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POWERlines
A Hatton-Brown Publication www.poweret.com
2020 Is Wild Y’all Super, Super Wild JESSICA JOHNSON
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know we’ve covered the COVID-19 pandemic thoroughly in these pages in past issues, but y’all, between the pandemic and Mother Nature just deciding it’s time to go hog wild in the Atlantic and other places throughout the country, this year is shaping up to be truly one for all the records in all the books. If you ask my little boy, “The virus really cramps my style.” Of course, he’s talking about the fact that his grandpa can’t come to his youth football game, and not the handful of trade shows his mom can’t go to this year. But, I think we can all agree with little Alex, the virus is really cramping our collective style. Well, the virus, and the pummeling of rain from Atlantic hurricanes, the fires out West and the (seemingly random but no less devastating) “derecho” in the Midwest, it’s all cramping our style. Something we all knew was coming, but was no less disheartening to hear, was the decision to cancel the 2020 edition of the green industry family reunion, GIE+EXPO, in Louisville, Ky. As an event that brings hundreds of thousands together from all over the world, it makes sense to press pause on gathering in person. But if you didn’t know any better, you would think GIE+EXPO, scheduled for October 21 to 23, has not been cancelled. Thumbing through this issue, GIE lives on…at least in print, and in video, too, for that matter. What am I talking about? Typically, Power Equipment Trade opens up its pages to advertisers for the special “Expo Elite” section in the printed magazine—a chance to give advertisers who also exhibit at the show a chance to entice dealer visitors to stop by and say hi. We didn’t want to just close the door on these companies that now more than ever need to spread the word about their new product offerings, company profiles and dealer programs available for the 2021 season. If you had planned to attend the show in person, or even if you hadn’t, you now have at your fingertips a quick read on the latest product and technology offerings from the leading equipment companies in the lawn and garden power equipment industry. In addition, we’ve invited these companies to submit up-to-five-minute videos on some aspect of their operations and products. Those videos will be accessible during the same dates as when GIE+EXPO was supposed to be held, October 21 to 23. A video can say a lot about a company and its promotional skills. And you’ll be able to have them all in front of you at the same time to check out what these companies have to say, especially with regard to their new products. So on those dates, go to: http://www.powerequipmenttrade.com/expo-elite/ A final note: The video site is not attempting to be a virtual expo. It’s straightforward: go to it, click on some videos and watch. Get curious, click around to the company’s web site, learn, consider, request more information. Meanwhile, we miss trade shows and setting up our booths and talking personally to hundreds of dealers. I miss the clink of a beverage, and my big goofy smile as we selfie the show. But, while our company and many companies have discovered virtual skills during the pandemic, we feel that when people are allowed to go out in public again, in-person trade shows may have more relevance than ever. And I promise, PET’s booth PET at GIE will be a great spot to catch up.
Contact Jessica Johnson, ph: 334-834-1170; fax 334-834-4525; e-mail: jessica@hattonbrown.com
Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. Street Address: 225 Hanrick Street Montgomery, AL 36104-3317 Mailing Address P.O. Box 2268 Montgomery, AL 36102-2268 Tel: (334) 834-1170 Fax: (334) 834-4525 Publisher/Adv. Sales Manager David H. Ramsey Chief Operating Officer Dianne C. Sullivan Editor-in-Chief n Rich Donnell Managing Editor n Jessica Johnson Senior Editor n Dan Shell Senior Assoc. Editor n David Abbott Associate Editor n Patrick Dunning Contributing Writers Greg German, Sam Stearns Publisher/Editor Emeritus David (DK) Knight Art Director n Cindy Segrest Ad Prod. Coordinator n Patti Campbell Circulation Director n Rhonda Thomas Marketing/Media n Jacqlyn Kirkland Advertising Sales Southern U.S. Randy Reagor Tel: (904) 393-7968 Fax: (334) 834-4525 E-mail: randy@hattonbrown.com Midwest U.S., Eastern Canada John Simmons Tel: (905) 666-0258 Fax: (905) 666-0778 E-mail: jsimmons@idirect.com Western U.S. & Canada Susan Windham Tel: (334) 834-1170 Fax: (334) 834-4525 Email: windham.susan4@gmail.com Europe & Scandinavia Murray Brett Tel: +34 96 640 4165 +34 96 640 4048 Email: murray.brett@abasol.net Distributor Library Kathy Sternenberg Tel: (251) 928-4962 ksternenberg@bellsouth.net Classified Advertising Bridget DeVane Tel: (334) 699-7837 (800) 669-5613 bdevane7@hotmail.com Reprint Sales Patti Campbell Tel: (800) 669-5613 patti@hattonbrown.com
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Volume 69
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OCTOBER 2020
Our 740th Consecutive Issue
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Founded in 1952
Renew or subscribe on the web: www.poweret.com
FEATUREstories
10 CRAIG’S 14 EXPO ELITE 22 DEALER SPEAK Gets It Done
Taking It Online
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Reacting To Mother Nature
VALUEadded Power Suppliers __________________________ 6 Dealer Voices____________________________ 20 Showroom ______________________________ 24 Distributor Library ________________________ 26 PowerWorks ____________________________ 29 PETcetera/Ad Index ______________________ 30 Dealer To Dealer _________________________ 31
COVERphoto Veteran dealer Craig Eldridge’s business operates with a mix of age, youth, experience and energy while offering premium products and top notch service along Colorado’s Front Range, beginning on Page 10. (Photo by Dan Shell; cover design by Shelley Smith)
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Member Verified Audit Circulation Power Equipment Trade (ISSN 1063-0414) is published 6 times annually (February, April, June, August, October and December) by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc., 225 Hanrick St., Montgomery, AL 36104. Subscription Information—PET is sent free to qualifying industry professionals in the U.S. All non-qualified U.S. subscriptions are $55 annually; $65 in Canada; $95 (Airmail) in all other countries (U.S. funds). Single copies, $5 each; special issues, $20 (U.S. funds). Subscription Inquiries—TOLL-FREE 800-669-5613; Fax 888-611-4525. Go to www.poweret.com and click on the subscribe button to subscribe/renew via the web. All advertisements for Power Equipment Trade magazine are accepted and published by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. with the understanding that the advertiser and/or advertising agency are authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The advertiser and/or advertising agency will defend, indemnify and hold Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. harmless from and against any loss, expenses, or other liability resulting from any claims or lawsuits for libel violations or right of privacy or publicity, plagiarism, copyright or trademark infringement and any other claims or lawsuits that may arise out of publication of such advertisement. Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. neither endorses nor makes any representation or guarantee as to the quality of goods and services advertised in Power Equipment Trade. Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to reject any advertisement which it deems inappropriate. Copyright ® 2020. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Ala. and additional mailing offices. Printed in USA. Postmaster: Please send address changes to Power Equipment Trade, P.O. Box 2419, Montgomery, Alabama 36102-2419. Other Hatton-Brown Publications: Timber Harvesting n Southern Loggin’ Times n Timber Processing n Panel World n Wood Bioenergy
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POWERsuppliers
Bob Clements Announces New Book Bob Clements International (BCI), the leader in dealership training and development, has recently announced a new book, written by Bob Clements and Sara Hey: You’re the Problem (and the Solution!). Through this book, Clements and Hey share proven habits that they have seen allow owners and managers of to reclaim their life, their sanity and their dealership. You’re the Problem (and the Solution!) is available now for pre-order online and will be released on October 15th. This book shares real dealership stories along with practical and applicable information on how dealership owners and managers can implement some of Bob Clements International’s world-renowned best practices. “Over the years that I have been involved in the dealership world, I discovered something. I found that some dealers were in a never-ending, all-consuming stream of struggle, day after day, while others seemed to be successful regardless of what happened to them or their dealership. It made me wonder, what separated the thousands of successful dealers we have worked with from the ones that could never get ahead?” says Sara Hey, VP of Business Development and Speaker for BCI. “Our team spent a year, taking an in-depth look at this, and what we found were seven proven habits that all of these dealers exhibited. We knew that we had to find a way to share these with any dealer who was willing to put in the work.” To pre-order You’re the Problem (and the Solution!), visit bobclements.com.
OPEI Adds New Members The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) has added the Vexa Group and Seat King as its newest members. OPEI’s membership has continued to evolve with the industry, and includes manufacturers of robotic and autonomous equipment, golf carts, portable generators, pressure washers, and many other types of equipment. With new entrants in the OPEI industry, the association welcomes new members. Contact Chuck Bowen, Director of Communications and Member Relations, at cbowen@opei.org.
DR Power Acquires Mean Green Mowers
DR Power Equipment, a division of Generac Holdings Inc., has closed on the purchase agreement to acquire the assets of Mean Green Products, LLC, a battery-powered, commercial grade turf care manufacturer, headquartered in Ross, Oh. “Entering the commercial turf care category has been a target of ours for years, but we wanted to do it in an innovative and differentiated way. The improvements in battery technology have now enabled the electrification of large commercial turf care products
and Mean Green is leading the way,” comments Matt Bieber, president of DR Power Equipment. The acquisition closed on September 1. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
GIE+EXPO Launches Free Online Portal
Show organizers have launched GIE+ EXPO ToGo, a free online portal that will connect industry members to the new innovations they would have found at the show. Exhibitors are currently loading their information into the portal, which will go live in October and remain active through the end of 2020. On the portal, visitors will find: Dynamic exhibitor profiles for both GIE+EXPO and Hardscape North America that can be searched by name or product type A new product spotlight where exhibitors will launch their latest innovations Resources such as product specs, demo videos, special event links, brochures and more Exclusive special offers Beginning October 1, visitors are encouraged to register for a free My ToGo Planner, which will allow them to save exhibitor listings, links and product information. It also provides
access to show specials and discounts. For more information or to set up a My ToGo Planner, visit www.gie-expo. com or call 812-949-9200.
Honda Launches My Generator Bluetooth By launching the Honda My Generator Bluetooth app, Honda Power Equipment is making generator use easier and more convenient for consumers. The app critical operations of a portable Honda generator to be done remotely from a compatible Apple device or Android smartphone through the Bluetooth interface. The app launch is timed with the exceptionally active 2020 hurricane season, which has already pummeled the South. The app operates within a 75foot line of sight, allowing the user to start (electric start models only) and stop the generator; monitor a range of information, such as output power, engine operating hours, oil life, (fuel level for the EU7000iS only), estimated run times based on power usage; as well as receive warnings and routine maintenance reminders. The Honda My Generator Bluetooth app also allows the user to control multiple, compatible Honda generators from a single mobile device. On Honda generators
OPEI Looking For Stakeholders For Standards Development Ever wonder who’s input goes into the development of U.S. and international standards for power equipment? Want to be part of those that help shape the standards? OPEI is seeking “User” and “General Interest” stakeholders to partic6
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ipate on consensus bodies and U.S. Technical Advisory Groups for standards development activities. For more information on participation requirements, contact Greg Knott, gknott@opei.org.
POWER EQUIPMENT TRADE
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POWERsuppliers that feature electric start—the EM5000, EM6500 and EU7000iS—the Honda My Generator Bluetooth app allows for remote starting, stopping and monitoring. Honda pull start models, such as the EU2200i, require manual start-up, but the new app allows for remote stopping and monitoring. The app operates with selected Apple devices and Android smartphones, and is compatible with the majority of iOS devices introduced during the last four years—Apple devices using iOS versions 11.0 (and newer); Android smartphones using software versions 9.0 (and newer).
age existing resources and expertise at its Ipswich facility. The plant, which currently builds Jacobsen and Ransomes mowers, is the oldest manufacturer of motorized lawnmowers in the world, in operation for more than 187 years. The U.K. facility will produce mowers for all regions, including North America. Jacobsen will maintain its sales, parts, and customer care teams in North America, and its network of North American distributors, to serve its customers in the U.S. and Canada.
Jacobsen Production Moves To U.K.
The Board of Directors of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) has announced new leadership at the helm, with the appointment of Rick Olson, Chairman, President and CEO, The Toro Co. as Chairman. The board also elected several new executive committee members to the 2020-2021 roster. Olson takes on chairmanship duties during an unprecedented time in the association’s history. “Change and creativity are the watchwords of OPEI
Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc. will relocate all manufacturing of Jacobsen professional turf equipment to its facility in Ipswich, U.K. The move will begin this fall and be completed in stages over the next several months. The move enables the company to focus its investments, skill and improvements in mower production on a single facility, and lever-
OPEI Board Appoints New Leadership
this year,” says Olson. “No one could have predicted how 2020 would unfold, but the association is ready to tackle the challenges ahead from how we meet and connect with one another to reassessing our priorities. We’ve learned through this pandemic just how important our outdoor spaces are to our mental and physical health.” OPEI’s 2020-2021 officers and members of its Board of Directors are Chair Rick Olson, Chairman, President and CEO, The Toro Co.; Vice Chair Tom Duncan, Executive Board Member, Positec USA, Inc.; Secretary/ Treasurer Joe Wright, President and CEO, Excel Industries; Immediate Past Chair Bjoern Fischer, President, Stihl; GIE+EXPO Show Chairman Dan Ariens, Chairman and CEO, Ariens Co. Dan Ariens has joined as GIE+EXPO Show Chairman, which will be a permanent position on the executive committee due to the importance of the event and the impending changes that will take place in coming years. In 2022, OPEI moves into a restructured ownership model of GIE+EXPO as sole owner.
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POWERsuppliers Briggs & Stratton Sale Complete New President, CEO Announced Briggs & Stratton has announced that KPS Capital Partners, LP through a newly formed affiliate, has acquired substantially all of the assets of Briggs & Stratton Corp. and certain of its wholly-owned subsidiaries. KPS acquired the assets free and clear through a sale under Section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri formally approved the transaction on September 15. With the completion of the sale to KPS, the Acquired Business has successfully exited from its Chapter 11 Bankruptcy proceeding. Briggs & Stratton will now operate as an independent company with the long-term support of KPS. Briggs & Stratton launches as a well-capitalized company, unencumbered by over $900 million of its predecessor's legacy obligations, and access to the financial resources required to execute its ambitious business improvement and growth plans. Briggs & Stratton also announced that Steve Andrews has been named President and CEO of Briggs & Stratton effective immediately. He comments, “I am honored to lead Briggs & Stratton. Free of any legacy liabilities, and with a strong balance sheet and the Company's world-class workforce, we have an exceptional opportunity to build upon the Company's leading market position. I am also pleased to partner and collaborate again with KPS, a firm that has distinguished itself as a global leader in transforming businesses and is ideally suited for this exciting venture. On behalf of the Company, I would like to thank former Chairman, President and CEO Todd Teske for his decades of service and many contributions.�
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Solid Sales, Service Year For Colorado Dealer Craig’s Power Equipment customer service focus includes quick turnaround times. BY DAN SHELL COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. pening the door at Craig’s Power Equipment on a Thursday morning the first week in September reveals a dealership in full “go” mode: Customers are at the counter, more are coming in the door and the phone is ringing. At one point during Power Equipment Trade’s visit all four computer ter-
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minals at the front counter were staffed and busy, a technician was out front at the counter giving a customer a final walk-through on his saw—and that phone was still ringing with more business opportunities for the dealership. Craig’s Power Equipment is led by owner Craig Eldridge, office manager Vicky Regan and Craig’s son Griffin, 27, general manager. Craig’s other son, Alec, 29 is a service writer and front counter man who plays a key role in keeping the service pipeline running smoothly. The 14-person employee crew is a compelling mix of age and knowledge and youth and energy that includes two former dealership owners with a wealth of experience working as technicians.
Background Eldridge, who turns 60 in the coming months, has deep roots in the small engine service industry. He was born into a family that operated an auto electric business in Santa Barbara, Calif. in the 1950s and ’60s. The business evolved into a Briggs servicing distributor with a four-county territory in the densely populated Los Angeles market. Eldridge bought the business in the late 1980s and converted it to a dealership and had some success, eventually opening a second location. Yet after going to college in Colorado, Eldridge always wanted to move back, and in 2003 he did so. After initially working for another dealership, Eldridge found an opportu-
September morning finds all hands on deck at the front counter as Craig’s Power Equipment crew works to satisfy customers.
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Dealership moved to its current location in 2013, a roughly 6,000 sq. ft. facility.
nity to purchase his own in 2007. (Interestingly, the service department’s 2-stroke specialist, Bill Baughman, is the former owner who sold to Eldridge 13 years ago.) Eldridge moved the dealership to its current location in downtown Colorado Springs in 2013. He’s expanded product lines over the years and grown the business from less than $500,000 annual sales to more than $4 million now. Craig’s Power Equipment opened a Denver location in 2017 but it closed the first of this year after it never really got off the ground—a prescient move considering the virus hit less than two months later.
COVID Impact Both Eldridge and Griffin say that despite the many uncertainties surrounding the virus and economy, the dealership is looking to have a really solid year that’s on pace to be better than 2019. A move that has paid off for the business was stocking heavily early in the year as soon as it became apparent the coronavirus was going to have an impact on shipping. “That’s helped us tremendously,” Griffin says, noting that some dealers in the market have had inventory issues. Considering that early in 2020 as the virus took hold there was much uncertainty concerning how business activity would unfold this year—it’s turned out
From left, Griffin and Alec Eldridge fill important roles at the dealership.
good to great for some, not so good or even terrible for others—Griffin says the “unique” conditions have the dealership busier than ever. Back in February the dealership was worrying about laying people off, but by July the business had hired two additional employees. “We’ve been really busy and totally slammed at times,” Griffin says, adding that the combination of more people spending more time at home and getting stimulus checks has lead to a boom in activity. “Our sales and service haven’t really slowed down much
at all this year.” He notes that sales have remained steady even into September and they’ve even already sold three snow machines. “On some days we’re lucky to get a lunch in,” he adds.
Online Awareness Griffin brings the younger generation’s perspective and digital awareness to modern retailing. “Word of mouth is very important in this business, and Google reviews can make or break you,” Griffin says, adding that he and
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his father keep close tabs on the dealership’s online reputation. Online reviews are like word-ofmouth only saved for posterity on the internet. And like word-of-mouth, customers who have a bad experience tend to be more vocal than those who are satisfied. “Google reviews are important to us, and we respond to them, both good and bad,” Griffin says, adding that if someone is being unreasonable the dealership may state its side, but for the most part, “We let the customers know how much we appreciate them and their business.”
It’s simply the nature of business in the 2020s, Griffin says: If he’s going out to dinner he usually checks the reviews and if they’re not very good he looks someplace else. And while he does a lot of in-person shopping and purchases, he adds, many times he’s looking at prices and availability online before he visits a store. To better ensure accuracy and timely data on its web site, the dealership recently integrated its Ideal BMS with the site to show instant availability and inventory status.
“That’s one area where we were lacking—keeping the web site up to date,” Griffin says, noting that previously inventory changes had to be hand-entered, a tedious and time-consuming chore. Ideal is still working with Craig’s Power Equipment web site developer DealerSpike on the technical aspects of merging the two systems to exchange data, and testing is soon to begin. Griffin says the dealership needs to leverage the technology available, and accuracy counts when potential customers are surfing the web and come across a dealer’s site with a purchase in mind. Like many dealers they get calls
Craig Eldridge has deep history in industry.
2-stroke specialist Bill Baughman is the former owner who sold to Eldridge 13 years ago.
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from people asking about items in stock, and many times it’s a quick sale—but the web site has to be accurate. “If your site isn’t up to date, that will turn a lot of people off nowadays, ‘The web site said this, the site said that,’” he adds. Integrating the site and the BMS is the first step toward building online sales capabilities. “Eventually we want to be able to sell over the net,” Griffin says, adding that fully utilizing the technology available enables the dealership to capture more sales. Taking that step is a ways in the future: While Eldridge notes the importance of taking advantage of technology, he says it can’t come at the expense of taking care of regular customers. Stung by a disappointing experience selling on eBay years ago that “got to be a real pain,” Eldridge says online sales require higher stocking levels and take time away from in-store duties. “You can’t let it take away from your regular customer base,” he adds.
cialist who quickly solves service problems and customer issues. The dealership employs five technicians: a service manager who works on walk-behinds and some 2-stroke; a 2-stroke specialist; a homeowner product specialist; a tractor technician; a “special jobs” tech who takes on big and tough orders; and a set-up, blade and oil change technician who also handles deliveries. “You can charge more when you give the customers good work,” Griffin adds.
Update The “unique” year in 2020 continued with an early snowfall: Less than a week after PET visited on a 90° degree day just before Labor Day weekend, there was five inches of snow in downtown Colorado Springs. The early snow event generated a shot of activity and some interest in winter machines, but since then the busy pace of summer has been replaced by a more traditional fall with slowing activity, Eldridge says. PET
Customers, Service The customer numbers at Craig’s Power Equipment may be 80% homeowner and 20% commercial, but it’s the pro customers who contribute about 70% of revenue, Griffin says. Product lines include Walker, Wright, Scag, Hustler, Toro and Honda mowers. Handheld lines are Husqvarna and RedMax, and the full Echo line, including BearCat products. A boost to the company came in 2013, when the dealership picked up the Mahindra tractor line. While Griffin says he questioned the move at the time, his father’s judgment has paid off, he believes. Adding the tractor line exposed the dealership to a different type of homeowner, a more rural customer who owns larger properties and tends to have multiple premium power equipment needs. “It definitely gives you more sales opportunities once you get them in the door,” Eldridge says. The service department at Craig’s Power Equipment made a big move going into 2020 when it raised its labor rate to $100/hr. from $95. While the move raised some eyebrows, the dealership backed it up by adding technicians and pursuing quick turnaround times that competitors just can’t meet, Griffin says. In developing a higher level of service, Alec plays a big role as a service writer and parts and service triage spePOWER EQUIPMENT TRADE
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EXPOelite EDITOR’S NOTE: As earlier announced, the 2020 GIE+EXPO that was scheduled for October 21-23 in Louisville, Ky. has been cancelled due to the pandemic. Even though there is not show in Louisville, there is still an Expo Elite in this issue, which has been made available to advertisers in this issue who were also signed up to exhibit at GIE+EXPO. On the following pages, these companies have supplied editorial profiles and photos. But that’s not all, these same companies have been invited to submit videos of their operation to be shown on the PET web site, under the special Expo Elite Video Portal, which will be available for viewing on the same dates as the Louisville show would have been held, October 21-23. We’ll remind you; but the web site is: www.powerequipmenttrade.com/expo-elite/. ARCHER—Archer is a 100% Australian-owned, China-based manufacturing and trading company offering over 10,000 quality parts and accessories for the chain saw and lawn and garden industry. Archer is located in Jinhua, China and invites all interested people to visit our factory and showroom when it becomes possible again. We manufacture saw chain in our modern state-of-the-art factory, where we have a QC program and new laboratory that ensures only the highest quality product is manufactured and shipped from our factory. Our factory is ISO endorsed and audited, and some saw chain is also UL approved and audited. We pride ourselves on manufacturing high-quality saw chain that is supplied to the pro replacement markets around the world. We also use our laboratory and QC programs to QC audit all parts and accessories that we sell to our many partners and customers around the world. This ensures consistent quality and provides our customers with the confidence that they require for dealing with China today. It also enables us to 100% guarantee all products and shipments. Our factory currently exports to over 80 countries on all continents and we have 51 Archer distributors around the world. We have our own in-house packaging department (including 12 packaging machines) which allows us to offer all types of packaging like private label packaging and bar coding, catering to all customer’s requirements. Another department of Archer provides a special projects division, working with customers around the world, where we use our contacts and Chinese experience to develop specific products some in our industry and some in completely different industries. We have a staff of 130 at our factory and warehouse in China and we are very proud that most are long-term employees with immense experience and knowledge and have a very conscientious attitude to quality and business. 10 of these staff members are dedicated to only QC and have been fully trained in our QC programs and understand what our customers require and expect. Because of our investment of time, effort and money in our Chinese operation, we are able to offer our customers and potential customers an incredible range of products with great quality at extraordinary prices with a guarantee. We will continue to increase our range and improve our quality even further. We offer you a much safer way of doing business. For more information, visit pmdintusa.com. ASPEN—This past spring, Aspen Fuels launched in the U.S. market, bringing its premixed Aspen 2 (for 2-stroke engines) and Aspen 4 (4-stroke) products to power equipment dealers. Aspen’s products are alkylate-based fuels, which are among the cleanest petroleum products that can be produced. As clean fuels, Aspen provides a much better user-experience, and first-time users will quickly appreciate the advantages of Aspen alkylate fuel for themselves and their equipment. Over 30 years ago in Sweden, Aspen first developed alkylate fuel for small engine equipment to improve the conditions for equipment operators who were experiencing various health problems including frequent headaches and nausea. Aspen’s fuels are engineered to be virtually free of the harmful substances such as sulfur, benzene and other aromatic hydrocarbons that are found in standard gasoline. Aspen 2 is premixed with fully synthetic oil and suitable for engines requiring 50:1 or 40:1 mixes. With virtually no fumes or harmful components, Aspen 2 provides an improved experience when working with handheld machines. Furthermore, Aspen is recognized for its lower environmental impact with Aspen 2 having fully synthetic biodegradable oil. Aspen 4 is specially engineered for four-stroke equipment, such as walk-behind and riding mowers. The ethanol-free fuel minimizes corrosion and engine deposits allowing for longer-lasting engines with less wear and tear. Lawn care companies, landscapers and parks and recreation crews are among the primary users of Aspen 4 as they recognize the benefits for themselves as professional operators and the improved performance for their equipment fleet. In North America, Aspen’s products are now available through Oscar Wilson and Power Equipment Systems, and can be purchased in quarts, 1.3 gal. or larger drums, ideal for professional users. As an engineered fuel, Aspen is offered at a competitive price to provide superior value to customers who are quickly learning what makes Aspen different. For more information, visit aspenfuels.us.
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EXPOelite CANNON BAR WORKS—Since 1955, Cannon Bar Works has manufactured saw chain guide bars for the worldwide forest industry where only the highest quality bar stands a chance of longevity. Cannon started with one bar—the SuperBar—a chain saw bar truly made for professionals and grew their offerings from there. Cannon now manufactures a wide range of bars, including package cutting bars for sawmills, chain saw bars designed for narrow-kerf chain, wood carving, pruning, fire rescue, double-ended bars for chain saw milling, bars for mechanical harvesting, and more. Most recently, Cannon has introduced the Cannon DuraLite SuperBar— made from a virtually completed SuperBar. After the bar has been grooved and the rails have been flame hardened, Cannon eliminates weight by milling out pockets on either side of the SuperBar, leaving a steel core in the center for strength. The center section is then perforated with holes. This method of construction is based on the same principal that one would see in an I-beam. Cannon then uses a special adhesive which not only bonds the steel to two flexible aluminum inserts, one on each side of the bar, but also creates a chemical bond, or weld, between the two inserts. The new DuraLite SuperBar remains ridged, durable, and tough, has the same quality characteristics as the traditional SuperBar, but weighs up to 25% less! Every single Cannon bar is individually made by skilled craftsmen and put through rigorous quality assurance checks prior to packaging. There are no exceptions to Cannon’s quality standards. In fact, if a bar is not up to standards, it is scrapped. The old adage, “You get what you pay for,” certainly pertains to Cannon bars. For good reason, their bars sell for approximately 15% to 30% more than some of the mass-produced bars on the market. Positive feedback from professional loggers using Cannon bars say that they will often get over three times the life out of one compared to a less expensive mass-produced bars. Cannon Bar Works’ objective has always been to provide their customers with the highest quality chain saw bars at the fairest possible price. For more information, visit cannonbar.com. ECHO—It’s officially fall, and your customers will be looking for some reliable power equipment to help with the myriad chores of fall cleanup— whether for their customers or their own homes. You’ll want to be sure to provide the right equipment for their task-at-hand. For trimming dead, diseased or broken limbs from a tree, they’ll be looking for a top-handle limbing saw, a rear-handle felling saw or a long-reach pruner. Echo’s CS-2511T is the lightest, gas-powered chain saw in North America and its powerful enough to handle any limbing or light trimming. The CS-501P features Echo’s performance cutting system bar and chain combination for an improved cutting performance backed by a powerful 50.2 cc engine. And for getting to those branches with their feet on the ground, Echo’s long-reach Power Pruners telescope to over 12 feet in length. And then there are the ever-present leaves. The average tree will shed thousands of leaves weighing hundreds of pounds each autumn and they’ll need an efficient, powerful tool to get them moving off the property. For handheld power, the Echo PB-2620 boasts best-in-class blowing force with 456 CFM and 172 MPH air speed. And if they need real power? Look no further than handing them the Echo PB-8010—the most powerful backpack blower in the industry. Its 44 Newton blowing power is coupled with a lightweight carbon frame and fan case for reduced fatigue. Many of those leaves will land in a house’s gutter and the PB-2620 has an available rain gutter kit to blow those leaves right out. Having clean gutters eliminates pests from nesting and allows smooth snowmelt leading to no ice dams come this winter. Another fall task involves protecting young trees, shrubs and flowerbeds from winter’s onslaught. An Echo chipper/shredder will make quick work of the branches cut or leaves blown to create environmentally friendly mulch. This certainly has been a crazed summer and with all the work people have done in their yards, they’ll want to carry that momentum into the fall so make sure you provide them with the right equipment. For more information, visit ECHO-USA.com. HEFTEE INDUSTRIES—For nearly 25 years the Heftee 2000 and 4000 have been the lift of choice for professional power equipment technicians working on the widest range of riding mowers and commercial turf equipment. Heftee lifts are ideal for shops short on floor space; there is no special installation required and the Heftee 2000 and 4000 operate on 110V. Safety is Heftee’s first priority. All our lifts are designed and tested to hold four times their rated capacity, and our safety record is unmatched in the industry. Technicians stand comfortably with unrestricted access to service areas, no longer lying on cold concrete floors in awkward positions to perform under-equipment jobs. The lifts deliver both improved ergonomics and increased technician productivity. Heftee lifts are freestanding for easy relocation within shop. Heftee’s revolutionary singlemast design gives unrestricted access to the equipment. There are no crossbars or twisting cables, and the jacks, booms, support arms and easily adjustable work platforms included with the lifts —all integrate with the lift to make it a complete power equipment workstation. The Heftee POWER EQUIPMENT TRADE
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EXPOelite 4000 safely accommodates equipment up to 87 inches wide and lifts up to 4,000 lbs., to 6 feet, in less than a minute. The Heftee 4000 standard equipment package comes complete with jacks, boom and extension arms for completing virtually any repair job. It was specifically designed for the larger commercial riding mowers and turf equipment. The Heftee 2000 safely handles equipment up to 60 inches wide and lifts up to 2,000 lbs., to 6 feet, in less than a minute. Like it’s bigger brother, the Heftee 2000 standard equipment package includes jacks, boom and extension arms. The Heftee 2000 is ideal for medium to small riding lawn mowers with 60-in. mowing decks and smaller. Making hard-to-service equipment easy to service is Heftee’s business. Any lift can lift. Heftee lifts are equipped with unique features that enhance service. The technician can focus on repairing hard-to-service turf equipment and utility vehicles better, faster, safer. For more information, visit heftee.com. MASPORT—Masport is an iconic brand in the New Zealand marketplace with a 109-year history of producing and supplying quality power equipment to consumers around the world. It is a household name in New Zealand winning the “Most Trusted” lawnmower brand products category of the New Zealand Reader’s Digest consumer judged awards for the past nine seasons. Masport is a leading manufacturer of lawn and garden power equipment in both New Zealand and Australia with a proud engineering history having made its first lawnmower in 1930. It has an extensive range of rotary and cylinder gasoline walk-behind mowers, as well as shredders, edgers and cultivators. Masport products are sold in 45 countries around the world, including the U.S. and Canada, where a range of walk-behind mowers and other power equipment was first introduced in 2012. Power Distributors in U.S. and Power Source Canada in Canada distribute Masport’s range of consumer and professional power equipment to servicing dealers across North America. Masport is a “dealer brand” in North America and is ideally suited to this form of distribution as its products are feature rich and of high quality. Masport Mowers are available in various cutting widths and can mulch, catch and side discharge. They feature aluminum and steel decks, ball bearing wheels, single lever height adjustment and a unique handle lift system for ease of emptying the collected grass. For the 2021 season, Masport offers an extensive line of consumer and professional walk-behind mowers, which include Briggs & Stratton and Honda engine brake & BBC configurations. Masport offers competitively priced, quality, unique products which are not available in the big box stores. Contact your regional Power Distributor territory manager for more details on the Masport 2021 dealer brand program. It’s been a great disappointment to us that this year’s GIE+EXPO has had to be cancelled due to concerns around the COVID19 pandemic, but we will be back in 2021 to once again engage with our loyal Masport dealers and to meet new dealers looking for an alternative walk-behind line. For more information, visit www.masport.com. STIHL—Stihl has been defining the future of power equipment for more than 90 years. This year, the legacy of innovation continues—delivering more power and productivity with expansions to the extensive Stihl lineup of gasoline, electric and battery-powered equipment. New for 2021, the Stihl 135 professional battery equipment platform is packed with legendary Stihl quality and durability to deliver true commercial-grade power and performance comparable to gasoline-powered tools, with zero exhaust emissions and low noise. New tools in the series include straight shaft line trimmers in both loop or bike handle configurations, extended reach hedge trimmers, a KombiMotor that accepts over a dozen attachments and a telescoping pole pruner. Additional tools on this platform are anticipated. These new professional tools are assembled in America and feature an on-board battery slot, weather-resistant design and many of the same drive and cutting components used in proven Stihl professional gas-powered equipment. Also launching in 2021, the Stihl HSA 26 battery-powered garden shears will join the revolutionary Stihl GTA 26 battery-powered garden pruner in the expanding AS battery powered garden tool line. This small yet versatile tool puts an unparalleled level of cutting precision in the palm of users’ hands. And Stihl continues to solidify our position as the number one selling brand of gasoline-powered chain saws worldwide with the launch of the MS 400 C-M gasoline-powered chain saw. The Stihl MS 400 C-M is the industry’s first chain saw featuring a magnesium alloy piston and includes Stihl M-Tronic engine technology to deliver low-emission, fuel-efficient performance—all while delivering the quality and dependability our customers expect from Stihl. We would like to thank all our Stihl dealers for their hard work and dedication in the face of the unprecedented challenges we all faced in 2020. Stihl dealers remained open whenever possible, and found new ways of doing business to support customers’ needs. At Stihl, we continue to face these challenges head on, and are working hard to provide our dealers with the products, tools and services needed to keep the positive momentum going at their businesses today and in to the future. For more information, visit STIHLusa.com. 16
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EXPOelite SUNBELT—Sunbelt Outdoor Products is a long time participant at GIE+EXPO. Check out all of the premium Sunbelt parts at sunbeltparts.com! Sunbelt Outdoor Products has been busy expanding its already large 60,000+ product offering and we remain committed to providing an extensive lineup of replacement parts for much of today’s power equipment. Sunbelt offers a large and expanding selection of accessories, tools and equipment for all types of outdoor work. We have added well over 1,000 part numbers in the last year alone and have big plans for the year ahead! Sunbelt Outdoor Products Predator and XHT blades are the strongest blades on the market. Their strength and durability comes from a patented austempering process that creates steel that is 30% harder than steel used in competing blades. Ideal for professionals, these blades require less sharpening, last longer and are lighter weight. Sunbelt has recently introduced a lineup of professional grade lawn care equipment. This 45-piece offering including dump carts, spreaders, lawn rollers, dethatchers, aerators, hose reel carts, sprayers and more. Push and tow behind options are available for most equipment types, making for quick efficient work of even the toughest lawn care jobs. Quality build materials are used throughout, including heavy-duty poly and steel components and large wheels. This lineup also features easy assembly with assembly times ranging from three to 45 minutes and the vast majority of products assemble in 30 minutes or less. Sunbelt Outdoor Products is a wholesaler of premium turf products and is ready to help retailers large and small to meet the needs of their customers. Add Sunbelt products to your business! With a nationwide network of warehouses across the U.S., Sunbelt can help you get the parts you need when you need them. For more information, visit sunbeltparts.com. TD RETAIL—Whether you’re looking to build sales with homeowners or lawn and garden commercial contractors, Yard Card Financing can offer the right solution for your dealership. This industry-leading lawn & garden consumer and commercial financing program lets your customers bring home what they need, and helps your business grow. The Yard Card from the TD Partnership Program, division of TD Bank, N.A., gives your customers the purchasing power they need to buy what they want with powerful revolving financing offers. After all, customers want and expect payment options; financing can help close sales. Over the long term, The Yard Card’s revolving credit line facilitates repeat purchases and helps build customer loyalty. The Yard Card’s business-friendly benefits enable you to stand out from the competition with attractive financing offers. Additionally, the program’s strong credit limits help your customers buy more without maxing out their bankcards or tapping their bank accounts to make high-ticket purchases. Other key features include: Instant online transaction processing and fast funding; TD’s customer-centric services; ongoing marketing support to drive sales and repeat business, and training for your sales associates. Better yet, your store name is imprinted directly on every card. For more information, visit tdpartnershipprograms.com/yardcard.
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EXPOelite TRILINK—TriLink machine harvester bar and chains are now available. TriLink Saw Chain strives to provide the best quality, value and service in the industry. Understanding the market needs and being able to deliver a solution that meets our standards allows us to proudly introduce our new TriLink Harvester product line. Believing quality is the key to success, our new TriLink Harvester product line guarantees durability, reliability and dependable cutting. In the harvester industry, quality and durability keep the machines running and the trees dropping. Maximum performance and dependability are definitive to the harvester operators. Our Harvester chain and bars have been meticulously engineered, designed and manufactured to meet the demanding challenges faced by cutting operators. The TriLink Harvester machine guide bars are manufactured using solid steel and state of the art technology. Precision cut bar groove rails ensure a smooth fast cut with every use. The fully riveted nose construction provides strength and durability with a breakaway nose feature. The breakaway design allows for minimal bar damage if pinched during cut. Complementing our replaceable sprocket nose bars, the TriLink Harvester chain is manufactured from high quality alloy steel. Developed for high-speed applications and extreme cutting conditions, the multi-layered industrial chrome plating adds durability to every chain. Enhanced engineer grind and a computer-controlled inspection processes provide superior out of box cutting speed and consistent quality for every chain. Designed with high profile cutters for maximum chip clearance, our harvester chain maintains a smooth fast cut even after heavy use. The micro radius semi-chisel cutters increase cutting speed while providing wear resistance. An increased kerf width yields advanced cutting efficiency while larger rivets increase strength and bearing surface of the chain. Tested and proven to perform, TriLink Harvester provides a superior and more durable alternative to the competition. Trilink Harvester is a registered trademark of TriLink Saw Chain. For more information, email sales@trilinkglobal.com. VP RACING—While we won’t be gathering together at the GIE+EXPO in 2020, we still have the opportunity to provide great power equipment advice to the millions of consumers, prosumers and professional users that we serve. With the severe weather that some states have faced, outdoor equipment such as chain saws, generators and water pumps are going to be working overtime—and so are the people who operate them. As an outdoor power dealer, this presents a great opportunity to keep your customers and their equipment safe. Too many power equipment dealers are still unaware of the benefits of selling ethanol-free 2-cycle and 4-cycle fuels and may even view it as an expensive alternative to pump gas. They couldn’t be more misinformed. Fuels blended with ethanol are intended for your car—not your power equipment. Ethanol absorbs water over time, leading to poor engine performance. Even worse, one of the properties of ethanol is that it is an excellent solvent—meaning, it will dissolve plastic and rubber, which is what fuel lines, fittings and carburetor parts are made of in most 2-cycle and 4-cycle engines. Fortunately, the fuel formulation experts at VP Racing Fuels have developed a line of ethanol-free, high-octane small engine fuels designed especially for 2-cycle and 4-cycle equipment. Not only do these fuels deliver industry-leading performance and meet OEM requirements (the oil used in the 2-cycle fuels is JASO FD certified)—they are stable up to five years in the unopened can! Using VP’s Fix-it-Fuel is an excellent way for customers to winterize their power equipment for easy starts in the spring. Do right by your customers and offer them VP small engine fuel to protect their equipment. In addition to keeping equipment safe, keep your customers safe. VP offers hand sanitizer that is packaged on new, dedicated equipment in accordance with FDA and CDC requirements. VP has shipped hundreds of thousands of gallons to retailers since the COVID-19 outbreak to keep their employees and customers safe, and their businesses open. If you are not stocking VP small engine fuels and hand sanitizer, perhaps you should. For more information, visit VPracing.com.
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DEALERvoices
Take Time To Think Ahead Wholegoods aren’t the only top money maker for dealerships in 2020. BY SAM STEARNS
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020 has been a unique year for all of us, and a challenging year for many. Depending on what state or city we live in, and what kind of work we have, the coronavirus pandemic could have either boosted our bank accounts, put us on the poor farm, or done something in between. For many in the outdoor power industry, our businesses have done okay in 2020 for the most part. I heard about one dealership in Kentucky that was doing well this year with innovative curbside sales, and many of you have had had good equipment sales numbers this year. And if sales weren’t all that great, perhaps your service business has been really strong this year. That’s the story here at Mr. Mower Man. As I write this on the second day of fall, things are still uncharacteristically busy on the service side. Through August and early September, the level of activity here would’ve had me thinking it was springtime, if I hadn’t had a calendar to set me straight! Has it been similar for you? I can think of a couple of factors that caused this. First of all, the big one that everyone in this industry knows— weather. It was a wet summer here in southern Indiana, and the grass grew accordingly. The second factor I would throw out there is that so many people have been forced to stay home much more than usual this year. Either they were out of work for a while, or they’ve figured out how to work from home. Either way, people have had more reason to pay attention to their homes and think about home improvement projects. I was in my local Wal-Mart last week looking for some items for my own 20
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small project, and I was noticing (just like I’ve been noticing for the last couple of months), that many of the shelves aren’t as well stocked as we’re accustomed to seeing. Lots of empty spaces. In fact, one of the items I needed was out of stock. I spoke to a Wal-Mart associate about it, and he told me that this year has been unusual. All kinds of supplies that would be used in various kinds of home improvement projects were hard to keep in stock, he explained. He hadn’t seen anything like it before. Makes sense, especially since so
organization? A change that will improve traffic flow on your sales floor, more efficient pickup and delivery process, a new BMS, improved process in your service department, or a new product line or type might be on the table for many of us. Something that happened to me last month has me thinking about improved security measures. An enclosed trailer I had borrowed from a friend was stolen from the property where my new wife and I are having a house built; and while the trailer was thankfully recovered the following day, many of the contents (my wife’s belongings from before we were married) were taken. My neighbors across the road have also been the victims of theft, and they’re about to install a camera system that will alert them when the cameras detect a visitor when they’re gone. That sounds really enticing to me. How is the security at your business? Could it use an upgrade? Maybe you’ve been stolen from and can see how a cer-
What could use a little sprucing up or an upgrade? What needs a complete overhaul or reorganization? A change that will improve traffic flow on your sales floor, more efficient pickup and delivery process, a new BMS, improved process in your service department, or a new product line or type might be on the table for many of us. many people received an extra several hundred dollars in economic relief from the federal government. Our businesses definitely fall under the “home improvement” umbrella, which is why I think power equipment has gotten some extra attention this year in many areas. Thinking back on the repairs that have come through my shop this year, it seems that I’ve had a significant increase in mowers that have been sitting idle for a few years, and the owner figured they’d finally get around to getting it in good working order. Maybe some of you have noticed the same thing. I have heard many dealers complaining about an increase in backordered parts. I know there are likely problems with decreased production because of COVID-19, but could this not also be due to the increased demand on parts? As soon as we’re able, maybe we also should think about some improvements to make in our businesses. What could use a little sprucing up or an upgrade? What needs a complete overhaul or re-
tain security measure might have prevented the theft – if you’d only had the foresight to implement it. Or maybe you’ve just been more like I have been for a long time—“luckier” than you have reason to expect, and you know that if someone decided to raid your power equipment inventory, you’d have little safeguards in place to prevent it. Maybe some better locks, doors, gates, surveillance systems, or GPS tracking devices? Whatever the situation, I’ll bet a good number of us could benefit from a critical look at the security in our businesses and a plan to make it better. In case you hadn’t noticed lately, our world is not becoming a safer place, or more respectful of private property. However, we have the opportunity to get ahead of potential problems and prevent many disasters that might happen. Take care of PET yourselves out there! Sam Stearns owns and operates Mr. Mower Man, Scottsburg, IN, 47170; e-mail mr. mowerman@hotmail.com. The views of Sam Stearns do not necessarily represent those of Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc.
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DEALERspeak
Reacting, Adapting To Extreme Weather Around The Country Mother Nature is a dealer’s best friend and worst enemy during a season, but for many parts of the country, she just left destruction in her wake.
without any internet.” He adds that one of the biggest impacts—that U.S. consumers may see in the near future—is the crop losses. There is no corn left to speak of,” he says. “There is no recovery for the corn. That’s a loss for this year.” He notes that there are always mixed feelings when a disaster benefits business revenues because people are truly inconvenienced and hurting, but the dealership is “Having a better-than-lastyear year for sure.”
Iowa Dealers And ‘Derecho’
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Dealers in Iowa are still trying to recover from the epic and rare “derecho” wind storm that hammered much of the state and Midwest on August 10 as the rare confluence of thunderstorms across a broad straight line front led to sustained 70-110 MPH winds in the disaster zone. Video of the storm hitting Cedar Rapids looks just like a powerful hurricane hitting Florida. At major construction equipment dealer Capital City Equipment in Des Moines, Brian Jansen, Operations Manager, says, “Our rental division was inundated. We were having an above av-
Chains sharpened by the Oregon Disaster Relief Team ready for customer pick up in Louisiana.
erage year for rentals, without the storm, we still would have finished all right. But, I will tell you, from when it happened till now, it looks to me like 90% of our rentals are out on rent.” He adds that includes all the company’s light towers and generators as well. Jansen notes that the dealership was out of power 48 hours. “Even longer for the internet to be back up. In today’s age, it’s hard to operate a company
Oregon Disaster Relief Team has been on the ground in the West and Deep South helping firefighters and hurricane-impacted areas.
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Louisiana And Hurricane Laura
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Personnel from key Southeast U.S. distributor Smiths South Central Sales Co. and Oregon Cutting Systems spent the better part of two weeks in Lake Charles, La. assisting homeowners with saw chain sharpening and minor power equipment repairs in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura in late August. Early on August 27, Laura made landfall near peak intensity at Cameron, La. The storm was the tenth-strongest U.S. hurricane to make landfall by windspeed on record. The storm caused the deaths of at least 36 people in the U.S. (71 overall) and inflicted an estimated $10 billion in damages along the Louisiana-Texas border near the Gulf of Mexico and northward. The Oregon Disaster Relief Team and Smiths South Central group were in Lake Charles three days after the storm hit and worked there until mid-September. According to Smiths South Central Sales Co. President Robert Smith, the high winds at the company office in far north Louisiana were nothing compared to what hit the communities in the southwest part of the state. “The storm was pretty intense, and the damage in the Lake Charles area is some the worst I’ve ever seen, and we’ve worked around these storms for years.” The disaster assistance group in Lake Charles included John Dilworth and Millard Kidder, two Oregon Cutting
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DEALERspeak Systems technical training specialists, plus two or three people from Smiths South Central Sales Co. as well. The Oregon team also had significant help from major regional and Southeast distributors Medart and Power Distributors, who also provided personnel to help in the cleanup and chain-sharpening effort. Smith notes that such an effort makes for “hard work and long days” and his company is fortunate to work with such proactive suppliers. The group sharpened 200+ saws a day—more than 2,000 easily—during their time in Lake Charles. Team members made minor repairs as well. “They also made sure to spend time to tell people to use their saws safely and to be cautious,” Smith says. ●
The West Coast Fires
Severe August thunderstorms ignited numerous wildfires, fueled by dry land, across California, Oregon and Washington that were then fanned by strong, gusty winds. Many of the initial wildfires exploded and formed “megafires” that broke records burning more than 6.6 mil-
lion acres. Most fires have raged into late September, though cooler weather and rain showers in early October will hopefully bring relief. At least 37 people have died as a result of the fires. With Portland as headquarters, and Oregon as its namesake, power equipment company Oregon posted on Facebook that the fires hit home. “We keep the firefighters, affected communities and families, and our local employees in our thoughts,” a post reads. As an action item, an Oregon disaster relief trailer was set-up at Clackamas Community College to support Oregon state firefighters as the battle against the state-wide fires continues. The team is assisting with general maintenance and minor tune-ups, to cleaning air filters and bar grooves, and drive sprocket replacement.
Alabama, Florida And Hurricane Sally
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Just a few weeks after Hurricane Laura, the Gulf Coast, this time the Alabama and Florida side, braced for Hurricane Sally, who washed ashore near the Florida-Alabama line with winds reaching 105
MPH and forecasters measuring rain in feet not inches across the Deep South. Sally was a very destructive Category 2 Atlantic hurricane, and the first to make landfall in Alabama since Ivan in 2004. Seville Power Equipment in Pensacola, Fla., located just over 30 miles from where the eye made landfall in Alabama, manager Maggie Crawford says that while those living on the Coast are used to storms, what was tricky about Sally was her intensity: “It caught a lot of people off guard. We didn’t think the eye would hit us.” Seville’s power was restored rather quickly, but internet took longer. Crawford says she hasn’t gotten a shipment of parts from UPS in a week, though she’s got manufacturers saying they’ve been sent. Generators are flying off the shelves at Seville, but Crawford says it’ll be closer to a month before she has any saws available. She reiterates that while the shop has stayed consistently crazy busy, storms like Sally are just part of the way of life and everything will be back to normal before they know it. PET Dan Shell, Patrick Dunning and Jessica Johnson contributed to this report.
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SHOWroom FEATUREproduct
Rotary Copperhead Vortex Trimmer Line Copperhead Vortex trimmer line from Rotary is the number one choice of demanding landscape professionals. Its twisted, aerodynamic design produces more cutting power at impact with less drag and reduced vibration. This best-selling Vortex line has superior tensile strength, excellent wear resistance and requires less operating power. Available to servicing dealers in a wide assortment of loops, donuts or spools, Copperhead Vortex trimmer line ranges in diameter from .080” to .170”. Using advanced technology and proprietary nylon raw materials, Rotary’s Copperhead brand is setting industry standards for durability, performance and superior quality. In addition, Rotary offers diamond cut, quad-tex, premium
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quad and precut varieties. Plus a vast assortment of fast loading trimmer heads, replacement spools, covers, housing and cam assemblies. Popular commercial trimmer systems with professional bump-n-feed heads are available for easy line advancing and dual line indexing with durable nylon construction and a large capacity spool for easy release. All Rotary parts are guaranteed for quality that exceeds all OEM standards for operation. Copperhead Vortex line is made in the U.S. at Rotary’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Phoenix, Ariz. and sold in all 50 states and more than 75 countries around the world. Landscape pros agree, “Nothing cuts like Copperhead.” For more information, visit rotarycorp.com.
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MOWERS Husqvarna Z500 Zero-Turn Mowers The Husqvarna Z500 zero-turn series design is focused on productivity, durability and cut quality and was designed and built to ensure a long and productive product life for commercial use. Providing extreme comfort, high ground speeds and superior traction, this series offers exceptional mowing efficiency. Industrial strength throughout provides a longer service life while easy serviceability is a key in the design considerations. The series consists of eleven products, four Z500 models and seven Z500X models, and stands out with its weld-reinforced 2 in. by 3 in. tubular steel frame, 7- or 10-ga. cutting decks and 10 in. diameter spindles, all protected by Husqvarna’s industry-leading five-year limited commercial warranty. Operator improvements include an automatic parking brake for fast and easy transitions, an easy-to-fold ROPS and easy-to-view deck height adjustment, allowing for improved operation and operator comfort. Smart design features such as tool-less fasteners, sealed and labelled fuse boxes and easy access to all major components will provide for faster and more convenient serviceability. The Z500 series also features a colored fuel gauge that lets the operator get a quick overview of fuel levels in the 12-gal. duel fuel tanks. The new battery will ensure cold starts. Visit husqvarna.com/us.
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Shelby County Implement • Shelbina, MO 63468 Ph: 573-588-4731 • 573-588-2040 Email: sci63468@hotmail.com Visa and Mastercard Accepted 3524
WISCONSIN ENGINE PARTS NEW–OBSOLETE • BUY–SELL HARD TO FIND PARTS CLOSEOUT PRICES
H&M Industrial Supply (800) 346-4331 2236
Obsolete McCulloch & Obsolete Homelite Parts Bob’s Lawnmower Service 7632 State Hwy. 7 Maryland, NY 12116-3201
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HOMELITE PARTS BUY & SELL NEW, USED & OBSOLETE
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Stihl * Homelite * Lawnboy * Briggs & Stratton New * Obsolete * Used Parts THOUSANDS OF PARTS!
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POWERworks Ask For Ray 502-228-1462 • Fax: 502-228-7737
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PETcetera South Florida Girl Gets Wish Granted Make-A-Wish Southern Florida granted Wellington resident Marianna Mohar’s wish for a customized golf cart on Saturday, Sept. 12. The 12-year-old has been battling for more than five years against an autoimmune disease that causes, among other problems, inflammation of her heart. She has been hospitalized numerous times and the conditions result in significant pain in her back, shoulders and chest. She wished for a customized golf cart that will enable her to connect with friends and participate in activities in her neighborhood. Make-A-Wish surprised the young girl at her home with an elaborate reveal of the cart that has been customized to her specifications—black with a red “M” on the front, red rims, seats and stripes, LED lights, a lift kit, Bluetooth & USB connectivity and more. Marianna’s new ride was decorated with balloons and banners for its debut. The nonprofit aims to grant a wish for every medically eligible child in its territory and understands wishes aren’t just nice, they’re necessary for kids and families at some of the most difficult times in their lives. Make-A-Wish Southern Florida has granted more than 12,000 life-changing wishes since 1983 for children who have critical illnesses. Source: gotowncrier.com/2020/09/make-a-wish-delivers-customized-golf-cart/?fbclid=IwAR12eqR1KG4oFqeS_-RTzjS6nQ9BUsTdtVyIngBh0NfbZFMjwQrrGObU9TE
Looking For A Few Good Dealers...
Are you a dealer with something to say? Doing something a little different that you think your fellow dealers would appreciate learning? Email jessica@hattonbrown.com with what you’d like to see grace the pages of Power Equipment Trade over the next few months.
PETevents JANUARY 27-28, 2021—Midwest Ag Expo, Gordyville USA Arena, North Gifford, Ill. Visit mseda.com/about/midwest-ag-expo. FEBRUARY 21, 2021—Midwest-SouthEastern Equipment Dealers Assn. Board of Directors Meeting, Savannah, Ga. Visit mseda.com; call 608-240-4700. FEBRUARY 21-23, 2021—Combined annual meeting of Midwest-Southeastern Equipment Dealers Assn., MSEDA, United Equipment Dealers Assn. and Deep Southern Equipment Dealers Assn., Marriott Riverfront, Savannah, Ga. Visit mseda.com/about/annual-meeting. APRIL 1-4, 2021—Equipment & Engine Training Council annual meeting, Lodge Kohler, Green Bay, Wis. Call 888406-1810; visit eetc.org. MAY 11-13, 2021—National Hardware Trade Show, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev. Call 203-8405622; visit nationalhardwareshow.com. OCTOBER 20-22, 2021—GIE+EXPO, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Ky. Call 812-949-9200; visit gie-expo.com. NOVEMBER 16-18, 2021—2021 North American Dealer Conference, Dallas, Tex. Visit nadealerconference.com. Listings are submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with contacts prior to making plans to attend.
ADlink This issue of Power Equipment Trade is brought to you in part by the following companies, which will gladly supply additional information about their products. ADVERTISER
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DEALERtodealer
Were You, And Are You, Prepared? GREG GERMAN
The number one topic of 2020 has been how both bizarre and great this year has been.
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t’s 2020 and another event is cancelled. This time it happens to be our industry’s main trade show, GIE. COVID-19 has been a game changer from so many different perspectives, but you probably aren’t reading this article to get my personal opinions about that particular topic. So, I’ll move along to things that will hopefully benefit you in this faster-changing world we now live. I have had the honor to get to talk to a fair number of dealers throughout the years through a couple of dealer groups that I partake in, and also because of the number of relationships that you build after 35 years of trade shows, dealer meetings, council meetings and more. The number one topic of 2020 has been how both bizarre and great this year has been. Even though it has been particularly difficult in some areas of the country, and most communities have seen adverse effects upon their economy and local job loss, power equipment dealers,
family vacation, be involved in summer travel teams, or wouldn’t be traveling for business, they may as well spend money on themselves and get some outside projects completed. Landscapers, pool builders, fence installers and many other outdoor trades have seen dramatic increases in business, which fortunately involves using the equipment that dealers provide. In our particular situation, we had a good inventory plan for the first 120-150 days of the selling season from March-July, but have been scrambling ever since to find tractors and attachments to fill the customer demand. The fact that many manufacturers shut down factories for 45-60 days, on top of increased demand beyond their projections, has left some key types of equipment in very short supply. One of our suppliers saw their UTV business increase by over 50% from 2019. Those numbers are just crazy and have made our showroom and outside display lot look as sparse as it has ever in all my years of selling. That being said, it sure has been good. Even though 2020 got off to a very slow start, from April to the current time, our equipment sales, margins, parts and service business are up over 2019.
Use this time now to contact your vendors, a local marketing firm, or a local college student to see how they can assist you in making sure your business is prepared for the changes that are now upon us. 2020 may be a crazy year, but it also may be our new normal. in general, have been blessed with swinging doors and a lot of retail traffic. Some took the response early of “cancel all orders and batten down the hatches.” Others, decided to play the “wait and see” game. For those that stayed calm, and were prepared for a good spring and summer selling season, they had the inventory to provide customers what they wanted, which was a distraction from the world of crazy. So many homeowners decided that if they couldn’t go on a
With many people out of work, or unsure about their current career, we have found that the past six months have been a great time to add new people to our organization. We have found some extremely qualified team members that we would not have probably found if the economy had not experienced this major blip. We have had more people seeking us out, and who are excited about being part of a business that appears to flourish during crazy economic times.
Another area of opportunity continues to be in the area of providing webbased solutions for our customers. Recently, I saw statistics that said that during April 2020, 20% of all retail trade was done online, which is up from 15% prior to the pandemic. The expectation is that most of that new piece of the retail pie going to online sales, is going to stick post-pandemic because so many more people have found how easy it is to sit at home and click. Every year, more and more retail spending is going to take place online. Are you prepared for that? If not, you are limiting your success. Maybe you are not interested in selling parts or wholegoods on the web, but do you have a website that draws customers to your business? The days of just some pictures and directions to your dealership are gone. Can customers set up appointments to have their equipment worked on when it is convenient to them? Do you offer a chat option on your website when customers have questions about parts, equipment sales, or service and don’t want to call you? Are you taking part in your manufacturer’s digital advertising campaigns or do you still plunk all your marketing dollars into the Yellow Pages? Our customers shop with their fingers and are using their phone for searching the web more than they use it to call our dealership. Are you prepared? Use this time now to contact your vendors, a local marketing firm, or a local college student to see how they can assist you in making sure your business is prepared for the changes that are now upon us. 2020 may be a crazy year, but it also may be our new normal. PET
Greg German is President of German-Bliss Equipment, Inc. in Princeville, Ill., which operates three power equipment dealertships that market prodycts for the lawn ad garden, industrial and agricultural sectors. He can be contacted at P.O. Box 440, Princeville, IL 61559; fax 309-3852540; e-mail ggerman@german-bliss.com. The views of Greg German do not necessarily represent those of Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc.
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