Industry Profile
Perry of Oakley Ltd reflects upon 70 years of innovation
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by Abi Young, Perry of Oakley, UK
stablished in 1947, this year marks the 70th anniversary for Perry of Oakley Ltd, one of the UK’s most experienced manufacturers of materials handling and drying equipment. During those 70 years, it has witnessed firsthand the evolution of the agricultural industry. Perry of Oakley Ltd was founded by Tom Perry, a farmer’s son, who offered a mobile repair and manufacturing service to local farmers and businesses in the Oakley, Basingstoke area of Hampshire. In 1949, Tom Perry designed and built Perry of Oakley’s very first belt and bucket elevator with a capacity of 5tph. These early cleaners were equipped with mechanical sieves and aspiration to lift off dust and light rubbish. Today, Perry’s range of belt and bucket elevators are suitable for agricultural and industrial use and are available in capacities up to 1000tph at heights of up to 30m. 1949 also saw the introduction of Perry’s first grain cleaner. These early cleaners were equipped with mechanical sieves and aspiration to lift off dust and light rubbish. Today, Perry offer aspirator pre-cleaners and rotary drum cleaners, ensuring there is a solution for every customer’s needs. During the early 1950s, many new farm mechanisation aids were designed by Tom Perry and manufactured in Oakley. These included tractor mounted buck rakes, trailers, dust reduction systems for combine harvesters and jog trough grain conveyors driven by petrol engines or electric motors. These conveyors had capacities of up to 5tph; as capacity requirements increased the first chain and flight conveyors were developed. These conveyors were the fore runners of the conveyors that Perry’s currently design and manufacture with capacities up to 1000tph. Since 1950, Perry of Oakley has sold over 18,500 machines, which averages at over 1.2 machines per day, every day, every single year 88 | May 2017 - Milling and Grain
since then. Their machines have handled and dried everything from standard cereals to digestate, pellets, minerals, dust, woodchip and even waste fish! Perry is so confident in the capabilities and longevity of its machines that it is now offering a 10-year guarantee on its standard agricultural conveyors (T’s & C’s apply). Tom grew the business from a mobile repair service, to employing engineers to build and design handling equipment in a converted greenhouse, to eventually in 1952, the first factory was built in Oakley measuring 60 foot x 40 foot. Tom’s son, Nigel Perry joined the business in 1972 and shortly after Pat, Nigel’s wife also came on board. Under Nigel’s leadership Perry’s expanded to such a degree that in 1974 a brand new, purpose-built factory was built in Oakley to house the company. By 1990, the business had expanded again and required an even larger premises and Nigel made the decision to relocate the business down to Devon on to their current site. A year after moving to Dunkeswell, David Perry, Nigel & Patricia’s son, joined the company having achieved a First Class Honours degree in engineering. David worked with his parents for 16 years until he took over as Managing Director in 2007, although Nigel and Patricia are still spotted around the factory 10 years after they retired. David Perry has continued to expand the business and plans for the future. He has invested in his staff, the latest technologies, manufacturing capabilities, research and development projects. Since David has been the Managing Director, Perry’s have released several key products including Ezi Quote, a revolutionary online quoting system that allows customers to obtain quick and easy quotes direct to their inbox. He also released the Perry CentriKleens, a system that catches 97 percent of all dust and chaff emitted from driers. These can be fitted to both Perry driers and other manufacturers driers. Since 1955, when Perry’s first grain drier was manufactured with a