UK products still bear the “high quality” tag, and this extends to farm machinery. And as demand for reconditioned farm machinery increases in Africa and the Middle East, British firms in the agriculture sector have begun to specialise in used farm machinery.
But what, exactly, does this business entail? I set out from Coventry in the UK on a 158-kilometre journey to meet a leading specialist of Massey Fergusson (MF) tractors and farm implements in Reading.
Mr John Dumelow’s reconditioned tractors go to East Africa, mainly Kenya, and the Middle East.
Bwana Dumelow, as he has come to be known, started Dumelow International in 1996 and moved to the present premises in the UK seven years ago. Though he is best known for his MFs, his first two reconditioned tractors were Fords.
MF tractors are perfect candidates for reconditioning because they are widely available across the UK and are well known in Africa, which is their main market (these days, British farmers use a wide variety of other machines and MF does not have a strong hold there). Their spare parts are also readily available.
Dumelow is an agricultural engineer by profession and sees his role as helping African farmers produce more food in an economical way.
“Working in Tanzania and Malawi for 10 years led me to understand the agriculture mechanisation problems that farmers have in Africa, and I developed an interest in helping them.
“The right machines, I believe, are those that are fairly simple because there is a limitation on the availability of facilities to maintain complex machinery. Also, simpler machines are cheaper.”
And with this formula, Dumelow is getting better known across the continent for his services.
“We get calls and e-mails from new and existing customers telling us what they need and at what price point.”
Quite often, farmers need some advice on what machinery is best for them, and this is an opportunity for Dumelow to help by drawing on his engineering background and experience in Tanzania and Malawi.
“I enjoy guiding farmers on what tractors they need and how to look after them.”
Dumelow International’s tractors come directly from farmers, tractor dealers, auctions and as imports from Ireland and France.
Necessary checks
Every tractor that comes into the workshop is thoroughly checked before it is dismantled. Mechanics check the engine, hydraulic pressure, oil pressure, all the gears, brakes and electrical and steering systems.
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Once all necessary checks have been carried out, they decide on what parts need replacement.
“For instance, if we check the hydraulic pressure and find it low, we overhaul or renew the hydraulic pump. Once all replacements are made, we reassemble the tractor,” Dumelow said.
It takes a month or two to reassemble a tractor, with a dozen tractors assembled each month.
It takes between 25 and 30 days for a tractor to arrive at the Mombasa Port once it is shipped from the UK, depending on the shipping environment.
Dumelow International’s biggest challenge?
“One of the challenges of dealing with reconditioned tractors is that prices are very unpredictable. So we always have to keep reviewing our prices.”
Dumelow speaks fluent Swahili, which he learnt while in Tanzania. He married Tanzanian Juspina in 1980 and they have two grown-up children.
“In 18 years, we have sold about 3,000 tractors in Africa. That is a substantial amount of machinery for food production in the continent.”
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