I & H GUARD AGAINST COMPLACENCY!

The future is looking bright for I & H Services, an agricultural contractors based in East Yorkshire!

The four-year-old business, situated at a farm on the outskirts of Pollington near Goole, is looking to diversify and has recently introduced a new service inder the I & H Services banner which services, repairs and maintains agricultural machinery and tractors.

Helen , who runs the business with husband Ian, is excited about prospects for growth: “At the moment the servicing side accounts for about 10% of our business with the vast majority of work we undertake being on the contracting side but we envisage that percentage increasing in the coming months.

“We’ve got some competition in the area but our customers tend to be loyal. An emerging threat is from one man contractors who can often undercut on price but the job isn’t always done to the highest of standards. That’s why we have introduced AgriGuard as a way of diversifying without costly capital investment.

“It’s about offering a reliable, friendly and flexible service for local farmers and contractors that doesn’t involve the sometimes hefty costs associated with existing mechanics.

“However contracting work is still our main focus. We have four full-time employees but that can increase up to five self employed contractors during busy periods,” added Helen who is currently juggling the massive demands of a new baby with the administration and marketing of I & H Services.

The business and family recently moved to a new site but have settled in easily. Ian, whose family has a strong background in contracting in the area, adopts a real hands on approach and undertakes a lot of the contracting work

A former sales rep, Helen is enjoying her role and has her heart set on a new soft top Mini Cooper!

“We made two major investments last year with the purchase of two MF tractors to take our total fleet up to four so the dreams of a new Mini Cooper will have to stay on hold. The business comes first!

“From potato harvesting and hedge cutting to topping and spraying, we are able to offer a wide range of services to a customer base of around fifty farmers and firms within a 25 mile radius of our location. We also offer haulage, shot blasting, welding, machinery hire and spaying so we can turn our hand to most things.

“We do occasionally travel much further for major jobs but we have to keep a close eye on costs being a young business,” added Helen who is currently overseeing a major land service contract for Yorkshire Forward in Goole.

“These are the kind of jobs that provide a real boost to the business and we are hoping that AgriGuard will prove similarly successful as words gets around.

“The key benefit of working with us is our flexibility. We often get calls late at night for jobs the following morning and can invariably deliver,” added Helen.

With the introduction of the servicing side, a new baby and a flourishing contracting business you’d be forgiven for thinking that Helen is taking too much on but the mild mannered East Yorkshire lass takes it all in her stride.

Maybe that soft top Mini Cooper might be just around the corner!