Claydon
Claydon is a family-owned UK manufacturer of agricultural seed drills and complementary tillage implements, selling the Opti-Till® direct seeding system through dealers in 30+ countries to arable and conservation farmers across Europe.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersNewmarket, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Claydon does
Claydon Yield-o-Meter Ltd, trading as Claydon Drills, is a privately held, family-owned British manufacturer of agricultural seed drills founded in 1981 and headquartered in Wickhambrook, Newmarket, Suffolk. The company designs, manufactures, and sells the Claydon Opti-Till® system — a holistic direct-seeding crop establishment platform built around a leading tine that aerates soil and a seeding tine that places seed into a clean band, leaving surrounding soil undisturbed to protect structure. The product portfolio centres on the Evolution M-Mounted Drills and Hybrid T-Trailed Drills (the latter combining drilling with fertiliser application in a single pass), supported by the Straw Harrow for stubble management and weed germination, the TerraBlade inter-row hoe, the TerraStar light rotary cultivator, the Mole Drainer for heavy clay soils, and accessories including front hoppers (single 2,000L and double 2,750L), the Evolution M-Mounted Toolbar, and the NutriSeeder micro-granule applicator.
Revenue is generated entirely through one-time hardware sales of machinery, spare parts, and accessories, distributed via a dealer and importer network spanning 30+ countries with regional anchors in Germany (Gebr. Peiffer), France, Poland, and Ukraine. Pricing is quote-based through dealers, with no publicly disclosed price list, and Claydon actively facilitates customer access to UK grant programs including the Farm Equipment Technology Fund (FETF) and Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). The end customer base consists of SMB arable farmers across Europe (and selectively South America, including Chile) focused on wheat, barley, oilseed rape, and combinable crops, particularly those operating heavy clay soils or transitioning to conservation and reduced-tillage practices. The business is led by third-generation farmer Jeff Claydon as CEO and inventor, with his sons Oliver and Spencer now also involved in operations.
Claydon firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Claydon
- Legal name
- Claydon Yield-O-Meter Limited
- Website
- https://claydondrill.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Claydon is a family-owned UK manufacturer of agricultural seed drills and complementary tillage implements, selling the Opti-Till® direct seeding system through dealers in 30+ countries to arable and conservation farmers across Europe.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Claydon industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Seed Drills and Farm Machinery
- NAICS
- Agricultural Implement Manufacturing (33311), Farm Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333111)
- SIC
- Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Seed Drills & Air Seeders (AFAAABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- No-Till & Conservation Planting Equipment (AFAAABAI), Tillage, Seeding & Planting Equipment (IMAHACAB), Robotic Weeding & Mechanical Cultivation Systems (AFAAAGAB)
Keywords
Where Claydon is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Newmarket
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Claydon business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Agricultural Machinery Sales: Claydon generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of agricultural machinery including seed drills, straw harrows, inter-row hoes, and cultivators. Products are sold through dealers and distributors globally with pricing based on equipment specifications and size.
- Parts and Accessories: Sale of spare parts, hoppers, and accessories for existing machinery through dealer network.
- Grant Funding Support: Assists customers with accessing grant funding programs including FETF (Farm Equipment Technology Fund) and SFI (Sustainable Farming Incentive) to support equipment purchases.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Evolution M-Mounted Drills - tractor-mounted seed drills |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Hybrid T-Trailed Drills - combined seed drills with fertiliser application |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Straw Harrow, TerraBlade, TerraStar accessories |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Claydon product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Claydon designs and manufactures agricultural seed drills and related cultivation implements built around its proprietary Opti-Till direct seeding system. The product range centres on tractor-mounted and trailed seed drills capable of combined seed and fertiliser application, supported by straw harrows, inter-row hoes, light rotary cultivators, and mole drainers for crop establishment, stubble management, weed control, and soil health improvement on heavy clay and arable land.
Product overview
Claydon is a family-owned British manufacturer of agricultural machinery offering the Claydon Opti-Till System, a holistic crop establishment platform. The core product portfolio includes two main seed drill lines: the Evolution M-Mounted Drills (tractor-mounted) and the Hybrid T-Trailed Drills (larger trailed machines capable of simultaneous fertiliser application). Supporting the drills are complementary implements including the Straw Harrow for stubble management and weed control, TerraStar light rotary cultivator for soil preparation, and TerraBlade inter-row hoe for mechanical weed control. Additional accessories include front hoppers (single and double configurations) and the NutriSeeder micro-granule applicator. The portfolio also includes a Mole Drainer for heavy clay soils. Historically, the company produced the Claydon Yield-o-Meter yield monitoring system (founded 1981), the Furrow Cracker (1995), and the V-Drill (2003). The Claydon Opti-Till System integrates these products into a unified conservation farming approach that reduces establishment costs and improves soil health.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Evolution M-Mounted Drills Tractor-mounted seed drill range that combines the proven Claydon leading tine technique with new operational functionality, designed for direct seed drilling into stubble, min-tilled or ploughed land for arable farmers.
- Hybrid T-Trailed Drills Trailed seed drill range that allows drilling directly into stubble, min-tilled or ploughed land while simultaneously applying fertiliser in the same pass, with a comprehensive range of options for every drilling scenario.
- Straw Harrow High-output straw management and weed control implement with minimal soil movement, creating a fine, shallow tilth in the top 30mm of soil to encourage weed germination and conserve moisture; available in widths including 7.5m and 15m.
- TerraBlade Inter-Row Hoe Inter-row hoe providing a low-cost mechanical method of controlling weeds in combinable band-sown crops, reducing weed carry-over into subsequent crops.
- TerraStar Light Rotary Cultivator Light rotary cultivator for stubble management, weed control, creating tilth and drainage, and incorporating manures into the soil.
- Mole Drainer Mounted mole drainer designed to create drainage channels in heavy clay soils to improve field drainage.
Quantifiable outcome
- Fuel savings of 30,000 litres in first year, representing £21,000 saving at 70 pence per litre
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Claydon
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Claydon technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Claydon partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Gebr. PeiffercoreGerman importer for Claydon machinery. Gebr. Peiffer handles German customer enquiries and forwards them to appropriate local dealers. claydondrill.com/de redirects enquiries to Peiffer for German market support.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Claydon competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Horsch: German manufacturer specializing in direct/min-till seed drills (e.g., Pronto, Express, Avatar series) and crop establishment machinery; competes head-to-head with Claydon across European arable markets.
- Väderstad: Swedish manufacturer of seed drills, cultivators and tillage equipment; one of the closest direct competitors to Claydon in European direct seeding and crop establishment, with overlapping product categories and customer base.
- Sky Agriculture: French manufacturer of the EasyDrill direct seed drill, focused on conservation agriculture and direct seeding — a direct specialist competitor to Claydon's Opti-Till system, particularly in France and Eastern Europe.
Broad incumbents
- Amazone: German full-line agricultural machinery manufacturer offering seed drills (e.g., Cirrus, Cayena), cultivators, and sprayers; a broad incumbent with overlapping direct-drill and tillage product lines competing for the same arable farmer customer.
- John Deere: Global OEM offering a full equipment lineup including seed drills, tractors and precision-ag software; the dominant broad incumbent in arable farming equipment against which Claydon competes for farmer capital spend.
- Pöttinger: Austrian manufacturer of tillage, seeding and harvesting equipment; competes with Claydon in European crop establishment, particularly through its Terrasem and Aerosem seed drill ranges.
- Kverneland: Norwegian/European full-line agricultural equipment manufacturer (part of Kubota group) offering seed drills, ploughs, and tillage implements; broad incumbent that competes with Claydon across European arable markets.
- Kuhn: French global manufacturer of agricultural machinery including seed drills, tillage, and crop establishment equipment; broad incumbent with overlapping product portfolio and dealer footprint across Europe.
Emerging players
- Weaving Machinery: UK-based direct drill manufacturer (GD drill) focused on minimum-till and direct seeding; an emerging specialist competitor particularly relevant in Claydon's UK home market.
Others
- John Deere / Agroliner (Precision Ag software providers): Precision-agriculture software and telemetry providers (e.g., Trimble Ag, CNH Industrial AFS, John Deere Operations Center) — not equipment competitors but increasingly table-stakes ecosystem partners that influence drill purchase decisions and could pressure Claydon to integrate similar capabilities.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Claydon social profiles
Digital presenceClaydon financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Claydon leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Claydon funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Claydon M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Claydon
What does Claydon do?
Claydon designs and manufactures agricultural seed drills and related cultivation implements built around its proprietary Opti-Till direct seeding system. The product range centres on tractor-mounted and trailed seed drills capable of combined seed and fertiliser application, supported by straw harrows, inter-row hoes, light rotary cultivators, and mole drainers for crop establishment, stubble management, weed control, and soil health improvement on heavy clay and arable land.
Is Claydon a public or private company?
Claydon is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Claydon founded?
Claydon was founded in 1970. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Claydon based?
Claydon is headquartered in Newmarket, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Claydon make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Agricultural Machinery Sales are the primary driver. The others are parts and Accessories and grant Funding Support.
Who are Claydon's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Horsch, Väderstad and Sky Agriculture. Broad incumbents are Amazone, John Deere, Pöttinger, Kverneland and Kuhn. Weaving Machinery is listed as an emerging player. John Deere / Agroliner (Precision Ag software providers) is listed as an others.
Does Claydon have an API?
No public API is recorded for Claydon.
What industry is Claydon in?
Claydon's product category is Agricultural Seed Drills and Farm Machinery. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAAABAB, Seed Drills & Air Seeders, with a secondary code of AFAAABAI, No-Till & Conservation Planting Equipment. Its NAICS code is 33311 and its SIC code is 3523.