UK
Volvo Penta has begun supplying its 5-liter engines to new frost protection equipment manufacturer, Gener. The Turkish OEM’s units will enable agricultural crops to grow throughout the winter, when temperatures dip below freezing point.
New agricultural machinery manufacturer, Gener, has only been in operation for a year, but has already placed its second order of 5-liter engines from Volvo Penta. The OEM’s frost protection units, FrostGuard V1, are proving to be successful in Turkey, and a growing number of customers are keen to make purchases. The increasing interest is due, in part, to the supply of engines by Volvo Penta.
“We started the business because there is a big demand for these machines and there are no other reliable producers in Turkey,” says Abdullah Ongen, one of the owners of Gener.
“We wanted our potential clients to have a good impression of our product at first glance as we are very new to this business. So, choosing a proven brand for the engine was very critical, which is why we decided to go with Volvo Penta.”
More power, more room
Gener is based in Adana in southern Turkey, and is owned by Ongen, his business partner Mehmet Ener, and their families. Between them they have experience in farming and industrial equipment manufacturing.
The FrostGuard V1 has a central pillar of 10.5m and carbon fiber propellers with a diameter of 6m which pivot through 360º at the top. The propellers’ rotation draws the relatively warm air at height and pushes it down, thereby sending heat to ground level to thaw out the frost.
A control box at the base houses the engine, operating system and temperature sensor, which can be configured to operate automatically within a specific Celsius degree range; it redistributes warm air over an area of 60,000 m².
The unit is typically in operation from 25-75 hours per year – depending on each farm’s microclimate – and is used to protect citrus trees, apples, cherries, peaches and apricots.
“The machine can be used on any crop which needs frost protection,” adds Ongen. “We needed a 175 hp diesel engine so we chose the TAD541VE as it has four cylinders and offers better fuel consumption when compared to others in the market.”
Volvo Penta’s TAD541VE is a compact engine that produces maximum power and torque at low rpm. Its common rail injection system provides excellent fuel efficiency, and in with its ease of installation and maintenance, the engine has a low cost of ownership.
In addition to increasing its volume of manufacture of the FrostGuard V1 in 2017, Gener is also developing another frost protection unit for owners of smaller orchards. Ongen says: “Since our beginning we have been very pleased with how well Volvo Penta has supported us and discussed all our requirements. It is great to receive such attention from a world leading company.”
The deal with Gener has been led by Mehdi Kilic, Volvo Penta’s industrial sales manager in Turkey. “It has been great to see how well Gener have progressed in such a short time. We’ve worked with them from the start, through the prototyping stage through to full manufacturing and now they’re already looking to the next stage of development.
He adds: “It’s been a good opportunity to help a company get off the ground and we hope to continue the relationship in future.”
Jennifer Humphrey
Global Communication Manager
+46 31 3233055
e-mail: jennifer.humphrey@volvo.com