I remember when I very first started working on Service Dealer, back in 2001, one of the initial words of wisdom that founder of the magazine, Chris Biddle, imparted to me was what a friendly industry this is.
As an inherently nervous young man that set me at my ease and, most importantly, turned out to be completely true. I believe the willingness of this sector’s people and businesses to support one another has continually proven to be one of its most admirable attributes.
We have more evidence of that today as we are delighted to welcome back AL-KO & WEIBANG as principal sponsor of this year’s Service Dealer Conference & Awards. Valued backing from companies such as AL-KO & WEIBANG is hugely important to events like ours, helping to create opportunities for dealers to come together, share ideas and discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the industry. In a sector where relationships still matter enormously, that continued support should and never will be taken for granted.
It was also encouraging this week to read about Kubota and Baroness supporting BIGGA’s new mental health initiative. Conversations around wellbeing, stress and mental health were once topics that many (mostly men) did their level best to avoid having. Thankfully, that is no longer the case.
Increasingly, businesses, trade associations, industry leaders and individuals are recognising that looking after their friends, colleagues, and, crucially, themselves, is vital and nothing to in any way feel embarrassed about. We all feel pressures sometimes and there are moments when everything can feel like it’s piling on top of us. When these feelings manifest, they deserve attention - and open discussion.
This is one of the reasons why we recently launched Service Dealer’s digital mental health toolkit for dealers. Curated by our friend, inspirational speaker Nick Elston - who has expanded on his popular breakout session from last year’s Conference - the Forging Ahead module offers all the tools from Nick's mental health playbook and how you can implement them in your day to day and working life. Please do have a look through when you have a moment. It could spark an idea or conversation that proves helpful to you or someone at your dealership.
Press day
Elsewhere this week, another one of our valued Conference & Awards sponsors, EGO, held a press day on a farm near Beaconsfield to introduce their latest range of battery powered tools and robotic options. My colleague on Service Dealer and editor of our sister title, TurfPro, Laurence Gale attended.
He told me the day was structured to maximise interaction, starting with presentations about the brand and products, followed by live demonstration stations where attendees could test the tools, ask questions, and explore the full 2026 lineup of products.
Loz said the highlight for him was the unveiling of the new Aura R2 robot mower range, representing the culmination of five years of research, development, and testing. The company explained that the series is designed to address “evolving customer expectations for smart, wire-free, and highly precise robotic mowing.”
The range includes three models, each identical in size but differentiated by area capacity (1,500 sq.m., 3,000 sq.m., and 6,000 sq.m. respectively). All models incorporate what the company describe as 'advanced navigation technologies'. EGO call this mix of technologies Path IQ, and said that it means "robust, reliable operation even in complex gardens with obstacles, slopes, and variable lighting conditions."
Laurence told me that also on show for the invited press to try out were their enhanced portfolio of cordless lawnmowers including its largest self-propelled mower to date. Other interesting products on demo were the portable power washer and battery powered air compressor, chainsaws and second-generation hedge trimmers. Finally, said Laurence, EGO has developed its first battery featuring advanced tabless cell technology.
You can read more about the day in Laurence’s report that he’ll publish in TurfPro on Monday. For anyone who doesn’t receive those weekly updates aimed at professional turfcare end-users and who’d like to, you can sign up for free to regularly receive Laurence’s sage advice and insightful commentary.
Overall, I think this week has summed up our industry kind of perfectly. Yes, we are all fascinated by new machinery developments and the technological advances that are driving the sector forward - but at the heart of it all, it's the people involved and our interpersonal relationships that makes it truly special.
