Friday, March 29, 2024
5.5 C
Galway
HomeFarming News'I would be machinery mad - It’s a disease'
Reading Time: 3 minutes

‘I would be machinery mad – It’s a disease’

Starting out 31 years ago with just a baler to his name, William Bennett has grown his business massively over the last number of years.

Back in 1988, in its inaugural year, the contracting company was a simple one-man show.

Now, the Carrigallen, Co. Leitrim based outfit now employs 6 workers, both seasonally and full time, and the services they provide has also grown massively.

They currently offer baling, tedding, raking, mowing, slurry spreading, dung spreading, digging, reseeding, hedge cutting and bale stacking services.

Not limited to just Lovely Leitrim, Bennett Agri Contractors can be seen working across Meath, Westmeath, Cavan, Longford and Roscommon as well.

Speaking to That’s Farming about why he decided to start contracting all those years ago, William explained: “I would be machinery mad – It’s a disease,” he joked. “I would be more of a machinery man than a livestock man.”

- Advertisement -

Machinery

The tractors in the fleet are all New Holland, with 8 tractors at their disposal. Their fleet consists of 2 TM150’s, a TM125, an 8340, a TM135, a TM120, a 7030 and a TM155.

Among their large collection of machinery is 2 McHale balers, front and side Class mowers, a John Deere harvester, Major slurry tankers, Mastek Front Reeler umbilical system, Marshall dung spreader as well as many other necessary implements for their vast range of services.

Each year, the firm make over 10,000 bales of silage. However, this year dealt them with difficulties for this side of the business.

“Silage crops are light,” William explained to That’s Farming. “It’s a problem for the baling end of it, there could be no money made from baling this year. The bale count is down to half of normal years.”

Despite this year not fairing as expected, he said that the last number of years have been good to him.

Future of the business

Now in his 31st year, William has an enormous amount of experience to call upon when it comes to the running of his business.

Those experiences have inevitably led him to establish a fine business that is set to continue long into the future and there is no sign of him to slow down just yet.

“I’m getting on in the years, but I’m happy enough with where I am at the minute – I’ll stick at it for another while yet.”

The foundations are already set for when that time comes, however, as his son Ryan has become a partner in the business in recent times.

It was a natural progression, according to the Leitrim native, as he explained: “He has been helping me run the show for the last number of years.”

Service

Having built a business that anyone would be proud of from the ground up, the Leitrim man knows what it takes to maintain a successful business.

When asked about what his success to date is down to, William said that there are many aspects that have to be taken into account.

“We always give a very good service and when I say a time – I stick to it. I haven’t let anyone down in 31 years,” he revealed.

“I would be very keen on prices and try to make it cheaper for the farmers. I would be all the time trying to look after farmers the best I could.”

Contact

If you want to get in contact with Bennett Agri Contractors, call William on 0863820137.

If you want to share your story, email [email protected]

- Advertisment -

Most Popular