It seems as though the weather has taken a turn for the slightly more helpful just in time for the Bank Holiday weekend.

A decent mix of warm sunshine plus much needed rain is predicted across most of the UK. Hopefully dealerships across the nation will see some good business from now on - making up for some of the lost time which the recent prolonged dry spell enforced on many.

As we approach September, thoughts inevitably begin to turn to future business. Coming up next month plenty of manufacturers and distributors will be holding their annual dealer days and road-shows at venues around the UK - showing off for the first time the new products they'll want dealers to be stocking in their stores.

Also it'll be the start of the show season, with both Glee and APF coming up next month. Again excellent opportunities for dealers to get a sense of what the manufacturers feel will be the upcoming trends in new equipment.

I've seen a couple of interesting articles online this past couple of weeks, considering this notion of what customers will be buying and dealers stocking in the near future.

Firstly in terms of agriculture I read an opinion piece from the market research and business intelligence service, IDTechEx, which equated the recent court ruling in the States against Monsanto, with what they see as the unstoppable rise of agricultural robotics. The court case which saw jurors in San Francisco awarding a former school groundsman $289m, ruling that Monsanto's Roundup gave him terminal cancer, according to IDTechEX has "everything" to do with the future of agri-robotics.

In a statement, IDTechEx said that as a consequence of this judgement, "Inevitably, robots, AI, and smart agricultural tools will come to form a major part of a weed control (not chemical) focused business."

They went on to explain, "We believe that agrochemicals companies have no choice but to become intricately involved with robotics and AI. These two technologies will shape the future of their business. The advent of precision see-and-spray technologies will drastically impact on the volume and type of the chemicals employed, potentially transforming the business from one in which they sell bulk non-selective chemicals towards one in which they sell many specialized selective chemicals tailored to various plants."

To read more about their thoughts on future agri-robotics see here.

Secondly, in terms of the future trends in domestic and commercial machinery, albeit in the United States, the American trade magazine Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE), recently published their annual 'Equipment Trends' focus. The title asked representatives from equipment manufacturers throughout the U.S industry to share their thoughts into market trends and where they saw potential growth.

I'm sure it won't come as too much of a surprise that a number of those interviewed by the magazine cited both robots and cordless machinery as the avenues down which themselves and their dealers will be increasingly heading in the future. Representatives from companies including STIHL, Husqvarna, Greenworks, Earthquake, Masport and Milwaukee Tools all mentioned variations on this theme.

Significantly though, several companies spoke of a renewed focus on ergonomics and an ease of customer use dictating their future developments. For example Brad Unruh, director of new product development at Excel Industries (Hustler) is quoted by OPE as saying their focus will be on "..clean, simple designs that make service and reliability a focus. No need to add unnecessary parts and pieces that just add cost." And Pat Cappucci, president and COO, Schiller Grounds Care, tells the magazine "For consumers, making products easier to own and operate seems to be a growing trend, especially with homeowners who want to use products like the pros use. That means improved ergonomics and operator interfaces, clearer operating instructions, and better customer support – particularly online – are necessary."

The whole article is well worth a read so do have a look if you've got 10 minutes spare this weekend. It's certainly interesting to hear how many of the top outdoor power equipment companies in America are seemingly looking at these notions of ease of use, productivity and efficiency - concepts which have of course been around since the year dot - as areas for increased re-focus to generate future profits. I'm sure we'll be seeing the fruits of these efforts over here very soon.

So there definitely appears to be optimism out there. Manufacturers are talking about various areas of development with enthusiasm and belief in their potential. Which I suppose they've always done and would be weird if they did otherwise.

However, with the upcoming shows and dealer days, we'll be able to see for ourselves what equipment is in dealers' immediate future - and gauge what trends we may see from there.

Doug Beattie of Farm And Forestry Equipment based in Ardersier, Inverness-shire, is planning to drive the North Coast 500 on his Massey Ferguson 135.

Doug Beatie of Farm And Forestry Equipment photographed at the recent Black Isle Agricultural Show by BAGMA's Alasdair Straker

Doug will be raising funds and awareness for MND and MS. He calculates it will take him 5 days at 20 mph!

The planned trip came about Doug says, following the sad news that a close friend had been recently diagnosed with MND and Doug's wife Helen has two sisters who unfortunately suffer from MS.

Doug has had his Massey Ferguson 135 on display this summer at Nairn and the Black Isle shows and has already raised £2,500.

He told Service Dealer, "We would just like to say huge thanks to everyone for their generosity and contributions so far. If we can get to £3,000 we’d be delighted. I’ve chosen September for the journey as this immensely popular tourist route will hopefully have less traffic on it by then.

"I started as an apprentice mechanic with Hamilton Bros, Inverness in 1969 and the 100 series Masseys were selling in large numbers, especially the 135 and 165 models. So, all things considered this had to my tractor of choice! The one I have has got 2074 genuine hours and came from a farm near Beauly. We still use it for moving machinery around in our yard. I just need to give it a service and we’ll be 'on the road'."

Doug's adventure is due to commence on September 25th 2018.

GovPlanet UK, the vehicle and specialist equipment disposal service, have recently appointed Simon Morley, ex of JCB, as their new territory manager.

GovPlanet has been operating in the UK for the past 4 years and won a place on the NAPFM-sponsored national emergency services vehicle disposals framework in September 2017.

Since then the company say they have continued to grow and win business with the emergency services, local government and their fleet management companies.

Simon Morley says the company is now keen to demonstrate their capabilities to groundscare equipment OEMs, distributors and owners, to help them generate higher revenue from their vehicle and equipment sales.

He said, “We are keenly aware that shrinking budgets means owners want to achieve the very best possible return on their original investment.

“Typically, we can increase that return by 15-25% above more traditional auction routes.

“We do this by offering lower costs, selling to a global audience and through pro-active sales efforts. We tailor the method of re-sale to the customer’s needs.”

Simon said the company is interested in all sorts of equipment, having “previously sold everything from excavators to tractors and mowers and anything in between.”

“Our aim,” he said, “is to provide a great return for the customer and reduce the hassle and worry associated with disposals, at the same time.”

Anybody wishing to know more can contact Simon on 07776 686287 or smorley@ritchiebros.com

John D Falla & Son have announced that they are selling their business as owner John Falla wishes to retire through ill health.

Established in 1911, this engineering business has been passed down the generations and the last few years has seen it grow to be the largest hydraulic specialist in the Scottish Borders.

Founded by his grandfather, John Falla's father took over running the business in the 1940s, with John himself joining, aged 16, in 1969. John's father died aged 84 in 2001 which left John running the company single-handedly. John chose to invest and expand the business taking on more staff and acquiring an adjoining building.

Now a well equipped workshop undertakes all kinds of engineering, fabrication and welding for domestic and commercial work.

This is supported by a parts department and a retail premises supplying a wide range of products, including Husqvarna and STIHL chainsaws and safety equipment. A new parts website is currently under construction and will go live shortly.

His long service to the farming community in the Scottish Borders was recognised in 2012 when John was awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. Upon receiving this award John was profiled in an article in The Southern Reporter which you can read here.

On Thursday 30th August, four Directors from CLAAS UK will be swapping tractor for taxi as they attempt to recreate the 1969 classic movie ‘Monte Carlo or Bust’, driving from Saxham to Monte Carlo and back in under 48 driving hours.

However, instead of the film’s 1920’s-era rally cars, CLAAS UK CEO Trevor Tyrrell, CFO Thomas Spiering, Retail Director Richard Vaughan and Property Director Paul Butcher will be driving an iconic 16-year-old black London cab that cost £900 and has 350,000 miles on the clock. The taxi has been nicknamed ‘Little Nellie’.

CFO Thomas Spiering, Retail Director Richard Vaughan Property Director Paul Butcher and CLAAS UK CEO Trevor Tyrrell, with ‘Little Nellie’, the 16-year-old black London cab

‘Team CLAAS’ are doing the challenge in order to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation. The BHF is CLAAS UK’s chosen charity for 2018, and the taxi will depart from CLAAS UK on the evening of Thursday 30th August, the first anniversary of the very unexpected death of a well-known and respected colleague Patrick Wells, following a heart attack aged just 62.

The challenge will be started by Patrick’s wife Karen and the aim is that ‘Little Nellie’ will travel through six capital cities and eight countries. The team will drive through London and Paris on their way to Monte Carlo, Monaco. The return leg will then see them pass through Italy; Bern, Switzerland; Germany; Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and finally Brussels in Belgium with the aim that they will arrive back at Saxham on the morning of Sunday 2nd September.

The Black Cab has been nicknamed ‘Little Nellie’ in recognition of the James Bond autogyro that featured in ‘You Only Live Twice’ and the fact that Monte Carlo and the surrounding area has often been used as a location for Bond films. The team will also aim to follow the road taken by James Bond in ‘Thunderball’ and ‘GoldenEye’.

All told, the team will travel over 2,000 miles. However, fully laden ‘Little Nellie’ only has a cruising speed of just 65mph - on the flat, so the Alps will prove a challenge, as will the need to keep refuelling her in view of her fuel consumption of just 25mpg!

The original target was to raise £10,000 for the British Heart Foundation and their cardiovascular research and work towards improving the treatment of heart conditions. But such has been the support from within the agricultural industry and those who knew Patrick, that this has already been doubled.

You’ll be able to follow the progress of this epic journey on https://www.facebook.com/CUKMONTECARLOORBUST - each stage of the journey will be recorded in photos and video by the 4 directors.

CLAAS UK plan to sell off Nellie after her epic journey to raise further funds, if anyone has a serous bid for the taxi do please contact CLAAS UK on 01284 763100.

Dawne Hart, fundraising manager for the BHF, said: “The team at CLAAS UK have set themselves a really tough and exciting challenge, and a fitting way to remember their colleague.

“Heart conditions affect thousands of people in the UK, and every contribution, big or small, plays a crucial part in helping to bring the next lifesaving breakthrough closer.

“Every pound raised by this event will be used to help fund new ways to help treat, prevent and cure heart conditions.”

Heart and circulatory disease causes more than a quarter (26%) of all deaths in the UK. On average 420 people die each day from the condition. The BHF is the UK’s leading independent funder of cardiovascular research aimed at improving the treatment of heart conditions.

Donations can be made using the team’s JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/claas-fundraising-montecarlo

Gardenex say they have been gathering information on potential Brexit issues and suggests companies visit them at Glee or spoga + gafa to get advice on preparing for whatever the eventual outcome of the negotiations will be.

The Federation says advice covers several key areas including the impact of Brexit on customers, data protection, contractual terms, tariffs and customs, environmental law and intellectual property.

Once the EU and UK stance becomes clear, in the early New Year, Gardenex say they will assemble a programme of practical help, support and advice.

In early 2019 there will be a day of help and advice at the Federation’s Future for International Trade conference. In the interim it will be working with a leading firm of solicitors to offer its member companies an on-line Brexit Impact Analysis to help companies prepare for the Brexit.

Amanda Sizer Barrett, the Federation’s Director General says, "It’s a truism that forewarned is forearmed: our teams are happy to help our member companies and to welcome new companies into membership who want the benefit of this kind of pragmatic advice.”

HE-VA cast steel 620mm roller rings, with 10 spokes, were the strongest and most robust in trials carried out by Swedish machinery magazine, Nielehn Teknik.

HE-VA ring in guillotine for Nilehn Teknik magazine

The research looked at roller rings from three different agricultural machinery manufacturers, including HE-VA. The strength of the rings was put to the test by mounting them in an axis under a guillotine, where a heavy block was plunged down onto the ring from a height of 70 and 90cms, with 96 and 156 tons of weight respectively.

The HE-VA cast steel roller ring was still intact even after the weight was released 150 times in the first test, with similar products lasting only seven strikes.

Commenting, James Woolway, OPICO Manging Director said, "These results highlight the heavier and more robust new generation of HE-VA NG rings that have been standard on all new sets of rolls throughout 2018, from the entry level VIP rollers through to the 20.3m King Rolls. I am impressed, but not surprised, by how well the rings performed as they have been designed to be robust enough to cope with the demands of traditional and min-till cultivations across a range of soil types."

The new NG multi-spoke rings are the same weight or heavier than the previous designs fitted on HE-VA rolls (dependent on model). Cambridge only and Cambridge and Breaker styles are available in the new design in three sizes.

2018 is the year that Kverneland’s auto reset system celebrates 50 years.

The company says the simple but effective mechanical leaf spring protection system continues to be a proven performer for trouble-free ploughing in stony conditions.

Auto reset uses a block of leaf springs to hold the anchor assembly that carries left and right-hand bodies, tight against the plough beam. This allows each mouldboard to operate independently when in the ground.

There are five leaves in the standard auto reset system, seven in the heavy-duty version and nine on XHD models. The versatility of the system can often see ‘helper’ springs fitted to the front furrow to suit hard ground conditions.

To work properly, the leaf spring assembly only needs to be correctly tensioned. A long Kv spanner supplied with the plough features two notches, 70cm apart. These notches align with the leaf spring’s retaining pins - this gives an instant reference for the optimum spring tension.

Kverneland’s auto reset is a low-maintenance break-back system. Once the system trips, spring tension releases, which immediately lowers the pressure on the plough point, frame and associated parts. And this is another feature that helps Kverneland ploughs to last longer.
The success of the Kverneland auto reset system on ploughs has also seen the mechanism introduced on Kverneland cultivators.

Kubota UK has joined forces with PACCAR Scout Camp, a charity funded organisation dedicated to helping young people achieve their physical, intellectual and social potential.

PACCAR Scout Camp, located in Buckinghamshire, provides a fun and exciting camping experience for youth organisations, including Scouts, Guides and school groups. Visitors have the opportunity to experience an assortment of activities, from abseiling and archery, to climbing, high ropes and bushcraft.

Kubota's RTV-X900 utility vehicle in use at the PACCAR Scout Camp

The Japanese manufacturer is working in partnership with PACCAR Scout Camp as part of its on-going initiative to support charities that are focused not only on improving the prosperous life of humans, but also protecting the environment.

Karen Tipping, Kubota UK’s Marketing Manager, said, “We are delighted to support the PACCAR Scout Camp. The work and commitment of its 120 volunteers to give children of all ages the opportunities to experience the great outdoors is fantastic.

“For many of the camp’s 50,000 visitors a year, it can be the first time they will have ever experienced the outdoors like they can at PACCAR Scout Camp. It’s an adventurous experience that’s not only fun and entertaining, but it can help build self esteem, confidence and team building skills.

“These values are important to Kubota and we are extremely proud of our manufacturing excellence and our commitment to the environment. Being partnered with PACCAR scout group is excellent and we are so pleased that we can aid them with the brilliant work they do’’

To help the camp’s volunteers get around the 67-acre site, Kubota has donated its RTV-X900 utility vehicle.

Cliffe Brooke, Operations Manager at PACCAR Scout Camp, commented, “On behalf of everyone at PACCAR, we would like to thank Kubota and our local dealer George Browns for their support. We are a charity organisation, and like all charities, we need funding to be able to survive. With Kubota donating us the RTV-X900, it means we can focus our funds on what’s most important – continually improving our site and facilities to make the experience our visitors have when they come here, even better.

“We are really looking forward to putting the RTV-X900 through its paces now and seeing what it can do. It will be an integral piece of machinery that will be used every single day so we are delighted to receive Kubota’s support.”

As a self-described "company full of forest fanatics", Husqvarna say they are somewhat of an authority when it comes to assessing the quirks, beauty and uniqueness the world’s forests have to offer.

Their experts have now come together to produce a list which includes seven of the most breathtaking, which they say are well worth a visit.

Crooked Forest – Poland

There are so many theories around why these pines are twisted. Were they designed to grow this way to create furniture and abandoned during the war, or was it a bad snowstorm that pushed the trunks in to this position? Since 1930 there are 400 of them, making up part of a beautiful and unusual forest in Poland’s Gryfino.

Black Forest – Germany

The setting of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales and with looming rich green evergreens, the Black Forest has more than just impressive trees going for it. Peppered with picturesque spa towns, thermal baths and vineyards, and if that wasn’t enough there are waterfalls, lakes and ancient stone bridges to discover. The sweeping valleys are imposing when the cloud draws in, but this is one place that looks all year round, no matter the weather.

Sagano Bamboo Forest – Kyoto

A hugely popular spot to take in these stunning bamboo trees, making it difficult to get a good photo without people in it! Head to the Arashiyama district in western Tokyo early in the morning and avoid the weekend to miss the crowds. It’s not just the bamboo’s good looks that draws the crowds, the Ministry of Environment included the Bamboo Forest here on a list of 100 Soundscapes of Japan. It’s part of the selection of everyday noises locals are encouraged to stop and enjoy.

Hallerbos Forest – Belgium

Known as ‘The Blue Forest’ for its colourful carpet of Bluebells and featuring giant Sequoia trees, this picture-perfect forest sits between Zenne and Zonien. Catch them in all their glory around mid-April when it gets popular with visitors. Most of the old trees here were removed by occupying German forces in World War 1, and reforestation brought it back to life.

Lake Kaindy - Kazakhstan

Eerie and beautiful, this fascinating forest is the result of an earthquake in 1911 that formed a dam, trapping the pines in rainwater ever since. Why haven’t they rotted away you may ask? The water is very cold, helping to preserve the roots that live underwater. It makes for interesting scenes, especially for ice divers, and as the surface freezes over in winter, the area becomes popular with ice fishing groups too.

Avenue of Baobabs - Madagascar

These huge and out of proportion Baobab’s are all over Madagascar. One grove lets you get up close with a road running right through, where the trees make people seem the size of ants. Over 20 of the trees are situated here, each over 30 metres high and over 800 years old. The most impressive fact has to be how they can hold 32,000 gallons of water, helping to defy drought conditions.

Gardens by the Bay – Singapore

Could this be the forest of the future? It certainly is a sight to behold in an urban setting and just might be a great solution to protecting wildlife and plant growth. This forest is made up of 18 man-made structures shaped like trees, standing at 25 to 50 metres tall. They are vertical gardens which visitors can walk amongst on an aerial walkway. Over 162,000 plants cover these structures which come alive at night with lights and sounds

The sun is shining, the weather is sweet - and your grass is out of control, growing at an alarming rate! Intermittent downpours and glorious sunshine are perfect grass-growing conditions leaving both domestic and professional gardeners with a task tougher than any other time of the year. With increasingly unruly areas to keep trim and landscapes to manicure, Grizzly Tools have the answer to all lawn based troubles.

Grizzly's flagship premium petrol lawn mower, the BRM 56-163 BSA InStart 360° is unrivalled in design thanks to the swivel-wheel concept that means the neatest ever turning circle. There are no multiple-point turns necessary to manoeuvre this impressive and artfully engineered Briggs & Stratton four-stroke engine. The quad design offers smooth ease of use regardless of terrain and lockable front wheels enable the straightest of cutting lines. Spinning on its own axis, this model requires no tipping to turn despite its incredibly robust and solid frame, for ultimate convenience and driving comfort.

Offering a vast range of functions, the 360° has InStart engine technology that fires up at the touch of button, 6 step height adjustment across each of the four wheels and a 75L collection bag with hardtop and fill-level indicator. Rear wheel drive, blade brake safety function and Height adjustable fold-away handle bar make this mower top of the petrol class. Fitted with top quality steel metal housing, it cuts a fine figure with rear and lateral discharge, foliage collection function, mulching and near-edge mowing.

Sample this and other products from Grizzly’s brilliant range for yourself, enjoy their exceptional quality and effective marketing by becoming a Grizzly dealer today: get Grizzly and see the difference! To see the full range of Grizzly garden tools or for more information visit www.grizzlytools.co.uk

Grizzly Tools manufacture quality power tools for every gardener; sold across Europe for 20 years, the brand is well established and trusted by tradesmen and home gardeners alike. If you’d like to speak to Grizzly Tools about their range of products, please give us a call on 0845 683 2670 or email sales@grizzlytools.co.uk.

The weather has hit the market hard this season, when the grass disappeared so did the customer base. It’s been tough, we’ve had to dig deep, nurture our regular customers and protect the business where we can. In fact, recent statistics from Service dealer’s online poll suggest, that 77% of readers agree that the warm weather has had a detrimental effect on their turnover.

At Stens we’re taking a proactive approach. We’ve been talking to our customers across the globe and looking for revenue drivers, our mission, to secure an industrious 2019.
Our findings and the key focus is pre-season stocking. Suppliers from the US through to Western Europe are preparing their customers for the year ahead. Customers are expected to receive exceptional discounts, longer payment terms and extended warranties, along with a first-rate service.

At Stens we are prepared to grasp every opportunity to support our customers, therefore we are now launching our pre-season offering ahead of our competition. All customers will be able to take advantage of our discounts from the 1st September 2018. With discounts across all 3700 products, and revised payment terms, we believe that this package supports our customer needs ultimately alleviating your cash flow concerns.

We continue to support our offering, with a One Year Written Parts and Labour Warranty on all our high-quality parts, along with Free Next Day Delivery. (T&C’s Apply)

As always, at Stens we pride ourselves on putting our customers first and will do what it takes to live up to our promise of helping business run better ®

Click here to see full details of our pre-season offers.

Keep in touch with us on social media for upcoming updates and to stay on top of our exciting offers, sign up for an account today.

Click here for our new and improved account application form.

Or alternatively give our very helpful staff a call to discuss your needs. Contact Jordan or Mark on the details below.

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