,
more complicated and certainly able to make a denser bale.
The twine, on the other hand, has remained steadfastly the
same. Differentiating twine types simply by the ‘alleged’
length of twine in the 2-spool pack is, at best, mis-leading
and is a ill-advised way to ever decide upon what is really
required for your baler or the type of bale you are making.
It may have taken over 30 years to get to this point, but I
welcome you to the future !
In the UK, we have stumbled around for years trying to
understand exactly what quality twine we are buying. Is
it pack length, metres per kilogramme, runnage, weight
per spool, total weight per pack, claims of linear or knot
strength…? It is a minefield of information, more like misinformation.
Do you know what you are getting?
To make your choice of twine simply by the indicated total
length of the two spools is no way to know what you are
really buying. Comparing one make of twine with another
is pointless too, as there is no way of knowing what you are
buying, quality, length or strength. It may be possible to
calculate how long the total twine is in a spool, by stringing
up each knotter and baling until the spools are finished, then
working out how many bales were possible from the total
number of spools used, but this is only accurate when using
a big baler with a single-knotter system, where each knotter
is only using one spool. On balers which have a double-knot
system, each knotter requires two spools (one spool gives
twine for the top of the bale; the other spool gives twine
for the front, bottom and back of the bale), so the top twine
spool uses less for each bale than the other spool, so one
runs out before the other. In this way, it becomes impossible
to know what length each pack contains, making it easy for
some producers to hide what length of twine you are really
buying.
To use a ‘knot strength’ value as your comparison is also
troublesome, as this only gives an indication of the strength
that actual producer can claim for the method he uses to test
twine strength. The strength of a knot varies enormously
depending on what type of knot is made (Deering type knot
– used on all double-knot and some single knotter systems;
or Cormick type knot – used on Claas and Welger balers).
The differences continue whether in the testing process
the knots are tied by hand or by mechanical means; what
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temperature and humidity the tests
are conducted and so on and so
on. Each producer may have their
own method of testing and this
difference in testing method will
bring a different ‘knot strength’ number. Any ‘knot strength’
number quoted is really only useful as a benchmark of that
particular twine within the twine producer’s testing method,
so, by trying to compare one make of twine with another
using the ‘knot strength’ number is completely wrong too.
Thicker is not better
For years now, each newer model of large square baler has
been able to make bales with ever increasing densities,
so creating a demand for stronger and stronger twines.
Similarly, for years, traditional twine producers have
answered the demand for stronger twines by simply making
the twine thicker. Quite often, some producers will have
claimed a ‘stronger’ 7200 twine, for instance, by simply
making it thicker. This, obviously, makes it shorter, but you’d
never know that as it is not easy to check the true length of
twine because of what is described above !
By making twine thicker, it will clearly make it stronger,
but there comes a critical point in using thicker twine in a
knotting system when thicker becomes too thick. In order
for the twine to be able to hold a bale securely, for sure it
needs to be strong enough, but also it must be able to make
and hold a knot securely. Too many types of ‘heavy’ big bale
twine, advertised as being stronger than others, or giving
a higher ‘knot strength’ are actually not the right option,
as whatever ‘extra’ strength they have is wasted because
the twine is too thick to make and hold a secure knot. If
the twine is too thick, it cannot retain the knot correctly,
as the twine’s thickness will prevent it from tying the knot
tight enough. It’s easy enough to understand, if you try to
tie a hand knot with soft, braided cord like you have on
window blinds, or tie it with thicker rope. The softer, smaller
diameter will make a tighter knot, so make the knot more
able to remain tight and hold the bale together. This same
concept applies with twine, thicker is not always better in
holding a high density bale together.
A better future
Having sat on the sidelines for a number of years, carefully
understanding the entire process of what is needed in a
twine, Tama decided to enter the twine manufacturing
business in the same technological way as they did with
netwrap. By understanding how the product is used and
what is needed, rather than simply making what already
exists and cannot be improved upon, Tama are changing
the way the twine market thinks.
Tama have many long standing relationships with leading
baler OEMs that has allowed close joint development of
new twines, gaining full OEM validation, as well as a cooperation with industry knotter manufacturer Rasspe.
These joint development programmes have been critical in
helping develop a twine with exceptionally high knotting
performance.
Tama’s new big bale twine is specifically designed as a direct
replacement for all types of ‘normal’ big bale twine, from the
traditional ‘Type 150’ up to the more commonly used Type
130 range, bringing the end user two very important points
of benefit. Firstly, the twines are of guaranteed minimum
length, 25% longer than the normal Type 130, so it is easier
to know what you are buying and can see how much
twine is needed. Secondly, a new manufacturing process
and tightly controlled tolerances, in many of the product’s
critical aspects, has created a much softer, smoother and
more compact twine, which significantly increases knotting
performance.
Tama have made a huge investment of over 20m€ in the
development of the new twine range, with expansion of their
state of the art production plant in Hungary, which services
the expanding European market demands. The investment
also incorporates significant improvements in twine testing
and development procedures far in excess of anything used
by other twine producers in the industry. The introduction
of Tama HD twine two years ago, specifically designed for
niche operators with extra high-density balers was the start
of the twine revolution. This has now been added to with
the introduction of Tama LSB, a high-performance, longer
length replacement for ‘standard’ big bale twine, with full
OEM validation of performance and length guaranteed.
Twine comparison for 2016
Straw
Bale dimensions
Width
Number of Typical
Spool load
knotters
Height Length
Total twine length per
FULL baler spool load
Bales per FULL baler load
7,200ft
Type 72
(9,600ft)
7,200ft
Type 72
(9,600ft)
0.8m
0.7m
2.4m
4
32
115,200ft
153,600ft
1,400 bales
1,880 bales
1.2m
0.7m
2.4m
6
32
115,200ft
153,600ft
940 bales
1,260 bales
1.2m
1.3m
2.4m
6
32
115,200ft
153,600ft
790 bales
1,050 bales
Silage
Bale dimensions
Width
Number of Typical
Spool load
knotters
Height Length
Total twine length per
FULL baler spool load
Bales per FULL baler load
7,200ft
Type 72
(9,600ft)
7,200ft
Type 72
(9,600ft)
0.8m
0.7m
1.5m
4
32
115,200ft
153,600ft
1,980 bales
2,640 bales
0.8m
0.9m
1.5m
4
32
115,200ft
153,600ft
1,820 bales
2,430 bales
1.2m
0.7m
1.5m
6
32
115,200ft
153,600ft
1,320 bales
1,760 bales
Price comparisons per 1,000ft
Pricing Example Only
Traditional 7,200ft pack
Big Spool Type 72 9,600ft pack
£28
x 1,000ft = £3.88 per thousand feet
7,200ft
£35.50
x 1,000ft = £3.69 per thousand feet
9,600ft
Twine type specifications
Type 72 (9,600ft)
LSB (8,500ft)
HD (3,850ft)
Rust Colour
White Colour
White Colour
2 x Big Spools per pack
2 x Big Spools per pack
1 Big Spool for specific HD balers
General use for all crops and
balers where 7,200 performance
is required
Use for all crops and balers
where a higher performance is
required
For use in specific HD balers
where the ultimate twine
performance is required
3
A Whole New Bale Game
By: Yair Arzi | Product Line Manager - Twine
L
arge square bales are becoming more common in
the UK farming scenery. The large square bale system
has proven to be one of the most efficient ways for
transporting and storing straw, which in most cases has
to travel long distances and to be stored for a significant
period of time.
Tama has been selling twine for many years as a
complementary product and as part of its Crop Packaging
Product portfolio, together with silage stretch wrap, to
supplying its customers with a full package.
In Israel, Tama’s head office location, big baler operation is
very common and no more so than at the farm where Tama
Plastic Industry is located, right across the road in front of
Tama HQ.
Understanding the heart of the big baler operation, Tama
has decided to focus on the big baler and big baler twine
market and drive a revolution in the rules of the twine
game, in a similar way it did with Netwrap 20 years ago and
continues to do so today.
“The twine types”
The first old rule of the twine game was classifying the type
of twine by its runnage per meter and by ‘knot strength’, in
reality a manufacturing quality control procedure. Tama is
focused on the application since it understands that, from the
customer point of view, twine performance and integration
with the big baler is the most important and critical point.
The big baler industry continues to develop with increasing
bale density and new knotting systems (double and single
knotters) that require consistent and precise quality of baler
twine, in order to allow the reliable knot performance.
“Knot Strength vs. Knot Performance”
Knot performance is influenced by many different
characteristics of the twine and can be measured mainly in the
field, where different crops are baled, in different conditions,
different balers and different bale densities, while handling the
bales in many different ways and frequencies. Long established
industrial know-how along with its close relationship with the
leading big baler producers, have allowed Tama to develop
a unique and special big baler twine range that results in
a superior knot performance in the field, in standard and
extreme bale densities. Tama’s wide and experienced sales
team, guided by its Regional Technical Managers, along with
the support and close relationship with the engineering teams
4 www.croppackaging.com
www.croppackaging.com
of the leading big baler producers, are
constantly testing Tama’s new added
value big baler twine products, in order
to make sure the required reliability of
knot performance in every baler, every
crop and every baling condition.
“Price by Kg”
Another old rule in the twine game is the fact that in many
places over Europe twine is still sold by the kilo. From the
customer perspective, it is clear that what matters is the
meters of suitable strength twine he buys, since his cost
is driven by the amount of twine he applies on each bale.
Buying twine by the kilo does not make sense and, like
Netwrap, the customer should buy ‘x’ meters of twine in
order to put on his bales. In the UK market twine is sold by
the pack, with a specific length (7,200 feet for example), but
latest benchmarking test have proven that, in many cases,
the declared length is definitely not what you get….
“More for less” – go longer.
In a similar concept to what the round bale netwrap market
has seen in the past 10 years, Tama has developed unique
products that can utilize the plastics in a much better
way, allowing the use of less plastic per meter. In a twine
application this means more meters of twine out of one
spool, so reducing the twine cost per bale, or simply the
amount and cost of twine per season.
In order to support its innovation, the commitment to quality
and reliability of its new premium value added twine products,
Tama recently committed to a significant investment of
expanding and upgrading its twine capacity in its Netwrap
and twine production facility in Hungary, in order to support
the increasing demand from the market. Tama’s twine
production facility has become the largest twine operation in
Europe and for the 2016 baling season will produce mostly
the Tama premium twine range, as a part of completing a full
transition to the new technologies at the second half of 2016.
Tama is changing the rules. It’s A Whole New Bale Game!
Join us at the Lamma show
to find out more! Hall 8,
Stand 8104
THE CROP PACKAGING ASSOCIATION
Tama UAT Ltd, 5 The Windmills, St Mary’s Close, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 1EF
Tel: +44 (0)1420 545800 Fax: +44 (0)1420 549549 Email: [email protected]
The Crop Packaging Association is a subsidiary of Tama UAT Ltd