I thought it would be worthwhile today to follow up a little on the discussion in this blog last week, considering where the next generation of industry recruits is coming from?

We had some interesting and well-informed comments made on here, which is fantastic because open and frank discussion, with ideas and opinions from all sides taken into serious consideration, must be the only way to progress. Dealers, manufacturers and trade associations will all want the same outcome of more young people joining the sector, and all will have their own, valid, thoughts on how best to achieve this.

Firstly, BAGMA, the AEA and IAgrE, are rightly keen to point out that they are doing a lot of work to this end, with their We Are Land-Based Engineering project. They are across social media and are regular attendees at trade shows and educational establishments' careers events.

They posted a comment saying that spreading the word about the industry isn't just a notion, it's happening. It's an initiative "which is making fantastic headway in schools." they said.

I suspect many will agree that using social media effectively is a perfect means of reaching the eyes and ears of the demographic that the industry wishes to appeal to. We Are Land-Based Engineering cover the bases with a presence on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and LinkedIn - as well as their main website. You can check them all out and see what initiatives they have been up to lately.

What's great about social media of course, is by the nature of the platforms, they are quite open with sharing the number of followers, opens, views, etc, that each channel and individual post has generated. Interested parties can therefore view in real time the level of penetration and engagement that the messages are receiving. Also this gives the creator the ability to tailor and pivot messaging quickly, to respond to the audience's preferences. 

Pay!

Also last week, we heard from a couple dealers at the sharp end, who will likely be facing these recruitment issues first hand. Interestingly, they felt that it was wrong to say the principal hurdle to attracting fresh blood into the sector is a lack communications.

In their view the greater issue was more cut and dry than that. It was pay.

Nigel Barnes said of the discussion, "There's an elephant in the room, namely remuneration. Whichever way one looks at it, the garden machinery industry doesn't pay well. Potential candidates asking for £30k pa are difficult to accept, especially in winter."

Nigel continued, "Maybe we face a similar dilemma to the hospitality industry - low wages, difficult recruitment, increased prices to compensate, customers stay away."

Steve Baker agreed with Nigel, saying, "When I see adverts from dealers who are offering £20 or £25kpa for a garden machinery mechanic to work 40 hours a week, with alternate Saturday mornings on top of those hours, you simply aren't making yourself an attractive proposition. The business isn't deemed to be 'sexy' to begin with..then add long hours and poor remuneration for a rare skill nowadays, you haven't a hope."

This issue will be an incredibly difficult one for the industry to address and, as Nigel suggests, is one that strikes at the heart of small businesses across many consumer-facing sectors. Of course any company will want the best and the brightest to come work with them, but these candidates will quite naturally have a certain level of wage expectation.

How does a dealership match those expectations whilst being both fair to the potential employee and true to their own business circumstances? I certainly don't have an answer to that. Do please feel free to share your thoughts below though.

I did ask a seasoned industry professional this week what they thought about pay being the biggest stumbling block to finding new recruits - and interestingly in their opinion, it wasn't. They believed that creating national awareness was still the trickiest issue that we needed to surmount.

They told me, "Getting someone interested in a career is the problem. Higher salaries and good conditions would help get them sat down for an interview - but moving it on from there could be difficult."

This individual said they were formulating further ideas about how to shift the needle positively - which Service Dealer hopes to be able to share with you all later this year.

What's clear for now though, is just how immensely difficult this whole situation is, with the bottom line being dealers are still struggling to fill roles in their businesses. The key question appears to be, what is the most effective means for achieving this shared goal?

One thing will be for sure, a collective shrugging of shoulders and the admitting of defeat, will not be on the agenda for our network of entrepreneurial dealers . . .

Irish Farm & Garden Machinery (IFGM) is celebrating 50 years of business this year.

L-R: Paul Butterly, Eileen Butterly and Kieran Butterly

The independent distributors of outdoor power equipment, remains family owned and run, now managed by second generation Paul Butterly (managing director), and brother Kieran (technical director). Although retired, Mum (and co-founder) Eileen, continues to pop into the Dublin office around three days a week - just to ensure that the business continues to operate smoothly.

“We’re thrilled to have reached this milestone,” said Paul. “This is a tough industry and the fact that we’re here in 2024, bigger and stronger than ever, is simply amazing”.

Paul continued, “We’ve always focused on keeping the company very nimble and this gives us a lot of flexibility to adapt to changing market conditions. We’ve been careful in the rate of our expansion, gradually building the business over time, only working with the very best brands in the industry. No matter what is happening in the economy, people will always buy quality product that offers the best value-for-money.”

In 2006, the business purchased U.K distributor Claymore Grass Machinery, now known as FGM Claymore, an acquisition that greatly extended the reach of the company. In 2022, the business was awarded U.K distribution rights for Echo which, following the appointment in Ireland a few years earlier, made IFGM the third largest Echo distributor in Europe.

The team at IFGM celebrated the anniversary during a special event held on the 28 February in Athlone. Dealers from all over the country, alongside special guests from Briggs & Stratton and Yamabiko, joined the Butterly family to celebrate the anniversary. 

Paul gave a special presentation that covered the history of the company, sharing anecdotes alongside the major milestones that made up the IFGM story. There were congratulatory video messages from garden machinery suppliers in New Zealand, Japan, and Italy, alongside special in-person presentations from Briggs & Stratton and Yamabiko.

Husqvarna have released their full year financial report from January - December 2023.

Pavel Hajman, Husqvarna CEO

Pavel Hajman, the company's CEO said, “During the year we continued to deliver on our strategy, reinforced our positions in key segments as well as achieving an improved operating margin and a strong cash flow.”

However, the company sais the fourth quarter was characterised by a continuous challenging market situation with lower demand. Group net sales declined by 15% organically.

In the Husqvarna Forest & Garden Division, sales of professional robotic mowers and battery-powered products were strong. However, sales of petrol-powered wheeled products decreased significantly due to lower demand. Husqvarna say they are proactively exiting parts of this segment.

The Gardena Division delivered good growth in Europe, driven by the watering category, but sales in Orbit in North America declined. In the Husqvarna Construction Division, the performance was solid in emerging markets, however they experienced weaker development in Europe and in North America in the fourth quarter. There was an improved operating income and operating margin, excluding items affecting comparability, for both the Gardena and Construction divisions driven by solid execution of cost savings as well as operational efficiency measures.

For the full-year, Group net sales declined by 1%. The operating margin, excluding items affecting comparability, increased to 9.3%. This was driven by their cost savings program, as well as contribution from price increases and lower costs for logistics. Husqvarna improved the operating margin for all three divisions. 

Pavel Hajman went on to say, “As part of our transformational journey, we are focusing on growing in the areas of robotic mowers, battery-powered products, watering and solutions for the professional market. During the year, we progressed on our operational ambitions, increasing sales of robotic mowers, our share of electrified solutions expanded to some 42% of our motorised products sales, and the number of connected devices rose to 4.5m. With an increased focus and new innovations, we have strengthened our market positions in these segments compared to the previous year. These product segments have a high future growth potential and now account for a larger share of our net sales.

"The electrification ambition is the major driver to consistently reduce our carbon footprint. To date, we have reduced CO₂ emissions (Scope 1, 2 and 3) by -44% compared with the base year of 2015. At present, we have thus exceeded our target of a -35% reduction by 2025. Our commitment to reducing CO₂ emission is continuing, including our exploration of products using alternative fuels.”

Rea Valley Tractors will now offer Corvus Off-Road Vehicles at its Sudbury depot serving Derbyshire and Staffordshire, as announced by Phil Everett, md of Boss ORV, the distributor of Corvus in the UK.

L-R: Mick Reeves (RVT, sales); John Preston (branch manager); Phil Everett (md, Boss ORV); Matt Mulligan (md, RVT); Dave Arnold (RVT, sales)

Phil expressed the company’s longstanding efforts to expand Corvus’s presence in these regions, underscoring the importance of selecting the right partner.

“We have been looking for some time to develop further coverage for Corvus in these regions,” said Phil. “Finding the right partner is, as always, a carefully considered process and we’re pleased to be collaborating with the Rea Valley Tractors to broaden Corvus’ reach and enhance its accessibility to its product range.” 

Rea Valley Tractors' managing director, Matt Mulligan, said, “We’re celebrating our 40th year in 2024 and, as a trusted name in the agricultural community, we’ve forged meaningful and long-lasting relationships with both customers and manufacturers alike. We’re delighted to extend this tradition by encompassing Corvus Off-Road Vehicles sales and support throughout the regions.” 

Baroness UK have announced the appointment of a new area sales & service manager for Scotland.

Richard Connell

With more than 18 years of industry experience under his belt, Richard Connell says he is well placed to provide sales and technical support to customers and the dealer network across Scotland - proudly becoming the first dedicated Baroness UK representative for the region. 

After obtaining qualifications in land-based engineering, Richard worked for a number of manufacturers and turf care dealers - in both workshop and mobile service engineer roles. Most recently, he brought together his technical understanding and passion for the game of golf in the position of head mechanic / workshop manager at North Berwick Golf Club.

On joining Baroness UK in January 2024, the manufacturer says he brings both hands-on experience and a technical mind to the table as he oversees the sales, service and workshop operations of the established dealer network within his area. 

Richard said, “Before coming on board, I had started to see the Baroness brand more and more here in Scotland and my inner mechanic immediately took an interest in the machinery. I loved their approach and what their portfolio of machines offered to the market.

"It is a huge honour and privilege to be entrusted as the first Baroness representative in Scotland and, after solidifying a number of relationships with those I saw at BTME in January, I look forward to exploring new opportunities and driving business forwards in the months and years ahead.”  

A former serviceman who started a new career as a technician working on machinery for groundscare professionals says the sector offers huge opportunities for those looking to resettle after life in the armed forces. 

Andy Irvine

Andy Irvine is one of a number of individuals who have started new jobs at John Deere dealerships across the UK and Ireland following many years in service. 

Based at Turner Groundscare Machinery near Chester since last April, Andy stepped into a field service technician role, supporting customers at world-renowned football clubs, golf courses and rugby stadiums across north-west England. 

He has recently been promoted to workshop manager and says there is job satisfaction and progression on offer for anyone leaving the forces with the appropriate skills. 

Andy served 14 years in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), running workshops of up to 25 people on home soil and during overseas deployments. 

He worked on a wide variety of machines ranging from chainsaws to quad bikes and diggers to main battle tanks. 

“I’ve always been interested in engineering,” Andy said. “When I left school, I worked in a local garage I got a really good grounding of engineering standards.

“My foreman at the time said something to me that I’ve taken with me throughout my career; anything you touch has to be at a certain standard when it goes out the door, and if it’s not, then it’s your reputation that’s on the line.”

Andy was keen to get started in a new career so he interviewed for a position at his local Turner Grondscare Machinery dealership. He was still contracted to the army for six months, but general manager Gareth Baker agreed to hold the post for him. 

As a technician, Andy works on a wide variety of machines. Being on the road daily means he could be working at Liverpool FC’s AXA Training Centre in the morning and supporting the team at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in the afternoon.

Andy notes similarities in working as a technician and being in the army. He says every day is different, and when he was called to a job he never knew exactly what to expect.

“When you get the call, you only know you’re going out to a repair, where the location is and what the machine is, but everything else has to be dealt with when you arrive,” Andy said.

“The pressure is on you. Whether it’s soldiers or greenkeepers, people look to you to relay your intelligence and your thought process into what the fault could be and explain to them why a part has failed and how the issue is resolved.”

Andy now hopes to encourage those thinking of leaving the service to make the change and start a new career with John Deere.

“If you have the right mindset and you’re positive and proactive, you’ll be completely fine transitioning from military life to civilian life,” Andy said. It’s a step forwards towards not just a better job, but a better lifestyle."

Gareth Baker of Turners added, “Andy’s been a breath of fresh air. His work rate and organisational skills are exceptional, which is exactly what you need for a role like this. 

“We were prepared to wait for him to complete his transition from the army for six months, primarily because of his management experience. 

“He’s now the workshop manager and has built a team underneath him, including a technician who has recently joined our team from the Navy. 

“The calibre of people that have come into the sector from the armed forces really stands out.” 

John Deere launched its Military Hiring Programme in 2023 in a bid to attract people such as Andy to the agriculture and professional groundscare sectors. He thinks it will be a great springboard for those wanting to resettle into the sector.

Claydon has appointed A.L. Agri at Haughs of Ballinshoe, Forfar, to sell and support its range of Opti-Till crop establishment products.

L-R: A. L. Agri's Sandy Matthews and Andrew Mitchell with Claydon's James Owen

The area A.L. Agri covers is from Dundee (Angus) to Stonehaven (Aberdeenshire) on the East coast and west to Killin (Perthshire) and Strathmashie (Highlands).

Started by Andrew Mitchell and Liam Wylie in 2016, the company say they have grown exponentially over the last seven years, now employing 14 staff and operating four mobile workshops.

Andrew Mitchell said, “Our business has developed much more quickly than we expected at the outset, particularly since becoming a Case IH dealer two years ago. The addition of the Claydon brand to our range is another significant strategic development which takes us into a product area where we were not represented.

“Farmers in this region have traditionally relied on ploughing and min-till techniques to establish their crops, but with increasing focus on reducing costs, increasing efficiency and improving soil health we wanted to be positioned to meet their changing requirements."

David Furber, Claydon’s UK sales manager, added, “We are delighted that A.L. Agri has decided to join our ever-expanding network of professional dealers across the UK. The representation provided by this well-respected business will further increase exposure to Claydon products and develop sales in a key area of the country.” 

Suzuki GB's ATV Division has announced changes to its sales team that they say will enhance its ability to respond to the needs of its dealer network.

Ben Green and Steve Warren

The first change is the appointment of Steve Warren as its newest sales account manager who will be looking after the manufacturer's presence predominantly in the north of England and Wales.

Steve already has extensive product knowledge, having spent 8 years working in Suzuki's technical department and being hands on in the company’s workshop facility. He has also supported the team at key events such as the LAMMA and the Royal Welsh and Highland Shows as well as providing assistance to various key dealer and commercial operator accounts.

The second change sees existing team member, Ben Green, become events coordinator & account manager, taking on responsibility for a number of selected key accounts. Ben has been with the company for over 5 years, working first in the dealer services department, and then more recently, as events coordinator for the ATV and Marine team.

On his appointment, Steve said, “I am really excited to be making this move into a more customer-facing role and I can’t wait to get to know all our dealers. From my time within the technical team, I know that our ATVs have an excellent reputation within the agricultural and land management sectors and I am confident I can contribute positively to the continued success of Suzuki.”

Ben added, “I have really enjoyed working with our network of dealers at shows and on marketing initiatives over the last couple of years. To now be helping them to drive sales of Suzuki products is the next logical progression for me.”

Mark Beeley, head of sales for Suzuki GB's ATV & Marine division said, “Steve’s technical expertise will help us continue to deliver outstanding support to our dealers and Ben’s experience and existing relationships with our network will help in continuing to bolster the service we provide to customers.”

For a limited time only and while stocks last, Webb is offering a special discount on the Webb WER18HP4 Webb Supreme 46cm (18″) Petrol Lawn Mower. Order yours at trade price before they're gone!

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About Handy 

Since 1938 Handy has grown to become one of the UK’s largest independent garden machinery wholesale distributors and manufacturers, supplying specialist dealers, large national retailers, garden centres and mail order companies, from its purpose-built 70,000ft Swindon site which is home to more than 45 full-time staff. 

Handy has developed some of the UK’s leading machinery brands including Webb, The Handy and Q Garden. These distinct brands stand as a testament to the company’s creative and manufacturing prowess. 

As the UK-appointed distributor for the Greenworks brand cordless equipment, Handy is at the forefront of leading battery technology offering a full complement of cordless equipment.

To this day, Handy remains a family-owned British business.  Its experience, expert knowledge and dedicated customer service – which includes carrying over 10,000 spare part lines - have enabled it to build a team driven by high performance and family values. 

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