The Spring months are upon us and in the farming community that points to one thing, getting ready for the busy period ahead.
The adverse weather conditions in Ireland mean that the services provided by agricultural contractors are procedures that have great time constraints and can’t be achieved at the same time every year, but when we do get ‘dry spells’, it is essential for agricultural contractors to move quickly.
To do this, they need a modern and efficient fleet of machinery that will stand up to the demands of this hectic period. For many years, Cork based O’Connor Agri & Plant has provided a top quality service to a large customer base as the agricultural contractor built up a reputation for reliability and efficiency.
Situated in Ballymacmorrough, Kanturk, O’Connor Agri & Plant was established by Liam O’Connor who from humble beginnings in 1963 developed a business that has seen not only their services, but their customer base grow consistently over the years.
Liam’s sons Seanie and Richie look after the day to day running of the business these days, while Liam continues to play an active role also.
As Agricultural Contractors, the O’Connor’s provide a wide range of services that include all things connected to arable, silage, baling, reseeding, slurry and dung, hedge cutting, plant hire and road sweeping.
This is a far cry from when Liam first started and along with his Fordson Dexta, Pierce mowingbar and buckrake used to go on hire to local farmers.
Having grown up on a farm, Liam new what his customers wanted and this helped him no end when it came to attracting new business over the years.
As the business grew, so too did the quality of machinery that Liam used and along with his late wife Mary who was actively involved in the business, they worked hard to make it a success.
The late seventies saw the acquisition of their first self-propelled harvester (New Holland 1770) as well as a Clark 35B loader as they entered a new era of agricultural contracting.
A few years later and Liam became the first owner of a John Deere 5820 self-propelled harvester in Ireland which shows their commitment to their customers in striving to provide them with the best service possible.
Seanie then came on board and the family decided to add plant hire to their list of services. The 90’s saw Richie old enough to get involved and the business continued to evolve on a regular basis.
Richie told Irish Tractor & Agri that it was and is essential to move with the times in agricultural contracting as farmers want and need the work to be done as quickly and efficiently as possible.
“We farm 200 acres of our own, which is all cereals, so we have a good idea of what other farms want when they require our services. You have to move with the times and the advancement in machinery means that you have to invest in the latest equipment in order to get the work done as quickly and efficiently as possible,” said Richie.
In 2013, O’Connor’s became the first contractors in Ireland to own a Pottinger X8 Butterfly mower with collectors, while last year saw a McHale Fusion 3Plus which offers film on film and netting on silage or haylage.
“We are continuously investing in new machinery and this year already, we have two new tractors bought, a Fendt and a John Deere as well as a Kuhn plough. There is an extensive range of machinery here to carry out the services that we provide.
“During the winter months, which is probably our quietest time, we would ensure that all the machinery is maintained and ready for our peak time during the summer months.
“The maintenance work would be carried out by ourselves and Flor Corcoran or if the machinery is under warranty then it will go back to the dealer. We have a good relationship with all the dealers that we bring our business too.”
A testament to the success of O’Connor Agri & Plant is the amount of repeat custom that they have with many of their customers there from the days that Liam first began cutting silage.
“We would have customers that are over 30 years with us. They know that they will get a good service from us and it is up to us to ensure that continues. Also some of the staff is with us over 20 years and they are very experienced, which helps get the work done so efficiently.
As stated, the O’Connor’s also provide a plant hire service which has been going a number of years now and Richie revealed that this end of the business is always busy.
“The plant hire picks up the slack when the contracting would be quiet and we’re always doing bits and pieces. We are currently working with the IRD where we are working on the rivers of the area. This is a European funded project and we are delighted to be involved.”
Health and Safety is paramount for the O’Connor’s and even though agriculture is a great way of life, the utmost care must be taken when doing any job.
At the moment, the slurry season is back in full swing, while preparations for the summer months continue. Employing nine people at peak times, O’Connor’s are ready for yet another hectic period, which they take in their stride.
O’Connor Agri & Plant
Ballymacmorrough,
Kanturk,
Co Cork.
Tel: 029 50266/20656
Fax: 029 50266
e-mail: [email protected]
Mob: Seanie 087 2525798
Richie 087 2305090
Web: www.oconnoragri.ie
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 3 No 3, April 2015
