The recent spell of warm weather has initiated a flush of spring flowering bulbs with snow drops, crocus and daffodil coming into flower and providing a great display of spring colours in our parks and gardens. This much needed warm weather has also encouraged the grass to start growing with many people wanting to start looking after their lawns and grassed areas.
Spring sees the beginning of the mowing season with people undertaking their first cut of the year.
March is also a good time to undertake lawn renovations with the aim of removing the thatch and moss that has accumulated during the winter months. This work usually involves the application of some lawn sand / iron sulphate that kills the moss, scarifying in several directions, top dressing with some sand and soil top dressing materials, fertilising and overseeding.
Soil and air temperatures climbing into double figures will no doubt promote some growth, with the need to start your lawn mowing regimes. Hopefully you will have had your mowers serviced and sharpened for the new mowing season.
This nice weather will have also encouraged the need to go out into the garden and begin the process of tidying up.
We now have a plethora of battery powered mowers and hand tools to help us undertake the wide range of jobs demanded of turf professionals. We are spoilt for choice with vast range of manufacturers providing a staggering array of products for this market.
Only last week I had an invite, along with other members of the trade press, to visit one of these manufacturers’ new distribution centre to catch up with the company’s latest product developments and battery powered technologies.
The venue was STHIL GB’s Contra House in Surrey, their new purpose-built head office and distribution centre that was officially opened last May.
The 11,500m2 facility is home to more than 100 staff, and the company says it is designed to enhance operational efficiency, customer service and employee well-being.
The new site features dealer training facilities and a studio, collaborative workspaces, an on-site restaurant, and a technical workshop, ensuring support for STIHL GB's 700-strong approved dealer network.
At the heart of the operation lies the 9,000m2 distribution centre, which boasts next-generation picking and storage systems.
Simon Hewitt, head of marketing and Paul Hicks, marketing and product manager for STHIL GB were on hand to welcome us all to this impressive facility. After a short introduction we were then given a full tour of the distribution centre. We began by visiting the Training Suite that was being used to update and offer refresher training for dealer technicians. We also saw their film studio where they can create a wealth of podcasts and product videos. We also shown around the distribution centre, which combines storage and packing areas with its impressive robotic picking station.
To complete the day the members of the press were then split into three groups with each taken to see four different workstations where we were given a talk about the specific set of products on each stand.
- Stand 1 featured some of the latest battery powered pedestrian mowers, strimmers and hedge trimmers.
- Stand 2 included battery powered chainsaws and blowers.
- Stand 3 was battery powered hand tools, pruners, saws, vacuums and jet washers.
- Stand 4 featured commercial solutions. Here we learned how the STIHL Commercial Solutions team focuses on promoting and selling professional-grade products, including those with battery technology and robotics, to businesses and professionals.
We were able to try a few of the products on display and I am very much looking forward to trialling some of these products throughout the coming year. All in all, it was an informative day. I personally would like to thank STHIL for the invite and no doubt will be seeing a lot of these new products being sold through their extensive dealer network.
The following day on my way back from Surrey I had the opportunity to call in to Fulford Heath Golf Club, Wythall nr Birmingham to see Kim Blake the head greenkeeper. The golf club was hosting a Toro / Hayter road show, one of seven planned for the month of March.
The remaining tour dates are as follows :-
- 11th March - Heyrose Gold Club, Knutsford
- 12th March - Pavillions of Harrogate, Harrogate
- 13th March - Newark Showground, Newark
I met up with Craig Hoare, sales and marketing manager for Toro, who welcomed several invited local dealers, with staff from Cutting Edge Machinery, TH Whites and Buxtons in attendance.
The company announced the launch of the upgraded Harrier Pro variants. A popular mower, that has recently been upgraded with new features – including new 3-Speed Transmission for the 56 Pro, improved grass bag design, and a lighter sail material making it easier to see when the bag is full.
A completely newly designed roller and drive system, to enhance traction on wet and short grass surfaces was also introduced. They also talked about the performance of the battery powered products mentioning the innovative dual-battery system that empowers professionals to mow up to 1000m2 on one charge.
I will hopefully also enjoy the opportunity to test these new Hayter mower products sometime this summer and give you a full report on their performance in due course.
So, a very busy and informative few days for me. Let’s hope this warm spell of decent weather continues for a few more weeks so we can enjoy the joys of spring.
