Vines are a common sight across the English countryside these days, but back in the 1980s few people were planting vines commercially and it would have taken a brave man to commit his future to providing the necessary equipment to grow them successfully. Step forward David Sayell, a brave man and, it has since become apparent, a visionary who could see that our changing climate would position England and Wales as increasingly important players in the world of quality wine.
David Sayell, who heads up Vitifruit Equipment with business partner Richard Witt, has immersed himself in viticulture since he first drove a tractor around what was then Penshurst Vineyard in the eighties.
The experience he gained then and since has given him more than a head start when it comes to supplying and supporting the most reliable, proven machinery for growers across the country.
“I’ve been specifically focused on viticulture for 45 years, and there aren’t many people who can say that,” he commented. “I can remember growers trimming vines with a hedge cutter, using inappropriate gardening equipment for other vineyard tasks and doing many jobs by hand.”
After studying rural estate management at what was then Cirencester Agricultural College, David studied agriculture at Plumpton College before gaining three years’ hands-on experience as a tractor driver.
He then worked with a number of dealerships selling tractors, and in some cases persuading them to offer viticulture equipment to the small but growing number of vineyard owners who could see there was a future in English wine.
“I could see that there was a growing market for quality equipment amongst the rising number of vineyard owners in the south east and beyond, but few other people seemed as interested as I was in the opportunity,” he said. “So I decided to do the job myself.”
It was 1995, some 30 years ago, that David set up Vitifruit Equipment and began to sell and hire out the kind of specialist machinery that would help the UK wine industry grow to its current size and develop the reputation for fine wine that it now enjoys.
“Because I was one of the first to get involved, I was able to sign contracts with some of the top manufacturers in Europe,” he said. “It was never about bringing in the cheapest kit but about finding the best, and that took a lot of research.”
Working from home, first in a shed and then in his back bedroom, David grew Vitifruit Equipment from those early days to a business that now supplies growers across the country, from Yorkshire to Cornwall. He estimates that he has sold machinery to between 350 and 400 customers.
In 2013, with the company growing steadily, he decided it was time to share the load and brought in Richard Witt, “a fantastic administrator who has added additional skills and really helped the business to grow” in David’s words.
The team has since expanded further, with Han Rushanov and David Wood strengthening the team ‘in the field’. While David is mainly responsible for sales, Han sets up each new machine and makes sure the operator is confident about how to operate it as part of a comprehensive handover procedure.
“Han is also a great technical problem solver and does a lot of the demonstrations for Vitifruit Equipment,” David added.
David Wood is a vital part of the after-sales operation and has considerable hands-on engineering experience, particularly when it comes to sprayers. “And given that we have so far supplied 63 Lipco sprayers and 43 MMs across the country, that experience comes in handy,” David Sayell added.
The newest member of the team is Chloe Marshall, who will be supporting David with sales enquiries but is also set to underpin Vitifruit Equipment’s growth in the relatively new field of vineyard robotics.
The business has already had some experience in the field, having supported a major vineyard in north Kent with robotic intervine weeding, and is aiming to develop that area, initially supplying a robot alley mower from Aigro.
“The mower is a relatively straightforward piece of robotic machinery which can cut costs considerably but is not too complex. It’s a good introduction to the technology,” said David. “We are also talking to a number of other French companies about what is available; there is a lot of interest out there amongst growers.”
Chloe trained as a chemical engineer but grew up working on the family beef farm and on a strawberry farm.
“I drove tractors and learned my farming from the ground up, which led me to find a better fit working in and around agriculture,” she said.
“As part of the team at Vitifruit Equipment, I will be drawing on hands-on experience with agricultural robotics and automation, including strawberry-picking robots, technology-driven polytunnels and UV-C robotic systems for the prevention of powdery mildew.
“This background allows me to work closely with growers to match vineyards with equipment that helps address labour shortages, improve efficiency and support sustainable production.”
David also has plenty of hands-on experience, not just from his own tractor driving days back in the eighties but from managing Godstone Vineyard, which he does as a contractor. “I really love getting out amongst the vines and it gives me first-hand knowledge of the industry I supply,” he explained.
While far from retirement, David is also aware of the need for continuity in the business, which was another reason for taking on the newer, younger members of the team. “I take as much care selecting colleagues as I do with choosing the machinery we sell, and I am delighted with the team we now have at Vitifruit Equipment,” he commented.
The list of quality machinery available to rent or buy from Vitifruit Equipment makes for impressive reading and includes a full range of canopy management, cultivation, frost protection and maintenance products.
Provitis manufactures trimmers, a choice of deleafers, a cane lifting and tying-in machine, a range of bud rubbers and stem cleaners, strimmer, pre-pruner and the VSE 430 attachment designed to pull out canes in the winter – in short, everything needed to keep vines thriving year after year.
Vitifruit Equipment also supplies the Rabaud post inserter, while its impressive choice of sprayers includes single and double row tunnel recirculation sprayers from Lipco and MM’s mounted and trailed fan sprayers with capacities that range from 120 to 1,500 litres.
Boisselet equipment provides unbeatable intervine weed control by cultivation and strimming, while the company also manufactures an efficient prunings sweeper.
Vitifruit Equipment offers the Ventigel frost protection system which uses fan-blown hot air, and Zanon’s cordless and corded secateurs and tying tools, as well as Ligatex’s manual tying down tool.
The company’s comprehensive range of vineyard-specific equipment includes a compost spreader from Rink, a simple budget intervine weed strimmer and a full range of Aedes equipment, including rotary and flail mowers and strimmers.
“We sell or hire out everything a vineyard owner could need with the exception of a tractor,” said David. “We have focused over the years on selecting the best quality machinery that we know will deliver great results on vineyards large and small and offers good value for money.”
One new product David is keen to highlight is a range of Ecoclean chemicals that take sprayers and other machinery from dirty grey back to their original showroom colour.
“I have spent five years looking for a product that will really clean vineyard equipment, particularly sprayers,” said David, “and Ecoclean is the first one that does just what it says on the tin. Apart from being unsightly, dirty machinery is harder to maintain. I am delighted to have found this product after a great deal of research.”
Given the length of time Vitifruit Equipment has been serving the industry, it’s no surprise that the company has helped a number of vineyards grow from small enterprises into major players over the years.
“Several of the best-known vineyards are using, or have used, machinery we supplied, often in their early days,” he said. “We’ve supported growers for around 30 years now and we plan to keep doing so for many years to come.”
