Wilson Engineering is located in Crettyard, Co Laois, and was established in 2014 by Adam Wilson. Adam saw a gap in the market for a machine capable of transporting round bales quickly and safely from the field to the farmyard.

After some initial research, he noticed that the popularity of baled silage was increasing and from talking to some agri contractors, the consensus was that farmers wanted the job done and finished in their yard. They no longer wanted the hassle of collecting bales from the field.

This led Adam to go about designing a machine suitable for carrying round bales, either wrapped or unwrapped, efficiently and safely, while also being robust and built to last in the tough Irish conditions.

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The idea of the Super Move is that it is both self-loading and unloading, requiring no additional men or machines in the field.

There is no need to strap down bales as they are held securely in place within the cages, so once the Super Move is full, the operator simply folds up the two sides and heads off.

Wilson claims that this machine has the potential to transport more than 80 bales an hour in ideal conditions. It can improve efficiency and productivity greatly as both the speed at which it operates and the reliability, coupled with not needing an extra machine in the field in order to load, will reduce the users’ labour and fuel bill instantly.

Adam built a prototype machine early in 2014 and carried out extensive testing over that silage season before manufacturing the first production model for the 2014 National Ploughing Championships, where the Super Move was launched.

Adam recalls his experience at the Ploughing that year: “The feedback we got from people was really positive. I sold the machine I brought to the event and came home with orders for another six machines, along with numerous enquiries.”

The success of his first event spurred Adam on to expand his operation to offer a total of three size options, Super Move 6, 8 and 10, which are capable of carrying six, eight and 10 bales respectively.

As the machines started working out around the country, the popularity grew and Adam had to expand his operation to include another two full-time employees, as they were now manufacturing over 25 machines each year.

In 2015, Ryalls Farm Machinery, Co Cork, became a dealer for the Super Move, which helped increase sales in the south of the country.

Interestingly, Adam said he exported the first Super Move to New York only this March.

“The customer saw our machine working on the internet and simple rang me saying ‘the more I watch it, the more I want it’.”

Wilson Engineering is now looking to expand its dealer network both here in Ireland and in its export market in order to help further expand the business.

With the recent change in the trailer rules introduced on 1 January, Wilson has developed a Hi-Speed version of the Super Move capable of being towed at up to 50km/h.

This model has all the same features as a standard Super Move, but includes a sprung drawbar and load-sensing air brakes. All Super Moves manufactured are fully RSA-compliant with all the relevant marking, lighting, VIN plate, speed disc and braking in place.

Construction

The entire Super Move machine is fabricated in-house by a skilled team of fabricators and engineers.

Only high-grade certified steel and components are used throughout its construction. The pipe work on each side cage is constructed from high-grade 3in diameter 5mm pipe, which when cradling the bale, reduces the stress on the plastic if wrapped.

The chassis itself is based on a proven grain trailer design and is made from an 8mm box section.

The bale cage on each side is constructed from rolled high-tensile 80x80x8mm box section for strength and durability. 11t high-speed commercial axles are used as standard on all models, even if not being towed at high speed.

The Super Move 10 has tandem high-speed axle rocking bogey designs incorporated into the chassis, while the smaller Super Move 6 and 8 models are fitted with a single high-speed axle.

All models are fitted with mudguards as standard before being fully shot-blasted, primed and then painted with an industrial two-pack paint system.

All hinge points have replaceable bushings for longevity and are fully greasable. To increase safety and for ease of maintenance, all grease points are outward-facing when the machine is folded up and locked in the transport position, eliminating the need to crawl under the machine.

All models are fitted with double LED sidelights and reflective markings in order to comply with the latest regulations.

Safety

The entire machine is designed with simplicity in mind in order to avoid potential problems down the line.

There are no electric solenoids needed in order for it to operate, just four hydraulic rams per side on the Super Move 8 and 10 models and three on the Super Move 6.

Each side can be operated independently via two double-acting hydraulic spool valves in the tractor. Wilson claims the required horsepower to operate this machine is 115hp+.

Each cage is locked in place with two hydraulically operated catches on each side, which are spring-loaded in order to ensure they stay firmly in place during transport.

In order for the Super Move to adhere to the latest trailer regulations, it is fitted with a parking brake which couples as a breakaway device for up to 40km/h, as it is attached to the tractor via a wire rope.

For 50km/h use, the air brakes will also operate as a breakaway system in the event of decoupling.

There are various options available on the Super Move, such as wheel sizes, choice of colour and the already mentioned Hi-Speed kit, which will add on €2,000 plus VAT to the machine.

Wilson Engineering also offers a custom-design service for its customers to meet any requirements they might have. Prices for the Super Move start at €14,500 plus VAT. This latest version can be seen at Grass & Muck on Ryalls Farm Machinery’s stand.