First of all I want to wish you a very happy and prosperous New Year. I hope your Christmas was enjoyable. It was a bit of a mixed bag for some. In my home county of Wexford, we experienced non-stop torrential rain for all of Christmas day. Over three and a half inches fell in some parts, which caused major floods and many bridges to collapse with the strain of bursting rivers. One farmer in my parish was good enough to get his tractor out on Christmas day and come to the aid of distressed neighbours, who were trapped in their flooded homes. When you add the restrictions of reduced family gatherings to all this, it felt a very strange Christmas indeed.

So what lies ahead for 2022? There will be a big move to reduce carbon emissions, right across all industries. With regards to our own sector, I think the demand from customers to purchase more electric and robotic machines will continue. However, I am excited about the research that is ongoing with regard to hydrogen as an energy source. With declining costs for renewable electricity, in particular from solar and wind, interest is growing in electrolytic hydrogen production. Dr. Faith Birol, who is the Executive Director at the International Energy Agency (IEA) said “Hydrogen is today enjoying unprecedented momentum. The world should not miss this unique chance to make hydrogen an important part of our clean and secure energy future”. We will watch this space.

With regard to trade shows and exhibitions, the next two or three months look a little uncertain. BTME and LAMMA have already been postponed, rescheduled to take place in March and May respectfully. This is probably the correct decision as many exhibitors were put in awkward positions - should they exhibit at a stand, that they have already paid for, and risk that they and their customers could catch COVID 19 during the exhibition, or decide not to take part and lose the stand money that they have already paid for? At least these decisions have been made for them. At the time of going to print, the Golf Industry Show (GIS) is still scheduled to take place from the 5th – 10th of February in San Diego. I suspect attendances will be lower both by visitors and exhibitors.

Throughout the pandemic I have been watching the daily case numbers. With the arrival of Omicron, case numbers have risen dramatically over the Christmas period but the hospital numbers have remained steady. Up to recently I have innocently held the view that, as long as hospital cases stay low and don’t rise too much, we should be fine. With over 94% of the population vaccinated, people are not getting as sick as before. However, I took a different view, when a friend of mine made the point that increased case numbers will lead to more infected people having to stay at home and being absent from work, even if they feel reasonably ok. An example was given of a situation where half of the personnel in an emergency response unit, such as the fire brigade, the RNLI, electricity repair crew or mountain rescue teams and even home carers, were to become infected and self isolate, that would lead to a serious situation resulting in people being neglected and abandoned. What if this was to happen in our own industry? We would have less people being available to carry out repairs to machines, and premises would have to temporarily close. So my message is to stay as safe as you can and observe the basic rules of wearing your mask, washing your hands and keeping your distance from others.

Based in Adare, County Limerick, SAMCO is best known for manufacturing mulch film and associated application machinery for the arable and horticulture sectors, alongside selling a range of other agricultural machinery.

Sam Shine (2nd from right) with members of the SAMCO team

From 1st January 2022, the business will also sell the full range of Case IH tractors, harvesting equipment and telehandlers as well as supplying parts and providing a comprehensive after-sales service. The business also plans to open a second depot in Tralee, County Kerry in early 2022.
 
The family business was started in 1997 and is now run by father and sons, Sam, Robert and Matthew Shine, employing over 50 staff and exporting to 25 countries.

“We’re very excited to be adding the Case IH brand to our business,” says Sam Shine. “Our family has used Case IH machinery for many years and it’s a well-respected brand in this area that will complement our existing product range.

"The opening of an additional depot in County Kerry will enable us to service an even greater area of customers and we look are very much looking forward to taking delivery of our first Case IH machines in the New Year.”
 
Commenting on the development, Jon May, Case IH Dealer relationship manager for the UK and Ireland said, “SAMCO is very well-known in the Irish agricultural industry and is an excellent addition to the Case IH dealer network, covering an area that was previously open for the brand. They are a strong business that I am confident will deliver a professional service to existing and new customers in the area."

Taking place throughout January, #Run1000 is back for a second year, with teams representing the home nations (plus New Zealand!), all doing their bit to raise funds for various charities.

Service Dealer owner Duncan Murray-Clarke has his running shoes on (and littler collecting bag in hand!) and is running for the England team. You can pledge to support him here.

Duncan said, "Throughout the month of January I'll be taking part in the #Run1000 challenge aiming to walk and/or run as many miles as possible to raise awareness of mental wellbeing in rural areas. It's a great cause that will be close to the hearts of all our readers."

Organisers of the mental health fundraiser, say they are looking to set a new record this month. Launched in 2021 by founder Sheena Horner, who started running again in lockdown for the first time in 20 years, the campaign was joined by over 1,200 participants last year who walked or ran during the month of January.

Each step counted towards their country’s collective miles, ultimately raising £51,545 for charity. 

With teams this year from Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland and New Zealand, the teams are not only competing to be crowned winners but also raise more money for their chosen charities - RSABI, DPJ Foundation, Embrace Farm, YANA, Farmstrong New Zealand, Farming Community Network, The Gamekeepers Welfare Trust and Vetlife. 

If you want to get involved yourself, it's not too late to sign up. Go here, choose the team you'd like to represent and get running!

Glen Instone has been appointed President of the Husqvarna Division within Husqvarna Group. He will continue to serve as the Group CFO until his successor is appointed.

Glen Instone

"I am very pleased to see Glen become the President of the Husqvarna Division, a role he has been successfully leading since July, combined with his CFO role. His broad experience and knowledge about our company combined with his leadership skills will be of great value to further strengthen and grow the Husqvarna Division” says Henric Andersson, President & CEO Husqvarna Group.

Since joining Husqvarna in 2002, Glen has held various positions including Vice President Global Sales & Services, Husqvarna Division 2016–2018, VP & CFO Husqvarna Division 2014–2017 and VP & CFO EMEA, 2013– 2014. Glen Instone has served as Group CFO since 2018, and as Acting President of the Husqvarna Division since July 1st 2021.

“I look forward to continue to lead the great team within the Husqvarna Division in a truly exciting time in our history. We have re-invented ourselves for more than 330 years and continue to lead the transformation of our industry through electrification, automation, digitalisation and sustainability. With our customers at the center of what we do, we are driving sustainable growth within both the residential and professional business areas,” said Glen.

Glen took up the permanent position within the Husqvarna Division on January 1, 2022. He will continue to serve as the Group CFO until his successor is appointed. The Group CFO recruitment process has been initiated.

As from February 2022, in an industry first, Claas UK will be taking their apprentice training ‘in-house’ in a new dedicated Apprenticeship Academy directly adjacent to the Claas Academy, on the site of the company's UK headquarters at Saxham.

Claas say the development of the new purpose built Apprentice Academy will make them the only UK agricultural machinery manufacturer to offer and deliver an in-house apprenticeship programme that is all under one roof.  It’s also a worldwide first for the Claas Group and with a significant investment of 3 million Euros, the programme will provide a blueprint for the development of similar schemes within the company’s global operation.

To date Claas has seen over 200 apprentices graduate and grow within their dealer network. This has been as a direct result of the commitment and support of their dealer network and the existing training providers. 

However, the company says they recognise that in order to stay ahead they have to keep on running. The original apprenticeship program was created 20 years ago and as their product portfolio and technology has changed, so the training schemes also need to keep apace of these new developments. 

Hence their decision to focus on the importance of 'growing their own' to ensure that their dealership staff of the future have the technical skills and product knowledge required by the customers and their dealer network to provide a first class service.

Andrew Dunne, academy manager said “Our new generation of apprentices will receive specific product training throughout their apprenticeship programme and will be fully integrated and accustomed to Claas, leading to further qualification and progression within the dealerships once qualified.”

The company says they will continue its close working relationships with the current partner colleges to ensure all their existing apprentices complete their programmes successfully and continue their careers at Claas. 

The Academy's inaugural intake of apprentices from dealerships will commence in February 2022, with a further cohort joining the scheme in autumn 2022. Initially Claas UK will be delivering the Land-Based Service Engineer Technician Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard, but as the Academy develops it is planned to expand apprentice numbers and courses available.

The apprenticeship programs will be delivered by Claas dedicated trainers alongside specialist product trainers from the Academy. In preparation for the new programme, not only has an Apprenticeship Academy been established on site, the Claas Academt itself has been extended and remodelled to provide additional bespoke facilities for the apprentices, namely specialist fabrication, engine, hydraulic and electronic workshops, classrooms and break-out areas. This expansion sees the Academy grow by a further five workshops and six classrooms, together with dedicated digital studios.

Claas UK has received full Government approval to join the apprentice training register. In the future the manufacturer will also be collaborating with the Scottish Rural College (SRUC) to deliver apprenticeships for Scottish candidates from the new Apprentice Academy at Saxham.

“This is a significant strategic step for the development and sustainability of our business,” explains Brian Wain, chief operating officer for Claas UK. “In an industry which combines advanced technology with practical applications, we have to invest in the people who will be our future engineers, for our dealer partners, and our final customer, if we are all to succeed in the field.”

The Toro Company has reported results for its fiscal fourth-quarter and full-year periods ended October 31, 2021.

“We exceeded our top- and bottom-line guidance for fiscal 2021, driving double-digit net sales growth for both the quarter and full-year for our professional and residential segments,” said Richard M. Olson, chairman and chief executive officer. “We delivered these solid results, despite global supply chain challenges and inflationary pressures. Once again, with great resolve our employees and channel partners collaborated to serve the needs of our customers.

“We also continued to lead the way in offering no compromise, sustainable solutions across both segments. In October, we launched our battery-powered Revolution Series stand-on and zero-turn riding mowers. Equipped with our proprietary Horizon360 business management software and HyperCell battery system, these commercial-grade products enable a smarter, more connected fleet and will run a full work day on a single charge. For residential customers, we added a two-stage snow thrower to our ever-expanding Flex-Force 60V product lineup. We are positioning the company for future growth with continued investments in capacity and the key technology areas of alternative power, smart connected and autonomous.

“As we enter the new fiscal year, we continue to see robust demand for our innovative products and remain focused on serving our customers,” added Olson. “We are encouraged by the benefits we are realizing from our productivity initiatives and pricing actions. At the same time, we anticipate the challenging macro environment will continue for at least the near term. We will remain focused on managing our expenses prudently, while also prioritising investments that support long-term, sustainable growth across our businesses.

“I would like to thank our team for coming together to perform and exceed our fiscal 2021 Power Forward employee initiative goals for net sales and adjusted operating earnings. I am excited to announce our new three-year Drive for Five initiative, which will continue to align and engage employees across the enterprise toward collective goals. The core focus of the new initiative will be to exceed $5 billion in annual net sales through organic growth, while improving profitability, by the end of fiscal 2024. We have strong momentum heading into the new fiscal year, guided by our enterprise strategic priorities of accelerating profitable growth, driving productivity and operational excellence, and empowering people.”

For fiscal 2022, management expects net sales growth in the range of 8% to 10% and *adjusted EPS in the range of $3.90 to $4.10 per diluted share. This estimated adjusted diluted EPS range excludes the tax benefits recorded as excess tax deductions for stock compensation. This guidance is based on current visibility and reflects expectations for a strong demand environment and increasing net price realization, coupled with the continuation of a challenging operating environment.

SALTEX have announced the results of their post-show survey of exhibitors.

According to organisers the GMA, 93% of exhibitors said the show generated new sales leads, while 96% believed SALTEX was perfect for promoting and maintaining their company profile.

In addition, 81% of exhibitors said that exhibiting was important to their overall business strategy and 82% believed it was a perfect opportunity to meet existing customers.

When asked to rate their primary target audiences, the below sectors received the highest number of responses. 

• Professional sports - 48%
• Local authorities, councils, parish, town planning - 48%
• Contractors – land construction, grounds - 41%
• School, colleges, universities - 40%
• Dealers, distributors, retailers - 40%
• Landscapers - 33%

Furthermore, 71% of exhibitors stated that they will be returning to exhibit at SALTEX 2022.

This year's edition of the show will be held at the NEC, Birmingham on 2-3 November.