Farm machinery manufacturer is new president

FOR the first time a machinery manufacturer has been elected president of the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association. Simon Cross, MD of Cross Agricultural Engineering Ltd, Rathangan, Co Kildare takes over the presidency from Edwin Pratt.

Simon set up his company in 1987, concentrating first on the development and manufacture of slurry pump agitators, followed by folding ring rollers, post-drivers, log splitters and a mobile cattle feeder, all of which were aimed at the small farmer market.

The company has diversified into tillage machinery since then and now exports around the world, and won the Up and Running Business Award in 1994.

Simon comes from a dynasty of metalworkers; his great-grandfather, grandfather and father were blacksmiths in his home town of Rathangan.