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Over 30 Years of Truro Tractors 1984 - present

On the 14th of February 1984, Truro Tractors opened for business in the old mill at Threemilestone. Originally established to retail and repair second-hand Ford tractors, and supply Ford tractor parts, the business grew quickly. It became a dealership for Same Tractors and moved to bigger premises one year later.

Truro Tractors was established by Martin and Ernestine Stephens. Martin had learned his trade as an agricultural engineer, and had years of experience in machinery sales, as well as running a dealership. A family business, their first son Jeremy worked at Truro Tractors from the outset, and within the first year of trading, their other son Jonathan had joined them.  (Grandson James joined Truro Tractors in 2013).

Ford and New Holland parts were the main part of the business in the early days, but other sundries were sold, and hydraulic pipes were made up and repaired on-site.

In the spring on 1985, Truro Tractors was approached by Sperry New Holland and the business became a Ford main dealer in 1986, expanding its stock to include combine harvesters and grass land machinery.

By 1987 the business had outgrown its premises again. Land was purchased on a new industrial site at Threemilestone, and a new building incorporating workshop, stores, showroom and offices was constructed.

In 1990, Truro Tractors acquired the horticultural machinery firm of Stanley F West; established their own horticultural business West Horticultural Machinery on the acquired premises. Now operating as a specialist horticulture business, Truro Tractors had an opening into the professional equipment business and subsequently became a New Holland compact dealer.

A few years later, Peter Barr of Honda approached Truro Tractors with the offer of the Honda ATV franchise. This was a completely new product for the business to be selling, but it proved to be a very valuable franchise over the years.

Truro Tractors’ headquarters is now located on Cox Hill, Chacewater. The two acre site held a 30,000 sq ft fertiliser store and had planning permission to be converted into a bowling alley. In January 1996, West Horticulture and Truro Tractors moved in to the new premises at Chacewater; and by Easter the business had expanded again, taking over the Ford dealer Lawson Ham at Wadebridge.

In 1998, Truro Tractors became an incorporated business; and in 2001 Martin was approached to buy a business in Tedburn St Mary. This latest acquisition operated out of rented premises for six years before relocating to a new, purpose-built unit at Treburley Industrial Estate in April 2007.

Over the years, Truro Tractors has won awards for service, parts, and sales. Today, they maintain a tradition of excellence in all their dealings with the farming and gardening communities.