As we confront the challenges of this economic decline, we are certain there will not be a sudden and radical upturn in the economy to take us back to the sales levels we experienced over the past three to four years. As we reflect on our financial year, which ended on 30 June 2009, it is evident that the unit sales have dropped down to the levels of the 2005/2006 year. The sales turnover was slightly up and if we compare ourselves to other companies in the manufacturing sector, we are grateful for what we have achieved.

With the introduction of the Amazone brand and more recently the launch of Locust, there may be a temptation to give these brands the lion’s share of your attention at the beginning of the new season. After all, we all know the Falcon brand so well and it’s been around for such a long time we may even believe that the farmer does too,“he knows what he wants and will ask for it when he needs it”! We, therefore, may think that we don’t have to make that much of an effort to make the sale, if only life were that easy!

Falcon Agricultural Equipment (Pty) Ltd is excited about the launch of its second brand of rotary cutters which have been specifically designed for the less frequent user. The Locust range of implements is particularly suited to small holders, the more price sensitive buyer and the emerging farmer. In an article in the June edition of the Gauteng Smallholder, editor Pete Bower encapsulated the need that the Locust is meeting as follows, “Realising that the average slasher on a plot probably works no more than ten days a year, Falcon Equipment has launched a range of low-cost, lightweight slashers ideally suited to smallholders and small farmers.”

The facts are on the land…  The first full season’s report…

On a recent visit to the Klipgat Farm in the Moorreesburg district of the Western Cape, Ruben van der Merwe spoke to Giepie and Deon Basson about the first Amazone ZA-M profiS Hydro fertiliser spreader with full GPS-Switch technology that was sold and used in South Africa.  They provided the first full season’s report on the use of this unique piece of agricultural engineering.

Dealer Training on the Amazone Sprayer

In early June, we led a training day for key members of the TWK staff on the Amazone Sprayer range of products.  The session was held in Piet Retief and was led by the Amazone product specialist, Ruben van der Merwe with all the Falcon Regional Sales Managers in support.