Publishing next week is Service Dealer's Digital Special Report, covering extensively the Equip trade show that took place in Louisville, Kentucky during October.

The world's largest outdoor power machinery industry exhibition, owner of our titles Duncan Murray-Clarke attended with the magazine’s diarist of the season for 2024, dealer Jo Balmer of Balmers GM, plus our video expert David Comiskey.

The team gathered and produced tons of content for the Digital Special Report, the through-line for much, is following Jo as a first-time UK dealer visitor to this incredible show. Her experience of the OPEI's event, illustrates just what a trip to Louisville could offer to other UK dealers. The scale of the show is genuinely something to behold. There's so much to see, interact with and enjoy, it's a lot to take in. With Jo's help, we hope the Report offers a flavour of what other UK dealers could expect should they decide to make a trip in subsequent years.

As well as Jo's experiences representing the network though, another narrative thread becomes apparent across the content of the Report. Through conversations that Jo and Duncan have with manufacturer representatives on their stands, plus as part of an epic five-part roundtable discussion with Bob Clements of BCI alongside our American columnist Sara Hey, the subject of battery-powered tools and robot solutions crops up many times.

To generalise, it appears that at the moment there is quite a distinct difference between our two nations in the uptake of these technologies. From what Duncan and Jo discovered walking the aisles, exploring the vast demo plots, and talking to those in the know, battery and robotic solutions are much more prevalent over here. Prevalent both in their promotion by manufacturers and dealers as well as in their uptake by consumers - homeowners and professionals alike.

It's a subject that's also raised by Duncan as part of his conversation with Kris Kiser, President and CEO, of the show's organisers the OPEI. Friend of our magazine, Kris acknowledges that battery-power take up amongst U.S professionals has been slow but, as evidenced at Equip this year, the manufacturers are very much working in that space, producing large, commercial units.

Kris told Duncan, "I think there is some real-world experience in the battery space from our commercial end-users. We have big lawns here. If it’s cold, if there’s tall, wet grass, or on a slope – it has been a challenge with battery. But the acceptance is growing – certainly in California where a law prevents the sale of gasoline products. It’s taking off there."

Kris goes on explain how the market is progressing for homeowners, though, saying, "But on the consumer side, there’s very distinct movement. It’s transitioning." He concludes, "Quite simply, the use of technology is now extraordinary in the business."

So whilst the market is undeniably coming on, it is interesting that in our country we do appear to be a few years ahead of where our colleagues in the States are with these technologies. Why is this? I'd be interested to hear our dealer readers thoughts on this today in the comments below.

I guess an inescapable truism is that our transatlantic cousins, quite simply really like petrol (or rather gas) power. On top of this, traditional fuel is still relatively inexpensive at American pumps. Other factors could be that yards are larger over there meaning battery has struggled thus far; it could be argued we perhaps have more of a culture of environmental awareness; or maybe there has just been a quicker, stronger push by our manufacturers to get these tools out into the market in the UK?

But what do you, our dealer readers, think? Please leave a message and let us know.

And of course, do check out our Equip Digital Special Report when it's published next week.