Firstly today, I hope you have spotted that we've extended the deadline by one week for entries into 2024's Dealer Of The Year Awards.
After we sent out a reminder on Wednesday informing that there were only a few days remaining, the organising team were contacted by several dealerships who said they intended to get a nomination up together, but just hadn't been able to yet, due to how busy they'd been. Always ones to listen to our readers, we are now delighted to accept entries up until next week Friday October 25th. But that must be it, I'm afraid. We need the time to carefully read through them all!
So please, if you would like to be in the running for recognition this year, don't miss out! Enter now.
Equip
This week Service Dealer has been representing the UK dealer community at the world's largest outdoor power machinery industry exhibition - Equip in Louisville, Kentucky.
Service Dealer owner Duncan Murray-Clarke, speaking to Kress's global CEO, Don Gao
Owner of our titles Duncan Murray-Clarke is there with our diarist of the season, dealer Jo Balmer of Balmers GM, plus our video expert David Comiskey.
With Jo in attendance, the team have been gathering and producing content for you our dealer readers, which you will be able to enjoy across all of our outlets. There will be plenty of video material for inclusion in a forthcoming Digital Special Report, our YouTube channel and socials - as well as a written account from Jo which you'll be able to read in an upcoming issue of the magazine.
The through-line for much of this, will be following Jo as a first-time UK dealer visitor to this incredible show. Her experience of the OPEI's event, in her own words, is intended to illustrate just what a trip to Louisville could offer to other UK dealers. The scale of the show is genuinely something to behold. There's so much to see, interact with and enjoy, it's a lot to take in. With Jo's help, we hope to bring you a flavour of what you could expect if you decide to make a trip in subsequent years.
Sara Hey, Bob Clements, Jo Balmer and Duncan Murray-Clarke
One of the exciting activities that Jo took part in this week, was a table discussion with Bob Clements of BCI alongside our American columnist Sara Hey, and Duncan. The session was filmed in full so you'll be able to watch the whole chat soon. Comparing and contrasting the UK and US dealer contemporary experiences, topics covered included new routes to market, the rise (or otherwise) of battery-powered and robotic machinery, trade shows - and so much more.
Duncan commented afterwards, "Thanks to Bob and Sara for taking the time to join us and share their knowledge and insight of the biggest OPE market in the world."
Also a highlight of this week, Duncan sat down for an extended interview with Kris Kiser, President and CEO, of the show's organisers the OPEI. Duncan and Kris enjoyed a wide-ranging talk, covering the development and growth of the Equip show itself - plus they got into where the wider U.S OPE industry finds itself currently and what Kris sees as trends for the future. Again, you'll be able to view their conversation in full soon.
Around the show
As well as these special events, Jo, Duncan and David have been roaming the huge inside machinery exhibition and the even huger outdoor machinery demo areas, in search of stories and developments that will be of direct interest to our UK dealer readers.
Duncan said of the show, "On Wednesday morning the dealer-exclusive preview morning was buzzing - before the crowds were let in at midday, at which point it became super busy.
"Looking around, to me it became quickly apparent that gas, as they call it, is still huge. The main battery brands are doing well, with STIHL and Husqvarna pushing electric on stands - with everyone speaking of the changes in legislation seen in California which others will be following."
Duncan continued, "From what I could gather the, robotic market has just not taken off yet domestically in USA, but professional users are starting to make in-roads, finding that with recruitment difficulties, having robots undertaking time-consuming mowing tasks can be helpful.
"An interesting concept I did observe came from Yarbo. A robot featuring separate modules such as a snow blower, leaf blower, sprayer as well as grass cutting, plus a tow hitch. It utilises satellites and cameras for object avoidance and even security. I felt this could be a strong evolution of robotic solutions as long as the product quality stacks up against the robots with just a single, core purpose."
Elsewhere Duncan told me the keynote sponsored by Kress was delivered by Kevin O’Connor from TVs 'This Old House'. Duncan said, "Kevin spoke about progression, leading in with the comment he hears a lot. 'They don’t make 'em like they used to.' To which he replies, 'Thank god!'. His gist, of course, was to keep moving on and that embracing the future is honouring the past."
Duncan also informed me that some of his filmed interviews included senior figures from Yarbo, Husqvarna, Milwaukee, Echo, Kress and a man who broke the land-speed record in a lawnmower on some salt flats!
He summed up the team's week in Louisville, saying, "Once again it has been a privilege to cover this unique show."
David and Duncan filming another interview in the huge outside demo area
So do make sure you keep an eye out for all the in-depth coverage of Equip that we have coming up. Service Dealer shall be producing a whole Digital Special Report that will compile all our videos into one handy package for you to peruse at your leisure in the next few weeks. Plus, as I said, more will be coming your way via the magazine and all our social channels.
In the meantime, for any UK dealers considering a trip over to Equip in the future, Jo summed up her feelings of her inaugural visit, saying, "The sheer scale and professionalism of the show has been eye opening. Thank you Kentucky and I'll be back."
