FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Brillion's Zone Commander Designed
for No-till, Minimum-till Farming Operations

BRILLION, Wis. (August 10, 2001) – There's a new sub-soiling tool available for producers who practice no-till or minimum-till farming. The all new, and very massive, Zone Commander from Brillion loosens compacted soil down to 20-inches while leaving the surface relatively undisturbed.

"Producers who practice no-till and minimum-till farming methods often ask us for a tool that will break up compaction at the sub-soil level while leaving the surface undisturbed," says Gary Wallander, product support coordinator for Brillion Iron Works. "They tell us they're looking for a tool that creates optimum sub-soil conditions for water transfer and root growth while adhering to their farming practices. The new "Built Brillion Tough" Zone Commander presents these producers with a rugged way of accomplishing this."

The massive Zone Commander’s 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-, 7-, and 8-shank models come with auto-reset shank mounts or rigid shank mounts, either of which will accommodate straight shanks or parabolic shanks. "While the standard shank spacing is 30-inches, the Zone Commander can also be set to 24 inch spacing, depending on the operator’s individual needs," Wallander says.

Double-coil springs provide in excess of 2,500 pounds of point pressure to a 16-inch trip height on the auto-reset model. Beyond the 16-inch trip, Grade-8 shear-bolts provide additional protection. In soils without large rocks, the rigid-mounted shanks will stay firmly in the ground and are also protected by Grade-8 shear-bolts. Manual-adjust gauge wheels positively regulate the depth of the Zone Commander shanks all the way down to 20 inches.

Clearance of 39-inches under the massive 5- by 7-inch frame makes for smooth and easy flow of residue through the machine. An optional setback extension kit allows individual shanks to be set back 13 inches if even more residue flow is desired.

The Zone Commander’s 20-inch coulters with spring relief cut up crop residue and stalks. Additional coulter assemblies may be added to the front frame tube as required.

A variety of points can be used with the Zone Commander, including 2-inch V-cast steel, 2 1/2-inch flat, 2 1/2-inch flat alloy, 7-inch winged alloy, and 10-inch winged alloy points. In addition, coverboard kits can be used with the parabolic shanks in cases where some surface disturbance is desired.

"With a choice of the number of shanks, auto-reset or rigid shank mountings, variable shank spacings, and the many styles of points available, the Zone Commander can be tailored to each producer’s working conditions," Wallander says. "We’ve made the Zone Commander easy to adjust, so it can transform depending on the growing conditions that each year brings or as tillage and cropping practices change."

"We build all our equipment to the "Built Brillion Tough" standards for years of dependable use in the most demanding of farming conditions," Wallander says.

Suggested list price range for the various Zone Commander models, depending on size, is $4,870.00 to $14,960.00 plus freight and setup.

For further information on the Zone Commander, or any of the "Built Brillion Tough" line of tillage, seedbed preparation, and seeding equipment, contact your local Brillion dealer or call Brillion Iron Works at (800) 409-9749. Visit Brillion’s web site at www.brillionfarmeq.com.

The Zone Commander is designed for use by minimum-till and no-till producers and is the latest in the Brillion line of tillage equipment. The Zone Commander works at depths down to 20 inches, loosening soil while leaving the surface undisturbed. Available in models with 3 through 8 shanks, the Zone Commander can be used with a variety of points on either auto-reset or rigid-mounted shanks.