6 Ways WCCO Belting Supports the Agriculture Industry in Honor of National Ag Day, Blog Post
WCCO Belting started supporting agriculture decades ago when founder, Ed Shorma, realized he could use his existing shoe shop sewing machines to repair swather canvas for local farmers. And, as they say, the rest is history. Innovating and providing belting technology for the ag industry has continued to remain a priority ever since.
While only 10.3% of jobs in the U.S. are in the agriculture, food, and related industries, according to the USDA’s Economic Research Service, the impact of the industry on our lives is unparalleled. At WCCO, we are proud to be a part of the community that helps the agriculture industry feed and support the world.
Here are six ways WCCO Belting supports the agricultural industry – on National Agriculture Day, and every day:
- RAPTOR® Draper Belting redefined performance for harvesting worldwide
When combine header/platform manufacturers needed a draper belt that could stand up to the increasingly high demands of its modern harvesting equipment, WCCO delivered a game-changing patented fabric technology. The RAPTOR® belt construction provides the highest tensile strength, tear strength and puncture resistance in the draper header, swather, merger, and windrower market worldwide. Our RAPTOR technology is the global gold standard and supports agriculture across the globe in the harvest of wheat, soybeans, small grains, edible beans and alfalfa among other crops.
- Design of innovative solutions farmers can rely on – NEW seed tender belting in 2022
Our patented Web-Cleat™ conveyor belting is now available for seed tenders to improve uptime and efficiency. The cleated belt is manufactured using a single-step vulcanization process which eliminates detrimental downtime of cleats/paddles ripping off and clogging the tube or even the planter itself. We use a proprietary manufacturing process so the cleats are integrally molded onto the base belt, meaning no cleat separation or delamination will occur. Available for both equipment manufacturers and aftermarket, growers can feel confident they can meet or exceed their shortening planting window.
- Belts to support crop movement and storage
Once small, grains, edible beans, and even root vegetables have been harvested, our wide variety of conveyor belting allows numerous conveyor types help it to be moved and stored for use. The product designs are specific to the agricultural industry to help minimize crop damage that can occur during this process. For example, cleated conveyor belting for potatoes and beets uses cleats with rounded edges to prevent bruising and punctures.
- Belts to bale hay for animal feed
WCCO’s baler belts are manufactured with a custom-engineered fabric to increase belt strength and stiffness, which improves belt tracking and hook retention. Farms big and small use baler belting. For some, a good baling year, supported by reliable baler belts, means they’ll have feed for their animals.
- Forward focused on the agricultural industry and ag education
Over the course of a year, our employees attend multiple events and trainings to make sure WCCO remains forward-thinking in the industry. Last month alone, our employees attended two agricultural trade shows. We also attend rubber and textile industry trade shows and others that are relevant to our business or core customers. Keeping a pulse on what is happening in the industries we serve helps us better meet the needs of, and continue to innovate products for, our customers and the industries within which they work. We are also thought leaders in agriculture; our belting experts have written countless articles about ag machinery as it relates to belts.
- Employees’ who know what it takes to live and work on a farm
Growing up, living, and working on farms has given many of our employees a firsthand experience of how important quality and service are to growers’ livelihoods and their ability to feed and support their family, their communities, and the world. Take a look at this piece we wrote last year about our employees and their personal experiences and connections to farming.
We are proud to be immersed in the agriculture industry as a supporting partner to make farmers’ jobs more efficient and effective. Our hats are off to everyone in the industry on this National Agriculture Day!