Watch: Maurice Kelly looks back on 2025 as FTMTA president
The outgoing Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA) president Maurice Kelly has been in the machinery business for over 40 years.
His father, Terry, founded Kelly’s (based in Borris, Co. Carlow) in 1957, and Maurice and his brother Terry Jnr took it over in the late 1970s.
Now as 2025 draws to a close and Kelly's tenure at the helm of the FTMTA comes to an end, he takes a look back at his time as president of the association.
Kelly told Agriland: “It’s been an interesting year - I’ve learned a lot, met a lot of people.
“The main thing we did this year, through the executive committee of the FTMTA, was that we came up with the idea of a report to measure the industry because it’s never been measured before.
“We all paddled our own canoe, we’d flown under the radar.
"We figured it was time that we sat down and got our own figures from the CEO and other bodies and bring it all together to measure the industry.”
The report, available on the FTMTA website, found that the industry generates an annual turnover of €4.76 billion, employs 25,000 people and exports to over 61 countries.
‘Your voice’
The FTMTA has been running since 1913, supporting manufacturers, importers and distributors, retail dealerships and the aftersales industry.
According to Kelly the FTMTA in his opinion is “your voice for the industry”.
Additionally, the body provides resources to help machinery workers remain up to date and compliant.
“We run training courses for salespeople, parts people, managers within the businesses, so that they get educated on best practice and how to do things within the business," he said.
Kelly’s tenure is now coming to an end, with Jennifer Ryall due to take over for 2026.
“Jennifer Ryall has served on the executive council of the FTMTA,” Kelly said.
“The association will be in safe hands with Jennifer.”
