Once again this week, our news contains several stories about you, our valued dealer readers, taking on new franchises.

We report on Balmers adding the Ransomes franchise now their relationship with Deere has come to an end (at their own behest); Pecks becoming a Redexim dealer; and Robert Cole Agricultural Engineers taking on Vogelsang. Three separate announcements, involving three different businesses, yet I think that it’s possible to argue that they all have something in common.

Each dealership has made a deliberate decision about the brands it wants to represent.

Sometimes a new franchise fills a gap in a product range. Sometimes it reflects changing customer demand. Sometimes it follows the difficult decision to walk away from a supplier that no longer fits your business. And of course sometimes it's the result of a manufacturer restructuring its network. 

Whatever the reason, we know through our conversations with dealers that major business decisions such as these are never taken lightly.

Every new franchise brings opportunity, but it also involves effort and investment. Staff need training, parts must be stocked, workshops require new knowledge, sales teams need confidence in the products and the dealership's reputation becomes linked with another manufacturer's fortunes. Equally, dropping a franchise can mean saying goodbye to loyal customers, familiar products and relationships that may have existed for decades.

Ultimately though, we know that dealerships make these decisions with one thing firmly in mind - what is right for their customers and what is right for the long-term health of their own company.

Last year when we ran our survey asking our dealer readers what influences those decisions, the responses we received painted a fascinating picture.

Unsurprisingly, manufacturer support featured time and again. Dealers told us that technical backup, parts availability and warranty payments could make or break a relationship, regardless of how good the machinery itself might be. One respondent summed it up, explaining that they had dropped more than half a dozen quality brands because stock shortages, poor parts availability and weak technical support made it impossible to look after customers properly.

Margins, of course, remain vital. Several dealers admitted that profitability is a significant factor when deciding whether to take on a new franchise, while others highlighted concerns over being expected to stock products they felt were already behind the market or simply didn't suit their customer base.

There was also a recurring theme around trust. Some respondents expressed concern about manufacturers expanding dealer networks too aggressively, reducing territories, marketing directly to end users or failing to show loyalty to established dealers. Others pointed to limited warranty payments, poor communication and inconsistent support as reasons for looking elsewhere.

Perhaps most interestingly, several dealers recognised that customer demand itself is changing. One respondent noted that their dealership had moved away from lower-end petrol machinery because battery products had become the dominant choice for many customers, while still retaining premium petrol equipment where there remained a genuine market.

All of which brings us to our brief survey that we are running today. We'd like to find out what's happening in your dealership regarding the shuffling of the pack?

How many franchises do you currently hold? Have you added or dropped any recently? What persuades you to take on a new supplier, and what ultimately convinces you it's time to move on from an existing one?

Whether your decisions are driven by margin, support, product quality, customer demand, territory, warranty, availability or something else entirely, we'd like to hear from you.

As always, we'll share the results in a upcoming edition of Service Dealer magazine. And as with all the surveys we run, it isn’t just hard data we’re after. We want to hear your voices. If you’ve got something you’d like to say on the subject, there is space for you to do so – anonymously.

So please do let us know what’s happening in your showroom - and we thank you in advance for your help.

TAKE THE SURVEY

Service Dealer is today delighted to confirm Aptean Equipment DMS as a Gold sponsor of 2026's Conference & Awards.

The prestigious event will take place on Thursday 3rd December at the Stratford-Upon-Avon Crowne Plaza - with this year's theme announced as Culture - Nature and nurture in business.

James Buchanan, regional account director, Aptean Equipment DMS said, "Aptean Equipment DMS is delighted to be joining the Service Dealer Conference & Awards for the first time as a Gold Sponsor. As we continue to build our UK dealer network, we're looking forward to connecting with businesses across the Groundcare and Agricultural sectors, discussing the challenges they face, and showcasing how a modern Dealer Management System can help drive efficiency and growth.

"Built on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, our cloud-based platform is helping dealerships to embrace a modern, more connected, data-driven future powered by AI, automation, and real-time insights.

"The conference plays an important role in bringing together manufacturers, dealers, and service providers, and we look forward to contributing to the conversations that will help shape the future of the Groundcare and Agricultural sectors."

Service Dealer owner, Duncan Murray-Clarke, added, "We are delighted to welcome Aptean as a new sponsor. James has been such a strong supporter of the Conference and Awards over the years. It is great that he is including Service Dealer as a key part of his dealer strategy."

You can head to our website now to register your interest for delegate tickets or sponsorship opportunities.

A Derbyshire plant operator is heading to New York after being crowned JCB Operator of the Year 2026 in a national competition.

Tom Balls, of JC Balls & Sons, won a three-night trip for two to the Big Apple, complete with $5,000 spending money, after defeating 20 other finalists from across the UK in the JCB Operator Challenge final at Kevin Quarry in Staffordshire.

Tom Balls

Having qualified through the TC Harrison JCB regional heat, Tom came out on top after a series of timed challenges designed to test speed, precision and machine control using a JCB 145XR tracked excavator, 3CX PRO backhoe loader and 25Z-1 mini excavator.

Lewis Cameron, of AJ Rennie in Banff, Scotland, finished runner-up after qualifying through Scot JCB, while Ollie Gunns, of Hampshire-based Gunns Contractors Ltd, took third place after progressing through the Greenshields JCB heat.

Tom said, "I'm still in shock. The standard of operator in the final was fantastic and I can't believe I've won. I'm already excited about the trip to New York. I was surprised how fast I completed the challenges and felt really confident in the various JCB machines."

The JCB Operator Challenge attracted hundreds of entrants from across the UK, with competitors battling through seven regional heats hosted by JCB's dealer network. The top three operators from each heat earned a place in the national final, where they faced a series of challenges designed to demonstrate the skill, accuracy and control required by today's professional operators.

As champion, Tom wins a three-night trip for two to New York, including flights, hotel accommodation and $5,000 spending money. Lewis receives two tickets to the England v New Zealand Autumn Internationals rugby fixture, while Ollie wins a two-night stay in Edinburgh with £500 spending money.

CBRE, the provider of integrated facilities and property management services, has renewed its national specialist groundcare fleet with a range of AS-Motor machinery, supplied by Lawncare Garden Machinery in partnership with AriensCo UK, following an operator-led evaluation process.

Rather than selecting equipment on price, CBRE asked the teams who use the machines every day to choose the products they felt best suited their work. The resulting fleet includes AS 940 Sherpa XL and AS 1040 Yak XL ride-on mowers, the Ovis Evo 1000 RC remote-controlled mower, AS 901 Flail, AS 63 Allmäher and AS 510 ProClip walk-behind machines, with AS 30 WeedHex units also being introduced for weed control.

The investment also marks CBRE's first adoption of remote-controlled mowing technology, supported by BAGMA-accredited handover and operator training from AriensCo UK.

Paul Clark, national grounds and maintenance manager at CBRE, said the decision reflected the confidence operators have in the brand. "We asked the people who use the equipment every day to identify the best machines for the job, with one simple instruction - don't let price influence the decision. The outcome was unanimous. Time and again, our teams selected AS-Motor because of its proven capability, reliability and performance in demanding environments."

For supplying dealer Lawncare Garden Machinery, they said the project extended well beyond machine delivery. Barbara Green said: "This has been a significant project involving teams across the UK, and it has been a real collaborative effort from everyone involved." She also thanked Ashley Mowers in Altrincham and G & W Lawnmowers in Dundee for helping prepare and hand over machines for customers in the north of the UK, alongside AriensCo UK for its support with operator training.

Sam Lewis, general manager of AriensCo UK, added, "Projects of this scale are only successful through strong partnerships.

"Together, we've demonstrated what can be achieved when manufacturers and dealers work in partnership to deliver the very best outcome for our mutual customers."

Pecks Groundcare has strengthened its professional groundcare offering after being appointed as a new dealer for Redexim, bringing the manufacturer's range of turf maintenance equipment to customers across Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.

The dealership says the partnership marks another significant step in their ongoing strategy to expand their presence within the professional groundcare sector. With more than 180 years of experience, the employee-owned business now operates across Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, supporting customers through its agricultural, groundcare and tyre divisions.

Jon Wareing, managing director of Pecks said, "Redexim offer market-leading groundcare machinery which completely complements our other franchises. They have a great reputation and, like us, they are focused on quality. We like quality machinery, good backup and strong credentials, and Redexim ticks all of those boxes."

Jon continued, "The machinery they offer, we don't currently have an alternative for within our portfolio. Many of their machines also work alongside the tractors we already supply, so there is a natural fit between the two businesses."

The appointment forms part of a wider ambition to grow Pecks' professional groundcare division and broaden its offering to customers operating in the sports turf and amenity sectors.

"This is all about offering a better portfolio of machinery to our professional groundcare customers," Jon said. "Sports grounds, golf courses, schools, colleges, universities and facilities managing both natural and synthetic surfaces are all sectors we want to support."

New Holland has announced an update to its UK dealer network in Southeast Wales. 

From July 2026, T Alun Jones & Son have expanded their territory to Southeast Wales and will become the exclusive New Holland dealer in this area from July 2027. The dealership will continue to provide sales, service and parts support to customers across the region, and in their new area.

David Rapkins, commercial business unit director for UK and ROI, said, “We would like to thank David Evans Agricultual Ltd for its valued commitment and service to New Holland customers over many years. Our priority throughout this transition is to ensure continuity of support for customers in Southeast Wales. 

“T Alun Jones & Son has a strong reputation for customer care and technical expertise, and we are confident the team will provide the high standards of sales, service and parts support that New Holland customers expect.”

Devon-based Robert Cole Agricultural Engineers has been announced as a new Vogelsang dealer for the South West. The JCB and Krone dealer operates out of a depot in Holsworthy and also supplies Albutt, NC Engineering and Spread-a-Bale products.

Kerry and Bob Oates of Robert Cole Ltd

The dealership will sell the full Vogelsang range, including applicators such as the BlackBird trailing shoe and SwingMax dribble bar, along with the XSplit separator range.

Vogelsang agricultural sales manager, Andy Hayhurst, said, “The team at Robert Cole is perfectly placed to sell Vogelsang products throughout the south west and will have the full support of our dedicated agricultural team here in the UK. It is exciting to be welcoming another new dealer and we hope that this will reinforce our support of customers in this region.”

Dealer principal Bob Oates bought the business from founders Robert and Annette Cole in 2018 and has since been building the team with his wife and fellow director, Kerry Oates.

“We have an established team of 17 staff helping with everything from sales to administration and felt that the opportunity to become a Vogelsang dealer was too good to miss. As we are based in a strong livestock, particularly dairy farming region, there is demand for accurate and efficient slurry machinery and we look forward to working with customers old and new,” says Bob.

The dealership has recently purchased new premises on Holsworthy Industrial Estate which are being developed into a purpose-built facility to enable the business to grow.

Cobra is proud to expand its 2026 tractor range, bringing together powerful performance, innovative features, and exceptional versatility to suit gardens and grounds of all sizes. Whether you’re maintaining a compact lawn or tackling expansive terrain, the Cobra line-up offers a solution designed for efficiency, comfort, and precision.

At the heart of the range is a strong focus on choice. Cobra’s lawn tractors and riders are available in multiple configurations, including compact lawn riders for tight access areas, rear-collection tractors for a clean, professional finish, and side-discharge models built for fast, efficient mowing on larger lawns. Each category is engineered to deliver dependable performance with intuitive controls and excellent manoeuvrability.

New for 2026, Cobra is expanding the range with the introduction of the LT74HRL 29" lawn rider, alongside an all-new Zero Turn (ZT) line-up, including both stand-on and zero-turn ride-on models. The LT74HRL offers an ideal balance of compact design and cutting capability, making it perfect for homeowners who need agility in tighter spaces without compromising on performance. Meanwhile, the new Zero Turn range is built for maximum productivity and precision, making it an excellent choice for larger properties, commercial environments, and users who demand speed and manoeuvrability.

Cobra’s 2026 range is built around powerful and reliable engines, including high-performance OHV units and advanced V-Twin options, delivering smooth, consistent power with excellent fuel efficiency and durability. Cutting performance is equally impressive, with a choice of deck sizes to suit everything from narrow spaces to large open lawns, along with adjustable heights and twin-blade systems for a clean, even finish.

Versatility is a core strength, with many models offering rear collection, side discharge, and mulching functions, plus added features like tow hitch points and mulch kits for increased practicality. Comfort and ease of use are also prioritised, with hydrostatic transmissions for effortless control, ergonomic seating, and intuitive layouts. Selected models include LED headlights and modern dashboards for enhanced visibility and operator convenience.
For larger or more demanding areas, Cobra’s V-Twin tractors provide higher torque, quieter operation, and greater efficiency, while compact riders remain ideal for navigating tighter spaces without sacrificing 

Peter Chaloner, Managing Director of Cobra Tractors, commented:

"We are incredibly excited to launch this expanded range for the 2026 season. Our team has worked hard to develop machines that not only deliver outstanding performance and cutting-edge features but also enhance the overall mowing experience. With the addition of new riders and our Zero Turn range, we are offering more choice than ever before. Whether you have a compact garden or a larger area to maintain, there is a Cobra machine perfectly suited to your needs. We’re confident this new line-up will make lawn care more efficient, enjoyable, and rewarding for our customers."

Overall, the 2026 Cobra tractor range combines new innovation with proven performance. With the addition of new rider and Zero Turn models, alongside an already comprehensive line-up, Cobra continues to offer high-quality machines designed to make lawn care more efficient, versatile, and enjoyable.

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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