The all-new Brockhills of Yorkshire

Chris Berry talks with Peter Swales at Thirsk

Sometimes things can look, on the surface, as though they are the same as they have always been, yet behind the scenes there has been great activity. Such is the case with a long-established North Yorkshire farm machinery business which has retained its name but is now under new ownership.

Eddie Brockhill had built up a formidable reputation since he started out in 1967, but whilst his name lives on in the company title it is a different man who now owns and runs the business - farmer’s son Peter Swales, who learned his trade through another farm machinery company.

Peter, who I caught up with recently at his very well attended open day at Thirsk Livestock Centre, is quick to pay tribute to two men of whom he has the utmost respect.

‘John Russell taught me so much about the business and that has allowed me to be brave enough to take on from where Eddie has left off. Eddie is quite simply a gentleman and as straight a man as you could ever wish to meet in business. I’ve known him all my life. My father and uncle purchased the second Fendt tractor Eddie ever sold and when I was at school I did work experience for him.’

Peter tells of how the opportunity to take over Eddie’s company came about:‘I decided to take a bit of time out to gather my thoughts about what I wanted to do with my future in 2006. I was fortunate that I had the family farm at Bagby to possibly fall back on if I had needed it, but I started off trading a bit of second-hand machinery.’

Unbeknown to Peter at the time this was to be the catalyst for his future career: ‘I sold a second-hand combination drill to a Fendt user. I needed some belts and I knew Eddie always kept a good stock of them. Eddie asked me whether I was happy with what I was doing and as we talked he told me that he was intending to retire and asked whether I would like to take on the business.’

Peter was very interested and had no hang-ups about the way in which Eddie’s business had been run - however what he did want to get clear was the Fendt relationship.

‘I wanted a meeting with someone from Fendt to see what I thought about them, and what they felt about me. Because of the dealings I had with other big name manufacturers and other franchises I was a bit concerned about any dictatorial attitude. Some companies these days seem more bothered about the fact that you wear their company ties than what you actually do with the product. I was impressed by what they told me and actually felt it might be too good to be true, but Eddie confirmed everything they said.’

Following an agreement over paying for stock and the company itself Peter raised the necessary finances and took over at Dalton on 5 April 2007, but he kept the name Brockhill for trading.

‘I felt that my name wasn’t known for Fendt so I plumped for Brockhills of Yorkshire through advice from my good friend, Stuart Watson. For the first year I treaded water and we did 7 new tractors delivered out. We did 11 last year and we’ve already sold 10 this year.’

That’s not a bad start at all and Peter has also added a number of other franchises - Strautmann diet feeders, Lemken, Triffitt Trailers, Guttler, Opico and Teagle, who were all present at the recent open day.
‘The Strautmann forage wagons are the only harvest related machine we deal in. Fendt tractors are a premium product as everyone knows and to many they are as important an investment as a combine. So the last thing my Fendt farmers want is for me to be running around everywhere looking after combines and balers when I should be looking after them.’

Peter’s Fendt dealership area covers as far as Teesside, across to the coast and just south of Scarborough towards Bridlington, then running across to Driffield and across to York, following the northern edge of the York ring road and just over the western side of the A1, but they service tractors from as far afield as Clitheroe, Alnwick and Rotherham.

‘Service is our backbone and one of the reasons our business is so successful is the knowledge we have in our workshop. I’m very lucky to have retained Chris Hutchinson and Robert Reed, who worked with Eddie for many years. We also have an excellent senior apprentice and another good lad who is at college at present.’

And Peter isn’t about to forget the part that his wife has played in what has happened over the last three years. In fact they’ve not only grown their company, they’ve also grown their family too!
‘If it wasn’t for Nicky’s support I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this. Nicky has not just supported, she has also done some of the paperwork as well. And now we also have a beautiful daughter, Sophia Grace, who is ten months old.’

Eddie still keeps an involvement with the business and pops in a couple of mornings a week, which Peter is grateful of. ‘The support I have had from everyone. The team in the workshop, Nicky, Eddie, all of the Fendt operation has been fantastic. I can’t thank everyone enough. We’re now developing a few new websites too. Nicky is on with those and in the Summer our customers should be able to visit www.fendttoys.co.uk and www.fendtclothing.co.uk for the first time.’

Peter was also a member of Thirsk YFC when he was younger and at his open day he was able to present the current club with Fendt and Thirsk YFC branded clothing to wear when they go to events.

‘I was in Thirsk YFC but because of work commitments I dropped out a little earlier than I would have wanted. The Young Farmers Clubs are still very much the future of farming and I had been approached to go on their advisory committee. I asked whether there was anything tangible I could do to help and support and they asked whether I could sponsor some type of clothing. Between Fendt and myself we came up with the tops they are wearing here.’

Farmers Mart congratulates Peter on his impressive start to life as a fully fledged farm machinery enterprise owner - as well as his recently expanded family!

BROCKHILLS OF YORKSHIRE
Dalton Lane, Dalton, Thirsk
North Yorkshire YO7 3HR
Tel: 01845 577242
Fax: 01845 577122
Email: sales@brockhills.co.uk
Web: www.brockhills.co.uk