It is 80 years since Fabien and Albertine Burel founded Sulky Burel, and to mark the occasion the French seed drill and fertiliser spreader manufacturer recently staged two events in Brittany. During the day the 250 employees convened at the company’s La Ferme de l’Epine (Epine Farm) site, which normally serves as its training centre. In the evening the Chateaubourg factory underwent a one-off makeover and the Burel family was joined by employees and their partners, plus retired staff at for a party. The French family-owned and run company has come a long way since 1936, one notable recent milestone being the move to a new 20,000m² factory in July 2011. The company continues to spend on industrial plant and recently invested over €700,000 in a new welding robot. Despite tough trading conditions in the agricultural sector, the business recently achieved sales in excess of €44 million – an increase of 3% over the previous year.
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