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Iseki Tractors ‘Behind-the-Scenes’ at Olympia Horse Show

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Ransomes Jacobsen, the European distributors of Iseki tractors and mowers, recently loaned several Iseki tractors to the Olympia Horse show for the second year running. The show was held at The Grand Hall in Hammersmith, London.

The tractors on loan included the new TLE3400 with loader attachment, a TH4335, a TG6370 IQ, and both the TG6490 HST and the TG6490 IQ variants.

Tim Henson is the backstage manager at the London International Horse Show. He is responsible for the organisation and management of all activities and logistics before the show is unveiled to the public. Commenting on the build-up to the show, Tim said:
“We are extremely grateful to Ransomes Jacobsen for loaning us the Iseki tractors. I have worked at the London International Horse Show for 22 years now, and I wish we had these tractors back then!”

The Iseki tractors are used to move all of the equipment, such as the show jumps, in and out of the arena areas. The TLE3400 is Iseki’s new premium economy tractor. It features a three-speed hydrostatic transmission and an impressive lift capacity of 1000 kg, making it suitable for a range of tasks, including lifting and towing.

Commenting on the performance of the tractors, Tim said:
“The machines are very reliable; they have exceeded our expectations and deliver around the clock, which is exactly what we want when we have so much to do in such little time. We have five tractor drivers, and the feedback from all of them has been astoundingly positive. The tractors are extremely user-friendly; the operators haven’t had any issues working out how to use a tractor when jumping from one machine to the other. They are also particularly adept at navigating small spaces in and around the show areas, which of course makes life much easier for us; without doubt, we have saved ourselves a lot of time with these machines.”

John Quinton, U.K. and Ireland Sales Manager at Ransomes Jacobsen, said:
“We are delighted that a range of Iseki tractors have been used throughout the Olympia Horse Show. The TG6 and the TLE series of tractors are already proving very popular in the municipal, grounds maintenance and agricultural markets, and we are very excited to showcase these machines at the Olympia Horse Show each year.”

Parting thoughts from David Withers

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Following his recent departure from the position of President of Jacobsen, David Withers offers some final thoughts.

I think you probably know my history that I joined Jacobsen in the UK in 1992 as a Regional Sales manager, and then had a variety of increasingly senior roles within the organization became Managing Director of Ransomes Jacobsen (the Ipswich UK based subsidiary of Jacobsen) in 2004 a role I held until the move to the President’s job in Charlotte in 2011. Then, as you know earlier this year Textron announced the merger of Jacobsen with Textron Specialized Vehicles. This included moving all activities out of Charlotte and into Augusta.

As such my role would have moved to Augusta and I decided that this was not something that I wanted to do and felt that the timing was right for us to start looking at moving back to the UK. I also think that the merger of the 2 brands will work better if it is truly integrated and I think that integration will be easier and more complete without there being an incumbent President of Jacobsen in the mix.

As regards the future as yet I have no plans, it has been a busy time planning the integration and all my thoughts and energy have been on working to ensure a smooth transition where our customers are only impacted positively. Once I actually leave Jacobsen at the end of the year I will start to look at what opportunities there are and decide what we want to do next. I am hopeful that I can stay in this industry as I have so many friends and relationships that it would seem sad not to continue to build them in the future albeit with another company.

Thinking about the future of Jacobsen in its new home I think there will be opportunities to build on what we have achieved these last years and also to leverage the 2 brands together to win more business. What I mean by that is there will be the ability to leverage the EZGO and Jacobsen brands into the customer base. If a golf course or group are purchasing a lot of Jacobsen equipment but also a golf buggy fleet competitive to EZGO, then maybe in the future it will make sense to buy it all from one company and get additional advantages due to the increased volume of business going to one vendor.

In addition the product line-up has truly been refreshed these last few years and the new products are well set to continue to win more business in the future, I think as well the product plan that is already in place will continue to deliver great “customer delighting” platforms over the next 5 years.

  • The philosophy that I bought to the role was based on what we referred to as the 3B’s:
  • Building Relationships with our customers is the most important thing we can do.
  • We must Build a great machine that makes our customers lives easier.
  • Backing our products up for the whole life of the machine is key to our customer’s success.

I think that If Jacobsen stays true to these tenets then the company will only continue to grow and succeed as it has these last years and I wish the company and all its wonderful employees and customers every success for the future.

I have loved my 24 years with Jacobsen it has all been an amazing experience and such a privilege to lead this iconic company for the last 5 or so years, so whilst sad to be leaving I am also excited to see what the next chapter in my career may bring.

Daniel Madsen Wins Trip to Wembley with Jacobsen

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daniel-madsenIpswich, Suffolk (November 17, 2016) Daniel Madsen is the latest winner of the Jacobsen New Groundsman of the Year award. Turf equipment manufacturer Jacobsen and local dealer Svenningsens co-sponsored the prize that included a trip to work alongside the groundsmen at St. George’s Park, England’s national team training facility, and a tour of Wembley Stadium with Head Groundsman Karl Standley.

Daniel is the grounds manager at Telia PARKEN Stadium, the home of F.C. Copenhagen and the Danish national football team. Having grown up as an F.C. Copenhagen fan, Daniel has now spent 10 years at the club that is regarded as the most successful club in the history of Danish football. Daniel has played a crucial role in preparing the pitch for every game played at the stadium which includes Champions League fixtures, the most recent being the visit of the reigning Premier League champions, Leicester City F.C.

The Groundsman Association Denmark (GDA) nominated Daniel for the award as a result of the pitch being voted as “Denmark’s best pitch” two years in a row. This accolade is achieved by the captain of the opposing team rating the pitch from 1-5, with the highest ranking pitch at the end of the season winning the award. Commenting on being nominated, and winning the Jacobsen New Groundsman of the Year award, Daniel said:
“It was a huge privilege to just be nominated for the award. My peers are the ones who voted for me to win, so it really means a lot to me that my work has been recognised in this way. I have to also acknowledge the work of my team. There are only three of us, and between us, we maintain the training ground and the stadium, so there is a lot of work to do! The stadium is multi-use so as well as preparing the pitch for football, we also have to prepare for concerts and other sporting events, which comes with its own challenges.

“I hope to be able to continue the good work in the years to come. I am particularly looking forward to the challenge of preparing the pitch for the 2020 European Championships, which marks the 50th anniversary of the competition. Telia PARKEN Stadium will host three group games and one round of 16 game. I hope to be able to make it to Wembley for the final once my work is done!”

Commenting on the prize of working alongside F.A. Head Groundsman Alan Ferguson and his team at St. George’s Park and the trip to Wembley Stadium, Daniel said:

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in England. I have been blown away at the size of St. George’s Park, and I have also been surprised how open it is to the wider community. For example, I have been told that Burton Albion train here every day and I have seen the Australian national rugby league team here as well. It’s fantastic to see a world-class facility that is so versatile and well-used.

“My trip to Wembley was also a great experience. Wembley is the Mecca of football and it was exciting to be able to stand on the pitch and go behind-the-scenes of a place which has hosted so many memorable sporting moments. I would like to thank Jacobsen for making the experience possible; I have learnt a lot which I hope to be able to take back with me to Copenhagen.”

For more information visit www.textron.com

ClearWater is Number One at BTME 2017!

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Talking-ClearWater-on-the-Highspeed-stand-at-BTME-2016Highspeed Group is focusing on their Number One product ClearWater and sees BTME 2017 as the ideal platform to build on the last twelve months success.

Highspeed Group’s joint M.D. David Mears commented: “BTME is always an excellent show for us and 2016 exceeded expectations with us taking a record number of ClearWater enquiries. For BTME 2017 we have made ClearWater even better with some specification changes, free upgrades and an exceptionally attractive price! The time to buy and comply could not be better, particularly for those that have been fortunate enough to receive VAT refunds! ”

Highspeed’s stand (C12) will feature a mini ClearWater display unit to demonstrate some of the new features and, yes, there will be a Show Offer and an even better Prize Draw! If you are interested in bringing your washpad up to legal requirements, do make sure you visit the stand; it may not be as expensive as you thought and you could be a winner!

Highspeed Group’s Show Offers not only cover ClearWater but also a superb deal on diesel refueling tanks and an attractive waste management package; WasteAway.

Call Matt Mears on 07912 981103 for more information or to make a show appointment. The Highspeed Team looks forward to seeing you at BTME 2017: Stand C12.

For more information visit www.highspeed.co.uk

FÖRST WOODCHIPPER DISTRIBUTION EXPANDED INTO EUROPE

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Doug-Ghinn-1Redwood Global, manufacturer of Först woodchippers, has now expanded distribution of its market leading range of high performance and robust woodchippers into Europe following a period of significant growth.

The manufacturer has set up strategic dealer partnerships with industry experts in France, Norway and Denmark that will see arboricultural sales specialists solely distribute Först machines throughout the new territories.

In addition, Redwood Global as formed a subsidiary company (Först Gmbh) that is based in Germany to specifically meet significant customer demand in the country.

Först Gmbh and each dealership will distribute Först’s premium range of 6” and 8” wheeled, tracked and PTO woodchippers, all of which have a three year warranty as standard, offering tree surgeons, arborists and contractors complete peace of mind.

Doug Ghinn, Director at Först, commented: “We introduced the Först brand to the market over three years ago and its presence continues to go from strength to strength. We have developed an excellent reputation for manufacturing and supplying products that produce outstanding chipping performance, backed up by a first class service offering.

“We are very excited to be distributing Först wood chippers throughout Europe. Through extensive analysis and the implementation of strategic business models, we are already beginning to see a positive impact on the markets and this will only help our business to continue to grow.”

Daniel Robertson, Managing Director of Först Gmbh, said: “Först has made significant strides in the UK market in a short period of time and we are looking forward to replicating this success in Europe.

“Customers here in Germany are liking what they are seeing with the Först product and this is seen in the excellent sales achieved to date. The product is right for the European market and customers are beginning to see the quality of Först wood chippers.”

For more information on Först’s high performance range of woodchippers, or to book a demonstration, visit www.forst-woodchippers.com or call 01264 721790.