TURNED ON TO BATTERY? Dealers will need to be otherwise manufacturers will look elsewhere by Service Dealer Editor, Steve Gibbs
Initiatives in the United States are seeing consumers encouraged to trade-in petrol mowers for heavily discounted cordless machines - but not via dealerships.
Firstly, thank you to everyone who took part in last Friday's survey on the future of dealerships.
We always really appreciate your input when we conduct questionaries as we want to continually reflect the views of our readership whenever we publish a new magazine. We had some very interesting responses which we shall be sharing with you all in the next edition of Service Dealer.
One result which I will preview with you today though, won't come as much of a surprise. An overwhelming majority of dealers who responded believed that in the future their sales of battery-powered equipment would most definitely increase.
In other news, bears wear funny hats in the woods!
Given the enthusiasm with which manufacturers are increasing their cordless offerings, if dealers do not get fully engaged with the equipment, the suppliers will be forced to find other retail channels who will. We heard that from Ego in the current issue of Service Dealer.
Peter Melrose, President of Ego Europe, told us, "It's key that dealers engage with the products because if they choose to finally not to, there are other channels to market. Manufacturers who have invested in these products will need to see a return on that investment and they will have to look at other options. It's the way of the world."
An interesting initiative I've seen online from the United States recently to promote cordless mowers to the public, which it has to be said doesn't appear to involve local dealers, concentrates on the machines' environmental credentials. Specifically, how their lack of emissions can contribute to cleaner air quality.
I've seen reports from both Denver and San Diego where local people are encouraged to come along to an event with their old petrol-powered mower and exchange it for a new, heavily discounted battery powered unit. Typically they appear to be offering machines worth around $300 for the $100 mark. Similar offers are also made on chainsaws, line trimmers and hedge cutters.
Watch a short clip below explaining the event which took place in San Diego just the other week.
This event and the Denver one I read about, both appear to be organised at a local government level - bypassing dealerships and going straight to the public. Both events also seem to be only offering Black & Decker battery mowers. So one would have to assume that the manufacturer is backing the initiative?
Could we see something similar happen here? I guess anything's possible. Certainly the more that non-specialist brands like Black & Decker take a hold with their cordless equipment in the mass channels it could be a possibility.
Specialist dealers are in a unique position to sell the benefits of cordless machinery though - and not just the lower-end items. If customers are turned on by the thought of contributing to cleaner air quality, then dealers can focus on that. Equally they can discuss, noise, fuel consumption, ease of use – any manner of benefit which the machines can be argued to possess.
However their task does of course become an awful lot more tricky if massive, uncompetitive discounts are offered directly to the public!
Let's hope we don't see that repeated this side of the pond.
Company says new identity intended to make their commercial activity more easily recognisable whilst encompassing a wider range of products.
Husqvarna CLG has a new visual identity and name to match.
The company said in a statement, "Husqvarna Professional has been developed to clearly communicate the professional nature, whilst maintaining the integrity of Husqvarna’s core brand and communication identity."
The change from Husqvarna CLG or Husqvarna Commercial Lawn & Garden to give it its full title comes as a way of making Husqvarna’s commercial activity more easily recognisable. Husqvarna Professional as it will now be known, will encompass a wider range of products such as chainsaws and equipment for urban & tree work.
After research and a decision to make the change, Husqvarna Professional will debut this year with the new name being used throughout the company.
Kevin Ashmore, UK Manager of Husqvarna Professional welcomed the change commenting, “Husqvarna Professional we feel will be more understandable for people outside the company and carries its own explanation, it also has more versatility encompassing chainsaws and other equipment for urban & tree work meaning we are reaching more professionals in target industries with our messaging. We’re happy with the change and it’s effective immediately so tradesmen and dealerships will soon view the new branding.”
In terms of design, there will not be any major changes to the brand. Husqvarna still keeps the recognisable blue branding, its iconic logo and ‘Ready When You Are’ slogan.
For authorised dealerships the change to Husqvarna Professional will signify new banners and marketing material incorporating the new title in the upcoming months.
New Holland say Dealer of the Year Awards highlight excellence in sales performance and service quality to customers.
New Holland has presented four dealers from its UK and Irish network with prestigious awards. The annual New Holland Dealer of the Year Award highlights excellence in sales performance and service quality to customers.
The winners were:
Large Volume Tractor and Harvester Dealer of the Year – Russells Group
Medium Tractor and Harvester Dealer of the Year – The Burdens Group Ltd
Tractor Dealer of the Year – Brian Keys Tractors Ltd
Irish Dealer – Cowan Tractors
The company says the 2016 award winners represent the best of their 62-strong dealership network that covers 131 locations throughout the UK and Ireland. Dealers are considered based on their tractor, round baler and in some cases combine sales performance. All four of the winning dealerships have achieved 100% of their objectives for the year.
New Holland UK and Ireland Business Director, Andrew Watson said: “While the New Holland Dealer of the year Awards celebrate the achievement of individual dealerships, they also serve to highlight the strength of our extensive network. We are confident that regardless of location or size our dealers provide the best service to farmers, contractors and amenity customers. New Holland is proud to award the success of our partners and will continue to provide them with the tools needed for our combined businesses to thrive.
“Every year it becomes harder to select the winner of these awards. Our dealers continue to raise the bar and that is why our runner up position is still a closely fought and highly coveted award.”
Paul Russell, CEO Of Russells Group, said: “We are delighted to have received the Large Volume Tractor and Harvester Dealer of the Year 2016 Award. In our first year in this category it’s testament to the hard work and dedication delivered by all of our staff in all departments. The Award is also significant as it recognises the positive impact of the Hallmark Tractors purchase and subsequent integration into our business.”
John Southern, Managing Director of The Burdens Group Ltd, was very proud and honoured after winning the award for Medium Tractor and Harvester Dealer of the Year, saying: “Following a change in main franchise five years ago, it is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all our team members in promoting both our business and the New Holland brand. I would therefore like to thank all members of staff and our loyal customers for their input in helping to achieve this award.”
Brian Keys Tractors Ltd was awarded Tractor Dealer of the Year. Owner Brian Keys said he was: “Very shocked but pleased as punch” to receive the award. “It’s the team in the background who have done all the hard work. They are all really good guys and the service team especially, excels."
Bertie Cowan of Cowan Tractors, winner of Irish Dealer of the Year, said: “The award was really unexpected and it was great to hear that as a team we had done so well. We weren’t thinking about the awards we were just trying to do our best.”
Runners up for 2016 include:
Large Volume Tractor and Harvester Dealer of the Year – Lloyd Ltd
Medium Tractor and Harvester Dealer of the Year – G & J Peck
L-R: Nick Darking, sales manager for Charterhouse with group turf sales manager for Burden Bros Agri Ltd, Alan Pierce
Operating from their Framfield depot, Burden Bros Agri Ltd will be stockists of the Redexim range of both natural and synthetic turf maintenance machinery, as well as the Graden range of products.
Celebrating their 10th anniversary this year, Burden Bros Agri Ltd is a family run organisation offering new and used machinery from a wide range of established names as well as parts, service and support to the agricultural and turf industries.
Group turf sales manager for Burden Bros Agri Ltd, Alan Pierce said, “We are delighted to have added Charterhouse to our range of groundcare machinery suppliers; it’s a great fit with our existing portfolio. We have a vast customer base ranging from private estates, contractors and schools right through to professional sports facilities and believe the Redexim products will fulfil the range of requirements these users demand.”
Nick Darking, sales manager for Charterhouse added, “Burden Bros Agri Ltd have a proven track record for providing quality products, sales and customer service and we look forward to working together with them to offer a better, more localised service across this region.”
New to the network are Alkmonton Tractors and established dealer Hamblys has opened a new sixth depot.
CLAAS UK has announced two new additions to its dealer network.
New to the network are Alkmonton Tractors who will be covering Derbyshire and north Staffordshire, and long established CLAAS dealer Hamblys has opened a new sixth depot near Torrington in north Devon.
Alkmonton Tractors is a well known company within Derbyshire run by father and son team John and James Ayre. Effective from May 1st, Alkmonton Tractors have entered into a mutually-exclusive agreement for CLAAS Tractors and Greenline products. This will enable Alkmonton Tractors to offer their customers a high quality, well established product range, while ensuring continuity of product and stability for their business.
In line with CLAAS UK’s dealer model for Tractor and Greenline products, Alkmonton Tractors will be responsible for sales, service and support of the complete tractor, telescopic handler, baler and green harvest products. For forage harvesters and combines they will work alongside the regional specialist dealers for these products, namely Morris Corfield in the west of their territory and CLAAS Eastern in the east.
Established 125 years ago in 1892 when Frank Hambly opened a bicycle shop in Whitstone, today Hamblys is still a family owned company with responsibility for the complete CLAAS product range throughout the South West of England.
The addition of the new Hamblys Torrington branch follows the acquisition by Hamblys of Richard Mann Agricultural Engineering, based at Peters Marland outside Torrington.
Richard Mann and all of his team have been retained by Hamblys and the addition of this new depot will enable Hamblys to provide far more localised sales and service support for CLAAS products within north Devon.
Distributor Rochfords say there have been subtle changes to the design and appearance, with requested features added.
The new DR Field & Brush Mower is the first redesign in over 10 years.
Distributors Rochford Garden Machinery say there have been subtle changes to the design and appearance, with requested features added, including a more compact body for manoeuvrability; a new Peerless transaxle is fitted for enhanced reliability and performance; protected linkages and controls allow easy access for service and maintenance purposes; and finally to offer larger cutting width and deck size, engines to match by performance.
The company says unit can mow up to 8ft high weeds, 3” thick saplings and other invasive brush. It is built to cut it down and mulch it up without bogging down.
Features include an electric clutch, power steering on selected models, 3 forward speeds and reverse, sealant-filled tyres, up to 20 HP Briggs & Stratton engines, and seasonal attachments.
On the larger Field and Brush Mowers each wheel is equipped with a hand operated disc brake. With a squeeze of the brake on one side, the machine will pivot around that wheel, making moving the field and brush mower around obstacles easy.
The DR deck pivots from side to side, enabling it to minimise scalping by following the contours of rough ground, whilst keeping the drive wheels planted firmly on the ground.
Mark Rochford, marketing director, said, "The DR Field and Brush Mower has quickly become the most successful range in the company’s history, maintaining its position as the bestselling Brush mower in America for over 25 years."
To become a DR stockist contact your Rochford GM Area Sales Manager or call trade sales on 01963 828006.
Based on the Belleknowes Industrial Estate, Inverkeithing near Edinburgh, SGM has an established customer base, including an extensive hire business featuring equipment from a number of major manufacturers.
Rupert Price of Price Turfcare with Steven McInroy of SGM Contracts
Rupert Price, Managing director of UK importers Price Turfcare said, “From my point of view, I wanted a focused dealer who could give Ventrac the best possible coverage bearing in mind the product can be utilised in a multitude of markets. The product is particularly appealing to the hire market and therefore my first choice in Scotland is SGM, who I have known for many years.”
Managing director of SGM, Steven McInroy, commenting on the agreement added, “We are always on the lookout for niche, but quality products to add to our portfolio from both a sales and hire perspective and we are delighted to be promoting the product.”
Helen Selkin will take responsibility for all the company’s marketing and public relations activity across an expanding portfolio of brands.
OPICO has appointed Helen Selkin in a newly created role as Marketing Manager.
Helen will take responsibility for all the company’s marketing and public relations activity across an expanding portfolio of brands including SKY, HE-VA, Strautmann, OPICO and Maschio Gaspardo.
A farmer’s daughter, Helen studied agricultural marketing at Newcastle University before embarking on a career in brand marketing and communications across a range of industries, managing multi-million pound budgets and focussed on brand management.
Commenting James Woolway, OPICO Managing Director said, "Helen’s agricultural background and career experience will strengthen our marketing team at OPICO and will be invaluable in driving the company forward."
"OPICO has a great reputation," said Helen, "and I am delighted to be part of this progressive, innovative company."
Helen will be based in Bourne at the OPICO headquarters and her contact details are:
Matt Mulligan joins dealership from JCB where he worked for 12 years, most recently as Territory Sales Manager for the West Midlands region.
Rea Valley Tractors have welcome Matt Mulligan as Sales Manager at their Sudbury depot.
Matt Mulligan
A familiar face to many customers and staff at RVT, Matt joins from JCB where he worked for 12 years, most recently as Territory Sales Manager for the West Midlands region. Matt previously held roles at JCB in export and engineering departments.
Together with his farming background, RVT say Matt’s industry knowledge will help then further develop customer relationships in the Sudbury area and enhance their customer service.
Britain’s Best Lawn seeks to find the most passionate lawn owners in the country and reward them with the prestigious title and, therefore, shares many of the same objectives as the UK Lawn Care Association which strives to promote the very best in lawn care.
The organisation supports independently run lawn care specialists. With 40,000 possible lawns available through its members and their customers, its involvement is set to make this year’s judging more difficult than ever.
Richard commented, “Britain’s Best Lawn represents everything we believe in. Our members, and their customers, dedicate many hours of work to creating the perfect, healthy lawn and it is fantastic to think that one of them could win the title."
Richard will join the judging panel and visit the winning lawn to present the title of Britain’s Best Lawn 2017. He brings with him over 30 years of experience within the amenity, agricultural and lawn care industry having started his agricultural career studying at Writtle University College. He then founded the UK Lawn Care Network in 2002 which this year became the UK Lawn Care Association, of which he is the chairman.
Along with the prestigious title the winner of Britain’s Best Lawn 2017 will receive a self-propelled lawnmower and a multitool kit from EGO Power+, worth £1,200. The runner up will receive a newly developed multi-tool kit with battery and charger, worth £600, and third place will receive one of EGO’s blowers, worth £220.
Donating Destroyer machine to agricultural video stars Grassmen's raffle in aid of Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Spearhead Machinery and H. Fulton Tractors have announced that they will be supporting agricultural video stars Grassmen's charity of the year by donating a Destroyer as second place in their annual charity raffle draw.
The raffle, in support of the Make-a-Wish Foundation, was launched on the Grassmen stand at the Balmoral Show held at Lisburn, Co. Antrim in Northern Ireland which is took place from the 10th to the 13th of May.
L-R: Gareth Gault a.k.a. Donkey, Grassmen; Antony Prince, director of sales & marketing, Spearhead Machinery Ltd; Howard Fulton, managing mirector, H. Fulton Tractors
Tickets are available for purchase at the Grassmen stand at other upcoming shows including Royal Highland Show, Royal Welsh Show, Tullamore Show, and finishing off at the National Ploughing Championships in September.
Antony Prince, director of sales & marketing commented, “It’s a privilege for Spearhead to work with the Grassmen in offering a prize in the charity raffle and we are extremely happy to support this with the donation of one of our Destroyer heavy duty machines. We hope that the fantastic prizes on offer will ensure successful sales of raffle tickets, and allow a sizeable donation to the Make-a-Wish Foundation at the end of the year.”
Howard Fulton, Managing Director of Spreahead’s Irish Distributor, H.Fulton Tractors added, “Grassmen have built up a fantastic following both at home and abroad over the years, and with this have been very influential in supporting great causes such as Make-a-Wish.
"We are pleased to work with Gareth a.k.a. Donkey and the team and look forward to them doing some Destroying of their own later in the year when they hitch up to the TW35 for charity.”
Successful garden & groundcare machinery dealer, operating out of purpose-built premises in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, is looking for a Sales Assistant.
We have an immediate vacancy for a Sales Assistant.
The Company is a successful garden & groundcare machinery dealer (Dealer of the Year 2009) operating out of purpose-built premises in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire.
A good experience of the trade is preferable and the successful candidate will be responsible for growing sales to domestic and professional users. He or she will have a successful track record in sales, excellent communication skills and the ability to deliver a high level of customer service.
Franchises held include Hayter, Honda, Husqvarna, Kubota, Mountfield, Stihl, Westwood & Makita.
The position offers an attractive salary and private medical insurance.
If you feel that this position is right for you please enclose a CV and a covering letter to barry@simsgardenmachinery.co.uk
or Sims Garden Machinery Ltd., 20-21 The Waterways, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 0AW
PSD Groundscare, a leading supplier of groundscare machinery to a national dealer network, are looking at recruiting an experienced area sales manager / demonstrator covering the eastern dealers to develop both new and existing business.
PSD Groundscare, a leading supplier of groundscare machinery to a national dealer network, are looking at recruiting an experienced area sales manager / demonstrator covering the eastern dealers to develop both new and existing business.
The ideal candidate will have considerable experience from within the Groundscare market and be a natural product demonstrator. He/she will thrive on working both on their own initiative and as part of a team and be a natural relationship builder with excellent interpersonal skills. Communication skills are key due to the nature of the role being field based. Proficiency in the working of Excel, Word and Power Point is essential.
Remuneration package will be commensurate with the position and the successful applicants experience.
Interested applicants can apply in confidence with a CV to:
Diane Cowell (HR Advisor), PSD Groundscare, Regent Yard, Whitewalls Ind Est, Colne, Lancashire, BB8 8LJ,
The Harry GT60SH3V incorporates all the desirable features.
*New* to our range this year is the HARRY GT60SH3V, manufactured in Italy. It has a substantial cutting width and has the advantage of 3 variable speeds allowing the user better control in variable conditions. This quality lawnmower is suitable for both domestic and professional users.
Powered by a reliable HONDA GXV160 163cc engine, it offers excellent grass collection even in damp conditions due to the four blade cutting system which creates more powerful under-deck air flow. With a cutting width of 60cm/24" it is ideal for gardens up to an acre and the substantial 85 litre grass bag with plastic top means minimised unloads to make light work of tending to your lawns so you can spend more time enjoying them.
Other features include a centrally adjusted cutting height lever (between 20 and 80mm), a durable steel deck, high quality steel wheels to ensure the machine is always easy to push, even when not in use, high rear wheels to maximise manoeuvrability and fold down handles to make the GT60SH3V both easy to transport and compact to store.
The following companies are kindly sponsoring the 2017 Service Dealer Conference & Awards which takes place at the Oxford Belfry Hotel on Thursday November 16th
PRINCIPAL SPONSOR: Kramp PLANTINUM SPONSOR: STIHL GB
The following organisations have confirmed their sponsorship of the 2017 Service Dealer Conference and Awards. We’d like to welcome them on board and thank them for their support and input.
