Dealers and manufacturers have been busy agreeing tie-ups across the country in a bid to get products under the noses of potential customers.

Changes include new depots, mergers, acquisitions and a couple of business rebrands.

See also: Sweeping changes shake up the farm kit dealer landscape

New division for Scot JCB

© JCB

Scot JCB Group has launched a new division to streamline its agricultural machinery sales and service operations.

Scot Agri will combine Kelso and Lothian Harvesters and AM Philip Agritech to serve JCB customers, as well as those of Massey Ferguson, Valtra, Horsch, Ktwo and Vicon, across six depots in the north-east of Scotland and two in the Scottish Borders.

Lister Wilder adds franchises

All of Lister Wilder’s outlets will now stock Yamaha’s Kodiak ATVs and Viking UTVs after the two businesses agreed a deal.

The dealership will also offer stump grinders from German firm JBM Machinery, via UK importer DJB Machinery.

TH White purchases Murley Agriculture

© T H White

TH White has expanded its reach into Warwickshire and Worcestershire with the acquisition of Murley Agricultural Supplies.

It means White’s trading area for New Holland, Manitou and other brands will now include Warwick and Stourport.

It is business as usual at the two Murley depots – just the name above the door has changed.

JE Rees adds Kubota groundscare

© Kubota

Existing Carmarthenshire Kubota dealer JE Rees and Sons has taken on the brand’s groundscare portfolio that includes compact tractors from 18-60hp, plus commercial and domestic ride-on mowers.

The dealership has depots at Velindre, west Wales, and Llandovery, mid Wales, and has been a Kubota agriculture dealer for four years.

CNH buys Raven

Tech firm Raven, a specialist in precision agriculture and autonomy, has been snapped up by CNH in a deal worth $2.1bn (£1.5bn).

It is the biggest merger or acquisition for CNH since it was formed in 2013 and is expected to go through later this year.

The company is also planning to spin off its Iveco trucks business and FPT engine division to streamline its interests.

This means it will retain ownership, but new companies will be set up for the two businesses.  

Strautmann widens coverage

© Strautmann

Opico dealer J&S Montgomery is taking on the role of marketing Strautmann products alongside its sales and servicing of He-Va cultivation kit, Sky drills, Opico grain dryers and John Deere equipment.  

The dealership has three depots at Beith, Stranraer and Ayr, covering most of western Scotland.

C&O Tractors increases KV area

© Kverneland

Kverneland has extended the territory of south-west dealer C&O Tractors to include its Blandford Forum depot.

The move sees all four of C&O’s outlets – Blandford, Wilton, Funtington and the Isle of Wight – now stock KV gear, which includes cultivators, drills, and grassland, feeding and fertilising equipment.

Irelands opens Rutland depot

Irelands Farm Machinery has opened a new Rutland depot at Tinwell that will stock Kubota, Kverneland, Great Plains, Vicon and Grange machinery.

The firm has also taken on the Kubota groundscare range for all of its outlets in Lincolnshire – Carrington, Sutterton and Market Rasen – as well as the site at Tinwell, Rutland.

© Irelands Farm Machinery

Ellis Machinery becomes Amtec

Independent second-hand dealer Ellis Machinery has announced it has rebranded to Amtec Smart Farming Solutions as it looks to expand its product range.

Lynx takes on Eggers Dynamometers

© Lynx Engineering

As importer for German firm KL Maschinenbau, Lynx Engineering is now offering the services of its Eggers dynamometer, which can test some of the biggest combines and tractors on the market.

The Eggers 735 KW PT 501 G+ PTO brake dynamometer is capable of measuring torque and power of engines up to 1,000hp.

The dynos can be booked for testing at a dealer’s premises or purchased through Lynx.

Pottinger opens fourth plant

A new round baler and large rake production facility has been opened by Austrian firm Pottinger.

The site is at Georgen, just down the road from the firm’s main premises at Grieskirchen.