JN Contracts designed_Layout 1 10/12/2014 10:34 Page 1
J
e Best in the West
N Contracts is an up-andcoming name in the agricultural contracting sector. Established a decade ago by Jonnie (Jonathan) Neal, the business provides a wide range of agricultural services to customers within a 40-mile radius of its base just two miles from Irvinestown in Co. Fermanagh. The ups and downs of farm contracting are brilliantly captured in a DVD about young contractor Jonnie Neal which was launched a couple of years ago. The 90minute film, titled ‘The Best in the West’ in reference to Fermanagh being Northern Ireland’s most westerly county, follows Jonnie and his team as they spread slurry, plough, plant maize, mow, lift silage and engage in a host of other farm-related activities in all sorts of weather conditions.
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Hailing from a farming background, the 30-year-old was just 19 when he set up JN Contracts. He recalls: “My stepbrother Mark McLean had run his own farm contracting business for 11 years and was getting out of it to start up a different business in Irvinestown called Autopart Centre, which is still going strong. “He asked me if I’d be interested in taking over and I decided to give it a go. The only problem was that he sold off all his machinery which meant that I had to buy everything from scratch. But Mark had built up a good customer-base which I managed to hold on to and grow.” Jonnie started out with seven tractors, two John Deere mowers, John Deere 6850 Self Propelled, three Silage Trailers and a baler. Four of the tractors were Case IH (Mx 135, Mx 170, CVX 170 and 956), two were Ford (8240 and 7740),
while the other was a John Deere 6850. This substantial investment paid off for Jonnie who now runs a fleet of 10 tractors and employs three full-time workmen. During the busy spring and summer months, he takes on additional staff. “I’d have six working for me in the
CONTACT DETAILS JN Contracts
23 Moynaghan North Road, Irvinestown, Co. Fermanagh. Telephone: +44 7736 378885 Email: jonnieneal@hotmail.co.uk www.facebook.com/jncontracts IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI