Te Awamutu Courier

Say goodbye to water trough woes

Sturdy Springarm won’t break — and the product is now widely available in Farmlands stores

-

Only nine months after showing Te Awamutu couple Ric and Marianne Awburn showed their their Springarm product prototype to the world at Fieldays 2021, they 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.

Springarm co-founder Marianne says the team is 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 co-founder Rick and his three sons had been making the Springarms in their shed by hand.

Farmlands first reached out to the

team in December last year 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,” says Farmlands’ water management and irrigation category manager, Ben Anderson.

“Ric, Marianne, and the Metalform team have captured the Kiwi DIY attitude and created a must-have for every farm toolbox.”

Marianne comments that Farmlands were enthusiast­ic and supportive from the first day they started talking to the family 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,” says Marianne.

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

The partnershi­p with Farmlands means that farmers can go and buy the arms the same day they realise that they need one.

Springarm co-founder Marianne Awburn

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.

(POINTER) Entries for the Fieldays 2022 Innovation Awards are open now. Apply now at fieldays.co.nz/ innovation.

 ?? Photo / Supplied ?? Springarm co-founder Marianne Awburn at Farmlands Te Awamutu.
Photo / Supplied Springarm co-founder Marianne Awburn at Farmlands Te Awamutu.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from New Zealand