Farol Ltd was founded in 1976, by George Vellacott an ex SCATS manager in Hampshire and former agricultural engineer with farmer financier Roland Harris in Lewknor, Oxfordshire. It started as a machinery trading and engineering center coupled with the Fiatagri new tractor franchise.As a new player in the market full of well established machinery dealers, Farol had to be diverse and very soon became a major importer and exporter of good new and used Agricultural tractors, combines and machinery. This is turn complimented the retail side of the business very well with Farol being able to quite often be more competitive on price and this allowed the business to expand relatively rapidly. After a few years trading George Vellacott obtained the full share holding in Farol and as to this day the company is 100% family owned.

In 1988 Farol took on 'CASE IH'. At the time it was one of the leading tractor and combine manufacturers, we gained a good market share, achieved 'Service Excellence' and expanded a very satisfied client base..In 1999 Farol opened a second CASE IH dealership in Byfield between Banbury and Daventry, and in its first year of trading it exceeded all expectations for market share and turnover, Byfield currently turns over £4.5 million, which we hope to build on with John Deere.

In February 2000 Farol opened for business a third CASE IH dealership in Pewsey near Malborough in Wiltshire. Pewsey became a very successful £3.5 million turnover agricultural machinery business within 3 years.

The need to expand the retail side of the company seemed very apparent with economic changes in agriculture, the need to spread overheads over a larger business, the need to obtain a larger client base as some farms cover large areas and the need for even more expensive workshop tooling and education, in turn Farol can pass these benefits over to the customer offering an even better service at a better price.

FAROL EXPORT , since the early eighties also built up as being a very important part of the company with exports of agricultural machinery to all over the world such as Australia, America, Africa, Russia and practically all of Europe. Farol specializes mainly in the French Market with good used John Deere and Case IH Tractors and Combines and diggers, along with many other leading brands. There are several fluent French speakers at the main depot, Milton Common, near Oxford.

FAROL TRANSPORT , to compliment the other areas of the business Farol also started a machinery haulage and crane lorry business, this mainly set up as a separate transport company for hire, but for export and retail deliveries it makes for financial sense and convenience.

FAROL TYRES , in 2003 we bought a local (to our head office) tyre supplier (RCP TYRES). We decided to take on a tyres business to continue our diversification and it compliments our other areas in the business with retail agricultural sales and our transport business. We obviously specialize with agricultural tyre supply and repair but also it brings us a larger customer base with construction and commercial HGV tyre supply and repair, with 24 hr callout and 5 fitting vehicles we feel that this side of the business is a good oportunity to expand to our other depots.

JOHN DEERE MARCH 2004 , Due to various changes with the aquisition of Case IH by Fiat combined with the chance of taking on the premier franchise John Deere we decided to pursue this option which involved the closure of Pewsey premises and the re opening of a larger dealership 15 miles east of Pewsey near Hungerford. John Deere also gave us the oportunity for expansion in the north, in October we opened a new JD dealership in Atherstone on the A5 with a whole new customer base in Warickshire and Leicestershire.

OCTOBER 2009. With the opportunity to expand, Farol took on John Deere in Midhurst covering West Sussex and East Hampshire. The new depot was up and running by May 2009 and has been serving customers in the Sussex/Hampshire area for the summer and is going from strength to strength. A full team is in place ready to serve new and existing customers - we look forward to meeting you.

Depot addresses:
HEAD OFFICE: FAROL LTD RYCOTE LANE FARM MILTON COMMON THAME OXON, OX9 2NZ
FAROL LTD COLDRIDGE COPSE SHEFFORD WOODLANDS HUNGERFORD, BERKSHIRE, RG17 7BP
FAROL LTD BODDINGTON ROAD BYFIELD, DAVENTRY NORTHANTS, NN11 6FL
FAROL LTD UNIT 23 CARLYON ROAD IND EST ATHERSTONE WARICKSHIRE, CV9 1LG
FAROL LTD, HOLMBUSH HOUSE, HOLMBUSH IND EST, MIDHURST, WEST SUSSEX, GU29 9XY

Over the years Farol has built up an excellent team of dedicated staff in all areas, Sales, Parts, Transport, Tyres and Service, many have been with the company since nearly the beginning. We aim to continually improve and expand our commitment to UK farming and our export sales with our diverse and enthusiastic approach.

We will be offering customers our excellent service for many years to come.