The summer months are upon us and in the farming community that points to one thing, making silage.
The adverse weather conditions in Ireland mean that cutting silage is not a procedure that can 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 over 40 years, Robert Sloane provided a top quality service to a large customer base as the agricultural contractor built up a reputation for reliability and efficiency.
During the last 15 years, David Conly ran Robert Sloane’s operation and when his boss decided to sell on the business, David saw this as an opportunity to branch out on his own and he took over the business himself.
“I took over the business in January this year and its been a case of so far, so good. There was already a big customer base there, and we do silage work as well as slurry and a small bit of reseeding,” said David.
Based in Ballybay, Co Monaghan, Conly Agri Contractors’ customer base covers parts of Monaghan, Louth and Meath and David revealed that to ensure customer satisfaction it was important to get the job done as quickly as possible.
“The main aim is to get in and get the job done as quick as you can. With the weather being so unpredictable, there is only a small window of opportunity to make silage, so it is a case of working 24/7 during that period.
“I have a modern fleet of machinery that which is very up to date and this avoids any unnecessary breakdowns that may occur. During the summer months, there are ten lads working here, while off-peak, I’d have two permanent lads.”
Regarding debt and its management, David has a strict policy: he always pay his bills in full and on time. Diesel is paid for monthly, while machinery repayments are structured to match cash flow. His aim is not to change a machine before it has been paid for. David’s customer credit policy is sensible and fair. They do not bill customers upon completion of a job, but rather leave it for a week to 10 days as they feel an immediate bill can look a ‘a bit pushy’.
Generally each customer pays at the same time each year. They try and avoid working for customers who change contractor every year since these jobs generally get awarded to the cheapest contractor and usually prove hardest to get paid from.
From a health and safety viewpoint, David insists they will not run a machine without a PTO cover in place. Staff are not allowed to wear baggy clothes which may become entangled in a machine and all staff must wear steel-toe boots.
Drivers have adequate training on a machine before being sent to operate it. The aim is to match an operator’s responsibility with his/her experience.
David is also a member of the Farming Contractors of Ireland (FCI).It’s main aim as an organisation is to provide a fair playing field for contractors North and South of the border. They will lobby government bodies at local, national and EU level on their members behalf. They are open to all contractors, both large and small. They want the small contractor to be as much involved in the organisation as the big contractor.
“FCI is owned and run by its members for its members. We will educate ourselves at FCI as well as help educate and advise all our member contractors. The FCI aims to make local branches as active as possible and to facilitate group discussion and possible group action on issues that affect their businesses.”
David revealed that he has no plans to expand the business at present as he continues to find his feet as the owner of the company.
“I have no plans to expand for the time being at least. You have to take a cautious approach when taking on extra work, but the farmers that I’m working for now, are the ones that I’ve been dealing with since I first started working with Robert.
David’s great strength of being financially sensible and adopting the latest machinery will ensure he remains a viable contracting business for years to come.
Aside from the agricultural contracting, David is also a funeral undertaker, a role he has been doing for the past 12 years.
David Conly
Mullin,
Ballybay,
Monaghan
Mob: (086)8743188
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 2 No 2, June/July 2014
