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Fendt combine in field

About Us

Thurlow Nunn Standen are agricultural machinery dealers with a vision for the future and strong roots in the past.

Thurlow Nunn Standen Board Members

The TNS Difference

Founded by George Thurlow in 1875 as a small-scale enterprise in Stowmarket, Thurlow Nunn Standen (TNS) are East Anglia’s premier agricultural machinery dealers with a vision for the future and strong roots in the past.

With five strategically located branches across East Anglia, we are proud to be a mainline AGCO dealership and hold the franchises for Fendt, Massey Ferguson and Valtra tractors and agricultural machinery. Our portfolio extends to encompass a diverse range of complementary brands including Manitou, SUMO, HE-VA, Opico, Claydon, Kverneland, Major and more.

As a testament to our commitment to quality, our Approved Used machinery range offers customers peace of mind of both reliability and credibility.

We are proud to continue investing in high-tech workshops, new technology and ongoing training of our teams to offer exceptional service to our expanding customer base.

Thurlow Nunn Group

TNS is the Agricultural Division of the Thurlow Nunn Group which also includes Thurlow Nunn Vauxhall, Peugeot and MG car dealerships.

The Thurlow Nunn Group employs more than 600 people, with an annual turnover in excess of £220 million and operates from 19 sites throughout East Anglia.

Our History

1875: George Thurlow set up in business in Stowmarket as an oil merchant and engineer. The Company moved into the supply of steam engines and threshing tackle to become one of the country’s leading distributors.

1875 celebration of setting up the Thurlow Nunn Standen business

1911: George Thurlow & Sons Ltd acquired the Massey-Harris franchise in following the purchase of Woods & Co in Stowmarket and today we are recognised as the longest operating distributor of this brand (now Massey-Ferguson) in the world.

1968: John Thurlow (George Thurlow’s great grandson and James Thurlow’s father) took over the running of the business when his father died.

1970: George Thurlow & Sons Ltd merged with their neighbouring Massey-Ferguson dealer, Frank J Nunn & Sons, to become Thurlow Nunn & Sons Ltd. This merger allowed for expansion west and into Norfolk.

1985: Thurlow Nunn & Sons Ltd purchased F A Standen & Sons Ltd and formed Thurlow Nunn Standen Ltd – this doubled the size of the Massey-Ferguson trading area and allowed for expansion into Cambridgeshire. Soon after this, the Company’s Head Office relocated from Elmswell in Suffolk to Ely in Cambridgeshire.

1994: TNS expanded into East Suffolk, purchasing 2 sites from Cowies Eastern Tractors at Melton and Wrentham.

2001: The TNS St Ives branch closed and merged with TNS Ely (TNS Head Office at the time). The St Ives site was converted into a Toyota dealership that operated successfully at this location until the franchise agreement terminated in 2013. This site was recently sold.

2008: The TNS Ely branch was closed and the site was sold. The branch operation was merged with TNS Downham Market and relocated to a new purpose-built branch at Littleport, just outside Ely. This site is now the TN Group Head Office.

2012: TNS expanded in Norfolk when the company acquired Randell Norfolk Farm Machinery with branches at Attleborough and Sculthorpe.

2020: John Thurlow retires after 65 years’ service but retains an active interest.  James Thurlow takes over as Chairman of Thurlow Nunn (Holdings) Ltd. James remains Managing Director of Thurlow Nunn Standen Ltd.

2021: James Thurlow and his sister, Sally Tew (HR Director) represent the 5th generation of the Thurlow family to be involved in the business and Will Tew (Sally’s son) represents the 6th generation. Will was appointed Managing Director of Thurlow Nunn on 1 March 2021.

The Thurlow Nunn Group of Companies: Thurlow Nunn Standen Ltd (the Agricultural Division), Thurlow Nunn Ltd (the Vehicles Division).

We remain a family owned and managed business operating from 19 locations across Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Sky Easy Drills are available from Thurlow Nunn Standen farm machinery dealer in East Anglia

Investment in the future

TNS have continued to invest in all our high-tech workshops, and with agriculture now on a path of discovery with new technology, our growing investment in technology systems service technicians, as well as the ongoing training of our existing team, demonstrates our confidence and commitment to the future of farming.

Our expansion plans for the Agricultural Division have continued with the launches of the Manitou and GreenMech franchises, as well as Honda ATV from our Fakenham branch and the Honda Lawn and Garden product range from TNS Attleborough.  With this continued growth in new brands coming on board, we believe that TNS can offer increased opportunities for our customers in the huge product range we can now supply.

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