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David Withers Announces Retirement from ISEKI

November 19, 2025/in News, People, Press Release/by Admin

David Withers Announces Retirement from ISEKI: David Withers, Managing Director of Iseki UK and Ireland, will retire at the end of 2025 following a distinguished career spanning more than four decades in the turf care and grounds maintenance industry. Speaking at the SALTEX show in 2025, David reflected on his time at ISEKI, describing the […]

SALTEX 2025 builds momentum

November 19, 2025/in Events, News, Press Release/by Admin

SALTEX 2025 builds momentum: SALTEX 2025 has officially wrapped with a confirmed attendance of 7,463, marking an increase on 2024 visitor numbers and reinforcing its position as the cutting-edge event for the grounds management industry. With visitors from across Europe, Asia, the Americas and New Zealand to name a few, the show’s international reach continues […]

David Withers Announces Retirement from ISEKI

November 19, 2025/in News, People, Press Release/by Admin

SALTEX 2025 builds momentum

November 19, 2025/in Events, News, Press Release/by Admin

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David Withers Announces Retirement from ISEKI

November 19, 2025/in News, People, Press Release/by Admin

David Withers Announces Retirement from ISEKI: David Withers, Managing Director of Iseki UK and Ireland, will retire at the end of 2025 following a distinguished career spanning more than four decades in the turf care and grounds maintenance industry.

Speaking at the SALTEX show in 2025, David reflected on his time at ISEKI, describing the process of building the brand as “one of the most fun and satisfying things I have done in my career.” Under his leadership, the company has doubled its sales over the last eight years and continues to grow.

David Withers Announces Retirement from ISEKI

David began his career demonstrating verti-drains for Charterhouse Turf (now Redexim), followed by 25 years at Jacobsen, including six years as President. His eight-year tenure at ISEKI UK & Ireland as a stand-alone entity marks the culmination of his full-time professional journey.

“I feel it is time to finish full time work… I may still do a bit of consulting and advise for a couple of companies, but plan to end serious work and focus on developing a golf swing and a tan!” he said.

Expressing confidence in the future of ISEKI UK & Ireland, David said that he had worked with Alan Prickett for around 30 years and am very comfortable leaving the business in his hands to keep it growing and prospering for many years to come.

He also extended his gratitude to dealers, customers, and fellow manufacturers for their support and partnership throughout his career, wishing them continued success.

In addition to his role at ISEKI, David has been an influential figure within the industry, serving as a director of the Agricultural Engineers Association for many years and as its president in 2022. During the recent AEA 150th celebrations, he spoke at an event in the Houses of Parliament.

He has also recently taken up a Directorship at the Grounds Maintenance Association and intends to continue contributing to the organisation in his retirement.

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SALTEX 2025 builds momentum

November 19, 2025/in Events, News, Press Release/by Admin

SALTEX 2025 builds momentum: SALTEX 2025 has officially wrapped with a confirmed attendance of 7,463, marking an increase on 2024 visitor numbers and reinforcing its position as the cutting-edge event for the grounds management industry.

With visitors from across Europe, Asia, the Americas and New Zealand to name a few, the show’s international reach continues to grow – and so does its impact.

SALTEX 2025 builds momentum

This year’s SALTEX wasn’t just busy and vibrant on the show floor, but incredibly purposeful, too. Exhibitors reported a high volume of meaningful conversations with influential buyers and decision-makers, many of which may progress into commercial opportunities. From elite sports venues, such as 14 Premier League football clubs and over 75 golf clubs, to local authorities, private estates and educational institutions, the calibre of attendees mirrored a sector ready to invest.

Josh Keay, Greenkeeper at Blackwell Golf Club, said: “It’s been great, the education you get through Learning LIVE and the extracurricular activities you can do, all on top of networking – it’s a great place to catch up with people. It’s also a great opportunity to see how the industry is moving forward and how things can be useful to you.”

Over 50% of visitors said they attended SALTEX to source new machinery and technological advancements – and they weren’t disappointed. The show floor was alive with innovation, as a number of exhibitors used the event as a strategic launchpad for their latest products. Among them were AriensCo with the AS 920 ESherpa 2WD, SMG Machines introducing the TurfBoy TB1 Eco DC, Allett Ltd unveiling the LEDMASTER UVC 100, ISEKI showcasing its Raymo remote-controlled range, Rhenac presenting the RML 400 lighting product and Trimax launching its latest innovation, OptiAdjust. These are just a handful of the many new technologies revealed at SALTEX 2025, highlighting the show’s role as the go-to platform for product debuts and industry advancement.

Alan Prickett, Sales Director at ISEKI UK & Ireland, said: “We had a really good time celebrating our 100-year anniversary at the show, and very pleased with the visitor numbers. We like it here at the NEC – it’s a good atmosphere and it gives us the chance to put a proper stand up without having to worry about everything getting wet all the time.

“We like to support the GMA, they do very good work, and SALTEX is an important get together for the industry. It’s a great place to launch new products and we do always come away with actionable enquiries, and they lead to sales. We’ll keep coming back.”

The Learning LIVE programme attracted 1,038 attendees, making it one of the most visited features of the show. With sessions spanning seven key themes including Technical Insights, Sustainable Grounds Management, Careers and Skills Development, Innovation in Grounds, Case Studies and Best Practices, Funding and Resources and Hands-on Learning, the programme once again delivered practical, forward-thinking content for professionals and volunteers at every level.

Keynote speaker James Haskell drew a packed audience with his talk on elite mindset and performance, setting the tone for an unforgettable programme. Alongside him, a host of respected industry figures shared expertise and sparked discussion on the future of the profession.

“I love SALTEX and especially given the opportunity to speak about what I’m passion about, which is resilience and elite level mindset – It’s something I use in all areas of my life,” said James Haskell. “All the visitors here are so important to sport, and my Learning LIVE session seemed to resonate with them, which is great. Grounds management work has a lot of traditions to it, but innovation for me, is about looking at the best solutions and the best ways of working.”

SALTEX is unique in its mission: every penny of surplus is reinvested back into the grounds management industry. That means every exhibitor and visitor is directly contributing to the development of the profession including grassroots initiatives, workforce training, GMA membership and sector-wide advocacy.

Geoff Webb, Grounds Management Association CEO, said: “SALTEX is a cornerstone of our industry. Every year it brings together the right people and the latest innovations that drive grounds management forward. What makes SALTEX truly unique is that at its core is an exhibition built by the few to serve the many. It’s had challenges such as COVID, new entrants, and defied decades of change built by grounds staff, providing a high quality and professional shop window for our sector and those that supply into it, those that work in it and those that elevate others – be that through education or agronomic advice it is a show truly by the industry, for the industry.

“That means when someone chooses to exhibit or attend SALTEX, they’re directly contributing to the future of the profession. This year’s event was a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we come together with purpose. The energy, the quality of conversations and the appetite for progress were clear across the show floor. Great business was done with numerous comments about the high quality of leads and connections. We changed it up and we have had a great response as a result. A great team effort all round.

“As we look ahead to our 80th edition in 2026, we can feel that we’re building momentum. SALTEX continues to be the beating heart of the grounds management community, and we’re proud to champion its growth both nationally and internationally. We are back at the NEC November 11-12th 2026 so put it in your diary and, if you missed out this year, sign up to exhibit or pay us a visit.”
Next year’s edition will be a landmark celebration, marking the 80th SALTEX. Taking place on 11-12 November 2026 at NEC Birmingham, it will honour eight decades of progress within the grounds management industry.

For updates and registration details, visit www.saltex.org.uk.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

David Withers Announces Retirement from ISEKI

SALTEX 2025 builds momentum

David Withers Announces Retirement from ISEKI

SALTEX 2025 builds momentum

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

David Withers Announces Retirement from ISEKI

David Withers Announces Retirement from ISEKI: David Withers, Managing Director of Iseki UK and Ireland, will retire at the end of 2025 following a distinguished career spanning more than four decades in the turf care and grounds maintenance industry.

SALTEX 2025 builds momentum

SALTEX 2025 builds momentum: SALTEX 2025 has officially wrapped with a confirmed attendance of 7,463, marking an increase on 2024 visitor numbers and reinforcing its position as the cutting-edge event for the grounds management industry.

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