P Tuckwell Ltd, the John Deere dealer across the East of England, has completed the acquisition of Burden Bros Agri Ltd covering the South East.

Dale Burden and James Tuckwell

The acquisition, which has been agreed by respective owners James Tuckwell and Dale Burden, will see all employees and the three existing branch locations at Stockbury and Ivychurch in Kent and Framfield in East Sussex retained.

The full terms of the agreement are not being disclosed but it has been announced that this acquisition has the full support and approval of John Deere Ltd and does not involve any other businesses in the BB⁴ Group of Companies.

Burden Bros Agri Ltd was founded in 2007 when it took on the John Deere agricultural franchise for north Kent. Subsequent expansion saw the business take on additional territory in East Sussex, parts of Surrey and the remainder of Kent. The John Deere Turf franchise was added following the acquisition of the Godfreys business for the area.

Tuckwells was established in 1954 and have been John Deere dealers since 1965. Operating from seven locations across Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, the business employs over 200 people. In addition, the business runs Tuckwell Farms, a 1500 acre working farm in Suffolk. Tuckwells were one of the first dealers in the UK to take on the John Deere Turf franchise.

“Dale and his team have built a strong, agricultural and turf business throughout the south east of England since the company began in 2007,” says James Tuckwell. “We are excited to be given this opportunity to expand our business and to build on their success. We welcome the Burden Bros Agri team to the Tuckwell family and look forward to working together with them and their customers.” 

“I would like to express our gratitude to Dale and the Burden family for the outstanding job they have done in supporting and growing the John Deere brand in south east England since becoming a dealer nearly 14 years ago,” said John Deere Limited division sales manager Joedy Ibbotson.

“We are delighted that they have reached this agreement with Tuckwells, which ensures the continuity of the Burden Bros team and dealership outlets within the John Deere network. This is a great fit, combining two businesses with closely aligned values based on outstanding customer service with a focus on precision technology and connected support.” 

Dale Burden added, “Whilst this is a time of mixed emotions for me and my brothers, we are pleased that a deal has been reached between the Burden and Tuckwell families. We have known each other for many years and I am confident that the business is in safe hands and is well placed to continue its development and growth. I believe there will be many opportunities for the team, and our customers will benefit from the strengths that come from this combined dealership.”