Lloyd Ltd, based on the Kingstown Industrial Estate, Carlisle, is the first new dealer appointed to handle sales and support for the Spread-A-Bale, which is now marketed by Simba International Ltd.

The company will cover Cumbria, offering full sales, parts and service support to both new and existing customers.

Since taking on the marketing of the Spread-A-Bale at this year’s Royal Show, Simba has already sold over 50 models - more than had been sold in the previous year. That total includes export orders to Scandinavia, Europe, New Zealand and Australia.

Lloyd Ltd is a New Holland Dealer, and also has franchises for Manitou, Kverneland, Strautmann, Kubota and Amazone. Dealer Principal Ian Gate says the Spread-A-Bale is well suited to the needs of farmers in the region:

“Buying and moving straw are major costs for farmers in this region, so the ability of the Spread-A-Bale to reduce straw usage is important, as will be the huge savings in time and labour that the machine offers”. He also expects users to achieve valuable improvements in hygiene.

“We sell a lot of Manitou handlers, and the Spread-A-Bale complements them very well. In addition, those customers who run bull beef units will be relieved of the job of going into the pens to spread bedding, which is a major safety benefit”.

Jimmie Carver, Simba’s Territory Manager, says: “We are delighted to be working with such a well respected, professional dealership to develop the market in this key livestock region, and look forward to working with everyone at Lloyd. Many existing users report straw savings of 50%, which will be a huge benefit to farmers all over the West side of the country, who face similar bills for buying and transporting straw as those in Cumbria.

“This is the first new dealer appointment we have made for Spread-A-Bale. Over the next few months we expect to establish a national network of similar professional dealers which can offer the same high standard of support that we demand from the dealers appointed to handle our market-leading range of arable farming equipment”.