THE MEMBERSHIP MAGAZINE OF THE BRITISH AGRICULTURAL AND GARDEN MACHINERY ASSOCIATION ISSUE 29 | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
Why the Overton’s team is coming clean We meet the company which has cornered the cleaning machine market
TRACTOR REGISTRATION DATA | SALTEX & ISEKI UK ROADSHOW | MARKETING ADVICE
Richard Taylor RT Machinery LTD BAGMA member since 2001
Big membership benefits for your business We’ve developed specialist training courses and services over decades of working with independent dealers. Training an average of 500 people each year, successful delegates gain industry accredited BAGMA certificates, valid for five years. Plus, there’s 20% off all BAGMA training courses, exclusively for BAGMA members.
To view our full range of training courses and range of services available to you, visit the BAGMA website or contact the team directly. 01295 713344 info@bagma.com bagma.com
Specialist insurance for BAGMA members Benefit from specific covers as standard, such as unaccompanied demonstrations of agricultural vehicles as well as the usual covers you’d expect from a machinery dealer’s insurance policy. lW ide definition of ‘vehicle’ to include trailers and agricultural implements lU naccompanied demonstration cover for up to 72 hours lC over for vehicles, stock machinery, tools and contents at business premisie and elsewhere l£ 5K worth of portable hand tools cover for employees lL oan or hire whilst vehicles are in service or repair lS pecialist advice and and support TALK TO BAGMA INSURANCE TODAY! 0333 207 6681 bagma@towergate.co.uk bagma.com/specialist-insurance
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IN THIS ISSUE
Familiar skills shortage looks set to blight other sectors too
ISSUE 29 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
BAGMA’s President Peter Arrand considers the challenging months which have passed and the ones ahead COMMENT
will treble by 2030 and the demand for digital skills and transferable skills such as creativity, critical thinking, interpersonal communication and leadership will also become more important as technology advances and AS WE HEAD into autumn, I feel it is imporvirtual working becomes a tant to note that 2021 is still proving to be a very lot more common. challenging year for most. It is very clear we We remain in the shadow of the coronavihave these skills in abunrus pandemic; the weather has been unsettled dance in our industry across most of the UK, with bright skies and and holding on to these warmer temperatures turning thundery and individuals will become grey conditions for many; and the skills shorteven harder so we will age that we are all too well familiar within our have to adapt and create industry is beginning to impact many new innovative ways to other sectors. attract, train, develop Before the pandemic I can and retain staff. Come and join the remember reading a report that a The BAGMA Council members BAGMA team at third of vacancies were considered have continued to support indusSALTEX too. We'll hard to fill due to lack of required try and key stakeholders in some be at Stand A087. skills, qualifications, or experience of the issues above. In the next See you there! among applicants. I know this will issue we will introduce you to some be a very familiar subject for most and of the Council members who have has been a topic within our industry for been working hard behind the scenes on a a long time. huge range of challenges that affect our industry Although Christmas (sorry for mentioning as well as holding down full time jobs. For that the ‘C’ word so early) seems quite a long time I am very grateful as some representatives give away, there are already threats to deliveries due up a huge amount of unrecognised time at quite to an increasing shortage of HGV drivers and challenging times of the year. supply chain issues. Not just a UK problem but But for now, let’s just enjoy this latest edition a problem across most European countries. of the Bulletin, packed with all the latest sector It is estimated the ‘low carbon workforce’ news and expert views.
PETER ARRAND PRESIDENT BAGMA
The membership magazine of the British Agricultural & Garden Machinery Association Editor Emily Bridgewater 07875 678855 emily.bridgewater@bira.co.uk Design Alan Bingle 07949 024737 alan@forty6design.com All advertising and media enquiries please email: keith.christian@bagma.com
BAGMA, Samuelson House, 62 Forder Way, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8JB. 01295 713344 bagma.com BAGMA president Peter Arrand BAGMA director Keith Christian 07823 416849 BAGMA business development manager Richard Jenkins 07432 290605
BAGMA BULLETIN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
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NEWS Tractors registrations, latest appointments plus loads of other sector news
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SHOWS ISEKI UK hits the road, and SATEX returns to the NEC this autumn
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COVER STORY We meet the BAGMA member which cornered the cleaning machine market
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EXPERTS Our marketing guru explains why customer feedback is so valuable for your business
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HSE UPDATE Why good ventilation in the workplace remains vital in Covid fight
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FARM SAFETY Keeping children safe on farms is everyone’s responsibility
Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the material published in BAGMA Bulletin. BAGMA can accept no responsibility for claims made by manufacturers, advertisers or contributors. Views expressed by advertisers or contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher or of BAGMA. Advertisers in BAGMA Bulletin are not agents of BAGMA or any of their associated businesses. Also, BAGMA and its associated businesses never act as agents for any advertisers. Printed in the UK by Stephens & George.
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BAGMA NEWS
BULLETIN BOARD
DON’T FORGET TO APPLY FOR FUNDING VIA KICKSTART SCHEME
Dealerships are being reminded to apply for the Government’s Kickstart Scheme. If you’re an employer looking to create jobs for young people, you can apply for funding as part of the Kickstart Scheme. It provides funding to create new jobs for 16-to-24 year olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long-term unemployment. Employers of all sizes can apply for funding which covers: l1 00% of the National Minimum Wage (or the National Living Wage depending on the age of the participant) for 25 hours' per week for a total of six months associated employer National Insurance contributions minimum automatic enrolment pension contributions lE mployers can spread the job start dates up until December 31, 2021. You’ll get funding until June 30, 2022, if a person starts their job on December 31, 2021. Find out more at www.gov.uk/guidance/ apply-for-a-kickstart-scheme-grant
NEW DISTRIBUTION FOR SPYKER SPREADERS IN UK
Brinly Hardy Co has announced that Turf Machinery Spares Ltd has been appointed as its distributor of the Spyker Spreader brand for the UK and Northern Ireland. Spyker Spreaders’ sales director Roger Beames said: “We are excited that Turf Machinery Spares Ltd is now leading the distribution in the UK and Northern Ireland. They have an excellent team and a very efficient operation that is centrally located with strong logistics partners nearby. Their ability to support our customers, while also offering new products and spare parts online was something we wanted.”
CONTINENTAL ADDS NEW SIZES TO AGRICULTURAL TYRE RANGE
Continental has added two additional sizes to the VF CombineMaster agricultural tyre portfolio. Following the successful uptake of the first three sizes since 2020, the 620/70R26 and 750/65R26 sizes have been added to complement the range. “The new tyre sizes are designed for the steering axles of harvesters and for all positions on loader wheels," said Continental agricultural tyre specialist, Richard Hutchins.
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New John Deere engine powers latest foragers
John Deere has added two new models to its 9000 Series self-propelled forage harvester range. At the heart of the 9500 and 9600 is an all-new 18-litre John Deere engine producing 700 and 750hp respectively. The 9000 Series foragers are well known for HarvestMotion, the
company’s unique low engine RPM concept which boosts productivity and efficiency.Both are available with John Deere’s complete range of ISG (Intelligent Solutions Group) precision farming systems, for improved operator comfort and cutting quality.
STIHL launches most powerful clearing saw STIHL HAS LAUNCHED a new clearing saw – its most powerful model yet. The new FS 561 C-EM is the most powerful model the manufacturer has produced, offering landscaping professionals and groundskeepers greater performance and durability, as well as the power to clear any obstacle, this new product boasts a number of new features. The saw offers a powerful and precise performance, with a best-inclass cutting diameter of 560mm, increased storage and improved visibility. Designed to tackle the toughest clearing jobs, this model features a new gearbox design offering a revised gear ratio with improved sealing and bearing performance. With 2.8kW of power at the user’s fingertips and a 38mm reinforced shaft, this model makes it ideal for clearing large areas quickly and efficiently. Designed with the user’s comfort in mind, the FS 561 C-EM has a more robust clutch housing, making it the perfect tool for heavy
usage and long run times. With a new and improved anti-vibration system, STIHL ErgoStart and a revised ergonomic bike handlebar allowing the machine to be easily guided, this model is excellent for mowing through grass or shrub or clearing forest stands. It can be used with a wide range of STIHL cutting attachments, which can be fitted easily and quickly. The FS 561 C-EM not only has a redesigned gearbox and a more ergonomic design, but it also has an easy starting process and stop button, a WoodCut 22524 circular saw blade, and an ADVANCE PLUS forestry harness for optimal comfort. For more information on STIHL’s range of clearing saws, visit www.stihl. co.uk
BAGMA BULLETIN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
BAGMA NEWS
BAGMA members appointed new dealer for Merlo UK
Two dealers help to expand Corvus network BOSS ORV HAS announced the latest additions to the Corvus 4 x4 dealer network. The first of these is Chandlers Farm Equipment, which originates from an ironmonger’s shop in Grantham owned by Desmond Chandler. Branching into farm machinery and a wide range of brown and white goods in the 1940s, their slogan was ‘We sell everything from a tin tack to a tractor’. As a fully diversified business today, Chandlers is one of the largest agricultural dealerships in the UK. They will cover the East Midlands and eastern England regions for Corvus from their branches at Belton, Shefford, Horncastle, Spilsby, Holbeach, Barnack and Southam. Each branch will have their own demo unit Corvus Terrain 4x4 Utility Vehicle, providing sales and full service and support. “Corvus offers a big welcome to Gavin Pell, Les Butters, Guy Ward, and all the team at Chandlers,” said Phil Everett, BOSS ORV’s managing director. “The partnership ensures Corvus has full sales
coverage of this considerable and important region.” The second announcement is the appointment of the first Corvus dealer in Wales, DG Thomas Agri. “Based in North Wales they are exactly the type of partner we have been looking for, with their strength and priority in providing the best possible service,” says Phil. The company was established in 1975 by Dewi Thomas and has been supplying tractors and machinery in Meirionydd and beyond over the intervening years with a pride in their service and support. The vast technical expertise of Will Ellis, DG Thomas’s managing director, has been developed over many years at a high level and internationally in the agricultural machinery industry. “With D G Thomas, we can finally offer the Corvus outlet we have been looking for in this region, and so it is another big welcome to Will and his team,” said Phil.
MERLO UK HAS EXTENDED its network of agricultural dealers in the East of England by appointing BAGMA members Collings Brothers of Abbotsely Ltd. Collings Brothers will be representing the full Merlo agricultural range across the counties of Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire. Owen Buttle, national sales manager at Merlo UK, said: “Founded in 1930 Collings Brothers have established over many decades an envious reputation for customer service. “We are extremely pleased to welcome them to the nationwide network of Merlo agricultural dealers.” Operating from two locations at Abbotsley in Cambridgeshire and Brigstock in Northamptonshire, the manufacturer says comprehensive technical, parts and product training is already underway for the team at Collings Brothers. A comprehensive stock of genuine Merlo spare parts has also been established across both depots. Collings Brothers managing director Jason Weston added: “Collings Brothers have a long-standing relationship with Merlo and look forward to supporting existing and new customers. Our priority is to ensure we give customers an excellent service in aftersales and sales. “Our sales team look forward to offering this extensive range of handlers and are looking forward to getting out into the field demonstrating.”
GreenMech helps Oliver make light work of wood chipping OVER HIS 18 years of working in the arb sector, Oliver Husar admits to having used more makes of chipper than he cares to remember. His interest was sparked by GreenMech’s latest EVO series and after seeing the powerful performance and major improvements in build quality at a recent dealer open event – and now the EVO 165D is the only chipper on his fleet. Carrying out all aspects of hedge and tree work for BAGMA BULLETIN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
both domestic and commercial customers in and around North Norfolk, Oliver set up Oliver Husar Tree Services seven years ago. “I’ve used all types and sizes of chipper, and when our previous machine began to struggle with costly age-related issues, it was once again time to look at what options were out there.” G r e e n M e c h ’s E V O series has been designed in direct response to industry demands to deliver more aggressive torque, more pow-
erful bite and more throughput. The 165D features a 25hp Kubota diesel engine, twin horizontal rollers and unparalleled processing power via the new, heavy-duty flywheel. Together with improved performance, the aspects of safety, durability and ease of maintenance have also been front of mind in its design. Oliver added: “The backup and support I’ve had from TNS since the delivery in July this year has been great too – really positive all round."
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BAGMA NEWS
Change in leadership ahead for Reesink DAVID COLE IS leaving the role of Reesink UK’s managing director in April 2022. David has passionately and successfully overseen the company’s turfcare, agriculture, used machinery and electric vehicles business since 2014, and had previously worked for the former Lely business between 1990-1999. The reasons for his departure are personal. “There are no business reasons attached to this, only personal. The unexpected loss of my wife last year was a huge blow,” he said. “And after seeing the business through some strange and challenging times and identifying clearer waters ahead, my desire now is to spend more time with and focus on my grandchildren.” Leading the recruitment process alongside David is Roon Hylkema, divisional director of Reesink UK’s parent company, Royal Reesink. Roon said: “Reesink UK is one of the UK’s leading turfcare distributors and has 38 years working with The Toro Company, as such the role of managing director presents an exciting opportunity for the right candidate. “The company has history on its side, stability and longevity, but also exciting growth opportunities as we look to continue D a v i d’s g o o d work diversifying our offering, introducing new brands and new product lines that complement our core activities.” Work will start shortly to identify David’s successor and to enable a ha ndover period before next April.
Campey appoints new dealer in Wales BAGMA MEMBER CAMPEY Turf Care Systems has appointed Monmouth-based, specialist ground care machinery dealer, GJR Machinery as the new dealer for South Wales, Mid Wales and Herefordshire. The company has been run by owner Geraint Richards since 2005 and offers exceptional levels of industry experience that is invaluable to customers. Before starting the business, Geraint was instrumental in the transformation of 400acres of agricultural land into a 27-hole Championship Golf course at Cottrell park, with USGA spec greens. The grow-in knowledge was then combined with 11 years of hands-on machinery experience at the golf resort before Geraint began to grow his business. Becoming a Campey dealer is an important step for GJR, by adding an extensive range of equipment to their collection, they cover all the options to meet professional groundmen’s maintenance requirements.
Geraint said: “For us, Campey brings it all together. This opportunity fits perfectly with our company because the machines complete our portfolio, we can now offer everything that our customers need, which means they can use one company but not one brand name. Not to mention there are a lot of benefits for them being able to do that. “Campey is a very efficient and effective company to work with. Our local area manager Jason Moody is excellent. If I have a question, Jason will find the answer and get back to me quickly, so the support from Campey has been great. He added: “Effortless, straightforward but effective machinery is what I’ve seen from Campey throughout the years, it’s something that’s made me keep an eye on what they’ve been doing since I was working at Cottrell Park many years ago. When I was there, I was always looking for new ideas. I’m one of these people where if I can see there’s a way of doing something a little bit differently, I’ll challenge it and have a go.”
Making its mark: Product conformity certification The UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) marking is a new UK product marking that is used for goods being placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland). It covers most goods which previously required the CE marking, known as ‘new approach’ goods. The UKCA marking came into effect on January 1, 2021. However, to allow
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businesses time to adjust to the new requirements, Government has extended the introduction of the UKCA until the end of December 2022. You will still be able to use the CE marking until January 1, 2023, in most cases. This means that, until December 31, 2022, most products with a CE
marking can still be placed on the market in Great Britain as at present. The only exceptions are where UK and EU regulations have diverged or where mandatory third-party certification is required, and this has been undertaken by a UK approved body.
BAGMA BULLETIN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
BAGMA NEWS
Tractor registrations continue to rise THE AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERS Association (AEA) has released its tractor registration figures for August 2021. For the tenth month in a row, UK agricultural tractor registrations in August were above their level a year earlier. The monthly total of 829 machines was up by more than a quarter, compared with August 2020, and was close to the average for the time of year during 2015-19. This brings the total for the year to date to 8,693 tractors, 23% more than in the same period last
year and 6% higher than the 5-year average for the opening eight months of the year. The number of machines registered over the latest 12-month period has now moved back above 12,000 for the first time since the end of 2019; in the year to August 2020, fewer than 10,000 tractors were registered. Numbers might have been even higher but for ongoing disruptions to global supply chains, linked to Covid-19, which have inevitably led to an increase in delivery lead times for some machines.
Month
829 Units
Agricultural tractors (over 50hp) UK monthly registrations 2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
n Range 2015-19 n Average 2015-19 n 2020 n 2021 J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Year to Date:
+26.2% 8,693 change (compared with August 2020)
Units
+23.0% change (compared with January-August 2020)
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BAGMA BULLETIN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
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19/05/2021 12:05
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SHOW NEWS
ISEKI UK is back on the road ISEKI UK & Ireland has kicked off its 2021 roadshow. The ISEKI 2021 Roadshow launched on September 7 at RT Machinery in Aylesbury, and concludes on October 21 in East Anglia at Ernest Doe & Sons in Welwyn. The show which will visit sites across England, Scotland and Wales and will display the full range of ISEKI compact tractors and mowers, offering people the fantastic opportunity to come and ride ‘n’ drive the machinery. Visitors have the chance to meet with the ISEKI staff and try out all of the ISEKI products. Every location will have plenty of space to truly test out the machinery with full and professional demonstrations offered throughout each day. Whether you are looking for a versatile sub compact 23hp tractor to assist with numerous jobs around your premises, right up to a 67hp tractor perfect for helping to maintain golf courses and sport turf to the highest standard with lift capacities up to 1,680kg there is a machine to suit your needs. Alternatively, you can jump on and test the unbeatable range of ISEKI mow-
ers, from the renowned cut and collect SF and SXG range, to the fearsome SRA brushcutters, capable of cutting anything it can push over, from overgrown brambles right up to saplings. The remaining ISEKI Roadshow are: SEPTEMBER ● 23 Reading John Day Engineering Depot ● 28 Cornwall Nigel Rafferty Groundcare, Royal Cornwall Showground ● 29 Devon MST Group, Bicton College ● 30 Dorset ABA Groundcare, Kingston Maurward College, Dorchester OCTOBER ● 5 TURRIFF Balgownie, Turriff Showground ● 4, 6, 7 & 8 Scotland Gammies ● 11 Edinburgh Fairways GM ● 12 Glasgow Fairways GM ● 13 Newcastle Rickerby ● 14 County Durham Rickerby, Knotty Hill Golf Club, Stock-on-Tees ● 18 Worcestershire TH White, Redditch ● 19 Lincolnshire Chandlers Farm Equipment, Belton Depot
● 20 Oxfordshire Turney Group ● 21 East Anglia Ernest Doe & Sons, Tewin Bury Hotel, Welwyn ISEKI staff and dealer staff will be at every roadshow date to show visitors around the machinery and answer any queries. Food and refreshments will be available each day, plus some goodies for everyone that attends. David Withers, ISEKI managing director, said: “As we start emerging from our Covidinduced shells it is great to start reconnecting with people in a safe outdoor environment and having the chance to show off our lovely new products to customers old and new around the country, I hope we will see great turnouts and look forward to getting back out there again.” For more details, visit www.iseki.co.uk/ isekiroadshow2021, call 01473 599266 or contact the local dealer holding the event.
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CONTACT US AND APPLY TO BE A DEALER TODAY The ISEKI SXG range of high quality and reliable mowers enable cutting and collecting in the wet without clogging up, ideal for the homeowner requiring the next step up in garden maintenance machinery. ISEKI compact tractors and mowers are designed and manufactured in Japan with over 90 years experience for quality that lasts.
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ISEKI UK & IRELAND 3-5 Foxtail Rd, Ipswich IP3 9RT UK Telephone 01473 599266 sales@iseki.co.uk www.iseki.co.uk
BAGMA BULLETIN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
SHOW NEWS
Join us for the 75th SALTEX this autumn SALTEX RETURNS TO the NEC in Birmingline sponsor), Dennis Mowers, Overton UK, ham this winter. GroundWOW, Campey Turf Care and Allett Those working in or involved with groundsMowers – with more to be announced soon. care, sports turf, amenities, estates and greenSALTEX plays host to the most technologispace management, will have the opportunity cally-advanced equipment, product and service to see a wide range of innovative new products showcase in grounds management. Many are and services from prominent suppliers when the rightly celebrated at the show and none more so show opens its doors on November 3 and 4. than through the SALTEX Innovation Awards. SALTEX will be taking place for the 75th Since its launch at SALTEX 2017, the Innotime this year and the show is set to be the most vation Award has helped to highlight some of vibrant and celebrated event in its long history. the most ground-breaking, innovative products The show floor will have everything a visitor and services within the groundscare industry. needs to increase their efficiency and improve Visitors will get the chance to see every entry operations. There will be a vast range of exhibion the show floor and there will be a winner in tors representing the likes of play equipeach of a wide range of product categories. ment and services, turf maintenance There will also be a number of equipment, fencing and landscapeducation opportunities through Come and join the ing, sports surface design, research Learning LIVE - SALTEX’s allBAGMA team at and consultancy, seeds, turf, encompassing, free-to-attend SALTEX too. We'll aggregates and treatments, and education programme. Learnbe at Stand A087. facilities services management. ing LIVE will take place in large See you there! As well as a wide range of innoseminar theatres situated on the vative products on display within the show floor and will feature a wide three large halls, visitors to SALTEX will range of topics. have the chance to see an ‘electrifying’ showcase Highlights of the programme this year of products in a dedicated area on the show floor include a virtual tour of Leicester City FC’s called the Eco Village. Featuring a programme new Sports Turf Academy hosted by grounds of daily demonstrations in cutting-edge sustainmanager John Ledwidge; an insight into how able technology – the Eco Village allows visitors ongoing research by county cricket grounds a unique opportunity to witness a multitude of and England’s Centre of Excellence will impact products in action. the recreational game; grounds managers Ed Expect to see a powerful line-up of new Ramsden (Perse School) and Greg Smith (Notinnovations from the likes of Avant UK (headtingham University) will be offering advice on BAGMA BULLETIN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
how to achieve a quick turnaround on multisport surfaces; pesticides and what the future holds for them will be explored by Dr Christian Spring (STRI) and Glenn Kirby (Syngenta); the pressures of the job, coping mechanisms and work-life balance will be discussed by Ian Avery (Sutton Valence School), Jim Dawson (BT Murrayfield) and Maria Kuzak (CALM) and turf consultant Richard Hayden will be providing a behind-the-scenes look at the turf care techniques which ensured that the pitches shone at Euro 2020. In addition, one lucky visitor will be presented with an incredible battery-powered compact loader from Avant UK worth approximately £30,000. Every person who registers will be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize – on loan for six months and the live draw will take place on the first day of the show. Dave Roberts, senior manager of grounds management at Liverpool FC revealed why SALTEX is a must-attend event: “SALTEX provides an opportunity to see and meet manufacturers and to look at the products in the flesh. I always keep an open mind as to what we may need. As the show gets closer, we will be aware of specific problems we need to resolve and will then look for solutions at SALTEX.” Register to SALTEX 2021 for free at gmasaltex.co.uk/visitor-registration/
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THE BIG INTERVIEW
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BAGMA BULLETIN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
THE BIG INTERVIEW
It’s a clean sweep for Overton’s After almost 30 years in the business, the team at Overton's tell Mary Evans how they've cornered a market – and cleaned up against the opposition IT ALL STARTED in a petrol station in Waddington, Lincolnshire, in October 1992. Overton (UK) Ltd launched a with little showroom offering Jacobsen and Snapper mowers. Guy and Richard Overton also sold the Barber beach cleaner machines, a real niche in the area at the time. Described as proper ‘Lincolnshire Yellowbellies’, the duo has built up an impressive business which started out as a small enterprise but quickly grew as the product range expanded. Here we chat to Guy and Richard about almost three decades of trade…
machines. We quickly decided that it was the future. We had always been in the cleansing market due to having the beach cleaners, but this step meant we were parking up the groundcare side of things and going fully into the cleansing business, we felt it opened us up to a vast market place. After realising we weren’t as happy with the quality or the specification of the litter-collecting product from the
Q
You’ve had your own business for more than 25 years but what was your career path to getting there? Originally, we worked for our family business which was a grass cutting contractor but because of various reasons, we decided to start our own company. It was never the plan to start up and grow a business, but we decided to go for it and nearly 30 years later we are so proud that we did. The business consisted of just three of us; myself and Richard and one engineer, which meant we were able to offer both sales and repair services for customers. When the business started growing, we realised we needed assistance with our administration and so we used to recruit college students to take placement roles with us in our office and it worked really well. Shortly after starting the business we decided to stop selling mowers - we found we simply could not compete in the local marketplace. We looked at the business and did some research and realised we wanted to find a niche, something a bit different. So, Richard and I went to France to an exhibition where we saw some litter-collecting BAGMA BULLETIN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
IN A HUGE SHIFT TOWARDS THE CLEANSING MARKET, WE FELT WE HAD FOUND OUR NICHE IN THIS INDUSTRY supplier, we decided to look into manufacturing our own. From there on in we then had our own range of Overton products which was a positive move forward for our business. In 1996, our lease was coming to an end on the petrol station and the business was growing, so we decided to look around for bigger premises. The investment was vast, but at the time we had been approached by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for a large order of our popular oil filter presses. This sale would enable us to seriously consider the move to bigger premises, so we got to work on the correct accreditation
in order to secure the deal. As well as exciting expansion plans going on we were approached by a company which sold weed rippers, they decided to close their UK business and offered us the product range. This really complimented our portfolio and was another huge shift towards the cleansing market where we felt we had really found our niche in this industry. After successfully supplying the oil presses for the MoD and securing the weed ripper business, in November 2001 we bought the premises in Lincoln. The next few years saw us extend to accommodate larger offices and areas for machine refurbishment and PDI. In 2012 we decided to add to our Overton own products to include a street barrow and we are proud to use a local company to create this product. Having the ‘Made in Britain’ stamp on our products fills us with such pride. As part of our desire to improve our offering and grow, in 2016 we approached the Mean Green mower company, based in the USA. We were very impressed with the concept of the electric mower and even more impressed with them in action. We could see this was the future, and after being granted the distribution for the UK, North & Southern Ireland markets we were firmly walking back into the mower industry. Despite electric clearly being something that people will need to shift towards in the future, we felt in 2016, we were slightly too early for the UK market and a lot of people laughed at us for this addition to our range. Things are getting easier but people are still sceptical. The machine has been around for more than 10 years in the US market and has been rigorously tested. The mower itself can run for
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THE BIG INTERVIEW
up to seven hours on a battery charge and people just couldn’t compute that at the time, so we spent a lot of time demonstrating the equipment in the UK and Irish markets to prove it. Once we had made that move back into mowers we really wanted to continue to offer unique products, we knew we needed something just as impressive as the Mean Green mowers to add to our portfolio. That was when we started our partnership with Altoz. After many years of longing for the product, Altoz decided it was the right time to put their range into the European market. We were delighted to have the opportunity to do this, and we secured the UK, North and Southern Ireland Distribution contract in October 2020. The Altoz mowers are now officially UKCA certified and approved which is very exciting. I wouldn’t say one particular product is dominant in our portfolio but we like to ensure we offer the best machinery with the best back-up.
Q
Are Overton products mainly sold in the UK or worldwide? We sell in both the UK market and worldwide. We sell to more than 30 countries around the world with our vacuum litter collectors, for example Vietnam, Kuwait, Egypt, Australia... and even the Bermuda Triangle! It really has become such a massive part of our business. Most of our export enquiries come from exhibitions and through our website. Despite being quite niche there will always be competition, but we always ensure we are evolving our product to offer different things and this has worked in our favour across the worldwide market. For example, our Altoz tracked mowers, everyone loves them as soon as they see them, you can instantly tell they are a unique product.
Q
How has the pandemic affected your business? I wouldn’t say we were massively affected working wise. We remained open and adapted our working environment and schedules to accommodate social distancing and ensure we were all safe. We had to keep going, a lot of our customers in the cleansing markets had to also carry on so we were required to remain open, a lot of the online working systems helped because we could work from home if needed. The biggest factor for us has been getting supply of components for machines. We always try to ensure we have stock of parts available; it is important for us to be able to offer that service.
Q
Is there anything you learned about business from the onset of the pandemic? In the beginning, not being able to get supply of new machines, parts or components was frustrating but as time went on, we realised everyone was in the same boat and unfortunately it could not be changed. We learned that it is important we keep our parts stocked as much as we are able to and that we do everything we can to ensure our team are on hand to support people. Ensuring we are at the end of the
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phone for customers is important and we always want people to feel we are approachable.
Q
How do you rate the level of support available to small businesses during the coronavirus crisis? We weren’t eligible for some of the business support which was frustrating, but we just moved on and carried on working to the best ability that we could. We didn’t look for much business support, we made the decision to ‘suck it up and deal with it’, that’s what we had to do.
Q
What are the major changes you have seen to the industry over the years? How has the market evolved and how have you adapted? With companies having to be more conscious of environmental impact and emissions, we have ensured that our portfolio of products will allow for this. A lot of customers expressed these concerns and so this pushes us to search for a gap in the market to be able give customers the opportunity to use more environmentallyfriendly products. This was when we began supplying the electric mowers and battery pack vacuums. We know that people are still sceptical of larger electric machines such as a ride-on mower, but we want to show that it is possible. Just as much as environmental impact, we noticed that companies are thinking more about their social impact, the electric machines are so quiet and consequently are becoming much more popular for places such as crematoriums, museums and even our customer, the Royal Household. Our Mean Green mowers batteries can also be serviced which is a great benefit when it comes to maintaining machines and something unique against the competition. We realise that battery powered systems still have a way to go for larger machines, but things are moving quickly and we know that this market is only going to get bigger. With the onset of the pandemic, we noticed that we needed to be much more vocal through our online platforms. This is something we have really thrown ourselves into over the last 18 months, building up our digital presence. We do a lot with YouTube now and we now have quite a thriving channel, we have had our export customers translate the videos for their markets too. It is something we will continue to build upon.
Q
You have a strong reputation… how have you done that? We really pride ourselves on staying niche and specialist. We are just a team of six but we all work hard and work together to offer the best machines and the best service. When we ask customers for feedback it’s always great to hear that it is the whole process that they are happy with; sales and aftersales. We like to think our reputation has been built on our passion to provide first-class service from beginning to end. A hugely important part of what we do, which may sound simple, is listening to the customer. We take the BAGMA BULLETIN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
THE BIG INTERVIEW
time to sit with the people who are using the machine day to day and listen to their feedback. Then we take that feedback and amend and adapt our products to suit. The best recommendations come from the customer and that enables us to create better machines for everyone. We learn from our customers all the time! When it comes to the machinery we offer, we like to ensure we are also dealing with like-minded suppliers. We prefer to work with businesses which are smaller and family-owned because of our similar ethos. Service-wise we have our own van and engineer who goes out to customers and takes care of machines. A lot of companies do have their own workshops but generally we are on-hand to support the machines whether that’s in person or over the phone. We try to have machines in our range that aren’t overly comOverton’s will have three plicated; that eliminates a lot of stands at SALTEX: K050 (Altoz problems for us.
mowers), M035 (Mean Green mowers) or M050 (Vacuums & WeedRippers). More details: www.overtonukltd.com www.meangreenmowers.co.uk
Q
What elements of the business do you particularly enjoy? Are there any aspects you do not enjoy? We are lucky our portfolio serves us allyear-round. We like the fact there is always something to sell and it is something we have made sure of with our offering. We really enjoy being able to demonstrate mowers out of season; the wet, thick and lush grass is a great opportunity to prove the mowers’ capabilities. The beauty of our Mean Green mowers is that we can use them in wetter conditions because they are so light and don’t harm the ground - customers are always left impressed and that’s a really rewarding part of our business. Even more so, we really enjoy the vast range of businesses we get to deal with. Our litter collectors alone take us into wedding venues, theme parks, universities, play parks, sports venues and more. Our machines can be spotted in the most obscure places. We are often surprised at the enquiries we get.
Q
What’s are some of the most obscure places we would find an Overton’s machine? We have had a few obscure ones including a university for their foam parties, to clean up all the foam afterwards. We also supplied a machine to a tennis court to remove small blades of grass in-between matches on the court. A really fantastic moment was watching one of the street carnivals at the Brazil Olympics on the TV, we see one of our machines cleaning up in the background behind them. We do also supply the Royal Household with some of our litter collector machines. They approached us at a show and now use our machine as a solution of a number of things such as geese poo, leaves, cigarette butts – and now the disposable masks that are discarded outside the Palace. BAGMA BULLETIN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
Q
What do you see as the main challenges moving forward? For you, and the industry as a whole… “Challenges will definitely be supply of new machines, components and parts, it will take a while to recover from the issues we have had throughout the pandemic. Hopefully we can get back to a reasonable delivery time but we do see that this will be affected for some time. Another big one for us will be staff; finding skilled and trustworthy employees is such a difficult part of business now. We try to use the traditional methods to recruit but we do struggle to find good people. We are hoping to build our dealer network which will enable us to grow without the need for lots more staff in the Company. I wouldn’t say it’s a huge challenge, but we definitely believe that the buying time has shifted following the pandemic and may be here to stay. Usually, we would say our main buying time is between March and April but because there has been such little stock, we foresee people looking to purchase in November through to January, it will be a case of getting it when you can because demand will be higher.
Q
How does being a member of BAGMA help? We are delighted to be a BAGMA member and there are a few reasons. Firstly, the training that is provided, and the other is the installation. We have been BAGMA members for five years and we ensure it’s on all our marketing material and website because it is a recognised stamp across the industry. When we go and see dealers it immediately gives us credibility too. They offer great support to us as a business and we really are big fans!
Q
What’s next for Overton’s? Our business has changed dramatically in terms of what we offer and our turnover since 1992. We want Overton to continue to grow but remain niche and offer the best products and service. We want to really work hard on expanding our dealer network. There is a common misconception we only sell direct but we are working hard to get dealers on board and we currently have six. This is a side of the business we are looking to grow.
Q
And finally, as an owner of a business you are indeed a busy man, so how do you spend your spare time? Guy: I love my motorbikes and getting out and about on my Harley Davidson. After a long day it’s lovely to take a nice leisurely ride and take in the scenery. Richard: I enjoy my classic car and I’ve recently bought a caravan to be able to travel around with friends and take advantage of a bit more time off. Stuart: I enjoy spending time with my family, and also own a classic car as well as having a passion for photography. We have built a great business and we want to keep going but we want to ensure we all enjoy our time out as well.
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EXPERTS VIEW
Customer feedback is an important part of your marketing content SAFETY
MARY EVANS
Owner ME Marketing and Events
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Whether you have a yearly marketing plan or you approach things on a more ad-hoc basis, customer feedback should be part of your campaign content. EVERY COMMUNICATION WITH a happy customer is an opportunity to bolster your marketing campaigns. The firm ethos that ‘People buy from People’ is still relevant. More importantly, people buy from good reviews, don’t leave them for your eyes only. Whether it’s a simple passing comment to your staff or an in-depth discussion to really get to grips with reasons why the customer chose the machine and why they chose your company. A lot of customers who are asked for feedback end up feeling more valued. The beauty of customer-generated content is that it is reliable and factual and can be utilised in lots of different ways. When using this type of content always ensure you are making your sales statement and backing it up with the factual evidence from your
customer. Make your statement; for after all. You can then compose a social example, ‘This brand-new tractor is media post to showcase the key mesthe ultimate driver experience, both sages then direct readers to the website comfort and operations have been to read in full. built with the driver in mind’. Why not print it on a nice flyer and Showcase the evidence; use it at a show or an event for example, ‘I spend many PEOPLE BUY next to a similar machine? hours in the driver’s seat, so FROM GOOD This gives your sales team a comfort and ease of use is REVIEWS, great ice breaker and startparamount for me, when I DON'T LEAVE ing point when talking to compared with competitive THEM FOR potential customers. You machines this tractor was YOUR EYES may be thinking about popfar superior, I have no com- ONLY ping an advert in your local plaints’. Then ensure you farming press. Ask for some include your call to action. Make the accompanying editorial to be placed process as easy for the reader as pos- next to your advert. This then gives sible. evidence to support your sales message. There are many different platforms One more tip, remember that great you can share this type of content to photography will elevate any piece of make the most of it. Ensure you have editorial. A customer face next to a section on your website for reviews their new machine will always capture and testimonials, it’s the place where more interest from a reader so ensure people will go to find more about you include this. BAGMA BULLETIN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
EXPERTS VIEW
AEA has made BAGMA so welcome – it really is a home from home Three months on from BAGMA’s historic move to the AEA, Director Keith Christian looks to the future from the association’s new home COMMENT
KEITH CHRISTIAN DIRECTOR BAGMA Well, here we are three months or so after our move to the AEA. It seems our move caused a little ripple in the world of land-based engineering rather than the bigger waves some expected, despite some speculation about the wisdom of such a move. Interestingly, there has been a lot more
BAGMA BULLETIN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
history published about BAGMA and its previous incarnations and the several occasions that a merger with the AEA had been discussed by previous BAGMA Councils and Director Generals. I have certainly enjoyed reading the reports and articles that have added much to my knowledge of BAGMA’s past. Chris Biddle has a wealth of knowledge about the history of BAGMA and has generously shared it with the rest of us. We have been made very welcome at the AEA and been well provided for. There has been much to do and that remains the case. It is never easy to up and leave somewhere after so long and press the refresh button; it is similar to starting a new business. We’ve had to rebuild our stand-alone framework within our
new home and re-establish our IT systems, strategies, accounting systems, databases and so on. All good fun but the day job still goes on around all of this. The close working relationship BAGMA has had with the AEA over many years and the joint projects and initiatives we have been involved with has meant we have not arrived on the doorstep as strangers but as partners in a very focused and dynamic industry. It means we can benefit from a smooth transition and a more focused approach to supporting the UK’s dealer network. BAGMA has much to offer its old and new members and we sincerely hope that our members will make the most of what we have to offer them and what they can benefit from being a part of this association.
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EXPERTS VIEW
Reducing fire risks should be top priority SAFETY
PAUL MARSH
Office manager SafetyAide
ENSURING THAT EMPLOYEES KNOW WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF A FIRE IS ESSENTIAL
FIRE CAN HAVE a devastating impact on a business. Even a small fire could damage your property, vital data, and stock. In more extreme instances, it could even cause injury or death to your staff members. Preventing fires should be a top priority of any business and knowing the correct fire safety measures is essential. Here, we will look at the responsibilities associated with fire safety, how to reduce fire risks and the benefits of excellent fire safety. Whose responsibility is fire safety? If you own or run a property, you become responsible for the fire safety of everyone within the workplace. The responsibility also falls to the employer, so it is best to have someone responsible to specifically deal with health and safety, such as a facilities manager. In the absence of a facilities manager, there should be a building manager or a risk assessor.
Your employees should all have some awareness of the appropriate fire safety measures, both to remain compliant and in case an emergency does occur.
The benefits of good fire safety Being aware of good fire safety measures and how to carry them out allows you to feel secure in the knowledge that you are protecting your premises and your employees. However, having good fire safety doesn’t just benefit the physical well-being of your employees. If your employees know that you have good fire safety measures in place, your employees will be happier, knowing that they can trust the business they work for and that their employers care about them. If you want to improve fire safety in the workplace, Safety Aide offers a reduced cost to BAGMA members for fire risk assessment and also online training to equip you will all the knowledge you need. Get in touch to find out how we can help you.
How can you reduce the risk of fire? There are certain steps you need to take to reduce the risk of fire. These include making regular fire risk assessments to ensure the safety of the workplace and taking certain safety measures. Being compliant with the regulatory reform fire safety order 2005 is essential, as well as having the correct fire safety equipment on hand, including fire extinguishers, for every class of fire. Ensuring that employees are trained to know what to do in case of a fire is an essential step too in reducing the risk of fire.
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BAGMA BULLETIN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
EXPERTS VIEW
Great ways your service manager can improve customer communication IT SYSTEMS
JAMES BUCHANAN
Sales Director at IBCOS Computers Ltd
A DISSATISFIED CUSTOMER MAY SHARE THEIR DISPLEASURE WITH 10 PEOPLE – MORE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
GOOD CUSTOMER COMMUNICATION is a must for any dealership. Since employees interact with customers on a day-to-day basis, good customer service is one of the most important tasks of a Service Manager. If you don’t have good customer service and communication, you can lose money, reputation, and future business. A happy customer would talk about their good experience to only a handful of friends, while a dissatisfied customer may share their displeasure with eight to 10 people. Add with social media, and that could go even higher – to 20 or even 30 people! Even if you think your customer communication is stellar, you can always find ways to improve it. You may fall into the trap of thinking that your customer service skills are fine, and as a result, neglect to regularly audit your process, which can cause problems down the line. Or worse, fall into the lazy habit of applying a one-size-fits-all approach to customer service. Great customer communication is good for your bottom line, since 86% of customers will actually pay more for better customer experience. There may be several agricultural and groundcare
BAGMA BULLETIN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
equipment dealerships, but if customers are happy with you, they’ll stick with you. Here are four ways to improve customer communication. 1. Be informed and inform employees Don’t know it? Find it out. Uninformed service managers and employees are a problem for any customer looking for information. If customers can’t find out what they need to know, they’ll go somewhere else, and you don’t want them approaching a competitor. You should be able to answer reasonable questions for anything in your dealership. The same goes for your employees. The service manager may take the information from the customer, but then they need to make sure the employees are aware of the details. Capturing customer details will make sure your employees can do a good job when servicing a piece of equipment or machinery. The key thing is to make sure you’re informed on the latest news in your industry and the equipment you sell. Then if you’re missing information, find the answer, and report back to your customer.
2. Listen to your customers Practice active listening. Are your customers telling you something that you’re missing? Customers are your guides, and their comments inform you about how you can improve your service and process. Listening to your customers is crucial at any time. However, when you’re dealing with appointments or repair requests, listening is even more vital. Your service manager needs to listen to the customers’ concerns, questions, and comments. Don’t neglect the other listening channels. The days where comments came in solely from phone calls are long gone. Now customers can give you feedback everywhere, and you need to be ready to listen. If customers interact with you on social media, like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, be sure to respond, even if it’s just with a like or a retweet. Customers will also share their feedback on your online listings, such as Google. The best businesses respond to feedback, whether it is good or bad. 3. Ask for feedback Don’t neglect the power of customer feedback. It’s not enough to just listen to your customers when they communicate with you. You should actively solicit their feedback to see what they like or don’t like about your company. Surveys can also help identify patterns in customer service issues. 4. Do follow-ups Don’t let the customer relationship end after a repair or transaction is complete. Follow up. This will let them know that you’re invested in their happiness with your equipment. Following up invites good customer communication and helps with consumer retention. As a dealership, you want to ensure your next sale or repair request is from a former customer. It’s easier to sell to your existing customers. According to Gartner Group, 80% of your company’s future profits will come from 20% of your existing customers. Treat your customers like the valuable resource they are. In conclusion... Your customer communication goes hand-in-hand with every part of customer service. Make sure it’s the best it can be, and your customers will have a favourable impression.
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SAFETY
It’s still hands, face, space... but, most importantly, fresh air As all major coronavirus restrictions are lifted, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is reminding employers of the importance of providing a well-ventilated work space THE HEALTH AND Safety Executive (HSE) has updated its guidance on supplying adequate ventilation in the workplace. The update has taken place in response to the relaxation of coronavirus restrictions; the law already says that employers must make sure there’s an adequate supply of fresh air (ventilation) in enclosed areas of the workplace. You can do this by using: ● natural ventilation - fresh air comes in through open windows, doors or air vents. This is
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also known as ‘passive airflow’, or ● mechanical ventilation - fans and ducts bring in fresh air from outside. Ventilation isn’t the only way of making sure you’re working safely. You should also make sure workers are keeping the workplace clean and washing their hands frequently. You can also identify other control measures by your risk assessment. This guidance will help you and your workers: ● identify poorly ventilated areas
● decide on the steps you can take to improve ventilation ● assess the risk from breathing in small particles of the virus (aerosol transmission) in enclosed areas. ● The HSE reminds employers that adequate ventilation reduces how much virus is in the air.; it helps reduce the risk from aerosol transmission. Here is a video on how on using
ventilation to tackle COVID-19. It provides basic advice on how you can use ventilation to help reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission in your workplace. More details on ventilation in the workplace, including a useful video, can be found at www.hse. gov.uk/coronavirus/equipmentand-machinery/air-conditioningand-ventilation/
BAGMA BULLETIN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
SAFETY
Safety of children on farms lies with all of us Child safety on farms was the focus of the latest meeting of the Farm Safety Partnership (FSP) PEOPLE OFTEN BELIEVE children raised on farms understand risks, but most of those who die in farm accidents are family members. Figures from the Health and Safety Executive show that the ways in which children are killed varies little from year to year. The most common causes of death and major injury in the last decade were: l falling from vehicles; ● being struck by moving vehicles or objects; ● contact with machinery; ● driving vehicles; The Farm Safety Partnership consists of ● falls from height; organisations representing a broad spectrum ● drowning and asphyxiation; of agricultural interests, including the large ● poisoning; farming membership organisaALL ADULTS ● fire; tions; auctioneers; training providWORKING IN ● contact with animals. ers; farming press; and machinery AGRICULTURE dealers. The key message (applicable par- MUST TAKE The partnership continues to ticularly for children under the RESPONSIBILITY work hard to improve safety and to FOR CHILD age of 13) is: reduce fatalities on farms and allied Although parents are responsible SAFETY industries. Our ultimate ambition: for preventing their children strayto reach a point where there are no ing or trespassing into areas where they may farming fatalities. be at risk, all adults working in agriculture – The FSP target on the way to achieving this employers, employees, contractors, or other is to halve the number of farm-related deaths by visiting workers – must take responsibility for the end of the 2023/2024 reporting year. child safety. You may ask what can agricultural and
garden machinery dealers do to help? You all visit farms and small holdings during your dayto-day business when servicing or demonstrating equipment, and maybe have seen situations that could have resulted in an incident. You may also have family and friends involved with farming or work on the land yourself. However difficult it might be to make your customer aware of your concerns, surely the chance of stopping a serious injury or worse should come above upsetting them. Follow the Farm Safety Partnership on Twitter and maybe we can reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries in the industry. Twitter handle: @FSP_England Use the #’s: #ComeHomeSafe #WearAHelmet
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BAGMA BULLETIN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
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