Whilst August can often be a quiet month for industry news with many choosing to take time off for a well-earned break, you may have noticed that there a couple of articles today regarding some major acquisitions at a corporate level in our sector.

Firstly there's the news that Stanley Black & Decker have purchased the remaining 80% of MTD. This is a move that has been brewing ever since we first reported back in 2018 that they were taking a minor stake in the manufacturer of brands including Cub Cadet. Back then it was said Stanley Black & Decker would have the option to purchase the rest of the company come July 1st 2021. And like clockwork, this has come to pass this week.

Also significant today, is the story that another giant in the outdoor power equipment sector has purchased a start-up robotics company. We've seen this several times over the past few years with various big name manufacturers either purchasing outright or investing in new, innovative technology businesses. Husqvarna buying into Franklin Robotics springs to mind, as does Toro buying TurfLynx and Left Hand Robotics, or Claas backing AgXeed.

Today though we have the news that John Deere is acquiring Bear Flag Robotics. This is clearly another example of one of the big boys indicating where they see the future of farm machinery heading.

There was a fascinating article on this very subject in The Guardian last Saturday that is well worth your time checking out. Entitled ‘Ten years ago this was science fiction’: the rise of weedkilling robots, there are a few familiar names featured within the piece. The Small Robot Company who we've covered in the pages of Service Dealer previously get a mention for example - as do other robotic tech companies who I'm sure we'll be hearing more about in the (near) future.

The theme of the story is how this new, robotic machinery can reduce pesticide use and be part of a more sustainable food system. Sustainability in all its forms is a seriously hot topic right now - and one that environmentally conscious consumers want to participate in. It's also a topic of course, that dealers of agricultural, commercial and domestic outdoor powered machinery can all position themselves at the very heart of.

We can see the direction farm machinery is heading with these developments in autonomous machinery. Commercial users are increasingly turning to battery operated fleets to take care of public spaces and indeed the sight of robot mowers trundling around parks and sporting playing surfaces is becoming more familiar. Domestic users too, who want to spend their pound sustainability, will be looking at the myriad of options they now have to care for their gardens.

Dealers can heavily lean into this desire to do the right thing environmentally, promoting the fact that their principal purpose is to aid the cultivation of the natural world. With the products that are at their disposal, consumers can now choose to spend relatively guilt-free. It's perhaps an area that has been under-exploited in the past but is well-worth exploring in dealership marketing.

I'm sure it's an area that will be discussed a lot more over the coming months and years. Indeed it wouldn't surprise me if it's an area dealers are keen to cover at the upcoming Service Dealer Conference.

Returning to the Double Tree by Hilton Oxford Belfry this November, the Service Dealer Conference & Awards will benefit from BAGMA as a Networking Sponsor.

The date of this year's event has been confirmed as Thursday November 25th 2021.

BAGMA's Keith Christian, Brian Sangster and Richard Jenkins at the 2019 Service Dealer Conference & Awards

Service Dealer owner Duncan Murray-Clarke said, "We are pleased to be welcoming back our friends at BAMGA as a Networking sponsor of our event.

"The day is designed to offer the independent dealer network opportunities to expand and share their specialist knowledge - something ourselves and BAGMA care deeply about."

Keith Christian, Director of BAGMA said, "BAGMA is very excited to continue sponsoring the Service Dealer Conference and Awards.

"They are both important events and a great way for the industry to get together, learn something and to celebrate success.”

More details about this year's Service Dealer Conference & Awards will be announced in due course.

It has been announced that David Cole is leaving the role of Reesink UK’s managing director in April 2022. 

David Cole

David has overseen the company’s turfcare, agriculture, used machinery and electric vehicles business since 2014, and had previously worked for the former Lely business between 1990-1999.

In a statement David said the reasons for his departure are personal. He said, “There are no business reasons attached to this, only personal. The unexpected loss of my wife last year was a huge blow. And after seeing the business through some strange and challenging times and identifying clearer waters ahead, my desire now is to spend more time with and focus on my grandchildren.” 

Leading the recruitment process alongside David is Roon Hylkema, divisional director of Reesink UK’s parent company, Royal Reesink. Roon said, “The company has history on its side, stability and longevity, but also exciting growth opportunities as we look to continue David’s good work diversifying our offering, introducing new brands and new product lines that compliment our core activities.”

The company says work will start shortly to identify David’s successor and to enable a handover period before next April.

Deere & Company has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Bear Flag Robotics for $250 million USD.

Founded in 2017, the Silicon Valley-based startup develops autonomous driving technology compatible with existing machines. In a statement Deere says the deal " . . accelerates the development and delivery of automation and autonomy on the farm and supports John Deere's long-term strategy to create smarter machines with advanced technology to support individual customer needs."

Jahmy Hindman, chief technology officer at John Deere, said, "Deere views autonomy as an important step forward in enabling farmers to leverage their resources strategically to feed the world and create more sustainable and profitable operations.

"Bear Flag's team of talented agriculture professionals, engineers and technologists have a proven ability to deliver advanced technology solutions to market. Joining that expertise and experience with Deere's expertise in autonomy, along with our world-class dealer channel, will accelerate the delivery of solutions to farmers that address the immense challenge of feeding a growing world."

Deere first started working with Bear Flag in 2019 as part of the company's Startup Collaborator program, an initiative focused on enhancing work with startup companies whose technology could add value for Deere customers. Since then, Bear Flag has successfully deployed its autonomous solution on a limited number of farms in the U.S.

"One of the biggest challenges farmers face today is the availability of skilled labour to execute time-sensitive operations that impact farming outcomes. Autonomy offers a safe and productive alternative to address that challenge head on," said Igino Cafiero, co-founder and CEO of Bear Flag Robotics.

"Bear Flag's mission to increase global food production and reduce the cost of growing food through machine automation is aligned with Deere's and we're excited to join the Deere team to bring autonomy to more farms."

The Bear Flag team consists of agriculture professionals, engineers and technologists focused on autonomy, sensor fusion, vision, data, software and hardware. They will remain in Silicon Valley where they say they will work closely with Deere to accelerate innovation and autonomy for customers across the world.

Based in Llanbedr, Gwynedd, D G Thomas Agri has been announced as the first dealer for Corvus utility vehicles in Wales.

Phil Everett of Boss OHV has welcomed Will Ellis, md of D G Thomas Agri, to their dealer network

Established in 1975, Phil Everett, managing director at Boss Off-Road Vehicles Ltd, said they are exactly the type of partner they have been looking for. Writing on LinkedIn, Phil said, "The priority for them is service, service and service!"

Phil continued, "With the vast technical expertise held by Will Ellis, the managing director, which has been developed over a number of years at a high level and also internationally in the agricultural machinery industry, we can finally offer the outlet we require in this region.

"So, it’s another big Corvus welcome to Will and all his team including Ffion, Cara, Rhys, Dylan and Alan."

Chipper manufacturer Hansa Products has launched a new initiative that they say offers garden machinery dealers the chance to win £1000 to invest in their business.

The company says to apply dealers can visit the Hansa website, enter their contact details and a brief summary of what they would do with the money.

 
The runner up with receive 5% discount off their first Hansa order, and third place is £500 discount on their first order.

Steven Milburn, managing director of Hansa Products Europe, said, “We’re a family run business and helping each other is at the heart of what we do, so we’ve launched The Hansa Helping Grand initiative to help support small businesses and independent machinery dealers.

“We are offering £1,000 to help businesses grow. It might be spent on giving premises a facelift, advertising to help attract new customers, investing in apprenticeship training, or a team building trip to say thanks to employees for getting through tough times - the options are endless. As long as it’s business related and will have an impact, we don’t mind! We know stocking a new line can be a big decision, particularly after such a challenging year, so we want to help make that decision as easy as possible for dealers, while supporting their growth so are also offering purchasing incentives as part of the prize.”

The company says the initiative is open to all UK garden machinery dealers that are registered with Henton & Chattell, including those that already sell Hansa products.

Entries are open until 30th September 2021.

BAGMA have said if you are an employer looking to create jobs for young people, you can apply for funding as part of the government's Kickstart Scheme.

The Association points out that the scheme provides funding to create new jobs for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long term unemployment. Employers of all sizes can apply for funding which covers:

• 100% of the National Minimum Wage (or the National Living Wage depending on the age of the participant) for 25 hours per week for a total of 6 months
• associated employer National Insurance contributions
• minimum automatic enrolment pension contributions

BAGMA say employers can spread the job start dates up until December 31, 2021. Dealers will get funding until June 30, 2022 if a young person starts their job on December 31, 2021.

Southampton-based dealer, D.J. Scott Garden Machinery, facilitated the recent sale of a Ventrac 4500 all-terrain compact tractor and Contour mowing deck to Dudsbury Golf Club, Hotel & Spa near Bournemouth.

The owners of the resort, Beate and Len Robinson, have supported long-serving head greenkeeper Warren Moss with the purchase to ensure the course stays in pristine condition. Replacing an old zero-turn machine and an ageing Toro Sidewinder, the club say the new package makes sound commercial sense. 

Commenting at the recent handover of the equipment Warren Moss said, “We have an ageing fleet and we need to be smarter in how we purchase equipment in the future. The owners were very supportive when I made the business case and we are replacing two machines with one. Because of its versatility, we can add more attachments at a fraction of the cost of purchasing new dedicated equipment, so we should be able to upgrade more cost effectively, when we need to.

“I’d seen the media reports and watched some YouTube videos and even arranged a demo a couple of years ago. We had another demo recently, this time with the Contour deck and it performed extremely well. We use it on tee banks, green surrounds, bunker surrounds and can raise the height of cut to manage the semi-rough. Also, as it has a three-point linkage at the rear, we can mount our Sisis Twin Play with sorrel roller and slitter.

“My main reason for specifying this machine is its slope climbing ability. About a third of the course is on a flood plain, so can be quite wet in winter. Because of its light footprint in its eight-wheel configuration we will be able to get out during wet spells without damaging the playing surfaces.”

Set in 160 acres of undulating Dorset countryside just outside of Bournemouth, the Donald Steel-designed 6,904-yard, par 71 championship course features nine lakes and is bordered by the river Stour. It has hosted several prestigious events including the PGA Europro Tour, which featured on Sky Sports and the BMW PGA Order of Merit Championship.

Warren Moss, who heads a team of six, has been at the club for the past 12 years, the last six as Head Greenkeeper. 

The new 80V cordless range of lawnmowers from Cobra packs double the punch, with twin 40V Lithium-ion batteries delivering 80 volts of pure cutting power. 

Cobra has the UK’s largest range of powered lawnmowers and is constantly expanding its range and developing its products to further its position as the expert in the lawncare market. The 80V range is the latest extension of this, with its three models being packed with innovative features and technology. 

The three mowers in the range offer 17”, 20” and 21” cutting widths, generous run times and even rear rollers on the 17 and 20” models for a traditional, striped finish. Each machine is powered by two 5Ah 40V Lithium-ion batteries that drive the 80V brushless motors. The Cobra 40V Lithium-ion technology means the mowers are always ready to use, will hold charge capacity and have no memory effect. 

The RM43SP80V is the most compact of the three, with a 17” cutting width, and it is a great all-rounder, with a 50 minute run time. It is self-propelled, so it’s ideal for sloping gardens and has seven different cutting heights ranging from 17mm for a super low finish, up to 75mm for tackling longer grass. The mower also benefits from a 50 litre grass bag to hold more cutting for a longer time between bag emptying. Its rear roller means that a professional, striped finish can be created too. 

The RM51SP80V keeps all of the impressive features of the RM43SP80V, including a steel rear roller, but increases the width to 20” and the grass bag to 70 litres. With the ability to run for up to 45 minutes between charges, the mower can complete medium to large sized lawns in one run. 

The final, and largest, mower in the range is the Which? Best Buy MX51S80V. Again, the mower features a self-propelled drive system to allow for ease of use, and has a 20” cutting width and a running time of 55 minutes. This model benefits from a mulching function, allowing the grass to be recycled by finely cutting and re-cutting the clippings. As the clippings decompose, nutrients and fertilisers are returned to the soil meaning grass can be cut and fertilised at the same time – creating a healthy, green lawn. 

Peter Chaloner, managing director of Cobra, said: “The 80V range sets a new standard for battery powered garden machinery, providing more power and convenience than ever before. Cobra prides itself on being at the forefront of innovation to help people maintain their gardens with the minimum of effort, and this range is the epitome of that.” 

Each of the models comes complete with two 40V 5Ah Lithium-ion batteries and two Fast Chargers. The 40v batteries are compatible with Cobra grass trimmers, chainsaws, hedge cutters and garden vacs. 

For more information on Cobra visit: www.cobragarden.co.uk 

or to become a Cobra dealer, please contact Andy Marvin on: 07771 581 296 or call our sales team: 0115 986 6646 today.

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