Key Takeaways
- Bushel Plus highlights outdated concaves as a key source of grain loss and reduced combine performance.
- The company’s new O-Grate MAD Concaves feature O-shaped holes and staircase-style threshing bars to improve threshing efficiency and grain quality.
- The modular system allows farmers to swap inserts quickly between different crops, reducing downtime.
- O-Grates are compatible with major combine models from Case IH, John Deere, Fendt, and New Holland.
- Founder Marcel Kringe emphasizes that modern concaves can help farmers reduce losses and improve profitability.
Bushel Plus Highlights Concave Challenges
Bushel Plus is drawing attention to the role outdated or underperforming concaves play in profit loss during harvest. When concaves fail to keep up with modern high-capacity combines, issues such as unthreshed grain, cracked kernels, and restricted rotor efficiency can occur.
Marcel Kringe, Founder and CEO of Bushel Plus, noted: “The concave is the heart of the threshing system. Yet too many machines still run with concave designs that haven’t changed in decades. Every field with old components like this risks losing grain.”
Next-Generation Concave Design
Engineering advancements in concave design are reshaping harvest efficiency. Kringe explained: “Today’s concave technology far outperforms the standard designs and combine setups, allowing farmers to optimize threshing for every crop that they grow. This reduces losses and improves grain quality.”
The company’s O-Grate MAD Concave™ introduces two new features:
- O-shaped holes for controlled, consistent threshing.
- Rounded staircase-style bars for gentler grain separation.
“These innovative design features solve common problems with standard concaves,” Kringe added. “They prevent un-threshed grain, reduce kernel damage, and maintain consistent performance even in challenging conditions.”
How the O-Grate Works
The O-shaped holes allow grain to separate efficiently while keeping larger crop material in the rotor, preventing overload and plugging. At the same time, the staircase-style bars create a tumbling action that helps protect grain quality.
Kringe explained the intention behind the design: “We designed the O-Grate to push the boundaries of what farmers can expect from their combines. By increasing throughput and capacity, improving sample quality, and reducing grain loss, we’re helping growers harvest more efficiently and protect their bottom line.”
Looking Ahead For Bushel Plus
Bushel Plus has developed the concave system with a modular split-frame design that allows operators to swap lighter inserts between crops in 10 to 15 minutes. This flexibility reduces downtime and improves safety compared to traditional, heavier concaves.
For the 2025 season, O-Grate MAD Concaves will be available for U.S. farmers running Case IH Flagship and Midrange; John Deere STS, S Series, and X9; Fendt Ideal; and New Holland CR 22-inch combine models.
With commodity prices under pressure, Kringe emphasized the broader impact: “Using outdated concaves isn’t just an operational issue – it’s an economic risk. Upgrading to next-generation technology ensures farmers capture more yield, protect grain quality, and run combines at full capacity.”
Bushel Plus Inc.
Bushel Plus Inc. is a global provider of harvest optimization technology, offering solutions that help farmers reduce grain loss and improve yield outcomes. The company is active in over 35 countries, working alongside dealers, agronomists, and equipment manufacturers.
Driven by the principle that “you can only harvest once,” Bushel Plus equips growers with field-proven tools to make invisible grain losses measurable and actionable, supporting more profitable harvests worldwide.
