The season is marching on.

Thoughts will soon turn to dealer days, roadshows, and the autumn industry exhibitions.

And for us here at Service Dealer preparations are well in hand for the annual Conference which is taking place on Thursday 16th November, once again at the Oxford Belfry Hotel. Entitled The Challenge of Change: Embracing & Adapting To A Changing Market, you can find out details about what’s going on and how you can be there via our website.

One of the most anticipated elements of that day is the prestigious Dealer Of The Year Awards ceremony which takes place at the venue that evening. As ever it’ll make a thrilling and enjoyable end to the day’s proceedings.

The Awards ceremony has established itself as an important date in the industry diary. It gives an opportunity to network, share stories, discuss business challenges and most of all share a delightful evening with friends and colleagues.

Now for the important bit: You could be a winner this year!

There is still time to make sure your dealership is in the running for one of these highly regarded accolades which recognise excellence in the independent outdoor machinery dealer sector. We are taking nominations via our website until Friday September 22nd – so don’t delay.

Our core dealer awards this year will be presented to the:

• GARDEN MACHINERY DEALER OF THE YEAR
• PROFESSIONAL TURFCARE DEALER OF THE YEAR
• FARM MACHINERY DEALER OF THE YEAR
• FORESTRY EQUIPMENT DEALER OF THE YEAR
• ATV / QUAD DEALER OF THE YEAR

There are two ways for a dealership to be in the running for these honours:

1. Manufacturers – nominate your dealers you feel best deserve this public recognition!
2. Dealers – you know how good you are, so nominate your own dealership!

Once your dealership is in the running for the Dealer of the Year awards, assessment will be made via feedback from the most important people to your business - your customers. We will send you a link which you could email to your customers which will take them to a page on our website where they can submit comments in favour of your dealership. We will also provide you with a logo you can add to your own website and a Word document you can print off and hand out at your premises.

Winning one of the Dealer Of The Year titles would give you ample opportunity to gain PR in your local press and to promote yourselves to new and existing customers. National industry recognition really is something to shout about.

Other awards
As well as the Dealer of the Year titles, which will include a new prize for Overall Dealer of the Year, this year we shall once again be presenting two honours recognising key members of your dealership’s team.

These are:

2017 STAR OF THE DEALERSHIP AWARD
Dealers are asked to nominate a member of staff from the sales, parts, service or support team who have demonstrated exceptional skills, commitment to customer service or any other compelling reason during the 2017 season - and who are deserving of industry recognition.

2017 APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR
Similarly, we wish to recognise an Apprentice who, during the 2017 season has demonstrated the desire, willingness and ability to progress within the dealership and the industry.
You can nominate deserving candidates for both these awards on our website

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
The judging panel will once again this year be paying special honour to an individual who has made a significant contribution to our industry over the course of a distinguished career. The person will be following in the footsteps of Ron Miller and Graham Dale who were presented with this title in recent years.

Head over to the 2017 Conference and Awards section of the Service Dealer website where you’ll find all the information you need to get your dealership in the running for one of these major prizes.

p.s Thanks ever so much to Chris Biddle for holding the fort here last week with his superb, thought-provoking editorial.

Bomford Turner has appointed Thurlow Nunn Standen Ltd (TNS) as its exclusive East Anglia distributor from 1st August 2017, terminating a 35-year relationship with Ernest Doe.

The agreement sees TNS assume the Bomford Turner franchise for sales, parts and service across its six depots spanning Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. TNS has resigned directly competitive lines to market Bomford Turner machines.


Bomford Turner's Flailbot

Explains James Cuthbertson, Director of Sales & Marketing, Bomford Turner, “We’re delighted to be partnering with TNS.

"Our decision to leave Ernest Doe was due to its interests with directly competitive franchises.

"The new appointment will ensure that Bomford Turner products will be marketed exclusively, with a clear focus, right across East Anglia – a hugely important area for agricultural machinery.”

Comments Chris Tew, TNS Sales Director, “We have long admired the breadth and quality of the range available from Bomford Turner. Our customers have very demanding requirements, and we are excited to be able to expand our solutions. Customers buying or leasing Bomford Turner plant through us will also enjoy access to flexible TNS Finance.”

After witnessing the Ferrari Scuderia crash which has since made headlines throughout the world (BBC, USA Today), Vince Cook who delivers for SCH (Supplies) Ltd from Ipswich in Suffolk, jeopardised his own safety to drag the driver from the car.

"I was on the inside lane of the M1, only doing about fifty or fifty-five miles per hour because of the heavy rain and surface water," explained Vince. "I saw the Ferrari coming up alongside in the outside lane, but he was only doing about sixty I think."

Just as the Scuderia pulled ahead of Vince, things began to go badly wrong.

"I’m not sure what happened - I don’t think the Ferrari driver does either - but the engine note changed as the car suddenly revved and swerved left, cutting in front of my Iveco truck. I knew it was going to be bad so I braked hard.

"I could tell he was trying to gain control and I immediately hit the brakes, but the Ferrari was still revving like crazy as it hit a bank, took two trees down to stumps and launched into the field below.

"I’ll be honest, I thought it was game over for him. The car was a wreck but then I could see movement and knew I had to get him out of there."


The wreckage of the Ferrari

Despite suffering a heart attack earlier this year, Vince clambered down the steep bank to do whatever he could to help.

"The poor guy was covered in cuts and there was blood everywhere. He was conscious but obviously really shaken and so I put his arm around my neck and helped him get away from the car and sat him propped up against a fence. I then noticed flames under the rear wheels of the car, and knew we had to get right away from it. I dragged him to the top of the hill near where the car had flown off the carriageway just in time to see the thing explode."

Vince found some bottles of water and kitchen towel in the cab of his truck, and set about cleaning up the shaken driver. 

"We could feel the heat of the blaze from where we sat. It was then that I asked how much fuel he thought was in the car and he told me it was full as he’d only just bought it!"

Vince waited with the driver until emergency services arrived, gave his statements and left to continue his work, delivering garden machinery for his employer SCH (Supplies) Ltd.

"I still had quite a few drops to get done so off I went," says Vince. "I don’t think I did anything special. I’m sure anyone would have done the same it’s just that I saw it all and had to help. I didn’t really think anything of it at the time. I just saw someone that needed help, so I went and helped him.

"A little while after, I did start to think about what might have happened to him, and to me, if that explosion had taken place just a minute earlier. But I would never have forgiven myself if there had been a fatality and I hadn’t even tried to help."

Year to Date sales equate to 7,233 units which is a +14.4%, or 900 units, change compared with January-July 2016.

Stephen Howarth, Agricultural Economist at the AEA said of July 2017's figures, "This was 16% more than in July 2016, the biggest year-on-year rise since March and continuing the upward trend seen in each month of the year so far.

"Indeed, registrations have now been up on the year in 10 of the last 12 months."

At the show Polaris UK & Ireland are providing the star prize for the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation’ Summer Prize Draw.

The prize is a Polaris Outlaw 50 Junior quad bike which is designed for children aged 6 plus. The Polaris Outlaw 50 will be displayed on the stand, with tickets on sale on the stand for £1.


Outlaw 50

The draw itself will be held on the NGO stand at Blenheim at 2pm on Sunday.

Polaris’ Country Manager Jim Clarke praised the NGO for their good work in support of gamekeepers. “We’re pleased as sponsors of the NGO,” he said “to be able to play a part in raising funds for the organization and look forward to presenting it to the lucky winner.”

For those looking to see something bigger, take a trip down to the ‘Farming in Action’ area at the show where visitors will have the opportunity to see the Kubota M135GX-III Series tractor in action. Equipped with a Bale Wrapper, the tractor will be taking part in live demonstrations throughout the four-day show.

Karen Tipping, Marketing Manager for Kubota UK, said: “BBC Countryfile Live is a fantastic show for the whole family, a really great day out with a host of activities on offer for families to enjoy. The show provides us with the ideal opportunity to promote our brand and build awareness with a wide range of visitors.”

Kellands has teamed up with Rickerby Ltd in its first move towards creating a comprehensive UK sales network.


Agribuggy

Creators of the Agribuggy low-ground pressure sprayer, and the Multidrive range of all-terrain multi-purpose load carriers, Kellands say they see the move as crucial in boosting brand awareness and putting its products in the ‘shop window’ with potential customers.

The deal will see Kellands machines available through Rickerby’s seven-strong chain of sales outlets in the North of England and Scotland.

A highly successful agricultural dealer with branches in Carlisle, Alnwick, Bowburn, Carnforth, Cornhill, Dunbar, Hexham and Penrith, Rickerby has established a reputation for excellent customer service and after-sales support.

Kellands director of sales and marketing Keith Pashley said, “We are delighted to build a partnership with Rickerby. They possess huge agricultural experience, have built strong relationships with farmers and contractors, and have a successful track record for supporting customers from sales enquiries through to after-care.

“We feel confident this deal will offer extensive opportunities for both Kellands and Rickerby and give us a strong platform to be more proactive in getting the product out into the marketplace for potential customers to see.”

Ibcos have announced that Robert Patrick, who has been their data support consultant for nine years, has taken on the role of their new Professional Services Group (PSG) manager, which involves overseeing the company's product consultants and engineers.

“I’ve been in the consultant role, doing the same thing, for many years at Ibcos,” said Robert. “I’m definitely ready for a change, especially since I’ve been in leadership positions before.”

Robert has worked in IT for over 26 years, having started in system operations all the way back when computers were still “a dark art.” He later on moved into technical and desktop support, which eventually led to his role as a Year 2000 (Y2K) project manager.

Robert has also worked for a global loyalty and relationship marketing company as the support and development team leader in application software, interfacing with clients such as Shell, SAS, KLM, Eurotunnel and BAA.

“I think the amount of experience Rob brings to the table is unprecedented,” said Collette Convery, the Managing Director of Ibcos. “Over the years, he’s shown that he’s not just a great consultant but a fantastic leader as well, which is why we want to make sure that he can fully utilise all of his talents. It’ll be great for us and our customers.”

Ransomes Jacobsen Limited is a winner at the RoSPA Health and Safety Awards 2017.  

The company achieved the Gold Medal award (5 consecutive Golds) in the prestigious annual scheme run by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). 


Ransomes Jacobsen Ltd safety representatives. From left to right: Nathan Rutter, Kevin Read, Simon Rainger, Eddie Talbot, Geoff Elliott, Shaun Mattin, Michael Jackaman

The award was presented during a ceremony at the ExCeL, London in June 2017. The award was achieved during a special year for family-safety charity RoSPA, as it celebrates its centenary. 

Geoff Elliot, Environmental Health and Safety Manager at Ransomes Jacobsen, said: “This award is testament to the commitment and hard work of all Ransomes Jacobsen Ltd employees. As a company, we ensure that our workforce is protected to the highest level possible, and it is an honour to now have received this award for five consecutive years as recognition of our commitment to safety. We will continue to ensure high standards are met in the workplace, and we thank all those who have made this possible.”  

Julia Small, RoSPA’s head of awards and events, said: “The RoSPA Awards are the most prestigious in the world of occupational health and safety, and held in high regard around the world, as winning one demonstrates an organisation’s commitment to maintaining an excellent health and safety record. Achieving the standard required is no mean feat. “This is a special year in the history of RoSPA, and we congratulate all of our winners in this, our centenary year”. 

Kubota Corporation has announced the establishment of a Holding Company in Europe as the Regional Headquarters of their industrial machinery business.

It has been 43 years since Kubota established a first subsidiary in Europe. After that they have been increasing their sales and manufacturing bases in the European region. They have achieved this by developing markets in each country.

In order to grow further, the company now believes it is necessary to shift their business management from a country basis to a Pan-European business basis and to optimise their business management in Europe.

Therefore, the company have decided to establish their European Regional Headquarters in Nieuw-Vennep, the Netherlands.

In a statement the company said, "We will drive our ‘Customer first’ and ‘Dealer first’ principles further through the activities of Kubota Holdings Europe B.V. and will continue to make Kubota Group a ‘Global Major Brand’."

New Holland is currently on the road with their harvest demonstration tour and will visit 12 locations across the UK during August and September.

The tour will showcase the new CR combine models due to be launched at Agritechnica in November.



The company says both rotary (CR) and mid-range CX models have been upgraded to increase productivity and throughput, whilst maintaining grain quality. Attendees will have the opportunity to ride and drive to get a feel for the new models’ improvements at the tour stops.

New additions to mid-range CX5 and CX6 combines include specialised CX5.90 and CX6.90 Laterale models. These machines are suitable for those farming on more extreme terrain as hydraulic rams work to maintain a level chassis on side slopes. Standard models benefit from the award-winning Triple-CleanTM, a three-tier cascaded cleaning shoe, providing a 15% increase in performance.

Improvements to the cab across the CX models bring the mid-range combine ranges closer to their flagship CX7 and CX8 siblings, and offer significant improvements for operator comfort and safety. New interior features include a user-friendly and ergonomic dashboard, wider passenger seat and, right hand module. New exterior LED light packages improve visibility.

New Holland’s harvest tour will visit the following locations across the country:

• 4th August - Chapel Down Farm, South Salisbury, SP5 5JR
• 8th August - Botany Bay Farm, Winterborne Tomson, DT11 9EY
• 11th August - Hereford area, location to be confirmed
• 15th August - Rothwell, Kettering
• 17th August – Horsebrook, Brewood, Staffordshire, ST19 9LT
• 18th August - Heal farms, Butlers Bank, Shawbury, Shropshire, SY4 4HG

Every year, universities from around the world compete to build a single seat race car for autocross or sprint racing. Formula Student is Europe’s most established educational motorsport competition, backed by industry and high-profile engineers such as Ross Brawn OBE.

The competition aims to develop innovative young engineers and encourage young people to take up a career in engineering. Following that edict, Surrey University’s Formula Student team set about building their new electric 80kW single seat racer, with a specification that would take it from 0-60mph in under three seconds.


Surrey University's Formula Student car

Little did they know the project would bring them into contact with garden tractor manufacturer Countax, themselves the company behind British-built Runningblade, the racing lawnmower that broke the world record on Pendine Sands.

Formula Student forms part of a degree-level project that provides the opportunity to deliver a complex and integrated product and present it to a hypothetical manufacturing firm. The rules are the car must be low in cost, easily maintained, reliable, with high performance; and the team has to demonstrate it can support a viable business model for both parties. The Surrey University team’s car is entirely student designed and built by them, making virtually everything from the tubular frame through to the aluminium suspension uprights. It’s powered by an 80kW/240Nm electric motor with 600v 7kWH LiPo battery.

Each team has to go through a rigorous testing process, including a Static Event, where the cars are judged on design, cost, sustainability, business presentation, technical and safety scrutineering, a tilt test and brake and noise test.

The venue for the Surrey team’s Static Event was Silverstone Circuit and when they arrived to assemble the car they found they were minus the correct wheel nuts. The ones they had with them were from the previous year’s model and this year’s had undergone a design change to the studs. They needed M10 x 1.25 pitch wheel nuts with a tapered seat to fit the new studs.

Nowhere at Silverstone could they find the size. Bill Backhouse, Automotive Technician for the university’s Mechanical Engineering Sciences Department, phoned his father Graham at the John B Backhouse power and garden machinery dealership in Yorkshire for help.

Graham realised the wheel nuts they needed were coincidentally the same as fitted to the post 2013 Countax garden tractors and the race was on to the Countax Factory near Oxford, where Lauren in the Parts Department had a set of wheel nuts ready and waiting in reception.

The short hop back to Silverstone saw the wheels and nuts in place ready to pass the Formula Student Static Event; and have the car ready to go on to the Dynamic Event with skid pan, sprint, acceleration, endurance and fuel economy.

Balmers GM Ltd are a leading supplier of all types of ground-care machinery from top brands such as John Deere & Stihl.

Due to on-going development & re-structuring, we are looking to recruit a Depot Manager to oversee all operations carried out at our Wakefield, West Yorkshire branch.

Key elements of this position will include leading & supervising the team, customer satisfaction, financial performance and communication. In addition to these key roles, the successful candidate will work closely with the Balmers GM Management Team in order to drive profitable growth, continued improvement and positive change within the organisation.

Main roles and responsibilities:

• Execute the Company business plan and achieve financial performance, including sales, budgets and cost control.
• Develop and maintain a positive relationship with all new and existing customers and suppliers.
• Ensure that appropriate communication takes place with and across all departments, which may include leading regular management & employee meetings.
• Communicate with other Managers to implement best practices and consistent processes for all departments within the company.
• Ensure the successful planning and execution of marketing activities and events.
• Oversee the maintenance, security and the professional appearance of the premises.
• Provide input to the hiring, development and effectiveness of the employees within the depot.

Skills & Qualifications:

• Experience as a Parts or Service Manager or in a sales role preferred.
• Familiar with John Deere and competitive products would be an advantage.
• Experience dealing with customer critical issues.
• Solid analytical, business planning, problem solving and communication skills.
• Knowledge of financial metrics, marketing experience and a solid understanding of sales, parts and service operations.

In return, Balmers GM Ltd offer a competitive salary, on-going training, long-term career prospects.

Please send your current CV with a covering letter to: Mr David Balmer – sales@balmersgm.com

Closing Date: 31st August 2017

P S Marsden (Lawnmower Services) Ltd are a family owned business based in Nottingham and are looking to appoint an experienced service technician

Your duties will include:

• Service and repairs to all makes and models of grass cutting machinery and associated equipment
• Carrying out Pre-Delivery Inspections (PDI)
• Examination and fault finding
• Determining repair method and identification and fitting of replacement parts
• Advising customer of repairs required
• Using the computerised systems to identify parts and service info
• Describing in written format the work carried out
• Undertaking work both in a workshop and on site

Experience:

• Proven knowledge and experience using methods, materials, tools and techniques in the repair and maintenance of grass cutting machinery and associated equipment including 2 stroke engines
• Good level of literacy
• Ability to work on own initiative
• Competent in the use of computerised systems
• Ability to diagnose problems and find solutions
• LTA level 3 would be an advantage (and reflected within salary)
• Ability to diagnose and repair both electrical and hydraulic faults

We offer:

• Competitive salary based on experience and knowledge
• Excellent working conditions
• Full support and development
• Contributory pension scheme

Interested applicants should send their CV and covering letter to:

Martin Edis
P S Marsden (Lawnmower Services) Ltd
Private Road No 8, Colwick Industrial Estate, Nottingham NG4 2JX

martin@psmmowers.co.uk Tel: 0115 9615431

Husqvarna is the pioneer of robotic lawn mowing, with over 20 years of investment and experience in the development of robotic mowers. The demand for this line of innovative products is increasing year on year and now is the perfect time for dealers to invest in what many believe to be the future of lawn mowing.


Husqvarna Automower® Robotic Pilot Scheme in Edinburgh

Husqvarna Automower® is sold globally from Europe to America and Asia with products manufactured in a sustainable, state of the art factory in County Durham, England. The UK market continues to grow and offers dealers a unique opportunity to increase profitable revenue. Last year saw 100% growth, with 130% already this year and forecasts suggest exponential growth in the coming years.

Husqvarna’s commitment to robotic mowing has seen it invest in a number of initiatives, most recently it installed Husqvarna Automower® at Regent’s Park, London and Princes Street Gardens and The Mound, Edinburgh as part of its Robotic Pilot Scheme to improve the health of our cities. It has also installed robotic lawn mowers at Newcastle Airport and National Trust Cragside. These initiatives are adding to the product awareness of Husqvarna Automower® and increasing demand, making them a more attractive proposition to dealers.

As the awareness grows, so does demand, providing dealers with an opportunity to take full advantage of a rapidly growing and highly profitable product segment. Recent initiatives have shown businesses and councils that Husqvarna Automower® is a viable option to consider in the future. This opens up a huge potential customer base for dealers to supply not only consumers but also a growing network of commercial users.

UK Manager - Husqvarna Professional, Kevin Ashmore said; “Trials in both Edinburgh and London public spaces are working extremely well. Both municipalities and private enterprise alike are finding the very optimistic interim results a real eye-opener to the possible use of robotics reducing noise, pollution and greatly reducing fuel cost to the taxpayer.”

“There are many more applications where robotics can provide excellent solutions with low noise and constant efficient mowing from offices to leisure parks and sports grounds to hotels, the possibilities are huge.”

Stocking Husqvarna Automower® is an attractive proposition, not only is it a highly profitable product to an ever-growing customer base, but the increased potential service and installation revenue of Husqvarna Automower® means dealers are well positioned to make additional profits, beyond the initial sale.

Husqvarna Automower® also provides an opportunity for dealers to attract a wider customer base outside their usual cliental. It appeals to gardening enthusiasts, technology minded individuals, business owners and people looking for a more eco-friendly way of gardening.

Kevin Ashmore, continued; “Opportunities for growth domestically and increased public awareness is fuelling demand towards exponential growth. Husqvarna UK is preparing itself for an unprecedented demand in 2018. We believe that the UK market has really started to accept that robotic mowing is a viable solution to traditional methods.

Commercially we feel that the opportunities are equally exciting. Many commercial customers have never even considered how useful unmanned solutions can boost their efficiency. The benefits for dealers are clear to see.”

For more information on Husqvarna Automower® follow this link; http://www.husqvarna.com/uk/products/robotic-lawn-mowers/

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. 

PRINCIPAL SPONSOR

PLATINUM SPONSOR




GOLD SPONSOR




SPONSORS

Want to become a sponsor? Email: julie@theadplain.com