In my capacity as the editor of your favourite journal dedicated to the dealer network, my email fills each day with tons of press releases.

Most are super helpful to me, coming predominantly from manufacturers our dealer readers know well. They will either be describing new machinery, informing about company changes or updating us on alterations to their network. These are essential to our keeping abreast of all industry developments - and I'm most grateful for them.

There is then a lower tier of slightly less helpful information that I tend to receive. These will often tell me about an individual or facility that has recently - or even worse, not-so-recently - purchased a machine that they are now using and that they think is good! Or how a company owner has issued a statement saying they believe their company is the best company ever. I'm always confused what I'm supposed to do with those ones.

And below those in my own personal ranking of received information, I seem to attract of a bunch of junk releases that are based around some arbitrary survey or findings. Some recent examples I've been blessed with have included; "7 common household items that can ruin your patio"; "More than half of Brits are now turning to AI chatbots to find the best shopping deals"; and my own personal favourite, "Saudi Arabia leaps from 104th to 23rd globally in the Mining Investment Attractiveness Index". Nice one, lads!

However, one did pop into my inbox last week that did achieve its clickbait intention. The headline was "35% of Brits Support Ban on Petrol Mowers" - so I read on. The survey came from a website called MyBuilder.com, who say their findings for this claim came from "Research conducted by Opinium Research for MyBuilder. Sample size 2,000 people via survey."

So whilst clearly only a small pool of the public has given their opinion on the subject of petrol mowers, I found it interesting to consider nonetheless. The release went on to say that men were slightly more in favour of a ban than women, with 37 per cent versus 32 per cent.

It then quoted Andy Simms, who was credited as an "expert from MyBuilder.com" who said “Petrol mowers are still extremely popular in this country, but it seems likely that Brits will move away from using them. Some local authorities are already imposing restrictions on petrol-powered tools, and it’s more than possible others will follow."

Andy concluded, "As technology advances, millions of Brits will be turning their backs on petrol mowers and moving to more environmentally friendly options.”

Which to be fair, is I think what many industry experts would broadly say will be the pattern of consumer habits as we move forward. I would certainly suspect that most of our readers who deal in any sort of grass machinery, be that domestic or commercial, would be witness to the momentum behind battery-powered alternatives.

I think our specialist dealer readers would agree that right now though, it isn't so much a case of petrol verses battery. It's more about being the local trusted expert across all fuel choices. The landscape of options for the end-user may be broadening but the fundamentals of the dealer’s role - expertise, service, and local trust - remain constant.

That survey's headline might be designed to look ominous (although it's worth bearing in mind that it could be rewritten as 'Two-thirds of Brits don't want petrol mowers banned'!), but rather than seeing that 35% figure as a threat, it can be read as a reminder. The network needs to stay ahead of public opinion, not behind it.

Dealers who embrace battery (or indeed robotics) where it fits, while continuing to support and defend petrol where it’s necessary, will surely be best placed to thrive - whatever policies or public attitudes emerge in the years ahead.

The organisers of the Service Dealer Conference have today announced a line up of speakers for the popular Insight sessions - all of whom will have the concept of Resilience tied into their presentations.

Joining us on stage to share their experiences and provide valuable insights will be:

Customer Insight:

Ian Beecher-Jones, JoJo’s Vineyard

Co-owner of JoJo’s Vineyard, a 2.2ha vineyard in Henley on Thames, Ian was director general of BAGMA from 1994 to 2006 then moved on to set up his own precision farming consultancy business working with farmers around the world improving their use of precision farming yield data. Ian says one of the main challenges facing the viticulture industry is sustainability and what that looks like to a business. Ian will explore what this means for farmers, growers and dealers over the next few years.

Customer Insight:

Jim McKenzie MBE, Celtic Manor Resort

Following an already successful career in greenkeeping, Jim joined Celtic Manor Resort in 1993 to oversee construction of the Roman Road Course. He became golf course manager upon completion of the project and subsequently developed a further four courses on site. Between 1999 and 2004 Jim also held the position of director of golf and is now director of golf courses and estates management. Jim will speak on what a turf professional requires from their local dealer

Another perspective:

Gary Whitney, Smartlawns Ltd

Gary Whitney, managing director of Smartlawns Ltd who specialise in robotic solutions for large area mowing and line marking, has spent over 40 years across all aspects of OPE sales, use and maintenance. Most recently enjoying 25 years with Stiga, he was first promoted to national sales manager in 2014 and then managing director in 2018 - leaving in June 2024 to set set up Smartlawns. Gary will reflect on lessons learned and consider the network’s threats and opportunities. 

The Service Dealer Conference & Awards takes place on Thursday 4th December 2025 at the Crowne Plaza, Stratford-upon-Avon.

John Deere has confirmed significant changes to its aftermarket parts strategy in Europe, including the future of the  Vapormatic brand.

The manufacturer is reshaping its parts offer into a tiered portfolio from premium genuine components, through cost-effective alternatives, to sustainable remanufactured solutions - which the company says is designed to give customers the right option at each stage of machine ownership.

As part of this shift, Deere’s ExtraParts programme with Kramp will be extended into further European markets. The scheme, first launched in 2017, enables John Deere dealers to supply not only Deere parts but also accessories and components for other brands - supporting customers running mixed fleets.

Meanwhile, from 1st September 2025, Kramp will take on the full Vapormatic inventory. Following the decision to close Vapormatic’s operations, the long-established brand will be stocked via kramp.com and available through local Kramp dealers.

Kramp says the entire Vapormatic portfolio of over 11,000 lines has already begun arriving at its warehouses and will be fully integrated into its system. Customers will continue to be able to order through their dealer, or via Kramp’s online platform, with next-day delivery available.

James Child, manager of aftermarket & customer support marketing at John Deere Europe, said the changes ensure “customers have access to the right solution at every stage of ownership.”

Kramp UK country director Des Boyd added, “We’re incredibly proud to bring the Vapormatic brand into the Kramp family. By combining Vapormatic’s legacy with Kramp’s scale and service, we believe we can have a really positive impact on the industry.”

Bobcat has announced the appointment of Liverpool-based Huskisson Ltd as the company’s new Authorised Dealer for Merseyside, Cheshire and Greater Manchester in North West England, Clwyd in North Wales and the Isle of Man.

Huskisson has replaced the previous dealer for this area, Norwest Plant Ltd, with immediate effect.

Andrew Wolton, district manager for Bobcat EMEA, said,  “The extensive experience with Bobcat equipment at Huskisson, combined with their dedication to offering exceptional customer service, will allow them to deliver even greater value for Bobcat customers.”

Huskisson dealer principal, Dave Parr, said, “As a company, we have had well over 40 years of success with the Bobcat brand, with our first dealership dating back to 1981. We are enjoying selling an expanded range of equipment at Bobcat, where the world famous compact equipment, excavators, telehandlers and attachments, light compaction and ground maintenance products are complemented by the sister Dealer Network offering forklifts and warehouse equipment and portable power.”

Huskisson is strategically located in an area which is accessible to a range of motorways and this is important for the company’s daily activities which include customer site deliveries and service support throughout the North West region. The company is also located near the increasingly busy port of Liverpool.

Dave Parr continued, “This will be a very exciting time going forward for industries in the North West and North Wales. The docklands area of Liverpool continues to be regenerated by its owner, Peel Ports Group and Manchester has always been very busy with new developments and expanding businesses. We also have a strong customer base in North Wales, where there are many opportunities especially in the agricultural sector. And in all these areas, we continue to manage existing contracts and bid for new ones with the local councils in our region.” 

Amazonen-Werke has opened a new training centre at its Altmoorhausen factory in Germany, with the aim of strengthening the skills and support available to its dealer network worldwide.

Amazone management at the opening

The 2,430m² facility has been purpose-built to deliver practical training in crop protection and large-area machinery. A covered demonstration area allows sprayers with boom widths of up to 48m to be unfolded and operated indoors, while classrooms and conference spaces are directly linked to surrounding farmland to integrate fieldwork into courses.

For UK dealers, the development is intended to enhance the training offered to sales staff and service technicians. The Amazone Academy already provides a wide programme - covering machinery operation, maintenance, troubleshooting, parts, crop production and sales support - and the company says the new centre will enable these to be delivered in greater depth and scale.

The Academy, first established in 2019, builds on training that began in Hude in 2008. It now operates across several German sites and in partnership with international subsidiaries, providing targeted courses not only for dealer partners but also for farmers, contractors and Amazone employees. A team of 14 technical and sales trainers, supported by content creators and external lecturers, delivers the programmes, most intensively between October and March.

As well as hosting training, the Altmoorhausen site will also act as a venue for dealer events such as sales partner meetings. The company says the investment underlines its commitment to ensuring dealers worldwide are equipped with the latest technical knowledge and sales expertise.

For the third year due to popular demand, Equip Exposition will offer the Women’s Leadership Reception, which organisers say is designed to help women leaders in the green industry connect and build their professional networks.

Jo Balmer of Balmer's GM attended last year's reception on behalf of Service Dealer

Equip will be held this year from October 21st to 24th at the Kentucky Exposition Center (KEC), and the reception will be held Thursday, October 23rd, from 5:00pm to 6:00pm at the KEC, and be preceded by a special panel discussion on women in the green industry.

“Women are an important part of our almost 30,000 attendees and exhibitors who come to Equip, and we’re proud to offer the Women’s Reception and other networking opportunities to bring women leaders in the green industry together,” says Kris Kiser, President & CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), which owns the trade show.

You can watch a video of last year's Women’s Leadership Reception on Service Dealer's Digital Special Report from the show.

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