GGM Groundscare have announced a new partnership with Roberine, the Dutch manufacturer of self-propelling mowing machines.

GGM say they have a rich heritage in the ride-on commercial mower sector and as the business prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary at its headquarters in Colne, Lancashire, the move sees it return to its roots.

L-R: Andrew Melville (commercial director, GGM); Maarten Ponne (sales area manager, Roberine); Ian Burden (group vice president vegetation control, Alamo Group Inc); Chris Gibson (md, GGM)

Managing director Chris Gibson says, “When the business was relocated to Colne back in 2000, we were suppliers of Kubota and Hayter Professional, which was subsequently bought out by Toro. We described the brands as the right and left legs of the business - the absolute cornerstones of everything we did. Over time, we’ve explored and been extremely successful in other sectors. Now, through Roberine, we have found the perfect partner, at the forefront of the development of commercial mowing machines for local authorities and commercial landscapers”.

GGM takes on the franchise from today (1st May 2020) and becomes the supplier across the North West region as well as South and West Yorkshire.

Chris continued, “We are extremely excited about adding the Roberine franchise to our portfolio. It is the perfect addition as we continue to grow in the commercial sectors”.

The new partnership comes after initial discussions at last year’s Saltex, when GGM learnt of Roberines’ desire to develop its UK commercial business.

The GGM team say they explained their business ethos and strategy and they were confident they could substantially grow the business across their territory, thanks to their experience in the commercial mowing sector. As part of this agreement GGM will take over the responsibility for the continued service and warranty of all machines supplied by the former dealers.

GGM have already added the Roberine F3 triple flail to its hire fleet and have several units already working in the marketplace with two local authorities, and have recently taken delivery of new F3 triple and F5 5-unit flail demonstration machines.

Chris said, “We've already been investing in training our after-sales team and parts inventory to ensure all Roberine customers both old and new receive the award winning service GGM customers have become used to.”

Maarten Ponne at Roberine added. “We are delighted to have GGM Groundscare on board to represent the Roberine brand. Changing dealership representation is never an easy decision but we believe that, in GGM, we have a partner with a clear shared vision of how best to support our brand throughout the region. They have a proven track record for working closely with commercial customers and are keen to continue to invest and develop their business even in these challenging times.

"The appointment of GGM follows that of Lister Wilder in the South and both appointments demonstrate our commitment to grow a professional dealer network with a proven track record for customer service and support.

"For now, it’s important we all stay safe, but we will continue to work in the background to develop our dealer network and work with all our partners to ensure we are ready to grow our business in the UK as soon as we are able to do so."