A POSITIVE GROUNDSFEST
Improvements across the board
by TurfPro Editor, Laurence Gale MSC, MBPR
 
Laurence Gale MSC, MBPR

Last week I attended a very positive GroundsFest at the Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. To me it felt like a vast improvement on last year’s inaugural show, that was beset by poor weather. This year the weather was much kinder and the organisers had made many improvements in terms of signage, refreshments and toilet provision - along with a better layout for the exhibitors.


There were certainly more exhibitors this year with over 500 brands represented. It felt to me very much like the atmosphere of the old, outdoor Windsor show.

 


Many of the exhibitors I spoke to were very pleased with the layout and footfall of the first day. Chris Bassett, one of the shows organisers, was on hand to give out the complementary trade bag at the main entrance on Day 1 and he told me he’d handed over 2500 bags by mid-morning. I’ve subsequently heard from Chris that the early unofficial attendance figures are looking like 4738 for the first day and 3276 for day two. These are just visitor numbers, not exhibitors, and are up on year one.

 


 There was plenty of machinery on display with both manufacturers and dealers exhibiting a vast range of products. There seemed a greater presence of battery powered products on show, with the likes of STIHL, Kress, EGO, Milwaukee,Echo, Makita and others showing off their latest offerings.

 


I called on the EGO stand and was keen to see what they had new coming to market. I will hopefully be trying out their power washer, multi tool scarifier and their new 21-inch rotary mower in the new year. Speaking to Steve Roskell, marketing director (EMEA) of EGO on their stand, he said he was very pleased with the show and that EGO products are being well received in the industry, with more and more professional users turning to them. He also said they were going to bring a robotic mower to market next year.

 


Speaking of which, it was also noticeable the increased number of robots we saw at the show. They were everywhere, all different styles and formats. With increased technologies and versatility, we now have vast range to choose from – with one even, that can both cut grass and mark out pitch lines.

 


Many manufacturers are now offering a choice of products for both domestic and professional customers. Some have cameras on to help deal with obstacles or when they lose GPS signals they still can operate. 


There was also a robotic device (BUKY ONE robot brush) that has been designed to sweep and clean artificial playing surfaces. 


There were also several robotic line-markers on show. During the day I caught up with Ellie Parry from Groundsman Training who was keen to announce that they now have a Lantra accredited course dedicated to the training and use of the Origins range of robotic line markers. 

 


The outdoor demonstration areas and stand space was at least three times the size of last year’s show and well laid out. Many of the exhibitors I spoke to were very happy with their stand space and the interest they were getting form the attendees. 

 


The Landscape Zone was also very busy with plenty of exhibitors offering a wide range of products and services to see.  Agrovista had a stand promoting tree care products, along with several nurseries and suppliers of hedging and plant materials. 

 


Personally, I believe it makes sense to invite the landscape sector along, integrating the services you need to manage and maintain open spaces and sports facilities. 


I was also asked to speak at the show as a guest of Lantra along with four other industry professionals - Tom Arnold chair of the Lawncare Association, Jim Croxton  CEO of BIGGA and Alisdair Mason, development director of Landguard. The subject was centred around the challenges facing the industry. 

 


In summary, Tom spoke about the need to legislate and improve the lawn care industry with the aim to set industry standards for people providing a lawn care service. Jim spoke about the need to address some key issues regarding the welfare of greenkeepers in term of salaries, retaining staff and improving working conditions. He also spoke about some climate issues with water resources becoming an important issue with regards to eesilience of supply, efficiency / optimisation of use. Plus what the ever-changing weather fronts impose on the maintenance inputs of a golf course. 


Alisdair meanwhile, was keen to point out the challenges facing contractors using pesticides, namely the bad press of Glysophate.


As for me, I spoke about the loss of skills in the amenity sector particularly in local authority where over the last 40 plus years, we have seen a dramatic loss of skilled horticulturists working in the sector - mainly due the austere budget cuts being made by councils.  I was also keen to mention the difficult problem our industry is facing with regard to recruiting new blood into the industry. It seems that the modern generation either do not know about the opportunities available for them or they are shy of getting their hands dirty. Many businesses are finding it hard to recruit new members of staff across all sectors of the landscape /amenity and sports turf industry.

 


I said on numerous occasions that we have a plethora of industry organisations trying to solve this, but unfortunately, it’s not enough to make a significant difference. 


I believe it is finally time that all these essential organisations, such as the likes of  BALI, GMA, PMA, BIGGA, R&A, Fields In Trust, Association of professional Landscapers, HTA, Landscape Institute , RHS and many others need to come together to provide a national campaign to deliver a bespoke introductory National Apprenticeship / academy scheme that would see 5000 new recruits per year for the next five years. This would not only promote this sector but raise the profile of what we do and deliver on so many fronts. 


Most people I spoke to at the show agreed that we need to do something sooner than later. 


To sum up though, for me I think that this year’s show was a success and it will be interesting to see what happens in the coming years in terms of the growth of GroundsFest. 

In this issue
EDITOR'S BLOG
A POSITIVE GROUNDSFEST
NEWS
ENGAGEMENT IN TRAINING & QUALIFICATION INCREASES
BIGGA TEAM UP WITH THE R&A
SALES DIRECTOR APPOINTED
PRO DEALER HOLDS SUCCESSFUL RIDE & DRIVE DAY
MOST 'INTERNATIONALLY DIVERSE' SHOW PROMISED
KRAMP STORE OPENED BY DEALER
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