We're just about coming down here at Service Dealer Towers, following on from last week's Conference & Awards!

There's now plenty of wrap-up work going on behind the scenes to bring you further coverage of what was a truly memorable day and night in Stratford-Upon-Avon.

There will be plenty of video footage cropping up across our social media channels, a raft of professional photography to enjoy on our website and a comprehensive account of the entire event featured in the January/February '26 edition of the magazine. All of which are being meticulously worked on as we speak. So keep 'em peeled for more!

I always believe that taking place at this time of the year, the Conference & Awards has a sort of 'end of term' feel about it. It's a celebration of a season of incredibly hard work for everyone and (almost) the start of a winding down period, heading towards that well-earned Christmas break.

I suspect that as dealers are inching towards that much-deserved period of (hopefully) relaxation, there will first be some taking stock and looking back across the year to consider what worked for the business and what might want to be re-thought when the new year rolls around. It may also be a time when, like at the Conference last week, hearing someone else's fresh perspective on matters, might offer some valuable inspiration as to how you may look to change things up where required.

As such, I'd like to point you in the direction of a blog published this week by our great friend and columnist for our magazine, Sara Hey from dealer training specialists, BCI in the States (you can also catch up with Sara in a series of podcast-style discussion videos on our recently published Equip Digital Special Report).

In her latest post Sara addresses for her American dealer clients, what she believes is The Year End Check Up Every Dealer Should Do.

In her piece Sara lays out a series of simple yet probing questions that she believes dealerships should be asking themselves at this time of year. Although she’s writing with American dealers in mind, it seems to me that much of what she discusses feels entirely relevant to our readers here in the UK.

One of her central themes is the idea of balance within the dealership. She talks about the importance of understanding how your revenue breaks down across whole goods, parts and service - not because there’s a single “right” distribution for every business, but because imbalance often reveals where attention is needed. It’s an approach that encourages business owners to look beyond headline sales figures and consider how each department is pulling its weight. For UK dealers facing rising costs and shifting customer expectations, that kind of knowledge about the business is surely invaluable?

Another point she raises is about the true cost of leads - not just what you spent to generate them, but how well they were followed up. Sara is clear that leads are only worth something if your team is acting on them quickly and consistently. It’s a sentiment that rings just as true on this side of the Atlantic. Whether your enquiries arrive via your manufacturer partners, social media or people simply walking through the door, the speed and quality of follow-up can presumably make or break a sale?

Sara also talks about importance of understanding your parts availability, as well as on the service side measuring what she terms as the service recovery rate - the proportion of technician time that actually translates into billed work. I think both of these areas our UK & Ireland dealers will directly relate to.

Finally, Sara poses a deceptively simple question: did you achieve the profit you intended to make this year, or did you just end up with whatever was left? It’s a brilliant challenge because it forces you to confront whether your profit was genuinely planned for or simply a by-product of how the year unfolded. Given the financial pressures our dealer readers continue to navigate, intentional planning rather than hopeful forecasting feels more important than ever.

There’s nothing in Sara’s blog that feels exclusive to US dealerships to me. If anything, it’s a useful checklist of themes that any dealership should be thinking about as we close out the year. I’d encourage you to give it a read today, and consider which of her questions might be worth asking within your own business.

GreenTec A/S, the Danish manufacturer machinery for professional green-area and agricultural maintenance, has announced a new dealership agreement with Wilfred Scruton Ltd, one of Yorkshire’s most established machinery distributors.

Josh Allen of GreenTec and Laura Bell of Wilfred Scruton

The manufacturer says the partnership marks a significant step in their ongoing expansion in the UK market and supports the company’s commitment to strengthening local sales and after-sales support. They say that as demand for their hedge cutters, hydraulic saws, and other professional tools continues to grow across the UK, ensuring reliable customer support has become increasingly important. Wilfred Scruton Ltd was a natural choice due to their long-standing reputation for high service standards, technical expertise, and deep roots in the local farming community.

Josh Allen, UK sales manager at GreenTec, said, “The match between our values was prioritized by both parties. As we are both family-run businesses, we share a practical understanding of how to act quickly, support customers effectively, and build long-term relationships. The partnership ensures excellent service for farmers, contractors, and landowners choosing GreenTec in the region.” 
 
Laura Bell, director at Wilfred Scruton Ltd added, “GreenTec is a great fit for our product range. We always aim to supply high-quality, reliable machinery to our customers, and GreenTec’s reputation for durability and innovation aligns perfectly with that mission. We’re excited to bring their products on board.” 

Although remaining well below the seasonal average, according to figures released by the AEA, the number of agricultural tractors registered in the UK during November was slightly higher than a year before.

The annual figure of 8,250 machines, though, is still 13% lower than the total reached by this point last year.

Agricultural economist at the Association, Stephen Howarth, explained, "That is the second time in three months that this year's figure has been above the same month in 2024. In fact, the 421 machines recorded represented the highest November total since 2022, although it was just 3% higher than in November 2024 and was only about three-quarters of the five-year average for the time of year. That is about the same shortfall, compared with the seasonal average, as for the year to date."

Kverneland Group UK has announced that Ancroft Tractors has joined its dealer network to sell, service and support their full product range.

Ancroft Tractor's dealer principal, Tom Brown

Headquartered at Berwick upon Tweed, Ancroft Tractors operates with two additional depots located at Kelso and Macmerry, giving the company coverage throughout Northumberland, the Borders plus Mid- and East Lothian.

“We are really pleased to be given this opportunity to further develop our business with such a prestigious range of arable, grassland and feeding equipment,” said Ancroft Tractors dealer principal Tom Brown. “Kverneland’s range provides our business with more opportunities to support new and existing customers that are looking for the best in grassland and arable machinery.”

Ancroft Tractors operates with 12 service technicians across the business, providing mobile and workshop-based support. Its three depots provide workshop facilities and yard space from which the business can continue to grow. Along with trained engineers and an extensive stock of original parts, Ancroft Tractors is well-placed to ensure that existing Kverneland customers in the area will continue to be supported, without interruption. 

Dan Crowe, Kverneland managing director, said: “We are pleased to welcome Ancroft Tractors into our dealer network, to continue to sell, service and support our product range in these important locations.”

The Turfgrass Growers Association (TGA) has announced details for the 2026  TGA Demonstration Day, which will take place on Thursday, 2 July 2026, hosted by Grasslands Turf in Kent. 

The Demonstration Day is the Association’s flagship technical  and industry event, bringing together growers, suppliers and sector specialists from across the UK. 

Delegate tickets will go on sale in the New Year, with further information to be announced via the TGA website and social media channels. 

Richard Owens, Chair of the TGA, said, “The Demonstration Day is always a highlight in the TGA calendar, and we are delighted to be hosted by Grasslands Turf in 2026. It is an invaluable opportunity for growers and suppliers to connect, share knowledge and showcase innovation across the industry. Events like this play an important role in supporting high standards, collaboration and the continued professionalism of the turf sector.” 

The 2026 Demonstration Day will include: 

• Live machinery and equipment demonstrations
• Exhibitor stands
• Opportunities for companies to run on-field trials or demonstrations
• Networking with growers, agronomists, technical specialists and manufacturers
• Guidance aligned with TGA Standards, sustainability priorities and best practice

As in previous years, the event will conclude with a post-event celebratory dinner.

The Claas Foundation has honoured a new cohort of young agricultural researchers at its annual awards ceremony, held on 26 November at the company’s Harsewinkel headquarters – with two UK-based students among this year’s prize winners.

Now in its 26th year, the Foundation supports international innovation in agricultural engineering through its Helmut Claas Scholarships and bonus awards.

Flora Lucy Gray from Durham University secured second place in the main scholarship awards. Her work examined how maize and nitrogen-fixing plants can act as indicators of different farming systems, offering useful evidence on the impacts of regenerative versus conventional practices on soil health.

A bonus prize also went to Maria Pinheiro from the University of Glasgow. Her project explored the use of chemical enhancers to boost the bactericidal effectiveness of bacteriocins against plant pathogens - research with strong potential for improving the protection of staple crops.

Other top prizes this year included first place for Laura Eckhardt (University of Hohenheim) for AI-based optimisation of soil cultivation processes, and further awards recognising innovations in machinery automation, sustainable arable systems, and grain-sorting technology.

The ceremony also included special anniversary awards marking the Foundation’s 25th year, highlighting forward-thinking projects in vertical wheat farming, data-driven machinery simulation and next-generation digital training environments.

The latest independent research showed that on average, each Garden Trader dealer will be sent 114 new customers (or people with a buying intention walking through your door) per year.  This works out at 83p for each new customer. A subscription rate designed to be all inclusive delivering unrivalled online results.  

This site was purpose-built just for skilled servicing ground care dealers by the team that bring you Service Dealer Magazine. It is easy and quick to register and costs just £96 + VAT per year for a full listing.

Since the site launched over 7 years ago, it has raised the profile of listed dealers to well over half a million potential customers and as the site is designed to promote the UK dealer network, all revenues have continued to be reinvested into promoting the site online and so supporting the dealer network.

Join the country’s only independent specialist website, created by the team that bring you Service Dealer. Join our subscribed Garden Trader dealers now by clicking on “Register Dealership” and let's fight back against the zero value retailers.

Map of dealerships registered with Garden Trader

FIND OUT MORE