You may have already noticed but there is another story this week about a major manufacturer piloting another retailing innovation for specialist gardening machinery.

Husqvarna, hot on the heels of announcing their Battery Box trial in Sweden, have now announced the launch of a ‘pop-up store’ in a major Stockholm shopping centre.

In a statement, the company have said that the aim of the pop-up store is to “boost awareness of the brand to Swedish consumers, allowing homeowners to discover and be inspired by Husqvarna’s new, smart solutions for gardening".

Husqvarna clearly view this fancy indoor shopping mall as an effective means of entering the mass public consciousness.

The level of visibility which this store benefits from via its location next to high-end fashion brands or consumer electronics retailers is immense. It affords their battery products a level of awareness with mainstream consumers which is very difficult for specialist dealers to compete with. Inevitably, traditional dealerships are in industrial estates or out of town locations and just don’t have that walk past appeal.

Which is why if manufacturers are going to increasingly place their battery-powered machines into non-specialist locations, as does appear to be the pattern emerging, dealers need to do all they can to get themselves known.

Placing themselves into the mindset of consumers before they even leave their homes would seem to be a key means of achieving this – which is precisely what the organisers of the Garden Trader website are aiming to do for dealers.

I’ve been told by the website’s owner Duncan Murray-Clarke, who also owns Service Dealer, that over 500 independent dealers have now signed up to the site and are actively using its facilities. Apparently in its first full month of operation during April it received over 31,000 page views – which from a standing start of zero sounds pretty impressive to me (who has nothing personally to do with the site).

Duncan said to me, “We are delighted at how the launch of Garden Trader has gone. Our emphasis from the site’s conception was to create a platform which could promote the specialist trade direct to the public.

“We hope that we have generated a forum which brings the disparate network of independent dealers together. The intention being to increase the public’s knowledge of our vibrant, thriving sector.”

I asked Duncan how he expects the public to discover the site for themselves and he said that the team have been pro-active via social media channels to generate interest.

“We have been very successful driving clicks via Facebook to the new ‘Mow How’ blog we now feature on Garden Trader," he said. "The blog, which includes pieces written by ex-Pitchcare editor Laurence Gale, gives consumers useful content such as seasonal gardening tips and the like which will keep them returning. We also have a New Products section highlighting machinery developments.

“All these elements are there to help communicate clearly to the public the benefits of buying their specialist machinery from an expert, independent dealer. It’s so important for the industry to embrace these modern marketing tools, so they can quickly and easily put themselves directly in front of consumers who are wishing to purchase outdoor powered machinery.”

Hopefully Garden Trader will continue to grow, becoming bigger and better. Apparently the most recent statistics for traffic are showing 42,000 hits per month and rising.

With elements of specialist machinery creeping ever more into mainstream retailing, endeavours like this need to find success and wholehearted industry support.

Argo Tractors, manufacturer of Landini and McCormick products, has appointed AgriArgo UK, its distributor in Great Britain, to also handle whole-goods and parts distribution throughout Ireland.

The appointment results from a mutual agreement between Argo Tractors, D&S Machinery in Dublin and H Fulton Tractors, Dungiven to bring former distribution arrangements to an end.


Landini and McCormick tractor and parts distribution throughout Ireland is now handled by AgriArgo UK from its base in Harworth, South Yorkshire, England

D&S Machinery Ltd became the Landini importer for all Ireland in 1991 and in 2001 was appointed to also handle the McCormick range shortly after Argo Tractors reintroduced the brand.

H Fulton Tractors Ltd was awarded the McCormick agency for selected counties across the north of Ireland in April 2016 and continues under the new arrangement as a retail dealer.

AgriArgo UK is based at Harworth in South Yorkshire, northern England, close to Doncaster, the former home of the McCormick brand.

The company has appointed Will Doyle, who has an established track record in tractor sales and distribution, as area sales manager for Ireland.

AgriArgo UK has begun supporting Irish dealers and end users by supplying parts from the £3 million-worth of stock held at its Harworth premises. All new tractor orders for the Irish market are also now being handled by the company.


Ray Spinks, general manager and sales director at AgriArgo UK Ltd

Ray Spinks, general manager and sales director, acknowledged the support provided by the former distributors, “Having decided to pursue other business opportunities, Michael Devane and his fellow directors at D&S Machinery have done everything possible to ensure a smooth hand-over.

“That gave us time to put in the resources needed to ensure the professional support we give our dealers in Great Britain is available to dealerships in Ireland.

“This is a great opportunity for Irish dealers to get fully behind the Landini and McCormick products and capitalise on the business resources available from AgriArgo UK and our partners, such as stocking plans, retail finance and favourable terms for demonstrator tractors.

“We look forward to hearing from any and all dealers who see the potential for Landini and McCormick tractor sales in their area.”

Ian Holder has been with SCH for 12 years. The company says he knows the operational aspects of the factory inside out and can take over in all departments where needed. Ian also has in intuitive understanding of the SCH machinery, having been closely involved in the development of some of the SCH products.

Jenny Wiggins keeps the office running like clockwork. SCH says that answering customer questions, arranging courier deliveries and trying her best to keep Andrew in order means Jenny has her work cut out! Having worked at SCH for 15 years, the company say there is nothing that Jenny can’t handle and no problem to which she cannot find a solution.

Andrew says he is confident that with Ian and Jenny on board, and with the support of the rest of the team, SCH will continue to go from strength to strength. He can enjoy a slower pace of life, enjoy his (semi) retirement and oversee the next chapter in the SCH story.

Andrew also thanks all their dealers and customers, many of whom have been dealing with SCH since they first began trading and looks forward to the next thirty years.

This season, Husqvarna launches a pop-up store in Täby Centrum, a popular shopping centre in Stockholm.

In a statement the company said the pop-up store "aims to boost awareness of the brand to Swedish consumers, allowing homeowners to discover and be inspired by Husqvarna’s new, smart solutions for gardening".



In the temporary store, Husqvarna say specially trained staff will provide advice and support, using their knowledge of the company’s garden products such as the Automower and the consumer range of battery products, to assist customers on which products would benefit them.

The store is open throughout the entire gardening season, right through to the end of September with the idea coming from the Husqvarna Concept Store located in Barkarby which is open all year round. After the season and the closure of the pop-up store in Täby Centrum, the Husqvarna Concept Store in Barkarby will continue offering support.

The company says the pop-up store is another way to introduce consumers to the Automower. The store will offer both home delivery and installation of its robotic product.

Supporting activity around the store includes digital, print and out of home advertising in local areas. Also demo events and radio commercials to build brand awareness.

Husqvarna Sweden Sales & Marketing Coordinating Manager, Jenny Backryd said, “The Täby Centrum pop-up store is a great way to get to know consumers better and a way for us as a company to discuss the benefits of our gardening products face-to-face in peak season. The feedback we’ve received so far has been very positive, particularly towards Husqvarna Automower as people learn more about our innovative product.”

New Holland say they are pleased to announce that Oakes Bros Ltd is to expand its commercial operations by investing in South Wiltshire.

After many years of successful business as a New Holland dealer, Oakes Bros Ltd has extended its territory and is planning to open a new depot around Salisbury.



The company says the new facility will provide excellence in customer service together with the support of a strong parts stocking in the new facility and other Oakes Bros Ltd branches. It will also offer workshop facilities with technicians based at the Salisbury depot.

Oakes Bros Ltd operates from three other depots in Berkshire, West Sussex and Micheldever, Hampshire and is well established in the area.

Edmund Lindley, Managing Director for Oakes Bros Ltd commented, “We are excited about this new chapter for Oakes Bros Ltd and the opportunity to meet new customers. We think it is the right time for our business and our people to grow. We look forward to developing new business in Wiltshire, while strengthening and supporting our customers in the area, working together with the New Holland team.”

Andrew Watson, New Holland Business Director UK & ROI, added: “Following the news about Francis Bugler’s expansion, this is another testament of the trust and commitment that our dealers have towards the New Holland brand.

"We are delighted that Oakes Bros Ltd is expanding in the south of Wiltshire. The knowledge and experience they bring, together with great aftersales support, will surely be a tremendous asset for New Holland and for the many loyal and new customers in the area."

Etesia UK has announced the appointment of Stephen Muir in a newly formed position as Business Development Manager.

Stephen started his career in the automotive industry in which he worked with brands such as Jaguar, Land Rover and Audi, and it was during this time that he gained his Business Managers Accreditation.

After this successful spell in the automotive industry he moved into the groundcare sector and utilised his experience of working with leading brands by undertaking the role of Area Sales Manager for Ransomes Jacobsen dealer Fairways (GM). 

In his new position as Business Development Manager, Stephen will be further promoting and creating brand awareness for Etesia, and also Pellenc and Oeliatec - for which Etesia are exclusive UK distributors.

Commenting on his new position, Stephen said, “With over twenty years’ experience in sales I believe this is a fantastic opportunity with Etesia UK. We have an excellent product range and I will continue to ensure that our customers are provided with world-class products, service and back-up. It’s an exciting time because we have a host of new innovative products to offer and new customers to find - and I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead."

John Deere’s new 400HP 8400R tractor, which has broken three world records for fuel efficiency and drawbar performance is set to make its first appearance at Cereals. It promises a 2% reduction in fuel consumption compared to the previous top of the range 8370R model. In addition to this, it boasts maximum drawbar performance – beating its nearest competitors by 23% - enabling wider implements to be used to increase productivity.

Cultivation Kit & Drills

A new HE-VA Combi-Lift Pre-Cultivator is set to be launched by Opico at this year’s event, which allows soil loosening at the same time as cultivating or drilling. Designed to subsoil down to 350mm, the Combi-Lift is a versatile machine, suited to a range of tasks, says James Woolway, Opico’s managing director. “The Combi-Lift can be lifted out of work when not needed, while operating the drill or cultivator,” he explains. “This means specific ground can be targeted, such as wheelings, poorly drained areas of the field or pockets of compaction.”

Sprayers

Profiling the most up-to-date innovations and application technology, Syngenta’s Sprays & Sprayers arena will feature again at this year’s event. The arena is set to put 50 of the latest sprayers to test - showing visitors what’s on the market to help them improve efficiency and reduce costs.

Among these, winner of ‘Sprayer of the Year’ at SIMA, is Berthoud’s new trailed sprayer - VANTAGE; suitable for farmers looking for both accuracy and speed. It draws the best features from across Berthoud’s range - including Dualmatic operation that reduces residual volumes by using shorter connecting pipes. With five models available, boom lengths range from 24m to 44m, all boasting good handling and stability thanks to their low centre of gravity and dynamic tank design.

Slurry equipment

Joskin will be debuting its Volumetra slurry tanker at this year’s event - recent winner of the ‘Machine of the Year 2017’ award. Despite a tank capacity of up to 26,000 litres, Volumetra is a compact tanker with a self-supporting structure, designed to minimise its total weight. It is designed specifically for volumetric pumps so it can be efficiently fitted with both spiral and lobe pumps, while limiting the overall dimensions; however, a vacuum pump can also be installed.4

Tyres

Environmental efficiency is becoming increasingly important with pressure on farms to reduce carbon outputs. Alongside choosing the right tractor, farmers can now opt for an eco-friendly tyre sealant which is proven to reduce both puncture costs and downtime.

“The new heavy duty range of sealants help to maintain the correct tyre pressure meaning fuel costs are reduced and tyres last longer,” says Alex Burnand, director at Air-Seal. “Above all, the product - which is capable of sealing punctures of up to 15mm - is extremely environmentally friendly, using Propylene as opposed to Ethylene Glycol, which is non-hazardous and doesn’t contain caustic or acidic materials.”

Other

Available in five reach sizes from 5.6m to 8m, McConnel will launch its new 75 Series Power Arms at this year’s event. Powered by a high-performance 70hp hydraulic system, this new heavy duty power arm series has been designed with professional contractors in mind.

For more information on what will be available to see at Cereals visit the event's website.

Kubota UK has announced the launch of its latest incentive programme, offering customers 0% finance across its RTV range.



This promotion is available on Kubota’s RTV-X900, RTV400 and RTV500 machines, giving customers the opportunity to purchase one of these utility vehicles on the 0% finance scheme on a payment profile of 2+22 monthly payments.

The company says these models enable both groundcare and agriculture professionals to complete a wide range of tasks swiftly and easily.

Customers can take advantage of this offer until the 31st July 2017, receiving 0% finance across all three models from their nearest UK Kubota dealer.

Kent based, specialist grounds care supplier, MAB Groundscare, has become the latest dealer selling Canycom Samurai brushcutters imported by ICB Plant & Machinery Ltd.


The MAB Groundscare team

MAB is a family-run business specialising in providing machinery service and repairs for the grounds care industry and has experience with many makes of machinery.

MAB Groundscare Director, Mark Brown has over 20 years’ experience in the agricultural and groundscare industry and in 2002, he and Amanda established their dealership in west Kent. Since that time, the company has grown almost exclusively by word of mouth recommendations.

Mark said of their new appointment, “We first saw the Canycom Samurai brushcutter at the Saltex Show last November and were really impressed by the build quality and features.

"Having seen the machine in action, we were amazed at what it could achieve. The stability angle of 30˚ is a real selling point with nothing like it on the market.”

E. P. Barrus Ltd is continuing its support of the charity Help for Heroes with the supply of WOLF-Garten garden tools.



Help for Heroes has four Recovery Centres across the UK in Wiltshire, Plymouth, Catterick and Colchester. Each Centre has its own garden and Barrus has donated WOLF-Garten garden tools to the ‘Hero Garden’ at Tedworth House.

Offering one-off workshops, activities in the Rolling Recovery Programme, a weekly Gardening Club and the opportunity to complete the City and Guild Level 2 in Horticulture, the Hero Garden introduces beneficiaries back into the learning environment whilst increasing mindfulness, emotional wellbeing and the opportunity to make friends.

Giles Woodhouse, Head of Recovery South at Help for Heroes said, “We are extremely grateful for the donation of gardening tools from Barrus. These tools have allowed many wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans take up a new hobby and help them to rebuild their lives post injury or illness.”

The weekly Gardening Club focusses on growing vegetables that are used in the Tedworth House kitchen or taken home by the members. The WOLF-Garten tools have proved a real asset as the telescopic handles make the vegetable patches more accessible to everyone in the group.

"The telescopic handles are great, they allow for different working heights for people with mobility problems or that can’t bend. They are useful to adjust the working range and make the area more accessible to everyone in the group, " said Lucy Thorpe, Horticultural Therapist at Help for Heroes.

Midlands based Emak UK Ltd., manufacturers of the Efco and Bertolini garden machinery ranges, have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic individual to join their team.

The successful candidate will be an extremely self driven, energetic individual with a proactive and positive attitude. Applicants should possess a proven track record of selling and demonstrating garden machinery either within a Dealership or a similar field based role.

An excellent remuneration package is available to include competitive salary, bonus scheme, company vehicle, laptop and mobile phone.

If you are confident you have the skills to fulfil this role successfully please email your CV to Neil Turner at nturner@emak.co.uk .

Due to the addition of a major new dealership, our Essex based company has an opening for a skilled technician within our Service Division.

We are a distributor for industrial petrol & diesel engines, transmissions & parts to the trade & Original Equipment Manufacturers.

The successful candidate will be an extremely self-driven, physically fit & energetic individual with a proactive and positive attitude. Applicants should possess a high level of previous experience with petrol & diesel engines, although full training will be given on our exact range of engines & transmissions; a degree of computer literacy will also be beneficial.

Our Engine Dealerships are: Briggs & Stratton, Honda, Kohler, Kubota, Lombardini, Yanmar

Our Transmission Dealerships are: Peerless, Tuff Torq

As well as working out of our Great Dunmow base, the role will also include travelling in our company vehicles across the UK for service/warranty call-outs.

The position offers an attractive salary, private medical insurance & company pension scheme.

If you feel that this position is right for you, please email a CV and covering letter to tricia@uni-power.co.uk ;

or send via post to Uni-power Ltd, Attn: Tricia Paveley, Unit 8 Flitch Industrial Estate, Great Dunmow, Essex CM6 1XJ

Tel: 01371 875331

www.uni-power.co.uk

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

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Want to become a sponsor? Email: julie@theadplain.com