It's a sad fact of our modern lives, both personally and in business, that there are some unscrupulous individuals out there who wish to deceive and con us.

We've unfortunately had to report on occurrences affecting dealers in our industry in this newsletter recently - both with the story regarding the tool sharpening scam from a couple of weeks ago and today's warning from Stephen Gale from GAB about a dodgy phone transaction.

Most likely everyone reading this Weekly Update will have come face to face with some sort of scam at some point. I personally very regularly get calls during my working day from people claiming to be from my Internet Service Provider or Microsoft, telling me I have a virus on my computer or some such nonsense.

And it's almost inevitable that dealers in our sector will meet a fraudulent transaction at some point - very possibly perpetrated over the phone.

Action Fraud, the National Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting Centre, say that for small businesses, knowing your customers is vital for protection from crime. They say that there are simple things you can do to help prevent fraud, guarantee sales and protect your bottom line. Just as you need to know your customer to successfully market your products and services to them, it is equally important to know who you’re dealing with to protect your business.

Some examples Action Fraud give of specific threats which dealers could face include:

• Electronic Payments/Card fraud
• Cheque Fraud/Cheque Overpayment Fraud
• Long/short firm fraud

The key to protecting yourself, they say, is to take time to assess the customer’s profile and the transaction they are requesting. Just like Stephen Gale did in his warning today, using your common business sense is essential. As Action Fruad say, you will often know when something isn’t quite right and, even though it may sound clichéd, there is a lot of sense in remembering that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Again, like with GAB's recent experience, the experts warn that SMEs should be always on the lookout for suspicious orders.

A dealer's intuition can often be the best judge of whether a customer interaction seems right, but Action Fraud offer the following tips which could help you to pin-point suspicious behaviour:

• Irregular purchasing patterns - including larger than usual orders, multiple purchases of the same item, a series of rapid orders/transactions from a new customer, or a change in behaviour from a regular customer.
• Requests to dodge your processes - whether for payment, invoicing, delivery and so on.
• Lack of interest in the product and asking few questions on its details, particularly if it’s high value.
• Delivery irregularities - for example, if the buyer is unconcerned by delivery costs or wants the goods shipped to an address overseas, or one that is different from the card address. Whilst there could be a perfectly legitimate explanation for the above, they could also be an indicator of fraud. If in doubt, then follow-up by asking for more information.
• Receiving a cheque for more money than the product or service is being sold. The fraudster will usually ask for you to return the difference before the funds have been cleared and ultimately the cheque will bounce.

Whilst there could be a perfectly legitimate explanation for the above, they could also be an indicator of fraud. If in doubt, the advice is to follow up by asking for more information.

The key question with this type of fraud seems to be is your customer really who they say they are?

The advice is if you are in any doubt about a transaction, make sure to gather as much information as possible to establish your customer is legitimate.

Ask common sense questions around the nature and purpose of the order or request a form of identification or proof of address to check they match the details you’ve been given.

Remember, if you are in any doubt about their validity - then do not proceed.

Husqvarna chose the Forst Messe, forestry machinery exhibition in Lucerne, Switzerland yesterday (August 17th) to launch their new generation 70cc chainsaws – which the company are describing as legendary.


572 XP

The company say these new chainsaws, led by the 572 XP, are built around six key factors which can generate high power output and rapid acceleration, which they believe make them ‘agile productivity powerhouses’.

The new 572 XP won’t be in seen in UK dealerships until Q1 of 2018, but the global rollout will begin very soon with Austria, Poland and Switzerland taking delivery in October of this year. North America will have to wait until the second half of next year with the Rest Of World following up in 2019.

Pavel Hajman, President of the Husqvarna division, led the presentations yesterday to the assembled, guests, European dealers, and press saying he had “tremendous pride” in the new chainsaws.


Pavel Hajman

He said, “Since Husqvarna started chainsaw production almost 60 years ago, we have been focused on constantly improving chainsaw performance and the user experience.

“We are confident that the new 572 XP will show that Husqvarna is an innovation leader in the world of chainsaws, with a strong commitment on sustainability.”

Gent Simmons, Global Director Product Management Chainsaws, also spoke, telling the audience, “This saw has developed from us getting out and truly understanding our customers. In every part of the world they all have different needs which we have addressed.


Gent Simmons

“Also, its incredibly important for us to speak to our dealers worldwide,” he said. “They are such an important knowledge bank for us to drawn upon. We pride ourselves in staying close them – and our customers.”

These new chainsaws are built from scratch on a new platform, which Husqvarna believe is set to be the new foundation for professional chainsaws going forward. Their development has benefitted from digitalisation, as Husqvarna has further employed new technical solutions including sensor-based data collection and digital prototyping. Digital prototyping enables highly accurate stress analysis to optimise chainsaw design, while sensors were placed on the chainsaws in field tests to collect data on usage statistics.


Andrew Lees, UK Category Manager - Machinery, in Lucerne, Switzerland

The six key factors that make the 572 XP

12% higher cutting capacity
The 572 XP measures an increased 12% cutting capacity even when using long guide bars compared to older Husqvarna chainsaw models within the 70cc range. This is made possible with the new engine layout and improved cooling..

The engine gives users a 30% broader RPM range compared to previous generations; increasing the optimal range from a band of 2000 to 3000 RPM.

The lighter and smaller diameter of the flywheel generates rapid acceleration.

Power-to-weight

A good power-to-weight ratio means higher productivity due to more available engine output. The power-to-weight improvement comes from better weight distribution in the machine and a good engine layout. The crankshaft and muffler, together with other critical components, have been designed for functionality, and extra reinforcements have been made for enhanced strength and reliability. To balance out this increase, weight optimisation has decreased the weight of several components like the flywheel (30g), starter cover (30g), crankcase (200g), clutch cover (30g), and ignition module (29g).

This translates into a weight of 6.6kg and a power level of 4.3kW, a considerate power-to-weight improvement compared to previous Husqvarna chainsaw models in the same displacement segment.



Cooling capacity up to 20%

Cooler engines equal better power and performance, and increased product lifetime. The 572 XP has an increased cooling capacity of up to 20% compared to previous generations of Husqvarna chainsaws. The boosted cooling capacity is the combination of new hardware, digitalisation, and engine control (soft cut out system).

When it comes to hardware, the heat barrier in the 572 XP is made from specially-crafted polymers which are heat resistant, provide extreme insulation, are light weight and are integrated in the cover..

Digital air flow analysis enables optimisation of airflow in the product, thereby refining the placement of cooling apertures and internal deflectors. The newly designed internals also mean less dust and dirt particles will get trapped in the cooling fins.

The soft cut out system (an ignition management system), protects the engine from harmful over-revving by automatically adjusting the ignition timing at top rpm’s. This means a 30% decrease of internal pressure build up in the engine — compared to Husqvarna chainsaws without this feature — for smoother operation, lower operating temperatures and maximum possible uptime.

Optimized filtration

Standard on the 572 XP is a heavy-duty air filter with a large filtration surface area to enable longer use and better filtration. The larger filtration area — compared to previous generations — means an increase in working intervals with maintained performance and requires less frequent cleaning.

10 times quicker air/fuel mix adjustment

With the launch of the 572 XP AutoTune has been updated, making automatic adjustments up to ten times faster than the previous version. The update has four improvement areas compared to previous generations:

1. Quicker tuning is made possible by a new micro-processor, which decreases time the system needs to tune the engine. This means in practice, that all the engine settings are 100% correct after the first few cuts.
2. Broader adjustment range is made possible with new software that calibrates from low speed up to top RPMs.
3. Partial throttle calibration has been added to AutoTune. Mid-range RPMs are continuously measured by the system and used for optimizing engine performance.
4. Lean out protection minimizes the risk that overheating will occur, thereby preventing severe engine damage.

New X-CUT chain with start/stop tie-strap
The second chain to leave the new chain factory in Huskvarna, Sweden, is the X-CUT C85, and will be standard on the 572XP from 2018, thereby optimising the cutting experience. The new chain is a full chisel, 3/8” chain for professional use and features a golden tie-strap that helps loggers keep track of the start/finish of their filing loop. The company say the chain is sharp out of the box, pre-stretched, highly durable, and improves cutting efficiency.

"The customer said they were not sure just what to go for and would be guided by us for the brush cutter. A decision was made on the HRH536 and a SRM236 Echo.

"'How soon can you deliver?' they asked.

"I replied that you have not provided us with an address yet sir!

"When the cusomter asked for a delivery to the Scottish Highlands I said that as we are based in Somerset, I'm sorry but we can't deliver to there!

"This did not deter the individial who replied that he would get the order collected. He then asked could I process the transaction and provide him with the authorisation number."

Stephen said the deal was then done, with the funds received at their terminal.

"Something was bugging me though," Stephen continued, "the man's way of providing information was not the usual way.

"I asked for details of the collection process he was going to provide. He was reluctant to give me any further information - so we did not proceed with the PDI of the aforementioned machines.

"He returned a telephone call to us after close of business, therefore we were not able to confirm anything about the person or address provided.

"The customer phoned the following day to see if machines were ready for collection and was told the order has been declined.

"He then became abusive, and as yet has not asked for the money to be refunded."

Have any other dealers experienced a similar encounter?

A County Armagh based agricultural and construction machinery manufacturer has issued a warning to owners and operators of one of its dump trailers as investigations into a fatal accident two years ago continue.

NC Engineering (Hamiltonsbawn) Ltd has issued an urgent warning regarding its NC 300 Series Power Tilt dump trailer following a serious incident with the tail door section of the trailer in the Republic of Ireland.


NC 300 Series Power Tilt dump trailer 

A young man in his late teens was fatally injured in October 2015 when he tried to unblock the tail door on the dump trailer he was operating after a stone got jammed there.

The company has called on users of this trailer with the power tilt door to contact their local NC dealer for further information.

In particular, the company has recalled the 300 Series Power Tilt dump trailer manufactured after 2007 to have a retrofit kit fitted. 

In a statement NC Engineering said: “On trailers manufactured prior to 2007 a door mechanism which is not freely moveable or damaged must be replaced before the trailer is used.

“On trailers manufactured from 2007 a retrofit kit must be fitted by an NC dealer. A safe system of work for clearing blockages, examples of possible damage and further details on replacement parts for both trailer models are available from all NC dealers.

“If an object becomes trapped between the tail door and the chassis the operation of the rear door may be compromised, particularly if the door mechanism is damaged.

“In this situation the action of clearing the blockage could result in a person being struck by the door if the correct procedure is not followed.

“If you own a dump trailer with a Power Tilt door contact your local NC dealer for further details. Always quote the trailer serial number when contacting the NC dealer,” the company said.

Details of how to safely remove blockages in this tail door, should they occur, can also be found on the NC Engineering website under safety alert.

A company spokesman added: “NC has co-operated fully with the Health and Safety Authority in Ireland regarding its investigation into this accident which happened two years ago with a NC 300 Series Power Tilt dump trailer.

“We have made thousands of these trailers and have never received any complaints about blockages.

“We want to ensure all operators are clear on the correct procedure of unblocking the door in the unlikely event of a blockage occurring.

“The design was changed in 2007 but the chances of a blockage occurring in any of the 300 Series Power Tilt dump trailers with the Power Tilt door are unlikely.

“For the trailer manufactured before 2007, if the mechanisms on the tilt door are undamaged then it should operate fine, but if something is damaged then it needs to be corrected before using.

“For the trailer manufactured post 2007 we urge all owners to contact their NC dealer to have a retrofit kit fitted to all those particular models,” he said.

The Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA) have grant funding available from the Department for International Trade (DIT) for the Golf Industry Show (GIS) 2018 which takes place on the 7th and 8th February 2018 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas.



The Golf Industry Show is the world’s largest golf course and facility management event and attracts attendees from 63 different countries including golf course superintendents, owners, chief operating officers, architects and builders, equipment managers, and distributors.

Kayleigh Holden, Marketing & Communications Manager at the Association said, "The AEA have grants of £2000 available for UK SMEs to exhibit at GIS 2018 and while there are still grants available, the uptake has been fantastic so companies are urged to act swiftly if they are interested."

If you would like more information on the grants available for GIS 2018 please contact Kayleigh on kayleigh.holden@aea.uk.com or Telephone: 01733 207603.

In celebration of 90 years in business, as well as new innovations like the app controlled Viking iMow and the new cordless Lithium-Ion garden tool range, STIHL has partnered with UKTV in its first ever national TV advertising campaign.

The ad sees the latest products in the company's cordless range come to life in a sorcerer’s apprentice style concept.

The campaign will run for 150 days through Drama TV, Eden, “W” and Yesterday and will be supported by an integrated marketing campaign, including digital advertising, social media, and in-store displays. As UKTV receives a combined 38.1 million viewers per month, this means STIHL is estimated to indicatively hit 11.6 million ABC1 Adults, 17 over.

“Amongst the last 90 years, the most recent have been some of the best for STIHL and we see this as a fantastic opportunity to further our growth,” explains Simon Hewitt, Head of Marketing at STIHL GB.

“As STIHL products become easier to use and available at more accessible price points, STIHL has become more relevant to an increasingly wider audience, and it’s for this reason that now is the right time for us to invest in a campaign like this. 2017 is shaping up to be another great year, with cordless technology continuing to be a major focus for us and we are really excited to introduce our products to a whole new type of customer through the campaign.”

New for 2017, STIHL’s latest cordless Lithium-Ion range includes the HSA 45 Hedge Trimmer, FSA 45 Grass Trimmer and BGA 45 Blower. Priced at £99 and weighing no more than 2.2kg, each product boasts an integrated battery and charge-level indicator.

LAMMA ’18 is introducing a new Farm Safety Zone when it returns in January to help reduce the high number of deaths and injuries on UK farms.

The aim is to help promote the issue of farm safety throughout the year and highlight the fact that most of the 30 fatalities and thousands of injuries that occurred on farms in the past 12 months are avoidable.

The Farm Safety Zone is sponsored by health and safety consultancy Safety Revolution.



The zone will host a series of talks with specialists from Safety Revolution and the wider industry, enabling visitors to access the most current health and safety information and specialist advice available in the UK agricultural industry.

“Farming remains one of the most dangerous occupations in the UK,” said Elisabeth Mork-Eidem, group head of events at Briefing Media, which organises LAMMA ‘18.

“LAMMA, the UK’s largest agricultural trade show, is attended by thousands of visitors, many of whom are potentially at risk and who need to consider safety improvements when purchasing new farming equipment.

“The event is therefore an excellent opportunity to help drive home the message to keep Britain’s farms safe.”

Safety Revolution managing director Oliver Dale believes that keeping staff and contractors safe in a farming environment is an ever-increasing challenge across the industry.

“Safety Revolution works closely with our clients to provide advice and guidance in support of preventing accidents and fatalities on farms, estates and agribusinesses across Britain,” he said.

“The safety of staff and contractors is central to the success of a business. Our experts will be on hand at the Farm Safety Zone to answer any health and safety queries related to your farm and business.”

LAMMA ’18 takes place on Wednesday 17th January between 7.30am and 5pm and Thursday 18th January between 7.30am and 4.30pm.

Parking and entrance to the show remain free of charge.

Ransomes Jacobsen Ltd has recently hosted 15 pupils from local secondary schools for a week of work experience.

The students were placed in various departments within the company including Operations, Engineering, Marketing, I.T., Customer Care, Sales and HR. All students were given a thorough overview of the company including its history dating back to 1789. The pupils were then shown around the manufacturing facility at the company’s site on Ransomes Europark, before spending the week in various departments to learn the processes involved in running a global business.



Alan Prickett, Senior Director at Ransomes Jacobsen Ltd said, “Ransomes Jacobsen has been a pillar of the Ipswich business community for over 200 years. Over those years the company has employed many thousands of local people, and has also played a significant role in both war efforts. It is important to us to continue to serve the community and provide employment and educational opportunities to as many people as we possibly can.

“The feedback from students and staff members has been very encouraging. A large percentage of our workforce has been employed at Ransomes Jacobsen for many years, and we are delighted that their skills and experience are now being passed on to students, apprentices and graduates who, we hope, will also enjoy long careers with the company.”

Matthew Went, HR Director at Ransomes Jacobsen Ltd said, “We are extremely pleased with how the work experience scheme has taken off this year. We have offered it in the past, but this year has been particularly successful, as we have streamlined the process and bolstered the programmes to ensure that students are given an authentic, well-rounded first experience of life at work. This forms part of our strategy to engage with students at an early stage to generate a relationship with our company and an interest in what we do here.

“We are looking forward to building on the success of this year and welcoming more students in 2018 and beyond. We hope that we are able to attract talented individuals to the company in the future, and part of that is to open our doors to the local community and show people the fantastic opportunities on offer.”

Ransomes Jacobsen has been approached by two further local secondary schools to host work experience for students in 2018 following the success of this year’s structured and professional programmes.

A new emergency police vehicle capable of mobilising officers quickly in some of West Norfolk’s most hard to reach places has been launched in Hunstanton.



The Polaris Ranger 570 All-Terrain Vehicle, supplied by Linstead Farm and Garden Machinery, will be based at Hunstanton beach to help search for missing people or assist officers in emergency situations. It is the first time this type of vehicle has been used by Norfolk Constabulary and whilst it will mainly patrol Hunstanton beach, it can also be used on rural land and territory.

Temporary Inspector John Bane, who has taken delivery of the Polaris, complete with police livery, said: “This vehicle will enable us to respond quickly and effectively to incidents taking place on the beach.

“In the cases of a missing person, it provides us with the opportunity to cover lots of the beach in a short space of time where a police vehicle or an officer on foot cannot.

“The vehicle will also be used to patrol the beach and will support the Sandi Starfish initiative which helps reunite families if a child is lost. The vehicle has been designed to catch the eye of a missing child who can then flag it down if they see it and get the assistance they need.”

Temporary Inspector Bane added: “The vehicle has the potential to be deployed to other areas, such as woodland and farmland, to assist in other missing person enquiries or pre-planned operations, therefore enhancing our ability to respond to incidents in rural locations.”

Norfolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Lorne Green, said: “Norfolk has a wonderful variety of attractions for families to visit during the long summer holidays not least the long sandy stretches of Hunstanton Beach. While we want this summer to be one to remember for all the right reasons there is always a possibility a child can get separated from their family. We hope the introduction of the Polaris ATV will help reassure families officers will be able to respond quickly to provide any assistance where needed.

“Rural crime remains one of my top priorities and it is also reassuring to hear the ATV can be deployed to incidents in areas of the countryside where local patrol cars may find it difficult to access.”

Officers were looking to name the Polaris Ranger 570 to help make it more recognisable to children and asked the public to help by voting for their favourite name.

There were three names to choose from: Nelson, Rocky and Sunny and the name finally chosen was Nelson.

The winner will then be the focus of an in-depth #MyKubota video case study, shared on Kubota UK’s social media channels, detailing their love for their Kubota machine and how this helps them complete the challenges they face in the workplace, whilst offering publicity for their business.

To enter, users on social media need to send a picture of their Kubota with a small story explaining why they love their machine, tagging in #MyKubota. Running from Monday 7th August to Sunday 17th September, submissions will be received through Kubota UK’s Facebook and Twitter channels and the manufacturer is encouraging entrants to use their imagination and be as fun, creative or professional as they want to be.

Marketing Manager at Kubota UK, Karen Tipping, said: “2017 marks the third year of the #MyKubota competition, which continues to help build Kubota’s thriving online community. This competition is a great way for us to strengthen our relationship with our customers and gives them the opportunity to share their experiences, which are spread over such a variety of applications.”

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