Our latest roundup of dealer movements includes new franchises for Kubota products and Can-Am ATVs.

There are changes in distribution partnerships and management line-ups for some dealers and expansion and acquisitions for others.

Catch up with the latest changes in your area of the country.

See also: Dealer Update: Rea Valley Tractors fallout prompts big changes

Generous territory for Pecks’ new Kubota franchise

A new franchise for Kubota agricultural products kicked off at G&J Peck in December.

The territory encompasses all of Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Norfolk, and also south Lincolnshire where Irelands Farm Machinery recently quit Kubota.

The tractor range from 25hp to 175hp neatly complements Pecks’ JCB Fastrac sales, notes managing director Jon Wareing.

Agricultural implements are also part of the Kubota offering supplied out of the company’s new headquarters at Chatteris, Cambs, and the branches at Dereham, Norfolk, and Rendlesham, Suffolk.

Kubota’s groundscare and engine franchises are not included in the Pecks package; they continue with existing dealers in the area.

… but Krone withdraws with CC Agri appointment

Krone is ending its distribution partnership with Pecks in early April, with the forage equipment manufacturer emphasising that customers will continue to receive full support from both parties during the transition period.

Chris Coleman’s CC Agricultural Engineering dealership at Stoke Ferry near Kings Lynn was appointed in October.

It will cover north and west Norfolk, north and east Cambridgeshire, and west Suffolk, complementing Sharmans, G Engineering at Halesworth, and Adcock Agri, Chelmsford.

… as does Amazone by appointing TNS

The complete range of Amazone farm equipment is now available through Thurlow Nunn Standen’s headquarters at Littleport, Cambridgeshire; branches at Attleborough and Fakenham in Norfolk; and at Kennett near Newmarket and Melton near Woodbridge in Suffolk.

Marrs of Methlick for Lovol in Scotland

While continuing to supply Zetor tractors in the locality, Marrs of Methlick in Aberdeenshire says it has made an encouraging start as the Lovol dealer for all of Scotland.

This complements fellow importer Severn Farm Machinery with its eight independent dealer outlets across England and Wales.

Dealers further afield have been lined up as service agents, and Marrs managing director Gerard Cameron said:

“I believe we’re a well-known and trusted dealership with the credibility to reassure farmers unfamiliar with the Chinese-built Lovol products, a position we underscore by holding an initial stock of £10,000-worth of parts.”

Beckside Machinery takes on Can-Am

Compact tractor and ATV specialist dealer Beckside Machinery has taken on the Can-Am franchise at its base in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire.

The BRP (Bombardier Recreational Products) line of Outlander quads and Traxter utility vehicles for work and leisure riding complement Beckside’s existing CFMoto products, and the FarmMaster, Logic and Wessex ranges of mowers and other ATV implements.

Crawfords Group loads up with Maxus

The commercial vehicles arm of agricultural machinery dealer Crawfords Group has diversified its portfolio with Maxus electric- and diesel-powered vans and pickups.

It has switched its own field technicians’ fleet to the 12.3cu m diesel Deliver 9 after a successful trial.

Supplied and supported through Crawford’s depots at Writtle in Essex and Charing in Kent, the Maxus line-up comprises the T60 Max diesel and new eTerron 9 electric pickups, and 1t to 1.5t capacity panel vans.

The Chinese manufacturer has committed to building diesel models for at least the next 10 years.

Premises expansion for Charlies

John Deere dealer Charlies Ag & Turf has opened a new showroom and workshops building at its Coed-y-Dinas premises near Welshpool, Powys – a significant investment for the business.

Starting out as a golf and turf products dealer, Charlies was awarded Deere’s agricultural portfolio for the Welshpool territory in autumn 2022 after RVT quit the franchise.

Guy Machinery owner steps back

A change in management responsibilities will be evident from January when Graham Guy hands day-to-day operation of Guy Machinery to other members of the team.

It will include commercial manager Andy Miller and sales manager Charlotte Fawcett, while continuing in an advisory role.

In addition to Kuhn, Krone, Joskin, Hustler and Rolland farm equipment, the Gisburn, Lancashire dealership specialises in ATVs and UTVs.

It added Suzuki quads last year by acquiring the assets and territory of Bondcroft ATVs to complement existing CFMoto, Corvus and BRP Can-Am franchises.

Irelands cleans up with GreenTec

Having taken on the Energreen professional vegetation management franchise as both GB distributor and local dealer, Irelands Farm Machinery has added complementary products from GreenTec A/S.

The Danish manufacturer, which produces tractor-mounted reach mowers and tree lopping equipment, and acquired the Worcestershire-based Razorback operation last autumn, has awarded a territory encompassing Lincolnshire and surrounding counties.

This will be served by Irelands branches at Carrington, and Sutterton, the Market Rasen depot in Lincs having closed in December.

GreenTec has also recruited Wilfred Scuton to cover the north of England from its depots in Driffield and York.

Bryson, Johnston and AL Agri for Schaffer loaders

H Fulton Tractors, the Schaffer loaders UK distributor based in Dungiven, Northern Ireland, has replaced James Gordon as its dealer in Scotland.

This follows a mutual decision to part ways after the Claas franchisee signed up with Dieci last year.

Bryson Tractors at Lanark and Dundonald, Ayrshire now covers Lanarkshire, the Lothians, Ayrshire and surrounding areas in the west.

Johnston Tractors at Dumfries has been allocated Dumfries & Galloway and south-west Scotland generally; and AL Agri at Forfar, Angus has joined the network.

Tuckwells expands Kverneland territory

Kverneland has switched its dealer representation in Kent and Sussex from Bell Agricultural at Romney Marsh and Lister Wilder’s Ashford depot to extend its franchise to Tuckwells branches in the counties.

Harry Durrant, chief agricultural sales officer at the John Deere-franchised group, said he looks forward to welcoming KV customers old and new to the dealership’s Ivychurch and Stockbury branches in Kent, and at Framfield, East Sussex.

Kverneland has also added Ancroft Tractors to its dealer network.

The business will sell, service and support the full KV product range from its Berwick upon Tweed headquarters and the additional two depots at Kelso and Macmerry.

This gives it extensive coverage throughout Northumberland, the Borders and a chunk of the Lothians.

Westbrook Agri for McCormick in Wiltshire

After-sales and service specialist Westbrook Agri has secured its first new tractor franchise, providing sales, service and parts support for Argo’s McCormick range throughout Wiltshire from its base in Caine.

Richard Haines, commercial director, said:

“Lewis Johnson is leading an ambitious operation that is keen to grow and innovate, with plans to expand rapidly across Wiltshire, responding to customer demand, and offering McCormick’s finance deals to support new and existing customers.”

Menai Tractors secures Vicon sales

With 14 staff at its Dinas premises near Caernarfon, and six technicians on the road, New Holland dealership Menai Tractors is said to be well-placed to support customers for its newly signed franchise.

The franchise will supply Vicon grassland and precision farming products across north Wales, including Anglesey.

“We’re delighted to add the Vicon portfolio to our business,” said managing director Robert Jones.

“It’s a well-established premium brand with a strong reputation, and its extensive product range is going to be a great fit with the brands we already sell.”

Tallis Amos acquires RTK guidance network

In addition to extending its Bailey Trailers franchise to the Allscott depot serving all of Shropshire, Tallis Amos Group has acquired the RTK guidance network previously operated by Rea Valley Tractors.

This will widen its precision farming service across the Midlands and beyond.

TAG director Matthew Thompson said the network acquisition will ensure RVT customers who invested in high-precision guidance hardware can continue to access ground-based RTK correction signals that enables repeatable pass-to-pass precision.

Lloyd opens new branch in Cheshire

A new branch at Holmes Chapel has been opened by Lloyd to serve a New Holland territory recently extended into south Lancashire and all of Cheshire following Rea Valley Tractors’ demise.

Lloyd managing director George Lloyd notes the new location previously served as a machinery depot so will be familiar to farmers in the area.

The extended Lancashire territory is covered by the Cabus Nook branch near Garstang, opened in 2024.

TH White up and running at Knighton

Plans for TH White’s presence in mid-Wales and the West Midlands have come to fruition with the doors opening in early November at the New Holland dealership’s latest premises in Knighton, where complementary equipment franchises are being sought.

The new location takes TH White’s agricultural division branch network to 10, stretching from Hampshire, Wiltshire and Somerset, through Gloucester and Worcestershire, to Herefordshire and the newly allocated counties of Powys and Shropshire.

Direct drills for Opico

National distributor Opico has acquired all rights to the Simtech T-Sem drills, marking the firm’s first foray into machine production.  

Components will continue to be made by fabrication firm Fentech at Spalding in Lincolnshire, with assembly taking place at Opico’s Bourne premises nearby.

The mounted and trailed T-Sem drills have straight-running trash discs preceding double coil tines that carry inverted “T” points to create a shelved slot for seed; they are aimed at direct drilling of both forage and arable crops.

Morris Corfield adds McConnel

Flail reach mowers and other vegetation control machinery from Ludlow-based McConnel have been taken on board by Morris Corfield, the Claas dealer.

Locations are at Broseley and Craven Arms in Shropshire, Hereford, and Chester in Cheshire.

The products will be supplied alongside Morris Corfield’s existing franchise for Bomford Turner, a sister company to McConnel in the Alamo Group Europe business.

Ramsay & Jackson completes new premises

Agricultural and light construction equipment dealer Ramsay & Jackson is now operating from a newly constructed showroom, parts, office and workshop building that replaced previous facilities destroyed by fire in 2022.

The Case IH dealership at Mauchline near Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, has operated from temporary facilities on-site since then.

Its first new franchise sign-up since the September opening is TocDem, a manufacturer of selector grabs and other attachments that complement R&J’s Takeuchi and Merlo construction equipment.

AJS Agri active with Agri-Spread

Farm machinery servicing, maintenance and repairs specialist AJS Agri, based near Bridport, Dorset, has signed up to supply and support Agri-Spread’s range of Pro and Pro+ rear discharge manure spreaders.