Interview with Richard Bailey

Head of Design Richard shares his thoughts based on 35 years of experience in the business, his favourite design to date and what he’d like to see change in UK agriculture…

What current role do you fulfil?
My current role is Head of Design. However, I’m also a problem solver, if anything needs making in the factory for production, that's down to me. If one of our lorry drivers is on a holiday, I’m our relief driver. You could say I'm pretty much hands-on, I’ve been there, done that.

What other roles have you undertaken?
I've been with the company since I left school in 1989. I started off as a plater and chassis welder. I know how everything goes together because I’ve had to do it, from sawing the metal and putting it together, to fitting lights. Bringing it back to design, my previous roles definitely help me to visualise the end product in terms of how it all fits together.

What’s your favourite trailer design and why?
One of my favorite designs is the hydraulic bale clamps that we fit on our bale trailers; this is one of my best designs to date. We’ve revolutionised the way loads are strapped onto trailers, it’s far quicker and much safer. Transporting on the road is much safer too, meeting with road safety legislation.

What do you feel sets Bailey apart in the market?
Listening to customers is the key to a good product. Farmers are the people that use the trailers, we listen to their ideas and make the trailers they want. A lot of it is down to experience in the factory and in the field.

I'm quite fortunate in that I work with trailers on a local farm during my spare time. I see the day-to-day challenges a trailer gets put through, what they've got to achieve. There's a lot of people out there that design trailers without knowing what a trailer has to do.

There's nothing more pleasing than a farmer telling you what difference we’ve made to their business. That's what we're here for, to make people's lives easier, more cost-effective. I feel that's what sets us apart; listening to our customers and knowing what the product's got to do.

What would you like to see change within farming?
I would like to see farmers get a fair price for their product. They're hardworking and put a lot of time and effort into producing food for the country. I think they're rewarded very poorly for what they do.

Supermarkets are maybe the biggest contributing factor. If you speak to any farmer out there, all they want is a fair price for a fair product. Legislation is killing our farming industry; we're importing foods that don't carry the legislation our farmers have to adhere to. That's not fair.

Things have got to change. The government says it’s going to support British farmers all the way, but we need to see action. Instead of concentrating on wildflower meadows and hedges, we should be growing more produce. We could be much more self-sufficient.

How do you see the future for Bailey?
We’ll continue as a family business, building on what has served us well since Dad started the business in 1982: - Family values, good old fashioned customer service and making the best trailers for the job.

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