Sligo Tractor and Machinery
Jacob’s Service Station
In the early fifties the Moy Drainage Scheme was launched and Michael J. (Mixie) Jacob was soon one of the contractors. He employed some forty people at one time in the business of land reclamation. Later, Mixie was salesman for Whites Garage Ballina, selling Ferguson Tractors covering Sligo, Mayo and Donegal.
Having acquired a site from his brother in law, Mixie founded Jacob’s Service Station in 1967. The room beside the shop became the Spare Parts store and the family lived in the simple house that was attached. He took on the Nuffield Tractor from Booth Poole in Dublin and sold many of these in the area.
In 1971 he took on the Zetor agency from Sean O’Shea and this single move paved the way for the next forty years. In 1973 he took on the Claas agency along with Lely products. Ransome mowers plus Fransgard Rakes completed the summer line up. These were followed in time by the Rotary Fella Mowers from Land and Dairy Services in Tullow.
In the late seventies Mixie became involved with the FTMTA and eventually became president in 1991. He served until 1993, and in later years became an honorary councilor and received the Associations Gold Pin for long service.
Michael C. Jacob took over as Managing Director in 1981 and overseen the expansion and development of the business to the present day, selling tractors and agricultural machinery.
The Old School House
The company purchased the old Schoolhouse in 1975, the same school Michael Junior himself attended. They have kept the building intact and recently had a reunion of all past pupils. It’s used today to store larger items like tractor tyres.
1975 – Present
Back at home the company moved completely across the road from its original location adding a new extension. This was extended in 2003 to provide more storage space and further developed in 2005 by the addition of a completely new store and workshop at the rear of the site. Mixie the founder passed in September 2011 at the age of 84. The Jacob business in 2013 still carries the Zetor franchise but in addition has now been appointed as a Same & Deutz Fahr main dealer.
Business Profile
- 1967 – Business founded.
- 1969 – Franchise acquired for Nuffield Tractors and later to become BMC.
- 1971 – Franchise acquired for Zetor tractors from O’Shea Group.
- 1973 – Class, Fella, Ransomes, Fransguard, Lely agencies acquired.
- 1975 – Purchase of old school house and residence across the road from original premises. New workshop and storage building erected adjacent to old school house which housed the spare parts and still in use to present day.
- 1998 – Same Tractor franchise acquired.
- 2003 – New 5500 square feet building erected to house new spare parts department and new workshop.
- 2005 – New 7500 square feet building erected to house tractors/machinery/accessories.
- 2010 – Deutz Fahr tractor franchise acquired.
- 2011 – Passing of Michael J. Jacob on 18th September 2011.
- 2011 – 40 years selling Zetor tractors.
- 2013 – Launch of New 5 and 6 Series Deutz tractors. Launch of New Same Virtus Models. Launch of New Zetor Proxima and HSX Forterra tractors.
2017 Launch of New Deutz Agrotron C Shift Tractors, Series 5 , 6 and 7. Launch of New Same Explorer and Virtus Tractors. Launch of New Zetor Major, Proxima and Forterra Models. New Malone Range of Mowers And Tedders.
