Three videos by new industry recruits, prove that land-based engineering can engender enthusiasm amongst younger people - but there's no doubt that the oxygen of publicity is required to turn this spark into a flame.
His award was actually bestowed last year but, you know, circumstances got in the way and the presentation was delayed. This week even, the hand-over couldn't take place in person and was done virtually. But still, better late than never, and it goes without saying, incredibly well deserved.
In his so-called 'retirement', Chris is continuing to keep his finger on the industry's pulse. He has a thriving podcast (currently on a between-season break), writes a regular, thought-provoking column in Service Dealer magazine, and occasionally contributes a Viewpoint to this Weekly Update - which never fails to get people talking.
Last week's contribution was no different, offering his opinions on industry identity cards and the LTA. Chris's point was the Landbased Training Accreditation scheme that saw widespread support upon its launch in 2007, has fallen under the radar somewhat in recent times and requires the "oxygen of publicity" to ignite it in the collective consciousness once again.
Chris acknowledged that perhaps the custodians of the scheme, LE-TEC, might feel that their hands are tied in this regard, with the manufacturers who they rely upon to financially support the endeavour, seemingly going cool on the initiative.
His words provoked responses from some well-known industry figures. Peter Leech, ex of John Deere and a past IAgrE President, agreed with Chris, saying that whilst there are those that complain that something needs to be done about recruitment and retention, why didn't they " . .get on board a fantastic programme . . that was designed and developed to address those problems."?
David Kirshner, independent consultant to land-based engineering and past winner of a Service Dealer lifetime contribution award, also felt that the LTA is a " . . perfect example of a proactive industry identifying a solution to the very real problem of recruitment, retention and training of technicians". However, he did unfortunately feel that " . . there is an apathy within industry employers when it comes to investment in time and resources to address industry challenges."
Representing one third of the organisers of the LTA ,Keith Christian of BAGMA, who co-run LE-TEC with the AEA and IAgrE, pointed out that the scheme is still active, with regular news updates distributed, a registration system, certificates and a photo ID card which states a holder's qualifications.
"It's all there," said Keith, "but it does need the industry to support it."
Dynamic new ambassadors
Clearly, it's frustrating for all concerned, because the desire for everyone with a vested interest in the industry, will be broadly the same. All will want to see more young people encouraged to take up roles in the landbased industries and continue on into a long and rewarding career.
We can see from LE-TEC today in fact, some wonderful real-life examples of new blood entering our sector and succeeding marvelously. The committee's recent competition to search for Technicians of 2021, has discovered three amazing new ambassadors for the industry.
I encourage everyone today to check out the three videos made by the winning young people, Laura, Lauren and Chris. Their enthusiasm for their jobs is palpable and offers great hope for the future.
In her clip, Laura Bassnet who works for Ernest Doe Power and who claimed first place says, "I find the job here at Doe’s so interesting because each day is so diverse. The team have gone above and beyond to support and mentor me, offering a positive approach to my learning."
She goes on to say, "I find this job so rewarding because not only are we supporting our local farmers and giving back to our local community, but we're also continually adapting to upcoming technology. Thanks to Ernest Doe I was given the opportunity to turn my ambitions into a career."
Laura, Lauren and Chris's videos all prove that there are young people out there, who don't necessarily come from a farming or engineering background, but when given the opportunity, can absolutely thrive in the dealership. The problem of course is, many will have never even considered applying for industry roles for a myriad of reasons - and high amongst those, must be the relatively low-profile of the sector.
Hopefully dynamic new advocates for land-based engineering such as Laura, Lauren and Chris, can cut through and connect with other young people - proving that these jobs are not just a closed shop, only available for those with an established history in the trade.
Alongside this, employers may need to consider hiring on attitude and enthusiasm, rather than pre-acquired skills, as a positive move going forward. Employing on personality is clearly a more time-consuming approach, requiring increased training and mentoring up front, but in the long-run, potentially much more rewarding for all involved.
Across the board, dealers, manufacturers, trade bodies and industry commentators, will all be fundamentally on the same page. All will be desperate for the industry to be promoted in a positive, exciting light, with the intention of attracting newcomers to begin a career in land-based engineering.
Initiatives such as LE-TEC's search for Technicians of 2021, must be commended and could prove to be a useful tool for spreading the word about what's on offer to young recruits to our sectors.
What one would like to see happen is that the oxygen of publicity, creates a spark that gets those videos, and hopefully more initiatives like them, seen by enough people - which of course, requires a concerted and on-going effort by all invested in the future of the industry.
In our WEB ONLY story this week, designed to celebrate and find the UK’s best technicians in the land-based engineering sector, entrants were asked to submit a short video explaining three aspects of themselves.
The Royal Academy of Engineering is supporting an NFU project to enable children to get a taste of life as an agricultural engineer.
The Royal Academy of Engineering is supporting a National Farmers union (NF) project to enable children to get a taste of life as an agricultural engineer.
The funding, which totals £29,125, will allow the NFU Education team to deliver interactive afterschool club sessions throughout the autumn term where children will get a taste of life as an agricultural engineer.
As well as delivering the online sessions, this funding will enable the NFU to build its bank of 3D tours to include different engineering workspaces, such as Harper Adams University and the Small Robot Company, alongside its current 3D farm tours.
This project is the latest NFU STEM resource which will be freely available alongside the existing Farmvention competition, Farming STEMterprise programme and Science Farm Live lessons.
NFU President Minette Batters said: “There is a skills gap within our society across all STEM roles and the lack of young people taking up engineering courses and jobs is quite stark.
“Yet this is such an exciting and important time for the engineering industry which plays a crucial role within food production, and all aspects of our society, especially as the country looks to build greener infrastructure and technologies to help realise its net zero ambition.
“But at the moment there are so many children who don’t get enough exposure to the opportunities in engineering, and whose schools don’t have the opportunity to explore the topic in much detail or take classes on trips to science and engineering museums”
Chris Biddle writes:
Here surely is an initiative in which the whole industry, manufacturers and dealers, can engage in a co-ordinated manner. There are a number of STEM Ambassadors with extensive experience of this industry, and in the past initiatives such as Tractors in Schools have proved very popular and effective.
Obviously, restrictions imposed by the pandemic have brought such activities to a halt, but with the project not starting until the Autumn, but there is surely time to work out how the whole of the landbased engineering sector could assist in practical ways to help plant the seeds of opportunity in young minds.
Chris Biddle, who founded Service Dealer magazine in 1988, has been awarded the Institution of Agricultural Engineers (IAgrE) 2020 Award for Contribution to the Landbased Industry.
The Award was due to be presented in April 2020 at the HQ of Amazone UK, but the ceremony was cancelled due to the pandemic and was handed over virtually by IAgrE President Paul Hemingway in an online Awards ceremony last Tuesday (27 April). He was co-winner of the Award, which was also presented to industry consultant David Kirschner for his work on developing apprenticeship standards for the landbased engineering industry.
Chris has spent almost 60 years in the landbased engineering industry, starting out as a demonstrator for Ford Tractors based at the iconic Boreham House near Chelmsford.
He then spent over 25 years in an ag and turfcare dealership where he worked as a salesman, ran the grass machinery division and was managing director of a multi-branch dealership in the West Country.
After a change of company ownership, in 1988 he decided to pursue a love of journalism by launching Garden Machinery Retailer which became Service Dealer, and in 1998 launched TurfPro magazine.
In 2015 he sold the titles to the present owner Duncan Murray-Clarke of Land Power Publications.
In 2009, he had also been appointed as the editor of Landwards, the professional journal of IAgrE, a post he held until he decided to retire from the role in December 2019.
The citation that accompanied the Award read, “Editing Landwards is clearly a challenging role. It demands a keen eye on the shifting sands of the Agricultural Engineering and allied industries.
"Chris has always been keen to keep Landwards ahead of the curve in terms of content and editorial and as such, Landwards pushed at the boundaries and is viewed by members as a useful account of the developments of the IAgrE community.
"The IAgrE association with Chris has been highly beneficial and opened doors to new people and new themes. His work has enhanced the reputation of the Institution and introduced us to new audiences.
"On a personal level, Chris is always open to new ideas and ideas for editorial and articles. He then goes out to research these and arrive at logical conclusions which are of interest and value to members.”
Since standing down from Landwards, Chris has entered a new media field and launched the Inside Agri-Turf podcast after teaching himself podcast production and audio editing during the UK lockdown during last year. He published over 30 episodes from August to March in Season One – and recommences with a second Season in May.
Dr Sophie Lund Rasmussen and colleagues from Oxford University find that different models of robotic mowers vary substantially in their capability to detect and avoid hurting hedgehogs.
A recently published study conducted by Dr Sophie Lund Rasmussen, known as 'Dr Hedgehog', along with colleagues from Oxford University and Aalborg University has found that different models of robotic mowers vary substantially in their capability to detect and avoid hurting hedgehogs.
Dr Rasmussen's research involved testing 18 models of robotic mowers in collision tests with dead hedgehogs. The dead hedgehogs in the study were collected from hedgehog rehabilitation centres, where they had been too injured or unwell to save. Each robotic mower was tested 12 times; with four dead hedgehogs representing four different weight classes, each tested in three different positions.
The results from the study, which can be read in full here, showed that some models caused extensive damage to the dead hedgehogs in the tests, but there were noteworthy differences in the degree of harm inflicted, with some machines consistently causing no damage.
“The important next step is to present the results and insights from the research to the manufacturers and encourage a collaboration with them to develop more hedgehog and wildlife friendly robotic lawnmowers,” says Dr Rasmussen, who has already started these discussions.
In order to limit the potential for harm to hedgehogs from robotic mowers, the present recommendation is to restrict the running of the machines to daylight hours - however garden owners are advised to check in advance for any hedgehogs, or other potentially vulnerable wildlife such as leverets, amphibians or baby birds on the lawn.
The research project was undertaken in collaboration with Animal Protection Denmark and Pindsvine Plejerne and was funded by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.
Due to the current Covid-19 UK restrictions the awards were announced during an online presentation on Thursday 22nd April.
New Holland has announced the winners of its 2020 UK and Republic of Ireland (ROI) Dealer of The Year Awards, which they say celebrate excellence in performance and service quality across its UK and Ireland dealer network.
New Holland's Dealer Of The Year logo
Due to the current Covid-19 UK restrictions the awards were announced during an online presentation on Thursday 22nd April.
The awards were presented by Pat Smith, New Holland Business Director for UK and ROI.
Pat Smith, New Holland business director for the UK and ROI, said: “2020 was a strong year across the whole range for New Holland, with gains in every product line thanks to the tremendous efforts from our dealer network.
"2021 has started strongly but will be a challenging year for many reasons and we are very lucky to have a strong Dealer network backed up by our manufacturing plant in Basildon and parts facility in Daventry. We have put additional resources in the field to mitigate the challenges and look forward to building on our successes of 2020."
Mower and garden tools presented to Cheshire-based children’s cancer charity who support families across the North West and North Wales.
Stiga have said that when they heard that The Joshua Tree charity required a mower and garden tools to help maintain their gardens and outdoor spaces, they jumped at the chance to offer support.
Sam Fletcher, business development manager for Stiga (left) hands over the machines to The Joshua Tree charity
The Joshua Tree is a Cheshire-based children’s cancer charity who support families affected by childhood cancers across the North West and North Wales.
Sam Fletcher, business development manager for Stiga, visited the charity on 27th April and handed over the new Combi 753 SQ AE lawnmower and a selection of battery hand tools from the new 700 series battery range.
“The Joshua Tree would like to say a very sincere thank you to STIGA for their generous donation of grounds maintenance equipment to help ensure the new support centre grounds are perfectly manicured for visiting families and friends," said Sally Shakeshaft, operations manager The Joshua Tree. "The support The Joshua Tree provide is unique; we work with the whole family - child, parent, siblings and grandparents - in recognising that every family’s cancer journey is different.
"The equipment donated will help to provide an environment where all the family can immerse themselves in the beautiful landscape surrounding the support centre - whether that is play, gardening, growing produce or simply relaxing and reflecting on their journey.”
Stiga say if anyone would like to support The Joshua Tree, do not hesitate to contact the charity.
The partnership has launched a competition, inviting entrants to create their own wildflower memorial to remember those who died in the world wars.
To mark the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation’s first-ever War Graves Week (21-28 May 2021), Hayter has partnered with the Foundation to honour the Commonwealth’s war dead.
The partnership has launched the Best in Bloom competition, which invites people to create their very own wildflower memorial to remember those who died in the world wars. The Commonwealth War Graves Foundation (CWGF) will be sending out free packets of wildflower seeds, which have been chosen to reflect the plants that would have grown on the battlefields of the First World War, to all that apply for some.
The competition encourages people to plant the seeds now and the patch of wildflowers will be ready by War Graves Week. People can then enter the competition between 21-28 May by sharing their wildflower memorials on Twitter or Instagram using #WarGravesWeek. The winner will be selected by a panel of horticultural experts and they will take home a prize of up to £200 to spend in a garden centre.
Hayter will be supporting CWGF by stocking the seeds across the UK in its network of independent dealers.
On the partnership, Craig Hoare, sales and marketing manager for Hayter, said, “Gardening has been a great outlet for many of us during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a country we have come together to thank those who have put others before themselves. This follows in a great British tradition and shows that it’s just as relevant today as it’s always been to remember those who have given their lives for the greater good.”
While the seeds are free, donations to the CWGF are encouraged, as the foundation aims to engage and educate people in telling the stories of the 1.7 million fallen Commonwealth servicemen and women.
The Institution Of Agricultural Engineers say the award is presented in recognition of successful teamwork and demonstrates what can be achieved with collaboration.
Trevor Tyrrell, senior vice president (Western Europe & Oceania) and CEO Claas UK, was presented with the IAgrE 2021 Team Achievement Award at a ceremony held online on Tuesday this week (April 27th).
IAgrE say the award is presented in recognition of successful teamwork and demonstrates what can be achieved with collaboration.
Presenting the award IAgrE President Paul Hemingway said, “The award was made to Claas for their contribution to the industry both in terms of products offered and engagement in agricultural engineering.”
Charlie Nicklin, CEO of IAgrE commented, “Claas UK has fully engaged with agricultural engineering education in the UK, both with colleges and other organisations for teaching and demonstration purposes. They have supported graduate training for students at Harper Adams University with student placements in the UK and at the Claas headquarters in Germany."
On receiving the award Trevor Tyrrell said, “When Helmut Claas was asked about Claas’ secret of success, his answer was clear and unpretentious: “There is no secret, just good ideas and motivated people”. “Those good ideas and motivated people have created a team in Claas UK who are striving to bring talented young people into our industry, and train them to the highest standards across a wide spectrum of disciplines. I am very proud to accept the IAgrE Team Award on behalf of the Claas UK team, who fully deserve it in recognition of the benefits that their work has brought to the agricultural engineering industry as a whole in the UK and Ireland.”
IAgrE added that Claas' staff have also been committed to service technician education through contribution to the Landbased Engineering Education and Training Committee LE-TEC and led by Trevor Tyrrell are a very worthy recipient of their 2021 award.
Kockerling's range of tillage, seeding and grassland management equipment will be available from Lister Wilder's Cirencester, Reading and Ashford branches from tomorrow (1st May).
Lister Wilder has announced that an agreement has been signed with Köckerling equipment to supply machines from all its agricultural depots from tomorrow (1st May 2021).
Köckerling Vario
Köckerling's range of tillage, seeding and grassland management equipment will be available from the Cirencester, Reading and Ashford premises. The German manufacturer supplies the UK market through distributor Samagri Ltd based at Basingstoke.
Lister Wilder sales director Phill Hughes, said, “The addition of Köckerling to our business is a significant appointment. We were aware that in order to become the one-stop shop for our customers we were missing a cultivations brand. We are looking forward to working with the team at Samagri Ltd to roll out the machines across our agricultural area.
"Our sales and service departments will be undertaking in-depth training in preparation for the season ahead. We are also making steps to ensure we have readily available parts to keep customers fully supported."
Stephen Berry, managing director for Samagri Ltd, added, “We look forward to a long and successful relationship working with the Lister Wilder team and its customers, while strengthening the Köckerling brand in the area.”
Running from the 3rd to the 31st of May, operators are invited to submit an image of their Kubota machine along with a few words on why it's their machine of choice.
The #MyKubota photo competition is back, and the manufacturer is inviting all operators of their machinery to take part, with the chance to win a £200 retail voucher and a number of runner-up prizes.
Running from the 3rd to the 31st of May, operators are invited to submit an image of their Kubota machine to the company's Twitter or Facebook page, using the hashtag #MyKubota, along with a few words on why it's their machine of choice.
Crucially, say the company, this year’s competition will be judged by a group of independent panellists, so entrants are encouraged to be as ambitious and creative as they like. They do stress however, that entrants follow all relevant safety guidelines, when getting their shot.
The winner will be presented with a £200 retail voucher, while eight runners-up will receive a collection of Kubota merchandise.
David Hart, managing director of Kubota UK, said, “#MyKubota is a great opportunity for Kubota users of every stripe to show off and celebrate their machines alongside the entire Kubota community. Having such a diverse and versatile portfolio within agriculture, ground care and construction machinery, used in diverse environments and situations, we are looking forward to seeing what our customers come up with.”
T H WHITE Groundcare is looking to recruit an experienced sales professional to join our busy Groundcare business in Stockbridge, to sell professional groundcare machinery and aftermarket services within the Berkshire and South Oxfordshire area.
Vacancy – Groundcare Sales Representative
T H WHITE Groundcare is looking to recruit an experienced sales professional to join our busy Groundcare business in Stockbridge, to sell professional groundcare machinery and aftermarket services within the Berkshire and South Oxfordshire area. Responsibilities
The successful applicant will not only look after existing customers, but will also generate leads and react to enquiries with a view to increasing our customer base in Berkshire and South Oxfordshire.
An organised and diligent approach to the administration involved in the role is essential, as you will be responsible for creating detailed quotes, controlling costs, monitoring targets and stock control.
Skills and Experience
The ideal candidate will have the ability to build successful relationships with customers through effective time and territory management and, equally importantly, will foster strong associations with suppliers.
Knowledge of one or more of our key franchises, including Ransomes, Iseki, Amazone etc, is an advantage, particularly if you have the practical capability to demonstrate and install their products.
All applicants should be IT literate, possess excellent communication skills and, ideally, be a successful negotiator. If you have all this, a genuine passion for all things mechanical, and are interested in the role, please get in touch.
Following last week’s launch of the Greenworks 18 & 20” variable speed 60V lawnmower range, Handy Distribution are pleased to announce yet another prestigious Best Buy Award for the Webb brand, this time for the WER21HW lawnmower, part of the highwheel range.
Following last week’s launch of the Greenworks 18 & 20” variable speed 60V lawnmower range, Handy Distribution are pleased to announce yet another prestigious Best Buy Award for the Webb brand, this time for the WER21HW lawnmower, part of the highwheel range.
Achieving maximum scores for set-up/storage, cutting performance, and value for money, the WER21HW was chosen as the BBC Gardeners' World Best Buy. "With a large grass collector, four in one function and seven heights of cut this mower has plenty of features. It handles well and has a wash port for easy cleaning and was awarded a BBC Gardeners’ World magazine Best Buy award. It comes with a two year warranty." To read the full review click here.
The range comes in both 46cm (18”) and 53cm (21”) options, powered by premium Briggs & Stratton engines with a 140cc 500E for the WER18HW, and the exceptional 163cc 675EXi on the flagship WER21HW model featuring ReadyStart technology.
Both models feature a durable steel cutter deck with 4 in 1 function, allowing collection, mulching, side and rear discharge depending on requirements. Height adjustment is simply altered by the central lever between 25-75mm and the large 60/70L collectors pack full thanks to the exceptional grass collection performance.
The addition of large rear wheels allows for easy manoeuvrability around lawns and rougher areas such as orchards or paddocks, and a deck mounted washport allows for hassle free cleaning after machine use. Storage is simple thanks to the quick release handles which fold down in seconds for the garage, garden shed, or even for transport. The flagship WER21HW has the added benefit of a strong steel front bumper for additional protection.
As with all Webb products the WER19HW and WER21HW offer exceptional value for money, with SSP’s of just £349.99 and £439.99 including VAT, full spare parts backup, a 2 year warranty, and competitive dealer terms ensuring your profitability.
Other new products for 2021 from Webb include an electric silent shredder, 40cm electric chainsaw, 20V cordless tiller, 20V cordless lawnmower kit, 36cm electric scarifier/lawn rake, 21” aluminium deck lawnmower, and a new Briggs & Stratton powered self propelled wheeled vacuum with optional hose kit, scarifier and brush cassettes. The full range of 2021 products are available in our Trade Terms catalogue which can be viewed online at handyonline.co.uk or you can request a printed copy using the details below.
As well as our 2021 National advertising campaign in leading newspapers and magazines we have also invested heavily in our brand content, with new product videos, photography and online information. Visit our YouTube channel to see the latest product videos.
For more information on any of the new Webb products contact Handy Distribution on 01793 333220 or speak to your local sales representative. Alternatively, all products can be easily ordered online at www.handyonline.co.uk
In Garden Trader user research conducted over the Spring/Summer (February to July) of 2020, 79% of the 67,000 users found the site helpful or extremely helpful. But even more encouraging was that 77.4% of site users were likely or extremely likely to visit the dealership they were looking at on Garden Trader. This is the best proof yet that people want to buy from people and this highly targeted website is delivering quality leads to subscribed dealers for just 26p per day.
Our Summer research shows 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. As this dealer site is designed to promote the UK dealer network, all revenues in 2021 will be reinvested into promoting the site online.
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.
