Always by your side: Doug Price AgriBale Ltd

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With no agricultural background, Doug Price couldn’t have predicted where his career would take him.

Until a chance encounter led to Doug becoming a successful Managing Director for AgriBale Limited, a straw contracting company.

As for many JCB customers, a JCB Loadall has been a constant in Doug’s journey to success, playing a key role in his early career and now in his company’s high-output operation.

From straw stacker to business owner: a Loadall at every step 

Doug had no farming experience when he first joined the industry. In fact, he studied architecture at university and then worked abroad as a scuba diving instructor in Australia. Once he was back home, a chance meeting in a pub led to Doug getting a job stacking straw. From there, he went on to manage the straw contracting business, AgriBale.

From starting small and scaling up to where he is now, JCB Loadalls have been a reliable companion in his professional journey. “I’ve always been involved with JCB Loadalls, driving them around the farm. We’ve always used them."

And Loadalls still remain a key part to Doug’s company operations today.

Built for the long haul, valued for every hour 

The JCB Loadall has a reputation as a machine that gets the job done – day in, day out.

Doug knows that when he invests in a JCB machine, he’s investing in his business and his people.

And with 9 full-time staff and up to 30 extra workers during the harvest, ensuring everyone is taken care of during busy periods is vital. Doug values health and safety and “JCB machines help keep our staff awake and alert.” The comfort of the telehandler reduces driver fatigue - meaning sustained productivity as well as improved safety.

With a large-scale bale operation taking part every year, Doug and AgriBale rely on JCB telehandlers to get all of the work done on time. and “There’s not a machine out here that can do the job as well as JCB can,” he says. 

Behind every bale: Loadall does the heavy lifting

AgriBale’s operations are large scale, with anywhere between 125,000 – 135,000 bales handled annually. With four JCB Loadall telehandlers, there’s a lot of restacking and loading to do.

“In the Summer, we drive balers and chasers, and wagons are going up and down the road – but the JCB telehandler is always there in the background. It restacks all our straw.”

"The reliability and endurance of JCB machinery makes them a key silent partner during harvest season – as Doug says, “The Loadall is a key part of our company."

Discover the JCB AGRI telehandler range

Why operators want to work with us

Doug believes that owning top-tier machinery like the JCB Loadall helps attract reliable seasonal staff. With AgriBale hiring extra staff during the harvest season, Doug knows “decent kit is what attracts people to work for you.”

This could be due to the JCB machinery’s renowned comfort and ease of use. Even if you’ve never drive a JCB before, the intuitive, easily understandable controls mean you can just hop in the cab and get on with the job at hand that – increasing productivity and performance.

Doug also gets a lot of seasonal workers from New Zealand as the UK is the opposite harvest season for them - and he credits some of this to the global appeal of JCB.

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A machine that grows with you

The JCB Loadall is not just a machine for today – but an investment in tomorrow. Doug’s business has grown from the ground up and at every stage of the journey, JCB Loadalls have been a part of that growth.

With productivity, reliability, and ease of use as key principles of the JCB design process, our machines are ready to help your scale your business for success. If you’re looking for support with growth, JCB Loadalls combine innovation with practicality and power to improve efficiency and productivity. 

Bring Loadall into your operation

Doug’s story is a testament to the versatile, powerful and efficient JCB Loadall. With strength, durability and reliability built into every area of the Loadall, you’ll be ready to take on any challenges that come your way – just like Doug has.

Ready to take your farm to the next level? View the range or find a dealer near your location