Farm equipment maker Redrock Machinery has bought the assets of one of its competitors, just four weeks after Ktwo directors appointed an administrator.

Redrock says it has acquired the Ktwo and Warwick brands and will continue to manufacture Ktwo spreaders and trailers at the company’s Haddenham base near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

There is no word as yet on the future of the former Warwick Trailers factory in Hampshire, which Ktwo purchased in late 2019 to increase manufacturing capacity and provide a complementary product line.

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In a statement, Redrock Machinery, which is located in Armagh, Northern Ireland, said that combining the expertise, resources, and market knowledge of the two businesses would create opportunities for growth and development.

Two notable product lines are absent from Redrock’s product – muckspreaders and ejector-type silage and biomass trailers, both of which are produced by Ktwo. Equally, Ktwo lacks slurry tankers to offer its network of UK dealers.

Redrock directors James Rooney and Michael Corr have overseen the transformation of a business that (as Redrock Engineering) was itself acquired from administrators in 2011.

Investments followed in manufacturing resources – notably a new trailer factory – and a product range that encompasses trailers for agriculture and construction, slurry tankers, mixed-ration feeders, silage block cutters and slurry pumps.

Turnover in the 12 months to March 2023 amounted to £23m, up 36% from £16.9m, and pre-tax profit recovered by 76% at £1.45m versus £0.82m the year before.

Ktwo has focused on large-capacity rear discharge manure spreaders and flatbed, low-load and Curve tipper silage trailers for larger growers and contractors, as well as the Roadeo Compact & Push ejector trailers (pictured above).

In recent years, Ktwo has targeted exports to the US and Canada, where Redrock is also active, and to Australia and New Zealand.

To the end of 2022, Ktwo’s turnover grew 12% to £10.9m and the company recorded a pre-tax profit of £0.19m versus a loss of -£0.5m on £9.7m turnover in the prior year.