COVER STORY BY GIGI WOOD
MOWING MORE WITH LESS:
Upgrading Your Commercial Equipment
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his year is expected to be one of growth for lawn and landscaping businesses. Homeowners have been more focused on their outdoor spaces since the start of the COVID-19 lockdowns began, paving the way for increased jobs for lawn and landscaping companies. The $115.6 billion industry is set to grow by at least 0.9% in 2022,
landscaping workforce shortage has only increased in recent years, as demand for its services has also risen. This has led business owners to rethink the jobs they take on and the work they complete. Many lawn and landscapers are becoming more selective in the work they accept, taking on fewer, but larger and more profitable jobs — and adding more efficient equipment in the process. As lawn and landscaping businesses grow with the increase in work available, many contractors may need better equipment and may be wondering what machines to upgrade to. Many are looking for more efficient and powerful mowers that can help them complete large jobs faster with fewer workers. Green Industry Pros asked several manufacturers what mid-size and heavy-duty mowers they would recommend to small businesses looking to improve their fleet. “In today’s workforce and overall environment, machine and operational efficiency are more important than ever,” says Ron Scheffler, senior product manager for Doosan Bobcat North America. “Owners and operators are still up against limited hours in the day and limited seasons, but they are challenged now on having to do more with less.”
according to at IBIS World, after an already busy 2021. Jobber’s most recent financial news, for example, shows revenue growth for lawn and landscaping contractors increased 14% in 2021 and work is expected to continue its upward trend in 2022. More work is great if there are enough employees to do it all. The lawn and
Adding Productivity
At Ferris, a division of Briggs & Stratton, engineers consider contractor productivity when designing machines, says David Dwight, senior director, Husqvarna
20 GREEN INDUSTRY PROS
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MARCH 2022
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Husqvarna’s 500L series is considered its premium commercial class mower.
www.greenindustrypros.com
2/21/22 2:29 PM
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