Real-Time Roofing With Ford Pro Telematics
I’ve always been passionate about working in nature.
Since my early teens I knew I wanted to be a farmer, but my parents didn't own a farm so that wasn't a likely option for me. The next best thing was to be a Countryside Ranger.
I studied countryside management at college and university to make that a reality. Later, my wife and I were able to buy a small farm in south-west Wales.
“The truck has been a gamechanger for me. Offroad, it’s amazing. It has never let me down.”Gruffydd Rees, founder and owner of Gwenyn Gruffydd honey company, Wales.
My love of nature meant beekeeping really appealed to me. I started in 2010 with just two hives. Fifteen years later our company – Gwenyn Gruffydd – sells award-winning honey throughout the UK.
Our farm remains the base for our business, but we operate from multiple counties across the region. We have more than 400 hives now, and we need to reach some remote locations because these are the best places for our bees to do what they do best.
I’d wanted a Ranger pickup1 for a long time, and the second we were in a position to afford one, I went out and bought it.
The truck has been a gamechanger for me. Offroad, it’s amazing. I’ve taken it through snow, wind and rain, up mountains and through bogs.2 It has never let me down. The load-bed length means it carries our beehives with no problems at all.
“Between September and December, the back of this van was filled to the brim with honey.”Gruffydd Rees, founder and owner of Gwenyn Gruffydd honey company, Wales.
Our Transit Custom van3 joined the fleet more recently. We used it heavily during the winter to take our products to food shows and farmers markets. Between September and December, the back of this van was filled to the brim with honey.
We also sell beekeeping equipment to people who share our passion. This long wheelbase Transit Custom is great for delivering large pieces of equipment to customers.
The ground clearance is ideal for what we need. Little things like how easy the alloy wheels can be cleaned also make a huge difference. The vehicles are our advertising, so we want them to look their best. These are the details that you don’t really consider when you’re first starting out as a business.
Our vehicles play a massive part in making our honey production possible. They carry the empty boxes out to the hives in spring and they bring our profits back from the fields, ready to extract in winter.
Running a business is every bit as demanding as the work I did as a Countryside Ranger. Knowing that we can rely on our Ford Ranger and Transit Custom helps us concentrate on the success of our businesses and doing what we love every day.
Gruffydd Rees is founder and owner of Gwenyn Gruffydd honey company, Wales.
1 Ford Ranger homologated CO2 emissions 217-340 g/km WLTP, homologated fuel efficiency 8.3-13.0 l/100 km WLTP.
2 Always consult the Owner’s Manual before off-road driving, know your terrain and trail difficulty, and use appropriate safety gear.
3 Ford Transit Custom EcoBlue diesel homologated CO2 emissions 178-296 g/km WLTP, homologated fuel efficiency 6.8-11.3 l/100 km WLTP.
The declared WLTP fuel/energy consumptions, CO2-emissions and electric range are determined according to the technical requirements and specifications of the European Regulations (EC) 715/2007 and (EU) 2017/1151 as last amended. The applied standard test procedures enable comparison between different vehicle types and different manufacturers.
