Upgrading to two flexible Geringhoff header fronts has allowed Deberi Contract Harvesting to traverse straight across paddock contours, rather than cutting them out and harvesting along the top of them. Photo: Waringa Distribution

WHEN a header front puts more dollars in growers’ pockets, it’s no wonder more producers want it and, hence, harvesting contractors that have them are in higher demand.

That’s been the experience for Deberi Contract Harvesting, which is based out of Emerald in Central Queensland, and earlier this year added two of the German-manufactured Geringhoff header fronts to their equipment fleet.

The business harvests up to 25,000ha of summer and winter broadacre crops annually throughout Qld, New South Wales and Victoria, and also reaches into South Australia.

In addition to the Geringhoff fronts, it runs two MacDon and two Midwest fronts, with the latter rigid fronts expected to be upgraded to flexible Geringhoff fronts in future.

Distributed throughout Australia by Waringa Distribution, the flexible Geringhoff draper fronts, which suit all crops and major header brands, range in size from 9.15m out to 15.2m.

The fronts include a rigid frame with a flexible cutterbar (Flex), a three-sectioned frame with a rigid cutterbar (TruFlex), and the same frame with both a rigid and flexible cutterbar (TruFlex Razor), which is the most flexible header front available.

They also incorporate an optional fully integrated air system that operates directly behind the knife to guide crop on to their belts and ensure maximum reduction in harvest losses.

The three-sectioned frame acts independently, allowing it to adjust from one end to the other by up to 760mm.

The flexible cutterbar can add another 150mm for total adjustment nearing 1m.

After trialling a demonstration machine in 2024, Deberi Contract Harvesting acquired two 12m Geringhoff Truflex Razor demonstration fronts earlier this year.

“Our early work with a demonstration front definitely convinced us of their benefits and we can run them as a flexible front and cutterbar or rigid front and cutterbar,” manager Benji Schulz said.

Where there are more contour banks in the northern states, the business operates the fronts with full flexibility.

“Previously we had to cut the contour banks out and then come back and follow along the top of them; now we just go straight across them, so our productivity is way higher.”

“With our other fronts, we can also only go along the contours at 2.3-3km per hour, whereas with the Geringhoff fronts we can now go over them at 5-10kmh, so our efficiency is much better and we can take on more work.”

Mitchell Burgoine and Benji Schulz, Deberi Contract Harvesting, with one of their Geringhoff 12m Truflex Razor header fronts. Photo: Waringa Distribution

Mr Schulz said aided by the Geringhoff knife section and guards, the fronts captured and handled large crop volumes considerably better than other fronts and, also assisted by its air system behind the knife, grain losses for farmers were significantly lower.

“Other fronts are similar, but they are not as good.

“There’s nothing on the market like the Geringhoff air system; there’s only after-market options you have to put on and off and you have to take equipment around with you, which is annoying.

“We harvested mungbeans with and without the air and the difference was 70kg/ha, which is a lot of money at about $1600 per tonne.

“In cereals, you are also definitely saving losses off the front, which are considerable in northern areas this year due to the lighter crops.

“Farmer customers are so happy that they don’t want to see any other system now.

“We will definitely go with the Geringhoff fronts again and have the air – we don’t want to miss any features.

“There is a lot of interest in the fronts around Central Queensland, including from other contractors, and I expect everyone will have a Geringhoff eventually.”

Mr Schulz said the Deberi Contract Harvesting team also was impressed with the ability of the fronts to cut greener crops, as well as with the finished cuts they provided.

“Particularly in chickpeas or mungbeans with greener stems, it didn’t matter – it slices through it.

“We use less horsepower, the operation is smoother and we can go at faster speeds due to the good cutting speed – around 2kmh faster.

“The Geringhoff fronts also run off a separate circuit with their own oil system, whereas other fronts run off the headers and if an O ring goes on those fronts and you lose oil without noticing, you will drain the oil reservoir on the header, which is a recipe for disaster.”

He said after starting harvest in chickpeas in Qld before moving into some wheat and barley recently, the only adjustment required was to the spring tension on their Geringhoff fronts to allow them to handle previous wheat stubble in the chickpeas.

“Various growers cut wheat higher to conserve stubble and preserve moisture, and the fronts can start to push the wheat stubble in chickpeas, but it was easy to adjust the cutterbar to allow the fronts to just slide over the stubble.”

Mr Schulz said support for these adjustments and other service inquiries, as well as for parts from Waringa Distribution’s Perth or Wagga Wagga centres, was highly impressive.

“We are really happy with Waringa and their service. We have never experienced service like it – no matter the time of day or week.

“We couldn’t complain, and the parts have been very quick to arrive.”

Source: Waringa Distribution