Winner of DLF BTME competition

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Winner of DLF BTME competition: Rhys Butler, Links Manager at Royal St. Davids Golf Club in Wales has been announced as the winner of the DLF Sustainability Seed competition held at BTME 2023. Regional Technical Manager Stuart Yarwood MG recently visited Rhys to present the prize of a Greenstester – the perfect tool for monitoring speed, trueness and greens performance.

The winner was randomly selected from those that entered across the three-day event, with Rhys the recipient of a Greenstester – a simple monitoring tool supported by the R&A. When used on a regular basis, the Greenstester can provide a bank of meaningful data relating to putting performance, yielding information on firmness and speed that can be tracked and monitored over time.

Winner of DLF BTME competition

Winner of DLF BTME competition

On receipt of his prize Rhys commented, “BTME this year was a really informative and enjoyable experience and to win this competition is just the icing on the cake. On top of the Greenstester which will be used by my team to track greens performance, it was great to catch up with Stuart and talk all things links turf on his visit.”

Together with testing visitors on some of the new cultivars and changes to mixture formulations across the Johnsons Sports Seed and MM Seed ranges, the questionnaire was also designed to find out the most pressing topics currently experienced in the industry, which will be used to shape future research and education programmes available from DLF.

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BAGMA signs up a new General Manager

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BAGMA signs up a new General Manager: A well-known industry name will be taking the reins at the British Agricultural and Garden Machinery Association (BAGMA), as they announce Nick Darking as their new General Manager.

Effective from 13th March 2023, Nick will be building on the legacy of departing Director Keith Christian, bringing with him more than 30 years of industry knowledge and experience to this lead role.

BAGMA signs up a new General Manager

BAGMA signs up a new General Manager

Nick joins BAGMA on the back of more than three decades in the land based engineering sector working with a cross section of customers and dealers in both the agricultural and ground care sectors.

The majority of Nick’s career has been with leading machinery supplier – Redexim – where he began in a hands-on role in the workshop, before a long and illustrious track record in a sales and support role. It is also here that Nick forged many strong and longstanding relationships with partners across the Redexim dealer network.

In addition to Redexim partners, Nick has also had the pleasure of working closely alongside the leading industry associations including BIGGA and the Grounds Management Association (GMA), and has sat on the AEA’s ‘Outdoor Power Equipment Council’ for the last 10 years.

Commenting on his appointment, Nick said: “I am delighted to be joining the BAGMA team, working with a fantastic group of industry professionals and using my knowledge to further the aims and objectives that BAGMA work so passionately to achieve.

“Having worked with a number of BAGMA members in my previous roles, I look forward to re-connecting and developing these relationships and taking the next step of my career in the industry which I love.”

Keith Christian said: “I am pleased to be handing over BAGMA to a person that has a similar industry background to myself and an understanding of the UK dealer network and their needs in today’s ever changing business world.”

Ruth Bailey (CEO AEA) commented: “This is a superb appointment for us and for the industry. We are absolutely thrilled that someone of Nick’s standing and experience will be taking the helm at BAGMA and carrying on with the dedicated and passionate path as set by Keith. I very much look forward to working with Nick in the years to come.”

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More mowing power with Makita

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More mowing power with Makita: Makita has expanded its 40VMax XGT range with two new self-propelled XGT lawnmowers.

These much-anticipated products are Makita’s first lawnmowers to join the company’s powerful outdoor XGT collection, with both brushless motor products providing professional landscapers with the flexibility to cover large and dense areas without cords or petrol.

More mowing power with Makita

More mowing power with Makita

The LM001G and LM002G 40VMax XGT Brushless lawnmowers are powered by Makita’s trusted 40VMax XGT Li-Ion battery technology and have been engineered to provide excellent performance and power, even when mowing in dense grass, with quick acceleration and optimised blade design. Both models benefit from the option to work with two batteries in parallel, so that when one battery runs out, the system automatically switches to the other. This means that users can continue working without having to stop and replace and recharge batteries when working on large areas.

With a 62L collection box, the LM001G has a 480mm cutting width and offers a no-load speed of up to 3,200rpm. The machine can also be operated in a quieter ‘Noise Reduction’ mode with a no-load speed of 2,500rpm, which is ideal for working in residential and public spaces. The LM002G, with 70L grass box, affords users with a 534mm cutting width with a no-load speed of 2,800rpm, or 2,300rpm in the ‘Noise Reduction’ mode.

Each feature 10 height positions from 20mm at the lowest setting and 100mm at the highest, and both can be operated with a choice of three cutting modes: Normal, Soft No-Load, or Noise Reduction. Other key features include the electric brake, soft start, anti-restart function and constant speed control to ensure ultimate safety whilst delivering excellent results.

The new, durable products are designed for rough terrain with large wheels and high-end steel decks that minimise damage from obstacles and flying debris, as well as IXP4 weather resistant construction. The mowers include a mulching function and a grass level indicator, so operators know when the bag needs emptying. Furthermore, the machines can be easily stored at the end of the day in a compact, vertical position, thanks to the foldable handle design.

“To meet the increasing demand for high intensity, reliable and robust landscaping power tools, we have added our first lawnmowers to our popular XGT collection,” said Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita. “Makita’s revolutionary XGT system has been designed to ensure that the battery and the tools’ motor technology work together for optimum performance and now includes over 25 outdoor products among the range so that users can switch between tasks and tools easily, simply by swapping the battery. These are available as complete models, or as body only versions if you already have XGT batteries and want to expand your range of tools.”

To find out more about Makita and its range of products visit: www.makitauk.com.

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New John Deere dealer acquisition

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New John Deere dealer acquisition: John Deere’s agricultural and sports turf machinery will be available through a single, larger dealer in the counties of Antrim, Derry/Londonderry, Armagh and Down after Stephen W Moore LTD announced that it is acquiring its neighbouring franchise, Johnston Gilpin & Co LTD.

Both Coleraine and Lisburn branches will continue trading from the current locations, and customers will experience a simplification of all aspects of parts and service in the region as a result of the move, which is in line with Deere’s Dealer of Tomorrow strategy.

New John Deere dealer acquisition

New John Deere dealer acquisition

All Johnston Gilpin & Co employees will be transferred to Stephen W Moore, and the company’s branch in Lisburn will continue to trade under the name Johnston Gilpin.

The expanded dealership will offer the full range of John Deere agricultural machinery as well as domestic and professional turf care products, supplying farms, homes, sports venues and golf courses with the same quality equipment and aftersales service they have received under the previous structure.

Dealer Principal Stephen Moore said: “This is an exciting time as we prepare to nearly double the size of our business with the next stage of our evolution.

“We have known the McConnell family and the Johnston Gilpin group for many years and the whole team has done a fantastic job serving agricultural and turf care customers in the territory. It is clear we share the same core values around delivering unrivalled customer service so I am looking forward to integrating the two businesses under the Stephen W Moore banner.

“The transition will be smooth and steady, ensuring that it’s business as usual for our customers while we are learning from each other behind the scenes.”

Stephen W Moore has been a John Deere dealer since 2008 in Coleraine. It is known for its strength in supporting farmers and contractors in the region, offering the full range of forage harvesters, combines, small, medium and large-frame tractors, sprayers, mowers and balers.

“As well as covering a larger area and the benefits that scale brings to a business like ours, we will now be able to offer the full range of professional turf care machines, parts, service and technical knowledge,” Mr Moore added. “As one franchise with access to more machines, parts and know-how, the training and advice we can offer to customers and staff will continue to improve.”

John Deere’s Division Sales Manager, Brian D’Arcy, said: “The acquisition is a great fit for our dealer network and the new, larger business – backed up by the support from John Deere – is an extremely strong proposition for our customers in Northern Ireland.

“Both companies are well established with knowledgeable staff and connected support. Looking ahead, the business will go from strength to strength and be in a position to make the future investments required in facilities, logistics and advanced precision technologies.

“Our special thanks go to Donn, Randal, Neale and all the McConnell family for their valuable and longstanding contribution to the industry after serving as a dealer in the area for John Deere for the past 54 years.”

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John Deere will not attend the SIMA show

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John Deere will not attend the SIMA show: John Deere would like to take this opportunity to inform dealers and customers that they will not be attending the next SIMA show in November 2024 in Paris.  One of the main reasons for this decision is to allow greater focus on country specific dealer and customer events throughout 2024.

“COVID 19 has changed the event landscape and the way customers want to interact with us is also evolving,” said Andreas Jess, John Deere Marketing Director for Region 2. “Ag and Turf trade shows are a long-established way of engaging with farmers and contractors, but we are also exploring alternative communication channels that combine both digital and face-to-face activities. These will allow us to better demonstrate our innovative technologies and production system-based solutions and, at the same time, reach a wider audience.”  He added, “customers are increasingly interested in how Precision Ag can support their operations across the entire agricultural production cycle, and this requires a different approach to share ideas and demonstrate solutions.”

John Deere will not attend the SIMA show

John Deere will not attend the SIMA show

The increased focus on in country customer events will also support John Deere’s transition to a more streamlined business that puts the customer at the center.  It is also a question of utilizing resources in the most efficient way over the mid- to long-term. Tilmann Köller, responsible for John Deere Public Relations and Shows & Events for Region 2 adds, “we are currently planning our European dealer and customer events for 2024 which require synchronization with our markets in North America.  The first announcements will be in March 2024, and we are very excited about the news we will share.”

John Deere still sees an important role for trade shows in the future but would welcome international trade fair organizations to review their current timetables to allow greater flexibility for other promotional activities.

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