A tri-party agreement between CNH, Haynes Bros and Ernest Doe has created a single Case IH territory in Kent, eliminating sales, service and parts duplication at separately owned branches just five miles apart near Ashford.

Haynes Brothers has extended its east Kent patch to cover the whole of the county by acquiring Doe’s Woodchurch-based Ernest Doe Power business, which covered the west.

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That branch has now been closed and all staff members have transferred to the Haynes Bros network, which includes the Haynes Agritec site at Great Chart near Ashford.

James Broadley, Haynes group managing director, said:

“This move to expand our Case IH agricultural presence throughout Kent is another exciting chapter for our growing agricultural business, and we thank CNH and Doe’s senior management team for facilitating this move.”

All parties recognised that operating separate branches so close together was not just “far from ideal” but also not commercially viable in the long term.

Pecks now focused on JCB

With its 12-month CNH termination notice having expired at the end of July, Cambridgeshire-based dealership G&J Peck says it is now building its operations around JCB and its machinery franchises.

It will continue to support Case IH and New Holland customers with servicing, repairs and parts.

“The decision by CNH to end our relationship after over 60 years was certainly one we were disappointed by,” says a company statement.

“However, it has provided a chance to reflect on our business, our staff and our customers, and to plan for the future.

“We will continue to offer our New Holland and Case IH customers an alternative to the now limited main CNH dealer options, with our factory-trained engineers and tens of thousands of parts lines that we will continue to stock.”

In March this year, Pecks managing director Jon Wareing revealed plans to close its Spalding, Ramsey and Ely sites once the company has completed moving Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire operations to a new headquarters in Chatteris.

In anticipation of the move, JCB appointed first-time retailer Thorncliffs as its new dealer for south Lincolnshire and is supportive of the branch consolidations.

JCB Agriculture managing director John Smith said:

“G&J Peck provide industry-leading sales and after-sales support to our customers in the region and we look forward to the new Chatteris depot and working with Pecks in this next phase of their business.”

CNH, meanwhile, has appointed Ernest Doe & Sons to expand into Cambridgeshire and south Lincolnshire for both Case IH and New Holland from its depots at Sutterton, North Kyme and Littleport.

Russells now covers north Lincolnshire for New Holland from its Louth depot, while Sharmans continues to represent Case IH in this territory, also from Louth.

SDF snares AB Wight for Deutz-Fahr…

Scottish Borders machinery dealer AB Wight Engineering is the latest signing to the Deutz-Fahr network, with the St Boswells-based firm switching from McCormick after an eight-year association with the Argo Tractors marque.

During that time, brothers Andrew and Garry Wight have transformed the light fabrications business that still produces ATV trailers and snackers.

It is now a fully fledged dealership occupying a purpose-built workshop and showroom they completed a couple of years ago.

AB Wight also represents McHale, Maschio Gaspardo, Harry West and Dieci.

…and brings Thomas Cairnie back into the fold

Former Deutz-Fahr and Same tractors dealer Thomas Cairnie & Son has been encouraged to re-join the national network supplying and supporting the two brands once again.

The business, based at Kirkmahoe, north of Dumfries, first linked up with SDF more than two decades ago but switched to Case IH in 2009 for a few years.

Dealer principal Jack Cairnie said:

“We’ve been talking to SDF for a long while and they’ve now convinced us with their current resources to take up the business again, so we now represent both Same and Deutz-Fahr throughout Dumfries & Galloway.”

Turney Group adds Merlo to its portfolio

New Holland dealer Turney Group has taken up the offer of continuing the Merlo telehandler franchise long-established at the premises of its new depot at Bredon near Tewksbury, Gloucestershire.

It still represents Manitou at two of its three branches in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

At the beginning of July this year, Turneys moved into the depot vacated by P&D Engineering upon owner Mike Pullin’s retirement, initially to accommodate a Ransomes Jacobsen professional groundscare territory expansion.

Now, other machinery brands are likely to be added to the Bredon depot roster, alongside Merlo sales and support covering Gloucestershire and Worcestershire.

Henton & Chattell moves into Newark branch

Plans announced in January for Nottingham-based Kubota agricultural and groundscare dealer Henton & Chattell to take on Farmstar’s depot at Newark were completed at the end of July, with all staff retained.

Lloyd takes on more construction kit…

The LiuGong construction equipment business is expanding its UK representation by appointing New Holland dealer Lloyd to cover north-west England and Scotland.

LiuGong supplies mini to heavy 360deg excavators, diesel and battery-electric loading shovels, skid-steer loaders and elevating access platforms into Europe.

In the UK it has a direct sales arm while developing a dealer presence.

The range will be available from branches at Carlisle, Dumfries, Kelso, Lancashire, Penrith and in the Lothians.

Elsewhere, Lloyd is already one of Bobcat’s largest UK dealers and is set to supply more of its telehandlers, loaders and compact tractors.

It will do this by extending the franchise into Lancashire from its Cabus Nook premises near Garstang.

A&M Group and Hamblys add Ausa…

Hamblys and A&M Group are also diversifying their agricultural dealerships by taking on light construction equipment, their latest sign-up being with Spanish manufacturer Ausa.

Case IH dealer A&M covers south and central Wales from Bridgend and St Clears near Cardiff.

Claas dealership Hamblys operates in south-west England from its base at Launceston and branches at Redruth in Cornwall, and Torrington and Honiton in Devon.

Ausa makes rough terrain forklifts, site dumpers and Taurulift ultra-compact telehandlers, primarily for plant hire firms handling groundworks and landscaping.

…while Hamblys trims branches

Hamblys has axed its Bishops Lydeard depot five miles north-west of Taunton, Somerset, and transferred all operations and staff into the newly refurbished branch at Honiton, over the border in Devon.

The Claas dealer says its commitment to west Somerset customers is unchanged; an emergency parts drop point has been set-up at Drakes Business Centre north-east of Taunton.

A new retail shop for workshop kit, consumables, farm clothing and so on is part of the upgraded premises at Honiton.

Tuckwells constructs new Herts depot

Eastern counties John Deere dealer Tuckwells is in the midst of building a new branch just off the A1(M) north of Baldock, Hertfordshire, due to open early 2026.

Replacing the Cromer depot to the south near Stevenage, the 1ha site will feature a 790sq m building to house a showroom, extensive parts storage, office space and a 10-bay workshop for machine servicing and repairs.

Tuckwells has also signed up as the first UK dealer for crop.zone, a manufacturer of equipment that deploys an electric charge to desiccate crop foliage.

After-sales support will be available through all 11 branches, which cover Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.

Hopkins to Scotland for latest venture

The diversified sales and hire business Hopkins Machinery has set up shop in Scotland to extend the geographical reach of its specialist vehicle hire operations.

The group’s core business, Ted Hopkins, supplies Kubota agricultural and compact tractors and implements, and farm machinery from the likes of Bomford, Kverneland, SimTech and Teagle.

It is one of five divisions, the others covering farm tractor hire, 4×4 forklift and telescopic handler rental, and hire of UTVs, golf carts and groundcare equipment.

The new operation at Auchterarder, Perth & Kinross, focuses on street-legal electric vehicles, off-road ATVs and golf carts.

This is the group’s fifth location alongside the head office at Wentloog near Newport, Gwent; Brecon in Powys, mid-Wales; Kilcot near Newent, Gloucestershire; and Willand near Tiverton, Devon.

Irelands steps up with Energreen

Lincolnshire-based Irelands Farm Machinery has stepped up from being a dealer to become the principle distributor of Energreen’s range of self-propelled reach mowers in Britain.

It has a remit to build a dealer network for the specialist machines.

The four-model range of SPV four-wheel drive, 143-220hp reach mowers, previously distributed via Spearhead, are mainly used for vegetation management alongside waterways, roads, railways and similar applications.

Irelands’ Energreen support territory extends from the Scottish Borders to London, with parts stock now held at its three branches at Carrington, Sutterton and Market Rasen in Lincolnshire.

MLM for Kverneland in the far north

The Kverneland equipment franchise for Orkney and the Shetland Isles has been picked up by John Deere dealer MLM Engineering at Orphir following Kirkwall-based J&W Tait’s exit from machinery sales, parts and service earlier this year.

Its closure means the nearest Case IH dealer to Shetland is now Mark Garrick’s Elgin base in Morayshire, 200 miles to the south.

ATV Services’ mid-Scotland moves

Farm quad bike and buggy sales and support specialist ATV Services Scotland has opened new-build premises adjacent to Ayr livestock market.

The new headquarters development provides facilities to offer a broader selection of ATVs, utility vehicles and specialised equipment.

It comes hot on the heels of a move to larger premises for the company’s Stirling team, now located at Tullybody near Alloa.

Sprayer specialist CT Scott shifts depot

More spacious premises for preparing, servicing and supporting crop spraying equipment across central and southern Scotland are now occupied at Muirhead near Dundee by specialist dealer CT Scott.

Run by Craig and Emma Scott from their main base at Premnay, near Insch in Aberdeenshire, the company supplies Agrifac, Bateman and Landquip crop sprayers, Ag Leader controllers and related equipment, and trailed lime/fertiliser spreaders from Northern Ireland manufacturer SpreadPoint.

New dealer HB Machinery bags Kuhn

Despite being set up barely five years ago, Harry and Donna Boardman’s HB Machinery business at Wrea Green near Preston has already attracted the attention of a full-line equipment supplier.

Kuhn Farm Machinery has appointed the dealer to cover an area extending from west of Preston to beyond Lancaster at its most northerly point, retailing Kuhn’s complete grassland and arable product range.

Elmstar Machinery takes on Yanmar

Yanmar compact tractors, distributed in Britain by all-terrain specialist Boss Off-Road Vehicles, are available throughout Devon and beyond from Elmstar Machinery at Newton Abbot.

Elmstar currently specialises in professional groundcare and tree management equipment, supplying contractors, local authorities and other organisations operating in this sector.

Krone to close Oxfordshire dealership

Forage equipment manufacturer Krone’s venture into farm machinery retailing is coming to an end with the November closure of its wholly owned Krone Forage Solutions business at Enstone, Oxfordshire.

The operation originally supported dealerships in the west Midlands through independent service agents.

Once it was based at Enstone, became a fully fledged retail dealership that gained the Case IH franchise in 2021, along with Lemken tillage and Spearhead vegetation management equipment.

Krone UK managing director Marcus Oliver explained:

“Krone Forage Solutions was established to demonstrate our confidence in the Krone brand and ensure a local presence during a key stage in our UK development in the absence of an independent dealer option.

“It has served its purpose extremely well; but now we have a national network of dedicated and highly capable dealers we are shifting our focus to supporting them as we work with all affected staff and customers to ensure a smooth transition.”