It doesn't seem possible, but we at Service Dealer Towers (remote) are on the verge of sending to the printers, the final issue of the magazine for 2020.

Where has the year gone? I'm not quite sure but I tell you what, wherever it is, it can jolly well stay there and not come back thank you very much!

Anyway, in our issue of the mag dated November / December, we traditionally ask our readers to contribute to a survey, looking back over the season in general terms, seeing how it compared to the one before. This year is no different.

Except it is different. Massively so. 

In doing some research for today's survey, I have been looking back on last year's, which seemed on the whole to be quite positive. 2019 had been a year where many dealers seemingly built back up following the difficulties caused by the prolonged drought of 2018. Overall business, the parts department and the service side were all up on the previous year according to most of our respondents.

Reading back on the some of the comments we received from readers, it's kind of heartbreaking with hindsight knowing what we've gone through, compared to what was hoped for. Dealers spoke of next year "looking promising". They talked about if Brexit was sorted (ahem!) then "next year should be positive". Most of all they were looking forward to some "stability in 2020".

We now know of course, that stability wasn't to be found in this unprecedented year. I remember many industry members referring to 2019 as an 'up and down' kind of a season. If that was the case, this one must be an extreme roller coaster with the brakes removed!

Thinking back on all that we've gone though, the season had barely got underway before lockdown was announced and dealers experienced that confusing period when they didn't know whether they were even allowed to open. Those were seriously worrying times. 

As the months passed we were then hearing about a surge in demand, especially for domestic machinery, from furloughed workers at home, with gardens they wanted to work on. Farmers also never stopped working and needed their dealers to be there for them, more so then ever before with the greater demands on domestic food production.

These increases in demands were of course counterbalanced by the slump on the commercial machinery side with the closure of sporting venues and local authorities redeploying staff away from grass cutting duties. As golf and the like came back on stream we did hear of business picking back up for dealers of the pro kit - but has it been enough to rescue the season?

Coming to the rescue for many has been the advances made online. It's been said that five years progress was made in a matter of months for our sector via e-commerce and virtual marketing. Dealers proved their adaptability once again, using all tools at their disposal.

Bearing all this mind, we're really interested to hear how the various departments in your dealership have fared this season. 

Also we're interested to hear your opinions on a subject which we've discussed on this Weekly Update over the past couple of weeks, and whether you believe it has impacted your business this year - disintermediation. This notion of the supplier cutting out the middleman, or dealer, and suppling goods direct to the consumer has certainly stirred strong feelings amongst some readers. We'd be interested to know if you feel our industry is feeling is effects the way some high street retailers believe.

As ever with our surveys, they are anonymous and there is space to leave your comments on how all the events of this year have affected your business. So please do take a couple of moment today to take the survey and leave your thoughts.

We'll be publishing the results in the next edition of Service Dealer magazine, and as ever we really appreciate and value all your contributions. 

AriensCo has announced the appointment of Stephen Kuester as head of engineering EMEAA reporting to vice president Darren Spencer.

Stephen has spent almost 30 years leading teams developing and launching new products across the consumer, aerospace, automotive and medical device sectors; both in house and as a consultant. He joins Ariens from Adlens Ltd, a company pioneering adaptive optics technologies, where he worked as Engineering Manager since 2018, leading and overseeing a team of mechanical and design engineers to develop novel precision actuated fluid filled lenses for augmented and virtual reality applications for a global US player.

Darren Spencer said, “Stephen joins AriensCo with an impressive track record of managing industrial design and engineering of new product development, from concept through to production. Stephen has owned his own businesses developing new innovative products and has also worked for organisations leading design and engineering teams.

"With this experience, Stephen has developed a skill set that I have no doubt will support the development of AriensCo’s new product development in the future, whilst also becoming a key member of the organisations senior leadership team.”

Stephen says he is extremely pleased to be leading the engineering team in the UK and to have the exciting opportunity to be involved with enabling innovation in new product development to support the growth of the Ariens business.

“We need to renew our efforts for taking the message about the diversity of our industry and exciting new technical innovations into schools in order to drive recruitment,” says Peter Arrand, president of BAGMA (British Agricultural and Garden Machinery Association).

Earlier in the year, he was responsible for re-establishing a new BAGMA Training and Education Committee in order to test out and feed back ideas to the cross party Landbased Engineering, Training and Education Committee (LE-TEC).

“Like all industries, we face on-going challenges to recruit, train and then retain quality staff across dealerships,” he told the latest episode of the Inside Agri-Turf podcast.

Peter Arrand also talked about the role that he and the rest of the committee are playing in formulating the qualification details of the relevant category for the new T Levels that launch this year where the emphasis is on technical rather than academic studies.

He said he hoped that this different route will encourage more young people to consider industries like ours, “which is why it is important to get to them in the early stages of their schooling”.

The podcast conversation with Peter Arrand about the current state of the industry followed those with Paul Hemingway, president of IAgrE and Les Malin, president of AEA.

There have been 10 episodes in the first series of Inside Agri-Turf, launched and produced by Chris Biddle, the founder of Service Dealer.

Chris says, “The podcast is an independent, non-commercial view of the industry. It’s been great fun talking to those at the heart of the industry and I’ve learned a great deal about podcast production over the past few weeks. There will be a new series launching in the Autumn.”

The organisers of the U.S industry trade show have launched GIE+EXPO ToGo, which they say will connect industry members to new products, resources and solutions which they would have found at the show this October.

Exhibitors are currently loading their information into the portal, which will go live in October and remain active through the end of 2020. It can be accessed via www.gie-expo.com starting 1st October.

“As the industry adapts to our new business reality, manufacturers and suppliers are responding and looking for ways to stay connected to the thousands of outdoor power equipment dealers, retailers, landscapers, and hardscape contractors they would have met at GIE+EXPO and HNA,” said Kris Kiser, president and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) and managing partner of GIE+EXPO. “This year, GIE+EXPO ToGo will be that point of connection.”

On the portal, visitors will find:

• Dynamic exhibitor profiles for both GIE+EXPO and Hardscape North America that can be searched by name or product type
• A new product spotlight where exhibitors will launch their latest innovations
• Resources such as product specs, demo videos, special event links, brochures and more
• Exclusive special offers

Beginning 1st October, visitors are encouraged to register for a free My ToGo Planner, which will allow them to save exhibitor listings, links and product information. It also provides access to show specials and discounts. 

“The My ToGo Planner will be the visitor’s ticket to some exclusive opportunities within the portal,” said Warren Sellers, show director. “Manufacturers and suppliers have indicated they will use this as a launch pad for their new products, and some are planning special offers."

Looking ahead, Kris and Warren said their team is already gearing up to make the 2021 shows a dynamic and engaging experience for the entire industry next October.

IAgrE have announced that their conference this year will follow a virtual format with a series of webinars, online via YouTube and Zooms, posted regularly on their website. The conference will cumulate in a virtual meeting on 4 November 2020 at which all the speakers will field questions from delegates.

The Institution say the conference will tackle the potentially conflicting requirements of lean principles and ‘just in time’ manufacturing and the importance of building resilient supply chains.

Speakers at this year's IAgrE conference

Marion King, communications officer at IAgrE said, "Today’s Covid environment has stretched supply chains to their limits and beyond in some cases and the conference aims to help delegates reflect on what has worked, what hasn’t and how organisations and businesses can adapt to flourish in this new landscape.

"The presentations given by speakers representing the world of food supply and distribution, alongside international agricultural machinery manufacture and the UK dealer supply chain, will give delegates structure and ideas that can be taken away and implanted in businesses either side of the supply chain to improve business efficiency and profitability for everyone."

The programme kicks off with IAgrE President Paul Hemingway introducing the event.

Other speakers are:

• Martin Hamer, Fendt national sales manager, will be talking about how Fendt have flexed to accommodate different working approaches. He will also consider how the changes have now embedded in the business and what this means moving forward,
• Richard Halsall, group sales manager for Ripon Farm Services looking at how the company manages inventory, deliveries and the interface between customers and company personnel.
• John Shropshire of G’s Fresh Produce, discussing how lean principles revolve around ensuring efficient delivery of services and products in the fresh produce business.
• Dr Mark Cooper, an independent safety engineer will inform delegates about how they can learn from other organisations in times of difficulty.
• Professor Simon Pearson of the Lincoln Institute of AgriFood Technology will talk about the work which LIAT are involved in and how they relate to food supply efficiency, resilience and change manager.

The conference is free to IAgrE members and a small charge plus a special introductory membership rate is on offer for non-members.

As part of the Sustainable Use Directive (SUD), pesticide application equipment (PAE) testing became a legal requirement in 2016. Any machine applying a professional pesticide must be tested by the specified dates and at regular intervals thereafter.

Ian Forman, National Sprayer Testing Scheme (NSTS) manager says, "To explain this in a bit more detail, the change affects sprayers that are more than 5 years old and have a boom width over 3 metres, air blast sprayers, aircraft, and train sprayers. Currently a test is required every 5 years, but from 26th November it changes to every 3 years. So, for any sprayer of this type tested before November 2017, a re-test is due by that date.

"It is also important to note that sprayers tested any time after 26th November 2017, the test is only valid for 3 years, so if your sprayer was tested for example in June 2018, the next test is due in June 2021."

For all other types of PAE, which includes boom sprayers 3 metres and under, weed wipers, slug pellet and granular applicators and a range of other machines, the requirements remain unchanged at 6 yearly cycles for retest.

Ian continued, "Crop assurance scheme requirements haven’t changed so sprayers are still required to be tested annually. Regular testing is important in helping to ensure safe and accurate application of pesticides, protecting the environment and waterways, but also helping to safeguard the availability of products for the future. A regularly tested machine will reduce the risk of breakdowns, when timing of applications can be crucial for efficient control of weeds, pests and diseases.

"The need for an integrated pest management (IPM) plan to be carried out helps ensure that when the decision has been made to use a pesticide, that the equipment is calibrated and has been tested to a standard that will apply the product in a safe and sustainable way."

Richard Western has announced they are bringing push-off trailer design to its product line, with the launch of a three-model range to be built at its Suffolk factory.

The introduction follows the signing of a deal agreed with Dutch firm USA Equipment, which for some time has had the trailer design manufactured for it under licence in the Netherlands. Richard Western will be manufacturing the product for sale through its network of dealers in the UK and in a number of other European countries.

The principle behind the trailer’s design is both push-off discharge, and also load compression, allowing the potential capacity of the trailer to be fully utilised, and forager harvester output to be thoroughly exploited, while also potentially reducing required trailer numbers. 

The trailer body is of a monocoque design, with folded side walls. Initially a tandem axle 40m3 version will be available, while triple axle models with 50m3 and 60m3 capacities are planned.

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“While the concept of push-off trailers isn’t new, simplicity and ease of use are key characteristics of this design,” said Angus Western, Richard Western managing director.

“This is a market-ready, tried-and-tested product that we believe will help customers mextract significantly greater efficiencies in areas such as forage harvesting, while at mthe same time bringing with it considerable safety benefits from pushing rather than tipping to eject high payloads.”

Prices and final specifications are to be confirmed.

Avant Tecno UK Ltd have announced the appointment of Jas P Wilson as the new agents for their loaders and attachments.

The team at Jas P Wilson

JAS P Wilson are the exclusive dealers for the south of the M8 corridor in Scotland’s central belt to the English border, including the Lothians, Borders, South Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway, where their head office is based.

In a statement, Jas P Wilson said, of the Avant machines "We are confident they will provide a well-rounded solution for our estate, forestry, firewood, council, arb and farm customers, who can now benefit from a compact multipurpose machine.

"Our advanced service commitment, and readiness to provide rapid after sales support for these machines will ensure any Avant owners, new or existing, in our region will receive expert and timely support, as we do with our range of other quality brands.”

The government has released details of its Kickstart Scheme which will provide employers with funding to create job placements for 16 to 24 year olds.

The scheme allows employers to create new six-month job placements for young people who are currently on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment.

This is part of the government’s Plan for Jobs and aims to create hundreds and thousands of new, fully funded jobs across England, Scotland and Wales.

In their report, BAGMA say first placements are likely to be available from November.

Funding will cover for each job placement:

• 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week
• the associated employer National Insurance contributions
• employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions

There will also be extra funding to support young people to build their experience and help them move into sustained employment after they have completed their Kickstart Scheme funded job.

Find out more about the scheme here.

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