Ripper Tillage Equipment specialises in the manufacturing of agricultural equipment, specifically for seedbed preparation. The variety of equipment includes implements for before, during, and after planting.

The business is run by second-generation manufacturers of agricultural implements. It was established in 1982 under the name CP Botha Engineering by Chris Botha. “My brother, Christoff, and I grew up in the workshop and learned everything we know from our father,” says Christine Bouwer, Director at Ripper Tillage Equipment since 2014. She and her brother took over the business from Chris in 2014. Soon thereafter, the name changed with the ownership to lead in the new era.

These siblings and their team have years of experience of working closely and in the field with farmers.

Tillage equipment for before planting

We specialise in on-the-row-cultivation, meaning rip-on-the-row-soil bed preparation,” says Christine. “We build rippers that cut, open, and rip so you can add fertiliser, close, and press the soil down. That ensures you have an entire rip-till implement.

This type of agricultural equipment means that the results are similar to a strip-till method, but you are able to till the soil deeper. Deeper, in this case, means 300 mm and more.

Once you have completed your soil preparation work, you are ready to plant.

Our products are fairly season-specific, so we start early in the year to manufacture parts that are required at the end of the year when it is planting season. That’s roughly eight months ahead of time so Ripper Tillage can ensure their clients have everything they need. “But remember to order in time!” Christine laughs, knowing how busy the workshop gets with large orders. Naturally, this is one way to ensure that you get the equipment you need in time without needing to waste time where you could have been planting.

The factory also recently switched to solar power. This means that loadshedding throughout South Africa will not affect the lead times for any parts or products.

All the parts of the equipment are manufactured in-house.

How to get your rip-till equipment

Every piece of equipment is manufactured in-house.

“Our range of products consist of cultivators, closing coulters, all planting accessories such as thines, and fertiliser coulters,” she explains.

If you are interested in purchasing a rip-till implement, the Ripper Tillage Equipment team first analyses your soil. That determines the type of cutter, row cleaner, thine, and closing coulter you need.

“We have a single-row demo ripper that we use on your farm to see what will work best for your needs. From there, we know what elements your implement needs,” she adds.

The process of building a rip-till machine takes from 4 to 8 weeks.

“Please don’t hesitate to call us,” Christine emphasised. “We will gladly assist you with information or answer any technical questions.”

All the parts of the equipment are manufactured in-house.

To find out more about Ripper Tillage Equipment, you can find them on Facebook, or visit their website at https://rippertillage.co.za/. They also provide products to companies such as Senwes or VKB. Contact Christine Bouwer on (+27)82-773-9297.