Only months after showing their product prototype to the world at Fieldays 2021, Springarm products are now available to purchase exclusively at Farmlands stores nationwide.
The flexible trough arm lowers the risk of failure in a farm’s water system, in turn, saving farmers water, time, money, and stress.
Founded by Waikato dairy farmers Ric and Marianne Awburn, the idea came to Ric when watching his thirsty herd guzzling at a water trough following the afternoon milking.
It was his routine particularly during hot summer months, when jostling cows would often break the ballcock arm as they drained the trough. Ric would wait till they had finished and fix the arm before heading back to the house. Autumn was similar, as cows became thirsty after eating the dry matter they were fed out.
It was a wearying ritual. Until, in February 2019, he had the thought: what if the arm could flex?
Back home, he hacksawed a ballcock arm in two, grabbed a spring from one of the kids’ bike stands, drilled some holes, fitted the spring between the two lengths of rod – and solved a problem that had dogged farmers everywhere for ages.
So began a DIY adventure for Ric and his wife Marianne that has taken in everything from high-powered meetings with patent lawyers to figuring out how to use Instagram, and now to a product on the shelves at Farmlands.
Marianne says the team are excited to supply farmers with Springarms in their preferred way – in a shop near them.
“The partnership with Farmlands means that farmers can go and buy the arms the same day they realise that they need one.
“Farmers are generally visual and tactile people so being able to see and feel the product is an important service we can now offer across the country.”
Springarm won the 2021 Prototype Innovation Award at the Fieldays Innovation Awards. The judges for the awards observed that despite there being a strong field of high-tech entries, Springarm was a simple, but effective solution.
“Springarm is a remarkably simple and elegant solution to a well-defined and common problem,” the judges noted. “We were also impressed by the thought put into the product’s design and the clear and immediate commercial opportunity provided to its inventors.”
Shortly after their Fieldays Innovation Award win, Springarm partnered with Metalform to scale manufacturing so they could meet soaring market demand. Previously Ric and his three sons were manufacturing the Springarms in their shed by hand.
Farmlands water management & irrigation category manager Ben Anderson says they first reached out to the team in December 2021 having seen Springarm’s online digital marketing and having their customers and shareholders asking for the product in-store.
“It’s in Farmlands’ DNA to disrupt the status quo and support innovations that bring practical solutions to customers and the sector.
“Ric, Marianne, and the Metalform team have captured the Kiwi DIY attitude and created a must-have for every farm toolbox.”
Marianne says Farmlands were enthusiastic and supportive from the first day they started talking to them about Springarm.
“It is clear they are keen to provide the very best for their customers and shareholders, focusing on quality products and flexible solutions to suit everyone,” she says.
Fieldays Innovation Awards is now accepting applications for the 2022 intake from individuals and organisations looking to solve the world’s food and fibre challenges.
The globally renowned awards clearly represent the innovation lifecycle across three categories: Prototype, Early-Stage, and Growth & Scale. The total prize package is over $60,000 worth of cash, services, and products with tailored opportunities to progress innovations in each award
category.
As for what’s next for Springarm, the team will be working on additions to their product range. This will include a shorter arm and an L shaped, hockey stick-style arm so they can solve water worries for even more farmers.
Marianne says they will be entering the Early-Stage Award category for the 2022 Fieldays Innovation Awards and are very much looking forward to connecting with the public again in the Fieldays Innovation Hub.
Entries for the Fieldays 2022 Innovation Awards are open until 1pm Thursday, October 6, 2022. Apply now at fieldays.co.nz/innovation.
