Established in 2007, Eardly Agricultural Service Ltd has grown to become recognised as a leading company in the South East for the sales and repairs of all types of agricultural machinery and parts. Irish Tractor & Agri touched base with Managing Director Michael Eardly recently to find out more.
Business is good right now at Eardly Agricultural Service Ltd and Michael Eardly and his team down in Kilkenny intend to keep things that way through 2021.
The sales team on Hebron Road is led by Brendan Culleton whose knowledge and experience ensures that the company’s customers get the best advice and price when it comes to purchasing a new machine or tractor from us.
Located at 34 Hebron Industrial Estate, Eardly (pronounced ‘Early’) Agricultural Service is the main dealer in Kilkenny for Deutz-fahr tractors, Krone grass machinery, Amazone tillage equipment as well as Tanco, Bomford, (NC Engineering slurry and plant equipment) Quicke, Gregoire Besson, Condell Zero Grazers, , APV and Topcon Guidance Systems.
The company has also been the main dealer for Deutz-Fahr in both Kilkenny and Carlow since October 2018 and right now the Deutz Fahr 6185 is the most popular machine going in and out of its gates.
“Our flagship brands are Deutz-Fahr, Krone and Amazone,” managing director Michael Eardly explains.
“As a dealer, we stock the Krone, Amazone, Quicke and APV brands. Krone is our top-selling brand, followed by Amazone, Deutz -fahr, Bomford Tanco, NC Engineering, and Quicke which are also very popular with our customers.”
Business itself has been “ticking away”, according to Michael, who saw his business affected during the months of the enforced government lockdown as a result of Covid-19.
Service has resumed though since the beginning of summer, with the company’s long time clients continuing to choose them first ahead of other competitors in the area.
The Eardly name has a long tradition of commitment to the farming community of Kilkenny and the surrounding counties. Michael’s father John also runs a farm machinery business which he founded in 1975.
A mechanic by trade, Michael worked for both IAM (Irish Agricultural Machinery) and Kverneland Ireland in the Marble City before setting up his own company 13 years ago.
A member of FTMTA (Farm Tractor & Machinery Trade Association), Eardly Agricultural Service has grown to employ 10 full-time staff, including general manager Catherine McGuill, parts manager Sean Campion and service manager Nicholas Maher and the sales team led by Michael Eardly and Brendan Culleton
“We got off to a good start and continued to grow during the recession because we specialised in maintenance and repairs,” Michael outlined.
“We were very busy because farmers weren’t changing or upgrading their machinery to the same extent as they are now.
“We then branched into sales and this aspect of the business has really taken off in the last few years. We became part of the Farmhand family in 2010.”
Formed in 1962, Farmhand is committed to providing Ireland’s farmers and contractors with the very best agricultural implements available anywhere, at fair prices, and with a spare parts and service back-up that is second to none.
The company is an exclusive importer for Krone, Amazone, Quicke , Yes and Zuidberg and has a network of 40 independent dealers in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Krone produces some of the most advanced grass machinery in the world.
Their emphasis has always been on research and development which keeps them at the forefront of the industry. The range includes tedders, rakes, mowers, balers, forage wagons, Big X forage harvesters and the Big M.
Amazone produce a quality range of fertilizer spreaders, sprayers, soil tillage implements, conventional seed drills, pneumatic seed drills, precision air seeders, power harrows and spreaders for winter application.
Since 1940, Quicke has invented and refined the art of making front loaders. They are committed to making the best loaders ever made.
Farmhand has been partnered with Quicke since 1962 with an estimated 35,000 loaders on Irish farms today. The manufacturer’s Versa X loaders are designed to deliver the best possible productivity and user advantage over a long period of time. This is achieved by providing the highest quality through cutting edge design.
“We stock a wide selection of used tractors and farm machinery and also carry an extensive range of spare parts for the brands we sell. We provide full service back-up on everything we sell, carried out by our technicians,” said Michael.
“We have a well-trained team in our service department which is on call 24/7.
“Our success has been built on exceptional customer service. We offer our customers an unrivalled, friendly and cost-effective service. We are open six days a week and provide 24/7 call out service at certain times of the year and would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their continued loyalty and support.”
As for the months ahead, Eardly Agricultural Service’s owner and founder is optimistic for what’s around the corner despite these strange times.
“We’re hopeful going forward,” he said. “No one can predict the future, as this year has shown us, but we’ll keep at it.”
What more could you ask for?
Eardly Agricultural Service Ltd
34 Hebron Industrial Estate,
Hebron Road,
Kilkenny
Telephone: 056 776 3612
Mobile: 087 795 4597
Web: eardlyagri.ie
E-mail: [email protected]
Facebook: @Eardly Agricultural Service
Snapchat: @eardlyagri
First published in Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 8 No 4, December 2020
