THREE-and-a-half years after a devastating fire destroyed Ramsay & Jackson’s Mauchline premises, the construction and agricultural equipment dealership opened its doors to hundreds of guests at the grand opening of the firm’s new and improved depot.
The business has invested heavily in a state-of-the-art building at Knowehead Works, featuring a modern workshop, offices, storage, and parts facilities.
Visitors to the open weekend in late October had the opportunity to explore the fresh and spacious new surroundings, view a selection of the latest machinery, meet the manufacturers, and even showcase their operating skills on a Takeuchi TB20e compact electric excavator at a special challenge competition hosted by Dave Vickers of ‘Digging with Dave’ fame.
Ramsay & Jackson Ltd was founded in the 1940s and is run today by cousins Neil and Billy Ramsay, together with their sons Matthew and Andy.
The firm’s construction portfolio features models from leading brands including Takeuchi, Merlo, and Engcon. On the agriculture side, Case IH, Merlo, Honda, Weidemann, Kioti, Pottinger, and McHale are among the big names Ramsay & Jackson are proud to represent.
Colin McVey from Ramsay & Jackson Ltd told Project Plant that, following the unfortunate fire, the business took the opportunity to enhance many of the facilities in the new and improved premises. “Previously we had two separate workshops,” he explained. “We’ve extended and combined everything into one workshop, completely modernising it.
“The most important part is that we’ve upgraded our stores and offices and invested heavily with the installation of two parts shuttles, resulting in a more efficient use of storage space and the capability to hold more vital stock of parts to keep customers up and running.
“The offices have been modernised too, allowing the business to run more efficiently between all departments. We also have a meeting room where we can hold training for small groups.”
Colin revealed feedback from customers has been extremely positive after seeing the new premises for the first time. Project Plant visited on the Friday afternoon on day one of the open event and the place was already bustling with activity. More than 600 people attended over the weekend.
Machines on display included a Merlo R50.30S-Plus 360-degree rotating telehandler; the new to the UK market Takeuchi TL8R-2 compact track loader which launched at PlantWorx 2025; and a Takeuchi TB395W compact wheeled excavator complete with Engcon tiltrotator.
Colin believes the success of the event proves there’s still a huge appetite for in-person events.
“A lot of people like to come and view the machines in person, get a look round the finer details, and gain some vital knowledge from the product experts,” he explained. “An open event like this is a great way to generate genuine interest in the products we sell. This has a great impact on the business as a whole – from sales and enquiries on the day, leading to sales even months down the line after the event.”
The plan for Ramsay & Jackson in the coming years is steady growth. Colin revealed that while the agricultural equipment sector is a big part of the business, the construction element is expanding more and more as the company grows. Like most firms, the aim is to try and capture more of the market in both sectors.
Neil Ramsay added, “It’s a credit to all our customers from family farms to construction companies of all shapes and sizes for their support over the years. It has helped us get to where we are now. We hope to use the momentum from the opening of the new premises to continue to grow and support both current and new customers.”
