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Competition hots up between machinery magazine publishers

By 9th October 2017July 27th, 2023No Comments
News

Competition is hotting up between two of Britain’s leading farm machinery magazine publishers with new launches and acquisitions.

Sundial Magazines, publisher of Classic Tractor, edited by Guild member Rory Day, and the mechanisation title Farm Machinery Journal, has launched Heritage Tractor as a new quarterly title aimed at enthusiasts of vintage tractors, implements and farming’s past.

Space in the newsagent racks for that sector is currently occupied by the Kelsey Media titles Tractor & Farming Heritage and Tractor & Machinery.

Kelsey, meanwhile, has strengthened its position in the modern machinery sector by acquiring a licence from the German owners to publish Profi International, a near competitor to FMJ, alongside its monthly machinery newspaper Wrights Farming Register.

Steve Wright, CEO of Kelsey, says: “We are delighted to welcome Profi International and its staff to our business and will continue to invest in the best content while also looking to widen distribution in the UK, Ireland and other international markets.”

Mervyn Bailey continues at the helm of the magazine but joint editor and Guild member Andrew Faulkner has decided to step down from this role as he takes on increased responsibility for running the family farm in Hampshire. However, he will continue to contribute in a freelance capacity.

Meanwhile, back at Sundial Magazines, Guild member Peter Small has been appointed editor of the new Heritage Tractor title: “It’s for those who remember or yearn for a return to the good old days, when tractors were easier to operate and maintain, farms were at the heart of village life, and agriculture was one of the country’s most important and valued industries,” he says.

“This quarterly magazine will bring readers the very best in farm machinery history and the latest from the vintage scene, providing in-depth content, along with a wealth of unseen archive images and new facts about the machines people remember, own and cherish.”

For a comprehensive directory of farm and rural publications, websites and radio/tv programmes, visit the Guild’s Farming Media Centre.