DC Farm Machinery Ltd is a leading supplier of new and used machinery and used tractor, hydraulic hoses and fittings as well as high-quality outdoor toys in the North-East.
Established in 2016 and based in Wilkinstown, Navan, Co. Meath, DC Farm Machinery continues to go from strength to strength under the direction of husband-and-wife Derek and Gillian Clarke. A one-stop shop for all your farm machinery needs, the family-run business is best known for being Farmhand’s main dealer in the region. It supplies farmers and contractors with an outstanding selection of agricultural machinery from the Krone, Amazone, APV, Quicke, Zuidberg and Flexxaire ranges.
The Krone range includes mowers, tedders, rakes, wagons and balers. Amazone products include spreaders, sprayers, power harrows, seed drills and cultivators. APV is the world leader in grass seeding technology with its range featuring tined grass harrows and seeders. It’s estimated that there are 35,000 Quicke loaders on Irish farms today and these are also available. Zuidberg is an industry leader for front PTO and linkage systems, while Flexxaire reversible fan systems are the latest addition to the Farmhand stable.
DC Farm Machinery is also an independent John Deere specialist. To this end, it specialises in sales, servicing and sourcing of quality used tractors from the complete John Deere range. In addition, the garage is an agent for Gates hydraulic hoses and carries a large range of hoses and fittings to cater for many sectors, including farming and construction.
DC Farm Machinery also stocks the full range of BERG products, including go-karts, trampolines, balance bikes, ride-on Go Karts, scooters, swings and goalposts for the young ones, as well as a selection of Britains toys and collectables.
Furthermore, servicing and after-sales service is provided by a team of experienced workshop technicians. DC Farm Machinery’s expert team go out of their way to ensure their customers are looked after and are completely satisfied. Spare parts and accessories are also catered for.
“We’re growing all the time,” Derek enthuses.
“We pride ourselves on our quality machinery and friendly, reliable and value-for-money service. Our aftersales service is second to none. We live close to the premises which means we are nearly always accessible to our customers. As farmers ourselves, we have an innate understanding of their requirements and know exactly what they want. We’re here to support them and will never see anyone stuck.”
The affable dealer continues: “People would often ask me: ‘when is your quiet time?’, but there isn’t a quiet time! We have a different array of customers, from small and medium-sized contractors to small and medium-sized dairy farmers, which means that we effectively work the whole year round.
“Back in the day, you would have your quiet months in farm machinery but when you have guys with cattle in a shed and they are feeding cows over the winter, they still need a machine to be going. If something breaks down, they’re under pressure and that’s where we come in.”
As new tractor prices continue to sky-rocket, more and more farmers and contractors are turning to the second-hand market in their search for a value-for-money alternative. And they don’t have to look any further than DC Farm Machinery for used tractors of the highest quality. The garage has a stellar reputation for sourcing all makes with low hours and which are in great condition.
“There’s always a big demand for good second-hand tractors, and that’s where we can help,” Derek says.
“We’re predominantly John Deere because that’s the brand we’re most familiar with. But we can source any tractor or machine from reputable dealers in the UK and Holland.
“As a garage that is very focused on repairs and maintenance, we’ve invested heavily in the latest technology and diagnostics. Our workshop is well served for engine, transmission, hydraulic and electrical diagnostics. We’re also a Farmhand technology dealer which is important at a time when GPS guidance systems have never been more popular.”
Sales of new and used farm machinery are brisk for the dealer whose catchment area takes in Meath, Louth, Cavan, Westmeath, Monaghan and surrounds.
“The machines that are eligible for TAMS grants are selling very well. They include Amazone and APV GPS-guided spreaders and sowers. There is also a lot of interest in Quicke loaders which we have all the attachments and spare parts for. All our brands are performing well.”
DC Farm Machinery added another string to its bow a couple of years ago when it took on the BERG franchise. BERG’s range of go-karts, trampolines, playground equipment, scooters, balance bikes and much more guarantee years of carefree fun. All BERG products are subject to stringent quality requirements and are tested under extreme conditions. Of course, the products are also tested by the users themselves – children.
“We started supplying outdoor toys as a side business two or three years ago. It was Gillian’s idea and has proven to be a great success.”
Customer satisfaction is the cornerstone on which Derek and Gillian’s business philosophy is built.
“That’s very important to us and one of the measures we use is repeat business,” Derek adds.
“We get a lot of repeat business through word of mouth and that works really well for us from an advertising point of view. We get someone ringing in who will say: ‘I was talking to a neighbour of mine and you did a job for him, I’m in trouble, can you help me out?’.
“It’s more of a vocation to us than a job because with the hours that are involved, you have to be very flexible. You will have customers that will come after hours and it is part of the service. The farming machinery sector is different to anything else in that respect. Time is precious, especially when you’re working against the weather most of the year.”
No. 1 in the North-East for farm machinery, Derek and Gillian would like to take this opportunity to thank their customers and suppliers for their continued support as well as their six-strong team for their hard work, dedication and expertise.
DC Farm Machinery Ltd
Balsaw,
Wilkinstown,
Navan,
Co Meath.
Sales and Workshop: 087 692 1767
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
First published in Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 12 No 2, July/August 2024
