About Us
In 1997, Denny Bell recognized a problem and seized an opportunity.
A seasoned farmer and experienced businessman, Denny owned Agri-Logic, the producer of Case and Ag Leader’s early yield-mapping software. His business dealings allowed him to visit thousands of farms and interact with individual customers at trade shows. These discussions resulted in the discovery of a universal problem: agricultural water management. Farmers all recognized that proper field drainage was the only correlation that consistently impacted yields.
True, various types of farm drainage equipment existed on the market, but Denny wanted to create something better and more widely useful. He identified with the farmers’ need for a land improvement tool that was also cost effective and the Soil-Max Gold Digger® was born.
In 2011, Soil-Max releases the patented Stealth ZD tile plow.
This new design decreases the amount of tractive power required to pull the machine through the ground by increasing the amount of lift generated in the soil profile. The plow also moves the tile exit point directly in line with the pivot point of the shank thereby eliminating deflection and pinching of the pipe during grade changes.
In 2012, Al Myers (Ag Leader) acquires Soil-Max and Gradient.
Soil-Max® remains a stand-alone company building tile plows and tile carts while Gradient is incorporated into the Ag Leader Technology® structure. A dealer network is implemented and expanded going from 18 original dealers in North America, New Zealand, and Denmark to around 60 dealers spread over 5 continents worldwide today.
In 2015, Soil-Max releases the ZD48 tile plow in response to customer demand.
This plow is specifically designed for installing drain tile in specialty crops as well as laterals in pattern tile designs. This plow installs 3” and 4” tile up to 48” deep with much smaller tractors than are required of the previous plows. The typical tractors used on this plow are in the 125-250 hp (10,000-20,000 lbs) range.
In 2018, Soil-Max releases the European plow models in response to dealer requests.
The ZD1200 and ZD1600 models are specifically designed for the smaller pipes and tractors common in the European countries. Soil-Max also developed an aggregate box and an onboard tile reel for the European markets.
Economic & Efficient
The Gold Digger tile plow allows farmers to harness the power of tools they already own to produce higher yield. While most tile plows on the market require specialized tractors to haul their excessive weight, the GoldDigger, made of T1 steel, offers twice the strength with half the weight and is easily attached to a farmer’s existing tractor.
The unique product design improved on existing drainage plows. It was unaffected by tractor variability and the Soil-Max Gold Digger grade control allows for consistency and integrity of tiling.
Customer Satisfaction
Our customers often comment on how surprised they are that the Gold Digger plow is so easy to use and simultaneously, so effective. Within a couple days, farmers feel comfortable running the tile plow and excited that their investment will pay for itself within the year with dramatically higher yields.
The Future
The benefits of the Soil-Max products have worldwide reach, revolutionizing surface drainage and land improvement management around the globe. They produce consistent and quality results on all soil types, making them invaluable tools for any farmer.
Soil-Max creator, Denny Bell, is also a customer. He continues to farm and tile his own land in western Indiana, harnessing the power and benefit of the Gold Digger tile plow. As land continue to rise, it is only becoming more imperative that farmers tile. Soil-Max wants to partner with you on raising yields, improving yields, and making a quality investment.