The Denbigh Agricultural and Industrial Show celebrated its 56th anniversary this August, not long after the Jamaica Broilers Group celebrated its 50th. Both the Jamaica Broilers Group and the Jamaica Agricultural Society have worked together over the years to put on the show which brings people of all walks of life and of varying interests to the 29 hectare show ground in central Jamaica.
Hi-Pro Farm Supplies, which is a division of the Jamaica Broilers Group has always tried to address the needs of local farmers, and, more recently, homeowners, tradesmen, the private and public sector. Our involvement in generator sales started in around 1997 when the need arose for farmers, especially those contracted to the Group, to have backup power. FG Wilson was our preferred supplier for gensets because of its very solid market acceptance. That decision continues to prove itself to be a good one. The Group began to employ the use of tunnel system poultry houses, making backup power even more important to the farmer. As a matter of fact, dependable stand-by power is a requirement for the contract farmers. Hi-Pro Farm Supplies was able to supply most of the contract farmers with their gensets, and, in the last two years, has also been able to offer preventative maintenance service and repairs to the farmers.
Also, within the last three years has been our drive to create awareness in the public of our supply of gensets as well as support services. This brings us back to Denbigh. We have been displaying gensets at the show for the last three years and get tremendous advertising mileage from our involvement. Our presence at the show gets us valuable exposure for several reasons. For one, the show is held over a holiday weekend, which allows a large turnout – a turnout which includes farmers and farmers-to-be as well as patrons from other livelihoods. The show also falls in the middle of the Hurricane Season, and most of Jamaica would have stand-by power in mind. Most of the requests for information hinge on patrons wanting to continue with business as usual during and after a hurricane, which can leave people without power for several weeks after it passes. Our greatest selling point for FG Wilson genset came this year when, not only were we able to use one of or rental units to supply stand-by power for our own booth, but we were also able to rent the Jamaica Agricultural Society a genset to provide prime power for the restaurant strip at the show ground. We were also assisted greatly this year by our regional dealer, FG Wilson Latin America and the Caribbean, who contributed advertising materials which really drew attention to our displayed gensets and inspired greater interest in the brand. Among the patrons who asked about the genset, most expressed that FG Wilson was their preferred brand, whether it was bred from past experiences (good ones with FG Wilson, or bad ones with other brands), information handed down through the generations, their respect for the Perkins engine, or just the fact that the sets originate in the UK.
We have found great potential for FG Wilson sets in Jamaica and continue to endorse the brand. The advertising benefit gained from our involvement at the Denbigh Agricultural and Industrial Show has brought the names of both Hi-Pro Farm Supplies and FG Wilson into residences, farms, schools, commercial and civic organizations, industry and even State agencies. We are deeply committed to seeing the brand remain the most widely used generating set brand in Jamaica and will continue to foster our relationship with FG Wilson to this end.