The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Scot JCB second largest farm machinery firm
Analysis of businesses supplying and supporting farm machinery in Britain has revealed Glasgow head quartered Scot JCB as the second-largest overall, with another two operators in Scotland featuring in the top 10.
Lloyd Ltd, ranked eighth largest based on 2020 turnover of £98.1 million, has seven branches employing 260 people across southwest Scotland and the Scottish Borders, as well as Northumberland and Co Durham.
The business is set to grow further with New Holland’s just-announced decision to extend its territory into Mid- and East Lothian, where it will occupy the Lothian Tractors branch at Tranent pending a move to larger premises.
Cornthwaite Group generated £82.7m turnover to rank ninth, servicing a John Deere territory extending south into England from Dumfries & Galloway with five branches and 122 employees.
John Deere dealer Thomas Sherriff & Co, operating throughout Lothian, Borders and north Northumberland, ranked 21st in scale with its eight branches and £45.7m turnover.
Claas deler Gordons (£43m), the AGCO and JCB outlets of Hamilton Ross Group (£42m), and Sellars (£38.7m) with the Claas franchise, were ranked 25th, 26th and 28th, respectively.
With £36.4m turnover in 2020, Agricar was ranked 31st and is also set for change having been allocated further territory by New Holland to cover the Fife area, although Bryson Tractors is taking on Agricar’s Dundonald depot in line with its agreed expansion into Ayrshire and West Lothian.
Completing the ranks of Scottish machinery dealers with more than £30m turnover is HRN Tractors with Kubota tractor and light construction franchises.
Scot JCB is heavily involved in the construction equipment business, of course, while its farm machinery operations are now consolidated in the Scot Agri division formed last year.
This encompasses Kelso & Lothian Harvesters, AM Philip Agritech and JCB Agriculture sales with six branches in north-east Scotland and two in the Borders focused on Massey Ferguson and JCB products.
Heading the overall ranking with £155.5m turnover was Claas UK with its three whollyowned dealer operations covering eastern and parts of south-west England.