Welcome back everyone after our short Easter break.

As well as, hopefully, you all getting some time to relax over the period, how was business? As I mentioned in my last blog, the long bank holiday weekend has been traditionally seen by many as a kick-off - and indeed a yardstick - for the coming season. Certainly this has often been the case for domestic outdoor powered machinery dealers.

So how was this Easter for you? Did the good weather help with customers wanting to spruce up their outdoor spaces? Or did this market uncertainty that the sector has been experiencing so far in 2025, continue to prevail? If you'd like to share your experiences with our community of dealer readers, please feel free to do so in the comments below.

We have more evidence today from the AEA of just how tough 2025 is proving for our readers who specialise in agricultural machinery sales. The statistics are stark. In the first four months of year, declines in registrations of farm tractors have been seen across all areas of the UK and for all power bands. And it's a similar picture for ag dealers in Ireland, with the most recent figures on the FTMTA's website showing year-on-year falls.

This downward trend has been on-going for sometime now, and these numbers published by our trade associations don't appear to be showing any signs of improvement as of yet.

We do run a story today though, that is good news for one brand at least - and perhaps indicative of a wider trend that we've been hearing from dealers anecdotally so far this year. And that's an increase in consumer interest in boundary-wire-less robotic mowers.

Segway have announced that their Navimow model is now, and I quote, "the world’s No.1 brand for wire-free robotic lawn mower sales volume". This boast is backed up by research by "global analytics company" Euromonitor International, who say sales were measured across all retail channels throughout 2024, including dealerships, Amazon, direct to consumer stores, and offline merchandise stores. 

Whilst I'm not disputing the rigour or independence of Euromonitor International or companies like them, I feel it might be helpful for dealers and the wider industry to have regular updates on grass cutting machinery sales trends and brand rankings - the way the figures for agricultural tractor registrations are publicised month-by-month, as well as annually via a chart of tractor brand market share data (admittedly following a one year delay due to competition law restrictions).

Having this monthly update on tractor registrations allows ag dealers to get a handle on how the market is performing. Would an equivalent resource for dealers of lawnmowing equipment also be valuable?

In addition to this, would an annual, accurate ranking of the different grass cutting machinery brand sales, split into product categories (i.e robotic, lawn tractor, walk-behind etc), be beneficial? I do, however, appreciate that this could get pretty complex with the wide variety of machinery variants on the market.

If these stats were on-hand though, one presumes this could be another source of information that could feed into dealer thinking when considering areas such as stocking decisions, understanding market trends and in negotiations with suppliers.

I'm aware that this lack of transparency over mower sales stats, has been something that the industry has dealt with since forever. I'm led to believe that these figures do exist, but they are just not readily available in the public domain.

So I ask you, our dealer readers of grass cutting equipment, would it be helpful to your business if these stats were regularly published publicly? There does appear to be ways of finding out this kind of information with companies such as Euromonitor International conducting their own research - but this seems to require paying for.

Currently without investment, dealers will have a great idea from their own business and industry knowledge of what product segments are popular, but not exactly which brand sold more machines than the others last year? Does that seem odd to you?

Segway Navimow, the robotic lawn mower arm of Segway, has been named as "the world’s No.1 brand for wire-free robotic lawn mower sales volume" by global analytics company Euromonitor International. 

The company says sales were measured across all applicable channels throughout 2024, including dealerships, Amazon, direct to consumer stores, and offline merchandise stores. Euromonitor defines a wire-free boundary robotic lawn mower as a machine used for both residential and commercial applications that operates without the need for a physical boundary wire for navigation, typically by adopting technologies such as UWB, Virtual, RTK or 3D Lidar.

Segway first entered the market in 2022 with the launch of the Navimow H Series. This was followed by the second-generation i Series in 2024, and most recently, the release of the X3 Series earlier this year.

Commenting on the news, George Ren, CEO of Segway Navimow BU, said, “A simple, wire-free setup process, alongside outstanding reliability and performance, has driven Navimow sales ever since the H Series launched three years ago. We’re incredibly proud of this achievement and the Segway Navimow team will continue striving for success, ensuring we innovate to meet the evolving needs of consumers and offer a precise, user-friendly mowing experience.” 

Graham Gilbert, vice president consulting at Euromonitor International, explained, “We scanned the wire free robotic lawn mower market and generated competitive landscape insights through a variety of methods, including expert interviews, in-store visits, and desk research. Based on the research findings, Navimow is the global NO.1 brand measured in terms of total brand sales volume in units of wire free robotic lawn mower in 2024.”

Barrus is the importer and distributor for Segway Navimow robotic mowers in the UK.

The AEA has released figures that show 2025's market downturn in agricultural tractor registrations both in terms of region and power band, for the first quarter of the year.

This news follows on from the Association's recent confirmation that the number of agricultural tractors registered in the UK in these first four months, was the lowest for 24 years. The total of 2,228 machines logged was 23% lower than in January to March 2024.

Firstly, the reduction in registrations was seen across all parts of the country. The AEA's agricultural economist, Stephen Howarth, explained, "The smallest decline was in the southern half of England, where tractor numbers were down by less than 20%. At the other end of the scale, the biggest year-on-year fall was in Yorkshire and North East England, where registrations only reached around half the numbers logged in the opening three months of 2024. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all saw falls of between a fifth and a third."

Meanwhile, the market downturn was also apparent across the whole of the power range, with all broad bands seeing declines of at least 10%, compared with a year before.

Stephen said, "The biggest fall was for the highest-powered machines, with registrations of tractors over 240hp down by nearly 45% year on year. This section of the market was the best performing in 2024, though, so these machines still made up a higher proportion of the total than in most earlier years."

Merlo UK has announced the return of Stuart Henry as area service manager, covering the Northern England territory.

With extensive experience in agricultural and heavy vehicle engineering, the company says Stuart brings a deep understanding of service and aftersales support to the role.

Stuart originally joined Merlo in December 2014. His career began with an apprenticeship in agricultural engineering with Oliver and Snowdon, now Carrs Billington. From there, he transitioned to HGV mechanics, obtained his HGV license, worked as a lorry driver before returning to agriculture. He later advanced into the role of area manager for SDF before initially joining Merlo.

Committed to strengthening service operations, enhancing dealer relationships, and ensuring customer satisfaction, Stuart said, “Over the last two years, the changes within the company inspired me to return, and I see an opportunity to make a real difference in the area. I am eager to support the dealer network and work closely with the rest of the Merlo team.”

Robin Cooch, national aftersales manager at Merlo UK, added, “We are pleased to welcome Stuart back to Merlo. His extensive technical knowledge, hands-on experience, commitment to service excellence, and leadership skills will be instrumental in supporting and mentoring our service teams. Stuart’s expertise will help drive our service delivery and enhance customer satisfaction across Northern England.”

In the coming weeks, Stuart says he will be introducing himself and meeting with dealer teams across his territory. 

STIHL has launched its Master Technician Course, which they describe as the pinnacle of its dealer training programme, designed to provide expert-level servicing and diagnostics across their full product range.

 
The course is now available exclusively to the company's approved dealers who have completed the full training pathway, comprising Foundation, Intermediate, and Advanced Servicing courses. 
 
The final stage of the programme includes an online entry exam and pre-requisite modules, followed by a three-day face-to-face training experience at Contra House.
 
A spokesperson for the manufacturer said, "With a strong emphasis on practical learning, the Master Technician Course provides a small group setting, ensuring each technician receives expert guidance. Courses are strictly limited to six participants per session, allowing for focused, hands-on experience with STIHL’s latest tools and servicing techniques."

Kris Kiser, President and CEO of the Equip Exposition, the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) and the TurfMutt Foundation in the United States has been presented with the first-ever Louisville Tourism Impact Award in recognition of his outstanding dedication to the city.

Kris Kiser and Mulligan

Good friend of Service Dealer, Kris said, "It’s a true honour to be the first recipient of this award. Louisville is now home for me, and I’m proud to be part of its continued momentum as one of the country’s most vibrant cities.”

Kris’s ties to Louisville run deep. A native of the region and a graduate of the University of Louisville School of Law, he relocated from Washington DC to Louisville in 2022. He brought the management of the Equip Exposition in-house, immediately establishing its offices in downtown Louisville, a key step in strengthening the partnership between the city and the organisation he leads. 

One of the top five largest trade shows in the United States, Equip Exposition is held each October in Louisville generates over $30 million annually for the city. Since Kris and his team took full ownership of the private show, it has seen record-breaking attendance: 25,000 in 2022, 27,000 in 2023, and 28,500 in 2024. You can view Service Dealer's Digital Special Report on last November's event here.

“We’re always looking for ways to promote the city,” added Kris. That support includes a recent $1 million contribution from the TurfMutt Foundation to Waterfront Park, now home to the newly-named TurfMutt Great Lawn. The Foundation has been a leading advocate for green space and outdoor learning for over 15 years, and both the Foundation and OPEI now also have an office presence in Louisville.

Last year, the Kentucky Humane Society (KHS) honored Kris with the 2024 Excellence in Philanthropy Humane Hero Award for his long-term support of the organisation and for animal rescue and rehabilitation.  

Boss ORV has announced the addition of two more Corvus off-road vehicle dealers to their growing UK dealer network - Guy Machinery Ltd. of Gisburne, Lancashire and Used4Turf based in Colchester, Essex.

Guy Machinery was established at Skipton Auction Mart in 2005, taking over the former Gibsons. They moved to their Gisburne site in 2013 to bring their team together under one roof to improve customer service and communications. They specialise in sales of new and used trailers, agricultural vehicles and machinery, ATVs and quad bikes, loaders and handlers. As Corvus dealers, they add side-by-side diesel and electric utility vehicles to their line-up. 

Used4Turf has over thirty years of experience supplying equipment to turf growers, landscapers, local authorities, golf courses, sports clubs, private estate owners and more. Founded by Neil Peachey, Used4Turf supplies new and used equipment and Neil says they make it their business to gain a comprehensive understanding of customers’ requirements, budgets and long-term plans. He adds they pride themselves on exceptional personal customer service and that they are proud to call clients their friends. 

Boss national sales manager, Neil Everett, said they are delighted to welcome both dealers as part of the team to sell and support the brand. 

ATVTrac, the renowned agricultural asset tracker with a proven track record in recoveries, is on the hunt for proactive dealers, as the brand expands its offering, working across multiple industries along with the recent introduction of its new ATVTrac Lite product too. 

Launched over a decade ago, following the parent company’s experience in motorcycle security, ATVTrac offers a dedicated security product, enabling owners of all types of machinery to have a live link to their machines 24/7 regardless of location.

Bringing updated security functions including GPS, GPRS and Radio Frequency, ATVTrac added new functions, including lone worker security (for machinery such as all-terrain vehicles), battery voltage alerts and service reminders too, offering more than just a security focussed product. 

Thanks to the unit’s very small physical size, ATVTrac can be installed on virtually all types of machinery, from ATVs to Land Rovers, to wood chippers, taking a simple 12v feed combined with its own internal battery for smaller machinery applications too.

ATVTrac’s Rupert Archer-Smith, added, “We’ve worked hard to make sure our device fits the needs of our customers, regardless of the size or type of machinery. Thanks to over a decade of experience working in the agriculture and plant sectors, we’ve been able to hone and enhance our product thanks to real world on-the-ground customer use. While we have a strong and diverse dealer network, we are always open to talk to new dealers who share our commitment to first class customer service. We’d love to hear from any established dealer with an interest in stocking and fitting ATVTrac”.  

As well as a high quality product with a dedicated Secure Operating Centre, ATVTrac offers a 0% finance programme for customers, allowing users to not only spread the cost of the physical unit, but subscription fees too, while a recent introduction of an entry level product, ATVTrac Lite gives dealers an extra revenue source for lower cost applications too. 

ATVTrac enjoys official endorsement from many brands including Can-Am, Honda, Kawasaki, Polaris, Suzuki, Kymco, TGB, CFMoto, Corvus, Quadzilla and most recently KIOTI and GreenMech Woodchippers too.

For more information on ATVTrac visit www.atvtrac.co.uk or call Rupert Archer-Smith on 07555 443415

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