Leading McCormick tractor dealership Barlows is busy trading from new premises at Marton near Macclesfield – in addition to its Leek branch – in the midst of building and groundworks that will gradually get the site shipshape after moving from nearby Henbury.
“It’s organised chaos at the moment,” admits James Barlow. “Having the new workshop built and getting drainage, groundworks and a new entrance road underway has been a time-consuming task, let alone packing, moving and unpacking the huge stock of parts we hold.
“But we’re up and running, selling new and used tractors and equipment, handling service and repair work, and supplying parts from the new stores, so we're fully functioning.”
The long-established family-owned business had outgrown the site in Henbury village it had occupied for 60 years. Workshops that were not tall enough to accommodate big machinery like self-propelled forage harvesters and limited road access for delivery trucks made life difficult.
In contrast, the eight acre site at Marton, seven miles south-west of Macclesfield and five miles north of Congleton, has no near neighbours and sits alongside a main road, which not only provides ready access but also potential for passing trade.
Most glasshouses at the former plant nursery have been sold and dismantled to make way for used equipment storage and display, although some of the greenhouses remain to temporarily house Barlows’ unmatched stock of classic tractor parts.
A lighter, brighter workshop with underfloor heating – and taller doors and roof to cater for big harvest machinery – has been erected alongside an existing building organised into the parts and sundries department. There are plans to extend this building to house feed and animal health products under a new agreement with farm supplies firm Carrs Billington.
Alongside a growing list of dairy and arable equipment franchises, new McCormick tractor sales remain a key part of the business. Current stock includes an X6.430 and a long wheelbase X6.460 representing the mid-range 111-176hp McCormick X6 series.
“We’ve supplied a number of new X6 tractors and also the smaller X4 models to customers who are very pleased with them,” says James. “We’re now looking forward to seeing the new X7 Pro Drive models with their simpler Efficient specification; they will suit farmers who appreciate the X7’s lovely cab and slick four-speed powershift transmission but prefer things like mechanical spools.”
As for the move from Henbury to Marton – which has prompted a new logo and a name change to Barlows Agri Ltd – James says the family is grateful for the hard work put in by their staff and also for their customers’ patience.
“Especially when it’s taken longer than usual to find a part that’s still packed in a box rather than out on a shelf,” he adds. “And also when a car crash took out a telegraph pole along with our phones and internet access for a few days.
“Everything’s functioning properly now, thank goodness, so we can get on with day-to-day business while continuing to knock our new site into shape.”
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