http://www.flaman.com/rentals/ Keep up-to-date with the Latest Info on Flaman Agriculture en-us http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/videos.php?video_id=42 With the OPI StorMax system you can monitor temperature, moisture, and pest detection from any computer. Tue, 28 Aug 2012 12:21:52 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/videos.php?video_id=42 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=53 The Flaman Grain Cleaning and Handling Division would once again like to welcome you to join us at the Western Canada Farm Progress Show in Regina, Saskatchewan. The show starts June 15th and ends June 17th.    Come out and learn about cutting edge technology, emerging trends, and ever-changing demographics. Learn how to combat the unpredictable weather patterns we have been seeing and maximize efficiency on your farm this year. Swing by our booths and take advantage of the innovative solutions we have to offer you such as colour sorters to remove ergot from wheat or the Will-Rich Vertical Tiller to help keep you stay afloat.   Flaman Grain Cleaning and Handling Division will be displaying our newest addition to the vast line of products that we offer, the Light Foot Cleaning Machine. The Light Foot is a simple and compact air/screen grain cleaner, great for “on the farm” use.   Come and see us at the show for more details and don’t forget to enter your name into our draw for a 12-piece dockage testing kit. That’s right, we’re giving away a 12-piece hand-tester sieve kit set to your specifications to test your various commodities. See you at the show!     Thu, 26 May 2011 15:03:13 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=53 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=124 On Wednesday May 8 Flaman Group of Companies in Medicine Hat held its grand opening to celebrate its new, larger location. We couldn’t have asked for a better day weather-wise, although this meant that most farmers were in the field and unable to attend.  We held a free BBQ lunch and had a great turn out.  The official ribbon cutting was done at 12:30 p.m. by the Medicine Hat Chamber of Commerce and also in attendance was the mayor of Medicine Hat Norm Boucher.    To top off the day the Frank Flaman Foundation donated $7,000 to the Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter, which is the largest donation they had received to date.   The day couldn’t have gone better for everyone. Thanks to everyone who attended.   For more photos of the event, please visit our Facebook page here   Fri, 17 May 2013 14:43:18 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=124 http://flaman.com/uploaded_ads/flaman_1361401130.pdf Newspaper Tue, 12 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400 http://flaman.com/uploaded_ads/flaman_1361401130.pdf http://flaman.com/uploaded_ads/flaman_1352501148.mp3 Radio Mon, 12 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://flaman.com/uploaded_ads/flaman_1352501148.mp3 http://flaman.com/uploaded_ads/flaman_1351092420.pdf Flyer Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 http://flaman.com/uploaded_ads/flaman_1351092420.pdf http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=123 As of May 1, 2013, all Flaman Rentals stores and agriculture rental dealers across the prairies will be introducing a new damage waiver fee for all of our equipment rental customers. This new fee is designed to help our customers offset the high cost of equipment repairs if they accidentally damage any rental equipment while in their possession. By paying this small fee, our customers can now feel good knowing they have coverage for any accidental damage to tools or equipment they rent from Flaman. This coverage could save them hundreds of dollars in repairs. It’s just one more way Flaman is helping our customers have a positive rental experience, knowing that those expensive pieces of rental equipment are covered while in their possession. Please stop in or call your nearest Flaman rental store for full details. Flaman Rentals in Moosomin, Yorkton and Swan River currently offer a similar fee and this will remain unchanged. Fri, 19 Apr 2013 08:49:03 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=123 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=122 Open for two months, this new state of the art facility boasts a "rental drive thru bay" and a fully stocked 7000 sq ft showroom as well as a large service shop, wash bay and trailer set up bay. “It's going to be really nice to be able to service and set up all of our equipment inside now as well as being able to load or unload our rental customers in the comfort of our rental drive thru bay,” says Peter Nabholz, store manager. “We think our rental customers will really enjoy this feature, especially when the weather is bad, it's the only drive thru rental bay on the prairies as far as we know,” he added. This new 10 acre location on the west side of Moosomin along the busy Trans Canada Highway gives us great exposure, good visibility and easy access in all directions in or out of town. With over 90 trailers now in stock as well as grain bins, augers, grain carts, water tanks and other related short line agriculture equipment we are now a full line store for Flaman's. Similar to any of the other nine corporate Flaman stores in western Canada, Moosomin's new store also carries a fully stocked show room full of tow ropes, tow straps, trailer accessories, water pumps and over a dozen set up pieces of fitness equipment along with all the related fitness products. “While in the past our main focus was the renting of construction, agriculture and home owner equipment, Flaman's now are gearing up the retail side of the business seeing the potential for explosive growth in this area. Here in Moosomin we are in the center of the economic boom going on in SE Sask and have already realized a huge demand for the products we now carry,” added Nabholz. Flaman's saw the potential for a store like this in the area two years ago when they first came to Moosomin, buying out Wayne's Rental Centre. We now have the facility, the location, the staff and the inventory to take this store to the next level and hope to take advantage of the ongoing strong economy both in construction rentals and agriculture sales. To celebrate this new store, Flaman's are having a full week long open house event starting on April 22 and winding up on Friday April 26. There will be toonie lunches and local entertainment at noon each day sponsored by one of the many suppliers. Along with the celebrations, there will be many door crasher specials that you won't want to miss out on.       Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:08:13 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=122 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=121 We have nicely settled into our new store located at 92 Cook Road in Moosomin. This is a great location as we have good visibility and access to the #1 Highway and easy access from all four directions in Southeast Saskatchewan.   We are putting the final plans together for our Grand Opening week, April 22 - 26. This will be an exciting week as we will have Supplier Representatives on hand to promote equipment and answer customer questions; in store specials; and we will be hosting a light lunch each day. The Ribbon Cutting will take place Friday afternoon and we will have a social evening to follow. We will be hosting a Blind Driver Corporate Obstacle Challenge. Local business people will be blind folded and will drive a golf cart through an obstacle course with their passenger acting as the navigator. There will be daily heats with the finals on Friday. It should be very entertaining. Rentals remains to be our backbone, but with our broader inventory selection our trailer and Ag sales are steadily increasing and our fitness equipment has been “working out” very well! It looks to be a very exciting and busy spring for Flaman Group of Companies in Moosomin. If you are in the area come in and check out our new store.   Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:28:43 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=121 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=120 We’ve been busy these past couple of weeks getting everything moved into our new home at 3377 Gershaw Drive SW. We’re now located at the former Big Wheels dealership off of Highway 3, just half a kilometer south of the airport. This new, larger location will let us serve our customers better. We will now be offering a service department and a larger rental area. We can carry a larger selection of products, plus we’re in an easy to find location. Whether you need a trailer, agriculture equipment or fitness equipment, Flaman Sales is your one stop shop!  Come check out the trailers we have on special!   I invite you to stop by the new store to say hello! We’re looking forward to meeting some new customers and also continuing to serve those of you who previously shopped at Big Wheels. At Flaman Sales, customer service is one of our main goals and we feel this new location will better meet the needs of the community.   Our Grand Opening will be May 8th! Stay tuned for more details soon.   Here is the new store's location.   Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:36:10 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=120 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=118 Flaman Sales had another successful show in Brandon this year. As per usual, the show was very well attended; many people from Manitoba, Saskatchewan and even a few from Alberta were at the show. We showcased our new “Pull Dozer”, which brought a lot of attention to our booth. The Pull Dozer can be used to improve drainage, level land or move snow. We have one on display in Yorkton if you want to check it out. We also had a Wheatheart 10" x 41' diesel auger with aluminum rims, which was an eye-catcher. Diesel engines use half the fuel and last much longer than an auger with a gasoline motor. With the growing number of people attending the show, we are hoping to increase our booth space for next year so we can put more of our equipment on display. Thank you, to all that helped in the set-up/take down, trucking and logistics of the show. Thank you to all the customers old and new that stopped at our booth. Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:35:28 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=118 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=117 On Thursday February 7 the Flaman Trailers division team toured the Wells Cargo plant in Ogden, Utah.  We toured all areas of the more than 100,000 square foot facility. The team was impressed by the quality control processes at every step and the craftsmanship apparent in the build process.  Wells Cargo staff provided training on all their product lines: Fast Trac, Road Force, and the Wells line. In addition to the standard lines, specialized training was provided on Concession Trailers, Job Shack Trailers, Mobile Restroom Trailers and Wells Cargo’s impressive custom trailer capability.  Last but not least, the Wells Cargo folks were great hosts!   The second day of the meeting was held at the beautiful Ogden Eccles Conference Center in downtown Ogden.  All of Flaman’s main manufacturers (Trailtech, Southland Trailer Corp, Diamond C, Aluma and ATC Trailers) were present to update the team on model improvements and changes for the coming year.   To cap off the meetings Friday evening, we headed to the Energy Solutions Arena and took in a Utah Jazz basketball game against the Chicago Bulls.  All in all, the meeting provided a great learning opportunity that will allow us to better serve you, our customers. Fri, 15 Feb 2013 12:30:28 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=117 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=116 Our new Moosomin store opened for business on December 18th. It was a big move from our old location, which was known in the community as basically just a rental store. We now have a full selection of parts, products and are able to offer a full service department to our customers. Since we moved in our walk in traffic has increased. It's very exciting to meet new customers who are coming in now. December and January are typically slower months, so the interest in the new store has been a real positive. All of these new customers is getting us excited for spring when we have all the kinks worked out and will be running at full speed. Many of the products we are selling have not been offered locally before. It feels good to be able to give people what they need in town. We are seeing a lot of activity with our ag products like grain bins, Wheatheart augers and grain carts. Our fitness equipment moved in recently, which is very exciting because we will be the first fitness store in Moosomin. It surprised me how many people started calling for fitness equipment service as soon as we changed our name to Flaman. I ddn't realize there are that many people using Flaman Fitness in town! We are having our grand opening celebration the week of April 23 - 26th. I am looking forward to the specials. barbeques and the ribbon cutting on Friday. It will be an exciting time to kick off the spring season! Tue, 29 Jan 2013 12:05:35 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=116 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=115 Cuba… oh boy where do I start? It was a fun filled week mixed with both business and a little pleasure. I was rather excited about this trip, as this was my first full dealer get together. I was rather nervous and not sure what to expect, especially with 100 of us crazy Canadians down in Cuba. As we finally arrived in Cuba I was blown away by the friendliness and welcome the entire group gave me. What an amazing dealer network we have here at Flaman Rentals. Not only that, but we even had our founder Frank Flaman join us. Many dealers enjoyed Frank’s presence in Cuba. The speeches he gave were very informative and it was nice to see dealers interacting with Frank throughout the week.   As this was my first visit to Cuba, it was a surprise to see the culture and way of life Cubans have. Everything from the vehicles to the pace of life is such a shock from what we are accustomed to here in North America.   After all our groups from Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta arrived it was right to business with a meeting first thing Tuesday morning. The week was filled with all sorts of activities and tours. I had the pleasure of organizing the golf tournament, and we had a very good turnout despite the rain. We were only able to finish 13 holes but nobody complained as the course was absolutely beautiful right along the ocean. Thanks to my pro golf partner Wayne Beckett we were able to embarrass our Alberta team of Rocky Amson and Ken Barlott in a little game of best ball. Despite the rain we made the best of it and everyone had a blast.   During the golf tournament, a group organized by Tammy Weightman visited a local school and donated school supplies and small items Cubans just do not have. They also spent a lot of time with the children and the locals were all really appreciative for what our group did. Thanks again to all the dealers and staff that participated.   Other activities we had planned included a full day tour of Havana and a Catamaran trip. Most dealers really enjoyed the Havana tour as it was very informative and nice to see the Cuban culture. A few of us ventured out on our own to local towns such as Varadero, which was very interesting to see. I remember seeing part of the beach that was hit by Hurricane Sandy and it was a shock to see the beach completely washed out and trees wiped out, something we are not used to seeing in Canada.   Throughout the week you could really see friendships and memories being made. It was nice to see this type of bonding happening and I was proud to be part of this team. Although it was tough trying to spend time with all 100 or so people, each day would bring new conversations and opportunities.   As the week wound down, Saturday night we hosted our awards night. This gave everyone a chance to dress up a little and was a perfect night to end off the trip. Prior to this awards night, myself and Barrett Prokopie decided it would be fun to jump out of a helicopter at 13,000 ft over the ocean! Wow, what an unplanned amazing experience! I think I almost had a heart attack that night at the awards banquet. All in all, it was an amazing day I will never forget.   So that in a nutshell was our week in Cuba. Thanks for the knowledge, memories and friendships made. It was our most successful year ever with Flaman Rentals. We have a great group of people both at the corporate level and with our dealer network. I look forward to seeing everyone again next year. ‘Till then take care and all the best in 2013!   Congratulations to the following dealers who won awards: Most Improved Dealer Sask/Man Triple D&P Farms LTD – Birsay, SK   Most Improved Dealer AB Wetaskiwin Bulk Sales   Top Retail Sales Dealer Sask/MB Horizon Fertilizers – Humboldt, SK   Top Retail Sales Dealer AB Smoky River Equipment Sales & Rentals   Top 5 Dealers Sask/MB 5 Mardee Enterprises – Brandon, MB 4 B&D Rentals – Cut Knife, SK 3 B&A Petroleum – Swift Current, SK 2 Windthorst Rental Centre – Windthorst, SK 1 Brendonn Holdings – Russell, MB   Top 5 Dealers AB 5 Koch Fuels – Carstairs, AB 4 Wills Welding – Ponoka, AB 3 Ray Agro & Petroleum – Barrhead, AB 2 Wetaskiwin Bulk Sales – Wetaskiwin, AB 1 Keddie’s Rentals – Grand Prairie, AB Wed, 09 Jan 2013 15:25:21 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=115 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=114 We’re proud to announce that on October 20, Flaman Group of Companies was awarded the ABEX (Achievement for Business Excellence) Award for Marketing.  The ABEX Awards were handed out by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce at the Delta Hotel in Regina.  In the spring we won the SABEX (Saskatoon Achievement in Business Excellence) Award for Marketing,but the ABEX is for the entire province, so it means much more to be named top in your field for all of Saskatchewan.   So what does it mean to be a great marketer? One of the things you need to win in marketing is the “big idea” that resonates with your customers.  In fact, perhaps the greatest challenge in marketing is to come up with these “big ideas,” and when you have many divisions and locations you need even more of them.    Having big ideas for marketing is one thing we do not lack of at Flaman. Everyone on our team has many great ideas.  A lot of our big campaigns didn’t come from the traditional “marketing team” but from the broader team in general. For example: The Great Stuck in the Muck Photo Contest came from Jody Kemp, a salesman in Southey. Flaman Man was thought of by Taylor Assen, a territory manager in Calgary. OPI Canola star commercials were the brainchild of store manager TysonBecker in Yorkton.  Because we get so many great “big ideas,” our job is to pick the very best from them and implement them with excellence given the resources we have. But marketing is not just about great ideas, it’s also about how you execute these ideas.   At Flaman, we’re also very strategic. We create long-term plans and product strategies, and we pay close attention to analytics and stats. We have to make sure our ideas are getting the results we want. If they’re not, we change direction. I’m proud to be part of a marketing team that has great ideas and excellent execution.   This award is our team’s award, so congratulations to everyone who has helped us be our very best.   L-R: Don Flaman (President), Jennifer Thompson (Marketing Project Manager), Steve Whittington (VP of Marketing & Communications), April Basset (Marketing Co-ordinator), Rudy Flaman (Southey Store Manager) and Jeff Basset (Saskatoon Fitness Store Manager) Mon, 29 Oct 2012 17:15:59 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=114 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=113 As a project manager for Flaman’s marketing team, I am proud and excited to announce we’ve once again been nominated for a Marketing Award. Flaman Group of Companies was named a finalist in the 2012 Achievement in Business Excellence (ABEX) Awards in the Marketing category. Our team was then encouraged to apply for the provincial ABEX award after receiving the Saskatoon Awards for Business Excellence (SABEX) award for Marketing in May. On September 5, we waited with baited breath for the announcement of the ABEX finalists and were thrilled when we were listed. The nominees for Marketing this year are: Flaman Group of Companies Refresh Enterprises Inc. Century 21 Diamond Realty S&E Trusted Online Directory Silver Star Salvage The ABEX Awards are Saskatchewan’s largest celebration of private sector achievement. The event is hosted by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce. The awards are open to any private sector business registered within the province, regardless of size, location or industry. In total, 46 nominations from Saskatchewan businesses were selected as finalists within the 10 ABEX categories. At Flaman, we’re honoured to be nominated for this prestigious award. We work very hard to have a marketing plan that’s both strategic and creative but that ultimately offers up to our customers the products and services that they need. “The quality and diversity of these finalists really showcases the way in which Saskatchewan’s economy is taking a leadership role within Canada, and across the global stage,” said Steve McLellan, CEO of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce in a press release. This year’s ABEX awards gala is set for October 20th at the Delta Hotel in Regina, and is themed as a tribute to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. For more information visit www.saskchamber.com.   Thu, 04 Oct 2012 14:49:06 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=113 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=112 It's that time of year again! It's time to vote for your favourite photos on Stuck in the Muck! We had some great pictures submitted this year, and we need your help to pick the winners. Visit www.stuckinthemuck.com every day to vote for the best stuck photo. The winners will get a brand new tow rope to help them out next year. At Flaman Group of Companies, it's important to us to give back to our customers and the farming community. That's one of the reasons why we started this fun photo contest. We're thankful for your support of the contest over the years. I hope you'll enjoy looking at and voting for this year's group of photos. You can vote once a day for your favourite photos, so visit the website often! Winners will be announced at the beginning of November. Good luck to all who entered! Wed, 03 Oct 2012 09:54:46 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=112 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=111 The end of September is close, and every year at Flaman Trailers we review excess stock we have from the previous year and discount our snowmobile trailers.  All 10 locations have inventory to move, and all inventory is available at all locations (pending shipping).  The discounts are deep and the sale will not last long.  While there is not every choice you would want (you will have to wait for the new 2013 models for that) there is a lot of choice.   Here are some examples: 20’ enclosed steel-framed Summit Series sled trailer with heat 26’ all aluminum enclosed NashCar Rage snowmobile trailers 20’ two-tone XR Series enclosed sled trailer 12’ single axle two-place enclosed all aluminum NashCar Rage snowmobile trailer Plus 12’ aluminum and steel open deck sled trailers and 10’ steel and aluminum tilt sled trailers  Winter is coming and these units are starting to move fast, but unlike winter these deals will not last long. Hurry in to your local dealer!   Click here for the poster with all available inventory at each store. Click here to see product details and photos.   Mon, 24 Sep 2012 09:31:41 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=111 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=110 Every year, Flaman Trailers travels to the North American Trailer Dealer Association (NATDA) tradeshow to learn about changes in the industry.  This year the tradeshow was in St. Louis. This year, as we have every year, we learned a lot. There are new parts and new trailers coming into the industry and all manufacturers showcased new improvements to their line ups. This is a great event for the industry.  Besides the product specific learning, we also walked away with three big thoughts. So what did we learn?   First, the industry is consolidating: like all industries the companies are getting bigger and buying each other. Broadly speaking, this means two things: there will be less manufacturers and thus less choice, but more resources put into the remaining trailer manufacturers, meaning increased quality and options, more innovations and ultimately increased value to the end customer. This is a good trend for the industry.   Second, the industry is growing.  The amount of dealers waxes and wanes but the industry leaders are getting bigger and better at what they do. Customers are receiving more pre- and post-sale consideration and care. The dealer network is becoming more professional and more dealers are offering full service solutions.  This too is a good trend for the industry.   Last, we learned as we always do, that we have work to do. Flaman Trailers strives to be an industry leader by providing trailers for every use.  We have more products to receive training on, and shortly we will have more products to offer, thus more choices to help you find the trailer that specifically meets your needs.    We come out of this event every year with new ideas and new energy, with the ultimate goal of providing more value to our customers.  I can already say, I am looking forward to next year. Mon, 10 Sep 2012 14:24:04 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=110 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=109 The indent cylinder machine is designed primarily to separate grain by kernel length. It separates long kernels from shorter ones. The cylinder itself is a thin-walled tube with indents formed on the inside to the shape of a hemisphere. These indents are known as pockets. By using indent pocket size, the kernels that fit into the pocket are lifted up and dropped into a trough that runs the entire length of the cylinder, while the longer kernels slide off and tail out the end. Indent pocket sizes are measured in 64ths of an inch similar to screen sizes used on screen machines. These cylinders are case hardened to give them a longer life span. Cylinders not hardened would wear out very quickly. The cylinder always lifts up the shorter product that fits into the pocket and always tails off longer kernel; shorter from longer! A smaller pocket like a #13 will lift small weeds like buckwheat while tailing out wheat, while a larger pocket like a # 20 will lift wheat and tail out wild oats. Using combinations of different indent pocket sizes can do very fine separations of these products.   Indents use a combination of pocket size, centrifugal force, friction and gravity to make separations possible. By using different pocket sizes, particles of a certain size are able to be lifted off. The speed that the cylinder turns creates friction and centrifugal force that hold the particle in place. As the cylinder turns, that particle is lifted to a point where gravity takes over and allows the kernel to fall into a collection trough.   Speed of the cylinder is critical: too fast and the kernel is carried too far; too slow and gravity drops the product before reaching the collection trough.  Usually indent speeds are between 42 and 58 RPM. One or two RPMs can make a huge difference in separation and capacity.   The receiving trough catches and carries the lifted kernel to the end of the machine and discharges them into a spout. This trough is adjustable in order to make the cut or separation at the exact point of the particle size variation desired. The separation of the products usually happens between 60 and 45 degrees ahead of top dead centre.   Due to the fact that various seeds have different moisture, surface conditions, and specific gravity it is important to be able to hold the cylinder at a constant speed. Any fluctuations in speed will affect the actual trough adjustment and therefore the separations.   While feed flow and constant cylinder speed are critical, the unit is no better than the person running it. If you take time to understand the operation of the unit and allow a reasonable time after making adjustments you will find that the indent cylinder, regardless of make will do a good job for you. It will do this with minimal attention and service for a long period of time.   We at Flaman have several models and makes of indents available for sale. We are here to help.   This is one man’s opinion...   Wed, 22 Aug 2012 09:00:49 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=109 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=108 As the new territory rental manager I had the chance to personally hand deliver a $10,000 donation cheque on behalf of the Frank Flaman Foundation to Ike Friesen of Morden, MB. Ike is one of Flaman’s all-time longest rental dealers, and has been part of the Flaman team for over 10 years now. He is also chairman for SHARE (Sharing Hope and Agriculture Resources of the Earth). The SHARE project already has 425 acres of farmland planted this year with all proceeds donated to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Community growing projects are a unique way for people to contribute grain and other agricultural commodities to help people who are hungry around the world. A typical project involves a group of people working together to farm a common plot of land. After harvest, the production is donated through the Canadian Foodgrains Bank for overseas food ais and agricultural development projects. Flaman’s donation will be used towards crop input costs. Frank Flaman likes to donate money that's going to go right to the people. I was honoured to present this cheque to SHARE as it made me feel part of something that is a good cause and helping to fight hunger in our world. For more information on the Canadian Foodgrains Bank please visit www.foodgrainsbank.ca/growing_projects.aspx Ike Friesen and Parrish Kondra Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:08:07 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=108 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=107 For the third year in a row, Flaman Rentals in Saskatoon has been named a Consumer Choice Award Winner. This division of Flaman rents out enclosed and flat deck trailers, along with agricultural equipment like discs, land rollers or mowers. I recently attended the Consumer Choice Award ceremony with our marketing VP Steve Whittington at the beautiful Delta Bessborough in Saskatoon. We got to sip champagne and rub elbows with a lot of great business owners in the city, and of course, celebrate our own success!   This award is special because the winners are picked by our customers. It means a lot to us that people recognize our efforts to offer great customer service. We were also very pleased to win a Consumer Choice Award three years in a row. This means our team is consistent taking care of our customers’ needs. And we’re proud of that!   What’s great is that the Consumer Choice Award is becoming a trusted name in the Saskatoon area. Looking at the other winners gathered in the room that night, we knew we were in good company amongst other top businesses in Saskatoon.   A big “thank you!” is due to our rental team in Saskatoon for all their efforts and hard work every day and to our customers for continuing to choose Flaman Rentals.     Steve Whittington (middle) receiving our award from Saskatoon Mayor Don Atchison and Consumer Choice Award President Marcel Sbrollini     Jennifer Thompson arriving at the awards ceremony.     Tue, 26 Jun 2012 15:27:16 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=107 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=106 At Flaman trailers we have offered concession trailers for some time.  With the addition of the Wells Cargo line, we can really offer quality concession trailers from a company that knows the industry requirements.  We do receive requests for quotes for a concession trailer and they range from pointed requests such as “How much?” to more detailed inquiries.  The fact of the matter is when it comes to a concession trailer purchase, it should always be a detailed inquiry.  However, you need to know what questions you should be asking prior to contacting a Trailer Sales specialist.    Here is a list of things to think about. In fact, you can use it as a check list prior to contacting us!   What is the Application of the trailer? o   Food o   Vending o   Line-up o   Display o   Ticket booth o   Other:__________ Size (Select the base box size) o   Single axle 7 wide 12 or 14 long o   Tandem axle 7 wide 12 ,14, 16 long o   Tandem axle 8 wide 12 , 16 ,20, 24, 28, 32 long Floor o   Flat Floor o   Recessed floor Roof Profile o   Radius Roof o   Flat Roof Hitch o   Permanent A-Frame o   Removable Stabilizer Jacks o   Scissor Jacks o   Corner Posts Entry Door o   30”  Square o   36” Square o   36” Radius Service Windows -Style o   No (skip next two questions) o   Vertical Style o   Horizontal Style Service Windows – Quantity o   Curbside o   Roadside o   Front Lift up Awning – Quantity o   One o   Two o   Three o   More Lift up Awning Style o   Straight o   Sign type –Aluminum faced o   Sign type Plexiglas Faced Awning Supports o   Self Storing –standard up to 8’0” wide without supports o   Swing out supports Standard on awnings over 8’0” wide o   Gas Piston Supports o   Sliding Awning Supports Floors o   One piece standard vinyl linoleum o   One piece Heavy Duty skid resistant vinyl linoleum o   Other Insulation o   No o   Walls o   Ceiling Interior Side Walls o   Plywood o   White vinyl covered plywood (light duty) o   White embossed FRP plywood (heavy duty) Interior Ceiling o   White vinyl covered plywood (light duty) o   White embossed FRP plywood (heavy duty) Counter/Cabinets/Shelves o   Laminated Counter (no cabinet) o   Exterior Hinged Counter o   Tip-out Laminated Counter o   Base Cabinet o   Overhead Cabinet o   Overhead Plastic Storage trays Sink Units o   3 compartment sink – Straight o   4 compartment sink – Straight o   4 compartment sink – L -shaped o   4 compartment sink – Deep Electrical o   30 amp service panel (120 Volt only) o   50 amp service panel (120/240 Volt) o   100 amp service panel (120/240 Volt) o   120 Volt Duplex Receptacle(s) o   120 Volt Duplex GFI receptacle(s) o   240 Volt Bell Box (Stub Wire) o   Exterior 120 Volt Duplex GFI Receptacles   And this is just the start! Do you need and air conditioning, heating, lighting or a vent with an exhaust fan?  The list goes on, but if you go through the checklist first you will have a good idea about what you need and the product specialist will be better equipped to answer your question: “How Much?”    For more information and images on options, check out www.flaman.com/trailers/Concession-Trailers/     Mon, 25 Jun 2012 11:45:41 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=106 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=105 The Canadian Farm Progress Show is an annual event that starts on Wednesday June 20th  at Evraz Place in Regina. Known as “Canada’s National Farm Show,” it’s an agriculture industry show that focuses on innovation and technology primarily for dryland farming practices. The show attracts visitors from the across Canada, the USA and 45 other countries. Flaman has a booth at the show since the start. We sat down with Rudy Flaman to talk with him about the importance of the show and Flaman’s history there.   When did Flaman start going to the Farm Progress Show? We were there when it all began and every year since. The first year Frank had to be gone for some reason so Bernice looked after a small booth and has been helping out every year since by making sure all the troops are well fed with some home made food during the show. Thanks Bernice!   Why is it an important show to go to? It’s the number one ag show in western Canada, and it attracts a whole ton of international visitors, along with our local ag market. With the timing of the show, it’s traditionally been a kick off to summer. Everyone gets their crop in the ground and comes to the farm show in a good mood with their chequebook. You may not be able to talk to our customers for a year, but they’ll come to the show and look you up; it’s a meeting place.   Why do you think it’s still so popular today for farmers? A lot of new product is unveiled at the show. They have a new invention portion of the show, so farmers come to see what is new. If there is any new product or new way of doing something that will be important to the ag industry, it will be at the show.   How has the show changed over the years? What’s changed since it started is all the new advanced technology that’s been introduced. There have been new items at show that 15years ago weren’t even heard of.   What has been your most memorable Farm Progress year? One highlight was back in 1980s when we sold a whole ton of grain storage. And in the early 1990s we won more than one award for best display. But generally, it’s a time where everybody gets together. The P.A. boys come down, the guys from Saskatoon, Yorkton, a lot of the ag people get together and work as a team once a year. It’s an opportunity for the sales people to get together with customers. And it’s a big team effort. A heck of a pile of work goes into the set up and take down of the booth. Wed, 20 Jun 2012 12:47:46 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=105 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=104 It may be summer, but there are a few people who are getting excited about snowmobiling next winter. Gerald Serson of Regina recently traveled to Saskatoon to pick up his grand prize from our Sled’N Snap Photo Contest. He won the use of an enclosed snowmobile trailer for a year!  More than 860 photos were submitted to Sled’N Snap from across Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba. The grand prize winner was determined by public voting. Just over 27,600 votes were cast for the top 20 finalists.   Gerald says he was “pretty excited” to hear he’d won the trailer. There are four people in his family who snowmobile, and he says he’ll get great use of it. His winning photo was taken at a warm up shack in Hudson Bay this past January while Serson was sledding with his family.   “This photo contest has opened people’s eyes to snowmobiling,” Serson says. “I think some people didn’t realize what’s out there for shelters and trails and all the wildlife you can see.” He believes this contest will help promote the sport and more people will want to try snowmobiling next winter.   Random draw winners were also selected by the sled associations for a 2-place tilt sled trailer. The winners were: Charity Jarduk, Yorkton Todd Lander, Rocky Mountain House Treena Massey, Winnipeg   You can view all the winning photos at www.slednsnap.com.   Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:42:09 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=104 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=103 Good companies often win awards but what about their customers? Shouldn’t they be recognized? Are they not part of the reason for the award? At Flaman Group of Companies this year we have won two awards: Consumer Choice Award and SABEX Marketing Award. With both of these awards, it would be easy to position the employee efforts as the reason for the awards. Certainly the Consumer Choice Award is directly correlated to outstanding customer service by the staff and a marketing award is due the creative efforts of the marketing team.While both of these facts are true, there is more to each story. Let’s start with the Consumer Choice Award. Obviously customer service is an important factor, but so is customer convenience and variety of choice for product offerings. Customer Service is the number one value of Flaman Group of Companies (FGC) so we will take credit for that, but how did the other two factors, convenience and variety of choice evolve? The other two evolved by listening to loyal, engaged customers – customers who asked for more from FGC: more hours of operation, more product choice. It is these award-winning customers who pushed us to be better and by meeting their needs we ended up serving more people, more effectively. Without these loyal customers we would not have won the Consumer Choice Award. But how do customers influence marketing? Is not marketing self serving for a company, designed solely to convince customers to buy product? Advertising can be, but The Great Stuck in Muck Photo Contest and Sled’N Snap contest are both examples of customers coming to Flaman Group of Companies with an idea. FGC then took the idea and marketed it because we have the resources. Additionally, both contests rely on user generated content to make them come alive. So in the case of these marketing contests all FGC did was build the ball park,so to speak. It was our customers that showed up and played a great game that drew in the crowds, some of whom purchased our products. In 2012 FGC won two awards. The staff worked hard and deserved to be recognized for their efforts, but our customers worked hard and should be recognized as well. Mon, 11 Jun 2012 22:48:04 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=103 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=102 Over the past couple weeks I have been working on an exciting project – building our new careers site. With a lot of help from our awesome design team, we finally have a shiny new careers site for you to see what is happening at Flaman. One of the biggest challenges I faced was creating a page that exhibited and explained the Flaman Group of Companies’ culture. Flaman is a diverse company with many locations and divisions. Each location and division does things a little bit differently, so writing about the Flaman culture in a way that would be true to everyone was difficult. Flaman is like no place I have ever worked (or for that matter like any of the places my friends have worked). Explaining our “secret sauce” or what makes us tick was hard because there aren’t really words to describe it. It’s more of a feeling, an unsaid way of doing things that guides us all in the same direction. I finally got the idea that Flaman is different after about 100 tries (sometimes it takes me a while). I realized that the Flaman culture can’t be explained or summed up. It’s something you have to experience. So I decided to be a little different. I pulled all the words that I kept hearing in my conversations with our team (words like supportive, growth, family, caring) and put them into a cloud. This is what creates the word cloud you see today on the Flaman Culture page. Then someone else gave me an awesome idea of using a picture of our Saskatoon team dressed up for the Rider game. I think the picture says it all. We are a crazy, quirky bunch who love to have a good time. So please, if you have a couple minutes, check out www.flaman.com/careers and tell me how we did.   Thanks!   Lindsay Thu, 24 May 2012 14:35:06 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=102 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=101 On May 17, I had the honour of attending the Saskatoon Awards for Business Excellence (SABEX) ceremony. Flaman was named a finalist in the Marketing award category. This was a very exciting nomination for us. The SABEX awards honour businesses in Saskatoon and area in a variety of categories, such as Marketing, Customer Service, New Business and Business of the Year. Winners are selected from the finalists by a group of their peers. It meant a lot to us that we were recognized for our efforts by business leaders in our community.   This was the first time Flaman was named a finalist for a SABEX award.The ceremony was held at Prairieland Park, which had been decorated in a glamorous 1950s theme. After a delicious supper, the awards began, and I have to say I sat on the edge of my seat until our category was announced. We were up against three other great local businesses, so I was pretty nervous. When they announced the winner of the Marketing award was Flaman Group of Companies, I couldn’t have been happier! Our tables clapped and cheered as Steve Whittington, our VP of Marketing, accepted our award.   This award means so much to us. As a member of the marketing team, I know firsthand how much work goes into our marketing programs. We handle marketing for multiple stores, in many diverse divisions like fitness, trailers, grain cleaning and ag. Along with traditional advertising and marketing, I feel that Flaman is leading the way with things like our websites and online community building.     The goal of our marketing department is to give our customers what they want and create content that is engaging and interesting. To me this is exemplified in our “Great Stuck in the Muck” photo contest. This contest was created as a way for farmers to share photos and stories about getting stuck, which is a universal problem for anyone working outside. This contest quickly grew to be much more than just a photo site. It’s now known as “Facebook for Farmers” across Western Canada. This site was a way we could give back to our customers and I think it worked. The website regularly gets thousands of visitors each month and many more when voting is happening.   I am so proud of our team! Along with those from our Saskatoon office, we have a strong team of marketers and web designers from all our locations. It truly was an honour to be named a finalist and of course we are so thrilled to be recognized as a leader in the business community. Thank you to the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce and all those in the company that contribute to our success.   Fri, 18 May 2012 17:31:23 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=101 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=100 Hi! I wanted to take a minute (or 2) and introduce myself and tell you a little bit about what is happening in the world of customer service at Flaman. My name is Lindsay Sanderson. My official title is Customer Relations Manager but you can just call me Lindsay or the girl who calls you and talks really fast. My job was added not too long ago. Mostly I call customers (like you) to see how your experience here was. While I have been calling people I have learned that customer service can happen in 2 minutes or less (sometimes more but usually less). Just about every day I go into my computer and I pull out a list of customers who have visited one of our locations and call as many as I can. Most of the time these calls are very short, under 2 minutes, although some are a bit longer. Usually the longer conversations come from when we have fallen down and screwed up. These conversation are not always fun but they are interesting and challenging. And I love a good challenge. Hearing about our weaknesses and failures is not the bright point of my day, but we have learned some very important lessons (those are for future blog posts). More often than not I do get to hear really great stories about our people and our customers. When this happens I love having a great excuse to get out of my office, head down to the sales floor, shop or parts counter and say – “Hey I just heard the greatest story about you!” That is a pretty great part of my job. These phone calls are customer service to me. They are about trying to learn what is happening from our customers' perspective. If we haven’t talked yet I look forward to talking with you! When I call you, I don’t have a formal survey that I am trying to fill out. I want to hear what you have to say, what you are thinking and what you would like to see. Like I said before, I talk really fast so 2 minutes is usually all it takes but if you want to talk slow or long I am good with that too! If you have something that you really want to talk about (but I will warn you I am not very well versed on the finer points of hockey and football) please give me a call anytime at 1-888-435-2626. Lindsay Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:16:53 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=100 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=99 Flaman Rentals has just finished producing and distributing the new Rental Rate Flyer for our eastern Saskatchewan and western Manitoba rental stores. It contains details and safety information as well as rental rates on all of our most popular equipment. A mass mailing was done in early March to farmers and business in these areas and it is also available to download off this site.   We hope that you will find it useful and informative and like the catalogue says, if you don’t see what you need in here, please call any of our branches and we will be glad to help find it for you. Our rental inventory is constantly being added to so that we can better serve the needs of our customers and their diverse markets.   When you think rentals, think Flaman! Fri, 30 Mar 2012 09:19:03 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=99 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=98 I have been in the trailer industry for a long time: 3 years as a marketing consultant to the industry, 6 years as General Manager of a trailer manufacturer and 4 years running retail dealerships. Despite all this experience, I still get overwhelmed by the diversity of choice offered to a customer in today’s market place.  Unlike the auto industry, there are hundreds of large trailer manufacturers and thousands of small players. The dealerships to buy from range from a small, one-man band to professional, fully staffed dealerships that emulate the auto dealership model.   So how does a customer choose what and where to buy?   Some of you reading this may not be close to a Flaman Trailer Dealership.  (If you are in Western Canada you are never far, as there are ten locations.) Either way, when choosing a dealership to deal with, think about the following: How long has the dealership been in business? Do they carry brand name manufacturers? Do they offer service and parts? What are my product choices? Is there a range from good to best? Why does any of this matter?   How long has a dealership been in business?  As a consumer you may think this does not matter anymore, as many old companies have been swept under the rug lately. Fair enough, but do consider this; a company that has been around for a while is doing something right. That something is always about the how the customer is treated.    Brand Names:  For trailers, let's compare two brands: Trailtech and Blue Hill trailers. If you live in Western Canada, you know the quality of build that Trailtech represents and you know that brand will take care of its retailers and by default you, the customer. Who is Blue Hill? Well, they are in Texas. I honestly do not know much more.  Would you buy a car you have never heard of?  Then why buy a trailer that you have never heard of?   Service and Parts:  Would you buy a car from a dealership that cannot perform a service check?  Not a new car anyway.  Not all trailer dealerships provide this commitment to their customers. I personally believe there is duty of care that a responsible dealer should be able to provide to its customer.   Product Range Choices:  As a consumer you want to be able to choose the best fit for you.  If you are a four times a year user, you will need a certain grade of trailer with the appropriate price for that use.  If you are a construction company owner, you want a certain grade of trailer to take the work stress you will put on the trailer.  The point is, when you come to the lot you want to be able to make these choices and buy what you need, not what a sales person pressures you to buy because that is what the dealership offers.  At Flaman Trailers we believe in providing choice: good, better, best.  You pick.   Does it always come down to price?   Well I hope not – as a retailer the fight for the lowest price is a race to the bottom.  You never win and never create a sustainable customer orientated business, unless you cut all services, amenities and after sale care.  That is not the Flaman Trailer customer-focused business model.  That said, at Flaman we do often have the lowest prices due to our buying power, and we often have the highest prices due to our product offering.  Our sales team will consult you as to which grade (good, better, best) of trailer you need and then you pick.   I hope this has been helpful.  It is difficult to choose sometimes in this congested marketplace. Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:15:53 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=98 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=97 Are you looking for a meaningful way to give back to your community? Then mark your calendar and get your ticket for the 6th annual Frank Flaman Foundation Gala on March 30, 2012.  This annual event is the main fundraiser for the Frank Flaman Foundation, the charity created by Flaman Group of Company’s founder and owner Frank. The Foundation is funded by Frank's share of the profits from the Flaman Group, and by private donations. Along with being a savvy businessman, Frank has always been a respected philanthropist, and his foundation gives millions of dollars to local and international charities each year.   The gala is a fun and elegant evening, featuring a delicious supper, a silent auction with a large variety of items and an exciting live auction.   But this event is not just about raising money, it’s also about showing attendees and supporters how their contributions are making a difference. Representatives from a number of charities are on hand to receive their donations from Frank himself. As well, charitable groups are showcased for everyone to learn about the great work that they do.   The charities that the Foundation supports are too many to list, but some examples are: Operation Eyesight, the Salvation Army, Oxfam, Room to Read, Global Neighbours, E4C’s School Lunch Program and many other local and international charities that help women and children in need. To Frank, a needy person is a needy person, whether they live just down the street or thousands of miles away.   This year the fundraiser is on March 30, 2012 at the Shawn Conference Centre in Edmonton. Cocktails start at 6:30 pm, with dinner at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $100 or $900 for a table of 10. For tickets or more information, please contact Syndy Bisson at (780) 955-3400. Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:48:00 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=97 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=96 As a new employee at Flaman Sales, and a new resident to Saskatchewan, I’m excited to be starting a new career in the grain cleaning industry. With a background in the field of computer technology, I’m definitely starting from square one. Being new to the field is a little daunting, but I hope my “fresh” perspective can provide valuable insights and new ideas. With the problem of ergot across the prairies over the last few years, there has been an ever increasing demand for efficient and effective grain cleaning. Ergot is a fungus which is toxic. It can cause infertility in humans and animals in fairly small doses and can cause a host of other health issues including death. Color sorters have been proven to be excellent tools to engage this problem with.   They are capable of removing almost all of the ergot from contaminated loads of grain. Since the tolerance level of ergot in the market (for wheat) ranges from about 0.04% to 0.01% depending on the spec, these machines are very necessary in sorting grain to a saleable product.   This is where I fit in. I have been hired as the new color sorter field technician. Basically, these machines are designed to separate “good” grain from “unwanted” grain. These machines are full of electronic, mechanical, and pneumatic components. The high flow machines are capable of sorting up to 25 tonnes of grain per hour. Flaman primarily sells two models; the Alphascan II and the Evolution. The Alphascan II is a monochromatic machine which is excellent for sorting high volumes of product with color differences in one light spectrum. These are the work horses for dealing with ergot. The Evolution is a full color sorting machine which is best utilized for sorting product with many different colored defects.   From what I’ve seen, both of these machines are phenomenal sorters and I’m excited to be a part of the industry which is providing better, cleaner products to the world’s markets. I’ll be traveling all over the prairies this year making sure these machines are in tip top shape and making their owners (our customers) money. I’m looking forward to meeting all existing customers and hopefully some new ones as well.   -Sheldon Wed, 07 Mar 2012 17:58:10 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=96 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=95 Operation of an Air and Screen   As the name implies, air screen machines use a combination of suction air that is drawn through the curtain of grain as it falls from the hopper onto a series of screens. The screens then size the product by width of the kernel, and a final air suction process is used. With an air screen, the grain is fed onto the screens by either a vibrating feed system or by using a metered feed roll. In either case a feed gate controls the flow and an even flow is given to the machine. Making sure there is an even flow is critical to the quality of the job to be done. As the grain falls from the feed system onto the screens, there is a process by which air is drawn through the curtain of grain. By doing so, light grain, chaff and dirt are drawn off the product before the grain touches the screens. The air mixed with dirt etc. is drawn into an expansion chamber where the chaff etc. separate and the heavy material is augured out. This process is the first thing that happens and it is also the last process as the grain leaves the machine. Increasing or decreasing the air volume allows the operator to decide how much product he wishes to remove. Screens size the kernels by width. A system of screens removes any product that is wider than the kernel chosen [scalping], or narrower than the product chosen [sifting]. Screens are generally measured in 64ths of an inch, For example a 5.5 round would be a sifting screen for flax and would be 5 and ½ 64ths of an inch in diameter. There are several types of screens available in perforated steel. Round hole, slotted hole, and triangular hole are the ones generally used for grain cleaning. There are also a variety of wire mesh screens available for special use. The type of grain dictates the type of screen. We at Flaman have over 100 years of combined experience in screens, over 55 sizes of screen material in stock, and are dedicated to offering our customers top notch service. This is one man’s point of view…   Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:55:38 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=95 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=94 Flaman Sales and Rentals in Moosomin is happy to announce that we have officially begun construction on our new facility here in Moosomin. As part of the original take over from Wayne’s Rental Centre back in the spring of 2011, Flaman knew that they would soon need a much larger facility to work out of as business grew and expanded. The current building of 4,000 square feet and a half acre of yard space will soon become a building of more than 13,000 square feet and 10 acres of yard space located on the west side of Moosomin, along the busy #1 and #8 highway intersection.   It will be a full line rental store, as well as a fully stocked parts store and retail outlet for all the lines that Flaman carries in the other corporate stores, like Yorkton. The Moosomin staff are looking forward to the new facility and proud of it becoming a cornerstone of the local business sector. Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:40:03 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=94 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=93 Nearly 20,000 people from all over the province, country and globe converged on Saskatoon for the 2012 Western Canadian Crop Production Show, one of Western Canada’s premier showcase events for the grain industry. This year’s Crop Production Show not only experienced record attendance (up 15% from 2011) but a general optimism across the grain industry as producers, manufacturers and industry representatives reflected on a previous year of challenges and hope for a year of good weather and strong agriculture markets. The Flaman Group of Companies was there, set up across Prairieland Park in three separate booths, staffed by both Flaman sales members and product specialists. Our Grain Cleaning, Grain Handling and Farm Hardware booths were fully stocked and ready to provide the level of service you see in our stores.   One of the biggest draws to the Flaman booths was our OPI Grain Monitoring. It seems that producers, big and small, are starting to see the benefits of a system that monitors temperature. And with the “Free Install” promotion running for the month of January, it is a real “no-brainer” to start monitoring your biggest asset…….the grain in your bin.   All in all, the 2012 Western Canadian Crop Production Show was a success and we are looking forward to a strong 2012 for Flaman Sales and Rentals. We would like to take the time to wish you the best of luck in 2012, thank you for all the support in 2011, and remind you that your local Flaman sales representative is ready and waiting to help you in any way he/she can. Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:43:25 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=93 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=92 Well, we finally have snow!  It's actually looking like winter now in many parts of Saskatchewan and Alberta. This is good news for snowmobilers, who can finally get out on the trails and have some fun. And the snow is good news if you're looking to buy a trailer. At Flaman Trailers, we're celebrating the snowfall by passing on some great savings to you on snowmobile trailers.   You need a trailer to get to where you can go sledding. You may need one for storing your sleds. Currently there are sales, clearance items and manufacturer rebates on trailers. Now is really the best time to buy.   Check our website for deals or call your local dealership. You will not be disappointed. Visit http://www.flaman.com/trailers/Snowmobile-Trailers/   Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:35:43 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=92 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=91 Another winter is among us! Combines are put away, fall work is done (we hope), and the cows are coming home. Here at Flaman we are looking forward to another grain cleaning season. I am really looking forward to getting on the road to see as many people as possible that are cleaning, or are thinking about cleaning their own grain. After an above average harvest in most areas of Saskatchewan and Alberta there is one thing on most people’s mind, Ergot. There was a number of ergot issues ranging from North Battleford all the way to Edmonton and as far south as Medicine Hat. This means busy times for Colour Sorters in Saskatchewan and Alberta. At Flaman Grain Cleaning and Handling we are offering free colour sorter demos where you can bring in your own sample and watch the Satake Colour Sorter do its’ magic! The Western Canadian Crop Production Show is back in Saskatoon from January 9th – 12th, 2012. I will be making my way down the Yellowhead to Edmonton on January 11th – 13th, 2012 for the Alberta Seed Cleaning convention taking place at the Westin Hotel. This is a first time show for myself and I am very excited to see the people behind the Co-op Seed Cleaning Plants of Alberta. Christmas is coming fast so make sure to get that Christmas shopping done and have a very safe and happy holiday season! Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:44:19 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=91 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=90 Ergot is a type of fungus that grows on many grasses, rye, wheat, barley, and triticale.It infects the floret of the grass or cereal and mimics the process of pollinated grain growing on the plant. On ergot infected plants, a spore destroys the ovary, and then connects to the plant by attaching itself to the plant’s seed nutrition system. An infected floret can also infect other florets by insect dispersal of the asexual spores. That means that an insect can carry millions of the spores to other plants in the region. When mature ergot drops to the ground the fungus remains dormant until proper conditions trigger its fruiting phase, germinate and re-infest an area. Ergot is toxic. Infestations in the grain can cause spontaneous abortions in people and animals, as well as some very unpleasant symptoms. It can cause irrational behavior, seizures, convulsions, unconsciousness, even death. This explains why there is almost zero tolerance for ergot in grain for sale. Much of the grain should not even be fed to animals. Point zero one [.01%] percent is all that is allowed for a #1 specification. Ergot has infected a wide area in Saskatchewan and Alberta over the last few years. Some places have had the infestation 3 or more years in a row with various areas having ergot at 0.7% and higher. It is getting worse. My personal belief is that it is here to stay. Some years will be better than others but it will always be a market factor. Plant scientists don’t even have a straight answer to this problem. There is a wide difference of opinion. Maybe a prolonged dry spell will reduce the amount but as soon as it rains at the right time again we are back to ergot woes. This is only one man’s opinion… Next installment, how do we proceed? Colour Sorters vs. Gravity Tables.   Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:28:10 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=90 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=89 A new website has been created to get the message out about safe sledding to local snowmobilers.  Sled’N Snap (www.slednsnap.com) is an online photo contest and community forum that celebrates snowmobiling in Saskatchewan. The Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association and Flaman Group of Companies recently launched the new website as a way to reach out to the sledding community.   “Our biggest challenge is getting the message out to our many members about safe and courteous riding,” says Chris Brewer, President and CEO of the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association. “This contest is a fun and interactive way to spread the word to a larger audience.”   “But it’s more than just a photo contest. It’s a destination site for anyone who snowmobiles. There are links to trail maps, articles about safety, a tips forum and more.”   Sled’N Snap’s premise is simple – visitors to the site upload their photos in a variety of categories like Trail/Scenery/Wildlife, Youth and Family, Action!, or Club Rides. At the end of March, the photos will be judged by an association panel who will select a group of finalists and then the public will vote for the grand prize winner.   Up for grabs is the use of the amazing, fully-loaded Stealth aluminum enclosed sled trailer for one year. There are also category prizes from the Saskatchewan Association and every entry is eligible for the random draw for a new two-place aluminum tilt trailer from Flaman Trailers.   And it’s a way for snowmobilers across the province to share memories and common experiences. They can leave comments on photos or share pictures on Facebook. “One of the submitted photos is of a cabin that’s used as a shelter, and someone’s already commented on how they remember going to that same place,” says Brewer.   The submission period for the photo contest ends March 31, 2012. To be eligible for any prizes, entrants must have a registered sled. For more information, visit www.slednsnap.com. Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:43:16 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=89 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=88 This season the diversity of choice for a sled trailer can be daunting. There are many brands, different dealers, options and types to choose from.  Let me try to take you through the choices with a bunch of comparison points as follows: Canadian versus American, steel versus aluminum, open versus enclosed, enclosed 7 wide versus 8.5 ft wide deck over, heated  versus not heated and dealer versus dealer.   1)      Canadian versus American.  Let me start by writing “buy Canadian eh” whenever possible. There, I put it in writing. Not to get political but come on, if you can, support a Canadian company.  That said, of the Canadian brands that provide sled trailers, the two leading players are Southland Trailers with their XR Series and Trailtech with their heavy duty steel trailers.  There are others in the West notably Rainbow Trailers, Agassiz Trailers and CJay Trailers; however, their choice offering is less than the leading two.  That said, the American companies do a good job, the problem is how fluid the industry is.  Many companies rise and fall quite quickly (such as Pace American which recently shut its doors).  Despite this, competition in the US is thick and there are all kinds of options to choose from, but beware of what you are buying and from whom.  At Flaman Trailers we partner with the two leading Canadian companies and several American companies to round out our offering.   2)      Steel versus aluminum.  The debate rages, but there are some simple facts.  Aluminum is lighter and does not rust, but it costs about a 1/3 more.  Steel is stronger and on an enclosed unit it is only the tip of the trailer and the tail that is really going to show any rust. On an open deck there is a little more exposure.  With the weight factor, several hundred pounds with a regular pick up makes a heck of a difference for hauling. For instance a two place aluminum open can weigh as little as 480 lb., while a two place steel open can weigh as much as 1345 lb.   3)      Open versus enclosed.  To be honest, it comes down to available storage, usage and budget.  If you have lots of room to store your trailers in for the summer, there’s no need for an enclosed trailer otherwise. As for usage, how many a times a year will you be trailering and how far? Do you need an enclosed staging area? The amount of time you have to spend cleaning grime off your sled gets older every time.  That being said, if you are hauling only a few times or short distances, get an open deck trailer, save some money and put it into your sled.   4)      Enclosed lowboy/7 ft wide versus enclosed 8.5 ft wide deck over. Traditionally, if you wanted to haul sleds in Canada you purchased an 8.5’ wide deck over trailer.  Your sleds parked side by side and loading and unloading was easy through the rear and front ramp.  The 8.5’ wide deck over trailers, while convenient for loading, are big and if you have a steel frame trailer you need a big truck to haul your big trailer. Lowboy and 7 ft wide trailers are easier to pull and the 7 ft wide is a more convenient multi-use trailer in the off season than the 8.5 ft deck over. You can also see around the 7 wide and 8 wide lowboys with your mirrors when hauling. But loading is tricky, and you will not be walking in your trailer when loaded, there simply is no room.     5)      Heated versus not heated. To heat or not to heat is a question many a customer has.  The benefits of heat are obvious, but are you going to use it enough to justify the added expense?  Only you can be the judge of that.   6)      Dealer versus dealer. There are many dealers selling sled trailers.  Your choices are many but should be made based on product knowledge, service and after sales support – not price! The trailers are all priced differently for a reason. If something is less or more at different dealers it is due to features, product quality and support the dealership offers.  Educate yourself and purchase from a professional that will help you choose the best sled trailer for you.   Hope this helps! Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:27:54 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=88 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=87 Some lucky Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba producers have turned a frustrating wet season into a winning situation.    The winners of the Great Stuck in the Muck Photo Contest have been determined by your votes! The winners of a new 50 foot tow rope are: Shauna Perras, Montmartre, Sask. – Best Overall Dan Vanbeselaere, Waskada, Man. – Best Stuck Tractor Eddy Kish, Cupar, Sask. – Best Stuck Combine Tim Bastable, Wauchope, Sask. – Best Stuck Sprayer Justin Brown, Prince Albert, Sask. – Best Stuck Industrial Equipment Travis Priest, Lethbridge, Alta. – Best Stuck Truck Evan Sauer, Edenwold, Sask. – Most Comical Cody Grasdal, Biggar, Sask. – Muddiest Digger Katherine Palaschak, Edmonton, Alta. – How Did That Happen?   Stuck in the Muck (www.stuckinthemuck.com) began two years ago as a place for farmers to upload and share photos of their equipment stuck in the mud. The site has since evolved to a place where producers can help each other with problems they face while farming in wet fields by leaving a tip in the Getting Unstuck Tips forum.   At Flaman, we believe Stuck in the Muck has created a sense of community among producers. We call it Facebook for farmers – a place where they can share common experiences and have some fun.     This year there were more than 50,000 visits to the website since it re-launched in May and over 155,300 visits since it was first created a year ago. We had 358 people from Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba submit 383 photos and over 1,200 people from across the world visited the site to vote for their favourite pictures.      One photo that got plenty of votes was Shauna Perras’s photo of her “stuck” tractor cake. She won in the Best Overall category. Perras, who has a cattle and grain farm in Montmartre, baked the cake for her nephew Nate’s third birthday. She entered the photo of the 3D cake that’s shaped like a John Deere tractor stuck in the mud when a neighbour suggested it.     “It feels awesome to be a winner,” Perras says. “The community was really great about voting. And Nate just loved the cake.”     Dan Vanbeselaere submitted a picture of a tractor that got stuck by a hired hand while he was seeding his father’s field near Waskada. He won in the Best Stuck Tractor category.     “It was the second time we got stuck that day,” he explains. “We call the mud dinosaur snot because that’s what it looks like. That’s the only place I’ve seen mud like that.”     Vanbeselaere says they had to use a track hoe to drag the tractor backwards through the trench to finally get it out. He entered the contest because he’d never seen anyone stuck that much in a long time. He says he can guarantee he’ll put the new tow rope to good use.    The winning stuck photos will also be featured in a 2012 calendar that will be used as a fundraiser for local charities. Giving back to the community is an important mandate of Flaman. Our company’s founder, Frank Flaman, gives over a million dollars to local and global charities through the Frank Flaman Foundation each year.     Flaman has also drawn three random winners from all of the entries, who will win a tow rope and appear in the calendar. Congratulations to:  Leonard Walder of Lauder, Man. Gary Ostafichuck from Wakaw, Sask. Nathan Stamp from Scandia, Alta. The winners, along with all the submitted photos, can still be viewed at www.stuckinthemuck.com.   Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:28:37 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=87 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=86 The days are getting  colder, Halloween has come and gone and this means Sled Trailer season has started! Flaman Trailers is excited for the start of the season. Flaman Trailers has already been to the Alberta Snowmobile show and the Saskatchewan Snowmobile show. We have more product choices for you than ever before. Starting with the economical offering of our steel framed Summit Series trailers to the all flat black Stealth trailer from NashCar Trailers, we truly have a trailer for every sled.  Our open deck line has expanded as well. Aluminum tilt trailers with a five year warranty are always popular units.  For the 2012 season Trailtech  has produced a special edition open deck two place. It is an eye catcher with flat black paint, silver reflective tape, white LED lighting and series 7 aluminum rims.  However, the show stopper is the ultimate custom Stealth 40 foot long gooseneck. This trailer features mirrored interior walls, black hard top flooring, a kitchenette, a rocking stereo system with no less than 4 subs, air conditioning, a 40,000 BTU heater, insulated generator set...and the list goes on and on.   Last and most exciting is the new photo contest Sled'N Snap (www.slednsnap.com). Flaman Trailers partnered with the Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba snowmobile associations to bring this exciting contest to the sledding community. The contest has it all: six categories to enter into, an entry prize of a two place aluminum tilt trailer per province, and the grand prize, use of a 28’ tag Stealth trailer for a year.   So this winter season there is a lot going on at Flaman Trailers.  Check back often to keep in the loop. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:58:43 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=86 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=85 Have you voted today? There were so many great photos submitted to the Stuck in the Muck contest that we need your help picking the winners. But you have to hurry, there are only a few days left to vote for your favourite photos.   You can vote once a day for each picture, but you can vote for as many photos as you like. This year there are new categories to choose from, like Best Overall, Best Stuck Tractor, Best Stuck Sprayer or Muddiest Digger.   Categories winners get a new tow rope, will appear in a 2012 calendar and get bragging rights!   Visit www.stuckinthemuck.com today.   Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:45:43 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=85 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=81 Southern Saskatchewan 2011 harvest is under way! The combines are rolling through peas and lentils in most of the areas that I have seen. The crops are looking above average in most areas of the south, after a rainfall of 25 to 30 inches in the south last year it is not hard to compare the quality of this year’s crop. Pea acres seem to be down substantially this year compared to recent years, after seeing what the quality of the peas are this year, this may be a tough pill for some farmers to swallow especially if the price continues to rise. The lentil quality also looks very good this year, after the European’s declared no glyphosate on lentils I have seen a few more lentil acres being swathed this year. Canola is being swathed daily and more and more acres are down every day, the canola crop’s look very good in southern Saskatchewan this year, which is a different look this year due to the fact that you would not usually see so many canola acres in Southern Saskatchewan, But with last year’s chem.-fallow acres very high it set farmers up well for a large canola year. Wheat and durum are slowly behind in some spots I have seen; staging anywhere from seeing wheat being swathed to wheat that still needs 3-4 weeks frost free weather to avoid another feed wheat year. As long as we can keep that white combine away, I would say that the 2011 crop year will be a very successful year in most areas of the South that did not drown out in June. Mon, 22 Aug 2011 09:40:30 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=81 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=80 In many ways this product is nothing new, but this product is part of new specialization occurring with trailer products. Let me explain. Living Quarter units for horse trailers have been around for a long time and the idea originated from cowboys tired of sleeping in the trucks and being on the rodeo circuit more than they were at home.    This evolved to include weekend riders and then weekend warriors thus the RV industry followed suit creating toy haulers. In many ways the living quarters began to outstrip the original purpose of the trailers which was move something somewhere.   In my career, the need for simple sleeping accommodation with a trailer has been a constant request. Over the years the options have been as follows:   High End LQ units Custom built units Customer modified units (customer takes a stock unit and makes what they need) Unit vented and the customer throws in a mattress     Now the Nash Car Trailers Rage Camper Unit meets this need in the following ways: A Simple pull out allows for affordable, quick, comfortable accommodation. The pull out allows for full use of the trailer box The unit can be customized for different cargo (extra height for side by side units, or extra length) or more features: Awning, Stereo, water, base cabinets, the list goes on. The unit is all aluminum so it will not rust, light to pull plus it is stylishly designed (the triple wedge front really stands out)   So if you are looking for a trailer which can haul all your toys and then provide decent sleeping accommodation the Nash Car Rage Camper is your unit. Ask any of our product specialists for more details.   Tell us what you think? Has the missing link between camper and hauler finally been filled?     Tue, 02 Aug 2011 09:50:09 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=80 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=79 For Ryan Kahovec, getting stuck in the mud while farming near Rosetown was inevitable – there wasn’t much to be done to stop it. But he was convinced there was a better way for him to get unstuck, without damaging his equipment.   “We use a grain cart with a weigh scale, so if you’re stuck you can’t pull it from the back or you’d wreck it,” Ryan says, who farms 10,000 acres of cereals and pulse crops with his family. Unhooking the cart takes about half an hour, wasting precious time when you’re harvesting.   “We needed something to hook on the front of the tractor,” he says, but adds his John Deere had no place to hook a rope. “We needed something that ties the frame rail together so you can pull without bending.”   So Ryan decided to solve his own problem, and created a tow bar that easily attaches to the front of the tractor with eight bolts, using existing holes. The bar is made of a drop plate and tube with a lug in the centre. “You just hook up a rope or strap to the lug and away you go,” he explains.   Ryan made the first tow bar for himself, but soon his neighbours saw it and wanted one as well. He saw the Stuck in the Muck website as a great place to share his idea. Ryan himself has added some photos and he goes back to the site a couple times a week to see what’s new. “It’s important to me to try to help other farmers. So many frame rails on tractors get bent from pulling,” Ryan says. “If you hook on a four-wheel drive tractor and pull at a 45 degree angle, it takes less power and you won’t bend the frame. But you need that attachment to hook the rope onto. It’s handy at seeding too, as you can hook on and pull with another tractor to get the unit out and going quickly.” Cody Grasdal, who farms just north of Biggar, uses one of the tow bars on his 9530 triple tire John Deere. With the last tractor he had, Cody bent the frame trying to pull himself out of the mud. He knew he’d get stuck and need a tow bar this year because of all the rain that’s fallen.   The tow bar has worked really well, he says. It’s helped pull him out a couple of times and has not bent the frame. “One time we had two tractors pulling on the 9530 to get it out and the tow bar saved the frame from being damaged,” Cody says.   Right now the tow bars only work on John Deere tractors, for the 30 and 9000/20 series, but Ryan is looking at creating new ones for others manufacturers. For now, his advice to farmers who get stuck is to use heavy duty shackles and ropes, instead of chain, “and just take your time pulling.”   If you're interested in purchasing a tow bar, please visit our Parts website here.   Tue, 12 Jul 2011 11:12:30 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=79 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=78 Three successful open houses/contractor appreciation days! The weather was perfect, well maybe too perfect as a lot of the contractors we not able to make the contractor appreciation barbeques as they were taking advantage of the nice weather and were trying to get caught up on the projects that have been delayed by rain. We would like to thank everyone who came out to Swan River, Moosomin and Yorkton to help us celebrate and take in all of our displays. $1,433.00 was raised for The Children’s Wish Foundation and again we would like to thank Hilti for covering all of our expenses so that all the cash donated will go to the foundation to help grant a child their wish. The lucky winner of our grand prize of an 11’ Progression Trampoline was Jeff Bimji from Yellow Grass, SK. We wish Jeff and his family many hours of fun on the trampoline. A special thank you to all the reps that were able to attend: Hilti, Multi-Quip, Bobcat, Ditch Witch, Top Con and Makita. If you weren’t able to make the open house in your area you can still stop by anytime and see what we have to offer for sale or rent. Hands on displays at Yorkton's Open House               Thu, 07 Jul 2011 13:53:00 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=78 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=77 The trailer industry has traditionally been a fairly static industry.  Take the decade from 1998 to 2008: there were few developments other than more wide-spread use of enclosed trailers. The last three years have witnessed an explosion of developments.  A lot of these developments have been with hydraulics.  For instance, Roll Off Dump trailers, multi-deck trailers, 9’ hydraulic tails and more hydraulic tilt models than ever before.   What does this mean for you, a user of trailers? The hydraulics add cost, but not as much as before; because of the increased use of scissor lifts, the costs have been driven down by economies of scale. There is also a big increase in ease of use or just downright convenience.  The flip over ramps on an industrial trailer are nothing but heavy and awkward and a hydraulic tail is pretty nice to use in comparison.     The other thing besides convenience is versatility.  Some of the hydraulic trailers are multi-function.  Heck, one unit is called “Multi-Deck”, and a Roll Off Dump unit can roll on a cargo or flat deck attachment, making it “three trailers in one.”   All this being said, there are, as always, financial considerations.  The Roll Off Dump while being “three trailers in one” only starts to provide a cost advantage by the third attachment. One could make the argument that you could buy three trailers instead of one.  The same kind of argument can be made for a Multi-Deck.  Granted, I am comparing two or three entry levelled priced units to these top end units, but that still has to be a consideration. To be fair, one has to put operating costs in the equation; the hydraulic units have only the operating costs of one versus three, which is a point worth considering.   I can rant and rant about the pluses and minuses of the recent influx of hydraulic trailers.  I do believe they are here to stay and I do believe they have a place and application.  In some cases they not only make sense, but considering the alternative, an operator would be crazy not to have one given the choices available.   So are they the next big trend? Well no, I think trailer specialization is the next big trend and hydraulic units are just a part of that trend....but that is another topic for another time. Tue, 05 Jul 2011 17:35:23 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=77 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=76 This spring has been a very different one for many producers in the prairies, from near disastrous flooding in the southern parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, to drought in northern Alberta and B.C. It seems that nothing is predictable in the agricultural sector anymore (if it ever was).   One thing is certain for all producers, in all provinces: we need all the help we can get. That is why Flaman Rentals has once again expanded our network of dealers, as well as the large line of products carried.   In Saskatchewan we’d like to welcome our newest dealers: B & A Petroleum, having enjoyed great success in their Maple Creek location, has now expanded into Assiniboia. In Blaine Lake you can now go to Blair Industrial and see Blair for all your rental needs and last but not least…. Andres Inc is now our newest dealer in Windthorst.   In Alberta we’re happy to announce these dealers to serve you better: visit Brian Headon of Headon Rentals in the Lloydminster and surrounding trading area, Dunvegan Fab and Welding in the Fairview area and Whitetail Ventures in the High Level and La Crete areas.   And what better way to mark this expansion then to introduce our new Flaman Rentals website. Please take some time to navigate the site and see what we have to offer. We think you’ll find it very user-friendly and informative. And check out the Flaman Rental dealer closest to you! Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:19:12 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=76 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=75 For the second year in a row, Flaman Rentals has received the Consumer Choice Award for the best Equipment Rental dealer in Saskatoon.  “This award speaks well for the service we strive to give our customers,” says Ellery Erb, the rentals manager at Flaman Sales and Rentals in Saskatoon.   “Our goal is to have quality equipment and trailers to suit the customer’s needs, friendly service at the counter and fair pricing. I think all of those factors combined are what helped us win this award again.”   Consumer Choice Awards are handed out annually in cities across Canada in a variety of categories. The awards are based on answers from accurate surveys conducted by a third party research firm, Leger Marketing. Leger Marketing looks at various industries in each city and interviews a sample of people that represents the majority of that city’s population.   The first round of research determines the nominees for each category and a second survey asks people which of the nominated companies is their choice for the year.   Erb says it’s especially important that this award was voted on by customers, as customer service is the rental division’s number one goal.   This year’s awards were presented at a dinner and gala June 23 at TCU Place attended by a host of dignitaries including Saskatchewan’s Lieutenant-Governor Saskatchewan’s David Barnhart and Saskatoon Mayor Don Atchison.   Flaman Rentals in Saskatoon employs four full time employees and offers a fleet of 48 trailers and various agricultural equipment for rent.     Steve Whittington, an executive at Flaman, accepts the Consumers Choice Award for Flaman Rentals in Saskatoon.   Tue, 28 Jun 2011 11:44:08 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=75 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=74 Are you interested in the next generation of farm processes and grain management? Want to win some prizes? Then stop by Flaman Sales in Prince Albert on Tuesday June 28 for a day of exciting product demonstrations. You can see the Flaman Pro Grain Bagger and Pro Grain Extractor in action, and learn all about J&M Grain Carts. It will be fun and educational!   This is all part of Flaman Sales’ Customer Appreciation Open House, which will be showcasing many other agriculture products such as Opi grain monitoring, bin aeration solutions and a Kioti tractor obstacle course. There will also be raffles and great prizes available to be won, plus burgers and refreshments! All proceeds from food sales will go to the Prince Albert Women’s Shelter. A special donation will also be made to the shelter from the Frank Flaman Foundation.   “Flaman Sales wanted to show our customers how much we appreciate them with a day of demos, food and fun,” says Barrett Prokopie, Operations Manager at the Prince Albert store. “This is truly a way to showcase our products and spectacular staff, and get the producers out to discuss their wants and needs, and play our part in the community.”   Flaman Sales will have suppliers, product specialists and leasing representatives on hand to answer any questions producers may have and to lend a helping hand. So come on down for a good time! Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:10:10 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=74 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=73 At Flaman Trailers, we’re dedicated to customer service. So much so, that if you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you! That was the motto behind one of our salesman’s recent trip to Fort McMurray. Aaron Farrell, a trailer specialist at the north Edmonton store, loaded up a H370 flat deck trailer with a XR7 cargo trailer and an Aluma 638 utility trailer and headed up north To Fort McMurray on June 3 and 4.   This is the first time Flaman Trailers has gone on the road. Not long ago Aaron was looking through his customer list and noticed that many of them were form Fort McMurray. Talking with his customers, they expressed some difficulty in getting trailers up there. Many of them made the drive down to Edmonton.   “I thought: why not go up there? I had nothing to lose,” Aaron says.   He set up shop at the Fountain Tire in the MacKenzie industrial area, displaying the trailers on government land right in front of the store so everyone could see them as they drove by. Although Aaron says he had a bit of bad weather on the first day, the set up worked. He even sold the utility trailer on the spot.   “Lots of people were pulling over on the side of the road,” he says. “Many recognized the ad we had put in the paper. I talked to about 24 people over the 2 days I was there. It was great!”   Feeling confident, the second day he was there Aaron pulled his trailer over to a mall parking lot and set up for a few hours, where he also got a lot of traffic. He says he got a lot of interest from the oil field in equipment haulers and flat decks, but also a lot of interest in cargo trailers.   Aaron says he would “absolutely” like to take Flaman Trailers on the road again, and plans to go back to Fort McMurray.     Thu, 16 Jun 2011 16:37:06 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=73 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=72 You’re invited …   Three Flaman locations, three rental’s open houses. June 21 – Swan River, MB June 28 – Moosomin, SK July 5 – Yorkton, SK   If you are in the Moosomin area you have to check out the “Wall of Wow”. Imagine a total of over 30 flat-deck trailers lined up side by side and stacked 3 – 4 high. If you are in the market for a flat deck trailer this is the place to go.   Contractor specials. Book your rentals the day of the open house and receive:                 10% off – rentals between $1,000 - $2,499                 20% off – rentals between $2,500 - $4,999                 25% off – rentals over $5,000   Come check out the new Hilti TE 3000-AVR jack hammer. All the power of an air tool without the need for a compressor. The TE 3000-AVR delivers explosive breaking power without sacrificing mobility. It brings impressive hammering power to big concrete demolition jobs. The TE 3000-AVR is also a quick, easy way to break up asphalt for road building, repair work and pipe laying.   Hilti will also be doing demos with their DSH 900 hand-held gas saw. The Hilti diamond blade has lower friction which gives a higher cutting performance. It has high torque when needed with minimal hand-arm vibration. This saw is perfect for cutting curb stones, paving stones, sewer pipes and ducts, asphalt, metal and a whole lot more.   There will be hands-on demos of the ICS concrete chain saws. Come see for yourself how easy to use these concrete saws are.   Flaman’s is the only rental store in the Yorkton area to have a ride-on power trowel. Be the first to rent our brand new Barikell 30” ride-on power trowel. This ride-on power trowel is extremely responsive; features synchronized steering and is a labour saver wherever used instead of walk-behind trowels.   Come meet our suppliers and participate in Hilti, Bobcat, Ditch Witch and Multi Quip demos. Enter your name for a Progression 11” trampoline and for our many other great door prizes and stay for the barbeque lunch.   All proceeds from the barbeque lunch go to The Children’s Wish Foundation. Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:04:48 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=72 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=68 Often the perception is that utility trailers are the bottom rung of the trailer world when it comes to build construction. Granted, the $899 bolt together group of products with 8” tires at the big box stores are well...garbage. Tough words I know, but I have been around long enough and have had to deal with the aftermath of customers' price point purchases to write that strong language.   Things are shifting with manufacturers and trailer retailers, especially at Flaman Trailers. Speciality manufacturers and retailers like Flaman Trailers and Trailtech have recognized a customer need in this area and we are now supplying utility trailers that are quality built at a value.   Are these trailers $899? Well no, they are not. They start at $1,115 or in all aluminum by Aluma for $1,550. These are not bolt together units. They are welded, they have torsion axles or 3500 lb spring axles, some with aluminum rims and the smallest tire is 13” rubber. The steel utilities are generally sporting 15”  rubber most of the time.    These are quality built units for only a few dollars more and I believe worth your consideration. Thu, 26 May 2011 09:12:16 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=68 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=67 No, we’re not opening a new Flaman Trailers location in Siberia. But an interesting story unfolded this past March where trailers purchased from Flaman Trailers in Nisku played a background, but important, role in taking some special guests to the northern Russian region.  Parks Canada moved 30 Wood Bison calves from Elk Island National Park in Alberta to Lenskie Stolby National Nature Park in Sakha, Russia as a way to preserve the animals’ endangered population. This move created what is called an “out-population” in a region where bison went extinct thousands of years ago. Essentially, having these bison in Russia is an insurance policy, in case anything happens to the vulnerable population here in Canada.   So where does Flaman Trailers fit into all this? Well, as one woman quips in the documentary of the bison’s journey filmed by Discovery Channel, you can’t transport the bison in passenger seats.   The 30 calves were loaded into Southland stock trailers purchased from Flaman to make the one hour trip to Edmonton International Airport. These loaded trailers were then put on a Russian transport plane for the 10 hour flight to Yakutsk, Russia, then continued on a four hour drive along bumpy roads and a frozen river to the nature park.   These trailers had been in Russia since 2006, after they carried bison there as part of a pilot project. Almost five years later, as they were given the once over before the bison were loaded in, the trailers looked “excellent” according to the General Trades Assistant at Elk Island. I think it’s a testament to the quality of these Southland units – not only their durability but the fact they were trusted with carrying such precious cargo.   You can watch the story of the Flying Bison on Discovery Channel’s “Daily Planet” by clicking this link www.discoverychannel.ca/article.aspx?aid=31897       Fri, 06 May 2011 09:35:05 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=67 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=66 Every two years we replace the rental trailers in our fleets across all of our stores. We combine our pre-existing used inventory with our ‘birthday’ (clearance) trailers and add the trailers that come out of our rental fleets to make the largest trailer sale in our organization. We are currently clearing out over 350 trailers across western Canada, and we are sure we’ve got one to fit your bill. From small shuttle trailers, to motorcycle trailers, to car haulers, to dump trailers, to goosenecks, you’ll be hard pressed to find something we don’t have in our used inventory. Everything from aluminum to steel, light-duty to heavy-duty, in all sorts of colors, shapes and sizes. All trailers go through our service centers for a full inspection before they are put into our used inventory.  Stop in at your nearest FLAMAN dealer, or visit our used selection online HERE.   Mon, 02 May 2011 09:41:58 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=66 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=65 Wayne Beckett, from Flaman’s newest store in Moosomin is the new president of the Canadian Rental Association (CRA), and will serve in this role throughout 2011. The CRA is an industry trade organization dedicated to advancing the growth of the rental industry. His association with the CRA goes back almost to the day he started in the rental business, back in March of 1987.   Wayne originally joined the CRA to meet and learn from other rental operators. He is a firm believer in learning from other rental operators at every opportunity. When travelling for business or pleasure, he makes a point of stopping at most of the rental stores along the way.   Wayne is looking forward to the challenges of running the organization and implementing some new ideas. He hopes to meet with a lot of the members to get their input on what issues are important to them.   Wayne is also involved with the Moosomin Chamber of Commerce. On April 30 Wayne will be accepting a community recognition award from the Chamber of Commerce for over 20 years of dedicated service.   Congratulations Wayne and good luck in your new position! Tue, 12 Apr 2011 11:00:06 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=65 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=64 We are excited that as of April 1 Flaman Group of Companies took ownership of Wayne’s Rental Centre in Moosomin. The Moosomin store will be expanded into a full size yard site like Flaman Sales in Yorkton, and will sell a full line of ag implements and equipment—such as bins, aeration fans, grain carts and grain augers—and will include a store with a full retail area, fitness equipment, service bays and a rental area. The store will be managed locally by Peter Nabholz and the general manager will be Tyson Becker who works out of the Yorkton store. There will be a close relationship between the Yorkton, Swan River and Moosomin locations so if an item is not available in Moosomin we can bring it in from Yorkton or Swan River. L-R: Peter Nabholz, Charlene Swanton, Darren Kindlein, Wayne Beckett and Randy Fyke The Moosomin location is currently looking to buy about 12 acres of land to build a new store on and be in the new location by 2013. Until then the store will operate out of the former Wayne’s Rental Centre. Almost a million dollars of rental equipment, trailers, water fittings, pumps and water tanks will be added to inventory. The Yorkton store started 15 years ago with just one employee and has evolved into a store with 25 employees. We can see the same thing happening in Moosomin. Moosomin is a very strong community and a good fit for the Flaman Group. We have a lot of customers in the Moosomin area that have supported us over the years and we felt a need to be there to look after and serve them better. Wayne Beckett decided to sell to Flaman Group as he sees us as a well-run company that values its employees and customers. As a family-run company, the Flaman Group looks after its staff and places a lot of importance on being a part of each community it’s in. In the future the Moosomin store hopes to work with local charities as Flaman’s philosophy is to give back to the community as much as we can. If you are in the Moosomin area stop in, say hi and see what our new store has to offer. Tue, 12 Apr 2011 09:28:48 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=64 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=63 Residents in southern and central Saskatchewan could face severe flooding this spring if unfavourable weather conditions continue. According to a report from the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority, there is potential for above normal spring runoff throughout the southern part of the province, as well as the central area bounded by Kindersley, Saskatoon, Prince Albert and North Battleford and a large portion of the eastern agricultural area. This high runoff is linked to excessive rainfall last year and an above average snowpack. “Above normal precipitation and/or rapid snow melt will increase the threat of high runoff and risk of flooding,” states the report. “Even with average weather conditions between now and runoff, some localized flooding can be anticipated.” To help mitigate the potential damage from yet another year of flooding, the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority and the Ministry of Corrections, Public Safety and Policing have created a $22 million Emergency Flood Damage Reduction Program. Through this program, communities, rural municipalities and farm and country residences can access funding and assistance to implement flood reduction or prevention measures. The program will cover 100 per cent of engineering costs to design flood protection works and cost share a variety of flood protection such as: construction of dykes or berms, pumping, sandbags, material to fill sandbags and equipment rental to fill sandbags. In anticipation of the needs of many farmers and rural residents this spring, Flaman Sales went looking for products that could help prevent flooding and financial losses at farmyards and homes. “Flooding is a big concern this year,” says Dave Weightman, Director of Operations for the Flaman Group of Companies. “And being prepared is critical. You can’t start planning for a flood when you see the water coming down the road. We’re here to help our customers and offer them services that, unfortunately, could be in very high demand again this year.” This year Flaman has a sand bagger to purchase or rent, which easily fills 400 50-lb sandbags in only one hour. The company also carries items like tear-resistant sand bags and water pumps, which can be covered under the funding program. “I think the Emergency Flood Damage Reduction Program is a great way to offer assistance. With every disaster there is a cost,” says Weightman. “Many municipalities may have a flood plan, but a lot of individual people may not have access to those resources because of demand.” Please contact your local watershed authority to learn more about the Emergency Flood Damage Reduction Program and how to apply. You can also call their head office at (306) 694-3900 or visit www.swa.ca. Mon, 07 Mar 2011 14:48:24 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=63 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=60 On February 24th 2011, Ryan Sailer, General Manager of Southland Trailer Corp. won the NATM (National Association of Trailer Manufacturers) Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. I personally nominated Ryan and extend professional congratulations. I first met Ryan when he was 16 years old and I was the Marketing Manager for an umbrella organization that included Southland Trailer Corp.  Ryan had been “told” to help with set up for images in a photo shoot. What immediately struck me was his poise and ability to organize. Ryan immediately started to help with the layout of the shoot and was not afraid to make suggestions as to how he thought the trailer looked best.   At first I was a little taken aback - a kid suggesting to me, a former VP of a Marketing Agency, how to conduct a product shoot.  Luckily, with an open mind I listened and used Ryan’s suggestions. He knew trailer; he had been loading and helping build them all his life and now he pulled them all the time.  In fact, in those days, standard issue when a Sailer boy turned 16 was a truck, I suspect with the motivating factor to have them pull trailers.   Monty Sailer (Founder of STC) trained Ryan (his middle son) well over the years, and  I would like to think during my time at STC as Marketing Manager and then General Manager and finally VP of Business Development, I may have helped in the process as well.  What I have seen in those eight years since I met Ryan has been the remarkable development of a future leader in the trailer industry.  Ryan’s contributions to date are many and will continue to grow but below are some of the highlights in the two (only two!) years he has been GM of STC.   Manufacturing: He was part of the initial Project Team for Lean Manufacturing at STC (Project Consolidate), of which STC won an Alberta Manufacturing award.  (Previous to his role as GM.) Under Ryan’s Leadership as GM of STC he has taken the organization and manufacturing of trailers to a new level. Project Consolidate was only the start of the lean process and Ryan has been the ongoing leader. Notable to date in this process is the integration with an Enterprise Resource Planning system into the manufacturing environment and implementation of a new paint prepping process.   Product Development: In the past two years under Ryan’s leadership STC has rolled out 20 new models (that is almost 1 a month!) ·         Light duty Engineered Beam trailers ·         Roll trailer concept complete with cargo, flat deck and bin ·         New Monster Dump ·         Re-engineered the entry level cargo offering of STC   Education: At every opportunity Ryan educates the industry on the following: ·         Safety – issued with every STC trailer is required PDI checklist to the STC dealer group, which forces the dealer to educate the customer on trailer safety ·         Manufacturing process of trailers, how a consumer can spot a well built trailer versus one that is not i.e. VHB tape, Phosphate acid wash process ·         NATM certification and what it means to the customer and how a manufacturer achieves the certification Why is all this important? Flaman aligns with manufacturing leaders.  Clearly Southland Trailer Corp is a leader.  Together Flaman Trailers and Southland Trailers hope to continue to bring you, our customer, innovative and industry leading products. Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:14:59 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=60 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=59 The 2011 Lightning line by Southland Trailer Corp has been redesigned away from a V-nose back to the traditional flat front. Economy without Comprise Sure it's a tag line, but really what else should I write, because the line is the proper description for the Lightning trailer. Sometimes you do not want a trailer with all the bells and whistles - you might be a customer that is only going to use a trailer several times a year, or maybe you have just started a business and cash is tight. Either way with the new Lightning line, Flaman Trailers has the trailer for you. The new Lightning line has an all tubing main frame. The interior is lined with plywood not luan and the units ride on robust spring axles. Sure the aluminum skin is mechanically fastened with screws and the the lights are incandescent as opposed to LED lighting, but these are standard specifications for this class of trailer.  The rear taillights are rubber mounted and most LED lights are fix mounted. I personally still debate whether a rubber mounted LED which can absorb travel shock will last longer than a fixed mounted LED with has to take the full jarring impact of the road. As mentioned above, the unit is a flat front in the traditional style of enclosed trailers and conforms to the standard box sizes.  You, our customer, have been asking for an entry level priced unit and through consultation with our partner manufacturer this line up is it. Canadian made, Canadian value, Flaman Trailer services what we sell. Come to our locations and see the new Lightning trailers starting at $2,995. Tue, 22 Feb 2011 20:03:45 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=59 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=58 The Flaman Grain Cleaning and Handling Division would like to congratulate Blaine Cowan from Storthoaks Saskatchewan, as well as Jason & Sheila Marshall from Inglis Manitoba, on winning the Flaman Grain Cleaning 2011 draws! Each winner will receive a 12-piece hand tester sieve package just for entering their names in the draw bin at either the Crop Production Show hosted in Saskatoon or Brandon Ag Days hosted in Brandon. This package retails at $250 and makes testing the dockage in your grain a breeze. Congratulations and thank you to everyone who took the time to enter their names at the Flaman Grain Cleaning and Handling booth at each show. Thanks again and we’ll be seeing you soon! Wed, 16 Feb 2011 09:22:38 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=58 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=57 The Annual Trailer Division Meeting was a great success! Flaman Trailer product specialists from all eight locations gathered in Mankato, Minnesota for product training and an Aluma factory tour.   The Aluma folks were beyond great hosts and a full day was spent reviewing the aluminum manufacturing process, new Aluma products and reviewing Aluma product specifications. All of the Flaman Trailer Team greatly benefited by the knowledge shared. As an example of Aluma’s dedication to customers, all trailers are now waxed prior to shipping! Waxing the trailer protects the units from travel stains and  yard weathering.    Flaman Trailers is committed to training its team. The more we know the more we can help you make the right decision. Once a year the team gathers for a formal learning seminar, and continually throughout the year training occurs. Tue, 15 Feb 2011 10:18:51 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=57 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=55 Steve Flaman has started a supply drive in Prince Albert to fill a cargo shipping container with items to send to refugees in Thailand.  Steve and his wife Denise travelled to Mae Sot, Thailand this past November with P.A.-based Global Neighbours to distribute relief supplies to refugees from Myanmar, also called Burma. Hundreds of thousands of people are squatting in Thailand in refugee camps after fleeing their country because of the military junta in power and more than 20 years of violence.   “These people have nothing. They’re just trying to make some money to get food,” says Steve. “We went to a lot of villages where people literally had all the items they owned in a plastic bag.”   Global Neighbours makes three-to-four trips a year to Thailand to distribute supplies. They own a warehouse in Mae Sot, where they sort and organize the items, then take them by truck to villages or camps in need.   Steve says after he got back home to Prince Albert, he started thinking immediately about when and how they could get more supplies back there. “There’s so many things here we take for granted,” he says. “And there’s so much need there.”   Steve realized it would take only about 100 people to fill a container with supplies, so he organized a supply drive. The container is already 25 per cent full, and he thinks they could ship by the end of February. Global Neighbours will be delivering the items in Thailand.   If you’d like to drop of items, distribution centres have been set up around Prince Albert at Flaman Sales, Canadian Tire, Midtown Transmission, Truck Outfitters and Econo Lumber. Items that are needed include: blankets, towels, hand tools, soap, shampoo, school supplies, pots and pans, sewing supplies, light jackets, backpacks and bikes. Wed, 26 Jan 2011 09:22:12 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=55 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=54 One year after a devastating earthquake struck the capital of Haiti, Frank Flaman has once again generously given half a million dollars to support the relief effort.   In a simple presentation on Jan. 12 at Flaman Sales in Nisku, Flaman donated $250,000 to the Salvation Army and $250,000 to Oxfam. These funds are in addition to the $500,000 he donated to the same charities shortly after the earthquake hit in 2010 through the Frank Flaman Foundation.   “These charities do a lot of good work,” says Flaman. “And there’s a real need in Haiti. There’s still so much suffering there – people are living in tents with no clean water.”   Around 230,000 people died and 1.5 million were left homeless after a magnitude seven earthquake struck the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince last year. Billions of dollars in international aid have been donated toward relief work, but money is still needed to reconstruct the devastated city.   “This donation is a symbol of the generosity Canadians continue to demonstrate as Haitians struggle to rebuild their country,” says Robert Fox, executive director of Oxfam Canada. “It's a tremendous display of support at a time when it's needed most."   Since the earthquake, Oxfam has provided clean drinking water and sanitation facilities to more than 400,000 displaced people, provided 98,000 people with emergency shelter, distributed hygiene kits containing personal-care items like soap, shampoo and towels to 120,000 people and assisted 175,000 people in reopening businesses and removing rubble through cash-for-work programs. Among other programs, the organization has spent $19.5 million on water, sanitation and hygiene and $11 million towards emergency food security and livelihoods programs.   The Salvation Army currently operates 49 primary schools throughout Haiti, along with several children’s homes and secondary schools. The Army’s medical work includes maternity programs, dispensaries, tuberculosis clinics, primary health care centres and a nutrition centre.   “I would like to express our sincere gratitude for the support Frank Flaman has provided for our work in Haiti,” says Karen Diaper, The Salvation Army’s assistant public relations director. “This donation will help many people on their road to recovery and redevelopment. Without such community minded, generous people as Frank Flaman, The Salvation Army wouldn't be able to provide such assistance, in Haiti and around the world.”   Along with its support for Haiti, the Frank Flaman Foundation has funded and helped countless global charities provide their valuable services, both locally and around the globe. For more about the foundation visit www.flaman.com/foundation Sat, 15 Jan 2011 13:33:57 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=54 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=47 We’re doing it again! Due to the overwhelming success of our first contest, Flaman Sales is once again hosting the Great Stuck in the Muck Photo contest. But this year’s contest will be bigger and better! We are opening it up to entries from across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. And this time entrants have the chance to have their best “stuck” photo featured in a calendar for 2012. The public will vote for photos just like last time, but this year they can vote for pictures in different categories such as Best Overall Stuck, Best Tractor Stuck, Best Combine Stuck or Most Comical. The winners of these categories will be included in the calendar, which will be on sale in November. All proceeds from calendar sales will support local charities. Here’s how the contest works: Upload and view photos at www.stuckinthemuck.com starting March 1 until Sept. 30. Voting will begin Oct. 1 and go until Oct. 30. The winners featured in the calendar will also win a new tow rope. There will be five random winners again (including at least one from each province), so everyone has a chance to win! Start taking your pictures right now! You can still visit www.stuckinthemuck.com to see all the great photos from last year and check out the new ones starting March 1. Tue, 11 Jan 2011 14:23:48 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=47 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=46 If you’ve gotten bored of the snow and have some free time over the next couple days, stop by the Crop Production show at Prairieland Park in Saskatoon! We will be exhibiting our Agriculture, Parts and Grain Cleaning divisions. We have on display at the Agriculture booth (Hall E) two J&M Grain carts (one with an electronic scale), an Arc Alloy Pro Grain Bagger, a Tridekon Extractor, a 41’ Batco Conveyor with a mover kit, a Batco Transfer auger, a Wheatheart 10”x41’ auger with a diesel motor and mover kit, an OPI Systems Grain Monitoring display, a Schulte Crop Residue Shredder and a Hi-Man tow rope display. In Hall A, we find the Grain Cleaning booth filled with Satake Color Sorters, grain elevator bucket systems and grain cleaning screen. You can see the Color Sorters working at any time! If you stop by there, be sure to check it out, it looks and works like something from a fiction novel. Our Parts display in Hall B replicates a miniature version of our full-size Highway 16 location showroom. We’ve got water tanks on stands, fittings, pumps, engines, tow ropes and straps and any of the odds and ends you can think of when it comes to servicing or replacing parts and accessories for your agricultural equipment. The show runs from January 10th to the 13th.   Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:43:12 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=46 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=45 This year we brought in a standardized insulation and heating package for our XR enclosed sled trailers. The package was designed to be simple and robust and it really is! It includes a 25,000 BTU forced air propane heater with a 35 lb underbelly mount propane tank. To start the unit the operation is simple – move the thermostat to the desired heat level and an interior battery will fire up the unit. Presto! You now have heat. To understand the units we have been field testing them. The system is easy to use and warms a three place enclosed sled trailer at -10 in about ten minutes. It really is quite comfortable and fast. The insulation in the roof, walls and floor keep the heat in well. You’re going to need that in this weather! There are a couple of things we don’t like: there’s no remote fill on the tank. Not having this option does keep the costs down, but that is hardly remembered when you are struggling on your back beneath the unit to fill the propane tank. While filling the tank is not an everyday occurrence, when it does happen it is a nuance, and you have to make sure wherever you are getting it filled has a long enough hose to reach. The second thing we did not like was shutting the system down. If you do not push the thermostat into the right position it stays on and drains your battery. This has occurred for us in our lots with customers while showing off the unit, so most likely this is not applicable in the field. In conclusion, the good far outweighs the bad. The system works well and produces heat fast! We are looking at carrying a remote fill kit for aftermarket purchase in case you get tired of crawling around beneath the trailer.   Thu, 30 Dec 2010 11:20:02 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=45 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=40 We’ve made the draw for the random winners of the Great Saskatchewan Stuck in the Muck photo contest. Congratulations to the winners who also get a new tow rope: Trevor Berkan, Southey Rick Yagelniski, Springside Diane Coombs, Wroxton Nicole Squires, Prince Albert Monty Kovlaske, Humboldt   You can view all the voting results and photos at www.stuckinthemuck.com   We’ve had more than 72,000 visits to the Stuck in the Muck website from across the globe since the contest launched. Over 300 people signed up and submitted 365 photos. Thanks to everyone who support us and helped make the contest a success!   We’ve been getting lots of attention in the media too! We’ve had stories on CBC Radio, CBC Online, CTV, Global, CJWW, News Talk CKOM, CKBI in Prince Albert and CJGX in Yorkton to name a few! If you’d like to check out all the media coverage that Stuck in the Muck has been getting, check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/Flaman-Group-of-Companies/147896325258199 Don’t forget to give us a “Like”!   We know many producers had a rough time seeding and harvesting in the mud, but we hope you had some fun with this contest and were able to have a few laughs about the “sticky” situations.   Trevor Berkan   Rick Yagelniski   Diane Coombs   Nicole Squires   Monty Kovlaske Fri, 24 Dec 2010 09:00:37 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=40 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=36 What started out as a frustrating time with spinning tires and sticky terrain has turned into a winning situation for five Saskatchewan farmers. Flaman Sales has announced the winners of the Great Saskatchewan Stuck in the Muck photo contest, as voted on by the public. The winners of a brand new tow rope are: Carla Debnam, Chruchbridge Wayne Ratzlaff, Waldheim Richard Semchuk, Meath Park Evan Sauer, Edenwold Lori Wuchner, St. Gregor  After farmers across Saskatchewan dealt with record rainfall this past spring and summer, Jody “Joe” Kemp, with Flaman Sales in Southey, soon realized that getting stuck in the mud was a province-wide epidemic. He came up with the idea of the contest where farmers could submit their best “stuck” photos and share their experiences with each other.   And share they did – since the contest launched Nov. 8 there have been more than 60,800 visits to www.stuckinthemuck.com as people have viewed and voted for the over 360 photos entered from across the province.   “This contest has exceeded our expectations,” Kemp says, noting he’s received a lot of positive feedback from customers as well. “I think it became so popular because everyone was in the same predicament this year. Everyone could sympathize with each other. While getting stuck was depressing at the time, people are looking at all the photos and they’re laughing about it now.” First place winner Carla Debnam, who combined 10 quarters of grain near Churchbridge, agrees the contest has been fun and enjoyed looking at all the “wonderful” photos that were entered. She says it’s nice to win a prize after dealing with such a difficult harvest.  “Saskatchewan farmers had it rough,” she says. “Everyone deserves a pat on the back.”  After getting stuck pretty bad this year, Debnam is sure she’ll need a new tow rope. With all the snow, she thinks there could be a wet spring next year.   Flaman Sales will also be drawing five random winners from all of the entries on Wed., Dec 22 who will win a new tow rope as well. The winners, along with the Top 25 and all the submitted entries, can be viewed at www.stuckinthemuck.com. Photos can still be uploaded for sharing and the site will remain up for viewing.   1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th Tue, 21 Dec 2010 16:16:11 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=36 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=33 It’s time to vote! We need your votes to help pick the winners of the Great Saskatchewan Stuck in the Muck Photo Contest. We received more than 280 great photos and it’s too hard for us at Flaman Sales to choose.   From Dec. 6 to Dec. 20, you can visit www.stuckinthemuck.com every day and vote for your favourite photos. You can vote once per photo each day, but there’s no limit to the number of photos you can vote for every day.   The top 5 photos with the most number of votes will win a brand new tow rope!   But don’t forget, every photo has a chance to win. We’re drawing five random winners from all the entries to win tow ropes as well. If you still have a great stuck in the muck picture you’d like to submit, that’s OK, we’ve extended the deadline for entries.   People are already voting so hurry and cast your vote now! Check back each day to see the front runners – you never know, your vote could make a difference. Mon, 06 Dec 2010 11:33:12 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=33 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=32 Flaman Rentals would like to welcome both Flaman Rental Dealers and our valued rental customer to the new site. Please take some time to check out our new look as well as our new features. From agricultural equipment, cargo and flatdeck trailers, to construction, acreage and tool rentals, Flaman Rentals is continually striving for excellence. We believe that the only way to truly be the best rental name in the game is to always take care of you, the customer. In the coming weeks you will see videos, blogs and other helpful resources, so keep an eye on the website and let your local Flaman Rental location know what you are looking for and tell us how we can assist in helping you in your rental needs. Now more than ever - It Makes Sense to Rent. Tue, 23 Nov 2010 15:47:33 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=32 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=29 Frustration regarding grain standards is on the rise. Although the Canadian Grain Commission claims that they try to equally apply grading standards from year to year, a number of grading factors are still susceptible to human discretion. It is important to know just exactly what is in each bin and what you may potentially be offering as a sample, especially on a year like this where quality problems are sinister. Flaman Group of Companies offers a variety of different tools and equipment to make sure your sample is as accurate as possible this year. They offer Brass Grain Probes for obtaining samples, Hand Tester Sieve Kits for testing dockage, and even bug lights for checking for insects. Various Air/Screen machines, and even colour sorters can be purchased for an exceptional result. Swing by your local Flaman location today and check out some of these great products. Mon, 22 Nov 2010 08:30:12 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=29 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=25 With record rainfall across Saskatchewan this past spring and summer, many farmers found themselves in sticky situations. “It’s no secret that everyone in the province was getting their equipment stuck in the mud,” says Jody (Joe) Kemp, with Flaman Sales in Southey.   Almost every customer he spoke with had gotten stuck at one point and Flaman Sales even had a waiting list for tow ropes. Kemp says his friends kept sending him photos of their tractor or sprayer caught in the mud, and each one was unbelievable. But he soon realized this wasn’t just happening in southern Saskatchewan – getting stuck in the muck was a province-wide epidemic.   “As farmers, we are all in this together,” Kemp says, adding he thought it would be neat to have a place where farmers could share their experiences. So Flaman Sales created the Great Saskatchewan Stuck in the Muck Contest, where producers can upload their best stuck photos on the Internet and have a chance to win great prizes.   “Getting stuck is depressing at the time, but when you look back at the photos afterwards you can laugh,” Kemp says, “If a guy was having a bad day and he sees a picture of someone 10 times more stuck than him, it might make him feel better.”   Farmers can visit www.stuckinthemuck.com to submit their photos and view and comment on the other entries. Starting December 6, the public can vote for their favourite photo and the top five photos will win a 50 foot, $469 tow rope. Flaman Sales will also be drawing for five more tow ropes from all the entries, so everyone has a chance to win.   “We feel for all of the farmers in the province and care about the wellness of our customers,” says Kemp. “This is a way to build community with the agricultural producers. If there’s someone in Estevan looking at photos from Yorkton, he’ll know we all had to deal with the same issues.”   In one of the worst stories he heard, Kemp says a farmer had a stuck sprayer, so a truck and trailer was brought in to unload the chemical. But the truck and trailer got stuck so a four-wheel drive tractor was brought in to pull it out. A backhoe was needed to dig out the sprayer, but it too got stuck and needed to be pulled out by the tractor. In the end, it took two four-wheel drive tractors to pull out the sprayer.      “When they got that equipment out, people were cheering like the Riders had just scored a touchdown,” Kemp says. “I’ve talked to farmers who’ve been farming for 80 years and they all agree it’s never been like this.”   Producers can submit their stuck in the muck photos until Dec. 5 and there’s no limit to the number of photos you can upload. Voting will run from Dec. 6 to 20. Voting is limited to one vote per person per day. Visit www.stuckinthemuck.com for more details. Tue, 09 Nov 2010 09:01:29 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=25 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=23 Sometimes seeing is believing. Last night was the opening night for the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Show and Flaman Trailers has a 4,200 square foot booth, twelve trailers, five Flaman Salesmen and three factory representatives working the booth, plus three show girls to hand out brochures. With all the space and trailers and the draw of the Boom Boom trailer it was all the girls could do to keep up with handing out brochures. Why is our booth so popular? Well the Aluma trailers and the XR Series enclosed sled trailers are dialed in to provide the best value on the market. They are a big draw by themselves but the all black Stealth Nash Car unit and the Boom Boom trailer really get people excited. I mean really excited! While I was working there was a lull in the crowd for just a moment. When I mean lull, one Product Rep was not helping a customer and the rest of us were busy...so being a salesman he cranked the Boom Boom's stereo.  I shot him a nasty glance as I was trying to answer questions and now the roar of the music (from six speakers and two subs) made it more difficult. He shrugged his shoulders and pointed at the wave of people coming to check out the Boom Boom trailer. I am not exaggerating...a literal wave of people was working down the aisle and through the booth to the trailer. If we were being invaded we had just become completely overrun! Over twenty people lined up and started working their way through the trailer. Sometimes seeing is believing,  so if you read this post and are anywhere near Saskatoon you ought to come down to the show and see the Boom Boom and the Stealth for yourself. You will not be disappointed, and if you want the girls will give you a tattoo! Sat, 06 Nov 2010 07:46:38 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=23 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=21 Well, snow has arrived and so have our sled trailers.  This year Flaman Trailers is very excited about our line up.  The XR Series Enclosed Sled Trailer is packed with features. An all aluminum interior, overhead cabinet and black hard top flooring are just a few of the standard fetaures. Two tone colours to match your sled have been brought in across our eight locations, and we have more selection than ever before: heater packages, insulated, lowboy toyhualers, 7 wide inline sled trailers and the list goes on. Our flat deck sled trailers have the same amount of choice: aluminum or steel, tilt or drive on drive off.  Salt shields, aluminum rims, torsion or spring axles are available.   Once you pick your trailer our parts departments are stocked with accessories to make your trailer your way: helmet bays, shelving, broom hangers, base cabinets and much, much more. Come in today to outfit your trailer needs for this winter!  Sat, 30 Oct 2010 10:13:02 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=21 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=20 Producers across Saskatchewan had a challenging spring and summer with all the rain and bad weather, so the group at Flaman in Prince Albert wanted to show farmers they care, and give local producers and their crew a well-deserved break. With the Flaman Chuckwagon’s Comin’ Contest, Prince Albert area farmers could enter a draw to win a free dinner out in the field while they’re harvesting, cooked and served by Flaman staff members.   Scragg Farms from the Meath Park area won the first draw, and had a delicious meal delivered to their field on Oct. 15. The Scragg family and workers were all there, along with two engineers from the U.S. who were checking out their new Holland combines and neighbour Terry Lubyk who farms nearby.   And we’re not talking sandwiches and coffee – Searl Reynish, Mark Evans and Elizabeth Clarke from the P.A. store cooked up a steak dinner complete with potatoes, Caesar salad, garlic bread and bean pot. Elizabeth even got to drive the combine. Having never seen a combine up close before, she said it was a pretty cool experience. “The dinner was a really fun time. Everyone was pretty excited that we were coming,” she says.   Corriveau Farms was the second winner and had dinner delivered by Searl and Elizabeth on Oct. 22. The Corriveau family was joined by Doug Kerley, Rene and Marie Piche, and Marcel and Simone Brassard for a total of 11 hungry people! Dinner was served in the garage because of the weather but everyone had a great time and socialized until 9 p.m.!   There will be two more lucky winners and the draws go until Oct. 29. If you farm in the P.A. area you can enter on www.flaman.com or enter your name at the store.               Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:12:50 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=20 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=19 When customers come to Flaman Trailers, they can expect not only the best product at the best price, but a knowledgeable sales staff that will find them the right trailer to fit their needs. One of our own trailer experts, trailer division manager Steve Whittington, was recently interviewed by SnoRiders magazine for an article on how to choose the best snowmobile trailer. There are lots of options, Whittington points out, such as an enclosed or open sled trailer, or a steel or aluminum sled trailer. To read the story in the Fall 2010 edition of SnoRiders click here. Wed, 20 Oct 2010 12:35:18 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=19 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=18 The Alberta Snowmobile Association Show in Edmonton and the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association Show in Saskatoon will soon be here. On October 22nd, 23rd and 24th at the Edmonton Expo Centre, Flaman Trailers will be exhibiting enclosed sled trailers, aluminum sled trailers, drive on drive off flat deck sled trailers,  tilt deck sled trailers,  plus a full line of sled trailer accessories.  Come down to see the all new 2011 XR Series enclosed snowmobile trailer complete with a heater and insulation package. On November 5th , 6th and 7th in Saskatoon at Prairieland Park, Flaman Trailers again will be exhibiting the same line up.  There will be show specials and free draws.  Be sure to take advantage of these pre-season offerings. Sun, 17 Oct 2010 19:00:02 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=18 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=17 By Mary MacArthur, Camrose bureau August 12, 2010 CLIVE, Alta. — A colour seed sorter has kept the Clive Seed Cleaning Coop in business, says the chair of the co-op’s board. “We think it’s going to save our operation,” Dave Rainforth said. “We realized it would shut down if we didn’t look for ways to improve our cash flow.” The seed cleaning plant in Clive, northeast of Red Deer, is similar to the hundreds of plants that were once as common in small towns as grain elevators. They were built in the 1960s and 1970s as a way to encourage and help farmers clean grain for seed. However, the amount of seed cleaned at the aging plants stagnated with the introduction of new crop varieties that must be bought new each year. The Clive plant cleans 150,000 bushels of grain per year, down from a high of almost 300,000 bu. in 1998- 1999. The addition of the $250,000 colour sorter in March has already increased the amount cleaned and has saved farmers thousands of dollars in dockage. “It’ll save guys like me $100,000 a year or more,” Rainforth said recently as he unloaded a truck of moisture-damaged wheat. He expects the computerized colour sorter will improve the grade from feed to No. 2. Assistant plant manager Kelly Giles said he’s seen a wheat grade increase from feed to No. 1 when the ergot was removed with the help of the new system. Another farmer, who accidentally dumped canola into a bin that contained fertilizer, was able to use the colour sorter to remove the fertilizer and make the crop acceptable at the elevator after it was initially rejected. The sorter can remove anything that is a different colour: wheat from barley, barley from canola, ergot from wheat. “As long as there is a colour change, we can take it out,” Rainforth said. The board paid for the sorter and other improvements by selling 130 $2,500 shares to local farmers. Each share guarantees farmers the ability to sort and clean 10,000 bu. per year. The plant expects to clean 800,000 bu. of grain this year because of a bigger than normal ergot problem caused by wet weather. Rainforth said local support for the project was significant. The county gave the plant a matching $250,000 grant and the village of Clive gave it a tax break. The plant is the village’s only industry. Local farmers and community residents volunteered to pour cement and build a climate-controlled room for the machine. Rainforth said the colour sorter earns farmers money by increasing their grades, while the extra revenue allows the plant to pay for repairs and upgrades as well as hire Giles as a second employee. “The potential to make shareholder farmers money is huge and it will make us money too,” Rainforth said. The share sale and volunteer labour have also allowed the plant to increase its elevator storage capacity to 50,000 bu. from 5,000 bu. Rainforth said farmers will now be able to grow malting barley on wheat stubble and not worry about wheat contamination in the grain. A camera reads colours as the grain flows down a panel and shoots out blasts of air to remove the off-colour grain. “I’ve got it set for ergot,” Giles said as he cleaned grain. “It’ll blast that out and usually a couple of the neighbouring pieces.” Added Rainforth: “It’s an amazing machine.” http://www.producer.com/Markets/Article.aspx?aid=25163 Wed, 13 Oct 2010 13:05:20 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=17 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=13 Southland Trailers Has recently came out with a new addition to their enclosed line up. The XR Sport Model is designed specifically to haul your side by side ATV. The trailer comes standard with extra 8” of height with allows you enough room to ride your ATV in with ease. (rear door height - 81", rear door width - 74") The entire frame is constructed of hollow structural steel (HSS). Full tubing construction means increased strength and rigidity. We upgraded the flooring to high grade structural mezzanine decking, perfect for construction or recreational use. The Sport model comes standard with 4, recessed D-rings rated at over 500lbs each for the safety of whatever you’re hauling. An aluminum tread plate 24” rock guard wraps the front of this trailer, On some models we have also added aluminum rims, this increases longevity of the rim and gives the trailer a polished look. The XR Sport comes standard with Flo thru vents and utilizes slim line LED lighting throughout the exterior of the trailer. There are many color options available to you, here we feature our “Camo Edition” this is a limited edition trailer with only a few models available. This unique trailer would be great for hauling your side by side on your next hunting trip! Because of the many features this trailer has such as the extra height and heavy duty flooring we have been getting a lot of positive feedback from customers who use the trailer for more commercial and industrial uses as well. Whatever you chose to use this trailer for, you will be satisfied with the quality and workmanship that Southland Trailers provides For more information, please contact your local Flaman Trailer Dealer. Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:32:58 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=13 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=12 Farming is full of variables, there is no denying that fact. You need equipment that can be customized to meet your needs. With Grain Carts we recommend the JM Grain Storm series. This series comes equipped with a front folding corner auger, low profile and narrow transport design. All very important standard features. 1)     Front Folding Corner Auger this is very important as the unique design on the JM Grain Cart provides 100 % visibility during unloading AND equally important 100% visibility during the folding process 2)     Low Profile and Narrow Transport Design – farm to farm transport is easier and faster with the narrow design plus maximum clearance is allowed from the combine header. The low profile makes it easier for the combine operator to fill the tank. To customize to your needs choose from: 1)      Flotation Tires or 2)      Walking tandem dual wheels or 3)      Storm Tracker tracks 4)      Sizes from 1000 –to 1325 bushel capacity 5)      20” or 22” unloading auger Flaman product specialists will help you determine the best fit for your farming needs, specifically built for you. Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:57:06 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=12 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=7 The first thing you need to do is qualify what your intended use is: Often (2- 5 times a week) Frequent (2 -5 times a month) Infrequent (2 -5 times a year) Next set of basic questions you need to answer are as follows: Size required Payload to be hauled Any special requirements (i.e. extra tie downs) Armed with this information you should have an idea of the amount and type of use required from your future trailer. This will help you pick a unit in the quality class you need. The trailer world is divided much like the car world into classes of trailers of different quality, for simplicity at Flaman Trailers we simply say: Good Better Best The differences between the classes depend on the type of trailer, enclosed, flat deck or utility: However some generalities are as follows: As you move towards best the strength of the frame increases, for instance a good trailer may have all light channel construction, a better many combine tubing steel with heavier channel steel with the best unit being built entirely with HSS (High Structural Steel) tubing. The same sequence will occur with the features on the units.Good trailers will have a straight springaxle, Better a torsion while Best may have an adjustable torsion. So knowing the quality of the unit you require will help you and a trailer product specialist pick your required unit. Another major item to consider is who are you buying from? There are so many manufacturers and dealers popping up that have only been in business for a few years one must question whether they will be present down the road to service your unit, or provide warranty. Flaman Trailers has been in business for over 50 years as have several other dealers, but not many so be aware! Buy from accredited dealerships that can support you and the product you have purchased. Your trailer needs to be serviced at least annually and you want a dealership that cantake care of you. The final and a very important consideration is the trailer brand which you are purchasing. Flaman has partner manufacturers that have been in business for many years, known in the industry, and stand behind their products. As well Flaman Trailers support Canadian manufacturers. Trailtech Inc and Southland Trailer Corp are the two largest and oldest Canadian manufacturers that build for Canadian conditions. Do you think a trailer built in Texas has the heavy gauge wire to stand up to a Canadian winter? So there are a lot of things to consider but to summarize Determine the amount of use and what you need to haul Determine the class of trailer that will work for you Chose a dealer that has a proven track record in the industry Pick a quality brand of trailer. (I would pick Canadian) All the other details in between a professional trailer product specialist will be able to guide you through… have fun! Tue, 10 Aug 2010 06:21:00 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=7 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=6 The new Trailtech MD270 MultiDeck Trailer is one of this season’s hottest innovations. This is a must see unit for trailer users that have been thinking about another trailer for their fleet, or looking to replace/reduce trailers in their fleet. The trailer has a lowboy position, a highboy position and is a powered tilt in both positions. So this unit is really four units in one.  The dovetail at the rear of the trailer with  the tilting deck eliminates the need for ramps, combine this with the hydraulic cushion, loading equipment is truly a one person job. Features on this unit include: 1.       Self Contained Hydraulics 2.       Patented MultiDeck 3.       Load Securement: rub rails and stake pockets standard plus D-rings in the axle location. This unit rides on (2) 7000 lb Torfex (Rubber Torsion) axles with 16” tire providing a 16,100 lb GVWR.  Contact your local rep for more details. Available at all Flaman Trailer locations.   Wed, 30 Jun 2010 09:22:31 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=6 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=5 On June 20th, Flaman Rentals was the recipient of a Consumer Choice Award in the Equipment Rentals Category at the 2010 Consumer Choice Award Gala in Saskatoon. The Consumer Choice Awards have been recognizing and promoting business excellence since 1987. This year represented the inaugural year for the awards in Saskatoon, Steve Whittington accepted the award on behalf of Flaman Group of Companies. Dignitaries in attendance to help celebrate included: Mayor of Saskatoon: Mayor Donald J. Atchison; Minister of Justice & Attorney General: Honorable Don Morgan; Minister of Advanced Education, Employment & Labor: Honorable Rob Norris; Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification: Honorable Lynne Yelich For management at Flaman, this award is a remarkable accomplishment by its staff. To be chosen by consumers from amongst our competitors truly distinguished the Rental Division and the team that serves the customer. The number one goal at Flaman is the achievement of customer service and it is our staff that make this happen. It is great to be part of a team that works with this goal in mind. We hope to win this award next year as we continue to strive for excellence in customer service. Sun, 20 Jun 2010 19:32:38 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=5 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=4 The New Roll off Dump Trailer is truly a versatile unit. The same chassis can serve as a cargo trailer, flatdeck or dump unit. Currently Southland trailers has released the garbage bin attachment, with the above other attachments soon to follow. We are pretty excited at Flamans to be the first to bring this new unique paradigm changing trailer to the market place. Often when you drive to a construction site there are multiple trailers present. Cargo Trailers serving as mobile tool cribs or a job site shack. Flat decks for hauling equipment, garbage bin on the ground, and dump trailer for moving dirt or landscaping. Imagine the possibilities and cost shavings of having all these functions combined with one chassis. What if you have two or three job sites! You only need to register and maintain only one trailer instead of multiple units or if you are renting eliminate rental fees for the occasional rentals by purchasing a cost effective attachment. Additionally the attachments can be spotted and picked up at your convenience and you do not have to worry about the theft of your trailer. These units are due to be released the middle of March just in time for the start of the spring construction season. Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:21:30 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=4 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=3 Well, there are many reason to buy an aluminum trailer vs a traditional steel trailer. Firstly Aluminum is lighter by 35- 45% which means your payload is going to be higher than a steel trailer with the same axle rating. Generally though most aluminum trailers have a lighter axles than their steel counterparts but are still able to offer the same payload. This equals a less weight to haul (better fuel economy) and your trailer is easier to move around when hitching up. Another big advantage of aluminum is that it does not rust nor will you have a rotting wood deck to replace (considering you purchased an aluminum decked trailer). A simple acid wash brings the shine of the trailer immediately back. One of the main misperceptions about aluminum trailers is that aluminum is not as strong as steel. Actually pound for pound aluminum can be two and half times as strong as steel. The extruded shape and type of aluminum used provides a higher tensile strength. Finally if aluminum was weaker why are airplanes made of it? Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:34:44 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=3 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=2 We are really excited about this new four by eight foot dump trailer we have in stock at our Flaman locations. The product is constructed with an all tubing frame which provides ample strength and allows the wiring to be enclosed. The trailer rides on a 5200 lb spring axle..plenty of payload for an acreage heck plenty of payload for a landscaping contractor! A gas shock on the tool box lid is a nice touch as well as the light mounted on the underside of the lid for when you are working at dawn or dusk. Robust jeep style fenders plus plank brackets for building up the already ample height side walls. All around a Must see! Must have! trailer at a very reasonable price! Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:31:29 -0500 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/blog.php?id=2 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/videos.php?video_id=39 A new ad for our OPI grain bin monitoring systems. Come in today to check them out. Mon, 14 May 2012 12:41:26 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/videos.php?video_id=39 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/videos.php?video_id=30 Shows the features of the Batco Portible Grain Conveyors. Mon, 11 Jul 2011 13:37:31 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/videos.php?video_id=30 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/videos.php?video_id=25 A quick view of the Will-Rich Veritcal Tillage in action Mon, 11 Apr 2011 16:10:50 -0400 http://www.flaman.com/agriculture/videos.php?video_id=25