Lindsay Manufacturing Africa Pty Ltd spoke to a farmer, Fanie Botha, who is still using a 42-year-old Zimmatic pivot his father-in-law bought in 1978
Expert says that buying a pivot is usually a big decision for farmers. They require a fair amount of capital and fulfill the all-important role of ensuring proper irrigation in their fields.
When asked what he farms with, he offered, “I farm with a little bit of everything. We make food for the nation here”. His crops include corn, wheat, peas, sunflowers and lucerne.
Back then, Zimmatic was new in the market and had to work hard to convince farmers to buy their products. Fanie says his father-in-law bought it all those years ago because it promised to offer unparalleled durability and strength.
“Besides that, Zimmatic pivots were also lightyears ahead of all other pivots back in 1978. They had more features and capabilities than most other brands,” Fanie added.
The salesperson promised Fanie’s father-in-law that the Zimmatic pivot would last at least 15 years.
“They really are tough. Look, we still need to do basic maintenance, as you should be doing on any pivot, old or new, but the fact that this one is still working without major issues is just astounding,” Fanie explained.
The pivot has been adapted to work with Lindsay’s FieldNET solution so that Fanie and his team can control the pivot remotely. This adaptability is something that Fanie admires about Zimmatic’s products too.
Fanie also mentioned that he has added several Zimmatic pivots to his farm in recent years. When asked what challenges they help him overcome, he said that for him, he wants to know his money is being put to good use.
“Every time I buy a Zimmatic pivot, I know it will last for many years and eventually become my son’s equipment to farm our land with. And that’s what convinced me to make Zimmatic our preferred irrigation system,” he said.
“I tell people to go and buy any other brand of pivot. Then you look at how long it takes before that pivot starts to give you issues. When buying Zimmatic, you know what kind of quality you are getting and the chances that you will encounter issues are virtually zero,” he stated.
To learn more about Zimmatic pivots, go to www.zimmatic.co.za.