Lely’s parts manager Phil Bowen has retired after over 35 years, having been replaced by Michael Hampton who has five years experience as a technical parts advisor for Lely’s Toro Irrigation portfolio of turfcare products.

He says “In fully taking on the mantel from Phil as Turfcare Parts Manager I knew I was taking on a key role with some big responsibilities. I’ve always worked in distribution and having been at Lely for a few years I had a good understanding of the sector and was ready for the next step.”

Since Michael took on the role he has seen the department through some significant changes. “I’ve been in the role for six months now and in that time we have streamlined resources and merged our irrigation and parts support teams together”

As well as managing the department to ensure best possible service, Michael also has a focus on visiting Toro dealers and customers promoting the importance of a well-stocked workshop to keep machines in top working condition to prevent unnecessary downtime.

Michael is keen to stress that while many golf clubs have plenty of storage space, some do not, and certainly in the groundscare sector this can be an issue for councils and landscape contractors. However, with Lely’s 24-hour guaranteed delivery, unnecessary downtime can be a thing of the past for their customers in all marketplaces. “This is an exciting new challenge and I’m keen to get to know the dealers and customers to ensure their parts needs are met” he says