Twyman hedge cutter

[fergus]

I'm not talking about the company that was started by Archie Kidd in the fifties or sixties, and later bought out by Kverneland (I think). What I remember from what I was told when I picked up my topper from the factory in Devizes (not the original site) was that this company was fabricating metal cabinets and saw an opportunity and purchased the rights and Kidd name and started manufacturing the machinery. Look up kiddfarmmachinery.com.

My topper needs no top link and has no belts. The only grease nipples are on the PTO shaft.

We are still in Devizes, about 1/2 mile from the old factory, and there is a fairly interesting history. Archie Kidd was bought by Taarup, and subsequently kverneland, the main production was sent overseas and there was effectively a management buyout of the left over manufacturing business and the new company used the name Kidd, as KV relinquished its rights to the name. They carried on making a lot of machines for KV on a subcontract basis, in particular the horizontal auger feed wagons. As the demand for the KV machines they were making dwindled the company undertook more general engineering and fabrication work in the automotive sector, and also designed their own range of farm machinery. Most of our staff in the workshop are ex Archie Kidd, Taruup and KV, so there is an amazing skillset here.

 

[fergus]

Just to make it clear @fergus, what is the name of your business. Have you taken over the manufacture of all of the Kidd machines that have been built in Devizes and where are you making them. I am referring to the company that built my Kidd 240 topper in 2013.

We are still Kidd Farm Machinery, in Devizes. New owners, background is in outdoor pig keeping equipment, we have another site in Suffolk where that is produced.