BTME this week was certainly abuzz.

Abuzz with packed halls, with greenkeeping professionals in their droves attending educational workshops and with rumours, speculation and discussion on what the show would like look like next year in its changed format.

Firstly, congratulations are in order to BIGGA for putting on an event which there is clearly a great demand and affection for. Certainly on days one and two, the halls felt absolutely packed at peak times. Almost too busy in fact as it was a bit tricky to move about the aisles freely on occasion. Which in a way is a good problem to have - and of course one of the reasons why the association says they need to change up the location within the Harrogate Convention Centre next January.

Alongside this move though, one feels they should also look at their registration and show entry system - as that was one of the few true grumbles I heard this week. Visitors were encouraged to pre-register for the show to 'beat the crowds', but upon arrival everyone had to have their QR code they'd been sent scanned, and a badge printed with a different barcode on it.

Between 9 and 10am when a good proportion of visitors were arriving, this was creating queues of frustrated punters who were having to hang around for around 20 minutes to get in - which in the January weather is not ideal. Visitors and exhibitors alike seemed to be affected by this.

At SALTEX those who have pre-registered are sent their entry badge via email to print at home, so when you turn up at the show you just pop it in a lanyard, get beeped by the staff and walk in. A similar system next year when there is apparently going to be just a single entrance for all show visitors would surely be desirable?

Vibrant exhibition

Once entry to the show had been gained though it without a doubt felt vibrant and upbeat. Many exhibitors I spoke to were extremely happy with the number and quality of visitors they were welcoming to their stands.

Husqvarna for example, had returned to the exhibition after a considerable number of years away. The company is making excellent progress into the commercial sector with their robotic mowers, battery machinery and Fleet Services offerings and saw BTME as an opportunity to make valuable contacts in the golf world. Kevin Ashmore, UK Commercial Landscape & Groundcare Manager told me at the start of Day 2 that they'd had a good mix of people coming on to their stand, all interested in the benefits which this new technology could offer their professional businesses.

L-R: Husqvarna's Kevin Ashmore, James Walker, Graham Brown and Gary Philpott

Having only recently formed at the backend of 2017, Iseki UK and Ireland make their debut with a small stand - which seemed constantly busy. Product and Marketing manager Richard Tyrell told me that at the moment they are sticking with the established dealer network they have inherited from Ransomes - but that they would be looking to expand in time. He said he was very encouraged by the level of loyalty to the brand he'd heard during the show.

L-R: John Clifford and Richard Tyrell on the Iseki UK & Ireland stand

Kubota were showcasing new groundscare products including a new zero turn mower and compact tractors. Product manager Tim Yates said that even though the company has been making serious in-roads into the agricultural sector in recent times, groundscare is still the heart of the company. He said what the recent developments in their agricultural machinery had allowed them to do though, was to bring across some of that cutting edge technology which the market demanded, into the commercial sector.

Kubota's Tim Yates

The future

So if it ain't broke, don't fix it? Well not quite.

BIGGA have said that the show this year sold out to exhibitors back in September and they had a waiting of list of companies wanting to pay for stands which they had to turn down. So it's only natural that they would want to find more space to accommodate this - hence changing the layout within the convention centre. And as previously mentioned the halls used this year were a tad overcrowded, with no real space for visitors to relax.

It's this 'visitor experience' which BIGGA are stressing they want to improve. At the conclusion of the show yesterday BIGGA Chief Executive Jim Croxton said of next year's show, "It’s going to be more pleasant, people are going to stay longer around the halls, take a break, get some food and drink, see some innovations and have a look at some of the things we offer our members as well."

However, I did hear a few reservations from exhibitors about the changes being made - some of which were to do with logistics. A couple of the new halls to be used are located upstairs in the convention centre - which of course presents difficulties in getting machinery up on to stands. Concerns were also expressed about ceiling height in some of the rooms with exhibitors worried that stands which they already own might not fit in.

BIGGA were keen to point out that the new configuration of halls would have a natural flow, but I heard people concerned that some had the potential to become possible ghost towns - the way that Hall Q used to (which is one of the halls coming back into operation). There was a rumour going around that to combat this the big draw machinery boys would be split up and dotted around the exhibition to make sure people visited every corner. Which is good for the show, but maybe those manufactures like being grouped together as they currently are in Hall M?

The biggest concern I think exhibitors have though, was that it seemed they wouldn't immediately be sure where exactly their stand would be located next year. Rather they would be putting in a request which the organising team would then do their best to accommodate. I'm sure BIGGA will be working hard with their customers to make sure they are satisfied, but concerns were clearly held. One would expect a period of rigorous negotiation will be commencing straight away.

Change itself is of course often held with suspicion. The unknown is feared, especially when what we've had is held in such esteem. Next January will be a true litmus test for the show. I'm sure it can't come around quick enough for BIGGA so they can prove they are able deliver on their promise of an improved visitor experience - whilst at the same time making it work for their commercial partners.

Who let's not forget, are utterly vital to its continued success.

Agriculture and turf dealership Tallis Amos Group Limited (TAG) has acquired the trade and assets of Bristol based professional turf dealer BS Mowers Limited, as part of John Deere’s ‘Dealer of Tomorrow’ strategy.

Bristol outlet managing director Bob Culverhouse (left) with Tallis Amos Group director Colin McIntyre.

BS Mowers is largely known for its expertise in the fine turf machinery industry throughout Avon, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and North Somerset. To provide continuity of sales and service to customers in the area, all the BS Mowers staff led by branch managing director Bob Culverhouse have been retained and the dealership will continue to operate as a turf only outlet under the TAG banner from January 2018. The business’ existing trading area will remain largely unchanged as a result of the merger.

“I am delighted that the Tallis Amos Group has agreed to acquire our company and bring its combination of experience and expertise to this part of south-west England,” says Bob Culverhouse. “It will allow us to grow the business and continue delivering the best possible parts and service support to existing and new customers, across a wider range of products from John Deere and other leading brands.”

The Tallis Amos Group is owned by the Tallis and Amos families, with managing director Ben Tallis, who is based at TAG’s Evesham head office, and sales director Simon Amos, based in Leominster, running the company as partners. With this latest acquisition, the group now manages five outlets in Evesham, Leominster, Bibury, Narberth and Bristol.

TAG was identified as one of London Stock Exchange's 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain in 2015. This annual report is a celebration of the UK’s fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium-sized businesses.

“As a strong family run business, we firmly believe the Tallis Amos Group is the right long-term partner for customers across its newly expanded sales area,” says John Deere Limited division sales manager Joedy Ibbotson. “The dealership has a long history with Deere, a great deal of experience and a reputation among its customers for consistently delivering the highest levels of after-sales support.”

According to figures released by the AEA, UK registrations of new agricultural tractors (over 50hp) in December 2017 reached 1,360 units - which equates to a +164.1% change compared with December 2016.

Stephen Howarth, Agricultural Economist at the AEA said of these figures, "This is well over double the number registered in the same month of 2016, mainly due to a large number of machines being pre-registered in advance of the introduction of new regulations on 1 January 2018.

"It is likely that this will lead to some suppression of the number of registrations in the early months of 2018."

The big rise in December brought the total number of tractors registered in 2017 to 12,033, 13% more than in 2016.

Stephen Howarth said of this, "This is only the second rise in the number of registrations in nine years and the first since 2011. Even without the additional pre-registrations, last year’s total would still have been higher than previous year, although the rate of increase would have been lower."

BLEC, under the stewardship of Charterhouse Turf Machinery, announced their first new dealer appointment at BTME this week.

L-R: Dan from Acorn Tractors, Richard Lucas of Charterhouse and Julian Simpson, owner Acorn Tractors

Manager of the BLEC division, Curtis Allen said the wide variety of applications BLEC machines can satisfy requires a new network of dealers, and there has been a great deal of interest – the one criteria the company is demanding of new dealers being "a name renowned for quality and service".

Curtis said they would be appointing more Blec dealers based on merit and that they would not necessarily be existing Charterhouse dealers.

The first announced appointment is Acorn Tractors who are based in Derbyshire and stock tractors, mowers and other turfcare equipment from a range of established industry manufacturers.

Acorn Tractors owner Julian Simpson said, “We are delighted to have been appointed as BLEC dealers for the Central UK region. We have been involved with BLEC products for many years, both from using the machinery on contracting projects to selling as well.

"We look forward to offering BLEC machines for purchase or hire to new and existing customers.”

Curtis Allen also announced at BTME that in line with demand, the BLEC range has been rationalised to a number of core machines which sit happily alongside, as well as expanding, the current offering from Charterhouse in the UK. He also said, "Additionally, each of the models in the new BLEC portfolio have been refined and further developed thanks to Redexim’s manufacturing techniques to ensure maximum suitability and efficiency for the market."

BLEC's newly redesigned Turfmaker

One such example of product development is the Turfmaker which has now been updated to include a new seed control rate system, new seed feed mechanism and weight ballast kits, all alongside a new look.

Scamblers, who are based in Bourn, Cambridgeshire, have announced the appointment of Celtic Mowers Ltd, located in Swansea, as the Grasshopper dealer for south-west Wales.

A family run business, established back in 1977, Celtic Mowers is the largest horticultural dealer in South Wales. With over 100 years combined in-house experience and an excellent professional reputation, Scamblers say Celtic Mowers is a perfect match to represent the Grasshopper brand throughout the region.

Director of the Swansea-based dealership,Terry Flynn, said “We are delighted to be appointed by Scamblers as the Grasshopper dealer for south west Wales. We’ve long known about the quality of the Grasshopper product and now with a structured dealer support network headed by Scamblers in place, we are delighted to be a part of it. Our loyal customer base depends on us investing in the leading brands and we are delighted to welcome Grasshopper into our showroom”.

Ed Scambler commented, “After a recent visit we were impressed with the professionalism and friendliness of the staff at Celtic Mowers and look forward to developing a good working relationship."

R T Machinery Ltd (RTM), based at Nether Winchendon, Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire is the latest turf machinery dealership to join Price Turfcare's Ventrac network.

RTM was formed by md Richard Taylor in 2001. An independent company, RTM say their strengths lie in over 30 years experience, a keen interest in machinery and a willingness to provide a quality service and value for money.

Commenting on the appointment, Richard Taylor said, "Since Rupert Price launched his business just over a year ago, the Ventrac product has really begun to take off in the UK. 

"We're now getting out there and showing potential customers  just what it can do. Rupert has done a tremendous amount of groundwork in the past 12 months and it's certainly paying off as this industry is waking up to the potential of the multi-purpose machine."

Rupert Price, md of Price Turfcare, the UK and Ireland distributor of the Ventrac 4500 compact tractor, added, "We've been steadily building our dealer network over the past year and only taking on reputale dealers who we believe will add value to the brand.

"We require our dealers to be pro-active, focussed on the product and capable of providing exceptional customer back-up and support. RTM certainly meet those requirements and we're delighted to welcome them to the Ventrac family."

Kramp UK, the supplier of spare parts, technical services and business solutions, has announced the addition of Leo Copping who joined the team as Retail Consultant in October 2017.

Leo, 33, will be based at Kramp UK's headquarters in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire and will focus on embedding the retail partnership with the UK dealer network. 

“The UK retail customer is used to, and expects, a very high level of standards during their shopping experience,” said James Buchanan, Field Sales Manager, Kramp UK. “With Leo joining our team we are better equipped to face a key challenge for our industry, to recognise and implement what is an acceptable retail experience for the end user. Assisting depots to move their retail space forward, from what was once the workshop storeroom, to meet modern showroom standards.”

Leo joins Kramp from Wyevale where he held a variety of roles concluding as Area Manager, responsible for 16 centers across the south of the UK. Prior to Wyevale, Leo worked as a Trading Manager for Asda. Since leaving school Leo has worked in retail, in every role from the bottom up; including trolley catcher, replenishment, training & development and HR, across food and beverage, high street fashion and supermarkets. This, say Kramp enables Leo to bring a breadth of experience to his new role that will enable him to advise on all aspects of the retail journey.

“I’m joining the Kramp team at a true industry inflection point, when we can realise the potential of a focused retail space,” said Leo. “It is exciting to be able to start something from scratch, to build and shape that part of the business. As a team we’ll work with our dealers to support this change, using retail as another route to market that could potentially allow them to reach a new target audience as well as their existing customer base.”

After an independent audit confirmed a record-breaking SALTEX attendance at the NEC, the show’s visitor survey has now revealed a fascinating insight into the 8,909 who attended.

According to the survey results 89 per cent of SALTEX 2017 visitors rated their overall SALTEX experience as being either very good or excellent.

The majority of the visitors were aged between 31 and 60 and represented a wide variety of businesses and organisations - with sports clubs, local authorities and schools, colleges and universities leading the way.

In further exploring the type of sports or recreation facility that the visitors were responsible for maintaining, football led the way closely followed by golf, parks, cricket, rugby and tennis.

More than 70 per cent of visitors held a senior position within their respective companies and over 80 per cent of them were either solely responsible or contributed to the purchasing process.

Almost 60 per cent attended SALTEX with a view to buying and 40 per cent said that they placed orders on the show floor.

In terms of product categories they were interested in:

• Machinery, power and hand tools – 84 per cent
• Seeds, turf, aggregates and treatments – 49 per cent
• Sports surfaces, facilities and equipment – 43 per cent
• Arboriculture and horticulture – 40 per cent
• Landscaping and materials – 38 per cent

Primarily, attendees came to search for innovations and new products while 84 per cent said they attended due to the number and mix of exhibitors. 67 per cent said they attended SALTEX with the main objective of networking; 74 per cent said the location of the show was a determining factor in their decision to attend and nearly 50 per cent of attendees made use of their visit for training and educational opportunities.

Whatever their reasons for attending, an overwhelming 92 per cent of SALTEX 2017 visitors said that they were successful in meeting their objectives.

SALTEX continues to attract an international audience and a large proportion of European visitors attended from countries such as Ireland, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, France, Belgium, Czech Republic and Spain. Further afield, visitors from Sri Lanka, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Ivory Coast and Saudi Arabia also made the journey to the NEC.

Visitors also attended from every corner of the UK. In particular, the counties of Warwickshire, Lancashire, Shropshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire and London recorded a huge number of visitors.

SALTEX 2018 will take place at the NEC, Birmingham on 31 October and 1 November, and 92 per cent of SALTEX 2017 visitors concluded the survey by indicating that they will be returning.

Iseki UK & Ireland announced this week that it has chosen Hitachi Capital to provide floor-plan services to its network of 60 dealers across the UK.

David Withers & Sean Jones signing the agreement at BTME 2018

Additionally both companies announced their intent to run "attractive and innovative" retail finance options later in the year.

David Withers, Managing Director of Iseki UK, commented, “As you can imagine with Iseki forming in the UK there was a lot of interest in the finance community to secure a relationship with our new company to provide floor-plan and retail finance offerings.

"Having evaluated all the options we have chosen Hitachi Capital as our partner and look forward to working with them over the coming months and years to ensure that we can complement the best machinery in the World with the best finance offerings”

From Hitachi Capital Sean Jones, Head of Strategy, expressed his pleasure at the announcement. “With a Japanese parent ourselves we were determined that the opportunity to partner with a high quality Japanese manufacturer would not pass us by. Having worked in the past with many of the staff now at ISEKI coupled with the excellence of the product offering it made a perfect fit for us and we could not be more pleased to be able to provide the UK agricultural and grounds care industry with solutions to their finance requirements.”

The decision was announced at the BTME show in Harrogate this week and comes into effect immediately.

John Deere and the Ladies European Tour (LET) have announced an extension to their partner agreement from January 2018, during which Deere will continue to be designated the Tour’s official supplier of golf course maintenance equipment including mowers, tractors and Gator utility vehicles.

LET chairman Mark Lichtenhein (centre) with Deere’s European turf sales & marketing manager Carlos Aragones (left) and global turf marketing director Manny Gan

Under the terms of the agreement, LET tournaments - including The Solheim Cup at Gleneagles in September 2019 - will be supported by John Deere equipment through the company’s European golf dealer network. Deere officials will also continue to work closely with the LET’s agronomists, with the goal of helping to produce better quality playing surfaces across the continent.

The announcement was made by LET chairman Mark Lichtenhein on the John Deere stand at BTME in Harrogate on Tuesday this week (January 23 2018), together with John Deere’s global turf marketing director Manny Gan and European turf sales & marketing manager Carlos Aragones.

“We are delighted that John Deere has decided to extend its relationship with the Ladies European Tour for the next two years, beyond The 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles,” said Mark Lichtenhein. “This is a testament to our enduring partnership since 2006 and demonstrates the alignment of our brands and our joint objective to ensure a bright future for the women’s game.”

Carlos Aragones added, “We are also delighted that what has already proved to be a fruitful relationship with the Ladies European Tour is continuing to grow. The strength of the John Deere brand is based on the quality of our products and customer service, and we are very proud to be associated with both the LET and The Solheim Cup.”

The Solheim Cup is the highlight of the women’s professional golf calendar, when the best women golfers from Europe and the United States compete for this prestigious biennial trophy. The next tournament takes place on the world-famous PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles in Perthshire, Scotland from September 13-15, 2019.

Suzuki ATV has announced that eligible NFU members* can now receive a 10% discount on selected Suzuki ATVs.

This offer is available for on the KingQuad 750, KingQuad 500 power steering/non-power steering and Ozark 250 at participating Suzuki ATV dealers only.

Suzuki Ozark 250

All Suzuki ATVs also come with free EASI rider training and a free Suzuki workwear kit consisting of overalls and a bodywarmer. They also come with a free CESAR Security System powered by Datatag. NFU Mutual customers receive 12.5% discount on their ATV premiums when CESAR is installed.

George Cheeseman, Head of Suzuki ATV for GB, said, “We know that a large number of ATV users are NFU members, and we wanted to partner up to offer this great discount on our ATVs.”

For more information on the NFU Suzuki ATV discount visit www.nfuonline.com/suzukiatv or call NFU CallFirst on 0370 845 8458.

*NFU Membership eligibility and terms & conditions apply. Only available to eligible NFU members in England and Wales.

We are looking to recruit an additional Area Manager for our Groundcare machinery distribution business covering the North Midlands counties.

This is a new role building on a significant investment in the distribution business and will be instrumental in growing the business with exclusive dealer partners. The ideal candidate will have an understanding of professional groundcare machinery and associated markets, with a proven track record of excellent strategic and planning skills.

It is essential that you are self-motivated and target driven with the capacity to work independently as part of a highly successful, diverse business. The successful candidate will possess excellent communication skills and a good knowledge of IT packages such as Microsoft Word. A full clean driving licence is also required for this role.

Find out more and apply today at www.thwhite.co.uk/our-vacancies

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job title: Business Development Manager, BAGMA.

Duration: Permanent

Hours: 35 hours, 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday. Some out of hours work required, including evening and weekends and occasional nights away.

Reporting to: Director of BAGMA

Based: Home or Office based depending on individual circumstances.

BAGMA (British Agricultural and Garden Machinery Association) is a trade association within the land based engineering sector with a large membership consisting of Agricultural and Garden Machinery Dealers. We offer membership services, lobbying, industry representation and industry specific training to our members. We are a division of the British Independent Retailers Association (bira). We are seeking to recruit a capable and ambitious individual to support the Director of BAGMA in the running of BAGMA, the development of new business and support for existing business, office and general operations.

GENERAL PURPOSE

To further develop BAGMA’s business and income streams.

To deputise for the Director of BAGMA as required

This role is designed to provide support for the Director of BAGMA in the daily operations and functions of BAGMA and provide more opportunity for BAGMA to develop its business portfolio and increase income streams. The role will be measured, in part, by agreed KPi’s which will be set out and agreed with the successful candidate.
Part of this role will include the preparation and maintenance of reports necessary to carry out the functions of the department. Periodic reports for management, as necessary or requested, to track strategic goal accomplishment. Communicate regularly with other managers, the director, vice president, president, and other designated contacts within the group organization and externally with industry stake holders.

MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES (not exhaustive)

1. Deputising for the Director of BAGMA
2. Membership recruitment and promotion of BAGMA and bira services
3. Business development
4. Project management
5. Industry liaison including trade associations, representing BAGMA and bira at industry meetings
6. Field sales across whole of UK
7. European travel on occasion to attend meetings, events and exhibitions.
8. Attending trade shows
9.  Liaise with government departments and contribute to discussions relating to legislation, transport issues and health and safety issues.
10.  Providing technical advice, support and guidance to members
11. Advise members on Training, development and education
12. Regular communication with internal departments throughout the Association.
13. Any other duties which may be required from time to time consistent with the role outlined.
14. Actively support effective communication practices within your work and promote and maintain good teamwork.
15. Be aware of and comply with the rules relating to your employment as detailed in the bira staff handbook.
16. Be aware of and comply with the Health & Safety regulations of bira.
17. Be aware of and comply with the Fire Regulations within bira’s offices.
18. To actively support the Equal Opportunities Policy of bira and BAGMA.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Qualifications

Essential
A good standard of education including Maths and English

Experience

Essential

1. Demonstrable and proven experience of telephone and face to face selling

2. Extensive administration experience
3. Demonstrable experience of developing good working internal and external relationships.
4. Knowledge and experience in business, supervision, and management.

Desirable
1. Previous experience in training and education
2. An understanding of mechanical systems and agricultural machinery

Skills/Abilities

Essential
1. The ability to build strong, trust-based relationships with internal and external stakeholders
2. Demonstrated knowledge of basic economic, budgeting, and accounting principles and practices.
3. Excellent computer skills in a Microsoft Windows environment. Must include knowledge of Excel and all Microsoft Office packages.
4. Better than average written and spoken communication skills.
5. Excellent organizational management skills.
6. Pleasant and polite telephone manner
7. Attention to detail
8. Ability to work on own initiative and at times, unsupervised
9. Knowledge of UK training and Education

Personal Attributes and Characteristics

Essential
1. A competitive nature and a drive to excel
2. Strong self-motivation, a goal orientation and a positive, proactive approach
3. Confident
4. Self-motivated
5. Enthusiastic and positive attitude
6. A willingness to be flexible
7. A team player

Additional Requirements

Essential
1. Willing and able to travel independently in and around the UK
2. Full UK driving licence

Desirable
Previous experience of work related travel is preferable

CONTACT

Keith Christian, BAGMA Director

The British Agricultural and Garden Machinery Association (BAGMA), 225 Bristol Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands, B5 7UB

office: 01295 713344

mobile: 07823 416849

email: keithchristian@bagma.com

web: www.bagma.com

Celebrating 20 years of trading throughout Europe, Grizzly Tools have an exceptional offering for the new year ahead. Thanks to an expanded 40v interchangeable battery range, it’s time to garden with Grizzly for cordless freedom and German-engineered performance.

During 2017 Grizzly established its digital presence and continued to nurture its brand identity within the UK market. 2018 will see the company grow exponentially to include a host of new products to further fortify their market positioning as a quality tool manufacturer and infallible brand name.

With plenty of activity already in the pipeline, Grizzly Tools will be promoted via outdoor and radio advertising, building charitable relationships and showcasing at trade shows – keep an eye out for their unmistakable pawprint near you!

Upping the ante across the service dealer network, Grizzly Tools UK is keen to build new relationships and bolster existing ones. Grizzly promises to deliver more:

• More exclusive special offers on selected products
• More marketing support both on and offline
• More stock and storage solutions
• More advice and guidance
• More quality assurance thanks to rigorous TUV testing
• More value at point-of-sale with bespoke start-up packages

Grizzly Tools manufacture quality power tools for every gardener; sold across Europe for 20 years, the brand is well established and trusted by tradesmen and humble home gardeners alike.

If you’d like to speak to Grizzly Tools about their range of products, please call Shnayde on 0845 683 2670.

uni-power have released details of their annual special offer with extra discount, extended payment and free carriage.

For details of the Pre-Season offer click here

For the Fuel Fit offer click here

For the Briggs & Stratton brochure click here

And for the Briggs Excel order form click here

The full offer can be downloaded via www.uni-power.co.uk (Account login details required), or requested via info@uni-power.co.uk .