BAGMA Bulletin Magazine May - June 2023

Life after AGCO

How things have changed at Lister Wilder since the uncoupling two years ago

PLUS

Is this the most beautiful tractor in the world?

IN THIS

Proud to build on Brian’s legacy

COMMENT

IT WILL ONLY be a short time before I hand over the presidency to Peter Heming at the Royal Highland Show and wish him well in the role. Peter’s contribution to the Council over the last few years has been fantastic and I cannot think of any person on the Council better suited to carry on taking BAGMA forward, driving improvements, developing new initiatives and improving benefits for our members.

This obviously gives me the time to reflect on the last four years. The presidency is traditionally two years but, breaking from tradition, both myself and, previous to me, Brian Sangster, have completed four years each, primarily due to some of the huge changes that have happened in the UK and globally.

I was very proud to build on the legacy of Brian Sangster and was, at the time, only intending to complete the expected two years. Brian was always going to be a hard act to follow and still today contributes hugely to the industry, especially in Scotland. Thank you, Brian, for all you have done and still do.

However, none of us were expecting a global pandemic which has and will affect

The membership magazine of the British Agricultural & Garden Machinery Association

Editor Chris Boiling 07713 192344 chrisboiling@live.com

Design Alan Bingle 07949 024737 alan@forty6design.com

Advertising and media enquiries

Stephanie Young 01295 713344 stephanie.young@bagma.com

generations to come. Covid not only affected people in their own personal lives but we can all remember the pressure on supply chains and businesses to survive. It became very apparent also at this time that BAGMA and the AEA, whilst very different, had a large amount in common and where possible it was hugely advantageous to come together.

I can still remember well the Council meetings we held online, discussing the transition of ownership of BAGMA to the AEA. This was never going to be an easy transition, but the advantages are plain to see now, working collaboratively where needed but working separately when the need arises. Thank you to all the staff at the AEA and BAGMA for all your hard work during this period.

The Training and Educa tion group was set up during the period that I have been president and whilst this has continued in smaller groups and online during Covid, it is now rejuvenated and will be holding meetings and con sultations, so please, if you can support this important group, it is important for our next gen eration of employees. Members wishing to be involved will be most welcome.

BAGMA, Samuelson House, 62 Forder Way, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8JB. 01295 713344 bagma.com

BAGMA president Peter Arrand

BAGMA general manager

Nick Darking nick.darking@bagma.com

BAGMA business development manager Richard Jenkins 07432 290605

ISSUE 39

MAY-

2 NEWS

Remembering Stewart Hamilton; new dealers join Merlo network; Major Owen rejoins BAGMA

6 EXPERTS

What’s the role of fire wardens? Why you should be building your own brand

8 COVER STORY

How are things at Lister Wilder since the uncoupling from AGCO?

12 RECRUITMENT

How a summer job led to a managerial role

14 OUT & ABOUT

Latest news about events and dates for upcoming shows

16 PHOTO SPECIAL

An amazing tractor built in memory of Lamborghini’s founder

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.

BAGMA BULLETIN MAY-JUNE 2023 1

PETER ARRAND PRESIDENT BAGMA

BRIAN WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW AND STILL CONTRIBUTES HUGELY TO THE INDUSTRY

EXCLUSIVE AGREEMENT

Lincoln-based Spaldings has secured an exclusive distribution agreement for Dutch Openers tine drill coulters in the UK and Ireland. Previously, Spaldings shared distribution rights for the Canadian manufacturer’s products. Photo shows the new management team at Spaldings: (from left) Nigel Whelan, Paul Bray and David Fox with examples of the Dutch Openers drill coulters.

UK SUBSIDIARY

Italian manufacturer Maschio Gaspardo plans to establish an independent UK branch in the Midlands to distribute and back-up its range of sprayers, fertiliser spreaders, directdrills and cultivation equipment. To ensure continuity and a seamless transition as dealers move across to the new business, current UK distributor Opico will continue to oversee distribution and provide back-up until end of the year.

AUGMENTA REALITY

CNH Industrial has purchased Athensbased Augmenta, a previous investment and strategic partner. The acquisition means that CNHI’s Raven Industries can develop and fully integrate Augmenta’s products over the coming years.

CHANDLERS TEAMS UP WITH HORSCH

Chandlers Farm Equipment Ltd is supplying the full range of Horsch cultivation, drilling and spraying equipment through four depots trading as Chandlers RFM west of the M5 – Bridgnorth in Shropshire, Ross on Wye in Herefordshire, Martley in Worcestershire and Raglan in Monmouthshire.

Russ Brett of Chandlers Farm Equipment Ltd said: “Working with Horsch follows our strategy to sell quality, high-tech equipment, and these innovative products complement our existing valued franchises.”

Chandlers Farm Equipment Ltd acquired fellow Agco dealer, Ross Farm Machinery (RFM), earlier this year. RFM used to sell Horsch products via the Simba franchise.

New dealers join Merlo network

MERLO UK’S COMMITMENT to providing a strong nationwide dealer network has taken another step forward with two new appointments. Lincolnshire-based RC Setchfield Ltd and Brompton by Sawdon-based Hardwick Agricultural Engineers are the newest members.

Regarding the recruitment of RC Setchfield, which was founded in 1982 by Richard and Heather Setchfield and is now in the hands of their daughter, Hannah Setchfield, Merlo UK’s national sales manager Owen Buttle said: “This appointment symbolises Merlo UK’s commitment to providing our customers with strong and full coverage across South Lincolnshire.”

Hannah said Merlo was “a perfect addition to our current service offerings and existing

franchises, solidifying our position as a material handler expert in the local area”.

Hardwick Agricultural Engineers has replaced Murton-based Yorkshire Handlers, which relinquished the franchise to retire.

Shaun Groom, general manager of Merlo UK, explained: “Yorkshire is a key agricultural county, where Merlo handlers have found favour across a wide range of farming operations. As such, we wanted to be sure to appoint a new dealer that could support those existing Merlo customers effectively, whilst further developing the sales of new Merlo products.”

Joining the Hardwick team from Yorkshire Handlers is experienced technician Dane Robson.

Q1 sales: bigger machines perform better

WITH UK AGRICULTURAL tractor registrations 10% higher in the first three months of 2023 than in the same period last year, the AEA has now released details of the best-performing power categories and regions.

Most of the growth in registrations was for machines of over 160hp and particularly those in the 161-200hp range, where 80% more tractors were recorded than in January-March 2022. Registrations of machines over 200hp were also up by more than 20% on the year before but there were fewer sales of tractors under 160hp in the opening three months of 2023.

The AEA’s agricultural economist, Stephen Howarth, says the trends in higher power bands

may partly reflect improved availability, as supply chain disruptions ease. However, it probably also reflects strong demand from arable farmers who have had a good couple of years, due to strong prices. This is also reflected at regional level, as registrations increased across most of England, except for the North West. The biggest increases were in the South of England and East Anglia, as well as the North East, although the latter region accounts for only a small proportion of tractor sales. In contrast, registrations were lower than last year in Wales and Northern Ireland and only slightly higher in Scotland, all parts of the UK dominated by grazing livestock farming, which fared less well financially in 2022.

From left: Matt Gledhill (Merlo UK product support specialist), Hannah Setchfield (director of RC Setchfield Ltd) and Ashley Clough (Merlo UK area sales manager)

Major Owen rejoins BAGMA

BAGMA’S NEW GENERAL manager, Nick Darking, and business development manager Richard Jenkins recently visited Major Owen in North Wales and met with managing director Andy Jones to talk through the training and services available to BAGMA members and to find out more about Major Owen.

The business was established in January 1977 by Major Raymond Owen and operated from his garden shed at his home in Penrhyndeudraeth. As demand for outdoor power products increased and petrol-powered equipment became more widely available, Major moved to his first retail premises in School Street, Penrhyndeudraeth. In 1984, he was on the move again and took up a lease on the Old Market Hall in the centre of the village and was joined by his son-in-laws David Burnham and Andy Jones.

As the volume of business increased, it soon became apparent that a purpose-built premises was necessary and in 1988 two acres of land was purchased at their current location, Park Road, Penrhyndeudraeth, where a building of 5,000sq ft was erected.

Since that time, expansion has continued and this site now houses approximately 18,500sq ft of covered trading space, incorporating showroom, workshop, parts, warehousing and administration areas.

In 2008, Andy Jones was appointed managing director, supported by Deborah Burnham as finance director.

Major R Owen Ltd holds several key franchises and supplies grounds maintenance equipment and garden machinery to both the professional and homeowner sectors. These franchises include Kubota, Hayter, Toro, Gianni Ferrari, Stihl, Husqvarna and Honda. For more than 15 years, they have been actively developing a construction machinery side.

After re-joining BAGMA, Andy said: “For us, the Installation and Handover training is a must for our customers.”

Redexim selects HRN Tractors

AFTER REDEXIM’S RESHUFFLE of regional partners in north and east Scotland, HRN Tractors is now responsible for the manufacturer’s full portfolio of products across Tayside, Angus, Grampian and the Highlands and Islands.

HRN was founded by the Barclay family in 1980 and has gone on to become one of the largest dealerships in Scotland, operating out of eight depots across the country and representing franchises such as Kubota and Kverneland.

Groundcare manager Wilson Morrison described it as “a really exciting partnership” and “a great fit alongside our other franchises”, adding: “We can now provide customers a one-stop shop for turf maintenance machinery and look forward to growing our market share and reaching new customers across our regional area.”

HRN takes over from Gammies Groundcare and MacGregor Forest and Groundcare.

Stewart Hamilton passes away

IT’S WITH GREAT sadness that we report the unexpected death of retired member Stewart Hamilton. The member from Stirling ran Hamilton of Larkhall with his family.

Stewart was a larger than life character and was very well known in the Scottish rugby scene having captained Stirling County RFC when they won the Scottish Championship in 1995. Stewart saw this as one of his greatest achievements.

Stewart played for the Scotland ‘B’ team twice and was selected as a member of the Scottish squad that participated in the inaugural World Cup in New Zealand in 1987. Unfortunately, he didn’t get to play – one of Stewart’s greatest regrets.

His father, George Hamilton, was BAGMA president from 1975-77 and his late brother, Douglas Hamilton, was president from 2005-07. Coincidentally, Douglas and his vice-president, Mike Hughes, were the ones who selected Keith Christian for the position of BAGMA director in 2007.

Our thoughts go to Stewart’s wife Jackie and sons Gregor, Scott and Jonny.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Each year, CLIMMAR, the international dealers’ organisation umbrella group, conducts a survey across a number of its members to see how tractor dealers feel about the service and support they receive from their suppliers. The survey is anonymous but provides useful information concerning trends and how dealers feel about the strengths and weaknesses of tractor suppliers. The results are shared with the main suppliers in the countries that carry out the survey so that they can also benefit from seeing what their own dealers feel about them and the trends in performance generally. You should have received your 2023 survey by email –please return it by May 31. If you haven’t seen it, check your junk box for emails from SOL.survey17@sphinxonline.com.

It’s been a busy first few weeks

COMMENT

NICK

DARKING GENERAL MANAGER

Nick Darking reflects on his introduction as BAGMA’s new general manager

Names and faces may change but BAGMA’s aims remain the same: serve our members, add value to their business and remain relevant. In my first few weeks at BAGMA, I have been meeting with our members (and some potential new members) to understand the issues that you are currently facing and how we can add value.

I have attended my first Council meeting and an excellent AEA conference. I am convinced that there are many advantages for BAGMA and the AEA to work together on industry matters and in delivering services to their members.

Over the last few years, the issues facing the industry, such as supply chains, stock, delivery times, have made it very tough for many of our members. Hopefully, as semi-conductors and raw materials become more readily available, life will become easier for you. However, the lack of people taking an interest in joining our industry is a concern that could have implications in the future if we do not address it now.

For those working in the industry, we understand what a fantastic industry it is. Initiatives such as ‘We are Landbased Engineering’ and competitions for technicians are vital for the future and it is important that we all get behind these schemes to safeguard our industry. I am really interested in more ideas on how we can attract new people to our sector.

It has been a busy few weeks made enjoyable by spending time with passionate members and service providers. I am committed to making sure that myself and the team help you make the most of your membership.

Dealer sees ‘exciting road ahead’

IRISH GRASS MACHINERY has been appointed as a new Etesia dealer in the Republic of Ireland.

Founded in 1998 by brothers Tony and Michael Smyth, Irish Grass Machinery distributes a wide range of groundcare equipment.

“We want to work with the best brands and that is how we came to be an Etesia dealer,” Michael Smyth explained.

He is particularly excited by Etesia’s new ET Lander electric utility vehicle. “I first became acquainted with the ET Lander when I went

over to Etesia UK’s headquarters. I had a good look and a drive of it, and it certainly is the benchmark for electric utility vehicles. We will be the exclusive dealer of the ET Lander in the Republic of Ireland, so it is a great opportunity.”

He added: “In Ireland, I believe that a lot of people would have heard about the Etesia brand but maybe they haven’t had a chance to see them in action. We’re hoping to put that right and convert a lot of our customers over to Etesia.

“We are very excited about the road ahead with Etesia.”

Robot manufacturer looks for additional dealers

FRENCH MANUFACTURER OF agricultural robots

Naïo Technologies has trained and certified 35 dealers around the world, and the company is looking for additional dealers for its line-up of four robots.

These are Oz (a farming assistant focused on arduous tasks), Orio (a tool-carrier

for vegetables and industrial crops), Ted (a mechanical weeder dedicated to vineyards) and Jo (a crawler designed for narrow vineyards and specialty crops).

Flavien Roussel, marketing content manager for Naïo Technologies, says new relationships with dealers begin

with a conversation to ensure both parties are a good fit for one another. “There are talks and meetings with the dealers interested in Naïo,” he says.

“We evaluate their sales area and potential. Then, we work together and teach the technical teams how to maintain the robots.”

Contracting prices to rise, says NAAC

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC) has released its latest survey of contracting prices and overall results highlight that price rises are inevitable this spring.

While the UK inflation rate is currently over 10%, the NAAC survey has highlighted more modest increases in contracting rates. While there is no ‘one size fits all’, overall soil preparation costs have increased at just over 4%, with the drilling category going up almost 3.5% since

last year. Within individual services, however, due to the nature of surveys, some prices have increased substantially whilst others have barely shifted.

Jill Hewitt, NAAC chief executive, commented: “It is simply not defensible for prices to stand still this year. Farmers should be entering into conversation with their contractor to ensure that price rises allow both parties to run sustainable businesses, whilst moving forward in terms of productivity and technology.”

Avant award for Sussex dealer

BAGMA MEMBER CHICHESTER Farm Machinery has been presented with the Avant Dealer of the Year award following an exceptional period of sales, servicing and repairs. The award also recognised the West Sussex company’s aftercare, parts and product knowledge.

Managing director Lewis Ramm, who attended the presentation event in Nor wich with sales manager Steve Everton, said: “We were delighted to have even been considered for such an award, so to then be named as Dealer of the Year was a true honour and a privilege.”

He said the award was the culmination of hard work and determination from the whole team. “We may only be a small company but we’re a strong and effective one, with staff who are really committed to their jobs. Receiving an award like this makes it all worthwhile and we couldn’t be more pleased.”

Chichester Farm Machinery, based just outside Chichester in the village of Runcton, has been an Avant main dealer since 2018. The company specialises in all types of farm and garden machinery sales and maintenance.

BAGMA member offers discount on twines

Long-time BAGMA member

Graeme Cartwright of Staffordshire Farm Supplies is offering discounts on products from his other business, Kent & Co Twines.

BAGMA’s business development manager, Richard Jenkins, was curious about how a dealer for Husqvarna, Stiga and Saltfire stoves came to acquire a business selling twine, squeegees, ratchet straps and sweeping brushes.

Graeme told him he bought the wholesale business in 2019 after a rep called in, mentioned he was being made redundant and that Kent & Co was closing. Graeme saw an opportunity and moved the business from

Liverpool to his base in North Staffordshire.

Kent & Co is headed up by Graeme’s youngest son, David, who has expanded the range. He is currently offering a 7.5% discount on orders over £250 and carriage free for orders over £125.

Graeme, who started Staffordshire Farm Supplies from a van in 1992 before buying an old car showroom and filling station in 1999, opened an online shop in 2017, which is run by daughter-in-law Julie –while Mark, his eldest son, looks after the garden machinery workshop. Grandson Harvey represents the next generation in the shop and ordering parts.

Are you prepared for an unexpected fire? The role of a fire warden

SAFETY

YOU MAY EXPECT staff and visitors to behave in certain ways during an emergency evacuation, but this won’t always happen. What factors should be considered when training fire wardens to anticipate unexpected behaviour?

The need for fire warden

Although the risk from fire is generally well controlled, it’s still a major hazard causing property damage and threat to life. A well-trained fire warden will play a key role in ensuring a successful evacuation. They will need to ensure that everyone evacuates a building when there is a fire and that no one re-enters until it has been deemed safe.

Misperception

A common percep tion is that people panic when faced with a fire, leading to irrational and unpre dictable behaviour. In fact, quite the opposite is true. The reality of behaviour in emergen cies is often:

● Slow and delayed movement

● Following predictable

behaviour such as continuing with work or phone calls

● Stopping to collect belongings

● Leaving a building by a familiar exit and ignoring closer exits

Recognition of fire threat

When confronted by signals which indicate a possible fire, people may:

● Ignore the warning or wait to see if it’s for real

Go and investigate and fight the fire

Raise the alarm and instruct others

Flee from the situation, fail to respond, or even freeze

Those who have experienced a fire before may recognise the threat as serious and take immediate action. Those who have never experienced a fire may be more subdued or even curious which can

delay their evacuation and put them and others in danger.

Those responsible for others

People who are responsible for others, such as directors and some managers, will generally not evacuate a building willingly if they believe that the person(s) they’re responsible for is still inside the building and in danger. It’s imperative that this side of human nature is accounted for in a risk assessment and suitable control measures considered.

Fire Wardens

It is essential that you have well-trained fire wardens who will react quickly and decisively upon hearing an alarm. Without this authority figure during an emergency, staff and visitor behaviours can become unmanageable, putting people and your business at risk.

TIP: When faced with the threat of fire, people do not always behave as you expect. Train fire wardens to act decisively in the event of an emergency. Their behaviour will influence others and ensure everyone reaches a place of safety, protecting your business. If you would like to know more about how Safety Aide can provide Fire Warden Training for your business, please get in touch on 08000 806 801.

Don’t underestimate the importance of prioritising your brand over the brands you represent!

MARY PERRY Owner

THE MACHINERY BRANDS that you represent are an important part of your make-up, and associating with them will bolster your reputation as a company, BUT you need to be known for who you are to differentiate yourself from the competition!

Great customer service, expertise and fantastic customer experiences are associated with your brand because that’s who the customer deals with and who they will return to. We know that customers will firstly buy based on a great experience – and that customer experience lies with you, the

dealership. The product is secondary. When the customer thinks of a great local dealership, you want your name to be remembered, not to be known as ‘the local (insert brand) dealer’.

Making sure that company branding and message is kept consistent across your marketing will help establish an identity. This goes for all your marketing touch points, whether

YOU NEED TO BE KNOWN FOR WHO YOU ARE TO DIFFERENTIATE YOURSELF FROM THE COMPETITION

it’s your website, social media, a flyer going out in your monthly statements or your presence at shows and events. If you aren’t sure where to start, then firstly make sure you have a striking and relevant logo as well as general brand guidelines. Once you have this, ensure you are using these across all your design and marketing. Over time, customers will become familiar with your branding and will associate it with you. If you need help establishing your brand identity as a machinery dealer, feel free to get in touch.

IT’S IMPERATIVE THAT THIS SIDE OF HUMAN NATURE IS ACCOUNTED FOR IN A RISK ASSESSMENT

Revolutionise your warehouse operations

The Gold Parts application could transform your stock control processes

DOES YOUR PARTS department battle with time-consuming and inefficient stock control processes? Are you constantly besieged by paper records, or even a lack of records?

Ibcos' new Parts App with seamless Gold integration could be the solution to your warehouse woes.

With the Parts App, you can undertake processes whilst “on the move” around the parts stores, recording data on any mobile device with a web browser. This means you can save time and effort for everyday tasks by completing them in real-time, right where the work takes place.

● Run stock enquiries to view Gold part records, amend bin locations and make quantity adjustments

● Receive goods into stock from supplier orders and inter-depot transfers

● Complete stock checks

● View and complete picking lists

All with the convenience of on-screen prompts and speedy barcode scanning with your

device camera or a Bluetooth scanner. No more missing or damaged paper records thanks to streamlined digital processes on a clear digital display which is efficient to use, reduces errors in recording data and encourages adherence to record keeping.

Are you struggling with serial numbers? You will have the opportunity to scan serial number barcodes – or enter them manually –at the point of receiving goods and completing picking lists, ensuring that you always have the correct unit to hand.

The app is being released in four phases throughout 2023, with each phase building on the previous one to provide the ultimate stores companion. But why wait? You can sign up for the Early Adopter program today to gain exclusive early

access to the app and the opportunity to shape its features to suit your business needs. Register your interest in the Early Adopter program at https://customer.ibcos.co.uk/parts-app/

AGCO Life after

The last couple of years have seen huge changes for Lister Wilder, including uncoupling from AGCO during the Covid pandemic. Sales director Phill Hughes, service director Neil Davies and parts director Keith Baker discuss the changes, recruitment and the current supply situation…

THE BUSINESS, FOUNDED in 1947, began by selling the Massey Ferguson range of agricultural machinery from its base in Reading. Since then, it has grown and expanded and was renamed Lister Wilder in 2000, pulling upon the strength of the history of ownership with Walter Wilder and Lister Farm Sales. The company continued to grow to be over 250 people strong with a turnover of more than £120m.

With Kubota signalling its intent to become a major manufacturer of agricultural machinery, Lister Wilder realised that a decision needed to be made regarding its longterm future. The relationship with Kubota dates to 1995, when the groundcare division was formed. This was quickly followed by the addition of the construction range in 2001. In January 2021, the decision was made to uncouple from the AGCO franchise and take on the full line of Kubota agricultural equipment. Reaching an agreement with

neighbouring dealership Chandlers Farm Equipment, who purchased the AGCO side of the business and turned over to them all the associated team members.

Today, Lister Wilder’s territory stretches across the South of England, from Bristol to Ashford, with five main branches and is the first full-line Kubota dealer in Europe. We chatted with sales director Phill Hughes, service director Neil Davies and parts director Keith Baker about the business today.

What have been the biggest achievements for Lister Wilder since the changes in 2021? Phill Hughes: “We have, of course, seen lots of changes since the announcement in 2021. Our most significant achievement would be the opening of both the Bibury and Bristol branches in 2022 and we have now established five Kubota centres strategically placed across the South of England.

“Another key achievement would be the growth that we’ve seen since the split. Since January 2022 we’ve been able to create an additional 47 roles within the business, and this number continues to grow, with more joining over the coming months.

“We really feel like we have been able to curate a great portfolio of equipment, particularly on the agricultural side of the business. With Kubota now our main agricultural franchise we added Merlo, Yamaha, Kockerling, Larrington Trailers and Bomford Turner, defining a core group of equipment to be able to offer the best to our customers. It can be easy to get carried away collecting franchises and we aren’t looking at doing that, we want to have a focus and all our team on the same page.”

Keith Baker: “From a parts perspective, having the core franchises does make the job a lot easier. We can streamline our stock and ensure that we can supply consistently to our

customer base. I work closely with Neil and Phill to ensure that we are on the same page and know what stock we need to support each brand of machine.”

Were there any worries when it came to the uncoupling from AGCO?

PH: “Yes, lots! But fortunately, they were allayed!

“We had been Massey Ferguson dealers since 1947 so there were big concerns about how it would affect both our customers and the entire team, particularly those that were moving company. We could only have gone ahead in the knowledge that we were protecting everyone within the existing companies’ future, and that our long-established agricultural customers would be suitably looked after.

“As it turns out, it’s been the single biggest and best decision the company has made – bringing a renewed sense of focus, purpose and unity across the entire business… We simply couldn’t have wished for a better outcome.”

You are renowned for having a close-knit team, how would you say they have coped with the changes and how do you instil a good team ethos across the company?

PH: “There are many reasons why the team are so close. We’re a very open company with the senior leadership team and shareholders fully on-hand at all times. We also do a huge amount socially and for charity, which really helps the team to engage with each other. The whole place still feels very much like a family, which is rare in a company of this size.”

KB: “We did a bowling competition last year between branches which will be revived for 2023, we have had trips to the rugby, comedy clubs and lots of team members socialise outside of work-planned activities too. We also do things like Easter eggs for everyone and days off for your birthday. It all builds a team and goes a long way in their enjoyment of being part of the Lister Wilder business.

“As directors, we work closely to ensure that the decisions made will only ever positively impact the company and the team. This doesn’t mean we always agree, but we always discuss things together!”

PH: “Our fundraisers are always great at building team spirit. We usually do a big one every three years and then we consistently do smaller local events like our recent donating of over 175 Christmas gifts to the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal. We always encourage members of the team to publicise any fundraisers that they are doing and we as a company will sponsor them. This last year, our big fundraiser also celebrated our 75th anni-

versary, 55 team members cycled 55 miles by taking part in the London to Brighton Cycle Ride to raise money for Leukaemia & Myeloma Research UK. We raised £22,250!”

Congratulations on your recent Kubota Service Excellence awards, we all know how important aftersales is in machinery, how do you provide quality service and what processes do you have in place to ensure this?

Neil Davis: “Thank you, as achieving Gold and Gold Plus status was very much a team effort. Regarding how this translates into a quality service, I suppose much of this comes down to the motivation of the individual engineers and parts team. The fact they enjoy their roles and feel a valued part of the company translates directly into them wanting to do the best they possibly can for the customer. Our company slogan is #SalesWithService, this is something that we fully believe in as a management team, which hopefully installs the same ethos throughout the wider the team.

“We value the importance of good training as well. I am big on training; I believe that if you have a good foundation of knowledge to progress from you can support the equipment properly. Our engineers go to Kubota HQ at least once a year for training.

“In terms of our service support, a great addition to our portfolio has been Kubota engines. Not only does it hugely support our Kubota machines but also our Timberwolf and Baroness equipment, which both use Kubota engines. Before we would have had to go to an engine specialist if work needed to be done, but now we can work on it ourselves or supply complete new units. It means that we can be much more efficient for the customer.”

Your uncoupling from AGCO was happening during the Covid pandemic, how did you manage this with a team of over 250 people, across multiple branches?

PH: “We can’t deny that it was a huge undertaking, yet if there were any positives of Covid, it was the way it pulled us together around a single cause. We have never worked closer (or indeed harder) as a team than during this period and we were able to carry this forward during the uncoupling. It was a time that could have caused real distress, yet we emerged stronger and more excited about the future than ever before. Indeed, the only remaining regret is for the people that we couldn’t take with us on the Kubota journey… yet knowing they would be looked after by Chandlers softened this significantly.”

‘WE SIMPLY COULDN’T HAVE WISHED FOR A BETTER OUTCOME’

How are you finding recruitment across all departments and is there any particular activity that you think manufacturers should be doing to encourage recruitment?

PH: “Like most dealerships, finding good quality colleagues to join the team is always a challenge… and our growth since the uncoupling has made this an even bigger challenge. In the last two years, we have been fortunate to find 47 new members to join us on our journey and we continue to search for more!”

ND: “We are focussed on attracting younger people into the company through the Kubota Apprentice Scheme. We are conscious that we have an ageing workforce like many other dealerships, so we want young people to join us, and we are putting a focus on attending careers fairs and recruitment fairs to get ourselves in front of them. We have also now signed the Armed Forces Covenant which means we have made a promise to those who serve or have served, and their families, to assist in ensuring they are treated fairly and do not face disadvantages in recruitment. I come from a military background myself so swapping tanks for tractors is possible and we are delighted to be welcoming more people from this background.”

KB: “It’s the same from the parts side, we are taking a lot of people in from the automotive industry which is great. We also have an exemployee who comes in and trains members of the team on the machinery parts business so that they can learn and progress in their role.”

PH: “Regarding any help from the manufac-

turers, I think a careers page on each of their websites would be a great start, where they could direct interested candidates to their nearest dealership. As an example, Kubota promote their highly acclaimed apprenticeship scheme on their site, this is a great way to showcase the training path on offer, and the interested parties via the dealer locator.”

How has the change to being full-line Kubota impacted the team and the customers?

ND: “As a team, we definitely feel more aligned. Things could get a bit muddy before, whereas now we have a more clear and direct vision, and everyone is aligned.

“We are still dealing with a similar customer base but there have been a few shifts. With the current available horsepower from Kubota tractors, we aren’t seeing as many arable customers on the agriculture side, but we are certainly doing a lot more with dairy farms, they love the Kubota M4 and M5. We are lucky to have a vast mix of customers across our operating area, in all our departments.”

Do you have any predictions for the machinery industry when it comes to machine and parts supply for 2023?

PH: “It would appear that supply from Japan hasn’t been quite as impacted as it has from America. Whilst there are still a number of challenges being presented on a daily basis, we seem to have ridden that wave quite well, particularly with Kubota, which might have

something to do with their extensive product range and manufacture of their own engines. I don’t have access to the same information that the manufactures do, but if Q1 is an indicator to how the rest of the year will go, then I’m optimistic that the supply chain is now going through a recovery period.”

KB: “From the parts side, supply is definitely getting better, we have seen improvements since the opening of the new central Kubota hub in Europe. Hopefully things will continue to improve, and it won’t be long before we are back where we were a few years ago.”

Are there any exciting future plans you can share with us?

PH: “There’s always something exciting going on at Lister Wilder! My lips are sealed regarding future plans though. All I can say is watch this space.”

What do you find most important about being a BAGMA member?

PH: “We have been associated with BAGMA for a long time now, it feels good to be part of an industry organisation that supports the dealerships and represents our needs with both the manufacturers and on government issues. Over the years that we’ve been members we have looked to BAGMA for advice on numerous issues and have engaged with a number of their training courses. All of our sales, hire and delivery team members are accredited with the BAGMA Handover & Installation qualifications for example.”

How a summer job led to a managerial role

KUBOTA UK HAS appointed George Nowell as agricultural and groundcare dealer manager for the Midlands, North West and Wales. George joined Kubota in 2015 after getting in touch during his search for a three-month summer job following the completion of his first year at Harper Adams University.

“I always knew what I wanted to do, and earning myself a summer job at Kubota was a move that has helped to create fantastic opportunities for me,” explains George, whose exam results and high grades achieved from an apprenticeship eased his progression into engineering.

“During my degree course, I returned to Kubota for my work placement year as a student,” he says. “My coursework and dissertation led to a project on M7 tractor optimisation, which was focused on developing dealer and customer knowledge.”

Proving that a little initiative goes a long way,

George returned to Kubota after completing his university studies in 2018, taking up his first full-time role. As a service technician providing product support, his early career included a three-month posting to KFM in Dunkirk, France, working in tractor production.

One year later, George took on the role of regional service representative before stepping up to the role of aftersales dealer manager in 2021.

“I have been involved with groundscare equipment from the start of my career, working as an apprentice in a dealership,” adds George, who took a three-year apprenticeship at Bicton College which included working with a tractor dealership in Devon. “It’s great to be part of a company that has a reputation for supplying quality, reliable equipment through a dedicated dealer network and I very much look forward to supporting them, and our customers, further over the coming months.”

Commenting on George’s recent promotion to dealer manager, agricultural and groundscare sales manager Tim Yates said: “This is a great opportunity to showcase our home-grown talent, and it highlights the professional career opportunities that are available in Kubota (UK).”

Superb English wines

BAGMA Wine Club’s offer this issue is for a mixed case of English wine. If you haven’t tried English wine yet, then this is a great opportunity to find out what this burgeoning sector of agriculture is all about.

Each year the quality gets better. There have been many blind tastings in which English sparkling wine has outperformed Champagne. Alongside the improving performance of English fizz has been an equal improvement in the quality of still wines – with red wines emulating Burgundies and white wines challenging Chablis and

BAGMA Wine Club’s moneysaving offer covers wines from Devon, Sussex, Hampshire and Dorset.

If you bought the six wines separately, they would set you back £134.60. The price for BAGMA members is £115, including delivery to your home. That’s a saving of £29.60.

The case contains these six wines: Lyme Bay Sandbar Bacchus 2020, Langham Dry White 2020, Henners Native Grace Barrel Chardonnay 2020, Calancombe Pinot Noir Rosé 2019, Hattingley Valley Pinot Noir 2020, and Huxbear Classic

With recruitment a constant issue within the industry, here is an example of what can happen to someone with a bit of initiative…

Have your say at BAGMA Connect

The next BAGMA Connect meeting will be at MERLO UK. It is a free-to-attend meeting for members and non-members to discuss topical industry issues and have a tour of the Training Academy

Tuesday 6th June 10am – 4pm.

MERLO UK, The Paddocks, Headlands Business Park, Salisbury Road, Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 3PB

Other upcoming industry events are:

● Suffolk Show

31st May – 1st June, Ipswich

● Royal Bath and West Show

1st – 3rd June, Shepton Mallet

● Royal Cornwall Show

8th – 10th June, Wadebridge

● Cereals 13th – 14th June, Thoresby Estate, Nottinghamshire

● Royal Three Counties Show

16th – 18th June, Malvern

● Royal Highland Show, 22nd – 25th June, Edinburgh

● Royal Norfolk Show

28th – 29th June, Norwich

● Great Yorkshire Show

11th – 14th July, Harrogate

● Sage Show

19th – 20th July, Malvern

● Royal Welsh Show

24th – 27th July, Builth Wells

For further details visit our website via the QR code or call us on 01295 713344 or email stephanie.young@bagma.com

● Turriff Show

30th – 31st July, Turriff

Industry suppliers team up to host Surface Management Workshop

Leading suppliers from across the industry are joining forces on Thursday, June 1 to host the first Surface Management Workshop. Taking place at Stamford AFC in Lincolnshire, the free one-day event consists of talks, trade displays and working demonstrations aimed at grounds professionals responsible for both natural and artificial sport surfaces.

DLF, GKB, Iseki, British Sugar, TOPSOIL and Vanmac are among the list of brands signed up to support the day, offering advice and practical guidance to those working on surfaces – be it natural or synthetic –from all corners of the sporting sector.

Tom Shinkins of GKB Machines said: “The aim is to discuss some of the major industry issues and give attendees sound tips and ideas to take away and implement at their own facilities.”

Service Dealer Awards

This year's Service Dealer annual Conference and Awards will take place at the Crowne Plaza, Stratford-upon-Avon, on November 30.

SAGE advice

SAGE, an outdoor trader show for the sports and grounds maintenance industry, will be held at Three Counties Showground, Malvern, on July 19 and 20. There will be outdoor demos of the latest machinery, industry exhibitors such as Toro, EGO and Trimax, expert-led summits, live music, entertainment, food vendors, and a bar.

The UK Loggers National Championship will take place over the two days of the expo – a fierce test of precision and skill determining an overall precision chainsaw champion.

https://sportsandgrounds.events/

Midlands Machinery Show on track

Exhibitor bookings for this year’s Midlands Machinery Show are going well, with 60% of space already sold. The event, which will be held from November 8-9 at Newark Showground, offers farmers and contractors the opportunity to view the latest kit, from new tractors to robots, precision sprayers to drills, and ever more refined low disturbance cultivators.

Hundreds of brands commit to GroundsFest

MORE THAN 100 exhibitors have booked to attend GroundsFest 2023, which will be held at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, on September 20 and 21.

They have taken more than 75% of the allocated space (more than 9,000sq m).

Attendees can expect to see brands such as Honda, STIHL, AMS Robotics, The Pitchmark Group, KAR UK, Wicksteed Leisure, ICL, Dennis & SISIS, Shelton Sportsturf Drainage, Origin Amenity, Kress UK, EGO, Makita, Greenbest, Soil Scout, Karcher UK, Foley Grinders, RT Machinery and Etesia UK (pictured).

Commenting on Etesia UK’s decision to exhibit at GroundsFest, managing director Les Malin said: “I believe GroundsFest could be exactly what the groundscare industry needs in terms of trade shows. We have all been attending the same existing shows which have not changed for several years. Therefore, I think we should all be looking forward to something different.

“There is no such thing as too many shows in my opinion; it is more about having events that work for individual companies. We are all different, but

“We’ve had a great start to bookings, with exhibitors maintaining the momentum they gained at last year’s Midlands Machinery event,” says show organiser Elizabeth Halsall. “Last year’s show saw over 230 exhibitors and we are well on the way to that.”

For more information visit www. midlandsmachineryshow.com.

we all want to give our customers the chance to experience something new and exciting. GroundsFest will offer exactly this.”

The indoor halls and outside areas of GroundsFest will not only feature hundreds of exhibitors and products in action, but it will also include a free-to-attend LANTRA accredited education programme, free practical training sessions, the largest retail area ever to be seen at a groundscare event, a dedicated landscaping zone, and a music festival!

www.groundsfest.com

Exhibitors prepare for new Cereals location

CEREALS WILL HOST nearly 400 exhibitors and sponsors, ranging from companies that have attended for years to those exhibiting for the first time or returning after a few years’ break.

The exhibition’s core focus on combinable crops is what attracted Warren Rivers-Scott, UK and ROI managing director at Bednar, to the event for the first time. On display at the Bednar stand will be an Efecta CE12000, a SwifterDisc XE12400 Profi and a Swifter SE12000. For root and vegetable growers, there will also be the Terraland TN Profi. B&B Tractors, which supplies

host farm Thoresby Farming, will also be exhibiting at the event for the first time. Group marketing manager Sara Paoloni says: “While we are new to Cereals, we have over 30 years of experience within the farming industry, and we are proud to have four depots across the East Midlands which sell both new and used machinery.”

Eyre Trailers is back at Cereals after a four-year break and plans to exhibit a new trailer for draper headers. “We have come to Cereals to re-establish ourselves in this market,” says managing director Bob Eyre.

Chafer, a loyal supporter of Cereals, will take part in the Syngenta Sprays & Sprayers demos. “It offers farmers who are thinking of changing machines the first opportunity to see them in action,” says Joe Allen, sales and marketing manager. “We expect to be showing the Interceptor self-propelled model, and the trailed Guardian and Sentry models.”

Weaving is returning to Cereals after a four-year break, and director Simon Weaving is hopeful that the new location of the event, near Newark in Nottinghamshire, will be a boon for visitors.

“It is nearly bang in the middle of the country and means people in Scotland and the North can come straight down, and people from the South can come up easily, too.”

A highlight at Weaving’s stand will be a new mounted GD 4m drill. “We’ve put on a plastic hopper which will make it easier to use,” says director Simon Weaving. “It is aimed at medium-sized farms.”

The two-day event is being held at a new site this year – Thoresby Estate in Nottinghamshire – on June 13-14.

www.cerealsevent.co.uk.

Connect with fellow dealers

THE NEXT BAGMA Connect meeting will be hosted by Merlo UK at its premises in Ringwood, Hampshire, on Tuesday, June 6.

Members, their guests and nonmembers are invited to attend. Details of speakers will be announced soon, and an agenda will be available nearer the time, but the event will cover topical industry issues such as recruitment and retention, training and education as a well as a variety of other topics. There will also be an opportunity to look around Merlo’s training facility and a presentation from Shaun Groom, general manager at Merlo UK.

Visit the ‘BAGMA Brew & Biscuit’

BAGMA IS RETURNING to the Royal Highland Show this year with its ‘BAGMA Brew & Biscuit’ stand, offering you the chance to get a cup of tea or other refreshing drink, recharge your batteries and have a chat about key issues in the industry.

All members, non-members and guests will be welcome to join the team on stand Q321(A). Some service providers will also be there to answer your questions, so email admin@bagma.com if there is a specific service provider you would like to talk to and BAGMA can put you in contact with them.

The ‘Party in the Tent’ is also back on Thurs-

day, June 22 where Peter Arrand will be handing over the BAGMA presidency to Peter Heming. The West Lothian Schools Pipe Band has been asked to return as they were so well received last year.

BAGMA will also be making an announcement about a new event happening later this year, so make sure you come along to find out what is happening in the association and its plans for the future.

Tickets to the Royal Highland Show can be purchased through the RHS website at https:// www.royalhighlandshow.org/

The meeting will be chaired by Andrew Walker, chairman of BAGMA Connect, and the BAGMA team will be on hand to answer any questions.

This meeting is free to attend to allow dealers to get together and take part in discussions about industry issues.

If you are interested in coming along, please scan the QR code and complete the online booking form or email Stephanie at BAGMA on stephanie.young@ bagma.com.

Address is Merlo UK, The Paddocks, Headlands Business Park, Salisbury Road, Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 3PB.

Special tractor for sale

AS YOU CAN see, this is a very special tractor. And it’s just come on the market.

It’s one of five built by car preservation specialist Klima Lounge and Italian designer Adler Capelli to commemorate what would have been the late Ferruccio Lamborghini’s 100th birthday in 2017.

Before Mr Lamborghini fell out with Enzo Ferrari and started building his own sports- and supercars, the engineer manufactured tractors from disused war vehicles. That was the foundation of Lamborghini Trattori in 1948.

To honour that, the parts were sourced from existing vehicles from the 1960s, particularly the DLA and 2R DT.

This diesel-powered model has two-wheel drive, a manual gearbox, and shows 311 miles on the odometer, while the side plaque suggests power comes from a DLA 35’s 2.2-litre threecylinder engine. The photos from Cartech Autotechnik Chur show six straight exhaust pipes, a new instrument panel with period gauges, Agri Max RT 355 matte black wheels signed in honour of Ferruccio’s 100th birthday anniversary, a slight relocation of some of the controls, a more upright positioned steering wheel, a new cooling system on the front, and… an ashtray!

This is model no4 and it is priced at $540,625 – about double the original price.

It is one of only five built in memory of Lamborghini’s founder…

Thankfully, with over 1,500 years’ combined experience of solving people problems and improving safety practices, WorkNest helps to protect BAGMA members against these costly compliance mistakes through professional advice and powerful technology platforms.

● Unlimited advice from named experts – pragmatic and jargon-free

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● Bespoke, legally-compliant contracts, policies and handbooks

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● Compliance, Health & Safety and Performance eLearning courses

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And it’s not just about protection. Our service helps employers to advance the way people work, improving productivity and commercial performance.

Members Benefits

BAGMA Legal (WorkNest)

01244 667249

BAGMA Bank

03330 048048

Debt Collection (Corbital Trace & Collect) 01905 935003

Card Processing (Global Payments) 0345 7023344

BAGMA Training 01295 713344

Insurance (Towergate) 0333 207 6681

BAGMA Vehicles (BAGMA Bank)

03330 048048

Health & Safety (Safety Aide)

07903 655506

Telecoms & Utilities (Utility Options)

0800 195 0123

Waste Management (Valpak) 01789 208778

Recruitment (GBR Recruitment Ltd)

07425 896410