Unsurprisingly, there's one topic in town today which needs to be discussed - Honda and the manner in which they have chosen to treat the dealers they have de-listed.

Last week's incisively written Viewpoint from Service Dealer founder Chris Biddle, really hit a nerve amongst our dealer readers. The piece had a unprecedented number of opens and created a huge level of dealer feedback. Not only were there many below-the-line comments on this Update, but we've discussed it with dealers on calls this week and there has been much chatter in online forums.

When there is this level of dealer interest in a story it's clearly our duty at Service Dealer to look for a response from those involved. Before we get into it though, I do just want to make it perfectly clear that it is any manufacturers' right to run their company as they see fit.

Dealers are grown-ups and understand that the business world ebbs and flows. Manufacturers sack dealers. Dealers sack manufacturers. There is a constant dealer shuffle which has been going on forever. However, I think it's fair to argue that there are good and less good ways of handling this.

This week we submitted a few key questions to Honda UK, all reflecting the views of dealers that we had picked up from conversations we'd held and had read online. We didn't bombard them, this wasn't Frost/Nixon, we simply asked:

• Can the de-listed dealers display and market their remaining Honda stock without infringing the terms of your Agreement?
• Why did you not contact the dealers to be de-listed personally?  Especially those with decades of Honda history?
• Why undermine consumer confidence in the de-listed dealerships by writing directly to their customers?
• Why would you NOT add an expression of thanks for the years of service and support given to your products by dealers in the letter?
• Do you see the UK dealer network as becoming less important to Honda?

Until yesterday afternoon we were expecting to at least receive a statement from Honda addressing these dealer concerns, even if they didn't engage with each query specifically.

However, during the course of the day we were informed instead that Honda had chosen not to respond. Apparently it was a decision taken at the highest level.

It is, of course, entirely Honda's prerogative whether they decide to enter into correspondence with us. They are under no obligation at all to speak to a trade journal. It might be said though, that they do owe their dealers who had given them years of loyal service something?

Sabotaging customer confidence 

Amongst the various ways that Honda can be argued to have mishandled this situation, the one aspect that seems to have caused the greatest consternation, is the manufacturer choosing to write to the de-listed dealers' own customers - encouraging them to find a new dealer.

Who knows how much damage this act of sabotage could cause years of building up strong, local relationships?

It is an utterly extraordinary situation we find ourselves in, that this week I have seen dealers who have been forced to place disclaimers front and centre on their websites, explaining to customers that no, they are not going bust and yes, they are still running a functioning service facility.

I've heard of other dealers having to write their own letters to their customer base, explaining the situation and reassuring them that they do still exist. Others have spent time on the phone fielding concerned calls - and I even heard of one dealer who was pointing customers in the direction of Chris's article from last week to prove that it wasn't just happening to them.

As if dealers don't have enough to contend with right now?!

As I said before, a company such as Honda can choose to employ who they like and sack who they like. Business is business. It is the manner in which this situation specifically has been handled which really disappoints - both with the initial termination and with this follow up letter. It feels all very weird coming from a brand with such pedigree and history in the UK market.

What needs to happen now? I guess these de-listed dealers could use some help, either from legal sources or from BAGMA perhaps, to determine if any infringements have taken place?

For other dealers looking at this situation and thinking ahead, it must highlight the importance of not placing all your eggs in one basket? Having a spread of quality brands in the showroom is vital. If something like this happened to a solus dealer, the results could be catastrophic. 

Also what all this most definitely highlights is that civility and openness costs nothing and both go a long way to making fellow humans feel valued.

T H White have announced that their Groundcare Division is changing the way it serves its customers in the Reading and Berkshire area.

From March 1st 2020, the company's Reading branch will be fully reloacted at their exsiting Stockbridge site.

T H White's Stockbridge site

In a statement the company explained that their existing branch at Arborfield had reached the stage where it would have required significant investment to maintain and develop the quality of service customers have come to expect. So, rather than commit resources to a leased site, the decision was made to concentrate investment at the freehold site in Stockbridge.

In December 2020 work was started on a new 3,500 sq ft facility at Stockbridge where the majority of T H White’s Arborfield staff will be relocated by the end of March. 

An official spokesperson said, "This change is part of a strategy in which the company’s Groundcare Division is being integrated with our Agricultural Division to deliver greater efficiencies and customer benefits. T H White’s investment in property, people and processes is being made to assist ground care businesses as the sector adapts the way working practices to achieve the best outcomes in these challenging times."

Whites say key parts of the Stockbridge development are a modern, fully equipped workshop and state-of-the-art parts facility. Their Reading area representatives will continue to be based and operate locally to ensure continuity and Reading customers will continue to be able to access all services with a phone call. When machinery needs servicing, it will be collected and delivered back to customers.

By making this change T H White say they plan to enhance their service standard and secure a firm basis for future developments.

“Two more significant pieces in the Corvus UK 4x4 utility dealer network jigsaw are complete," says Phil Everett, MD of Boss ORV, the UK distributor of the Corvus Terrain range.

Colin Catley and his team at Catley Engineering in Leicestershire, and RHS in the North East of Scotland will both now be selling, supporting and servicing the Corvus Terrain range of utility Side by Side vehicles.

Colin Catley at Catley Engineering

Based in the Leicestershire village of Peckleton, Catley Engineering has been supporting the local agricultural industry for almost a decade, offering a range of services in the sale, repair and servicing of tractors and agricultural machinery. “Our passion is providing the highest quality engineering and machinery sales at great value for money," says Colin Catley. 

 “It’s great to have such a professional and customer service orientated company join the future of UTVs," said Phil.

North of the border, RHS is a family run company established in 1995 with a depot and 24- hour on-site service specialising in hoses and hydraulic systems together with a specialist ATV centre.

Fraser Reid at RHS

“I am absolutely delighted to announce that RHS Ltd is the latest member of the Corvus family," said Phil. “I have known and worked (on and off) with Neil, Heather and Iain for over 25 years so I fully understand the exceptional levels of customer support and service levels they will bring to our dealer network. If ever the old adage of ‘you could eat your dinner off the workshop floor’ applies to anywhere it is here. It’s great that they are now embracing the future with Corvus UTVs and also by bringing in Fraser Reid (in photo) to fully secure the future of RHS.”

Kubota (UK) Ltd has announced two new appointments to its aftermarket team. 

L-R: Simon Chadbone and Martin Tyler

The first is Martin Tyler, who has been appointed as business development manager for service. Martin has been with the company for seven years, formerly as field service manager, and this new role will see him heading up the aftermarket service team. 

His responsibilities include working closely with the dealer network resolving technical queries and warranty claims, and to further develop Kubota’s front-line support through technical training.

The second appointment is that of Simon Chadbone, who takes up the position of business development manager for parts. Simon joins Kubota following 25 years at the Turney Group, where he joined as an apprentice technician and latterly held the position of group service manager with responsibility for agricultural and ground care equipment.

Overseeing the aftermarket parts team, Simon is responsible for working in partnership with Kubota’s dealer and distributor network to deliver competitive and cost-effective solutions with original parts.

The Doe Show has been a fixture in the agricultural, construction and groundcare industry calendar since 1960.

Held during the first week of February every year, the event attracts huge crowds to the dealership's head office at Ulting, Essex.

Given the current pandemic and restrictions though, Ernest Doe have announced that it would be irresponsible to hold the 2021 event in the physical sense. However, they say they are delighted to be able to bring the 61st Doe Show to their customers, albeit in a different way than over the past 60 years. 

The 2021 Doe Show therefore, will take place digitally. This year Case IH, New Holland and every other brand that the company sells will have a dedicated page, comprised of interactive videos and product walk throughs, so that customers can learn about the latest equipment.

The company says the digital event will feature some Doe Show Deals which is always a popular element of the show, with offers and finance packages available. At this time of year the company say they need to move old stock to make way for new items arriving in the Spring. This year they are partnering with auctioneers, Cheffins, to offer an online timed auction for all their used, ex-demo, ex-hire and clearance items. 

The Doe Show microsite launches on 25 January.

The organisers of Cereals 2021 say they are on target to open their doors to physical visitors on 9-10 June this year, following a series of meetings with farmers, exhibitors and health and safety advisers.

After a year of online-only events due to Covid-19, Cereals is set to become Comexposium’s first physical European event of 2021, when it returns to Lincolnshire in June. “All of our farmers and exhibitors are so keen to get back out into the field and meet real people again,” says event director Alli McEntyre. “The site is drilled up and growing nicely, and with our new farmer advisory board we are now formulating the seminar programmes and live action exhibits.”

Organisers say the safety of visitors and exhibitors remains paramount, so the team is following the latest health and safety advice, with Covid measures likely to include social distancing, hand sanitisers, open air theatres, and more entry points to reduce queues.

“We will update exhibitors about our biosecurity plans in early March and early June,” said Alli. “Although navigating the site might feel a little different, we are extremely positive about our ability to deliver a vibrant and bio-secure outdoor event.”

New features at the event this year are planned to include the Market and Farm Diversification theatre - dedicated to grain marketing topics and diversification advice - and the Sustainable Solutions theatre in association with the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs. This will focus on sustainability in all of its guises, from financially strong family farm structures to environmentally friendly practices.

Other new features will include the Innovation and Tech demo ring - which will have working demonstrations of the latest novel equipment - and a practical drainage area.

The Syngenta Sprays & Sprayers Arena will also be back with a more challenging track to reflect real farm conditions, while the NIAB Soil Pit, crop plots and working machinery demonstrations will offer plenty to see and discuss. “We’ve even got a new 4x4 driving track, where visitors can get behind the wheel of the latest off-road vehicles and put them through their paces,” Alli added.

“Of course, if national health measures change, we will deliver the event online again, which we did with such success in June and November 2020. But we are very hopeful and looking forward to getting back out in the field and meeting everyone face-to-face again.”

Tickets will go on sale on 1 February.

Hayter have donated a brand new Harrier 56 Pro to the team of volunteers managing the grounds at Epping-based charity, Copped Hall Estate.

Hayter's Matthew Coleman hands over the mower to Copped Hall's Stephen Potts

Copped Hall is a Georgian mansion surrounded by landscaped parklands. It is also home to a multitude of gardens, which are looked after by the volunteer grounds management team, headed up by Stephen Potts and Graham Stewart.

Matthew Coleman, UK sales manager for Professional Landscape Contractor & Siteworks Equipment at Hayter and Toro, oversaw the donation of the mower to the estate. He said, “We are so happy that we could help by donating a Harrier 56 Pro to Stephen and Graham who are extremely dedicated to keeping such a beautiful site in amazing condition.”

Matthew continued: “The Copped Hall Estate is a lovely place to visit and being so close to our headquarters in Spellbrook, it’s a great feeling to be helping a local organisation and heritage site keep up its appearance.”

Stephen Potts, from the grounds management team at Copped Hall said, “We are incredibly thankful to Matthew and the rest of the team at Hayter for the donation of the Harrier 56 Pro - it’s a brilliant feeling to be able to add such a great piece of machinery to our equipment.

“Matthew delivered the lawnmower and explained its operation to us and was extremely polite and helpful while doing so. It was a real pleasure working with him and we are incredibly grateful for such a generous donation from Hayter.”

New Holland has been honoured with the prestigious Good Design Award in the Industrial Category for its BigBaler 1290 High Density from the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

The BigBaler 1290 High Density was one of the product designs selected by the jury from a record number of submissions from manufacturers around the world and industrial and graphic design firms from over 48 countries. The award recognises the most innovative and cutting-edge industrial, product, and graphic designs, and the selection is based on the criteria of quality design of the highest form, function, and aesthetics. As a winner of the award, the BigBaler will feature in the Good Design Yearbook for 2020-2021.

Carlo Lambro, New Holland brand president, said, “We are honoured to receive this prestigious award. The BigBaler 1290 High Density is a winning example of how the collaboration between the CNH Industrial Design Team and our Product Engineering Teams enable New Holland to keep raising the bar on performance to the advantages of our customers. I would like to thank the design teams who developed this exceptional product and our manufacturing team at our Center of Harvesting Excellence in Zedelgem.”

David Wilkie, CNH Industrial design director, added: “The design vision for the BigBaler 1290 High Density stems from nature, inspired by the flowing lines of crops as they sway in the fields. It  incorporates the natural flow vision denoted by its sinuous, sleek lines that encapsulate the functionality of the machine and enhance the efficiency of the machine’s components.”

Kawasaki Motors Europe N.V. 
Engine Division
Position; Application Engineer

Kawasaki Engine Division is a market leading supplier of top-of-the-line commercial and residential lawn mower engines (from walk behinds to commercial out-front riders) and for other garden and general industrial equipment.
 
As engine and drivetrain technologies continue to advance, installations are becoming more complex and our OEM customers require expert technical support for OEM product development projects. 

To aid further expansion in Europe, we are offering a rare and exciting opportunity for an experienced engineer to work with OEMs on new products by providing technical support for engine installation in new product development projects and applications across the EMEA trading area.

Main purpose of Job:

• This positon seeks, creates and supports OEM/Distributor product development projects in all aspects of the correct installation of an appropriate Kawasaki engine for the OEM application.
• It further ensures the current and future compliance of Kawasaki engine ranges to required legislation in the trading area. 

Main Tasks:

• Communication with OEMs on initial and future product development project requirements
• Working closely with OEM R&D Engineers throughout the machine development process to ensure the correct fitment of Kawasaki engines to their products and to enable it to gain final OEM and Kawasaki approval
• Manage development and test schedules to OEM requirements
• Accurately maintain all New Specification Request files and manage and maintain specification development schedules to OEM requirement
• Liaison with Kawasaki factories for sample development

Experience required;

• Mechanical or Agricultural Engineering Degree (or similar) with several years practical experience in preferably horticultural or agricultural machinery industry
• Technical and market knowledge of diesel and petrol engine market and industry
• Experience and knowledge of Turfcare OEM standards and working practices

Other information;

• This position reports directly to the Head of Sales and is responsible for engine installation and pre-sales issues projects with OEMs
• Within the daily operation this position has the freedom to plan and organise the activities as seen fit to perform the duties involved in the job, keeping the Sales Manager informed of any significant developments.
• Candidates should live within commuting distance from the Bourne End (Bucks) office.

Applications; Interested applicants should send their CV and a covering letter to; 

Lee Skinner, Head of Sales

LSkinner@Kawasaki.eu

Established in 1945, F G Adamson & Son is a major supplier of garden machinery / groundscare equipment in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, supplying equipment and supporting maintenance and repair services to golf courses, local authorities, caravan parks, contractors, private estates and homeowners.  We are a franchise holder for many of the industry leading manufacturers including John Deere, Charterhouse, Trimax, Allett, Hayter, Honda, Husqvarna, Mountfield, Stihl and Westwood.  We have vacancies for Groundscare Service Technicians at both of our depots.
 
We have vacancies as follows:

• Mobile Groundscare Service Technician – Langworth (near Lincoln), Lincolnshire
• Groundscare Service Technician – Langworth (near Lincoln), Lincolnshire
• Groundscare Service Technician – Swanland (near Hull), East Yorkshire

The Mobile Groundscare Service Technician will predominantly work on customer sites, whilst the depot based Groundscare Service Technicians will be predominantly depot based.

Technicians will be required to perform diagnostics, service, repair and maintenance on customer and dealer owned horticultural equipment. This will include service and repair of commercial grass cutting / maintenance equipment, compact tractors and utility vehicles through to homeowner products, including lawnmowers, chainsaws, brushcutters and hedgetrimmers including cordless and robotic products. 

Product update training will be provided from leading manufacturers, including John Deere, enabling access to, and development through, the industry recognised Land-Based Technician Accredited Scheme (LTA).

A van will be provided for the performance of the duties of the Mobile Groundscare Service Technician.
 
Essential Duties:

• Perform diagnostics, service, repairs and maintenance on horticultural equipment
• Perform pre-delivery set-up on new or used equipment
• Undertake service and setup of cutting units
• Complete administration tasks for work assignments (including time sheets and job cards
• Participate in required training programmes for the development of skills and knowledge

Skills and Qualifications:

• 2+ years’ experience performing service, repairs and maintenance on horticultural equipment
• Proficient knowledge of mechanical, hydraulic and electrical systems to affect the repair of horticultural equipment
• Ability to use standard computer applications, including manufacturer diagnostic applications
• Good customer relationship skills
• Ability to work alone on own initiative, whilst also in a team environment
• Ability to work extended hours and weekends

To apply, in the first instance, please forward your CV to gillian.jenkins@fgadamsonandson.co.uk

The all new range of protective leather chainsaw boots by Husqvarna offers comfort, durability and protection for occasional chainsaw users up to full time professional operators.

Classic Leather Chainsaw Boot – Saw Protection Class 1 (20m/s)

Perfect for occasional to part time chainsaw use, offers practical features such as reinforced front with toe protection to protect the hardest wearing area. A pulling strap to help putting on the boots whilst the 8 lace hooks allow for optimum fit, the footbed can also be removed and washed.

Functional Leather Chainsaw Boot – Saw Protection Class 2 (24m/s)

Aimed at part-time use in more demanding conditions with features like a Vibram® sole for optimum grip and a reinforced heal you know you can trust these boots to last. A TE-POR membrane keeps feet dry whilst the roller lace hooks allow for easy adjustment.

Technical Leather Chainsaw Boot – Saw Protection Class 2 (24m/s) 

Designed for full time use with the professional forester or arborist in mind, the Technical boot can withstand the toughest conditions thanks to features such as 360° rubber reinforcement around the base and a higher upper with soft inside for added comfort. The Vibram® sole give excellent grip and a shock absorbing middle sole provides comfort on longer work days. Feet keep dry with the Sympatex® membrane, a water repellent and breathable, high-quality material.

 
The new range of chainsaw boots is available through all Husqvarna Authorised Dealers and reinforces Husqvarna’s commitment to being the trusted partner for tree care professionals. 

Our Summer research shows that on average, each Garden Trader dealer will be sent 114 new customers (or people with a buying intention walking through your door) per year.  This works out at 83p for each new customer. A subscription rate designed to be all inclusive delivering unrivalled online results.

This site was purpose-built just for skilled servicing ground care dealers by the team that bring you Service Dealer Magazine. It is easy and quick to register and costs just £96 + VAT per year for a full listing.  As this dealer site is designed to promote the UK dealer network, all revenues in 2021 will be reinvested into promoting the site online.

Join the country’s only independent specialist website, created by the team that bring you Service Dealer. Join our subscribed Garden Trader dealers now by clicking on “Register Dealership” and let's fight back against the zero value retailers.

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