Claydon Drills, based near Haverhill, hosts West Suffolk MP Nick Timothy for a tour of the site

An innovative farm machinery company has played host to West Suffolk MP.

Claydon Drills, based in Bunters Road, Wickhambrook, near Haverhill, welcomed Nick Timothy MP for a tour of the site.

Equipment from the company has been featured on the popular television show Clarkson’s Farm and is now one of the products being exported to customers in around 30 countries.

Claydon Drills also scooped top spot for investing in the district at the Bury Free Press West Suffolk Business Awards 2024.

Mr Timothy learned how company has grown over decades into a local mainstay that employs 70 people.

He also received a briefing from the company's CEO Jeff Claydon and operations director Oliver Claydon about the company’s seed drilling technology, which helps enable consistent, high yielding crops at low cost.

Jeff Claydon said that developing the technology and moulding the firm into a successful business had been a ‘labour of love’ over decades of experience and hard work.

Nick Timothy MP, said: “It’s amazing to have innovative family companies such as Claydon right here in West Suffolk and I was delighted to be able to visit the headquarters, hear more about their impressive work and meet their brilliant staff.

“It was also hugely helpful to chat to Jeff and Oliver about the various opportunities and challenges facing British farming.

“What is abundantly clear is that we need a government which nurtures homegrown businesses such as this, and which does all it can to help them to grow and expand.

“The government needs to drop its disastrous plans to tax family farms and family businesses, and it should also reverse its employer National Insurance tax rise.

“These policies risk devastating the rural economy, agricultural enterprise and jobs. Instead of supporting businesses, Labour ministers are gratuitously harming them.”