Farmers who are interested in utilising precision farming technologies can now learn from international best practice, following the appointment of a new area sales manager at Vantage.
Appointed distributor for Trimble agriculture, Vantage England and Wales has taken on Shropshire-based Adam Sedgwick as the new area sales manager for the Midlands and North Wales.
Bringing over 20 years of experience from across the globe, including a long stint in Australia, 47-year old Adam has spent his whole life surrounded by agriculture. “I grew up on a family arable farm, but I wasn’t interested in being an operator – what interested me was how things worked and making things work.”
After starting his working life with 10 years’ service at Caterpillar Agriculture as a sales and support engineer, Adam ventured down under to Australia to work in guidance and precision farming. “Farming is extremely different in Australia,” he says. “Obviously, it is on a much larger scale, but they are also hugely further advanced in terms of precision farming compared to us in the UK.”
He spent eight years in the country before returning to the UK in 2015 to continue his career in precision agriculture. “Working in Australia gave me a wider outlook on precision farming methods and showed me exactly what can be achieved here in the UK to make us more efficient and profitable as producers.”
Now on board with Vantage, Adam hopes to pass on some of his enthusiasm, knowledge and passion to his clients. “When you look at Trimble as a product, that is the brand that people are talking about and that is what made me want to be a part of the team.
“The company philosophy, mission and core values stood in line with where I wanted to be in the industry, and it is a great opportunity to work with passionate, skilled people.”
Cambridgeshire-based AS Communications is the first UK dealer to obtain Vantage status, offering customers a hub for precision technology and advice that works across their entire machinery fleet. “Through Vantage we can bring a holistic approach to the concept of precision agriculture,” explains Séverine Brisset, regional sales manager at Trimble. “By integrating all the technology at work on a farm – including hardware from other brands in the market – we can link software, services, data management and the machine. It’s a big change for our customers.”
In terms of value to farmers, Adam says he hopes to instil some of his passion for precision in current and future clients. “The way I see it, to work in this side of the industry you need to have a grounded interest in it. It’s not about selling products, it’s about finding a solution to problems.
“I’m keen and passionate about what I do, and my phone is always on regardless of the problem. I like to make sure I can manage the chain of events right the way through to ensure the best service.”
Mark Griffiths, national sales manager at Vantage England and Wales says he is also delighted to have Adam on board. “Adam will be looking after one of our most diverse regions in terms of cropping and farm type, his enthusiasm toward finding solutions and realising the benefits will be well suited in the area and with us at Vantage England and Wales.
“It is an exciting time for agriculture and Adam will be an integral and valuable part of our journey to provide precision solutions.”
