Merlo UK awards top dealers

AT THE 2022 Merlo UK Dealer Conference in Cuneo, Italy, at the end of last year, dealers were given an insight into the significant investments being planned by Merlo Group, a tour of the Merlo manufacturing and production facility, and an opportunity to drive and test a wide range of Merlo products.

They were also shown the latest Merlo products due to be launched in 2023.

The conference concluded with the Merlo UK 2022 Awards Dinner in a 600-year-old castle.

Ramsay & Jackson, which had a devastating fire at its yard in April yet remained on course to hit its 2022 volume targets, was named Parts Dealer of the Year. The title of Overall Dealer of the Year went to long-time Merlo dealer AF Wiltshire which achieved “an impressive result in terms of new machine sales in 2022”.

Other winners on the night included Ancroft Tractors (Service Dealer of the Year), Agriscope (Merlo Ambassador of the Year Award) and RVW Pugh (Agricultural Dealer of the Year).

Howardson Group buys two manufacturers

HOWARDSON GROUP, MANUFACTURERS of the Dennis and SISIS range of grounds maintenance equipment, has acquired two other equipment manufacturers – Lloyds Mowers of Letchworth and Hunter Grinders.

This gives the Dennis range of mowers the addition of the Lloyds Paladin cylinder mower –renowned for cricket, bowls and golf along with the trailed Leda and Giant gangs, used extensively for wide area mowing.

Hunter Grinders is known in golf and stadia for its grinding performance on cutting cylinders and bottom blades.

“We see a lot of potential with both brands,” Ian Howard, MD of Howardson Group, told Fusion Media. “We have been in discussion with Lloyds for quite some time. We consider the brands much like our existing ones – well built, designed to do the job and with longevity.”

Clive Nottingham, the well-known face of Lloyds and Hunters, will work closely with the Howardson senior management team as the two brands are embedded into the wider group of companies at Kirk Langley.