McCormick dealer P and D Engineering celebrates 40 years with ‘ruby’ tractor and show success

Sat 25/06/2016

Agricultural engineering firm P & D Engineering started celebrating its 40th anniversary in fine style at the Royal Three Counties Show in June, the company’s display of a new McCormick tractor in a one-off colour scheme alongside a 1930s vintage McCormick-Deering helping the company win three trade stand awards.

As the business makes progress towards completing an expanded parts department and workshop, Mike and Penny Pullin and their team secured the award for the best agricultural machinery stand, a trophy for the best stand amongst all agricultural exhibitors, and the Reserve Supreme Champion Gold Medal award for the stand judged second best across the entire show.

Taking up a prime position at the front of the stand, Mike’s McCormick-Deering W-14 provided a great ‘then and now’ contrast to the 180hp McCormick X7.670 VT Drive tractor standing alongside. This is the newest addition to a much revamped and improved McCormick line-up, which in this case features a stepless transmission delivering seamless speed control.

This particular example was specially commissioned by P & D Engineering in metallic ‘ruby red’ and silver to commemorate the company’s fortieth year in business.

“It’s a deeper red than the usual McCormick colour and with its metallic finish looks absolutely magnificent,” says Mike.

He started out travelling from farm to farm in a former Whitbread brewery van to service and repair tractors and machinery. Now, the business – located at Bredon in Gloucestershire – has five service technicians in the workshops and on the road with four service vans using the latest electronic software and diagnostic tools as well as traditional equipment to keep modern high-tech machines running as they should.

“Things have certainly changed a lot over the 40 years – at one time, all you needed were practical skills, knowledge of machinery and a good set of spanners,” says Mike. “But now, advanced electronics feature on everything from bale wrappers to combines and you have to be able to work with them. That’s why in addition to bringing on an apprentice most years we make time for our technicians to attend manufacturers’ training courses.

“We’re always striving to do better, of course, and the expanded workshop and parts department should help us do that when they’re completed,” he says. “I think we can justifiably look back with pride on the business we’ve created – and look ahead with excitement and optimism to what the next 40 years will bring!”

For the full story, read the press release using the link on the right.

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