TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Kansas State University is teaming up with the Technology Development Institute to develop a new agricultural product.

Kansas State University’s Carl R. Ice College of Engineering says it is teaming up with the Technology Development Institute to provide a Salina based entrepreneur and inventor development assistance needed to get his latest product ready for interested manufacturers.

TDA says it has provided development assistant to Barry Reinert and his new product that assists ranchers with hydraulic bale beds. The device, nicknamed the Bac-Pac can be used with a hydraulic bale bed to transport livestock, equipment, seed and feed that need to be lifted from the ground onto a truck bed for transport.

K-State says Reinert has been working closely with the Salina Community Economic Development Organization to move the concept of the project forward. It says they decided a product redesign was necessary for manufacturability as well as the creation of a drawing package for the manufacturer to be able to fabricate bigger volumes of units.

Reinert says he reached out to the TDI due to the staff having experience in engineering and business to see if they would help him design, prototype, test and launch his new product to a wide range of companies and individuals.

Reinert says he sought help from TDA to combine different functions in his two product prototypes into one unit, reducing weight and creating a set of drawings detailing the parts and assembly process. He says TDA was successful in this endeavor.

TDI says it worked closely with the Salina Community Economic Development team and has reached out to several agencies to help with the project such as the Northwest Kansas Economic Innovation Center, a private foundation serving 26 counties in northwest Kansas, the Kansas Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Administration.

“The NWKEICI felt this was an innovative product that could make everyday functions in the agriculture industry more effective, so we were happy to assist with funding of the new prototype development,” said Scott Sproul, president and CEO of the organization.

“This has been a great partnership from many different economic development groups across the state to help bring Barry’s vision to a commercially ready product,” said Bret Lanz, commercialization director for TDI. “Our next step is to locate a manufacturer seeking to add a new product to their line of agricultural products — hopefully here in the state of Kansas.”

TDI says it is a U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration University Center and provides a range of engineering and business development services to private industry and university researchers to advance the commercial readiness of new products or technologies.

More information on TDI is available on the K-State website.

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