You may remember last week we reported from the Garden Press Event in London, which this year saw a surprising number of machinery exhibitors, most of whom were focusing on the promotion of battery powered machinery.

There was naturally a confidence and excitement around these products from the exhibiting manufacturers, with a clear belief that these machines are more important to their portfolio than ever. But how do you feel?

It seems appropriate to follow up today, by asking you, our dealer readers, what your thoughts are on the current state of the cordless market. How are the machines performing for your dealership at the moment?

We have a short survey today, similar to ones we've run at this time of year before, which we'd really appreciate you taking a few minutes to fill in - along with leaving any opinions you'd wish to share on the subject.

We received a comment from a dealer last Friday who said, "We have noticed a definite up-rising in cordless tools and machinery sales in the last two years. Not just with female and elderly customers, but also an increase in spending and continuing interest by some trade customers too."

Is this a trend which your dealership has experienced as well? Do you believe the appeal of the products is widening and therefore having a positive impact on your sales?

It wasn't long ago when we'd mention cordless products in this Update or the magazine and we'd receive comments like the 'death knell for the specialist dealer' or 'the end of the industry as we know it'. I think this level of hostility and suspicion to the sector has subsided somewhat in recent times - but let me know.

The main concerns which these products have traditionally faced from some specialist dealers has of course been the lack of service work which comes off the back of their sale and the ease with which they could potentially be sold in a box over the internet.

Are these still legitimate worries for you? Or has a corner really been turned?

Last year when we asked for your thoughts on battery powered products we heard that in the most part customers were only demanding these products 'occasionally' (43%) and additional purchases after a cordless sale were only happening 'some of the time' (60%).

Dealers did tell us they were stocking more cordless products brands than they had been a year before though. Is this a trend which has continued? Or are you now concentrating on just one or two cordless makes?

Crucially, we'd be interested to know if you have you seen increased cordless sales over this past year. And is that initial sale leading to more purchases from the family of products?

If you could spend a few minutes to fill out the survey and leave your opinions on the subject, we'd be most grateful.

As ever we'll publish the results in the next issue of Service Dealer magazine along with a selection of your comments.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Deere & Company has signed a definitive agreement to acquire King Agro, a leading, privately-held manufacturer of carbon fibre technology products with headquarters in Valencia, Spain and a production facility in Campana, Argentina.

“This transaction provides John Deere customers with the chance to benefit further from King Agro’s unique knowledge, designs and expertise in carbon fibre technology,” said John May, John Deere’s president, agricultural solutions & chief information officer.

In 2015, John Deere and King Agro agreed to develop and distribute carbon fibre booms for John Deere spray application equipment in agriculture, offering growers the significant advantages of carbon fibre's versatility, strength and durability in self-propelled sprayers.

May said the transaction will provide benefits in sharing best practices in product development, manufacturing, technology and scale, as King Agro builds on a history of innovation.

King Agro has been a family-owned business with approximately 180 employees and an extensive 30-year history of developing various carbon fibre products. King Agro will retain its brand name, trademark and commercial relationships.

MTD have announced the appointment of Tony Whelan as the new Director of Sales and Marketing for their Specialty Turf Products division.

This new role will see Tony grow the specialty turf segment of the business, working on both the golf and sports turf sectors.

Tony has worked in the industry for a number of years holding both domestic and international roles in sales and marketing, previously spending 15 years at Rain Bird. Here he was also responsible for working with key accounts including Pebble Beach. Tony also enjoyed over 4 years as Sales Director at Jacobsen where he was involved with distribution, before taking responsibility for the running of the factory-owned stores in the US.

As the Director of Sales and Marketing at MTD Specialty Turf division, he will be looking to develop the current products as well as exploring new opportunities in the market.

Commenting on his appointment, Tony adds “I was approached for this position and it was the product range that really sold the job to me. I spoke to some contacts in the UK about the Cub Cadet INFINICUT and ATT TMSystem, as well as getting feedback on the Cub Cadet RG3 in the States, and everyone said how truly fantastic the products are.

"Joining a company is about more than just good products though and after spending time at the MTD facilities it was clear it operated with a good organisational culture, supported by some great individuals. Having people like John Coleman and Vinny Tarbox driving the products forward is a great plus.

“I’m really excited to leverage my passion and understanding of the industry with a company that are investing in advanced technology and techniques to improve efficiency for the users. As the INFINICUT brand continues to grow in the US, we’ll be looking to explore new opportunities, especially in the baseball market.”

You can now register your interest for this year's Service Dealer Conference & Awards which takes place on Thursday 15th November 2018 at the Oxford Belfry Hotel.

The conference is intended for dealers supplying and/or servicing the garden machinery, professional turfcare, farm machinery and outdoor power equipment industries.

Registration for the conference is for dealers only.

Please contact susan@theadplain.com if you are a supplier or distributor and you would like to get involved.

The awards dinner tables & tickets are available to everyone in the industry.

Click here to register your interest

Kubota has been ranked first in this year’s European Dealer Satisfaction Index, also known as the “dealer satisfaction barometer”. It has outperformed its competition and thus positioned itself at the top of the agricultural sector in terms of dealer satisfaction.

The Japanese manufacturer has been voted as the best company in terms of dealer satisfaction at European level. On average, the brand surpasses its competitors by almost two points. The result of the CLIMMAR survey was disclosed during Agritechnica.

The well-known Dealer Satisfaction Index constitutes the statistical average of the points awarded to each brand by the European agricultural machinery dealers. Several countries participated in this survey, including the United Kingdom, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the Netherlands.

Among all the different categories that were taken into account to analyse each company, Kubota clearly stood out in the following: after sales service and warranty, administration and terms of payment, manufacturer-dealer relations, and willingness to improve.

Kubota say they have evolved considerably over the last years, which has allowed it to be the winner of this international recognition and overcome its strongest competitors.

“We are proud of this important recognition and thank dealers who have acknowledged the hard work which the Kubota team puts in everyday to serve both dealers and customers. We will continue along this path in order to keep improving relations and service levels.” said Mr. Kazunari Shimokawa, President of the Tractor Business Unit in Europe.

Honda (UK) say they are looking ahead to the first cut of the 2018 season by offering consumers savings across its entire range of premium lawn mowers, excluding robotic models.

Available now from the company's authorised UK dealer network and its online store, the biggest savings are offered on ride-on models - with £400 off across the range, now starting at £2,399.

The company's core pedestrian models now start at £499, with a saving of £100 across the range. 

Honda’s best-selling IZY range now starts at £299, with a saving of £65 on all models. 

Finally, Honda’s entry level electric lawn mower, the HRE 330, is now available for £109, representing a saving of £80.

The offers run from 1st March - 31st July 2018. When purchasing from Honda’s online store delivery for customers is free of charge, with orders fulfilled by a local dealer who will drop off the machine, set up and ready to get to work, offer a demonstration if required, and take away all packaging materials.

Congleton Garden Machinery have contacted us to make other dealers aware that they had a £5000 trailer stolen last week from outside their premises by individuals in a vehicle, who they say, had already removed goods that day from another dealer in Staffordshire.

Bateson PT76 20' x 7' tilting trailer (not actual trailer, image for display purposes)

Stuart Meek told us, "We put an entry on our Facebook page which received a fabulous response but no result. It does show the vehicle taking the trailer and the registration but they were, of course, false plates."

The trailer taken was a distinctive triple-axle Bateson PT76 20' x 7' tilting trailer.

Stuart says the vehicle used in the theft was a Land Rover Discovery, colour green, with the registration KY53DNG

Any sightings, please call Stuart on 01260 278332.

Hayter and Toro recently announced the appointment of a new UK Service Manager.

Martin Holden first started working for Hayter, over 25 years ago, as a Service and Warranty Clerk. Progressing through various roles within the company, and most recently supporting International Distributors in Aftermarket Operations, Martin has now taken on the new title of Service Manager UK.

As an expert in the industry for many years, Martin’s new position will see him partnering with dealers to ensure end users experience world class customer care when Hayter and Toro products are being serviced. Since the new appointment, Martin has reached out to all UK dealers for input regarding continuous improvement activities.

Martin commented, “My focus is to continue to advance our service levels and ongoing commitment to the customer. In the near future, I will be visiting our dealers to better understand ways that we can further build and improve our service network.”

For the third year running, groundcare machinery supplier Vincent Tractors will be holding a Professional Groundcare Demo Day where visitors will be able to put the next generation of lawnmowers and chippers through their paces.

Vincent Tractors will be showcasing its professional range of groundcare equipment from makes such as Kubota, Baroness, Trimax, Stiga, Greenmech, Clubcar, Spider, Ferris and Kersten. There will also be working demonstrations that visitors can try out.

The Vincent Tractors team together with representatives from some of the brands will be on hand to give help and advice.

Jon Day, Groundcare Salesman for Vincent Tractors said, “This popular event continues to grow. This year we will have additional manufacturers present giving our customers and prospective customers a wider range than ever for them to view and try out. We will have some of our popular Kubota and Stiga ride on mowers, as well as more specialised pieces of equipment such as the remote controlled Spider mowers”.

The Professional Groundcare event takes place on 22nd March 2018 between 10.00am and 3.00pm at Gnome World Holiday Park, Indian Queens, TR9 6HN.

To register your interest in attending the event either call Vincent Tractors on 01726 860332 or email jenna.k@vincenttractors.co.uk.

Krone UK has promoted its Scottish territory manager Pete Halley to the role of national sales manager.

Pete Halley

As one of the original independent Krone team members from 2009, the company says Pete brings significant sales knowledge and experience that over the years has contributed to an exponential increase in turnover for the company.

He says Krone is now recognised as a leading brand in the manufacture of forage equipment throughout the UK with an annual turnover of around £22million.

“In what has been a tough market place in recent years, I have been fortunate to be involved with a family run organisation that has built an enviable reputation on professionalism and trust,” says Pete. “A hand’s on approach and a hard work ethos with our dealer network as well as engaging directly with contractors and farmers has built confidence in the Krone brand and its product range.

“We are very close to our market which makes us very adaptable and responsive to changes in our customer needs. As a specialist manufacturer of forage equipment, it means we can focus on Krone’s core products and not be distracted by other products potentially in the portfolio.”

Mr Halley has a team of five territory managers reporting directly to him with over 30 years experience in forage machinery sales between them. The core of the company has stayed the same, starting with 13 employees in 2009 to the current 34 employed today. The UK is now the fourth biggest export market for Krone globally.

“The Krone family is always keen to promote from within and I was delighted to have been given this opportunity.”

Woods Equipment, a Blount International business, have now commenced production at their brand new custom built spares and assembly plant in Charlerois, Belgium.

Simon Richard, UK Agent for the Woods Rotary Cutter range, said “The Woods rotary mower range is based on the Batwing and Brush Bull Single Spindle as well as the Multi-Spindle and RC Series models. With almost sixty products available, the range runs from the 42” Economy Spindle cutter for 15hp-30hp tractors to the 21ft Multi-Spindle cutter for 70hp -300hp tractors.

"The Charlerois centre will deliver continuity of supply to maximise time savings and minimise downtimes across the Woods European client base."