Agricultural engineering firm P & D Engineering has been celebrating its 40th anniversary in fine style, starting with an exhibit at the Royal Three Counties Show, where a new McCormick tractor in a one-off colour scheme displayed alongside a 1930s vintage McCormick-Deering helped win three trade stand awards.
As the business makes progress towards completing an expanded parts department and workshop, Mike and Penny Pullin and their team secured the award for the best agricultural machinery stand, a trophy for the best stand amongst all agricultural exhibitors, and the Reserve Supreme Champion Gold Medal award for the stand judged second best across the entire show.
“We’re delighted, of course, having won best stand awards in 2000 and 2013,” says Mike Pullin, managing director. “It takes a lot of effort to put the stand together but if people like it and find it informative, then it’s worth it.”
Taking up a prime position at the front of the stand, Mike’s McCormick-Deering W-14 provided a great ‘then and now’ contrast to the 180hp McCormick X7.670 VT Drive tractor standing alongside. This is the newest addition to a much revamped and improved McCormick line-up, which in this case features a stepless transmission delivering seamless speed control.
This particular example was specially commissioned by P & D Engineering in metallic ‘ruby red’ and silver to commemorate the company’s fortieth year in business.
“It’s a deeper red than the usual McCormick colour and with its metallic finish looks absolutely magnificent,” says Mike Pullin. “It certainly attracted a lot of attention on the stand.”
The Bredon, Glos-based company, which supplies essential machinery, parts and services to farmers, contractors and other rural enterprises in Gloucestershire and neighbouring counties, has its roots in a partnership set up in 1976 – 40 years ago. Today, the business employs 10 service, parts and administration staff at its Fleet Road premises.
Mike Pullin recalls when he first started out travelling from farm to farm in a former Whitbread brewery van to service and repair tractors and machinery.
Now, the business has five service technicians in the workshops and on the road with four service vans using the latest electronic software and diagnostic tools as well as traditional equipment to keep modern high-tech machines running as they should.
“Things have certainly changed a lot over the 40 years – at one time, all you needed were practical skills, knowledge of machinery and a good set of spanners,” says Mike. “But now, advanced electronics feature on everything from bale wrappers to combines and you have to be able to work with them. That’s why in addition to bringing on an apprentice most years we make time for our technicians to attend manufacturers’ training courses.”
Mike took the business forward alone under the P&D Engineering name four years after it was established as a partnership. He rented a barn less than a mile from the current premises and bought the plot of land on Fleet Lane in 1989 to provide better workshop facilities and build up a machinery parts stock to supply local farmers.
Having traded used tractors and equipment, P&D Engineering was awarded its first new product franchise by Italian tractor maker SAME. Other manufacturers then took notice, with Merlo telescopic handlers becoming another major line in 2006. In 2007, Mike switched to McCormick for his tractor franchise.
“Taking on McCormick gave the business further credibility, which led to other major brand names coming our way,” says Mike. “Over the past two years or so, the range has been completely revamped and upgraded with new tractors that have more features, greater performance, lower running costs and better cabs.”
McCormick area sales manager Steve Cann says P&D Engineering’s knowledgeable sales and service staff attract customers who want to be sure of buying the right equipment and that it will be properly supported. The parts department holds stocks for both modern and classic tractors.
“Reliable and quick-response service back-up is crucial to farmers and contractors because they rely on dealers to keep their tractors and machinery working,” he points out. “Mike Pullin and his team have an excellent reputation as far as service is concerned and it’s good to see the company investing in expanded parts and workshop facilities to help maintain that reputation.”
Complementing the farm tractors and telehandlers are sales and service franchises for major names such as Vicon grassland and cropcare machinery, Ritchie livestock handling and feeding equipment, Kioti UTVs and compact tractors, and Logic ATV implements.
Browns, Conor, Twose/McConnel, BvL, Harry West and Kidd are other key names with equipment for the livestock sector, along with Albutt and Cherry attachments and Schaeffer loaders, while KRM Agrisem and Ovlac tillage equipment provide crop establishment options for arable and mixed enterprise farmers.
“Life has got busier for our sales, service and parts teams as we’ve built up the business by adding new product lines,” notes Mike, whose wife Penny heads the office administration staff. “We couldn’t do any of this without their skills and willingness to get the job done; Penny and I are very grateful for the hard work they all put in.”
Mike also has a word of thanks for his customers for their faith in the P&D Engineering team and the services they provide.
“We’re always striving to do better, of course, and the expanded workshop and parts department should help us do that when they’re completed,” he says. “I think we can justifiably look back with pride on the business we’ve created – and look ahead with excitement and optimism to what the next 40 years will bring!”
For other News and pictures of McCormick tractors from users and dealers, visit the McCormickAgriUK page on Facebook and follow McCormickAgriUK on Twitter.
