Hopefully you will have by now received your copy of the July / August Service Dealer which includes our major feature on what the future may hold for specialist dealers. If you haven't please make sure you visit our website to register for your free subscription.

A subject touched on several times within those pages, and indeed the hot topic over the past couple of years really, has hit the international headlines in a major way this week. That being battery power moving to replace traditional fossil fuel powered engines.

Firstly, there was the news that Volvo has announced that all their new models will have an electric motor from 2019.

The BBC reported that the company has become the first traditional carmaker to signal the end of the internal combustion engine. Apparently they plan to launch five fully electric models between 2019 and 2021 as well as a range of hybrid models.

The aim for Volvo is to sell one million electric cars by 2025. The BBC quotes Hakan Samuelsson, chief executive of Volvo's carmaking division, saying, “This announcement marks the end of the solely combustion engine-powered car.

"People increasingly demand electrified cars, and we want to respond to our customers' current and future needs."

This news from Volvo was quickly followed up by news out of France that the country is set to ban the sale of any car that uses petrol or diesel fuel by 2040.

The French ecology minister Nicolas Hulot announced the planned ban on fossil fuel vehicles as part of a renewed commitment to the Paris climate deal. The BBC said he described the move as a "revolution."

France are aiming to become carbon neutral by 2050 which will require considerable investment from the French government which they appear prepared to undertake. Indications were also given by Mr Hulot that he believes that French carmakers including companies such as Peugeot-Citroen and Renault would be able to meet this challenge of phasing out fossil fuel powered cars - although he acknowledged it would be difficult.

Now of course both these stories are about cars, not mowers or tractors. However, it's been said by wiser people than I, that where the automotive industry leads in terms of technological developments, the outdoor powered machinery sector follows further down the line. The money for investment in R&D is of course far greater in the car industry. But once that technology is established and can easily be recreated on smaller scale and budget, then if filters through to our industry.

Powering ever larger machines with batteries is becoming a reality. In Service Dealer this month we have mention of John Deere's prototype SESAM electric tractor - the industry’s first fully battery-powered tractor.

And it appears that batteries are getting ever bigger. A story on the BBC this morning says that Tesla is to build world's largest lithium ion battery in Australia. The battery will protect South Australia from the kind of energy crisis which famously led to a state balckout . It's reported that the 100-megawatt (129 megawatt hour) battery should be ready this year. Apparently the next biggest battery in the world is 30 megawatts.

The boffins are clearly working on increasing the capacities, power and runtimes of these new fuel sources - and our industry will eventually see the fruits of these labours.

So should traditional servicing dealers be worried about the effects these developments will have on their businesses? Some clearly already are. What does seem to be the case is this technology is only going to become more prevalent. Therefore being adaptable and open to change will become more vital than ever.

• 21,000 appearances in searches/listings
• 540 views of their personal dealer page on Garden Trader
• 156 referrals through to their own website

Garden trader are still offering free listings for the rest of 2017 for dealers. They say if dealers with a specialist garden equipment offering are not yet signed up then it is not too late for the season.

Online registration takes just a couple of minutes and is all free of charge this year. "It could really help raise a dealership's profile," says Duncan.

Duncan also has a message for the dealers who have already signed up, stressing how important it is to make sure that their listing is fully populated with images, logos and company details. "We are noticing a real difference in popularity for those dealers who have included content such as this on their page."

In order to sign up visit www.gardentrader.co.uk and click on “Register Dealership” for a free listing.

Price Turfcare, the recently established business founded by Ransomes Jacobsen’s former International Sales Director, Rupert Price, has been awarded the UK and Ireland distribution rights for the Ryan range of turf maintenance equipment.

For an initial six-month period from June 2017, Price Turfcare will be the joint distributor together with existing distributor, Ransomes Jacobsen. Following the successful transition at the beginning of 2018, Price Turfcare will become the exclusive UK distributor of Ryan branded products.

Supported by a group of former colleagues with over 100 years of experience in the groundscare sector, Price Turfcare has bespoke warehousing and distribution facilities near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk.


Ryan Lawnaire IV

Pat Cappucci, President and COO of Schiller Grounds Care said, “I’ve known Rupert for many years and he is hugely respected within our industry. He has 20 years of experience, mostly in senior sales management positions with Ransomes Jacobsen, so he knows our product portfolio very well. His decision to form his own company was a considered one; he has recruited a group of former colleagues with similar experience, to provide sales, parts and service support.

“We thank Ransomes Jacobsen for the great job they have done over the years, but having a dedicated and focussed sales operation in the UK is vitally important for this Schiller brand. Concentrating on our products, and the complementary Ventrac product, gives Price Turfcare a portfolio of equipment to help golf, sports turf professionals and lanscapers create and maintain pristine playing surfaces.

"We are delighted to appoint Rupert and his team as custodians of our products and our reputation in the UK and Ireland.”

N.B. These data refer to 'Agricultural' tractors of a power exceeding50hp.

Reesink Turfcare is marking its first year as Toro distributor following the acquisition last July by Royal Reesink N.V. of the turfcare activities of Lely in the UK, Ireland and Denmark.

And it’s been a successful 12 months, built on a strong legacy.


St Andrews Links

That’s according to managing director, David Cole, who says: “Reesink Turfcare began life with a great legacy in place. Lely had an excellent record as distributor of Toro turf machinery and irrigation products in the UK for over 30 years, and Reesink brought with it 60 years’ unrivalled experience as Toro distributor in the Netherlands.

“While no guarantee of success, it provided a solid start; and when The Toro Company and St Andrews Links signed a long-term partnership agreement under our new watch it spoke volumes about the trust and commitment the ‘home of golf’ had in Reesink’s supply structure and the service and support we offered.”

David Cole says that, since the acquisition, Reesink has enjoyed healthy sales, while market and revenue performance have been good and client retention has been excellent. The business has been steered down a new path, with big changes put in place including a new name, structure, direction and systems, as well as new website; and customer reaction has been extremely favourable, he reports.

Tribute was paid to staff for the way in which they embraced change and stepped up to the plate to make things work smoothly for the new company and customers, headed by achieving the first phase of a necessary operating system changeover in only four months, instead of the routine 18 month expectations for such projects.

Investment in the business was said to have been an essential part of its growth in year one. A new Scotland service branch was opened to add value and build relationships with customers in Scotland; and the significant investment was made in the company’s IT infrastructure, projected to provide live data analysis to deliver a more proactive customer response.

Reesink believes this will result in a future business that’s healthier across all departments and product lines with everything including machinery, irrigation, tractors, aeration, parts and aftersales care synchronised to serve customers better.

As the company embarks on another year, the aim is for continuous improvement and development on all fronts. This includes looking to add to its existing product portfolio comprising Toro, TYM tractors and Otterbine water aeration units with similar, complementary brands.

A major push by DEUTZ-FAHR to support growing demand for its brand of small, medium and large hp machines has seen the appointments of several well established and highly regarded dealers throughout the UK.

The regions to benefit from the most recent appointments include Ayr & Stranraer in West Scotland, West Cornwall and East Lincolnshire

DEUTZ-FAHR say their investment of 90 million euros in their new state-of-the-art factory in Lauingen, Bavaria, Germany coupled with the millions already invested by the company on R&D to expand and develop its range of tractors, has given a major confidence boost to new and existing DEUTZ-FAHR dealers.



In Scotland William Kerr Tractors Ltd (above) has been appointed as DEUTZ-FAHR main dealer for Ayr and Stranraer. Here it is the lower hp tractors in the range that will be the mainstay of business in the area, particularly from within the dairy sector for use on feeder wagons and for mowing.

“Dairy farmers in particular have been suffering from high second hand machinery values and from a poor milk price, so the arrival of a tractor manufacturer in the area that offers quality and reliability as well as high residual values and is supported by an established dealership has to be welcome,” says managing director Willie Kerr.

William Kerr Tractors will continue to have an involvement with the SAME tractor brand which began in 1978 and so has a well stocked in-house parts department to ensure any service and maintenance issues relating to the DEUTZ-FAHR tractor can be dealt with quickly and efficiently.



A key area of growth for the DEUTZ-FAHR brand is Cornwall and the appointment of Penhallow-based Paul Jeffery Agricultural Engineers (above) as its dealer covering West Cornwall has been welcomed by new and existing farmer customers.

The retirement of previous SAME and DEUTZ-FAHR dealer Ken Hall from Central Garage near Hayle, coupled with an opening in the area to establish a foothold for both tractor brands, resulted in an approach being made to well respected and experienced service engineer Paul Jeffery, who has over 30 years experience working with DEUTZ-FAHR tractors and is familiar with the SAME brand.

All administration and the running of the spare parts department, which is due to be refurbished, will be the responsibility of Mr Jeffery’s wife Paula. The family owned dealership is also looking to expand its team with the appointment of at least one trained engineer to satisfy growing demand for DEUTZ-FAHR tractors in the area.

The final new appointment JPM Agricultural Ltd based at Authorpe near Louth, which is a sub dealer to J T Friskney Ltd covering the east coast from Skegness to Grimsby, has been a respected dealership in Lincolnshire for over 10 years experience. JPM Agricultural Ltd is already the sole UK importer for Versatile Delta-Trac as well as being a dealer for McHale forklifts, the Weidenman telehandler, Malone mowers.

“The DEUTZ-FAHR tractor is a perfect addition to our existing range of machinery we sell at JPM Agricutural,” says the company’s managing director James Hunt. “Unless you have a very strong brand that can compete with some of the other well known tractor brands it’s virtually impossible to get a foot hold in one of the UK’s arable heartlands. 

Commenting, Boussad Bouaouli, AGCO Vice-President Manufacturing for the Beauvais site said: “The latest land acquisition will allow a new project to be developed in the coming months aimed at improving the logistics and supply chain for the main Beauvais 1 site, while reintegrating in-house various parts and components’ storage currently outsourced to external partners."

Thierry Lhotte added, "The farm machinery market is challenging but our long-term view remains very optimistic for demand in the agricultural equipment industry. The new development is set to reinforce Massey Ferguson’s presence and competitiveness still further,” he remarks.

John Deere has announced that it has invested in Kramer-Werke GmbH in order to emphasise the ambition to establish a long-term alliance.

Both companies have agreed, subject to antitrust approval, to provide material handling equipment solutions for distribution through the John Deere dealer network under the Kramer trademark.



This new strategic partnership will enable John Deere to provide its dealers with an extensive range of agricultural material handling solutions with a specific focus on hay, forage and arable production systems, as well as contractor solutions. The product range includes compact wheel loaders (nine models), telescopic wheel loaders (four models) and telehandlers (nine models), produced and developed by Kramer at Pfullendorf in Germany. Kramer-Werke GmbH is a Wacker Neuson SE company.

Under this agreement the John Deere dealer channel will be the preferred distribution partner for Kramer. The alliance will enable Kramer to leverage the John Deere dealer network in Europe, the CIS, North Africa and the Near & Middle East.

“The partnership with Kramer has an important strategic impact to our business,” said Markwart von Pentz, Deere & Company’s agriculture & turf division president.

“It enables John Deere to expand the current product range and to provide a premium and comprehensive portfolio of material handling solutions to John Deere’s agricultural dealers in Region 2. Kramer follows the same standards as John Deere to deliver advanced technology and outstanding quality to the customer.”

Cem Peksaglam, Wacker Neuson SE’s CEO, said, "This win-win partnership enables Kramer to strengthen its market position. Thanks to the additional business we will grow faster with Kramer, especially in markets where John Deere holds strong market positions.”

The first was The Leverton Cup for the Best Agricultural Stand; the second was The Gordon Spratt Memorial Trophy for the Stand with the most welcoming experience and best hospitality; and thirdly, The Hugh Bourn President’s Trophy for the Best Stand in the Whole Show.

Managing Director Graham Main said, “I am proud we have been recognised with the three awards. The trophies are a great award for the effort put in by the girls and guys welcoming visitors to our stand and for making the stand the best in show, an award never achieved by the company before! Well done to all involved!”


Defra State Minister, George Eustice MP with P&B Chairman, Mr Michael Peacock

The company were especially pleased to welcome DEFRA Minister of State, George Eustice MP onto the stand, where he met with Chairman, Mr Michael Peacock. He stayed on the stand for a while and spoke to Michael about Brexit and the future of UK farming outside the EU.

Despite the heat, the stand attracted crowds of visitors that not only came to view the range of machinery on the stand, but also the stunt trials bike show performed by 16 Year old Will Ackerley.

Will, the son of one Peacock & Binnington's farming customers from Pocklington in York has been riding pedal trials bikes for the past 6 years and over that time has become one of the best young juniors in both Great Britain and Europe. Last year was invited by British Cycling to ride for GB in the world Championships. His true passion is competitive trials but he has also started doing shows both on his own and as part of a team where he has entertained crowds across the country.

As one of his main sponsors, Peacock & Binnington booked him to perform on their stand at the Lincolnshire Show and once again at the Driffield Show later this month.

The controlled study undertaken by Walker Mowers, selected four commercial properties and compared their own zero turn machine against popular competitive mowers.

The results of this study at can be viewed here

Walker Mowers say the results of the study showed that using one of their machines, with what they describe as its "unique manoeuvrability", proved on average between 20-25% more productive. In a statement the company said, "Contrary to popular belief the highest ground speed does not mean productivity. Saving time on each lawn, each week, each month - all year long means the time saved equals higher earning potential."

The announcement of this study coincides with the launch of Walker Mowers UK, a dedicated company based within the UK, to handle all sales and service of their range of machines both direct to the professional contractor, involving local service partners and the servicing dealer network.

Walker Mowers have confirmed they will be exhibiting at SALTEX 2017 (November 1-2 at NEC Birmingham)

Kubota UK has launched its new four-seater utility vehicle, the RTV-X1140.



The company says the new diesel powered utility vehicle, builds on the popular predecessor, the RTV1140, supporting professionals in their day-to-day activities, whilst providing comfort and safety as standard.

Designed to provide greater power and performance, the new vehicle enables operators to transport both cargo and crew with its two or four passenger configurations. Users can single-handedly transform the 1102” cargo bed to two additional back seats in three steps, allowing for the safe transportation of four adults.

Kubota boast that its four-wheel drive and 10.8” ground clearance enables smooth travel over any terrain, whilst its hydraulic bed-lift makes light work of dumping tasks. The three-cylinder liquid-cooled Kubota diesel engine also offers 24.8 HP, supported by its Variable Hydraulic Transmission for increased power and traction.

To celebrate its launch, the RTV-X1140 will be travelling across the UK this summer, debuting at a range of national shows including Royal Highland, Royal Welsh and the Game Fair, providing visitors with an exclusive insight into its features and capabilities.

Job title: General Manager
Location: Oxfordshire
Salary: £attractive plus performance based bonus, car and benefits
Sector: Garden / DIY
Job type: Permanent
Job reference: NH 18693

• Join a great British company with 100 years of trading history
• Full responsibility for a multi-million turnover sales and marketing business unit
• A broad management role requiring sales, marketing, operational and financial skills

The Company:

EP Barrus is a great British company, established in 1917 with strong core values that have shaped its success ever since. Today the company represents over 30 leading brands that are supplied to garden, marine and industrial channels through a network of 3000 dealers.

A retirement creates this opportunity for an experienced General Manager to join EP Barrus to lead the Lawn and Garden division.

The General Manager role:

The Lawn and Garden division supplies a comprehensive range of branded lawnmowers and powered garden equipment for domestic and professional users.

The General Manager will lead a team of field sales, service and administration personnel with full responsibility for:

• Controlling all business drivers within the Lawn and Garden division
• Customer development strategy
• Exploring new business channels while minimising channel conflict
• Supplier relationships
• Divisional financial performance
• Marketing and publicity
• Development of the divisional strategy

The role requires all of the qualities of a Managing Director and the job holder will be supported centrally in areas of finance, operations and HR.

The General Manager profile:

Suitable candidates for this General Manager role will have the following profile:

• Residing within one hour of Bicester or prepared to relocate
• Senior sales leadership experience in a manufacturing or distribution environment
• Ideally with experience of DIY or garden products, power tools or agricultural machinery
• A proven track record of performance in sales, marketing, finance and customer service
• Intelligent, articulate and IT literate. Highly proficient in excel and PowerPoint
• Previous job titles might be Managing Director, Sales and Marketing Director or General Manager
• Strong negotiation and presentation skills 
• Analytical and data driven

A successful candidate in this role will enjoy an excellent working environment and rewards that truly reflect achievement.

Contact:

Name: Nick Hester at Cavendish Maine Search & Selection
Telephone: 01275 813030
Email: nick@cavendishmaine.com

Husqvarna is the pioneer of robotic lawn mowing, with over 20 years of investment in the innovation and development of robotic mowers, the company has recently produced its one-millionth robotic lawnmower.

Demand for the product is growing rapidly and Husqvarna Automower® is now sold globally from Europe to America and Asia. The UK market is gathering pace with year on year growth of 100%.

Husqvarna Automower® is exclusively produced in the UK, Newton Aycliffe in County Durham to be exact.



Husqvarna has also secured many patents which ensure the protection of investment and innovation, meaning its products and technology continue to remain unrivalled in the industry.

Stocking Husqvarna Automower® and Automower® accessories is an attractive proposition for dealers. Not only is it a highly profitable product, but the increased potential service and installation revenue means dealers are well positioned to make additional profits, beyond the initial sale.



Husqvarna Automower® also provides an opportunity for dealers to attract a wider customer base outside its usual cliental. Not only does it appeal to the gardening enthusiast it is also of interest to technology minded individuals and those who value convenience – the people who appreciate a perfectly kept lawn but do not have the time or the desire to spend hours maintaining it.

All of this, combined with the fact that you are providing an innovative, world leading product that acts not only as a talking point but as a genuine attraction to customers, means stocking Husqvarna Automower® and accessories is a must for dealers.



UK Category Manager - Machinery, Andrew Lees said; “Husqvarna Automower® is our flagship product and we are extremely proud of it. With over 20 years of innovation we are firmly established as the market leaders in robotic lawn mowing globally. The market is showing really strong growth and we are confident our products will continue to be at the very top of that market. Stocking Husqvarna Automower® is an attractive proposition for dealers, it provides them with a product that can generate significant profits, not only from the sale of the machine but also the service and installation revenues on top.”

For more information on Husqvarna Automower® follow this link: www.husqvarna.com/uk/products/robotic-lawn-mowers

1). Accounts Assistant
Pauline Way joins the Accounts Team

2). Parts & Wholegoods Packer
Matt Lunt joins the Warehouse Team

3). Service Technician
Ian Chapman joins the Service Team

Managing director Phil Brown said, "These recent additions to our team will ensure that we continue to offer the highest levels of service as you have come to expect from us!"

The following organisations have confirmed their sponsorship of the 2017 Service Dealer Conference and Awards. We’d like to welcome them on board and thank them for their support and input. 

PRINCIPAL SPONSOR

PLATINUM SPONSOR




GOLD SPONSOR




SPONSORS

Want to become a sponsor? Email: julie@theadplain.com