A Story of Family & Quality Service

In 1965, Marshall Brock started a business as a Mobil Oil distributor while working on cars. Almost 60 years later, the business has changed, expanded, but remains service focused and family-owned and operated.

Marshall’s son, Lee, said that his dad was always looking for ways to expand his business. Eventually, “he became friends with Bill Long with Long Manufacturing in Tarboro and in 1968 began selling Long tractors in Bailey,” Lee said. This was the company’s introduction into agribusiness, and they’ve never looked back.

When Lee graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in farm equipment technology, he was eager to work in agriculture and put his degree and passion to use. Marshall handed the business over to Lee in 1980.

“From there, the business transitioned itself,” Lee explains. “At age 54, my father went into the boat business and started manufacturing C-hawk fiberglass boats, and I moved into this business in May 1980.”

Unfortunately, the 1980’s brought the Farm Crisis with sky-high interest rates. Farm equipment wasn’t selling. So, Lee went back to working on cars, something he didn’t necessarily enjoy. However, he was able to continue supplying irrigation equipment to the swine industry.

“My degree from NC State was in farm equipment technology and that’s what I wanted to do. Irrigation was the icing on the cake for us and it brought in much needed money,” Lee said.

Finally, in 1991, Lee was able to leave the car repair business and solely focus and grow his irrigation business. The 1990’s saw a boon in hog farming in eastern North Carolina, and Lee took the opportunity to start selling waste handling equipment.

The company now focuses entirely on the irrigation and waste handling business. They have become a premier provider for this equipment in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, working with farmers, industrial, and municipal organizations.

Brock Equipment, Co. is a family affair. Lee’s wife, Rebecca works in the business along side sons Tyler and Eric who joined after completing schooling.

“Tyler and Eric represent the third generation for us and I’m very proud of that,” Lee says.

The family is proud to be located in eastern North Carolina and is passionate about serving the rich agricultural heritage there.

“We are surrounded by some of the top producing agricultural counties in the country with some of the best farmers in the world within a 100 mile radius of us. We are blessed to have the amount of good farmers and good land,” Lee shared.

Brock’s goal is to be around for decades to come. They continue to focus on service and growth. Even partnering with companies to install innovative irrigation and waste handling equipment for biogas projects.

Brock Equipment has changed a lot over the years, but their focus on family, quality and service never wavers.