The son of a farm manager, Shaun Wealleans, started SW Agriservices repairing tractors and machinery on farm. The company soon progressed to the stage of needing a base to support its growing business and had also started fabricating its first piece of equipment – the Front Linkage.

Following this came the first truck tired press and it was also the first piece of kit to be named Sumo, which happens to be Shaun’s nickname. During this time SW also made parts for Grimme UK and further developments led to the Front Mounted Sumo.

As the production of the Front Sumo continued, a couple of factory moves saw the company rent premises at Full Sutton on the outskirts of York. Soon, SW were designing and building their own Sumoforma range, as well as producing single and 3 bed Shapeformas for Grimme UK.

However, when the Sumo Trio minimum tillage cultivator was launched the company really established itself in the cultivator market. The success of the kit led to a trailed version and the Trio has become the UK’s best selling one pass cultivator whilst also winning Gold medal awards in Serbia and Lithuania and the silver award by the RASE.

What followed was the production of new machines including the Quatro, Subsoiler and Rippa and continual expansion and establishment of a wide network of dealers both in the UK and Europe and even as far as New Zealand.

Now known as Sumo UK Ltd, the company has a new factory in Melbourne with 100,00sq/ft of production space – doubling the size of their previous facilities – 46 full time members of staff and over 2500 machines working in the field.

SUMO HISTORY

From conception to leading cultivator manufacturer

1992 SW Agriservices rents a farm shed to continue with tractor repairs and begins fabricating Front Linkages.

1993 First truck tired press designed and named Sumo, which is Shaun Wealleans' nickname. SW also starts producing parts for Grimme UK.

1994 Successful launch of the first front mounted Sumo.

1995 SW moves to Garton On The Wolds. Production of the Front Sumo continues.

1996 Another factory move to Burton Agnes. Sumo begins manufacturing cast ring presses for Lynx in return for selling the Front Sumo.

1997 SW becomes a limited company and starts producing cultivators for KRM, bedformers for Kverneland and parts for Grimme.

1998 SW Agriservices Ltd moves to a factory at Full Sutton doing more work for Grimme, Lynx, KRM and Kverneland.

1999 SW designed and built single and 3 bed Grimme Shapeformas and the Bedforma range is launched.

2000 Research and development continues with the design and manufacture of the Grimme 3 Bed Tiller.

2001 SW launches Sumo Direct to market the Front Sumo and the new Front Linkage which was closely followed by the Sumo Subsoiler. Design and manufacturing of the Grimme 3 bed Topper commences.

2002 The flagship Sumo Trio and Trailed Sumo Disco cultivator, with new Multipacka is launched.

2003 The Sumo range expands with the Trailed Trio and Trailed Subsoiler.

2004 The Sumo Multipress and Sumo Rippa are introduced.

2005 The Sumo Quatro is launched closely followed by the Sumo potato range, the two and four bed Sumoformas and Sumotilla.

2006 The new Four-1 for lighter land and smaller tractors is launched. A new overseas market is created in New Zealand with a sales mission returning with orders for Trios and Quatros.

2007 An extra 8000sq/ft of workshop space for building Trios and parts for trailed machines. First overseas show, Agritechnica in Germany, brings great success and new European dealers.

2008 Building and testing of the prototype Versadrill.

2009 SW Agriservices becomes Sumo UK Ltd and moves to a 100,000sq/ft factory in Melbourne. The new Versadrill is launched in the UK and is also unveiled in Germany at the Agritechnica show.

2010 The Grassland Subsoiler is launched at LAMMA along with the Front Weight and Semi-Mounting Kit. Progress continues with overseas exports and UK and European dealer expansion.