4 min read
Product
Strenx® 700MC D/ECountry
Spain
Company
Industry
Brand programs
My Inner Strenx®
When farm equipment producer Stirmot wanted stronger, lighter windrowers with extended working width, they turned to Strenx® steel. Find out why their Big Bull is a farmer’s best friend – and a bestseller.
Swathing and baling hay can be a tough, time-consuming task unless a farmer has the right equipment. That’s why Spanish windrow producer Stirmot turned to Strenx® steel. With their windrowers, also known as swathers, they ensure maximum efficiency and productivity. In fact, they do two jobs at once, with just one operator and one tractor.
“The windrower collects all the cut grain and feeds it directly to a coupled baler, helping contractors save both time and fuel,” says Diego Arce Garcia, co-owner of Stirmot. Strenx® 700MC steel is used in all of the machine’s structural parts, making up about 90% of the total steel content.
“For us, innovation is about surpassing ourselves and constantly trying to make even better machines for our customers. Our collaboration with SSAB means a lot for our product development.”
Stirmot, with around ten employees, is a small company that thinks big. Its bestseller, the Big Bull, was launched in 2020 and has an amazingly wide working width of 13.8 meters (45 ft.) yet can be folded up for easier transportation. These hard-working, long-lasting Spanish bulls can be seen working the fields in Spain, the U.S., France and Denmark.
A Big Bull consists of 150 different steel components in total. They are manufactured at the Hardox® Wearparts Center Cortes Metalurgcos Oviedo in Valladolid and then delivered to Stirmot's workshop in Medina de Rioseco. Some minor welding work, painting and assembly are then done.
“By using Strenx®, we can design windrowers that are stronger, lighter and more durable. Thanks to the high yield strength of the steel, we avoid fractures and fatigue and significantly extend the machine’s service life,” Arce Garcia says. “And one of the big benefits of our contractable cutter is that no matter the machine’s working width, we never have to exceed the legal four-meter limit to be able to travel on the road.”
Stirmot has been collaborating with SSAB since 2018, getting expertise and trusted advice to help the company reach its goals. "For us, innovation is about surpassing ourselves and constantly trying to make even better machines for our customers. Our collaboration with SSAB means a lot for our product development. We are a small company, so thanks to their expertise and technical support we have solved the challenges we have faced,” Arce Garcia says.
Stirmot has been a member of SSAB’s My Inner Strenx® program since 2020. To date, two of its products – Ibero 906 and Big Bull – are certified, but Arce Garcia’s goal is to have all the company’s machines covered. “Being a member of My Inner Strenx greatly benefits us. It means my clients have more confidence in our products,” he says.
One of Stirmot's customers is located in neighboring Castromocho, where Juan Carlos Atienza and his cousins run a family business. On an area of 800 hectares, they grow cereals, sunflowers and alfalfa. The company bought a Big Bull about three years ago – an investment that has already paid off.
“With this windrower, we save both time and fuel. Margins in agriculture are tight, so anything that can help us be more efficient is important. Thanks to its flexible construction, we also get a clean swath, which is a big advantage,” Atienza says.
In 2024, Stirmot will present two new models at the FIMA fair. In the longer term, the company plans to broaden its product portfolio with other agricultural machinery. “SSAB is a leading company in the development of high-yield strength steels. We hope to continue maintaining the same close collaboration for the future development of our machines,” Arce Garcia concludes.
