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EDITOR'S BLOG

A POSITIVE GROUNDSFEST
Improvements across the board
by TurfPro Editor, Laurence Gale MSC, MBPR

There were more exhibitors and visitors last week at Stoneleigh, with an atmosphere of the old, outdoor Windsor show.

Last week I attended a very positive GroundsFest at the Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. To me it felt like a vast improvement on last year’s inaugural show, that was beset by poor weather. This year the weather was much kinder and the organisers had made many improvements in terms of signage, refreshments and toilet provision - along with a better layout for the exhibitors.

There were certainly more exhibitors this year with over 500 brands represented. It felt to me very much like the atmosphere of the old, outdoor Windsor show.

Many of the exhibitors I spoke to were very pleased with the layout and footfall of the first day. Chris Bassett, one of the shows organisers, was on hand to give out the complementary trade bag at the main entrance on Day 1 and he told me he’d handed over 2500 bags by mid-morning. I’ve subsequently heard from Chris that the early unofficial attendance figures are looking like 4738 for the first day and 3276 for day two. These are just visitor numbers, not exhibitors, and are up on year one.

There was plenty of machinery on display with both manufacturers and dealers exhibiting a vast range of products. There seemed a greater presence of battery powered products on show, with the likes of STIHL, Kress, EGO, Milwaukee,Echo, Makita and others showing off their latest offerings.

I called on the EGO stand and was keen to see what they had new coming to market. I will hopefully be trying out their power washer, multi tool scarifier and their new 21-inch rotary mower in the new year. Speaking to Steve Roskell, marketing director (EMEA) of EGO on their stand, he said he was very pleased with the show and that EGO products are being well received in the industry, with more and more professional users turning to them. He also said they were going to bring a robotic mower to market next year.

Speaking of which, it was also noticeable the increased number of robots we saw at the show. They were everywhere, all different styles and formats. With increased technologies and versatility, we now have vast range to choose from – with one even, that can both cut grass and mark out pitch lines.

Many manufacturers are now offering a choice of products for both domestic and professional customers. Some have cameras on to help deal with obstacles or when they lose GPS signals they still can operate.

There was also a robotic device (BUKY ONE robot brush) that has been designed to sweep and clean artificial playing surfaces.

There were also several robotic line-markers on show. During the day I caught up with Ellie Parry from Groundsman Training who was keen to announce that they now have a Lantra accredited course dedicated to the training and use of the Origins range of robotic line markers.

The outdoor demonstration areas and stand space was at least three times the size of last year’s show and well laid out. Many of the exhibitors I spoke to were very happy with their stand space and the interest they were getting form the attendees.

The Landscape Zone was also very busy with plenty of exhibitors offering a wide range of products and services to see. Agrovista had a stand promoting tree care products, along with several nurseries and suppliers of hedging and plant materials.

Personally, I believe it makes sense to invite the landscape sector along, integrating the services you need to manage and maintain open spaces and sports facilities.

I was also asked to speak at the show as a guest of Lantra along with four other industry professionals - Tom Arnold chair of the Lawncare Association, Jim Croxton CEO of BIGGA and Alisdair Mason, development director of Landguard. The subject was centred around the challenges facing the industry.

In summary, Tom spoke about the need to legislate and improve the lawn care industry with the aim to set industry standards for people providing a lawn care service. Jim spoke about the need to address some key issues regarding the welfare of greenkeepers in term of salaries, retaining staff and improving working conditions. He also spoke about some climate issues with water resources becoming an important issue with regards to eesilience of supply, efficiency / optimisation of use. Plus what the ever-changing weather fronts impose on the maintenance inputs of a golf course.

Alisdair meanwhile, was keen to point out the challenges facing contractors using pesticides, namely the bad press of Glysophate.

As for me, I spoke about the loss of skills in the amenity sector particularly in local authority where over the last 40 plus years, we have seen a dramatic loss of skilled horticulturists working in the sector - mainly due the austere budget cuts being made by councils. I was also keen to mention the difficult problem our industry is facing with regard to recruiting new blood into the industry. It seems that the modern generation either do not know about the opportunities available for them or they are shy of getting their hands dirty. Many businesses are finding it hard to recruit new members of staff across all sectors of the landscape /amenity and sports turf industry.

I said on numerous occasions that we have a plethora of industry organisations trying to solve this, but unfortunately, it’s not enough to make a significant difference.

I believe it is finally time that all these essential organisations, such as the likes of BALI, GMA, PMA, BIGGA, R&A, Fields In Trust, Association of professional Landscapers, HTA, Landscape Institute , RHS and many others need to come together to provide a national campaign to deliver a bespoke introductory National Apprenticeship / academy scheme that would see 5000 new recruits per year for the next five years. This would not only promote this sector but raise the profile of what we do and deliver on so many fronts.

Most people I spoke to at the show agreed that we need to do something sooner than later.

To sum up though, for me I think that this year’s show was a success and it will be interesting to see what happens in the coming years in terms of the growth of GroundsFest.

NEWS

ENGAGEMENT IN TRAINING & QUALIFICATION INCREASES
Industry upskills

Training and qualification engagement has increased

In our first WEB ONLY story, provider says they have seen a 43% rise in uptake of its training compared to this time last year.

BIGGA TEAM UP WITH THE R&A
Enhancing offering

In our next WEB ONLY story, Association says they are proud The R&A has recognised the pivotal role greenkeepers play in the success of golf.

SALES DIRECTOR APPOINTED
Following retirement

New man has over 30 years of experience in the machinery industry.

GreenMech have announced the appointment of David Blackwood as their new sales director, following the retirement of Martin Lucas.

David Blackwood

The company says David joins with a wealth of business acumen gleaned from over 30 years of experience in the machinery industry, giving him the foundation to flourish in his new role - leading the sales operation across the UK and throughout GreenMech’s global network.

David started his career as a design engineer in the Massey Ferguson tractor factory in Coventry. From here, he spent the next 15 years working for Massey Ferguson/AGCO in the Asia Pacific region - looking after all aspects of the business, including product support, sales and marketing. He then took up a position with Kubota UK, managing the sales and marketing for their tractor and groundcare business throughout the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia and the Baltics. David went on to return to AGCO, this time to manage sales of FELLA hay tools for western Europe and latterly all markets outside of Europe, for a further 10 years before, most recently, becoming UK and export sales manager at Stocks Ag.

With over three decades of knowledge and experience dealing with sales at home and overseas, GreenMech say David is well placed to spearhead the their sales team and dealer network around the UK, together with supporting distributors around the world in conjunction with colleagues from GreenMech France and GreenMech Germany.

Commenting on his appointment David said, “Having started at the beginning of July, I feel I have already gained huge insight into the market, its challenges, but also importantly, its opportunities. I look forward to meeting GreenMech customers past and present, along with other friends and associates at APF 2024.”

He added, “Together with everyone at GreenMech, we wish to extend a massive thank you to Martin for all he has done and achieved with the company and wish him the very best for a long and fulfilling retirement.”

PRO DEALER HOLDS SUCCESSFUL RIDE & DRIVE DAY
Testing out utility range

Dealer hosted successful ride and drive day

The utility vehicle manufacturer praised the dealer saying the quiet, scenic setting amplified the experience.

Polaris UK dealer, Gammies Groundcare, based in Forfar, Angus, hosted a successful Ride & Drive demo day last week, inviting customers to test out the full utility line-up from the manufacturer.

“The event hosted by Gammies Groundcare was a fantastic opportunity to showcase Polaris vehicles in action,” said Neil Pirie district sales manager at Polaris. “Attendees were impressed by how the vehicles handled the terrain, and the quiet, scenic setting only amplified the experience. Gammies Groundcare hosted a fantastic day, well done to Les, Sophie and the team.”

Taking place on the grounds surrounding Glamis Castle, over 20 customers attended, both prospective and existing, for a day of putting the vehicles through their paces.

Various models were available to demo. Once chosen, attendees headed out on the trail taking them on an adventure around the grounds of the Strathmore Estate, intertwined with woodlands providing challenging environments of bumps, corners and difficult terrain.

MOST 'INTERNATIONALLY DIVERSE' SHOW PROMISED
Upcoming event

Organisers say this year’s event will welcome exhibitors and visitors from across the globe.

Organisers of SALTEX say the show set for its most internationally diverse exhibition to date.

This year’s event will welcome exhibitors and visitors from across the globe. Under the theme 'Uniting the Industry, Powering Progress,; SALTEX 2024 promises an unprecedented number of international exhibitors. The GMA says exhibitors from 14 countries including Canada, India, Japan, Pakistan, and the United States will showcase their latest advancements at the NEC on 30th and 31st October.

Companies such as EGO (Germany), Hilltip (Finland), SGL (Netherlands), EGHOLM (Denmark), and The Aquatrols Company (United States) will be among the 23 international exhibitors displaying their products.

With over 700 square meters of the exhibition space dedicated to international representation, SALTEX say they are a global stage for the latest developments in grounds care. Additionally, visitors from countries such as Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Nepal, and Iceland have already registered.

Sarah Hunter, head of events at the GMA said, "It’s fantastic to see such a vast range of international representation at this year’s exhibition. Every year, we see more and more professionals from around the world coming together to share ideas and learn from each other. This sense of unity is what makes SALTEX so special - it’s not just about showing the latest advancements, but also about growing meaningful connections within the industry."

KRAMP STORE OPENED BY DEALER
Expands into retail

Dealer says expansion is linked to their plans to take the next step in the growth of their machinery business.

C T Scott have expanded into retail by opening a Powered By Kramp retail store at its Insch depot in Aberdeenshire.

Craig Scott, managing director of C T Scott, says the decision to open a retail store was linked to their plans to take the next step in the growth of their machinery business.

“We had outgrown our office, needed a bigger workshop, and wanted to recruit someone to manage our parts department,” says Craig. “The decision was made to build a completely new building alongside our workshop (at the Insch depot), giving us a separate parts department, retail shop and new office space.

“We looked at several shop suppliers. We went with Kramp because they are professional at it, have a team dedicated to doing retail shops, research what sells and have a team to do the installation. Nobody else could offer the variation or the team behind it,” explains Craig.

Kramp retail consultant Gary Cartwright worked with C T Scott to set up the store and was impressed with the site.

“Everything is done to a high specification, and the store looks incredible,” says Gary.

The store opened on the 8th of August. Craig says he has been delighted with the initial feedback from his customers. They are now looking forward to holding an open day on the 28th of September, which offers customers the opportunity to look around the store and meet the team

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