First of all, let’s note that prices for raw materials and components rose sharply, and this was often compounded by delivery delays and shortages. By acting ahead of our supplier partners, we managed to resolve and ease these difficulties.
In 2021, order volume grew by more than 30%, which was a serious challenge for the company given the issues mentioned above, but thanks to the efforts of our staff and partners, we managed to fulfil all orders on time. Good relationships with suppliers were the foundation for efficient, accelerated production. For example, AXIAL Ltd. (Hungary) often played an important role in sourcing components in situations that were difficult for the company.
Demand for Framest tillage equipment on the market grew significantly, including in Ukraine. It’s also worth adding that, for the second year running, the profitability of growing crops has been very good for farmers, and having also felt shortages and a partial deficit of agricultural machinery, they placed pre-orders for machinery in the configuration they needed.
Weather also plays a significant role, so farm producers look for high-performance machines that can be used across a wide range of weather conditions. When tillage becomes difficult because of the weather, Framest machines come to the rescue, and the problem gets solved. Many partners who used to hesitate chose our machinery in 2021. That’s a good sign: Framest’s agronomic solutions, tested by the company over twenty years, work, and our machines meet expectations.
Improvements already in practice
In 2021, we didn’t rest on what we’d already achieved, either. Framest always listens to its customers and adjusts its tillage equipment depending on conditions in the specific region where the machinery is used. These modifications were also useful in that we were able to test individual components that could become very useful and meaningful elements of a new machine, increasing their value to the customer.
More and more farms today are moving away from ploughing, so we’re planning to create a second generation of pre-seeding combination cultivators able to work in conditions with a lot of crop residue and prepare a quality seedbed.
Framest developed two agricultural implements exclusively for the needs of the Ukrainian market: the Inverta subsoiler, created in the configuration that today’s Ukrainian realities demanded, and a modified version of the well-recognized Frakomb pre-seeding cultivator, with a new layout for the main working tines and a rubber packer roller.
Thanks to Ukrainian farmers and to solving farmers’ technological challenges, Framest’s production has been running at full capacity in recent years. Agricultural implements for the spring season have already been manufactured and shipped. Current orders cover production capacity for nine months of 2022. We’ll keep working even harder and more intensively, fulfilling the orders the plant has received for summer and autumn agricultural equipment positions, in this difficult time for Ukraine and Ukrainian farmers.
Framest equipment catalogue astra-group.ua
