Agricultural contractors provide a wide range of services and all carry out their work in a professional and efficient manner.
Baled silage, slurry, reseeding are just a few of main services provided by Cavan based GMC Agri Ltd who we profile for this month’s edition if Irish Tractor. For the last number of months Irish roads were adorned with tractors, balers, trailers and other machinery, during a hectic time for all agricultural contractors.
The adverse weather conditions in Ireland mean that agricultural contracting 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.
“The main aim is to get in and get the job done as quickly 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,” stated Gerry McCann who operates GMC Agri Ltd.
The business was initially formed in 1985 by Gerry’s uncle Charlie whose unwavering desire to provide the best service possible to his customers has been passed on to his nephew.
“Charlie worked very hard to get the business up and running, but from starting from scratch, there are now around 200 customers on the books in the Cavan, Monaghan, Meath and Louth areas. That is a testament to the service that Charlie insisted on providing before he passed away two years ago.
“He was always there for the customer and would do his best to help them out in any possible. I started working with him in 1998 and learned so much from him over the years and he has been a great loss to us all.”
To carry out their work to the highest standard possible, GMC Agri Ltd run a modern fleet of machinery, which Gerry feels is the only way you can operate.
“We have a modern fleet of machinery which is kept up to date and this avoids any unnecessary breakdowns that may occur. The machinery has to be in perfect working order during the busy period. There is no room for breakdowns or downtime. Machinery repair costs are expensive. When a job has to be done, it has to be done as quickly as possible.
“We would upgrade the fleet on a regular basis. You have to keep re-investing in your machinery which can be costly, but it is important to do, as the new machinery can be more efficient.”
GMC Agri Ltd focus on baled silage and don’t do any pit silage, so two MacHale Fusion balers and two standard MacHale balers are kept busy during silage season. For slurry work, Gerry revealed that the majority of this is done with the umbilical system.
“We would have a lot of customers that we do the baled silage for and that keeps us going for a number of months during the summer. We are a bit behind in regards to the slurry work as the wet weather has made it impossible to get out on the land. About 80% of our slurry work would be done using the umbilical system, while the rest would be tanker work. Most farmers prefer the umbilical system and the see the benefits of it.
Gerry is a big fan of Massey when it comes to his tractors and he has six of them, which are upgraded on a regular basis in Martin’s of Bailieborough, while he also has a Landini as well.
“Servicing and essential maintenance work is carried out in-house by dealership mechanics and ourselves between November to February ensuring that we are always kept busy. We use local suppliers for diesel, oil, tyres, and machinery parts to support businesses in the local area.”
Even though there are huge time constraints due to the adverse weather we have been experiencing in this country over the last few years, Gerry is pleased with the direction of the business.
“We’d be happy enough with the way the business is going. We would have seen growth year on year. You have to be able to diversify and with the wide range of services that we provide, we are kept busy all year round.”
The customer base is key to the success of the business and Gerry stressed that he follows his uncle Charlie’s motto in ensuring that they are kept happy with the level of service that is provided.
“Like I said the majority of our customers are there many years and once we keep them happy, then we are happy. Farmers are a loyal breed and once you provide them with the service they want, then they will stick with you.”
These days, there is plenty of paperwork to be looked after and Gerry admits that his wife Sonya provides great help in this area.
“I just wouldn’t have the time to do it all, so Sonya looks after that side of the business, which is a massive help to me. We’d also like to thank family, friends and staff for their support and help in contributing to the growth and success of the business down through the years.”
Contact Details:
GMC Agri Ltd
Church Street,
Shercock,
Co. Cavan
First published in Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 9 No 1, January/February 2021
