The Oxford Belfry Hotel is the place to be next Thursday when we'll be both looking back, but more importantly looking forward to what the next 30 years could hold for the dealer network - and handing out some highly prized awards!
All the planning and preparations are finally about to come to fruition. We are less than a week away now from 2018's Service Dealer's Conference & Awards - and the team here couldn't be more excited!
Being held once again at the Oxford Belrfy Hotel, the day has truly grown and developed into an essential fixture in the industry's calendar. We are hoping to see more dealers in attendance than ever before, for what is sure to be an informative, enlightening, educational and most of all, enjoyable day.
Coming on the back on what has been a tough season for many, the Conference organisers have made a real effort to make sure the content is both practical and realistic, but at the same time positive and forward-thinking. Through the speakers that have been lined-up and the discussion sessions planned, the aim is that dealers will leave with tangible gems of information and ideas which they can put into use within their businesses.
The day will kick off with a nostalgic look back at some of the key events which have occurred during the magazine's lifetime. Service Dealer owner Duncan Murray-Clarke will be in conversation with the magazine's founder Chris Biddle, who no doubt will have picked some memorable moments to discuss, and some equally memorable photos from the archives to display!
The rest of the event will then be spent looking ahead to what could lie in store for the specialist dealer network as we progress through the next 30 years. We have a futurist, a dealer development expert from the USA and an aftersales specialist consultant - all of whom will be offering targeted advice, of specific relevance to dealers large and small and across all disciplines (garden, turfcare and agricultural machinery).
We are so pleased to have futurist Ed Gillespie join us for the day. As well as being a futurist, Ed is a writer, communications specialist and serial entrepreneur. His core talent is to take the complex, interconnected, interdependent nature of the many challenges the world faces, from climate change to disruptive innovation, and make common sense of them for non-specialist audiences.
I'm particularly looking forward to seeing Ed demonstrate his unique brand of what he describes as ‘insultancy’ - that is, being strategically rude to clients, with judicious wit and wisdom to inspire them to greater heights and aspirations.
Also a real coup for the Conference is having dealer development specialist, Sara Hey fly in from the States to address our delegates. Sara is vice president of operations and development at Bob Clements Inc - who if any of our readers have ever attended the GIE-EXPO event Louisville, you will have seen what marvellous presentations her company put on for the dealers there.
Sara works with companies in the OPE, ag and power sports industries, overseeing the development of customised training programs for their dealers. She is an engaging and commanding speaker and will share proven ways to help you gain and retain exceptional employees. Sara has a passion for helping dealers find and hire great employees, which reduces turnover and can save a dealership thousands.
We'll also be getting the inside track from a couple of customers representing key buyers for a dealer's business - a farmer and a representative of a commercial green-space maintenance company. They'll be discussing what an independent dealer needs to be doing to satisfy their needs and keep them returning to your businesses time after time.
The day will also include as ever, a couple of breakout session, so delegates can get truly involved in the conversation in smaller group sizes. This year the sessions will be tackling the prescient subjects of urbanisation and succession.
As an exciting edition to next Thursday's activities, Service Dealer are delighted to have Honda's Mean Mower V2 on display at the Oxford Belfry. This awesome feat of engineering is out to reclaim the title of the world's fastest lawnmower - and our delegates will be able to find out more about what it takes to build and drive such an incredible piece of machinery. And of course grab an opportunity to take a selfie with the mower and its super-talented driver, Jess Hawkins, who will also be in attendance.
Once the Conference has concluded, we'll be donning our finery and getting ready for the evening's annual Dealer Of The Year awards ceremony. I can tell you, the entries this year have been incredibly high and the sheer number of customer feedback comments we've received in favour of nominated dealers has really been quite extraordinary, The judges faced such a difficult task to separate the businesses in the running. But decisions have had to be made - with all being revealed Oscars-style on the 15th.
We're also delighted this year that the evening ceremony will be hosted by stand-up comic, singer and actor Charlie Baker. Charlie recently visited the Service Dealer offices and the team are really excited to see him do his thing at the Oxford Belfry. It will most definitely be a joyous close to what will have been a very special day.
Charlie Baker with Duncan Murray-Clarke
I hope to see as many of our readers there as possible next week. If you haven't got your ticket yet there may be some last minute availability via the Service Dealer website - or alternatively give the office a call on 01491 837 117.
Finally all the team at Service Dealer would like to thank all our sponsors, without whom the day would not be possible.
11 halls at the NEC are set to host more than 700 exhibitors in January - however big names including, John Deere, CLAAS, Kubota, and New Holland have chosen not to exhibit.
A new era for LAMMA begins in January 2019 when it opens its doors at the NEC Birmingham for the first time.
The organisers say the move will deliver a new experience for visitors, with all stands being fully under cover for the first time in its history.
LAMMA ’19, which continues to offer free entry and car parking, will cover all sectors of the farming industry under one roof.
Organisers say stand space is filling up fast with over 92% of the space sold. The 11 halls at the NEC are set to host more than 700 exhibitors – however big names including, John Deere, CLAAS, Kubota and New Holland have chosen not to exhibit.
The organisers have said in a statement, “The event will stay true to its roots, attracting not just large machinery manufacturers, but also smaller agricultural engineering and machinery firms from across the UK.
“Between them they will be showcasing the latest tractors, combines, drills and cultivation kit, some of it on view for the first time, as well as wide range of products and services and every type of tool imaginable.”
Also at the show the LAMMA Innovation Awards will be relaunched. This competition champions agricultural machinery, equipment and services innovations, with the medal winners announced in December. A new guided LAMMA Innovation Trail will enable visitors to find out more about the gold and silver medal innovations that will be showcased on exhibitors' stands.
To ensure visitors can track down exhibitors and areas of key interest and make the best use of their time, organiser AgriBriefing is this week launching the LAMMA ’19 floorplan.
Elisabeth Mork-Eidem, group events director at AgriBriefing, which owns LAMMA, said, “We are excited by the opportunities that the NEC creates for the LAMMA show. The new venue provides a professional, comfortable indoor venue that is appropriate for this key event in the agricultural calendar.
“Both visitors and exhibitors’ feedback has been incredibly supportive, with a real sense of excitement regarding this important development for the UK agricultural industry. We are thrilled that such a large number of exhibitors are making the move with us and continue to view British farmers as their key market.
“It remains the case that no other show in the UK has such a diverse mix of cutting-edge innovation, which covers all farming sectors, new machinery and equipment,” Ms Mork-Eidem added.
“Above all, the show will retain its informal, friendly atmosphere, which has helped make it such a draw with farmers from across the UK and beyond. We will ensure that it continues to build on its enviable reputation in the years to come and continue to claim its place as the leading UK agricultural show.”
The first LAMMA show at the NEC will take place on Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th January 2019.
To fully capitalise on the growth opportunities in Ireland, Husqvarna has separated the management of its Forest & Garden and Construction divisions - and appointed a new business manager.
Husqvarna say to fully capitalise on the growth opportunities in Ireland, the company has separated the management of its Forest & Garden and Construction divisions.
As a consequence the company has expanded its UK & Ireland team with the appointment of Stephen Irvine as business manager - Ireland.
Stephen Irvine will manage the Forest & Garden business for the whole of Ireland. George Caskey, who has over 20 years’ experience with Husqvarna, will manage the Construction business for the whole of Ireland from January 2019.
Stephen joins Husqvarna with 30 years’ experience in the automotive sector, managing dealer networks and aftersales programmes.
On his new appointment, Stephen commented, “I’m excited to take on this new challenge and happy to have joined Husqvarna. My experience in aftersales and managing dealer networks will strengthen relationships with dealers and help drive the Forest & Garden business forward in Ireland. I’m looking forward to working with my new colleagues to grow the brand even further.”
UK Commercial Director, Ken Brewster added, “We are delighted that Stephen is joining the UK & Ireland team. His experience in a parallel industry will be really valuable in further developing our distributor and dealer networks across Ireland. We have experienced tremendous growth for the last 2 years, the appointment of a dedicated Forest & Garden business manager will ensure we are able to continue the trend and introduce a raft of new initiatives.”
On 14th & 15th November next week at the Eikon Exhibition Centre, Lisburn, the dealership will celebrate 50 years in business with The Johnston Gilpin & Co Showcase.
The Lisburn-based dealers say the Showcase will encompass the entire Johnston Gilpin & Co franchise network to form an event which they say will include the "largest dealer display of agricultural and horticultural equipment ever seen in Ireland, from the smallest garden machine to the largest tractor in production today".
The event will include live demos, product launches and product specialists will all be on hand to answer visitors' enquiries.
A full range of Johnston Gilpin and John Deere merchandise will also be available to purchase.
Opening times are 2pm-10pm on Wednesday 14th and 10am-10pm on Thursday 15th November.
The facility, which enables the Saverne-based foundry, factory and assembly facilities to operate with greater flexibility and efficiency, covers an area of 10,000m2.
KUHN has announced the official opening of a new €20m ‘Logistics Centre’ at the company’s global headquarters in Saverne near Strasbourg in the north east of France.
The new Logistics Centre at KUHN’s Saverne factory was officially opened on 13th September
Described by the company as an "ultra-modern facility", it enables the Saverne-based foundry, factory and assembly facilities to operate with greater flexibility and efficiency, and covers an area of 10,000m2.
It has gradually been brought into operation over the past few months and was officially opened on 13th September. As well as enabling the Saverne factory to operate more efficiently, to be more responsive to its international customers’ needs and to respond to market forces, the company says the new facility also improves working conditions for their Saverne-based employees.
The KUHN Group has also announced that it will be investing an additional €23m at its spares and parts facility at Monswiller on the outskirts of Saverne, where it will create an extra 26,000m2 of space for new assembly lines, greater storage capacity and a new shipping and dispatch building. This investment will further improve the company’s international logistics capability.
Simon Richard Ltd have confirmed the appointment of the Norfolk based N Richardson dealership as dealer for their full Muthing Agriculture flail range.
Simon Richard Ltd have confirmed the appointment of the Norfolk based N Richardson dealership as dealer for their full Muthing Agriculture flail range.
Commenting on the agreement Neil Richardson said, "Our aim as a business is to offer the best quality product we can and the Muthing name meets that requirement.’’
Simon Richard added, "N Richardson are also dealers for our Woods Equipment rotary cutter range and we are delighted they have now added the Muthing name to their portfolio."
Sixty students from the college’s horticulture, greenkeeping, sports turf, countryside management and arboriculture courses took part in battery-powered machinery training and awareness day.
EGO, the cordless outdoor power tool specialist, has helped horticulture students put theory into practice at Bridgwater and Taunton College in Somerset.
Sixty students from the college’s horticulture, green keeping, sports turf, countryside management and arboriculture courses attended. Apprentices and employers, who are undertaking the new Apprenticeship Standard, were also invited in to take part in this special training day.
Designed to raise awareness of battery-powered cordless technology, the day included a theory session in the morning, followed by a practical session in the afternoon.
Attendees were able to test the tools at the Cannington Golf Centre where they performed a variety of gardening work. This included trimming hedges down during opening hours, which would otherwise be limited due to the noise of petrol tools.
“Air pollution, noise pollution and sustainability are all clearly huge issues in today’s society. More and more, we can see how petrol-based equipment does not combat these problems, and in fact adds to them,” said Peter Melrose, President (EMEA) at EGO.
“That’s why initiatives like this where we can educate young people entering the trade is so important. With the cordless technology from EGO, we deliver the same power as an equivalent petrol tool, but with less fumes, that’s much quieter and much more sustainable for the planet.”
Cary Rawlings, Assessor/Trainer at Bridgwater & Taunton College, said, “I initially met the EGO team at Saltex 2017. We were thrilled to develop this relationship so that our students get to hear about the latest innovations and technology.”
The training day proved a hit with all parties. Jacob Camplin, a Level 2 Greenkeeping Apprentice, said, “Today was very enjoyable. I learnt about the benefits of battery-operated equipment over petrol.”
Attendees were all provided with EGO’s new FAQ document, giving detailed insight on battery technology and how it compares to petrol. The opportunity to understand how servicing and maintenance works with these tools was also a key part of the module, which included EGO’s mowers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws, leaf blowers and line trimmers.
Peter Melrose concluded, “It was great to partner with the Bridgwater and Taunton College and the day was a great success. It’s fantastic to see students gain exposure to a credible alternative to petrol, and we hope to hold another similar event again soon.”
Honda has launched a selection of finance offers for its ATV and Pioneer utility vehicle ranges.
Honda has launched a selection of finance offers for its ATV and Pioneer utility vehicle ranges.
TRX 420
Honda Pioneer The Pioneer is available through dealers nationwide at 0 per cent APR Representative HP from 1 November 2018. With a minimum 20 per cent deposit, this initiative spreads the purchase cost into monthly payments spread out over two years, with a final balloon payment at the end.
The company says to add to the appeal of the Pioneer, until the end of March 2019, customers will also be able to add a half-cab option for £999 outright (a saving of more than £880), this can also be funded through the 0 per cent finance offer.
Honda’s ATV range Customers in the market for one of Honda’s ATVs can benefit from a finance package with an APR Representative of 6.9 per cent, spread over 24, 36 or 48 months. With the option of regular monthly payments, or reduced amounts with a final balloon payment, the company says the offer improves customer access to Honda’s portfolio of all-terrain vehicles.
Steve Morris, head of Power Products at Honda (UK), added, “These finance offers are provided by Honda Finance Europe. These fantastic finance packages, combined with the half cab Pioneer offer and the introduction of Datatool means there isn’t a better time to purchase a new Honda ATV or UTV.”
Will Owen of Llyn ATV in North Wales says he has seen positive results since taking on the range in late spring 2018.
Llyn ATV in North Wales signed up with ISEKI in the late spring of 2018 following a review of what product lines they could add to their portfolio that would suit their customers’ demands for diesel mowers and small tractors.
Will Owen of Llyn ATV & Garden Machinery
Manager, Will Owen said, "The grass conditions here in North Wales are so lush due to the amount of rain we get, most manufacturers products simply will not cope with these difficult conditions when cutting and collecting.
"When we tried the ISEKI products we were amazed as to how well they coped with the conditions and we sold our initial stock in the first few weeks, getting an order from every demonstration that we did."
David Withers, managing director of ISEKI UK, said, “We are pleased, but not surprised, that Will has had the success he has. Many dealers are finding that the range fits very nicely above the petrol powered variants that they already sell and meets the more demanding customers’ expectations.”
Company’s Fuel Guarantee Programme now applies to field as well as road work, with owners of 6R, 7R and 8R Series six-cylinder tractors eligible to take part.
John Deere has the company’s Fuel Guarantee Programme now applies to field as well as road work.
Owners of 6R, 7R and 8R Series six-cylinder tractors are eligible to take part in the extended programme, which rewards customers financially for fuel-efficient driving.
The Fuel Guarantee Programme was first introduced for the 7310R tractor two years ago. John Deere say they have since been able to prove the efficiency of the complete six-cylinder tractor range from the 6R to the 8R Series on the road. Based on this successful model, the company has now decided to expand the programme for field applications as well.
Using the programme, participating customers and their supplying dealer record a tractor’s actual fuel consumption at the end of a one year operating period and compare this to the target fuel consumption. This value depends on the average engine load and varies from light to heavy loads, while every tractor model also has its own specific fuel target.
If the total fuel consumption has exceeded the John Deere target level, customers will be refunded by the company. If the tractor consumes less than the targeted amount, owners of more efficient machines will still be rewarded, as they will be reimbursed twice the price per litre saved. The total value depends on the local fuel price.
The new Fuel Guarantee Programme applies to any eligible new tractor models ordered after 1 November 2018. As an extra benefit to customers, John Deere also offers an exclusive tractor optimisation programme.
The company says that experience has shown that even fully trained drivers are able to reduce fuel consumption by up to 20 per cent. The optimisation programme is part of a FarmSight precision farming package which is mandatory for all Fuel Guarantee Programme users.
This includes the initial basic set-up of the John Deere Operations Centre on MyJohnDeere.com, seasonal telephone support and other useful options. After the dealer has qualified a machine for the Fuel Guarantee Programme, the customer has to provide his explicit agreement to data access via the online Consent Manager feature on MyJohnDeere.com.
The newly extended Fuel Guarantee Programme is being introduced in all EU28+ countries.
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Official ITP UK distributor Tyre-Line and The Carlstar Group are pleased to announce the release of the new ITP Versa Cross All Terrain tyre for UTV & SxS vehicles.
Official ITP UK distributor Tyre-Line and The Carlstar Group are pleased to announce the release of the new ITP Versa Cross All Terrain tyre for UTV & SxS vehicles.
Designed to dominate on multiple surfaces, the NEW ITP Versa Cross tyres combine 8-ply rated Radial Construction with ITP’s “Tough Tread” Rubber Compound for exceptional resistance to cuts, chips and tears. This combination also offers remarkable Puncture Resistance and High Tyre Milage.
“ITP is known for premium, purpose built tyres, from recreational riding to competition. With the Versa Cross, we brought that same engineering focus to arguably our most versatile all-terrain tyre yet,” says Rhett Turpin, Director of ITP Sales at The Carlstar Group. “The Versa Cross tyre’s radial construction, channelled lugs, and “Tough Tread” rubber compound work in conjunction to provide unmatched traction on a variety of surfaces.”
Versa Cross
Designed for high horsepower UTV and SxS vehicles, the ITP Versa Cross tyres maximizes performance with its 3/4 inch tread depth for precision handling and control. Coming standard with a super-deep rim guard to protect the rim lip on styled aftermarket wheels, the Versa Cross is ITP’s next-level all terrain tyre.
Available in both 30” & 32” OD’s, the ITP Versa Cross is coming soon. Contact Tyre-Line’s Aftermarket division for more information – 01458 250350aftermarket@tyreline.com
The momentum is gathering pace as over 190 UK dealers have now subscribed. Garden Trader is a product and dealer search website/directory only for specialist garden machinery dealers in the UK. It has been designed to support and promote our dealer industry to consumers who are specifically searching for garden machinery products and services.
Garden Trader is a product and dealer search website/directory only for specialist garden machinery dealers in the UK. It has been designed to support and promote our dealer industry to consumers who are specifically searching for garden machinery products and services.
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