John Deere dealer Stephen W Moore has entered into an agreement to acquire its neighbouring franchise, Johnston Gilpin & Co, to create a single, larger dealer in the counties of Antrim, Derry/Londonderry, Armagh and Down. The acquisition will be completed over the coming weeks.
All Johnston Gilpin & Co staff will transfer to Stephen W Moore, and Johnston Gilpin will operate as normal but under the new ownership and management of Stephen and Alison Moore. Both Coleraine and Lisburn branches will continue to trade as Johnston Gilpin from the current locations.
From left to right: Neale McConnell, Randal McConnell, Donn McConnell, Alison Moore and Stephen Moore.
Johnston Gilpin & Co was founded in 1968 by Johnston Gilpin, Cyril Johnston and Donn McConnell as the first John Deere dealer in Northern Ireland. Donn McConnell took ownership in 1991 and his son, Randal, joined the company in 1992 followed by his brother, Neale, in 1995.
“As with any history in Northern Ireland, this decision was neither easy nor straightforward,” says Randal McConnell, “but ultimately, we are doing what is best for our fantastic staff and to allow the John Deere brand to expand, we are confident that with all members of staff transferring, that the level of service and backup will remain unchanged. The McConnell family would like to sincerely thank all members of its loyal staff, many of whom have grown up with the company and also to thank all the customers who have supported us over the past 54 years.”
The expanded dealership will offer the full range of John Deere agricultural machinery as well as domestic and professional turf care products. “This is an exciting time as we prepare to nearly double the size of our business with the next stage of our evolution,” comments dealer principal Stephen Moore.
“As a family business, we assure our customers that our teams and our customers in both locations will always remain at the forefront as we aim to deliver an exceptional customer experience.
“We have known the McConnell family and the Johnston Gilpin group for many years and the whole team has done a fantastic job serving agricultural and turf care customers in the territory. The transition will be smooth and steady, ensuring that it’s business as usual for our customers while we are learning from each other behind the scenes.”
The acquisition is a great fit for the company’s dealer network, comments John Deere division sales manager, Brian D’Arcy, who adds that the larger business is an extremely strong proposition for its customers in Northern Ireland.
“Both companies are well established with knowledgeable staff and connected support,” he says. “Looking ahead, the business will go from strength to strength and be in a position to make the future investments required in facilities, logistics and advanced precision technologies.
“Our special thanks go to Donn, Randal, Neale and all the McConnell family for their valuable and longstanding contribution to the industry after serving as a dealer in the area for John Deere for the past 54 years.”
