Chris’s interest within agriculture was rooted from his father, Ralph, and accompanying him in school holidays to watch and assist with spring and harvesting demonstrations of Grimme equipment. Picking potatoes on the back of Q Continentals or fetching spanners for adjustments the direction of Chris’ future seemed to be established.
After attending agricultural colleges and gaining experience with a well-known Borders dealership Chris moved to Whitehills to cover the area for Grimme. At the end of 2009 the opportunity arose for Chris to establish his own business, and so Cc Powell Ltd was established in 2010. Initially based at Greenscares, Gamrie on the B9031, the premises consisted of a workshop, stores and offices and with a small team of 2/3people the main product lines were only Grimme and Greencrop.
The business grew rapidly and soon out-grew the Greenscares premises. In the spring of 2017 C c Powell Ltd moved premises to a more prime location, on the A947 at Montbletton. The move accompanied staff number increases and due to work demands from increased franchises. Cc Powell Ltd wanted to offer more to customers and so building work started to take place in 2019 to one the current workshop buildings to add an extension and offer customers all our services all under one roof.
Completed in the spring 2020 the extension opened and with the addition of Powell’s Country Store customers can collect spare parts in and out of season, browse our ranges of consumables, country clothing/boots and toys with fresh takeaway coffee available to purchase too.
Apart from the extension to house the stores and Country Stores many improvements have been made to the premises. The car park has been opened up to allow for safe parking. A specific power washer facility for washing new machinery after delivery from the manufacturer, especially in winter when road salt is evident, and for general cleaning of machinery and company vehicles. The biomass heating system ensure the workplaces are warm and comfortable for the staff and visitors. An area of the yard is designated to second-hand machinery, although non-seasonal machines are stored undercover. A dedicated goods inwards ensures delivery vehicles are kept away from the public entrance to the Country Store and Stores area.
The new premises has allowed Chris to live at Montbletton and together with opening hours of the business can hopefully give a service which is respected and serves to support the ethos of C c Powell Ltd to give service.
As we now live in uncertain times with Covid, C c Powell Ltd is following guidelines and has now introduced a ‘Click and Collect Service’ for the Country Store and for the spare parts service for agricultural spares, which can be collected safely from the specified area.