BAGMA Bulletin Magazine March - April 2022

THE MEMBERSHIP MAGAZINE OF THE BRITISH AGRICULTURAL AND GARDEN MACHINERY ASSOCIATION ISSUE 32 | MARCH-APRIL 2022

‘I never wanted to sell lawnmowers, yet here I am!’

Mark Smith, MD of Ron Smith & Co, talks about record sales, price increases, recruitment, setting up a dealers’ council, running an online business

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IN THIS ISSUE

It’s never too early to engage with schools BAGMA President Peter Arrand visited his local school to ensure our industry is on the radar when students start thinking about their subject choices and career options.

COMMENT

PETER ARRAND PRESIDENT BAGMA AFTER TWO YEARS of restrictions and lockdowns, we are learning to “live with Covid”. People with the virus are no longer legally required to self-isolate, although guidance remains for those who test positive to stay at home and avoid contact with others. Routine contact tracing has ended and now it is left up to people to take personal responsibility.

The lifting of restrictions enabled me to visit my local school and participate in National Careers Week at the start of March. I am a member of the school’s governing body and am linked to careers where I get the opportunity to see how the school promotes the choices post-16 whether it be employment, education or training. National Careers Week is a great opportunity to visit schools to sell our industry and create the interest for the huge variety of roles we require within our organisations.

Over the years I have realised that it is never too early to engage with schools and colleges to

WE NEED TO ENSURE OUR INDUSTRY IS ON THE RADAR WHEN STUDENTS PICK THEIR OPTION SUBJECTS, TYPICALLY IN YEAR NINE

The membership magazine of the British Agricultural & Garden Machinery Association Acting Editor Chris Boiling 07713 192344 chrisboiling@live.com Design Alan Bingle 07949 024737 alan@forty6design.com All advertising and media enquiries please email: keith.christian@bagma.com

BAGMA BULLETIN MARCH-APRIL 2022

promote our industry and we need to start our recruitment much earlier than we have done traditionally if we are to attract the best available. We need to ensure our industry is on the radar when students pick their option subjects, typically in year nine.

Schools with good careers leads will be engaging with pupils throughout school up to the time they take their GCSE exams and students are encouraged to find placements for colleges, apprenticeships and training providers. This is almost a year before they leave school.

Dur ing National Careers Week the school invited different representatives of different sectors of industry and organisations along with myself to give a talk to students for a short while. This didn’t take long to prepare and carry out and it’s great to see how engaged students are when we discuss the technology that exists in our industry.

It doesn’t have to be National Careers Week to be involved and visit schools. I’m sure if you get in touch with your local college or school they would be more than welcoming for someone to deliver a short presentation of what we all do – perhaps if you haven’t done this it may be one of your business actions for this year.

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

ISSUE 32 MARCH-APRIL 2022

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NEWS Ex-MF employee launches own tractor company; CRL Group joins BAGMA; WorkNest continues to offer free support to BAGMA members

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EXPERTS Advice on marketing, safety, and selling old inventory

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COVER STORY Interview with Mark Smith, whose father founded Ron Smith & Co in 1967. Mark talks about record sales, price increases, recruitment, setting up a dealers’ council, and running an online business

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RURAL CRIME Why tracking is a useful tool for hire fleets

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SPECIAL FEATURE The robots are coming.

We look at some of the newest autonomous agricultural machines

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SHOW PREVIEW Some of the new products heading for LAMMA 2022

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BRAKE TESTING What happens at the new two-day course?

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

TRAILER, TOOL THEFTS ON INCREASE

The Agricultural & Construction Equipment (ACE) police team has noted an increase in theft of trailers, especially horseboxes. The unit says trailer theft has reached its highest monthly level since April 2019, and it also noted “a high degree of threat due to violence of offenders”. In one case in the East Midlands region, rocks were thrown at police and a response vehicle was rammed when trying to stop suspects who were towing a stolen horsebox.

Tools continue to be a popular target as they have high value and are easy to transport and sell. In a recent theft in the South East region, £50,000 of tools were stolen.

NEW CORVUS DEALERS

Importer Boss ORV has appointed three new dealers in the southwest for the Corvus 4x4 utility vehicles. They are: Okehampton-based South West Handling, Wincanton-based David Webb Engineering and Lambournebased John Day Engineering.

WorkNest continues to offer free support to BAGMA members EMPLOYMENT LAW AND HR specialists WorkNest has agreed to continue helping BAGMA members with free employment law, HR, commercial law and tax advice services.

This includes access to a legal and HR telephone advisory service, as well as a range of online tools and templates.

The new agreement with BAGMA means all members can access practical guidance on difficult and complex employment matters such as policies and procedures, contractual T&Cs, risk assessment, and employee correspondence.

Professional webinars prepared by WorkNest’s experts will also help BAGMA members to address common scenarios and compliance challenges, and a monthly newsletter will include expert advice aimed directly at land-based dealers, suppliers, and their support network.

All WorkNest advisors are qualified professionals who will provide support that is bespoke to each member and their circumstances. This

All change at Hamilton Ross

REESINK UK’S NEW MD

Reesink UK has appointed David Banks (pictured) as its managing director. He joins the company – replacing David Cole at the end of April – after nearly seven years with JCB Industry.

He said: “I see my area of expertise as growing business across multiple sectors.

While at JCB as general manager the business grew by 35%.”

TH WHITE SHOWS COMMITMENT TO JG PLANT STAFF

BAGMA member TH White has shown its commitment to the staff of the Hereford agricultural business it purchased in 2018.

It has bought the former JG Plant site in Tillington Road.

TH White says when it took over JG Plant it promised to invest in the business and to develop it. “Purchase of the site from the former landlord represents the next stage in fulfilling our pledge and will enable the site to be further developed and enhanced, better to serve the evolving needs of our customers, suppliers and the agricultural community in Hereford and surrounding counties,” the company said in a statement.

The dealership also says it is pleased with the way the Hereford business has integrated into the TH White operation.

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access to specialist knowledge and reliable legal advice will complement a range of benefits already available to BAGMA members, including training, healthcare, banking, insurance, and card processing.

BAGMA director Keith Christian commented: “BAGMA now has its very own direct access to WorkNest support. It adds value for our members who are working hard to bounce back after the pandemic and operate within evolving national and international markets.

Access to this type of support tailored to meet their specific needs and circumstances means our members have one less thing to worry about that is included in their membership package.”

Howard Trafford, senior partnerships manager at WorkNest, said: “We look forward to continuing to support BAGMA members to overcome the complexities of employment compliance, so that they can focus on building their businesses.”

CRL Group joins BAGMA THE CRL GROUP, established in 1980, is one of several new BAGMA members. CRL, which operates throughout North Wales, the North West and Midlands, is involved in building contracting, plant hire, building hardware, tool hire and HVAC, and also has a refrigeration division.

The company recently opened a new tool and plant hire store in Conwy.

Other new members include Merlo UK Ltd, Kubota (UK) Ltd and SJ Agri Ltd. Established in 2014 by Sean Hamson and Jade Blythe, Kent-based SJ Agri provides products for the equestrian, horticultural and agricultural industry, and a range of mechanical services.

THE HAMILTON ROSS Group – which currently comprises Daniel Ross, Hamilton Bros and Reekie Ltd – has made a few significant changes this month (March).

Reekie’s Perth depot is merging into Hamilton Bros while its Cupar site is joining the Daniel Ross company in Lanark. Perth will operate under the Hamilton Bros name, whilst Daniel Ross gets a new trading name – R&R Machinery, paying tribute to the history of the Reekie and Ross names.

In line with AGCO’s strategy, Hamilton Bros will remain the Massey Ferguson specialists, with R&R Machinery being the Fendt/Valtra specialists.

Meanwhile, Jim Steel, who has been with the company 35 years, has become sales director for the group. Eric Gardiner, managing director, says Jim has been “an incredible ambassador for the business since starting as a young man in the late 1980s and he has been a key reason for our success over the past few decades”.

The group now employs more than 140 staff across six depots in Scotland, with more than 50 trained engineers and 80 vehicles on the road.

Mr Gardiner describes the changes as “positive improvements” and says they will strengthen “our foundations for the future expansion of both companies” as the family-run business heads towards its 90th year of trading.

BAGMA BULLETIN MARCH-APRIL 2022

BAGMA NEWS

Ex-MF employee launches own company

UPCOMING EVENTS BAGMA GOLF DAY

BAGMA’s annual golf day in Scotland will be held on May 19 this year at the spectacular Dunfermline Golf Course, one of the best parkland courses in Fife.

The day will include two rounds of golf, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The fee for the day will be £70.

Interested players should contact Alasdair Straker on 07823 416862 or email alasdairstraker58@gmail.com.

A COVENTRY-BASED START-UP has revealed plans to develop an electrically powered tractor inspired by the iconic Ferguson TE20 – the ‘Little Grey Fergie’ first produced in the city in 1946.

Campbell Scott, who spent more than 30 years working for Massey Ferguson, has started his own company, called Atomictractor.

“Like the TE20, this new, futuristic model – called the E20 – is aimed at smaller farmers all over the world who need a simple machine to carry out multiple jobs on the farm,” he said.

The company is also working on a zero-emissions power unit for conventional tractors up to 100kW (134hp) and is reaching out to tractor manufacturers to help develop prototypes.

Atomictractor has already been working with Birmingham’s Aston University on the feasibility of the hybrid power concept, which is said to deliver “high torque and power plus guaranteed long working hours with minimum downtime for recharge”.

Campbell, a part-time lecturer at Coventry University, told the Daily Record: “The precise nature of the technology remains confidential. However, it can be described as the application of the most appropriate solutions from the low-carbon world today and

their integration into the specialised field of agriculture.”

He added: “There is a degree of engineering interface required between the new low-carbon drivetrain and the donor tractor and this can be best provided by the tractor maker.

“However, I am keen to discuss the project with all interested parties who share my vision to deliver practical approaches to the complex problems facing the future of mobile off-road energy sources.”

Who is the Land-based Technician of the Year?

Tuckwells and JCB to part company

THE ENTRY DEADLINE for the Le-Tec Land-Based Engineering Technician of the Year competition is fast approaching. The competition closes for entries on March 28. The 2022 competition has two categories: one for someone just embarking on their career and one for experienced technicians. Prizes for the winners include multi-day training courses provided by AP Air Ltd (including accommodation and meals), BAGMA Installation and Handover courses provided by Merlo and a Makita MR007GZ radio.

To enter, record a short video saying who you are and what you do; how you got into this industry; what makes it so rewarding; and why others should consider it as a career.

For more information and example videos from previous years, go to landbasedengineering.com. Then submit your video to info@letec.co.uk.

BAGMA BULLETIN MARCH-APRIL 2022

SCOTGRASS RETURNS

ScotGrass will return on May 18, taking place at SRUC Crichton Royal in Dumfries.

Organised by the Agricultural Engineers Association, the event gives visitors the opportunity to see a wide range of machines in action across field-scale plots.

SALTEX NEARLY SOLD OUT The Grounds Management Association (GMA) says almost 90% of the stand space at SALTEX 2022 has been taken. The show will take place November 2-3 at the NEC, Birmingham.

AGRICULTURE DEALER TUCKWELLS and JCB are parting company at the end of the year, after working together for 15 years.

Two existing JCB Agriculture dealers will take over the distribution of JCB products from Tuckwells on January 1, 2023. G&J Peck Ltd will cover Suffolk and Oliver Landpower Ltd will cover Essex.

JCB Agriculture managing director John Smith said: “Both JCB and Tuckwells would like to assure customers that the partnership is ending on very amicable terms and our jointly

agreed aim is to continue supporting our loyal customers, now and in the future.”

Tuckwells’ managing director, James Tuckwell, commented: “This has been a very difficult decision for both companies. We will continue to support JCB agricultural products until the end of 2022 and we will work closely with JCB to ensure a smooth transition for all customers.”

Tuckwells is adding German brand Kramer to its entire dealer network, which stretches across Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Kent and East Sussex.

JCB-ONLY SHOWROOM OPENS A business focused purely on JCB agricultural equipment, RECO JCB, has opened in Gurney Slade, near Radstock, Somerset. The new

site has offices, a parts department, workshop facilities and a large forecourt displaying JCB machines.

The business – a joint

venture between BAGMA members Redlynch Agricultural Engineering and Compass Tractors – covers Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire.

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BAGMA NEWS

Merlo UK’s Henry Nash (regional sales manager) and Owen Buttle (national sales manager) with Read Agriservices’ Richard Read (managing director), Brian Yeates (sales), Greg Stevens (marketing & warranty), and Dick Bath (sales).

CHARLIES’ CHOICE

Charlies Groundcare and Machinery, based in the outskirts of Welshpool, has added Maschio Gaspardo, Opico and HE-VA to its dealer network. Ross Holloway, dealer principal, believes the business is ideally positioned to grow the franchises in mid-Wales and Shropshire.

He said: “We’re fired up and ready go with both service and sales training, so that we can get stuck in to demonstrating, selling and supporting the range.”

Photo shows Dominic Burt (Maschio product manager), Ross Holloway (centre), and Nick Rider (territory manager for OPICO).

Read Agriservices joins Merlo network BAGMA MEMBER READ Agriservices has joined the Merlo UK dealer network.

Established in 1971 in a wartime Nissen hut, Read Agriservices has positioned itself as trusted dealer in the Shepton Mallet, Somerset, area.

“We’re pleased to welcome Read Agriservices to the Merlo family and strengthen the Merlo UK dealer network further,” said Owen Buttle, national sales manager. “Read Agriservices are a well-established family-owned business, with a particularly strong emphasis on aftersales and

customer care.”

Read Agriservices joins the Merlo dealer network as it invests in brand visibility, aftersales support and expands its UK network.

Greg Stevens, marketing and warranty manager of Read Agriservices, commented: “This is a really positive venture for us, the Merlo range fits perfectly into our business. We’re particularly pleased to incorporate the CINGO tracked tool carriers and telescopic handlers into the range of products we can offer to our customers.”

Organised by

WEDNESDAY 18TH MAY 2022 9:00am – 16:00pm

All the latest harvesting equipment and best practice advice, at the national forage conservation demonstration.

Hosted by SRUC Crichton Royal Farm, Dumfries DG1 4TX

• Clamp zone with live working

• Full working demonstrations of grass harvesting techniques • Knowledge trail with stations showing best practice • Static trade village

Visit www.scotgrass.co.uk for more information

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#scotgrass22

BAGMA BULLETIN MARCH-APRIL 2022

BAGMA NEWS

Tractor sales continue slump due to supply problems TRACTOR SALES IN the UK in February slipped again due to continuing supply chain problems, with only 571 new units registered during the month. Stephen Howarth of the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA) said the figure was 3.9% down on last February’s sales. With January’s

20-year low – when only 500 new units were registered – it means registrations for the year so far are 8.8% down on January-February 2021.

However, this number is marginally above the average for the time of year in the previous five years.

Campey appoints 15 new international distributors Campey Turf Care Systems has expanded its international dealer network to 32, with 15 new dealers across the Middle East and Pan-Asia. Export sales manager Nick Brown (pictured with an Air2G2 in Dubai) explained: “I’ve looked at areas where we haven’t had representation and put a distributor in to work the market instead of just leaving it to one individual who lives in the UK to understand all the different cultures and scenarios.”

‘The conflict faced by Ukraine will have an impact on us all’ How BAGMA’s director, Keith Christian, sees things…

COMMENT

KEITH CHRISTIAN DIRECTOR BAGMA AT THE TIME of writing this piece, Russia is invading Ukraine and our hearts and thoughts go out to all Ukrainians.

The conflict will have an impact on us all and it makes some of the issues to do with Covid, Brexit and supply shortages seem like a mere irritation to what may lie ahead for Ukraine and the knock-on effect in the rest of the world.

As we creep toward spring through a series of storms and more flooding, the dealer network appears to be in a very stable position as supplies are improving.

Issues remain about constant price changes caused by a raft of circumstances and the need to keep a close eye on this and retain margin is as important as ever.

In our magazine and in our monthly BAGMA e-briefing we highlight some of the issues that we feel dealers need to be aware of.

Between the agricultural dealer network and outdoor power equipment dealers, these issues may differ in importance but it would be wise to make sure you are aware of how some of these changes may affect you or your customers. The upcoming changes include the new

HMRC rules on rebated fuel or red diesel as we call it. Changes in April will affect the use of red diesel by some of your customers from what they are used to.

BAGMA’s transition from its previous home at Bira to its new home at the AEA has gone well and we are settled into our new offices.

We have now moved our database and CRM system to our own platform and are already making use of the changes this will allow us to make for the benefit of our members. We have just started the mysterious process of disentangling our website from the Bira platform and expect this to be standalone in April, which will also allow us to build our site to better help our members and industry.

Our many member services are gradually being set up directly with BAGMA with most of the main ones already done and some new ones to be added to reflect the changes going on in our industry and around us. Our new website will enable us to let you all know what we are doing and our digital platforms will enable us to keep in touch on a regular basis.

With the announced changes to the Covid rules, we hope to be able to start getting out and about more and visit members and shows. If you would like a visit from BAGMA, give us a call on 01295 713344.

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BAGMA BULLETIN MARCH-APRIL 2022

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EXPERT VIEWS

How to buy and sell old inventory Dealerships all develop the same problem over time – aged parts inventory takes up valuable storage space, can impact your ability to keep the parts you need in stock and will affect your cashflow.

Money tied up in depreciating parts can act as a huge drain on your finances.

Shifting your aged parts inventory, while it still has some intrinsic value, should be one of your highest priorities.

have no choice but to absorb any losses. On paper, writing off the excess inventory may appear cheaper than hoping to find a buyer, but it isn’t always the best option.

It’s important to remember that there can still be a market for the parts that you carry, even if it doesn’t overlap with your existing customer base. Aged inventory isn’t inherently worthless, but it needs to be sold in ways that give it a new SALES source of value. If your market for JAME The cost of aged inventory selling this inventory were much BUCHANAN Every foot of space that you’re wider than your existing customer Sales Director, dedicating to aged and unsold base, it is much more likely that IBCOS Computers Ltd inventory is space that you can’t you will find a buyer for it. Other fill with newer, more desirable dealerships may need the parts stock. Storage space costs you money and that you don’t. If you had access to most of puts you at a disadvantage when you’re the agricultural dealership market in the UK, trying to stock up on the parts you need. how much of your aged inventory could you This might not mean much if only a few sell? And what price would you be prepared parts go unsold, but if more than a quarter to sell it for? of your inventory is left to gather dust, it quickly adds up. If your dealership operates Purchasing parts under very tight margins, then a few areas Looking at this from the opposite angle, of unsold inventory can quickly eat into your your dealership isn’t the only one with profits and become a major business risk. outdated or unsold parts. All dealerships will struggle with this problem and, just like Selling parts you, they might be trying to sell their old If your dealership is overrun with outdated parts, which is the perfect opportunity for parts, that your existing customer base you to source parts at a discount. This may doesn’t want, then it may seem like you be particularly useful at a time when parts

supply may not be as reliable or as fast as it once was.

A simple solution

The Ibcos Gold Parts Marketplace is a business-to-business marketplace that makes it easy to sell your aged parts inventory and buy the parts you need.

To sell, you can create quick listings, using selection rules you define according to your business needs, which will be visible to a large proportion of the UK dealership network, enabling you to sell to dealers who need your old parts.

Buying parts is also very straightforward and gives you the opportunity to stock up on needed parts at a discounted price Ibcos Gold Parts Marketplace, with its own existing user base, can help you open new sales channels and build a consistent way of selling aged inventory. Most of the hard work is managed through expertlydesigned automated software, from having your parts advertised on the marketplace itself ready to be sold, to producing documentation for the parts you sell.

If you want to know more about how Gold Parts Marketplace operates, go to www.customer.ibcos.co.uk/gold-partsmarketplace or send an email to sales@ ibcos.co.uk.

Are you properly showing up at your events?

MARKETING

MARY EVANS

Owner ME Marketing and Events

Email mary@ memarketingand events.com, call her on 07917347451, or visit www. memarketingand events.com

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The last two years have been tough on shows and events with our face-to-face customer time seriously lacking. 2022 does feel different. Yes, we have had a disappointing start to the year with some January shows being postponed, but it is looking far more promising that this year will allow for more of our customer events to take place.

So, are you really showing up? Are you making the most of those precious customer contact opportunities?

Attending a show/event really should be so much more than parking up some machines and having your sales staff present. You need to be looking into your aims and goals for these events.

Basically, what do you want to achieve?

Is it a sale, is it some PR, obtaining enquires or booking demonstrations for a certain machine?

That’s enough of the questions, time

for the answers. Consider your current marketing campaigns that you are putting out online and in print. These messages must be consistent across your stand setup and materials available. It is all about ensuring consistency across your communications. Give your presence a purpose by pre-planning your campaign and creating stand materials to promote sale prices, demonstration machines, new machine models, etc.

One of the hardest but most important activities at an event is obtaining customer details. With GDPR restrictions, many companies have been put off trying to do this, don’t be! Whilst your sales staff should be noting more genuine enquiries, you may also want to look into a competition to entice a wider audience. By incentivising the transaction of details with a chance to win some merchandise, shopping vouch-

ers or simply a bottle of their favourite tipple, they will be more willing to part with their contact details. Just ensure you always include an OPT-IN option on your sign-up forms as well as a disclaimer for how you will store these details and for how long. This ensures you are being GDPR compliant!

And lastly, the show itself may have come to end but your work doesn’t stop there. In my opinion, you have a window of seven days after a show/event to then contact all your enquiries to at least acknowledge that you are going to be in touch. Otherwise, you may run the risk they will forget about you, or worse, purchase from elsewhere in the meantime. Access to competitors is so much easier than it used to be, so you must ensure your sales team are proactive in their approach.

Happy show season!

BAGMA BULLETIN MARCH-APRIL 2022

EXPERT VIEWS

How are you managing your staffs’ mental health?

SAFETY

PAUL MARSH

Office manager SafetyAide

'THE HSE WANTS TO SEE MENTAL HEALTH GIVEN AS MUCH THOUGHT AS SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE'

The HSE has launched a new mental health campaign aimed at smaller businesses: ‘working minds’. What’s happening and should you get involved?

Mental health is equal to safety.

The HSE is concerned that small businesses are not on board with the need to manage psychological risks, despite the mental health crisis which has emerged throughout the pandemic. It wants to see mental health given as much thought as safety in the workplace.

Mental health issues now top the list of reasons for sickness absence in a poll about self-reported ill health.

The number of working days lost due to stress, anxiety or depression based on these statistics is 17 million per year.

The charity Mind also reports that its survey shows two in five employees’ mental health has worsened during the pandemic.

This is not to say that all poor mental health affecting employees is due to their work, but a proportion will be

work-related, and regardless of the causes, employers need to manage ill health sympathetically.

The HSE aims to change things in small businesses by making owners, managers and staff aware of the signs of work-related stress and outlining simple steps to tackle it. The online resources are arranged as 5 Rs: Reach out, Recognise, Respond, Reflect, and make it Routine.

Advice: If a member of staff has a diagnosis of a mental health condition likely to last 12 months or more, you must comply with the Equality Act 2010. To identify what’s needed, a good place to start is to ask the employee to talk about it in confidence. We recommend a stress risk assessment is carried out on all staff at regular intervals. (Contact Safety Aide for your free Stress Management Checklist.)

Advice: Mind reports that fears about

job security have been a major cause of the increase in poor mental health.

Clear information to staff about planned changes will help. If major changes are on the cards, engage with HR professionals at an early stage.

(Safety Aide supports their clients by providing them with a Stress and Wellbeing Policy.)

Advice: Create a risk assessment to review the stress of different job roles and find ways to make working life less worrying. (Safety Aide provides a Stress Risk assessment to their clients.)

The campaign highlights simple steps you can implement to improve mental health. Create a stress risk assessment, carry out regular stress management assessment(s) and add a Stress and Wellbeing policy to your health and safety policy. Show that you support staff suffering from poor mental health and be compassionate in the management of change.

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MEMBER PROFILE

It’s all about service and Mark Smith, whose father founded Ron Smith & Co in 1967, talks about record sales, price increases, recruitment, setting up a dealers’ council, and running an online business. Report by Mary Evans

RON SMITH & Co has been a wholly-owned family business since it was first established in 1967. Set up by the late Ron Smith and his wife, the business became one of the first companies that focussed on garden machinery sales. It began importing and selling ride-on tractors and quickly evolved, adding chainsaws and mowers to the portfolio.

With more than 50 years in business, the BAGMA Bulletin was keen to hear about the changes the company has encountered and what it takes to keep a business like this thriving.

I visited the Worcester branch and spoke with Mark Smith, Ron’s son, who is now the managing director of the business.

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Tell us a little bit about the company’s history and how you have got to where you are today.

“My mum and dad started the business in 1967, right when garden machinery and ride-on tractors were in their infancy. Dad was one of the first people to import and sell them in the UK. “We opened the branch in Hereford 30 years ago now, but have since had a purpose-built branch which is now five years old. We have also expanded in Worcester; we took on a new warehouse about two years ago because we found we were just running out of space. It has been very difficult in Worcester, there aren’t many premises available in the size that we would require.

“All in all, there are about 45 of us over four sites. We do a lot of business online as well which started almost 25 years ago. Originally it began as a mail-order company, we have grown tremendously and today we have a thriving internet company. Our website will supply nationwide, there are no limits as to where we can go. In the past we have also supplied internationally but we have since moved away from that as it was causing too much hassle with additional restrictions and paperwork.”

With more than 50 years in the industry, you must have seen lots of changes, how would you say things differ today for the business?

BAGMA BULLETIN MARCH-APRIL 2022

MEMBER PROFILE

stock “The nuts and bolts of trading hasn’t really changed, and service hasn’t changed. People still want top-quality customer service as well as good information before purchasing. As long as we can provide the answers, whether that is on the phone or in an email, then people want to deal with us. It is all about service. Then the other side is stock. The last two years we have noticed a considerable change in the availability of machines. We have always kept a lot of stock thankfully, which has been good for us over the last two years but, yes, in general we have noticed that availability is stretched.

“Battery-powered machines have also become a big part of the business. It has become a BAGMA BULLETIN MARCH-APRIL 2022

focus for the customer, so we have had to make it people to join our team! We have a good age part of our business, to keep up with the demand. range of people working for us, but it would We do well with Husqvarna auto-mowers; over always be great to get some new, young blood the last two years we have probably sold 2,000 in. This last two years has been relentless which machines into the market. With this part of the is great, but, ideally, I need five more people to business we have full-time installers that get join us because ultimately it is hindering our these out to customers, I am really proud of the expansion.” guys that do this, they do a great job.

“With online sales you tend to think they are How have you found staffing in general? one-time customers, but we can look back at “Getting good, reliable service-related staff their order history and you see they have been has always been hard. But it isn’t just within using Ron Smith for years, it is just a fact of not the service department that I have struggled. I seeing their face. We put a lot of emphasis on have found getting people to do any type of work Trustpilot with our online business, of course recently is a task within itself. With more and you can get some keyboard warriors but most more government perks, I am finding a lot of of the time we get good feedback. This ensures people think they are better off at home. I have everyone is happy and we can monitor our level also had staff ask if they can go part-time. They of service. It may sound great but anyone who wouldn’t be asking that unless there was a perk thinks going online is the answer, to it! It makes the running of the it can be a hard slog and it’s taken ‘THE PRICE OF business difficult. I think the whole us nearly 25 years to get to where it MACHINERY HAS of the country is in a sticky situation is. But we have six full-time people GONE UP AN following the pandemic. purely on the website which shows OUTRAGEOUS “I also believe that we need to be AMOUNT AND what a machine it can be. pushing the benefits of apprentice“Changes this last year have WE MUST BE ships and technical college qualibeen largely around cost increases, CAREFUL WE fications over university degrees everything across the board seems DON’T END UP because this allows younger people to have increased tremendously. I HARMING THE to come into the industry and work do think that the price of machinery INDUSTRY GOING while they learn. We don’t currently has gone up an outrageous amount FORWARD’ have any apprentices; we have had and we must be careful we don’t end up harming some great success with them in the past, but it the industry going forward.” is getting decent people who are willing to work and learn. We really don’t seem to be getting the Was it always the plan for you to be quality and sometimes I wonder if it is someinvolved with the business? thing we are doing. The ethos has changed and “No, never. I always said I never wanted to sell there isn’t that drive to get out and earn a living lawnmowers and yet here I am! anymore. We need to have good people around “I completed my A-levels and secured a us in order to move forward so we need to do place on a five-year management programme something.” with Plumb Centre, so I worked through the programme and then moved on the road with Where do you operate specifically? them as a rep. Then I moved on to be a branch “With our online business there is really no manager, the youngest at that time! I worked for limit. In the branch we do have a little more of them in total about eight years, in the end the a limit on where we can sell to. It tends to be management style wasn’t for me, so I decided within a 100-mile radius, but I would say our to come and work with my dad, I haven’t really core business is within 50 miles of the branch. looked back since. I do enjoy it, every day is difWe have customers all over the place and we do ferent, although it would be nice to have some find we get customers that want to stick with us more relax time but at the moment I don’t seem despite having a more local dealer. I suppose it to get much of that!” is a compliment!”

It really is a family affair; is this an ethos you carry out when managing your staff?

“Yes, we have some great people working for us and they have done for a long time! We try to ensure everyone is happy and I am aware it has been incredibly busy the last few years, everyone needs downtime too.”

How many staff do you currently have?

“We operate with 45 staff currently, over four separate sites. We are always looking for great

What area of the business do you enjoy the most?

“I like the selling; I am a salesman at the end of the day, I love being in front of the customer. I am now the managing director, so I tend to be dealing with a lot more business tasks rather than being on the showroom floor with the customers, which I do miss.

“I also like the camaraderie between other dealers that are a similar size to myself, it is great because we look after each other!”

9

MEMBER PROFILE

Mark Smith as a boy and now; how the shelves used to look and the showroom today

Is there anything you do not enjoy?

“I really do not enjoy recruitment! I hate it. Recruitment agencies and the hassle of the whole process.”

You have a very active digital presence and a very comprehensive website; would you say this has become an increasingly important part of the business and how do you compete with larger internet companies?

“Absolutely! Even more so over the last two years.

This part of the business is growing rapidly, and it takes a lot of work. I think when it comes to setting ourselves apart, it is all about the level of equipment and the service we offer. We don’t just sell machines online and that’s it, our team are on hand to help the customer. These larger companies cannot supply the higher end equipment, they specialise in more entry level, and I don’t think their service and support is where it should be. That’s where we are unique, we are specialists.”

What would you say the split between online sales and in-person sales is?

“Well over 50% of our sales is now online and it is growing all the time. We find that a lot of local people buy online purely for convenience.”

What are the plans for the future?

“We are looking to consolidate in one big premise ideally. That’s my goal, it just depends on a lot of factors, the property market is not where I would like it to be to consider that sort of move at the moment. We know we are growing and that is great but being in one location would save us a lot of time and effort.

“We are actively looking for someone to be on the road selling as well. This is something that we know we need to do and, again, it will move our business forward.

“There are plenty of factors overall that need

10

to be looked at for us to keep moving forward, both as a business and an industry. We really need to be talking more with the manufacturers about warranty and rates they are paying the dealers. It isn’t all of them but currently we seem to be subsidising them. How long can we withstand it, is the question? I have spoken with other dealers about putting together a totally independent dealer council to try and bring these subjects to the manufacturers’ agenda. I think together we could be a positive force for the industry to ensure we are not left out of pocket constantly.”

How did Covid effect the business and how have you adapted going forward?

“Last year the only way we could keep going properly was our online business. We didn’t close during Covid, we stayed open and operating the best that we could. Obviously, we didn’t have people visiting the showroom which will have impacted our sales, but we were still delivering

‘I ALWAYS SAID I NEVER WANTED TO SELL LAWNMOWERS AND YET HERE I AM!’

either through carriers or our own vans. Being in different locations meant that we could bubble safely.

“It was a very tricky time for all businesses. I also believe that those companies that did close their doors forced their customers to deal with competitors like ourselves. Everyone these days is so instantaneous that if we had it, they wanted it next day, our business did well out of it!

“We have all had enough of Covid, haven’t we?

Everyone just wants to get on with our lives. But, for the business, it has been great, we broke all our company records last year and things seem to be marching on forwards still, which is great!

“We noticed that with people spending more time at home, they wanted to do things in the garden, or in their houses, they had the spare time and the cash. It was certainly a positive for us!

“Unfortunately, one thing that was frustrating was that our staff couldn’t take part with manufacturer training, which was a shame, it would have been great if they could have done some of the courses online.”

How have you found being a BAGMA member?

“We have been a member for a long time. All in all, it is a great industry body. We are looking at using the legal advice going forward, and in general there are some great offerings, we should be using them more regularly. I have spoken with Keith at BAGMA about setting up this dealer council and he has been very supportive about bringing this together. Whatever size dealer we are, we all have the same problems, so it is important to stick together.”

What do you like to get up to in your spare time?

“I don’t have any! I would love to put my feet up and just relax. I did used to be a member of the local golf club but haven’t played in a long time.

A holiday would be lovely!”

BAGMA BULLETIN MARCH-APRIL 2022

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Tracking: a useful tool for hire fleets AS THEFT CONTINUES to rise in rural areas, ATVTrac dealer George Browns has reported increased demand for security products from their customer base, with uptake of the specialised tracking system particularly strong.

One of the very first dealers to be appointed by ATVTrac, George Browns has been a strong advocate for security, but also quickly saw the benefits for their own hire fleet too, adopting the technology and fitting ATVTrac units to their hire machines.

Andy Lathell, hire director at Browns, commented: “The advantages of knowing where the machines are when out on hire was naturally the key objective. With such a large fleet, knowing the whereabouts of every asset can be a logistical nightmare. While we, of course, have a paper trail, there’s no substitute for being able to see a live location of a unit, which without doubt has been a gamechanger for us. Of course, the added peace of mind from theft is a big plus, and when we come to de-fleet, we are able to offer the chance for them to continue the protection too, without any associated installation costs.”

As well as being a useful tool for hire operators, ATVTrac can also save customers on their NFU insurance premiums too, thanks to the Thatcham S7 approved system’s recognised status for security.

Rupert Archer Smith of ATVTrac added: “Education on theft and security is crucial in farming and agriculture. For many, it’s a consideration that isn’t high in priority, but it is sadly an ever-present issue and can be a huge inconvenience not to mention cause financial impact.

With proactive dealers like George Browns, the message is thankfully beginning to spread and so the tide is slowly turning in some areas of the country on rural crime. Of course, as George Browns has proven with its hire fleet, tracking is more than just about theft, but a useful tool for asset location, service schedules and can also be an effective way to keep track of the safety of lone workers too, as well as productivity. It really does offer much more.”

And while all this in theory sounds great, George Browns has been able to demonstrate the true effectiveness of ATVTrac since becom-

ing a dealer four years ago, with customers who have sadly had to call upon the primary function of the system to locate their stolen machines, all with positive outcomes.

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11

SPECIAL FEATURE

From subs to vineyard robots

The man behind Slopehelper, a new autonomous electric robot, talks to editor Chris Boiling about the machine’s development and potential…

DR MIKHAIL KOSTKIN, CEO and co-owner of agriculture robot manufacturer PeK Automotive, has designed systems for some of the world’s harshest environments – control systems for submersibles and inspection machines for oil pipelines – so designing an autonomous electric robot for a vineyard wasn’t too difficult.

Vineyards have structure, he points out. “They have rows, poles and common geometry.”

But Mikhail and his team of technicians, many of whom moved from Russia to Slovenia for a better life, decided to make the challenge tougher by not only designing a robot that can work safely on steep slopes with a total load capacity of two tons, but also design a whole system that is capable of doing most of the labour-intensive jobs in the vineyard – including mowing, mulching, harrowing, pesticide spraying, fertiliser spreading, canopy trimming, and, in the future, pruning and harvesting.

PeK Automotive’s robot, Slopehelper, has gone into production in Vrhnika, a small town near Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, with the first 16 machines going to large wine producers in Slovenia.

For Mikhail, who gained his PhD from a naval academy at the age of 23, it was important to design a whole system and not just a robot.

He says there are many autonomous robotic platforms coming on the market and they all work well – until

12

you connect them to equipment.

“Then all work done is useless,” he says in his heavy Russian accent.

PeK Automotive has been developing a system to support all vineyard activity. “That’s the dramatic difference between ours and others,” Mikhail tells me, as he demonstrates the machine in a vineyard in Slovenia. “We are working not for developing of robot, we are developing for complex system covering everything. The system includes navigation, hinged equipment, some mapping and so on. We’re not doing some small part.”

I point out that if vineyard owners have to abandon the equipment they already own to purchase his special tools for the Slopehelper, it’s going to be expensive. What’s wrong with developing a machine that can use existing equipment?

“The most obvious and logical way is usually wrong, that’s the law of life,” Mikhail replies. “This is exactly this case. The absolutely logical thinking is, ‘I have all this equipment, I must make a machine and I will connect them and everything will be okay’. Sorry, it won’t be... It’s like taking a microscope to nail something. When you are working with tractor the eyes of the equipment are your eyes, but the equipment itself is blind… Robot has no eyes, it has sensors. If equipment isn’t equipped with sensors, the robot will never know what is going on and what is necessary to do this millisecond.”

l The NEXAT is a carrier vehicle that can be used for all crop production work, from tillage and sowing to crop protection and harvesting. Instead of conventional hauling, the implements for tillage and cultivation are carried. This leads to increased efficiency compared to tractor and towed implement combinations. With the 14m version, the system is designed such that 95% of the total field area is never driven on. With the integrated NexCo combine harvester module, transfers to the transport vehicle can take place on the headland.

l SITIA’s Trektor, an autonomous hybrid tractor that uses existing implements, now comes in three different models – Mini, Midi, and Maxi.

l Robotti LR is Agrointelli’s new, long-range autonomous implement carrier. With a diesel tank of 300L capacity, this robot can operate up to 60 hours nonstop before refuelling.

Its three-point hitch can be fitted with standard farm implements to perform different field tasks throughout the season.

Benefits include the capability to ‘zeroturn’ and download and upload information while working. Agrointelli’s other model, the Robotti 150D (pictured), has two motors – with one motor operating the PTO exclusively.

l Toro is testing its GeoLink Solutions Autonomous Fairway Mower at various golf courses in the USA. At the recent 2022 GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in San Diego, the company said the machine will help greenkeepers to increase productivity and get more consistent results. Marketing manager Josh Kravik said: “Our initial placement activities in 2022 will help us identify applications in which today’s technology can perform to the levels expected by our customers and where further development and additional capabilities are required.”

BAGMA BULLETIN MARCH-APRIL 2022

SPECIAL FEATURE

l Yanmar’s YV01 autonomous sprayer (pictured) is due for release this year. It can handle slopes and has a 200L tank for spraying.

l Naïo Technologies, which offers three different robots for different purposes, is accelerating its international development strategy and launching a Robot As A Service (RAAS) business model, which sounds like a rental scheme.

BAGMA BULLETIN MARCH-APRIL 2022

l Kubota and Tevel Aerobotics Technologies have developed an automated fruit picking system (pictured). The harvester unit can operate several wired drones for the picking process, allowing “various configurations for individual farm requirements and enables full compatibility with established harvesting methods”.

Kubota’s Yuichi Kitao says the company’s vision for 2030 “is to be an Essentials Innovator for Supporting Life”.

l Exxact Robotics – part of Exel Industries – has launched an autonomous high-clearance machine for single rows of vines. Currently undergoing field trials in Bordeaux, Champagne and Burgundy, the Traxx robot (pictured) will be produced in two configurations: the one for tillage is ready to go; the one for spraying will be tested this year with Tecnoma’s Panel’Jet recovery spraying technology.

With a petrol engine (37hp) and hydraulic transmission, Traxx can operate in manual mode, with remote control, or in autonomous mode, based on a pre-plotted GPS route. Its major advantage is its size: 3.2 metres long and 1,300kg without tools.

13

SHOW PREVIEW

Exciting new products heading

Kubota’s M6002

l In Hall 12, on stand 330, Kubota (UK) Ltd will be showing the new 122-162hp M6002 series, the recently updated flagship M7003 models from 130-170hp, plus the latest generation EU Stage V compliant M5002 and M4003 models covering the 66-115hp sector. In addition, the latest R0 compact wheeled loader will be on display, equipped with a front-mounted yard scraper attachment. Kubota’s newest tractor series, the M6002, has an impressive 7-tonne rear lift capacity from its Cat III linkage, while manoeuvrability comes from the use of a portal front axle with bevel gear drive. This bi-speed turn technology gives the M6002 an ultra-tight 4.5m turning circle.

Bunning l A brace of new in-cab screen options along with a mobile app allowing the operator to monitor the weight of the spreader contents from the loader will be shown on Bunning’s stand at Lamma 2022.

The Norfolk-based manufacturer will add the Topcon XD and XD+ Isobus screens, in both 7in and 12.1in displays, as options on all its weigh-cell equipped spreaders. This allows users running non-Isobus compatible tractors to achieve increased functionality with the screens, including basic guidance and task management.

Alongside this, operators running an Isobus weigh cell system have the option for the loader driver to view the real-time weight of the

14

Bobcat l Bobcat’s new generation R-Series agricultural telehandler range will be on display in Hall 19, stand 200.

The two new models are the topof-the-range TL43.80HF Agri 4 Star and the compact TL30.60 telehandler.

On standard 24in tyres, the TL43.80HF offers a maximum lift capacity of 4.3 tonne, a maximum lift height of 7.5m and a maximum forward reach of 4.0m.

The TL30.60 has a maximum lift capacity of 3.0 tonne, a maximum lift height of 5.9m and a maximum forward reach of 3.0m.

Including these models, Bobcat’s R-Series agricultural telehandler range provides a choice of seven models with Stage V engines, covering maximum lifting capacities between 2.6 and 4.3 tonne with lifting heights from 6 to 8m.

spreader contents via the Topcon ‘Cab Control’ app, on a smartphone or tablet. This means there is no need to stop loading to check the weight of the material in the spreader, as the read-out is mirrored from the tractor cab. Using the device should virtually eliminate any overloading and it can also be used for weighing varying product quantities.

Krone l Krone’s new general purpose forage wagon offers a new level of versatility and gentle and fast unloading of a wide variety of cargo, including vegetable and root crops.

The GX machine is available in two sizes – 44m3 and 52m3 – with two optional discharge rollers. The GX 440 rides on tandem axles and the GX 520 on a tridem unit, with both models featuring standard Isobus

operation.

Cargo is unloaded by a powerful fabric belt floor that is operated by two chains. Together with the seethrough headboard, the belt floor forms the unloading unit, which is operated by two hydromotors.

This is an extremely gentle way of unloading because the forage moves slowly and consistently to the rear without squeezing.

Claydon l Claydon will launch a new range of mounted drills at LAMMA 2022. Building on the company’s 20 years’ experience with this technology, the nine Claydon Evolution models take direct strip seeding to the next level. With working widths of 3m, 4m, 4.5m, 4.8m, 5m and 6m, they incorporate 9, 13, 15 or 19 tines

and most feature a 1,910L hopper, with the 3m 3MF and 4m 4MRF having a 2,700L tank split 50:50 between seed and fertiliser. Typical daily outputs range from 20ha for the 3m Evolution which requires a tractor of at least 150hp to 40ha for the 6m version which needs a minimum of 300hp.

Omnia E Seed

l Hutchinsons’ variable rate drill conversion kit, Omnia E-Seed, is the first stand-alone variable rate drill conversion kit that fits to any standard drill and does exactly what it says on the box – it enables a standard land metered drill to be converted simply and efficiently into a variable rate drill.

BAGMA BULLETIN MARCH-APRIL 2022

SHOW PREVIEW

for LAMMA Richard Western l Richard Western’s new pusher-ram trailer range will be displayed on Stand 230 in Hall 6.

The principle behind the pusher-ram trailer design is that not only does it enable push-off discharge, but also load compression, allowing the potential capacity of the trailer to be fully utilised, and forager harvester output to be thoroughly exploited, while also potentially reducing required trailer numbers. Further advantages include the ability to eject in restricted spaces, such as within sheds, and the possibility to partdischarge full loads.

The monocoque body features folded side walls for high strength.

Versions available comprise tan-

LAMMA 2022 May 4-5 NEC, Birmingham

Agriweld

dem axle models with 30, 36 and 40m3 capacities, plus a triple-axle model with 50m3 capacity. Specification on all includes a sprung drawbar, high-speed axles with hydraulic or air braking options, 650/55 R26.5 tyres and rearsteering axle.

l Agriweld will be introducing its first trailed machine. The Multi-Till 5T is a low-disturbance subsoiler, which comes complete with double set of mixing discs and Agri-Packer roller, providing farmers with five cultivating options in one machine: run the machine with only discs in work; run the machine with only legs in work; run the machine with Agri-Packer roller down; run the machine with Agri-Packer roller up; or run the machine with discs, legs and Agri-Packer roller as a full machine.The Multi-Till 5T also features Agriweld’s new hydraulic depth control on the Agri-Packer roller which rotates and simultaneously brings in the depth wheels.

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15

BRAKE TESTING

BAGMA’s new two-day brake-testing course RICHARD JENKINS, BAGMA’S business development manager, joined technicians in Cambridgeshire on BAGMA’s twoday Tractor-Trailer Inspection and Brake Testing course. The course is led by Dr Andy Scarlett and held in conjunction with the National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC).

The new course is extremely comprehensive, and Andy’s knowledge of brakes, trailers, tractors, and related legislation is impressive. The course starts by looking at road transport rules and regulations, how a trailer brake system works, before moving onto the brake efficiency that should be generated! The new course incorporates inspection of a vehicle’s physical condition – a new addition

16

to the course – and ensures candidates are fully conversant with the need to do thorough inspections to ensure the safe operation of the vehicle. Even the newest vehicles often require attention to their braking systems and a brake performance test to ensure they meet current regulations.

Day One at Matt Redman Agriculture finished back in the classroom with a written examination: something that each technician must pass in order to proceed to Day Two. All attending passed with flying colours, including Richard!

Moving the course from one day to two has allowed for time to include inspection and assessment of trailer build specification and physical condition and increased checking time of the trailer brak-

ing system, as many now include a load sensing valve.

There is also time for a tractor inspection before each attendee performs a brake test on both the tractor and the tractor-trailer combination, such a valuable experience for even the most qualified technicians.

Richard would highly recommend this course to any dealer looking to provide brake-testing and tractor-trailer inspections as a service to their customers, espe-

cially as tractor and trailers are now travelling greater distances.

The new BAGMA TractorTrailer Inspection and Brake Testing course has been developed by Scarlett Research for BAGMA and builds upon the recently launched, interactive Look Behind You guide to tractor-trailer braking, produced by the AEA.

For more information, contact Kari at info@bagma.com or call BAGMA on 01295 713344.

BAGMA BULLETIN MARCH-APRIL 2022

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To view our full range of training courses and range of services available to you, visit the BAGMA website or contact the team directly.

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