Celebrating 50 years in business, Riddell Bros. are one of Northern Ireland’s premier suppliers of new and used tractors and agricultural machinery, holding main agencies for Valtra, Tuff Mac and Hi-Spec. We dropped into their well-appointed Maghera, Londonderry base to find out more about the proud history and current well-being of this exceptional family business from George and Winston Riddell. We spoke to founder George and his daughter Lorna.
Riddell Bros. have been synonymous with the agricultural sector in Northern Ireland for half a century. Main Valtra tractor dealer since 1993 (having sold Fiat for many years prior to that), they also carry agencies for Hi-Spec slurry tankers / feeders and Tuff Mac trailers and carry a wide range of used tractors, pick-ups, tankers and trailers as well as a comprehensive spare parts department covering every make and model, with next-day delivery available island-wide.
Offering exceptional levels of aftersales care – including high-quality, manufacturer-approved service and repairs provided by experienced, cutting edge technicians in a state-of-the-art workshop as well as emergency call-outs and expert advice – Riddell Bros. have soared ahead of the competition since their inception in the 1960s (starting out with Universal then moving onto Fiat Tractors) by putting their customers first, doing all in their power to keep downtime to an absolute minimum and offering unrivalled value for money.
There have been many ups and downs over the past 50 years but Riddell Bros.’ commitment to customer satisfaction has seen them pass the test of time with flying colours. “Considering the times we are in and the position farmers find themselves in, we are still achieving very good results,” notes co-founder George Riddell, who established the business alongside his brother Robert Winston Riddell.
Securing the Valtra dealership – which covers counties Derry and Antrim and parts of Tyrone – some 23 years ago was a landmark day in the company’s history, while the Tuff Mac and Hi-Spec agencies were added four and six years ago respectively. “We’d also be renowned for our excellent range of second-hand pick-ups – Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Nissan etc.,” George adds.
Genuine parts are sold all over Northern Ireland and beyond, while thee professionalism and expertise of the Riddell Bros. team ensures aftersales customer care of the highest possible standard. “We have four technicians in the workshop as well as three salesmen, including myself,” the founder adds. “We also employ some part-time mechanics so that we can cope when we get really busy.
“Aftersales is a vital aspect of the business. It keeps you busy and good service will get you new customers and help you hold on to existing ones. When you look after customers, they will come back and do business with you again. We still have nearly all of the customers that we started with years ago, so we must be doing something right.
“Of course, as well as service, you have to have competitive rates as well. If you’re not competitive in the current climate, where everybody is struggling, then you won’t survive.
“When it comes to repairs, we can sort anybody out. We have good technicians, all of whom are longstanding members of staff. One of them has been here since he left school at the age of 15 and he’s now in his 60s, so that tells you a lot about our business.
“We have men on call all the time and we make a big effort to help out our customers when they are in trouble, even if it’s just a matter of giving them some guidance over the phone. All of our customers know how to contact us in case of an emergency and we are always prepared to help them out any way we can.”
George is a straight-talking and no-nonsense man so it’s no surprise to learn that the key to Riddell Bros.’ ongoing success down through the years, nay decades, has been based on a simple philosophy of putting customers first:
“You have to look after your customers and give them your best service,” he confirms. “You do your very best for them and you look after them. The customer really is king in this line of business. We go out of our way to make sure that the farmers and contractors who purchase our products and services are looked after.
“I firmly believe that a deal has to suit both parties – buyer and seller. Our prices are set accordingly and we can also arrange finance as well as giving very good deals on trade-ins.”
The business has moved with the times and the workshop boasts all the latest tools and equipment as well as having its technicians trained in accordance with all the latest technological advancements in the industry.
The second generation of the Riddell family is now heavily involved in the day-to-day running of this outstanding family enterprise, namely George’s daughters Lorna and Donna. “We’ll keep doing what we have always done,” notes the former, with an eye on the future. “If I can do half as well as my dad and Winston have done then I’ll be doing okay!
“We have modernised the showrooms and we have also introduced a toys department, with plenty of items available for small kids and grown-up kids… On the agriculture side of things, we also sell a lot of workwear now as well as drones, which farmers with highlands could use to check on his animals etc. but they can also be used for leisure. This has been very exciting for us as there is any amount of new technology out there to aid the farmer improve his farm operation, which we are very keen to get involved in and introduce to our customers.
“Over the past few years we have invested time and money with our younger generations in our local primary schools and local YFC clubs; promoting farm safety and general interest in farming and farm machinery, through school visits, competitions and sponsorship. We believe that this is an important investment to secure the future of farming. In addition to that we also organise trips that may be of interest to our customers and potential new customers. This always is a huge success as the trips are both social but also informative, allowing the customer some down time away from the farm and obviously prompting ourselves along the way.”
To conclude, George hopes that the farming community will receive some respite from the low prices and small margins that have been threatening their very livelihoods: “Farmers are under intense pressure,” he observes. “That’s the story all across Ireland at the moment. If dairy rates improve, then things will improve for all of us.”
Riddell Bros,
64 Carricknakeilt Road,
Maghera,
County Londonderry,
Northern Ireland,
BT46 5EJ.
Tel: 028 79642440
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.riddellbros.co.uk
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 4 No 7, September 2016
