STIHL celebrates dealer excellence at landmark STIHL 100 Dealer Conference

STIHL celebrates dealer excellence at landmark STIHL 100 Dealer Conference

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STIHL celebrates dealer excellence at landmark STIHL 100 Dealer Conference

STIHL GB has celebrated the achievements of its dealer network at its STIHL 100 Dealer Conference, bringing together STIHL Approved Dealers from across the country for a landmark event marking the company’s centenary year.

STIHL celebrates dealer excellence at landmark STIHL 100 Dealer Conference

STIHL celebrates dealer excellence at landmark STIHL 100 Dealer Conference

The event marked 100 years since Andreas Stihl founded the business in 1926 and provided an opportunity to recognise the vital role STIHL’s dealer network continues to play in delivering expert advice, service and support to customers nationwide.

The conference, held at STIHL’s British HQ, Contra House, had a celebratory atmosphere with a three-course dinner, live music and a STIHL 100 ice carving made by Mat Chaloner of Glacial Art ice sculptors, carved with a STIHL battery chainsaw for the occasion.

A highlight of the conference was the STIHL Dealer Awards, hosted by renowned garden designer, broadcaster and writer Joe Swift*, who presented awards recognising excellence across the dealer network.

Among the evening’s major winners were Sam Turners & Sons, who received the Marketing Excellence Award, Gammies Groundcare, who received the Leading Battery Dealer award, and Louise Danbury-Peters from Ibbetts who was recognised with the Star of the Dealership Award. Additional awards were presented across a range of categories celebrating outstanding business performance, customer service, and technical expertise.

The final award of the night, the STIHL 100 Award, was presented to Ron Smith & Co. for all-round excellence, recognising their consistent growth and commitment to the highest standards across every part of the business. As well as the award itself, director Mark Smith was presented with a Centennial Edition MS 500i chainsaw, which was launched in May to celebrate the company’s historic anniversary, and sold out in less than a week.

Kay Green, Managing Director of STIHL GB, said: “As we celebrate 100 years of STIHL, it is fitting that we recognise the people who have played such an important role in our success. Our dealer network has always been at the heart of the STIHL business, providing customers with trusted advice, expert support and exceptional service.

The STIHL 100 Dealer Conference was a fantastic opportunity to get together, reflect on our shared achievements and celebrate the outstanding individuals and businesses that continue to set the standard across the network. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners and finalists on their well-deserved recognition.”

For more information on STIHL products, visit www.stihl.co.uk or contact your nearest STIHL Approved Dealer.

Find out more about STIHL’s historic milestone, here: https://100.stihl.com.

Find the full list of award winners below:

  • Marketing Excellence Award – Sam Turner & Sons
  • Leading Parts & Accessories Dealer – Hire Services (Southern)
  • Customer Service & Aftercare Award – Sam Turner & Sons
  • Leading Retail Experience Award – Balmers
  • Technician of the Year – Wayne Bodinnar, Tudor Environmental
  • Star of the Dealership – Louise Danbury-Peters, Ibbetts
  • Leading Garden Machinery Dealer – Ron Smith & Co
  • Leading Battery Dealer – Gammies Groundcare Ltd
  • Leading Commercial Solutions Dealer – Denbigh Plant Services
  • Leading Forestry & Arb Dealer – Gustharts
  • STIHL 100 Award – Ron Smith & Co

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Kress and the Portugal Invitational showcase the future of course maintenance

Kress and the Portugal Invitational showcase the future of course maintenance

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Kress and the Portugal Invitational showcase the future of course maintenance

The 2026 Portugal Invitational will bring together some of golf’s most respected names and provide a glimpse into the future of how great courses will be maintained. Kress has been named an Official Partner of the tournament, the first PGA Tour Champions event in Europe, taking place at The Els Club Vilamoura in the Algarve from July 27 to August 2, 2026.

Kress and the Portugal Invitational showcase the future of course maintenance

Kress and the Portugal Invitational showcase the future of course maintenance

As part of the partnership, Kress autonomous mowing technology will be deployed at selected golf courses across Portugal, supporting a new approach to course maintenance that combines sustainability, operational efficiency, and exceptional playing conditions.

Trusted by some of the world’s most prestigious golf courses, Kress is helping define a new standard for course maintenance, combining autonomous operation with the consistency and precision demanded by elite venues.

As golf facilities across Europe pursue ambitious sustainability goals, many are looking for practical ways to reduce their environmental footprint without compromising course standards. By replacing diesel-powered mowing equipment with autonomous electric technology, golf courses can significantly reduce emissions, lower noise levels, and preserve the peaceful environment that defines the golfing experience.

Kress and the Portugal Invitational showcase the future of course maintenance

Kress and the Portugal Invitational showcase the future of course maintenance

“Great courses are maintained by people. Technology simply gives them more time to focus on what matters most,” said Dario Alonso, CEO Kress South Europe. “The Portugal Invitational is the perfect stage to demonstrate that autonomy, sustainability, and exceptional course conditions can coexist.”

“We are proud to welcome Kress as an Official Partner of the Portugal Invitational,” said

Todd Rhinehart, Tournament Director.

“Their commitment to innovation and sustainability reflects our ambition to showcase not only world-class golf but also the future of the game and the facilities that support it.”

For more information, please visit https://www.kress.com/en-gb/

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New home for BBC Gardeners’ World Live and Good Food Show Summer

New home for BBC Gardeners’ World Live and Good Food Show Summer

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New home for BBC Gardeners’ World Live and Good Food Show Summer

BBC Gardeners’ World Live and the Good Food Show Summer, which will be renamed as the Good Food Festival, are moving to the breathtaking 4,500-acre Packington Estate in Meriden, Warwickshire with the first Show taking place 17 – 20 June 2027.

New home for BBC Gardeners’ World Live and Good Food Show Summer

New home for BBC Gardeners’ World Live and Good Food Show Summer

After an incredible 35-year legacy at the NEC Birmingham, these much-loved flagship events will relocate to Packington Estate, just five miles from the NEC, situated between Birmingham and Coventry. Set against the magnificent backdrop of the 18th century, Palladian hall, the Estate’s expansive landscape, historic gardens and curated grounds create an inspiring new canvas for the Shows to evolve, expand and flourish.

The move marks a landmark moment, with 2027 also marking the 60th anniversary of the BBC Gardeners’ World brand.

Rachel Poletti-Gadd, Portfolio Director at Immediate Live, organisers of BBC Gardeners’ World Live, said: “Our move to the Packington Estate coincides with celebrations marking 60 remarkable years of BBC Gardeners’ World. It’s been a privilege to nurture and grow BBC Gardeners’ World Live and the Good Food Show Summer into an exceptional event with the NEC team and the millions of visitors that have joined us. Our mission is to continue to develop the shows for Gardening and Food enthusiasts. Gardening favourites like the Show Gardens, Floral Marquees, Plant Villages, Beautiful Borders and the main theatre will be coming with us, as well as foodie Favourites such as the Big Kitchen, Tasting Workshops, Producers Villages and many more exciting new highlights in the Good Food Festival too.

Packington Hall is the ancestral seat of the Earl and Countess of Aylesford and is home to Lord and Lady Guernsey and their young family. The Estate features ‘Capability’ Brown designed pleasure grounds with a picturesque serpentine lake, a rich variety of trees, and a 1762 Japanese Bridge. There are mixed herbaceous borders, a wildflower meadow and rose garden, and a lovingly restored walled garden which will be brought to life through special guided tours during the June event.

Georgie Guernsey said: “At Packington we have been growing food and managing nature for many generations. The Estate is defined by its heritage and guided by our evolving vision to honour the historical landscape while embracing the future’s potential. Packington’s long-term vision is shaped by four core pillars: stewardship, sustainability, connectivity, and wellness. Together they guide the Estate’s purpose and commitment to the land, its people, its heritage and its future.

“To know that Gardeners’ World and the Good Food Show are coming to Packington goes far beyond a dream come true. For us, it marks the beginning of a partnership that reflects so much of what we care about: food, gardening, community, wellbeing and a connection to the land.”

Early bird tickets

BBC Gardeners’ World Live and the Good Food Festival will take place at the Packington Estate, Meriden, near Coventry, Warwickshire from 17-20 June 2027. Early bird tickets are on sale now at www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com/newdigs and include entry to both events.

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Vincents breaks ground on major new Cullompton branch

Vincents breaks ground on major new Cullompton branch

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Vincents breaks ground on major new Cullompton branch

South West agricultural, construction and groundcare machinery dealer Vincents has broken ground this month (June) on a new purpose-built branch in Cullompton, marking a major milestone in its 60th anniversary year.

Vincents breaks ground on major new Cullompton branch

Vincents breaks ground on major new Cullompton branch

The third-generation, family-run business supports customers across Cornwall, Devon and Somerset and is investing in a new long-term base just off the M5. The Cullompton branch is due to open in spring 2027.

Designed to support continued growth across Devon and Somerset, the new freehold branch will include larger workshops, improved staff and customer facilities and an impressive showroom showcasing an extensive range of machinery from leading brands including Kubota, Merlo and Kverneland. It will bring together Vincents’ existing Smithaleigh and Wellington operations into a single, modern, permanent site and will operate alongside its established branches in Fraddon and Holsworthy.

The new location in Cullompton places the business close to established rural retailers such as Mole Valley and on key routes used by many of its customers, strengthening access and regional connectivity.

Brothers Alec and Nick Vincent, third-generation managing directors of the family-run business, said: “As we reach our 60th year, this investment is about securing the right long-term base for our Devon and Somerset operations. Moving to an owned freehold site is a key strategic step for us, giving us the capacity and stability to support customers and continue growing for the long term.

“We’ve built strong relationships across the region, and this new site ensures we’re well positioned to support customers into the future.”

The business, which prides itself on Ken’s founding principle of ‘service at the centre of everything’, continues to benefit from the experience of the second and first generations, with Paul and Ken Vincent remaining actively involved.

Vincents’ renowned service model – including overnight parts delivery – will remain unchanged, with most support continuing to take place at customers’ premises.

“As a family business, maintaining that day-to-day consistency of service is incredibly important to us,” Nick and Alec said. “Our teams will continue to operate out in the field, with the Cullompton site giving us the space, facilities and infrastructure to support that even more effectively.”

Smithaleigh and Wellington will remain fully operational throughout the build period, with all roles transferring to Cullompton when the site opens.

Founded in 1966, Vincents has grown from a tractor engineering workshop into a full-line dealership supplying and supporting agricultural, groundcare and construction equipment across the South West. It is the only dealership in the region offering the full Kubota range and it supplies and services a wide range of new and used machinery which spans everything from balers and disc mowers to robotic mowers, excavators, dumpers and telehandlers.

For more information visit vincenttractors.co.uk.

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One supplier, one proven programme at Cromer LTA

One supplier, one proven programme at Cromer LTA

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One supplier, one proven programme at Cromer LTA

At Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS), building long-term relationships with facilities is just as important as supplying the right products. That partnership approach is on full display at Cromer Lawn Tennis & Squash Association, where Groundsman and General Manager Matthew Jordan relies on OAS as the club’s sole supplier of grass seed, nutritional products and line marking paint to maintain 10 busy grass courts through an intensive playing season.

One supplier, one proven programme at Cromer LTA

One supplier, one proven programme at Cromer LTA

Cromer LTA is a bustling multi-sport and community venue, offering accessible facilities and coaching for a range of racket sports together with supporting local groups including yoga, chess and running clubs. With around 500 members including 120 juniors, the facilities are open year-round – with the grass courts hosting the brunt of the action between mid-April and the end of September. “For us, maintaining consistently high-quality playing surfaces is essential and it’s something that is much more achievable with the reliable results we achieve with an OAS programme” explains Matthew.

“It’s something that we’ve developed over a number of years, working closely alongside our OAS Area Sales Representative Mark Keysell to establish the right products and gather the practical guidance we need to make informed decisions. We have budgets to work to and really appreciate that Mark respects this and structures a plan that delivers both value and long-term results.”

Keeping the courts fit for daily play in addition to a packed tournament schedule which includes a British Tour event, county championships and junior and senior tournaments begins with the right grass seed, and for that Matthew opts for R9 100% dwarf ryegrass. “This hard-wearing mix is ideal for tennis. After a fairly heavy renovation, we sow R9 at the conclusion of the grass court season and let this establish throughout October.”

Matthew then turns his attention to a winter nutrition programme consisting of Multigreen 15-0-22 to maintain plant health through the colder months before kickstarting spring growth in February with an application of Cold Start Boost-R 11-5-5. “This product really get’s the grass moving, enabling us to gradually lower the heights and increase the frequency of mowing to get us down to 8-10mm when the season starts” he adds. Supporting performance during the busiest periods is H-Cote 22-3-8, which forms part of a wider site programme which includes selective weed controls, Enclean hard surface biocide and Tri-Cure granular.

For Matthew and the team, having one trusted supplier simplifies operations and provides confidence throughout the year. “It’s now at the point where this programme is tried and tested, but it’s great to have Mark on hand with help, advice and guidance when needed.” He concludes, “It’s thanks to this partnership that our grass courts are as good as they are.”

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