I think sometimes we perhaps forget what an innovative industry this is.

Outsiders may think they have an idea of what mowers and the like are – but I suspect the truth is that they really don’t.

The breadth of variety amongst the machinery the readers of this newsletter deal with is quite staggering. And that breadth is getting wider and more sophisticated all the time.

Consumers are continually demanding more efficient, simpler, yet technically superior equipment. Manufacturers, driven by their desire for profits and to outdo their rivals, are constantly having to develop new and better solutions to problems. This combination results in an exciting portfolio of products for dealers to showcase.

Now with show season upon us, we will soon be seeing the fruits of these labours, with most likely some genuine innovations on the stands to capture both dealers and consumers’ imaginations.

I've had a taste of seeing some new developments this week when I visited Husqvarna’s headquarters in, the coincidentally named (!) Huskvarna, Sweden. The company were launching their first ever self-produced saw chain, the X-Cut.

To facilitate this development the company has completely built a new factory from scratch to produce their own chain which boasts a radical new design.

Husqvarna have been utilising both high-tech laboratory testing, combined with actual loggers out in the woods putting the chain under real-world stress, to optimise its output capabilities. And they seem delighted with result.

So much so they invited press from around the world to test it for themselves in direct comparison to their previous best chain. And even a novice such as myself, could feel the performance difference. People who actually knew what they were doing, were singing its praises!

But as with all companies of the size and ambition of Husqvarna, they are constantly developing fresh ideas. When the president of the division, found out that many readers of the publication I was representing were very interested in mower developments, he arranged for me to have exclusive preview of a new machine they are very excited about.

Being shown for the first time at shows in France and Germany this autumn will be a prototype of the first ever out-front-rider collector. The genuine innovation here is that the RC 318T has an auger which runs from the front deck, allowing the grass to flow up into a 300l collector at the rear. This is a unique design which has never been attempted before.


RC 318T prototype

The enthusiasm of the heads of development who talked me through the machine was palpable. The patented design which they had been working on for many years, was clearly a labour of love for them – one for which they were justifiably very proud. It was a genuine pleasure to see such excitement from these guys – and indeed to witness such a clever and new idea.

The machine is still a way off from hitting dealers' showrooms. They are unveiling it at these couple of European shows in the second half of this year, and then hopefully at some UK shows next year. It isn't expected to be on sale in the UK until 2018 though.


The patented design sees an auger transport the clippings from the out-front deck up into the rear collector

So, I know we all don’t do it very often, but sometimes it’s entirely justifiable to take a step back and say that yes, I’m proud to work in an industry which has true innovation at its core.