​​​​​​​​​Brazilian dairy farm “Fazenda Trevisan” produces and processes their own milk directly for the region; this end-to-end solution is possible thanks to sustainable GEA technology. Right from the start, Osmar and Carmen Trevisan searched for a way to improve efficiency, enhance animal well-being, and enable the sustainable processing of animal waste on their dairy farm. Convinced by GEA’s holistic solution, the family farm initially invested in a GEA free-stall barn including its system technology for intelligent manure management some years ago. The farm’s latest project, a new production line for milk processing, guarantees low energy consumption, minimizes the carbon footprint, and adds a guarantee of origin. Thanks to a long-term partnership, GEA was again selected as a partner for this project.

 Growing the herd with a focus on sustainability

With GEA milking technology components and Holstein dairy cattle, the family farm initially produced 1,500 liters of milk a day. The Trevisan farm now produces 13,000 liters of milk daily with a herd numbering 900 animals, with 370 lactation cows at their new location in Farroupilha in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil. To optimize the animal’s living conditions, the free-stall barn provides animal-friendly equipment from A to Z: Ventilators, sprinkler systems, a freshwater supply, and rubber mats noticeably enhance animal comfort. The relaxed atmosphere in the barn and the cows’ well-being has a positive effect on milk performance.

Sustainability and environmental friendliness were also considered when processing the manure. GEA’s liquid manure technology, therefore, consists of a scraper system ensuring dry walkways continuously and improving the hygiene standard in the barn. The resulting mass is first homogenized in pump and agitator systems. Subsequently, liquids and solids are processed in separators, screens, and presses. As valuable compost as well as a liquid fertilizer for growing grain, the processed liquid manure replaces artificial fertilizers. In addition, the high-energy material is used in Fazenda Trevisan’s own biogas plant to produce electricity, which can then be used for the farm’s operational processes.

Second mainstay thanks to milk processing

“Processing our own milk and marketing it successfully in the region was another important goal,”

says Jean Carlos, one of Trevisan’s sons, explaining the investment in the farm’s own dairy. The GEA product line consisting of centrifuge, homogenizer, and pasteurizing system increases the added value of the operation and opens the door to a segment of the dairy sector that will bring the family farm a significant increase in income in the long term.

The dairy was installed right next to the milking facility to process the raw milk into high-quality dairy products in the shortest possible time and pack them. The fully automated GEA production line optimizes the workload for personnel and ensures the highly efficient, economical use of energy, water, and operating resources for process control and plant hygiene. Thanks to processing the milk directly on the farm, transport routes are eliminated and cooling times minimized, with a positive effect on Fazenda Trevisan’s environmental impact.

Long-term planning with expandable GEA technology

The plant was designed to process 20,000 liters of milk per day, mainly focused on producing pasteurized and homogenized milk. However, the design is flexible so that production capacity can be expanded in the future.

“GEA’s solutions make sense, because they are efficient, long-lasting, and very robust, which pays off in the maintenance routine even after many years of use,”

emphasizes Jean Carlos.

“These guarantees are only possible because the plant’s level of innovation and automation is very high,”

adds head of the production, Luciano Persico.

“The plant is ultra-modern and has become a model for many dairy farms in Brazil. In addition, GEA’s service and support are always very satisfied. All stages of planning, implementation, system integration, and after-sales support were carried out very well.”

Just months after start-up, the family-run dairy farm is already successfully selling five products in the most important markets in the surrounding regions, from whole milk all the way to lactose-free milk and cream. Its success proves the farm made the right decision: The brand Trevisan stands for the sustainability and quality of products consumers love, with origin guaranteed.

The post GEA technology supports Fazenda Trevisan milk processing appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Timber Forest, the PONSSE retailer of 2019, has been Ponsse’s retailer since 2015. It operates in Southern Brazil, in the regions of Parana, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul.

“The company has very quickly achieved the leading market position in its sales region, and the sale of PONSSE products has developed significantly from the previous year”,

said Marko Mattila, Ponsse’s Sales, Service and Marketing Director. The jury stated that the well-run company is disciplined in its development activities, aiming to work for the best of its customers in all situations. The company also possesses excellent training and marketing expertise which helps to make the cut-to-length method more widely known in Brazil.

The retailer of the year shares Ponsse’s values

Timber Forest Equipamentos, part of Rodoparana Group, is a family-owned company, which currently employs 360 people. The company sells, maintains, and installs harvesting technology and, since its establishment in 2001, has been a significant driver in the spread of mechanical harvesting in Southern Brazil.

Cooperation with Ponsse started in 2015 when Timber Forest was looking for a new partner as a supplier of CTL technology. Ponsse’s subsidiary Ponsse Latin America Ltda had operated in Brazil since 2005 and was aiming to increase its market share.

“Ponsse gave us a warm welcome, and we immediately recognized ourselves in the company. Both companies were firmly customer-driven and had long-term partnerships. In just a month, we were already in Vieremä, Finland, signing a retail agreement with Ponsse”,

says Jober Fonseca, General Director of Timber Forest.

​Tailored for customers’ needs

Southern Brazil is home to large eucalyptus plantations, from which wood is harvested for pulp and paper production. In addition to eucalyptus, pine trees are grown in the region to meet the needs of the sawmill industry. Customers range from corporations that own dozens of machines and harvest more than 400,000 tons per month to small forest owners with a single machine chain. Both need services that support their operations, from machine selections to training and customized maintenance services.

Brazil’s forestry markets are among the most competitive in the world, while mechanization is still in progress.

“Timber Forest specializes in improving the competitiveness of forest companies. We not only sell technology but, above all, provide our customers with strong support, so that they can have access to the best possible technology and so that the selected technology is as productive as possible. Customer relationships are partnerships, success which is the most important driver in our operations. None of this would be possible if it were not for the support we receive from Ponsse’s factory”,

Jober Fonseca says.

“Because there is a shortage of skilled employees, and exchange rates make machines and spare parts expensive, our customer relationships are a little different than in many other markets. Harvesting companies not only buy machines, but they also select a partner that they can trust when selecting technologies and that support their operations by ensuring a high level of training, machine performance and maintenance services”,

Fonseca says.

The availability of spare parts is one of the cornerstones of customer service. However, a broad range of spare parts is not the company’s most important investment – its employees are. Technical expertise is what makes the company proud and, together with effective spare parts services, has enabled rapid customer support. Currently, the company mainly sells PONSSE harvester heads. As a business area, this calls for special expertise due to different base machine solutions. According to Jober Fonseca, the most important factor in harvester head operations is the ability to understand customer needs from top to bottom.

“We define the correct harvester head and forwarder for each customer’s base machine solution and install harvester heads so that everything works perfectly together. Mechanics who adjust and calibrate machines must know what they are doing, and there is no room for failure. This is why a professional and committed installation team is a key success factor alongside our other services. We are grateful for having long-standing employees and excellent people who lead our company forward”,

says Jober Fonseca, thanking his employees.

Source: PONSSE

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The post Ponsse rewards Timber Forest as dealer of the year appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.