Right kit, right crowd, right weather … the K W Wilson & Sons sale of specialist slurry equipment could hardly have gone any better, according to Brown and Co auctioneer, James Walton.
With more than 400 vehicles in the car park, the recent K W Wilson & Sons retirement sale was the biggest Brown and Co auction since before the COVID pandemic. Even the auctioneer on the day, James Walton, was surprised by the turnout at Sandbraes Farm, Caistor, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire.
“I’d been concerned that the highly specialist nature of the slurry equipment up for sale might limit its appeal. But this proved to be completely unfounded,” Mr Walton says.
“Folk travelled from all four corners of the UK and Ireland, and we also had a very strong international presence online, especially from Eastern Europe. Everything fell into place. We had the right kit, the right crowd, and the right weather. And every lot made its reserve and sold. The trade was literally on fire.”
Interestingly, a big percentage of the equipment went to existing customers of the Wilson brothers—Mark, Russell and Ian — who are retiring from the digestate/slurry spreading sector. There’s a sizeable population of pig farms and AD plants in North Lincolnshire, and, with the Wilsons ceasing to trade, it would seem these businesses are now planning to take their spreading work back in-house.
The kit on display varied in age and hours, but all looked to have been well maintained. This, along with the Wilsons’ reputation within the sector, explains the bullish demand and values. Plus, there are still long lead times for new machines, which applies just as much to this specialist equipment as it does to the more mainstream market.
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