Montana Agriculture show’s winning inventions are selling

Sales have picked up for two Montana inventors who displayed their creative genius at the 2004 Ag Technology Show in Billings in January.

The show attracted about 6,000 farmers and ranchers over the three days of the show, according to Cynthia Berst , the show’s producer.

By Dave Burgess Western Business News

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"We got lucky with the weather," she said.

It was the second year for the show, and, like last year, entries were taken for two awards for inventions designed for farm or ranch use.

Kent Granmoe of Glendive won the People’s Choice Award for his Hydraulic Pressure Relief Tool. It is Granmoe’s first and only invention, and it makes life a little easier for its users. He explained how the tool, which fits in one hand, releases "trapped pressure" in hydraulic lines, allowing the user to hook up hoses on powered equipment. Without relieving the pressure in some way, hose couplings can be too tight to connect.

"A man doesn’t have enough strength to connect these hoses," Granmoe said. "This tool couples onto these hoses even if there is pressure … easy."

People at the show in January had never seen anything like it before, he said, but anyone who even looked like a farmer knew about the problem solved by the invention.

He said he made the first one seven or eight years ago for his own use. Granmoe works at Milne Implement.

"Me and the guys I work with used it around the shop," he said. Later, he got a patent on the tool.

At the Ag Technology Show, he showed the invention to the public for the first time. Since, then he has built and sold about 50 sets to people mostly around Glendive. He sold 25 sets at the Glendive AgriTrade Expo. A popular version of the tools sells for $45 a set, which includes male and female versions. Granmoe has several styles of the tools designed to fit specific types of hose connections found on farm equipment and also on construction equipment.

Now, Granmoe is talking with a manufacturing company about producing the tool and marketing it. If the company decides to run with the product, Granmoe’s invention could be sold nationwide. But, he said, he is not expecting to get rich with his idea.

The Ag Technology Show’s panel of five judges gave the $1,000 Top Inventor Award to Fred Davison for his E-Z Reach Gate Winch invention. The winch makes opening and closing wire fence gates a snap.

With his winch, "anyone can open any tight gate," said Davison, who farms and ranches in Highwood, east of Great Falls. The invention makes access easier for people, especially the elderly, the young and handicapped individuals.

Inventing is not new to Davison. He said he has hundreds of ideas, and he even does consulting for inventors. The patent on the winch is pending.

He developed the winch for 10 years and used it on his own property. He was selling some before, but said the show helped raise awareness of the product. He produces 100 to 150 at a time. So far, he has made 1,000, and they are at Big R retail outlets for $21.95.

For Berst, including inventors in her farm and ranch show is good for the state and can create jobs.

"We encourage them to try to produce their product here in Montana," she said.

The 2004 show had 125 exhibitors. The show has sold out in both of its two years and it looks like it will again for 2005.

"Here it is May, and I am already 75 percent full for the next show," said Berst.

The Ag Technology Show 2005 will be held Jan. 20-22, 2005, again at the Holiday Inn Trade Center.