Farm machinery dealerships have been under intense pressure in recent times as cash-strapped farmers turn to the second-hand market.
This has led to a roaring trade at second-hand markets – such as the ones runs by Clarke and Simpson at its Auction Centre at Campsea Ashe, near Woodbridge.
It is investing a total of around a quarter of a million pounds in expanding the site after planners gave the green light in September.
It has started work on levelling, clearance, fencing and groundwork as it expands its hard standing and car parking areas.
Sales normally attract about 200 in person and another 600 online – but farm machinery lots can fill the site to overflowing.
Clarke and Simpson invested in the site early on, and brought redundant buildings back into use.
Since then the centre has gone from strength to strength, building up the business to the point where the original five-acre site was no longer big enough to cram everything in.
The expansion will also enable them to host a new vintage machinery sale in July.
“There has been an Auction Centre here since 1922, when it was established as a livestock market,” explains James Durrant, a director at Clarke & Simpson Auctions.
When Clarke and Simpson bought the site they were already established machinery auctioneers – but the purchase meant they could branch out from on-farm auctions and improve the breadth of their sales.
It also gave them a permanent base.
The year after the purchase in 2014, the auctioneers held their first collective machinery sale featuring 647 lots.
They have grown to be the biggest “direct from farm” collective auction in the the East of England, said James.
In March, the site hosted its 25th collective sale – offering up 40,000 lots and selling a massive £17m worth of machinery.
The centre also hosts weekly chattels sales every Monday and through these sell more than 60,000 lots every year.
Regular specialist sales of Fine Art & Antiques, Militaria & Firearms and Bygones are another draw.
Clarke and Simpson sales now sell into 70 countries around the world including Australia and New Zealand.
The site’s biggest ever sale was in May 2023 – a record-breaking year. It hosted 3,700 farm machinery lots and the yard was full to bursting point.
In recent years, new farm machine sales have come under intense pressure, he says.
Last year, Suffolk Agri Centre at Pakenham, near Bury St Edmunds, closed its gates after finding the climate too tough to operate in and other main dealers have also fallen by the wayside, he adds.
“The new end of the market is trickier so farmers who are wanting to change and can’t justify the cost of new are looking at second hand as an alternative,” he explains.
Furniture and household goods sales are also enjoying a brisk trade with 1300 to 1400 lots a week.
“The weekly sale goes from strength to strength. We are offering 70k lots and annually selling to 70 countries from a little field in Suffolk. All sides of the business are busy which is great.”
This has been helped by people moving away from disposable lifestyle and adopting furniture which lasts, he says.
The centre now employs 15 full-time and 12 part-time staff.
“Across the board is buoyant which is good because we are a growing team here. We are bringing on young auctioneers and training people and we have got a good young team here,” says James.
