[AndynJ]

Ive been offered a job as business development manager for an agricultural parts company, they have a steel manufacturing business and can therefore produce one off items as well.
Is the tractor parts industry sewn up ?
Is there a gap in the market ?
Is there anything that the current suppliers miss ?
Is there a need for one off products in this industry ?

Thank you in advance for your feedback, your opinions & suggestions.

[SallyintNorth]

I don't know about in Devon, and a lot would depend on at what price things could be produced, but up here in Cumbria there are always one-man bands (usually farmers moonlighting, of course) making bespoke or small-run trailers and other items for farmers and smallholders.

We had an all-terrain tipping large round hay bale quad trailer made, for less than half what the commercial ones cost, and with a much cleverer wheel setup. 

And I'd been inspired to look into that, having used a farmer-made tipping silage quad trailer on the previous farm.

You can't get Quadlocs any more.    We just had ours adjusted to take a new, wider quad bike.  If someone made something similar - or that met the same need - we and many other farmers would be in the market.  Ditto ways of locking other items up more safely.

There's a company up here makes a cleverly-designed small sheep trailer, undercuts Ifor Williams and has better panel and gate arrangements, and the braked version comes in under the weight that younger drivers can tow without a special license.

We'd buy a water carrier trailer for the quad.  Especially if it would be adaptable for towing behind quad, car or tractor.

And so on.

[AndynJ]

I don't know about in Devon, and a lot would depend on at what price things could be produced, but up here in Cumbria there are always one-man bands (usually farmers moonlighting, of course) making bespoke or small-run trailers and other items for farmers and smallholders.

We had an all-terrain tipping large round hay bale quad trailer made, for less than half what the commercial ones cost, and with a much cleverer wheel setup. 

And I'd been inspired to look into that, having used a farmer-made tipping silage quad trailer on the previous farm.

You can't get Quadlocs any more.    We just had ours adjusted to take a new, wider quad bike.  If someone made something similar - or that met the same need - we and many other farmers would be in the market.  Ditto ways of locking other items up more safely.

There's a company up here makes a cleverly-designed small sheep trailer, undercuts Ifor Williams and has better panel and gate arrangements, and the braked version comes in under the weight that younger drivers can tow without a special license.

We'd buy a water carrier trailer for the quad.  Especially if it would be adaptable for towing behind quad, car or tractor.

And so on.

Thanks Sally, there are lots of trailer manufacturers in Devon, have you got a picture of a quadloc please ? there are many ways to lock other items up, have you an example of an item you struggle to lock.

[sabrina]

I think you have to follow your gut on this one. No job is safe these days no matter what you do. If its the kind of job you fancy doing and think it will suit you then go for it.

[pharnorth]

There are times it would have been very handy to have access to some reasonably priced machined stuff. Most us ful would be able to have a quick chat with someone knowledgeable quickly as usually you have to speak to someone in th office first who knows even less about what you need than you do.

[Foobar]

Sorry to go off at a tangent...but what's a quad lock?
Fyi, this Quad Vice was at the Royal Welsh this year - being made locally down here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-q7u9hq_oc

[SallyintNorth]

I'll post pics later.   Vice looks interesting, but no use for permanent 4 wheel drive bikes!