Spring has seen a succession of dealer appointments and territory shifts as manufacturers seek improved coverage. Others, meanwhile are pulling down the shutters. 

We round up the changes, acquisitions and investments.

Crawfords Group wins Agco territory gains…

Growing south-east England machinery dealership Crawfords has been rewarded for its service support and market share growth, notably at the Ropley branch in Hampshire which opened four years ago, with territory gains for Agco’s tractor and machinery brands.

The business now represents Fendt, Massey Ferguson and Valtra across a chunk of north Hampshire and south Berkshire previously allocated to Chandlers, and its MF franchise has been extended to include West Sussex and south Hampshire, which C&O Tractors covered.

See also: Britain’s biggest machinery dealers ranked by turnover

Separately, the MF-focused Agwood operation at Swingfield near Dover acquired in 2022 has been fully integrated into the business, and now operates under the Crawford name.

…and signs three new franchises

Like many agricultural machinery dealers, Crawfords Group has pursued a light construction equipment franchise to diversify sales and bring in added revenue.

It has now secured Komatsu’s range of wheeled loaders, skid-steer and backhoe loaders, and up to 10t excavators for south-east England.

In addition, Indespension road trailers are now available throughout the Crawfords Group territory, which stretches from Essex and east Herts, through Kent, Sussex and Surrey to Hampshire and east Berks.

The range includes car, 4×4 and light truck trailers for agricultural, commercial and leisure use, along with a large selection of parts, accessories and towing kits.

Distag QCS is the third new supplier; it produces a wide range of power transmission components such as belts, assemblies and parts for hydraulic systems, and trailer parts.

New focus for C&O’s Funtington branch

As a result of C&O Tractors’ MF territory realignment, the dealership’s Funtington depot in West Sussex has a new focus as C&O Isuzu, while maintaining support for Kverneland agricultural and Sany light construction equipment customers across the county and Hampshire.

The business has another five branches – on the Isle of Wight, and in Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset and Devon – with a large portfolio of tractor and equipment franchises.

More dealer appointments for Merlo

Alistair Young Engineering, at Dunphail, near Forres, has returned to the Merlo telehandler network serving customers across the shires of Ross & Cromarty, Inverness, Nairn, Moray, Banff, and also western Aberdeenshire.

In south-west Scotland, Carrs Billington has extended its Merlo presence to its Stranraer depot in Wigtownshire, and also across to Penrith, Cumbria, having started selling the telehandlers from the Carlisle, Hexham and Morpeth branches last December.

Further south, RVW Pugh has expanded its Merlo territory by moving into the Lathom, Lancs premises of Malpas Tractors, building on existing outlets at Churchstoke in Powys and Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, and the group’s TR Machinery branch at Newport, Shropshire.

The new Lathom branch will also carry Sumo, Hi-Spec, Vaderstad and AVR, the Belgian potato equipment manufacturer.

In south-west England, Vincents has been awarded the Merlo franchise at two of its four depots – Fraddon near Newquay, Cornwall and Smithaleigh near Plymouth for south Devon, replacing Rundle & Co.

Claphams applaud Kuhn franchise win

Ed and Debbie Clapham of West Yorkshire dealership Clapham Agricultural Engineering has welcomed the company’s appointment as a full-line Kuhn outlet.

Given Kuhn’s extensive range of green harvest products, they see it as complementary to their Harry Travis dairy engineering and supplies business located on the same premises at Ripponden, near Halifax.

GGM Group expands training offer

In Yorkshire, meanwhile, Kubota dealer GGM Group has opened a new service centre at Knottingley to complement its sales and support branches at Colne, in Lancs, and Haydock, Merseyside.

Lantra operator training courses in the safe use and maintenance of machinery – run successfully for the past two years – are available at the new site, in addition to parts and mobile service support.

Gordons go with Dieci

Having already represented Dieci’s non-agricultural telescopic handlers through its construction arm, multi-branch dealership James Gordon has added the farm materials handling sector to the franchise from seven depots, covering the south-west and central belt of Scotland.

Harrison Tractors adds Knight franchise

Cambridgeshire dealership Harrison Tractors continues to build a portfolio of complementary farm implements by taking on sales, parts and service support for Knight sprayers.

Based at March, an hour on the other side of Peterborough from Knight’s home at Oakham, Rutland, James Harrison and his team will look after customers with the mounted, trailed and self-propelled sprayers across an area north of Cambridge.

Hollies for McCormick in Hants

Agri Argo UK has taken on a new dealer – Hollies Engineering based at Exton, 12 miles south-east of Winchester – to provide McCormick sales, parts and service support across Hampshire and surrounding areas.

It counts Zetor and Merlo among its other franchises.

Conagri brings in Venieri…

Italian wheeled loader specialist VF Venieri is having another crack at the GB market, this time through Conagri, a Devon-based importer, with a particular focus in the farming sector on the manufacturer’s compact and telescopic wheeled loaders.

Conagri has appointed its subsidiary, Agri Market Insight & Access (Amia), as Venieri dealer for Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset, and is looking to fill slots covering the rest of Great Britain.

In addition to the 50hp and 143hp tele-wheeled loaders, VF Venieri produces 3.6-22t loading shovels and articulated hydro-drive backhoe loaders.

…and Captain compact tractors

Compact tractors from Indian manufacturer Captain are also now part of Conagri’s product portfolio, with Amia being the south-west dealer across territory including Wiltshire.

The focus is on the Mitsubishi-powered 22hp 223 Bagheera and the 25hp 263, the latter coming with a nine-speed gearbox or hydrostatic drive.

Terry Harrison Machinery, near Narberth, Pembrokeshire, is another early dealer appointment, compensating for the loss of the Farmtrac franchise now all sales are being channelled through Kubota dealers.

AT Jeffery stocks Newrock slurry kit

Based at Blyth Bridge, West Linton near Edinburgh, agricultural dealership AT Jeffery has been taken on as a sales and service agent for Newrock Engineering, the Lisburn-based business.

Tractor-powered slurry lagoon pumps are the first items stocked, with slurry tankers and an umbilical-hose purge system expected from Newrock later this year as its owner revives the fortunes of the business.

ADR Tyremart buys retailer BRC

British Rubber Company, the Shipley, West Yorkshire-based agricultural wheel and tyre supplier, has been bought by ADR UK Tyremart.

The company says combining the latter’s expertise in supplying ADR trailer axles and components to UK agricultural equipment manufacturers with BRC’s products and its retail sales and wholesales network provides opportunities for significant expansion.

More dealers sign for Corvus buggies…

Corvus all-terrain vehicles from Spain have attracted two more dealers – Guy Machinery at Gisburne, Lancs, and Used4Turf in Colchester, Essex.

The Terrain DX4 diesel and EX4 battery electric side-by-side vehicles are are distributed in Britain by Boss Off-Road Vehicles.

…and Aodes ATVs get first dealers

Boss has also appointed its first batch of dealers for the China-built Aodes Pathcross quad bikes and Workcross farm buggies.

Blakewell Services, agricultural and horticultural engineers in Barnstaple, has been appointed in Devon.

Two dealers who already distribute the Corvus UTVs imported from Spain by Boss ORV, J&R Agricultural Engineering at Looe, south-east Cornwall, and agricultural and plant repair specialist DJS Hydraulics on Anglesey.

Separately, DJS Hydraulics has also taken on Lovol tractors for North Wales at its Amlwch and Bangor branches, as the Lovol Machinery arm of Severn Farm Machinery at Pontesbury, Shropshire, builds a dealer network.

Hamilton Ross Group for Keenan

Livestock nutrition specialist Keenan has appointed Hamilton Ross Group as its sales, service and parts provider for TMR feeders and the Orbital muckspreader across central Scotland.

Branches at Bishopton, Campbeltown, Cupar, Lanark, Perth and Tarbolton are now stocking and trading new and used Keenan diet feeders, and Brian Hamilton has been appointed the group’s Keenan brand manager.

Rickerby joins Hardi dealer network

Crop sprayer manufacturer Hardi, part of the Exel Industries group, has appointed Rickerby as its sales, parts and service partner throughout the Cumbria-based company’s trading area.

That comprises all nine of the dealer group’s agricultural dealerships, at locations stretching from Dunbar, east of Edinburgh, down through western Northumberland to Bowburn, County Durham and Penrith, Cumbria, as well at Carnforth and Burscough in Lancs.

Merger expands ATV dealerships

Buckinghamshire all-terrain vehicle dealer Ace ATV has brought the aftermarket parts specialist ATVs Only into the business.

Ace ATV at Newton Purcell near Buckingham holds sales and support franchises for Can-Am, Corvus, Kawasaki, Kymco and Yamaha vehicles, and also for Logic Manufacturing implements and equipment.

The ATVs Only division, previously operating as a trade-only business, has been dedicated to parts and accessories for Sports ATV vehicles but will now supply retail as well, with add-more-utility products and manufacturers’ original equipment parts to create a one-stop depot.

Agri-Hire secures Iseki franchise

The Suffolk-based machinery dealership established out of Agri-Hire’s machinery manufacturing and hire fleet business has been appointed as an Iseki sales, parts and support main dealer.

Located at Bramford, near Ipswich, the portfolio includes compact tractors from 23-67hp, plus ride-on and robotic mowers for sale and hire, and complements its Weidemann, Mzuri and McConnel franchises.

Mitchell Powersystems extends engine support

Industrial and marine engine specialist Mitchell Powersystems has secured a three-year extension to its distribution agreement with JCB Powertrain, the systems and components arm of the JCB Group.

Mitchell’s role covers new engine sales, genuine parts and service support from its bases at Glasgow, Sutton-in-Ashfield in Notts, Hayes in Middlesex, and Romsey in Hants, operating throughout the UK and Ireland.

The company is now also a UK service dealer for Mercedes-Benz branded, MTU Classic and MTU 1000 and 1500 engine series following Deutz’s acquisition of the Daimler Truck Engines business, which supplies diesel power units mainly for agricultural and construction machinery.

Samagri picks up Bergmann for the south

Hampshire-based Samagri has added Bergmann forage wagons, trailers and manure spreaders to its franchise portfolio.

The firm based near Basingstoke handles local sales of drills and tillage equipment from Kockerling and Sumo, Virkar direct drills, and APV grassland groomers and air broadcasters.

Samagri is distributing the Bergmann range across southern England and South Wales, complementing the northern England and North Wales distributor RMV Machinery Sales at Loversalll, near Doncaster.

J&S Montgomery expands with Kverneland

Buying neighbouring Deere dealer DKR Agricultural Services in February this year has brought added business with Kverneland to J&S Montgomery.

The tillage, forage and feeding equipment franchise has now been extended from the company’s Beith, Stranraer and Ayr branches serving the west coast of Scotland, eastwards into Lanarkshire centred on the former DKR base at Coulter near Biggar that carried Pottinger.

Yamaha, meanwhile, has confirmed J&S Montgomery as its sales and support dealer for the newly-acquired territory.

Oliver Landpower secures Guttler

Wox Agri Services has added Oliver Landpower to its roster of dealers stocking Guttler tillage equipment, including the Supermaxx range of shallow-working spring tine cultivators and seeders.

Guttler’s pasture management groomers and familiar cast prisma ring rollers are also available throughout a territory covered by five branches from Colchester, Essex through Herts, Beds and Bucks to Upper Quinton near Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwicks.

Bunning spreaders for Ravenhill

Five branches across north-east Scotland from Dyce, Maud and Turriff in Aberdeenshire to Elgin and Dingwall near Inverness are now handling the GT Bunning range of manure and lime/fertiliser spreaders.

XAgri upgrades to Tong dealership

A Yorkshire-based business is expanding its commercial relationship with vegetable handling equipment manufacturer Tong Engineering.

XAgri has several years’ experience servicing and repairing Tong equipment and the expertise gained is now being used at its Beverley, East Yorks base as a full Tong dealer providing dedicated sales, after-sales, service support and parts.

Amazone invests in large machine production

Adding two more production halls to the existing facilities at BBG Leipzig will provide 8,000sq m of space for assembling large equipment and associated logistics.

The factory produces non-inversion tillage kit, such as compact disc harrows and heavy-duty tine cultivators, as well as UG trailed sprayers. The new buildings are scheduled for completion towards the end of 2025.

Dutch slurry kit firm Kaweco saved

In autumn 2024, the parent company of Kaweco, best known for its piggy-back and fifth-wheel slurry tankers for Claas Xerion 4000 and 5000 tractors, announced the closure of the business, saying it was unprofitable.

But it did not take long for the owners Kotte Group, which builds Garant slurry tankers, to step in, acquire selected assets and set up a new Kaweco business in nearby premises.

Having retained the original team, Kaweco now promises uninterrupted support for its products in service and an expansion of its capabilities in development, sales and production.

Deere buys aerial imaging firm Sentera

Aerial imaging by drone is the latest technology brought in-house by John Deere through its acquisition of US specialist Sentera, which produces cameras compatible with most major drone platforms, and specialist software.

Its products enable growers and crop-scouting services to quickly gather high-resolution images for analysis by Sentera’s FieldAgent software to identify the location and type of weeds present, then generate a prescription map for herbicides, or to gather data on crop stand uniformity, disease pressure and the presence of pests.

Deere emphasises its Operations Center cloud platform will remain open to other drone imagery providers, and Sentera will continue to supply cameras directly to drone manufacturers and users.

More electric drives for Deutz

As part of a strategy to acquire electric drives expertise and capabilities, diesel-engine maker Deutz has bought Dutch business Urban Mobility Systems, a specialist in the electrification of off-highway vehicles.

UMS is reported to have converted more than 200 machines to electric drive, including excavators, wheeled loaders and cranes, and has a significant order book for such conversions, for which Deutz will help scale-up the firm’s capacity.

Fendt ditches two product lines

Economic pressures are said to be behind the decision to drop all production of Tigo forage wagons from the Fendt portfolio, and to switch telehandler sales to a direct relationship between Cargo T manufacturer Sennebogen and Fendt dealers.

Fendt exclusively gained the forage wagon line when Agco bought Lely’s green harvest products for both Massey Ferguson and Fendt in 2017; dealers are recommended to pursue a relationship with Strautmann as many already carry both brands.

Horsch adds forestry kit

Two long-term product development employees have teamed up with Horsch to further develop their fledgling forestry equipment business.

The renamed business Horsch Pirk Forestry will tap into Horsch resources for the design, development and manufacture of timber haulage trailers, and the pursuit of new markets.

Krone’s £38m parts investment

Forage equipment specialist Krone has completed a €45m (£38m) investment in parts, storage and logistics in the year it celebrates the 25th year of Big X forage harvester production at its Spelle headquarters.

The new parts warehouse at the same location has capacity for more than 65,000 items and the latest store management and retrieval systems for efficient order fulfilment.

Maschio Gaspardo wins CNH grass kit contract

Italian implement maker Maschio Gaspardo is to supply New Holland (NH) dealers with NH-branded mowers, mower conditioners, tedders and rotary rakes in the European region.

The new partnership follows from CNH’s sale of Kongskilde Agriculture to Seko Industries last August and the transfer of Kongskilde production from a CNH plant in Poland to Seko’s Italian base.

CNH and Maschio Gaspardo already have a partnership for selected tillage implements, and the two will have joint responsibility for the design and development of future New Holland grass kit, with the Italian concern taking the lead on engineering.

Novag back in business

The Novag range of direct drills has been saved by one of the first users in France after the manufacturer was placed in administration late last year.

Grower Jean-Paul Rault has formed a new company – Agriculture Nouvelle Generation – with two key Novag employees and other investors to acquire rights to the drills and preserve the team behind the machines, which continue to carry the Novag name.