b'PARTNER CONTENTThe ExtndrBenefits beyond unit capacity.Jason Gearhart, Business Unit Leader - Seed, Buckhorn, A Myers Industry CompanyB ringing a new product to market can be risky business. If weve learned anything during our time in business, its that researchand listening to customerscan strongly reduce those risks. Thats the story behind the Extndr, our new nine-inch extension ring for CenterFlow seed bins.In recent years, the seed industry has continued to change. CenterFlow boxes typically held up to 50 units, but with ad-vancement in genetics, treatments and unpredictable impacts of Mother Nature, weve seen companies being forced to limit their offerings to 35, 40 and 45 units per bin. Growers, retailers and producers helped educate us about the importance of maintain-ing consistency in their storage and delivery solution. We realized it wasnt practical to develop a completely new design. Since the market has been formed around the unique footprint of the current CenterFlow, we sought to create a solution that was reverse compatible to the millions of boxes shipped over the years and reside within of our customers fleets. As a result, we landed on an extension ring concept that is easily added or removed from any CenterFlow bin regardless of age. This spring was the market launch and we asked a few of our valued custom-ers for feedback. Seitec Genetics, based in Freemont, Neb., sells corn, soybean, sorghum and alfalfa seed to 15 states in the western and southern U.S. Theyve been using CenterFlow for 13 years, primarily forCenterFlow Extndr, installed on Standard CenterFlow Container.corn and soybean seeds. The first year for the Extndr was our 2020 planting season and we incorporated it into our packaging strategy, said DennisWeve found a number of benefits with the Extndr, most Bracht. It allows us to manage large seed lots better because wenotably economic. We are able to stretch our existing inventory of can still fit the target number of units into a box. boxes by 20% on those large seeded lots. However, other benefits He added that using the Extndr allows not only 17% more bininclude consistency of ordering, more accurate management of space, but it also allows for holding up to 500 more pounds asinventory in the warehouse, and less likelihood of human error compared to not using it. during shipment and invoicing, all due to the uniform SKU, he Rupp Seeds in Wauseon, Ohio sells a full line of seed, both rowsaid.crop and vegetable. The family-owned company has been in oper- When we launched the Extndr earlier this year, our primary ation since 1946 and is currently under third generation manage- goal was to provide customers with a consistent delivery solu-ment. They primarily sell into the Ohio, Michigan and Indianation to get up to 50 units or more per bin, even with larger seeds. areas. Theyve been using CenterFlow for about nine years.Similar to when we originally launched the CenterFlow years ago, We use them for retail shipment of wheat and soybeans, withthere were bonus benefits as our customers are now telling us. an increasing usage for seed corn shipments, said John King.With the Extndr, users enjoy 17% enhanced capacity and vertical Additionally, we use them as short-term storage for some of ourstorage, along with a more efficient use of return logistics. Further, vegetable production. the Extndr provides additional variable sizing solutions, allowing King said the primary reason they began using the Extndr wasfor more customized packaging and the opportunity to reduce Bag to continue to standardize the 50 unit box. Recently, the com- returns. Combining those benefits with the current bin optimiza-pany has been seeing an increasing number of soybean seed lotstion and ability to create unit consistency offerings assures further that had a large enough seed size that would not allow 50 units invalue creation with Buckhorns CenterFlow and endless adaptability a box. They wanted to be much more consistent. for our customers throughout the supply chain.OCTOBER 2020SEEDWORLD.COM /57'