Firstly today, I'd like to remind all our readers that the Dealer of the Year nominations process is currently in full swing, with the entry window open until midnight on Monday October 16th.

Please do not miss out on this opportunity to get your dealership or valued members of your staff in the running for these prestigious honours. You can nominate your own dealership or your teammates yourself, or your business can be put forward by a third party such as a suppling manufacturer or satisfied customer.

It's easy to enter and the kudos of not just winning, but simply being in the mix for national industry recognition, is genuinely valuable in this era of wanting to differentiate the dealership from those disreputable retailers floating about online.

So if you've entered in previous years, or have never thrown your hat in the ring before, I'd genuinely advocate giving it a go in 2023. We know the fabulous publicity that our winners have generated over the years, so why not gain some that for your business?

All the details you require for entering can be found here, so what are you waiting for?! Get involved!

How's it been for your dealership?

After another tough, hard-working year, taking a moment to reflect on what you and your team have achieved as part of a competition entry, can be a worthwhile exercise. Speaking to various dealers lately, we've heard one word in particular crop up time and again as they describe to us how things have been going for themselves. I'm sure it won't be any surprise to most reading this today when I say that word, is "busy".

From what we've heard, dealers of domestic, commercial and agricultural machinery alike have all faced this busyness during 2023. Yes, it's likely to have been at slightly different points within the year when they were rushed off their feet but, anecdotally at least, it feels like many are saying similar. Certainly whenever I've chatted with dealers this year, no-one has answered the question 'how's things' with "really quiet, we're just sat around twiddling our thumbs"!

It'll be interesting to see if this is reflected in the results of our brief survey that we're running today, where we'd love to hear from as many of our dealer readers as possible. We traditionally run one of this type in the autumn each year, asking you to look back upon the past months.

I re-read the results and your comments from when we asked for your experiences last autumn - and something one dealer said, jumped out at me. They told us, "I believe 2023 will be much more challenging due to the price increases and potential damaged consumer confidence and continuing supply chain issues."

So the obvious question is, did this turn out to be the case?  Have you experienced an increasingly challenging time for the dealership this year? Or did you weather the storm so to speak?

Obviously prices on everything have indeed gone up for everyone. Neither retailer nor customer have escaped this. But have these rises impacted your wholegood sales would you say? And if they have, have you been able to shift focus towards other revenue streams? Have areas such as the workshop or parts taken up any slack?

It would be fantastic if you were able to spare a few moments to let us know how things have been for your dealership, by taking the survey. As ever there's space for you to leave your thoughts - a selection of which we shall feature in the upcoming issue of Service Dealer magazine.

Thanks in advance for your help.

TAKE THE SURVEY

A recent trip to Writtle University College saw Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meet some of dealer Ernest Doe’s agricultural engineering students.

Apprentice Dylan with PM, Rishi Sunak

The PM visited the college on Thursday September 21st to discuss food and the farming sector. He joined the university’s engineering apprentices for a lesson on tractor maintenance before talking to students studying agriculture and animal science degrees.

The apprentices in land-based service engineering spoke to Mr Sunak about their workshop, while demonstrating their understanding of agricultural machinery.

The Prime Minister meets apprentices

Hayley Hill, marketing manager at Ernest Doe told Service Dealer, “We currently have 21 apprentices split across two years, learning both in our workshops at a number of our branches and at Writtle University College. PR of this kind is a good reminder that we do have some keen and engaged people coming up through the ranks. 

“We were delighted that the PM got to meet a number of our apprentices and see, first hand, the investment in our young people and the commitment they are showing to learning and developing their skills and forging a rewarding career path.”

The students the Prime Minister met are part of a partnership launched last year between Writtle, CNH Industrial and Ernest Doe which seeks to address the skills gap for specialist engineers within the agriculture sector.

David Rapkins New Holland Agriculture business director UK & ROI added, “We are proud to be working alongside both WUC and SRUC in delivering and supporting these apprenticeship courses within the land-based education sector. Our aim is to nurture and develop a strong workforce of specialist agricultural engineers for the future.”

Make sure you, your dealership and your valued staff don't miss out on a chance to win a 2023 Dealer Of The Year Award.

The entry process is now in full swing, with nominations coming in from all round the country - and from dealerships of all sizes.

Dealerships can enter on their own behalf or be nominated by customers, suppliers, or another third party - but entries must be complete and include a 250-word supporting statement and at least one piece of supporting evidence. The awards will be judged taking into account the 12 months prior to the submission date.

B&B Tractors won 2022's Overall Dealer of the Year Award

More detail on entries can be found by clicking the relevant category links below. Entries must be in by midnight on Monday 16th October.

A judging panel will review all the nominations prior to the Awards Ceremony on the 30th November. All entries for the categories below will be considered by the judging panel for the prestigious Overall Dealer of the Year award (sponsored by Kress).

Garden Machinery Dealer of the Year - sponsored by Husqvarna

Have you gone above and beyond this year to satisfy your domestic customers?

ENTER GARDEN MACHINERY DEALER OF THE YEAR

Farm Machinery Dealer of the Year - sponsored by Ibcos

Would your farming customers say you are outstanding in your field?

ENTER FARM MACHINERY DEALER OF THE YEAR

Forestry Equipment Dealer of the Year - sponsored by Societe Generale Equipment Finance

Is your dealership at the top of the tree when it comes to supplying forestry equipment?

ENTER FORESTRY EQUIPMENT DEALER OF THE YEAR

Professional Turfcare Dealer of the Year - sponsored by Toro UK

Is your team firing on all cylinders when it comes to your commercial turfcare customers?

ENTER PROFESSIONAL TURFCARE DEALER OF THE YEAR

ATV/Quad Dealer of the Year - sponsored by Yamaha

Are you the dealership customers turn to for tackling all terrain in the outdoor sector?

ENTER ATV/QUAD DEALER OF THE YEAR

New Technician of the Year - sponsored by Kubota

Technicians are the staff who keep the wheels turning - this is your chance to highlight someone in their first four years of the role.

ENTER NEW TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR

Star of the Dealership - sponsored by EGO

Do you have a staff member who’s made an exceptional contribution to the business?

ENTER STAR OF THE DEALERSHIP

Best New Initiative - sponsored by STIHL

Have you implemented something new - be it a fresh idea, some renovation, diversification, or branching out with new tech, let us know!

ENTER BEST NEW INITIATIVE

Leadership Award - Sponsored by AGCO

Does your dealership benefit from a great team leader who leads from the front and acts as a great example to all?

ENTER LEADERSHIP AWARD

The Awards will be presented at the Gala Dinner following the Service Dealer Conference that takes place on Thursday 30th November 2023 at the Crowne Plaza, Stratford upon Avon, the theme for this year's event is Taking Care of Business.

Boss ORV have announced they now have coverage in Sussex for Corvus Off-Road Vehicles, forming a new partnership with Chichester Farm Machinery.

Located on the outskirts of Chichester in West Sussex, the dealership specialise in all types of farm and garden machinery sales and maintenance. They cover a large range of services from lawnmower repair and garden machinery servicing to quad bike maintenance and tractor servicing. 

“It’s great to welcome Lewis Ramm and Steve Everton and all the team to cover Sussex and their south coast area for the BOSS and Corvus family,” said BOSS ORV MD Phil Everett.

“Unfortunately, we had no Corvus vehicle to photograph with them as they already had it out on a demo. Fast work guys!” 

The distribution division of T H White has announced they have added Ohashi Chippers to its lineup, making them the sole UK importer and distributor of the machines with a timber capacity from 3-6 inches.

The Ohashi manufacturer was founded in Japan in 1988 and has since developed agricultural and forestry-focused products that are low-impact, providing performance with low levels of pollution. T H White Machinery Imports say these products are widely used throughout the European market, with significant success in France, Germany and Italy.

Bill Johnston, director of Machinery Imports said, “Feedback received from numerous demonstrations confirms that the Ohashi Woodchipper provides a great solution for our contractors, whilst reducing their need for additional labour. We have been able to access the smallest of areas to complete some significant chipping works.

"Stock has now arrived in the UK and our sales team are busy distributing to a UK wide dealer network.”

Toro U.K. Limited, the UK manufacturer of Hayter and Toro lawnmowers and turf equipment, say they were delighted to spend three days with the Cyril Johnston sales team recently, who distribute their machinery in Ireland.

 
The visit included in-depth training on the Revolution series products as well as the wealth of Hayter and Toro Consumer products. The visitors had the opportunity to use all products and familiarise themselves with the features.

The team were also taken on a site tour of the UK factory facilities and saw behind the scenes in the research and development department where they saw the process from mower conception to production. Head engineer, Richard Carter, described the testing and work that goes into ensuring the products uphold their reputation.
 
Craig Hoare, sales & Marketing manager, said, “Hayter Ltd started trading with Cyril Johnston in the 1950s. There is a great relationship between both companies and something that we are proud of and continue to invest into. We look forward to working with the Cyril Johnston team further.”

Allett Mowers has announced they are inviting professionals and enthusiasts to gain the Allett Level 1 Lawn Academy Qualification.

The one-day course, to be held at the Old Fold Manor Golf Club on October 10th 2023, is described as an opportunity to learn how to achieve a more impressive and healthy lawn all year round. In the course, attendees will learn the science behind renovating their lawn this autumn to ensure it is in tiptop shape come spring.

The learning will begin with classroom training led by leading lawn expert Richard Salmon from Pro Lawncare UK. Richard is described as a well-known figure in the industry, with over 38 years of experience in agronomy and a successful career in lawn management. Subjects to be covered on the day will include the history of grass, the lifecycle and types of grass, grass/lawn maintenance, thatch, soil, nutrients, weeds, moss, and irrigation. A lawn care yearly calendar will be set out where attendees can learn exactly what should be done to their lawns each month of the calendar year. 

The classroom will be followed by a hands-on workshop with Allett MD Austin Jarrett. He will talk about the company's cartridge system, showing how each cartridge works and how to use them. There will be the opportunity to use a range of machines and learn the techniques of how to employ a number of lawn tools to get the best from a lawn. The price of the course will include a soil analysis test of attendees' own lawns from a sample brought  on the day. Results can be used to help develop a personalised lawncare plan.

More information and booking for the event can be found here.

Yard Force, a leading manufacturer of outdoor power equipment, has released a new battery-powered residential ride-on mower designed to provide users with a powerful, efficient, and eco-friendly solution for their lawn care needs.

Yard Force has developed its new battery-powered ride-on mower with dealerships in mind. Everyone is looking for ways to be greener, and the competitively priced ProRider is targeted at both consumers and professionals looking for a greener solution for larger areas of turf.

Mariana Hall, director of Yard Force UK said: “The new ProRider is a great option for dealerships, it is one of the most competitively priced battery-powered ride-on mowers available in the UK and will appeal to a wide range of end-users. We are keen to discuss opportunities with dealers and distributors for the new ProRider and our evolving range of over 60 high-quality powered garden tools.”

Driven by a fast-charging single 56v 50Ah lithium-ion long-life battery, which simply needs plugging into a wall socket, it will deliver a huge 2800Whs of power to achieve 90 minutes of run time on a single charge. The battery has been tried and tested and will provide flawless performance for more than 4,000 charging cycles.

Featuring a twin blade deck with a 96cm cutting width makes it ideal for lawns up to 8000m² or around two acres, and the anti-scalp wheels fitted to the cutting deck ensure the mower can adjust to changing terrains. The blades have been specially designed to mulch the clippings when the side discharge flap is closed. There are 12 easily adjusted cutting heights ranging from 34mm to 114mm and a reverse mowing feature to cover all areas of the lawn. An optional twin bag, 220 litre, grass collector is available.

The design of the ProRider takes comfort seriously with an adjustable seat fixed speed cruise control; a one-kick parking function allows the user to lock the mower into place with one kick and release with another. The steering wheel has a small 40cm turning radius for easy steering, and the cutting deck can be cleaned thanks to a helpful cleaning connector.

The Advanced Control Panel has been designed to be extremely user-friendly with easy-to-operate buttons for blade engagement, cruise control, operating the mower’s LED light and the reverse mowing function. The bright LED display panel shows battery charge levels, mileage and parking status. There is also a built-in cup holder and a USB charging point, which is ideal for phones, helping to enhance the ProRider experience.

The ProRider is a competitively-priced, powerful, efficient and eco-friendly solution for anyone with a large lawn to tend. The combination of its powerful battery and brushless motor ensures consistent and reliable performance, whilst its large cutting deck will provide a healthy and beautifully manicured lawn.

Yard Force also supports dealership partnerships with joint marketing campaigns inc email, social and POS displays*
 
All Yard Force products are backed up by a reassuring 1+2 year guarantee.

Watch the review from Machinery Nation here.

*POS for larger stores  

The new Fortis range of cylinder lawnmowers from Cobra delivers advanced lawn mower technology to bring a convenient lawncare solution with incredible cutting performance. Cobra Fortis lawnmowers are not only precision designed and reliable, but they effortlessly create a beautiful fine finish on every lawn or sports pitch they are used on.

There are four mowers in the Fortis range. Starting with a compact 14” model that is powered by a Loncin petrol engine, and then the 17”, 20” and 25” all featuring Briggs & Stratton engines for extra power for larger lawns. They are all self-propelled and have a three-way drive facility, allowing the blades to be disengaged without having to stop the engine.

Fortis mowers all feature a six-blade precision ground cutting cylinder to give the finest, most precise cut possible. The height of cut can easily be adjusted too with variants as low as 6mm and ranging up to 30mm. The finishing touch to the perfect cut comes from the steel front roller giving an enhanced definition to the iconic lawn stripes.

Convenience and comfort have also been considered as the mowers have foam cushioned handles that fold down for easy transportation and compact storage.

What makes the Fortis machines the ultimate in lawncare however, is their ability to transform into seven other machines to ensure that lawns are immaculate and healthy. The Fortis six-bladed cassette can simply be removed and replaced with another accessory cassette in the range to switch its use. Other cartridges include:

• Verticutter - lightly removes thatch build up with light, fine blades without penetrating the soil and by cutting vertically to increase turf density.
• Scarifier - more aggressive than the verticutter and can easy remove debris and dense thatch by penetrating the soil to encourages new growth.
• Dethatcher - will remove the densest layers of thatch and will collect twice as much material as the verticut cartridge. Its thick, wide spaced tines will penetrate the soil up to 6mm deep.
• Aerator - brakes up soil compaction as its blades slit the ground to allow extra air, moisture and nutrients to reach the grass roots. Ultimately, creating a healthier, thicker and more luscious lawn
• Turf rake - powerful blades both lift thatch and thinly slice soil surface to ensure maximum water, air and nutrients can flow to the roots.
• Lawn brush - features rotating brushes that easily collects light debris such as fallen leaves, twigs, grass clippings or litter and places it in the collection box. It can also be used to remove dew and light rain from the lawn to prevent fungal diseases.
• 10-blade cassette - gives an even closer finish worthy of croquet, tennis lawns and bowling greens!

It’s not just the convenience of the cartridges that makes the Fortis range so special, the cutting ability is superb and incredible precise.  

The cylinder mowers’ blades spiral around the cartridge, as such they cut with a scissor action, slicing instead of chopping like a rotary mower. This is better for the grass, as it has less impact and causes less trauma which in turn leads to healthier grass. The clean cut from a cylinder mower is less damaging for the plant and also helps prevent against diseases forming. 

Not only does this create healthy lawns, but it also gives crisply defined lines for a perfectly striped finish.

For more information on Cobra visit: www.cobragarden.co.uk

or to become a Cobra dealer, please contact Andy Marvin on: 07771 581 296 or call our sales team: 0115 986 6646 today.

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