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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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THE MANAGEMENT RESOURCE FOR LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS AND EQUIPMENT DEALERS
Volume 33, No.4 | May/june 2021
06 Contractor Profile
COVER STORY
Are Mini Excavators a Contractor’s Best Friend? With smaller size and mobility, compact or mini excavators are ideally suited for landscaping and hardscaping applications.
DEPARTMENTS
04 Through the Grapevine 34 New Products 41 Advertisers Index
06 FEATURES
12 Equipment Focus Choose the Best Land Clearing Option
Dedicated mulchers and land clearing attachments come in many configurations.
20 Special Report Landscape Lighting Shines Through as a Popular Upgrade
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More consumers are asking for landscape lighting to be included in their overall designs.
24 Lawn Care Value, Versatility, and Ease-in-Operation Are Top Sellers in the Sprayer and Spreader Market
Knowing whether to use a sprayer or a spreader for lawn care applications isn’t an easy task.
30 Contractor Profile Women Are Mowing Down the Competition
20
Landscaping pros have always been predominantly male, but more women are working in the industry today than ever before.
32 Beyond the Blade The Customer Journey in Landscaping A step-by-step guide to reaching your buyers at each stage.
32
24 www.greenindustrypros.com
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THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
THINK DIGITAL FIRST
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business model that they need to he time is upon us. Landscaping embrace fully the software revolution. is unquestionably a business While business apps are the new conducted primarily outdoors to central platform for small business, with cut the grass, trim the hedges, and rake 3.8 million in the Google store alone, it’s the leaves. However, like any small busidaunting to decide which are best for ness owner, landscape contractors still your company. That trend only accelermust manage the business side of their ated in 2020 amidst the pandemic. companies. In response to these challenges for In today’s business world, you must specifically the landscaping industry, think digital first. From landscape Green Industry Pros has partnered business management software to the with SquareStack to offer GreenApps. numerous mobile applications, there The central purpose of are numerous options GreenApps is to help the to help make running landscape contractor to a business easier. Apps consolidate or aggreare relatively inexgate all their existing pensive and for small digital tools or apps, contractors, it can help from QuickBooks to give them an edge in social media and HR competing with larger tools, into one system corporations and lead to of record. The system bigger profits. Ryan Whisner (920) 542-1238 rwhisner@acbusinessmedia.com allows the small business By digital first, we owner access with one mean that you must start username and password. thinking about your business in terms The most significant feature is the of software and hardware as much as real time dashsupplies. board that How do you allows contracstart your day? tors to see all Once you grab the data from your coffee, their systems you’re checking such as bank QuickBooks balances, social or some other media followers, financial softexpense reports ware or app to and more. With check your bank quicker access to this information, it balance via your phone or computer. allows you as landscape professionals Some of you may even use ZipRecruiter and often owner-operators, to get out or Indeed to drive recruitment efforts. and do the business of landscaping and Other apps extend into project managehave less administrative pain around ment, HR and beyond. managing their business. Recent surveys suggest that most If you’re already spending $100 to landscapers are using at least 8 software $200 per month on apps or software, the tools or apps to operate their businesses. idea to use GreenApps for only $10 more Just from that alone, they can become per month to make all that software overwhelmed trying to sort out all the work is a no brainer. Visit greendinustrydifferent passwords and usernames. pros.com for more information. It is very apparent to most small business owners, that if they’re going to succeed, scale, or sustain their current
4 GREEN INDUSTRY PROS
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Published by AC Business Media 201 N. Main Street, 5th Floor Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 (800) 538-5544 Volume 33, Number 2
ADVERTISIN G
Publisher ................................................................................... Eric Servais eservais@acbusinessmedia.com Sales Representative ...................................................Megan Perleberg mperleberg@acbusinessmedia.com Sales Representative ..........................................................Sean Dunphy sdunphy@acbusinessmedia.com Sales Representative ..........................................................Nikki Lawson nlawson@acbusinessmedia.com Sales Representative ............................................................Kris Flitcroft kflitcroft@acbusinessmedia.com National Automotive Manager .......................................... Tom Lutzke tlutzke@acbusinessmedia.com
EDITORIAL
Editor ...................................................................................... Ryan Whisner rwhisner@acbusinessmedia.com
CIRCU LATION
Audience Development Manager .................................. Angela Franks
PRODU CTION
Senior Production Manager ................................................Cindy Rusch crusch@acbusinessmedia.com Art Director .................................................................................Willard Kill wkill@acbusinessmedia.com
AC Business Media Chief Executive Officer ......................................................... Ron Spink Chief Financial Officer ............................................... JoAnn Breuchel Chief Digital Officer ...................................................... Kris Heineman Chief Revenue Officer .................................................. Amy Schwandt VP Audience Development ........................................Rhonda Hughes Director of Digital Operations & IT ............................... Nick Raether Director of Digital Strategy............................................... Joel Franke Group Content Director.................................................... Jon Minnick Change of Address & Subscriptions — P.O. Box 3605 Northbrook, IL 60065-3605 • (877) 201-3915 Fax: (847) 291-4816 • circ.greenindustrypros@omeda.com List Rental — Bart Piccirillo, Sr. Account Manager Data Axle • (518)339-4511 bart.piccirillo@infogroup.com Reprints & Licensing — Eric Servais eservais@acbusinessmedia.com Green Industry Pros [USPS 003-763 and ISSN 2168-121X (print), ISSN 2168-1228 (online)] is published seven times a year: January/ February, March, April, May/June, July/August, September/October and November/December by AC Business Media. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Green Industry Pros, P.O. Box 3605, Northbrook, IL 60065-3605. Subscriptions: Individual subscriptions are available without charge in the U.S. to qualified subscribers. Publisher reserves the right to reject non-qualified subscriptions. Subscription prices: U.S., $35 per year; Canada/Mexico, $60 per year; and all other countries, $85 per year. All subscriptions payable in U.S. funds, drawn on U.S. bank. Back issues, if available, cost $10 prepaid. Printed in the USA. Copyright 2021 AC Business Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recordings or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.
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PROUDLY JUDGED BY THE COMPANIES WE KEEP
Year after year, for 36 consecutive years,* America’s bestselling line of commercial vehicles are Built Ford Tough.®
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Ford Commercial Vehicles Computer-generated image and available features shown. *Based on IHS Markit CY1985-2020 US TIPNet Registrations excluding registrations to individuals. TIPNet Registrations prior to 2010 do not include all GVW 1 and 2 vehicle.
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COVER STORY
By Ryan Whisner
can fit through fencing and gates.”
Picking the right excavator
ARE MINI EXCAVATORS
A CONTRACTOR’S BEST FRIEND? Compact excavators are ideally suited for rental, residential, landscaping, and utility applications. Takeuchi-US
W
hen installing hardscape features, contractors have choices in the equipment they use. Tractors, skid steers, track loaders and compact utility loaders can all help get tasks done more efficiently. “Most customers require a machine with the best possible performance that meets their requirements in reach, dig depth or lifting in the smallest package possible,” says Greg Worley market professional Caterpillar. “This is mainly to enable access into backyards and between houses, etc.” In the end, it comes down to application. Understanding how different machines operate in landscaping applications is key. A skid steer or tractor is best for load-and-carry work like spreading rock in a bed or when using pallet forks to pull retaining wall blocks off a truck. With a compact or mini excavator, you could be more precise.
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“Compact excavators excel wherever they fit, offer versatility and fit in smaller spaces while providing optimal digging and lifting power,” says Justin Steger, solutions marketing manager, John Deere Construction & Forestry. “Landscape professionals should talk to their local dealers not only about the right equipment, but also the dealer service and support for the job at hand to best determine the ideal machine for needed landscaping applications,” says Justin Steger, solutions marketing manager, John Deere Construction & Forestry. “Compact excavators are ideally suited for rental, residential, landscaping, and utility applications,” says Patrick Baker, Kubota Tractor Corp. excavators and wheel loaders product manager. “This type of excavator excels at these jobs because there is little ground disturbance, and it
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There are a variety of factors that come into play when selecting which compact excavator model is right for the job. “Customers need to consider if the specs match their current requirements such as width, dig depth, reach, lifting capability and suitability for hydraulic attachments,” Worley says. “Will their work applications stay consistent or are they going to require a larger machine in the near the future? Buy what is right and make sure it will suit your needs. Allow some room for expansion but do not over purchase by buying something that you do not need or will never use.” Baker agrees, suggesting that buyers can narrow down and likely save money by doing some research and their “homework” before making a purchase. “Taking the time to do a little research, the buyer will be more prepared to buy the correct compact excavator for the job resulting in more financial success in the long run,” he says. Some of the primary considerations tie closely to questions landscapers need to ask themselves when choosing a mini or compact excavator. “It is important to first determine your budget and what you can afford,” says David Caldwell, Takeuchi-US product manager. “Consider not only where your company stands today, but also where you see your company going in the future. As your company grows, you may discover the opportunity to provide additional services or work on larger projects that require a bigger, more capable excavator with a greater working range.” Additional considerations include size and weight, what applications it will be used for, comfort and safety.
One size fits all
“For landscapers who are primarily doing smaller residential jobs, a smaller machine from 2.5 to 3.5 ton may be adequate due to space limitations,” Caldwell says. “Those who work in larger residential areas or perform
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commercial work may want to consider a machine from 5-9 ton depending on the type of work they are doing.” Operating weight is a factor to consider based both on site use and transportation. “If you’re transporting the machine, operating weight will factor into your total weight, truck and trailer towing capability, and state licensing requirements,” Steger says. “Dig depth and attachment capability are the difference between a machine that can get the job done and a machine that can get the job done efficiently.” There are number of differences when comparing specifications between a mini or compact and larger excavator. “Compact excavators will have rubber tracks to reduce the footprint on the ground compared to steel tracks of larger excavators,” Baker says. “Also, compact excavators will also have a dozer blade capable of backfilling after trenching. The dozer blades are less common on large excavators.” As another example, Baker says Kubota’s compact excavator boom swing function allows the operator to dig without repositioning the machine and is a function operators will not see on a large excavator. Baker also says compact excavators are more likely to be reduced or minimal tail-swing to be more productive in those
tight working areas compared to the large conventional tail-swing excavators. “The bigger the machine, the more working range and capability it will have when lifting and placing objects, running hydraulically powered attachments and so on,” Caldwell says. “A retractable undercarriage can also be beneficial if they are having to access backyards through gates etc.” Customers will also need to beware of the transport weight of the unit and how they are going to legally transport it. “Moving and transporting compact excavators from job to job is easier and makes the compact excavator more versatile,” Baker says. Most are compatible with a wide variety of trailers and tow vehicles due to the lightweight and compact design. Also, he says the industry has also seen a significant rise in telematics in compact excavators. “Owners and operators are able to reduce fuel costs, set geofences to protect their equipment from theft, and better maintain a service and maintenance schedule on their excavators,” Baker adds.
So many options
It’s important to determine the type of work you’ll be doing onsite to ensure the machine is properly equipped for your needs. Due
to their small size, mobility, and ability to use multiple attachments, working applications such as digging footers, irrigation, material handling, and landscaping are a great fit for compact or mini excavators. “Compact excavator uses are endless,” Steger says. “They are great for trenching underground utilities, and using the standard backfill blade to cover the trench when the work is done, all with one machine and one operator. Compact excavators also provide reach and lifting capacity to work in hard to access areas.” Tilt angle buckets, thumbs, breakers, mowers, and augers are just a few examples of what operators use on compact excavators to make efficient use of time. The variety of attachments greatly extend the machine’s capabilities and improve a contractor’s return on investment. “General purpose buckets and thumbs are by far the most utilized attachments among landscapers because of their added versatility,” Steger says. “Being able to pick and place objects rather than just scoop them up and dump with a bucket makes an operator much more precise and efficient whether it be in a demo or finish work application.” In addition to the general-purpose buckets, grapples are ideal for picking and placing heavy objects like stones or
John Deere’s mini excavators range in operating weights from 1.7 to 6 metric tons that each pair with the existing line of attachments. John Deere
k
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COVER STORY Taking the time to do a little research will help you be more prepared to buy the correct compact excavator for the job resulting in more financial success. Kubota
railroad ties, or for cleaning up debris like limbs or logs. “The number of attachments for excavators continues to grow every year because of the time saving efficiency they offer for a wide range of applications,” Baker says. For example, Caldwell says outfitting the machine with a mower or mulcher makes it possible to clear unwanted brush, small trees and undergrowth, clean-up around ponds and keep paths and roads clear of overhanging branches. In addition, landscapers often use augers to quickly drill holes for fence posts or planting vegetation on the job. He says ditching/grading buckets feature a smooth edge and are ideal for ditch clean-out and grading or leveling areas in preparation for laying sod or installing a patio. “Grading blades are a great tool and can be used to create various contours or slopes and level or grade areas to improve drainage and create more points of visual interest in the landscape,” Coldwell says. “Customers are finding more
and more uses for compact excavators, and these machines are now being treated more like a multitool,” Caldwell adds. “No longer are customers simply using a bucket and thumb; instead, they are finding ways to do a broader range of jobs smarter and more efficiently using the many attachment options available today “
Plenty of leg room
A comfortable operator is a productive operator. Caldwell suggests when looking at purchasing or renting a compact excavator to consider the size of the operator area and how it is designed. Does it have a flat floor area with ample leg/foot space? Is there enough space between the joysticks so they do not contact the operator’s legs, limiting their stroke? How intuitive are the controls and monitor panel? Does the seat provide ample adjustments (fore/aft, weight, height)? If you know you’ll be working all year round, you may want to make the additional investment in a cab unit with heating and air conditioning. He says contractors may also need their excavator to have a broader set of available auxiliary hydraulics so you can add additional implements and tools to get jobs done faster and more efficiently. “An excavator with the ability to set up multiple attachment presets makes it easier to switch between attachments and ensure that the excavator has the available auxiliary flow and capacity to run attachments efficiently,” Caldwell says. Lastly, from a comfort standpoint, is determining whether you need an excavator with a cab or canopy. “Keep in mind that while a cab unit may cost more initially, if it keeps you in the operator’s seat longer and for more
months of the year, your increased productivity may pay for that additional investment very quickly,” Caldwell says. In addition, the type of attachments being utilized should also be taken into consideration. For example, he says if the machine is going to be equipped with a breaker, a cab machine would provide the operator with greater protection than a canopy. The same would apply if using a mower or mulcher. A polycarbonate front glass/ or window guard would also be needed to enhance or improve operator safety. Additional safety considerations may be determined by site use. Caldwell suggests operators working in congested areas where there may be more foot or vehicular traffic should consider a rearview camera, especially on larger excavators where it would be more difficult to see around the rear of the machine. It is important to ensure that the travel alarm is operating properly on the machine to alert people around the machine that it is moving, even with the mini or compact excavators.
Should I just rent?
Deciding on whether to buy or rent a piece of equipment really is dependent upon the specific contractor and their individual business needs. During more difficult economic times, having rental options allows customers to complete their project while
Kubota compact excavator operators can prioritize the boom swing function and dig without repositioning of the excavator. Kubota
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COVER STORY conserving their cash flow and lines of credit. “There is very little difference between our rental and retail models, so many of our contractors rent until they have enough guaranteed work before moving into the next stage of leasing or purchasing,” Worley says. Several factors influence rental costs: demand, area, location in the U.S. (Western, Southeast, Northern, etc.), length of rental, and attachments and associated costs rented with the compact excavator. “Whether a landscape professional is looking to rent or buy, customers usually always end up finding work for the machine,” Steger says. “Utilization is key to return on investment.” Among the top considerations for contractors is how often they will utilize the machine and what they can afford from a time aspect. “If they will only need an excavator periodically, then renting a machine to complete a job or several jobs may suffice,” Caldwell says. “When renting a machine, contractors don’t have to worry about breakdowns or maintenance issues, depreciation, etc. They can opt for the newest, most feature-laden machine on the rental yard without worrying about how they’ll be able to afford it.” However, the challenge is that they also may find that the machine they need is unavailable or out on another jobsite for an extended period. “They lose a certain amount of control by renting,” Caldwell says. Balancing the cost of renting per day or opting to rent for a month if the job is going to take three weeks is significant. Baker suggests going to the counter at the rental house and thoroughly examining the rental prices. Delivery charges vary as well, depending on if the customer is physically picking up excavator at the rental yard or if the excavator is being delivered. “The convenience of being able to continue to work on the job and have the excavator delivered to the jobsite may outweigh the cost of delivery & pickup,” Baker says. “By taking the time to
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examine and run the math while considering the length of time the excavator is needed, the renter may be able to save money and associated cost.” However, as more people choose to work on property improvement projects, the demand for Equipping the excavator with a bucket and thumb combo is a a congiven for many in the landscape/hardscape industry professionals tractor looking for easier ways to clean out trash and debris. to purCaterpillar chase a research to better understand what mini excavator may be higher and over exactly they need to get the job done time the benefits are sure to pay off. before selecting a model,” Steger says. “If a contractor knows they’ll be doing He says it is imperative to always a lot of work that a compact excavachoose the model that best suits your tor and its attachments could handle needs. For example, Steger says each faster and easier, the investment in a of the six John Deere models has difmachine may be worth it because of ferent key specifications to consider the increased productivity it brings,” when it comes to operating weight, dig Caldwell says. “Consider how much depth, lift capacity, and attachments. time and effort you could save by investAlso, whether purchasing or renting, ing in a compact excavator, will it help Steger says customer support also should you complete more jobs and earn more be a priority consideration. It is imporrevenue? If so, it could virtually pay tant to have dealer support for parts for itself in a short period of time.” and service whenever needed. There are also rental purchase options available for customers so they can rent the machine for a while A Cat 302 CR makes short work of a and then purchase it later. retaining wall or pile of rock materials. “Purchasers should do their Caterpillar
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EQUIPMENT FOCUS
By Curt Bennink
BEST LAND CLEARING OPTION Choose the
T
here are several choices when selecting a land clearing option. You can choose between skid steers or compact track loaders (CTLs) with attachments, forestry specific loaders with attachments or dedicated mulching machines. Mulchers are hydraulic-intensive attachments. This makes it important to match the capabilities of the loader and the attachment. “Understand the specs of your loader, understand the specs of your attachment and make sure to choose the two that mate together best in the end,” says Buck Storlie, product manager, ASV. Choosing between a skid steer or CTL, a forestry-specific model or a dedicated mulching machine really comes down to utilization and jobsite requirements. One of the advantages of a compact track loader is size. “They are smaller, lighter, easier
to transport,” notes Storlie. The universal nature of skid steers and compact track loaders allows multiple attachments to increase utilization. CTLs offer an advantage in terms of versatility and travel speed. “The true advantage is the design versatility, which is enabled by the wide variety of attachments that can be quickly paired with the compact track loader to allow it to effectively undertake and complete any number of tasks,” says Kevin Coleman, product specialist, Caterpillar. “The CTL platform brings with it the ability to perform many different tasks in a land clearing application due to its quick-coupler interface that allows for quick tool changes. “As an example, a mulching head can be attached to cut and mulch vegetation, trees, saplings and undergrowth from overgrown agricultural or forested terrain. A grapple rake could then be attached to help sort debris, stumps and large logs into piles,” he points out. “If the material has been mulched into a fine byproduct, a power
rake can be attached to mix it into the soil while loosening and leveling the ground, leaving a graded surface prepped for seedlings, if needed.” Travel speed is also an advantage with the CTL. “The standard twospeed travel allows for quick and easy movement into the brush or the area being worked and, conversely, it allows for faster travel out of the work area to move to the next job,” says Coleman.
Upfit Skid steers and CTLs for Safety
Skid steers and CTLs will need to be upfitted for land clearing applications. “If you jump in a standard CTL and go out there, you don’t have the level of protection necessary to make sure that operators are safe day in and day out,” says Storlie. The most important safety item is thrown object protection for the operator. “You must have 1/2-in. polycarbonate minimum,” says Matt Warfel, division sales manager, Fecon. “It’s a
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A CTL with a mulching attachment allows for maximum maneuverability, especially in applications where the work area can be more restrictive. Examples would include working in areas where clearing of certain invasive plant species while leaving behind other plants/trees is required, or clearing right of way areas near highways or railroads. Caterpillar
safety requirement.” Bobcat Company offers a forestry application kit that can be paired with CTLs. “Designed to protect operators and business owners’ investment in the toughest conditions, the forestry application kit must be installed on a compact track loader to operate forestry attachments,” says Britta Kopp, marketing manager, attachments, Bobcat Company. “The exclusive forestry door protects operators from flying debris and objects. Other benefits include an ISO 3449 Level II Falling Object Protective Structure (FOPS) and debris guards for muffler, lights and hydraulic components.” Bobcat’s forestry application kit includes: • Fire extinguisher mounted in the cab for quick access in an emergency • Forestry door made of 3/4-in. laminated polycarbonate installed — some forestry attachments will not operate without the door installed; emergency exit allows removal of the front door, if necessary • Front and rear light guards ensure branches and debris won’t break lights • Hydraulic quick-coupler guard, along with no exposed fittings on the hoses,
helps protect couplers, hoses and wire harness from falling trees and branches • Level II FOPS protects operator and cab from falling trees and objects • Muffler guard protects the tailpipe from damage and reduces material buildup in the engine compartment (except on Tier 4 Forestry Application Kits) • Polycarbonate top, rear and side windows (1/4- or 1/2-in. polycarbonate) protects the operator and maximizes visibility Forestry specific models address most safety concerns right from the factory. “With our forestry specific models, you have Level II falling object protection, poly doors and an operator protective structure meeting all the forestry standards. The forestry specific models are becoming more popular for us,” says Storlie. The ASV RT-120 Forestry is basically a CTL that has been factory upfitted with proper cooling and protection to be woods or forestry ready. “Those upfits, if you were to buy after the fact, you’re probably looking at roughly $15,000 worth of additional accessories. The advantage in that product is having those features up front, knowing that you have them. You are ready to do work whether it is in the woods or standard CTL work.” CTLs offer an advantage in terms of versatility and travel speed versus a dedicated mulching machine. Generally, the more
hydraulic horsepower available, the more productive you can be. This has made high-horsepower models such as the 120-hp RT-120 Forestry popular for this application. But there is a growing demand for mid-size models. “We’ve added another model to our forestry lineup, the RT-75 HD,” says Storlie. “That’s a little bit smaller loader, 75 hp, a little bit less flow. But we are seeing that transition where guys are looking for that mid-size machine.” To address the need for smaller horsepower mulchers, Fecon has recently added a standard-flow mulching attachment, the RK5015. It is designed to shred vegetation to 4-in. diameter, yet requires just 17 to 27 gpm of hydraulic flow. ASV has worked with Loftness to provide a mulching attachment that is optimized with the performance of the loader. “We work together with them specifically on all the pressure settings, the pulleys, the belts, to dial it in,” says Storlie. “They have mulchers that can meet the needs of several manufacturers. But when we partnered up with them, they came in and worked with our engineers to get everything set to the durability levels we needed for high horsepower and high flow. I think we really have it dialed in well for our tractor.” Caterpillar also offers its Cat 299D3 XE Land Management CTL with matched drum-style mulching attachments. “The 299D3 XE Land
Bobcat
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Drum mulchers are generally viewed as being safer than the disc or deck styles. The disc or deck style heads generally throw material a lot further. They also don’t leave you as fine a finished product. Fecon
Management machine comes with factory equipment that make it better suited for these challenging applications,” notes Coleman. Additional sealing components, and other special parts help to restrict debris and other materials from entering the engine compartment and lower frame. Added guarding components help to protect the front and rear LED worklights, work tool coupler area, work tool electrical harness connections and auxiliary hydraulic quick-disconnect fittings from impact and debris that are often hazards in land clearing applications. There are some unique considerations due to the remote areas where these machines tend to operate and the amount of debris generated.
There really isn’t a substitute for the size and hydraulic horsepower of a dedicated machine on large land-clearing projects. Fecon
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“One consideration is the 58-gal. fuel tank that delivers up to 12 hours of run time. Because these machines are often operating in areas where the fuel source is located at a distance from the work area, a long run time means staying on task longer, potentially completing the job without wasting time traveling to/from their truck for refueling,” says Coleman. A Fire Suppression System option is also available to provide additional peace of mind for customers working in these debris-intensive applications.
Consider Unique Jobsite Requirements
There is no substitute for the productivity of a dedicated mulching machine on a large jobsite, whether it requires selective thinning or to be completely cleared. “Dedicated mulchers tend to be for bigger jobs — maybe you are not doing thinning, you are doing complete clearing,” says Storlie. “You need horsepower and size.” The speed of the job can directly impact the need for a dedicated mulching machine. “If you have a 5-acre job, but you need it done in one day, you are going to bring out a purpose-built machine,” notes Warfel. “A skid steer will probably take two or three days to do that.” Contractors who do a lot of mulching may have a place for both skid steers or CTLs and dedicated machines. “We have a contractor in Illinois, he runs up to 12 skid steers and two purposebuilt machines,” says Warfel. “He says you cannot replace the skid steers with the purpose-built machine. He’s grown his business to the point where there are places for both machines. “He will send the purpose-built machine to a bigger, rougher terrain job where the skid steers might not be able to get up and down the slopes and through the rock,” he explains. “The smaller jobs that might go through somebody’s backyard to get to the right-of-way where it’s a little intimidating sending the bigger machine — homeowners get a little more upset about it — he
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will send the skid steers out there.” Coleman adds, “Certainly, the size of the project and the desired results have an effect on the best machine for the job. The CTL solution allows for maximum maneuverability, especially in applications where the work area can be more restrictive. Examples would include working in areas where clearing of certain invasive plant species while leaving behind other plants/trees is required, or clearing right-of-way areas near highways or railroads. The CTL solution also provides flexibility with regards to transport vs. a larger and heavier dedicated machine that may have different transportation requirements.”
Size the Machine for the Task
There is no way around basic physics. “The higher the horsepower you have, the more productive you’re going to be,” says Warfel. But the correct machine choice really depends on the intended use. If it is for occasional use, a standardflow attachment on a lower horsepower machine may be the most appropriate. In this instance, the lower hydraulic horsepower equates to a lower production rate, but you can compensate by using less expensive machinery. “You can basically pay a third less for the unit because you are not going to use it every day,” says Warfel. “If you want more productivity because you’re trying to make money doing this, you should migrate toward the high-flow attachments.” Matching the machine to the vegetation is an important consideration. For instance, Fecon engineers have designed a mulcher specifically for stringy vegetation that is common in areas with long growing seasons. The RK7618, or Blackhawk, is designed specifically for knife tools which finely chip standing vegetation as well as material already on the ground. A common problem is that contractors often want to buy the least expensive machine they possibly can. “They buy a machine that’s too small for the work they are trying to do,” says Warfel. “You
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EQUIPMENT FOCUS are overworking the machine, so you are going to beat your machine apart. You are also going to run into overheat issues, because if you are overworking that machine you are going to stall it more frequently. When you stall it, you are building up your hydraulic temperatures.” Customers often purchase a small skid steer and think they are going to grind 12- and 14-in. trees all day. “It’s not going to happen.” Part of the problem can be attributed to advertising. Many companies advertise that you can take a deck head and grind an 8- or 10-in.-diameter tree. “Can you do it? You can do it,” says Warfel. “I wouldn’t do it all day long or you are going to beat your machine apart. I don’t care who builds it.” “The drum-style mulchers are a lot heavier built,” he adds. With a highflow skid steer, these mulchers can often handle 4- to 6-in.-diameter trees. “If you had to take an 8- or 10-in. tree with a drum mulcher, I wouldn’t think twice about it. I know nothing is going to happen to the mulcher.”
Choose the Best Cutting Configuration
Land clearing attachments come in different configurations. “The first one being rotary blade-style attachments,” says Storlie. “Picture a large rotary disc with blades on it. That is your baseline, least expensive way to just knock material to the ground.” From there, you jump up to a disc mulcher. “That would be a large disc with typically carbide teeth on it,” Storlie says. “It does a little bit better job of mulching. It still knocks [the material] down pretty well, but the teeth help it to mulch the material.” Then there are the drum mulchers. “Typically, they have the highest acquisition cost, but give you the best finish, the best overall capabilities,” says Storlie. “Drum mulchers are generally viewed as being safer than the disc or deck styles,” says Warfel. “The disc or deck style heads generally throw material a lot further. They also don’t leave you
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For its RT-120 Forestry model, ASV concentrated on the cooling package. It is designed for 100% load, 100% of the time up to 118 degree F ambient temperatures. ASV
as fine a finished product. You usually use those in more open areas where you might not necessarily care what the finished product looks like. Guys usually refer to it as a ‘blow and go’ operation. You are usually left with larger material laying on the ground. The drum mulcher will grind it up finer, mix it in with the dirt. You could be left with almost like a park setting when you are done with a drum mulcher. A deck or disc style is faster, but it also doesn’t leave you as nice a product.” Bobcat’s forestry cutter attachment is equipped with a horizontal drum cutter designed for clearing trees and brush, cutting firebreaks, cleaning lots and maintaining properties. “The attachment can punch into large-diameter trees and bring the uppermost limbs quickly to the ground,” says Kopp. “The forestry cutter’s tube-style drum and spiral tooth pattern allow one tooth to engage at a time, so operation is smooth and less horsepower is required to do the job.” She adds, “The compact size of the forestry cutter allows for any type of removal job, whether clearing every tree in an area or selectively thinning
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stands. Operators can simply lower the forestry cutter onto the tree and its fast cutting teeth rip it to shreds, turning it into a bed of mulch that slows growth and provides organic material.” There are many factors that influence the best attachment decision. “When I’m choosing, I’d be thinking about the size of the job first,” says Storlie. “The size of the material comes into play. Next is what kind of finish do I need to leave behind? If I just have to knock it to the ground and it can be ugly when I leave, a blade-style will do that just fine. If I have to leave a nice finish, then I have to get into a mulcher where the debris is sized smaller. We can go all of the way to dirt if we want to with a drum mulcher.” Be realistic about your planned utilization. “You have to factor in the cost of the attachments,” says Storlie. “The acquisition cost of the attachment and the running cost of the attachment on a drum mulcher could be up to three times what a blade-style disc would be.”
Cooling is a Priority
Hydraulic-intensive attachments tend to generate a lot of heat. “Cooling is a must
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for the high-performance, high-power hydro-mechanical attachments that these machines power,” says Coleman. The 299D3 XE Land Management machine’s cooling system features a hydraulically driven reversing fan that can be manually activated or set to automatically activate to clear debris from the airflow intake screens. It can also be equipped with a roof-mounted auxiliary hydraulic cooler for additional hydraulic cooling capacity when operating in high ambient temperatures. Hydraulic coolers are a popular option on mulching machines, but this option tends to be more regional in nature. “The further south you go, the more apt guys are to put that option on,” says Warfel. “If you are in northern Minnesota or Canada, we don’t sell a lot of coolers up there.” The lower ambient temperatures in these regions provide a larger margin of safety. ASV has designed its RT-120 Forestry mulcher to stay cool in demanding applications in the warmest climates. “The big additions we make to that machine are the cooling package — a standard reversing fan and an extreme cooling package,” says Storlie. This application puts a lot of heat into the hydraulic system. “It’s a very high demand application. Think about our biggest CTL — it’s pushing 45 gpm to the attachment. When you are running a forestry mulcher, that attachment is engaged 100%. It’s under load most of that time.” Storlie adds, “Then you have the chaff and debris factors. The mulching attachments are certainly known to throw a lot of debris in the air, a lot of dust, a lot of chaff that tends to plug coolers. You’re building heat due to the high demand and the high debris can plug and dirty the cooling package, which is why we include our standard reversing fan and build our machines for 100% load, 100% of the time up to 118˚ F ambient temperatures.” The amount of chaff and debris generated mandates closer attention to maintenance. CTLs pack the engine and components into a very tight space. “It does not take much to start having overheat problems or fires in a CTL just because they are cramming a lot of stuff in that engine compartment,” says Warfel. You need to be religious about keeping it clean. “When you get into the more purpose-built machines, they have a lot more open engine compartments,” he notes. “You still have to keep them clean, but there is a little more forgiveness because you have bigger coolers.” Dedicated mulching machines also tend to have trashstyle coolers with wider fin spacing. Skid steers and CTLs tend to have tight fin spacing. This can create issues when someone tries to pressure wash the machine in the field. “One of the worst things they can do is pressure wash out those coolers,” says Warfel. “Then they go back to work and the dirt and dust gets sucked into that water in the coolers. It almost turns into concrete inside there. It’s very difficult to blast that out of the coolers. Now you have lost all your cooling potential in the machine.”
INTELLIGENT MULCHER TECHNOLOGY SIMPLIFIES
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inton, OK-based Dougherty Forestry Mfg. was founded in 2003 to serve the land clearing, forestry and mulching markets. The company is accustomed to dealing with the challenges of custom cutters. One of the company’s competitive advantages was that it offered a mulcher with a direct drive train instead of a belt and pulley. But a couple of years ago the company recognized a major technology shift was occurring across the equipment industry and decided it was time to set off in different direction with a revolutionary new line of mulching products. “A couple of years ago we stepped back from the industry and took a hard look at where the market was headed and developed these products to get ahead of the curve,” says Patrick Dougherty, CEO of Dougherty Mfg. “We made some major investments in new technologies and the Mastodon line of forestry mulchers have some never-before-seen features like Electronic Control Unit (ECU) controlled shifting, lift assist, hour and temp monitoring and in-field smartphone tuning with Bluetooth. We feel these features future proof our client’s investment and makes certain their operations are competitive now and into the future.”
Identifying a solution
Two-speed mulchers with variable-displacement motors have traditionally used a hydraulic pilot signal to determine when to shift, or change displacement. “Generally, the way a twospeed mulcher works is you have to have a pilot signal go to the solenoid and mechanically move the displacement of the motor,” says Dougherty. During operation, the flow and pressures change as you feed the mulcher into the material which results in pressure spikes. “It’s a pretty intense situation for a hydraulic circuit. So using a pilot signal to shift leads to some very interesting phenomenon. It is not ideal.” Then you must consider the variability of the carri-
Mastodon mulchers can go from 30cc to 160cc instantly. They offer 700 ft. lbs. of torque down low. On the upper end they operate at 2,500 rpm. Dougherty Forestry Mfg.
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EQUIPMENT FOCUS your flow starts to drop and your filters need to be changed. ers utilized. Some utilize gear pumps while others utilize Another benefit of using an ECU to control the shift is an piston pumps, and they all have unique flows and presability to use a larger displacement motor. “A lot of mulchers sures. One mulcher attachment must interface with all of can’t really shift very far because the limit of that hydraulic these different carriers. “That’s why you see a lot of people pilot signal,” says Dougherty. “They might shift from 110cc send a technician out to set the displacement on the motor down to 80cc. There’s not a big window there. We can go from and set the shift point pressures,” explains Dougherty. 30cc to 160cc instantly. It’s got 700 ft. lbs. of torque down low. To eliminate the problems caused by feedback from hydrauOn the upper end we’re doing 2,500 rpm. We can really dial lic pilot signals caused by pressure spikes and address the in that shift point to deliver the torque right when needed.” variability of pressures and flows from the carrier units, “There’s a point where at full rpm you don’t have a lot of Dougherty Forestry Mfg. decided to pursue ECU contorque,” he adds. “At full torque you don’t have any rpms, it is trols on its Mastodon mulchers. “There are motors that stalled out. There’s a sweet spot right in the middle where you shift electronically. Then you have to connect that to an get that maximum power.” Through it’s optional operator’s ECU,” explains Dougherty. But then the real work begins. display, a circular gauge gives the operator a clear indication of “You have to write software for it.” This was the most comwhere they are working. This is important as many operators plicated part of the development process. “It took quite a try to gauge drum speed based on sound, which can be deceivbit of R&D to get the software to do we wanted it to do.” ing and lead to lower productivity. “Once we did that, now it’s driven by the ECU, it is independent of the Information maximizes hydraulic system,” says productivity Dougherty. “You can Typically, the only feedback you make it shift ahead of the get from many mulchers is from curve.” The attachment the pressure gauge. “The prescan react proactively. sure gauge really only tells you For instance, a skidwhen the mulcher is stopped,” steer loader can lose says Dougherty. “If your system 40 to 50 percent of its is 3,000 psi and your gauge goes hydraulic flow volume to 3,000 psi, the drum is stopped. as the loader arms are It’s hitting maximum preslifted. “Depending on sure. That’s really not that useful the machine, they pull when you are in the woods.” that volume and they With the ECU and sensors, the With the ECU and sensors, the Mastodon technology can tell put it to the lift arms.” Mastodon technology can tell you you drum speed, fluid temperature and hours. drum speed, fluid temperature Dougherty Forestry Mfg. and hours. Being able to track both Get ahead of the actual drum speed and temperature can help the operator run curve the attachment more efficiently. Overheating these attachWith a traditional mulcher, the speed may drop from 2,000 ments is a common concern. “What happens when operators rpm to 1,000 rpm and then you have to wait until the speed heat them up is they just work them too hard,” he adds. With comes back up before you begin mulching. The software in the operating gauges, operators can keep the attachment the Mastodon mulcher can predict the change in flow and working in the ‘sweet spot’ and eliminate overheat concerns. compensate. “We have the software say this guy’s trying to Recovery time is also important to address overlift the arms and it shifts ahead of the curve, so that when he heat concerns. When the attachment comes up to speed, lifts the arms you don’t lose any RPMs,” says Dougherty. it coasts and cools down. “Our recovery time is four This whole process works without operator intervention. “From the operating standpoint you don’t know what it’s doing. seconds from 0 up to 2,500 rpm,” notes Dougherty. Finally, being able to track hours is not only important It just works really good,” notes Dougherty. This technolfrom a utilization and maintenance standpoint, it also helps ogy is also able to detect the flow and pressure output from prove billable hours. “The mulchers are now pretty expenthe carrier and adjust for optimized performance. No more sive by the hour,” he explains. Custom cutters may charge guessing or having technicians come out to make adjustments. $150 to $250 an hour. “The landowners are reasonably conDougherty Mfg. has discovered many manufacturers undercerned that all of those hours on the skid-steer loader are estimate the actual flow their machine’s produce. “It’s hard to actually time spent mulching. Now you can show them tune something correctly if none of the numbers are correct.” A side benefit of being able to view the actual flows and pres- your phone and say we started at 88 hours and now it is at 102 hours. There is not really any argument there.” sures on your smart phone is that you can actually see when
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SPECIAL REPORT
By Ryan Whisner
Belgard
FX Lum
Landscape Lighting Shines THROUGH AS A POPULAR UPGRADE
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ver the past year, backyards and other managed landscapes became a haven for social gatherings. Home improvements, particularly those in backyards, skyrocketed in 2020. Exterior kitchens, fireplaces, patios and decks are able to be used well into the evening hours, provided that they are well lit. With technology such as LED lighting making landscape lighting more efficient and affordable, more and more consumers are asking for it to be included in their overall landscape design. To shed some light on the subject, we reached out to a handful of industry experts. Q: What is your assessment of interest in landscape lighting in 2021? A: Todd Goers, national sales manager landscape lighting/green industry, WAC Lighting: We have seen a spike in interest in landscape lighting demand since the pandemic reared its ugly head. I have heard many landscape lighting contractors say that with many homeowners now working/operating from home, they have assessed improvements that they have deemed appropriate for their residences and fortunately landscape lighting has risen high on their list of improvements they are wanting.
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Sarah Auyeung, associate product manager, FX Luminaire: During the initial months of the pandemic, homeowners reduced their overall spending. By autumn the landscape lighting industry, along with the rest of the green channel, saw sales recover and even experienced sales growth. This phenomenon extended through the winter and we are still seeing an increased demand for landscape lighting. It’s like the busy season never ended in 2020. In hindsight, the spike of homeowner interest in landscape lighting makes complete sense. Homeowners are spending more time in their outdoor living spaces, from simply enjoying their property to making lists of home improvement projects. Landscape lighting allows homeowners to make their yards more accessible after sunset. The motivation to spend more time in their yards, especially after a full day of homeschooling, working, and living within the same walls, day after day, has propelled strong growth in landscape lighting industry. Joe Raboine, director of residential hardscapes, Belgard: The pandemic created a significant shift in how homeowners view their homes and the features they are incorporating into their designs and renovations. Lighting has become an integral feature to increase the functionality of outdoor spaces. They
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Tru-Scapes Landscape Lighting
need more lighting to be able to work, exercise and carry out other daily tasks at home safely, plus landscape lighting increases curb appeal of the home. Jim Frederick, sales manager, TruScapes Landscape Lighting: It seems the pandemic has increased interest across the entire outdoor living industry, and we saw unprecedented growth in 2020. The number of homeowners working from home offices grew exponentially, so the outdoor living industry boomed. People stuck at home and using vacation money to make improvements to home and property have benefitted our industry in ways we never expected. As a partner with Belgard we share the common goal to provide useable outdoor living spaces that bring value to the consumer. Landscape lighting is a valuable upgrade to an outdoor space as it extends the hours of use and even provides value in the off season by highlighting the investment year-round. Q: What makes the transition smoother for a landscape professional to add lighting services to their business? A: WAC Lighting: WAC Lighting has developed a line of landscape lighting products that offers tremendous flexibility. We have engineered products that allow designers/installers options to perfect their work. Fixtures prior to our entry into this space were rigid in design with fixed beam angles and lumen outputs. WAC’s development of products with variable lumen output at the fixture as well as beam adjustability on board has changed the industry. FX Luminaire: Landscape contractors are increasingly seeing the value of adding lighting to their services. As contractors enter the landscape lighting business, manufacturers have been helping them along the way in all aspects of their operations, from
product knowledge to customer engagement. FX Luminaire provides tips for marketing outdoor lighting solutions as total systems or packages, offers free virtual trainings, and develops new tools to simplify bidding, specification, and installation. These methods allow us to provide continuous education to support our contractor customers. Belgard: Contractors can forge partnerships with lighting solutions providers to make installation simple and easy and offer more options to meet any homeowner’s style and needs. Tru-Scapes Landscape Lighting: I believe several factors have brought landscape lighting into the spotlight in our industry. I was introduced to landscape lighting nearly 20 years ago. I saw the opportunities and have always enjoyed the training of this category, helping fellow landscape pros grow their business and offer lighting. One factor in the growth we have seen the last number of years was the introduction of LED technology, providing a simpler installation solution, as well as a much more reliable system with less call backs/issues. Also, as more homeowners are made aware of the value and beauty of landscape lighting, we see more requests and sales. Manufacturers such as Belgard have realized the value of the wholistic approach when proposing a project to a homeowner featuring lighting in catalog and marketing campaigns as well as design and sales tools. Homeowners can see the added beauty of lighting in a 3-D design proposal prior to breaking ground. Q; What advice would you share with those seeking to add landscape lighting to their business? A: WAC Lighting: Seek out professional training from an accredited source such as the Association of
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Outdoor Lighting Professionals (AOLP) or the International Landscape Lighting Institute (ILLI). FX Luminaire: Photograph! With landscape lighting, showing is always better than telling. Having a portfolio of photos to properly showcase your design and installation skills is invaluable to the marketing and advertising of your lighting services. Light is hard to capture in photo or in video. A smartphone or tablet camera will not cut it. If you don’t have your own equipment, always invest in a professional photographer who can expertly shoot and edit landscape lighting photos. Belgard: Research and ask questions. The best thing you can do if you’re thinking of adding lighting it to ask questions of those that are already successful. Our partners at Tru-Scapes are also contractors, so they are installing lighting daily and can assist with install and bidding questions. Lighting today with LED is easier than ever, and there is a great deal of opportunity. Once you educate yourself, the sky is the limit. Also remember the evening is the time when most outdoor spaces are used, so having them properly lit greatly enhances
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Tru-Scapes Landscape Lighting
SPECIAL REPORT try is we have over-simplified landscape lighting. There is still a skill to the installation process and training is key. We are providing the industry with professional grade products and asking homeowners to pay good money for the product and installation. We need to embrace the value of proper training and techniques. Installers can provide simple systems but even the most basic installation requires a level of design and skill.
Q: What trends within landscape lighting are you expecting to see in 2021? A: WAC Lighting: Landscape lighting allows homeowners to make their yards more accessible after sunset. I expect the continuation of product having high the customer’s overall experience. flexibility to be a trend contrasts Tru-Scapes Landscape Lighting: as we move through 2021. of dark and I believe in partnerships. There are FX Luminaire Designers and installers of light can make a plenty of professional manufacturlandscape lighting are demandlandscape difficult to ers and dealers in our country that are ing products with options to perfect look at or feel comfortable in. here to help. Learn the right way to do their landscape lighting creations. . On the flip side, light can also be too it, ask questions and work with quality FX Luminaire: The demand for dim. Using dimmable fixtures makes products and manufacturers that stand modern fixtures continues to rise, on-site adjustments much easier. behind their products. Subscribe to mimicking architectural and interior Mistake #2 is not spending time social media groups that can answer design trends. Contractors are stepat the beginning with client interquestions and assist when needed. We ping up their installation skills and view and design. Contractors should are all constantly learning. The opporimplementing clean, built-in applicaalways collaborate closely with hometunities are there, so don’t miss them. tions that require slim or flush options, owners to determine how they use like strip lights or in-grade lights. their outdoor living spaces and what Q: What are some of the common Belgard: Lighting will continue to be their priorities are when installing the mistakes in landscape lighting? more popular and integral to outdoor lighting system. Lighting is subjecA: WAC Lighting: I have seen landscape projects in 2021. Various LED lighttive, so the more in sync you are with contractors jump into the landscape ing is becoming a prevalent style, your clients, the better off you’ll be. lighting space with zero to little training. as homeowners enjoy being able to Belgard: One of the most common Training on both the mechanics of the adjust levels and colors to accommistakes for companies adding lightsystem as well as fixture design throughmodate any setting or activity. ing is that they don’t do enough out a project is essential in becoming Tru-Scapes Landscape Lighting: I see research. There are so many options a skilled craftsman in this field. more creative application of lights in on the market, which often overcomFX Luminaire: Mistake #1 is chooshardscapes and manufacturers such as plicates things. Having a pared down ing quantity over quality. Contractors ourselves are working to provide creative assortment of go-to items, such as should strive to select products that are solutions for installers. We are seeing our Tru-Scapes line, makes it much made with high-quality materials. This interest in more control, such as Wi-Fi simpler. Following best practices for strategy will pay back over the long term and Bluetooth technology, color changinstallations will help reduce the learnin saved costs related to warranty and ing lights, full rainbow as well as Kelvin ing curve and make you more money. replacement work. As for light output, temperature adjustment and dimming You can always add complexity but try more is not always better. Some contraccapabilities. We continue to see growth to keep it simple in the beginning. tors tend to overestimate the amount in the outdoor room concept with lightTru-Scapes Landscape Lighting: I of light needed for a job. The human ing as a key element of the design. think one concern I have for our induseye is quite slow at adjusting to light, so
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LAWN CARE
By Ryan Whisner
Riding on this Z-Spray Max, a worker maintains a constant pace throughout a day of work, versus walking all day and possibly changing pace by the end of a shift. Z Turf Equipment
VALUE, VERSATILITY, AND EASE-IN-OPERATION are Top Sellers in the Sprayer and Spreader Market F rom fertilizer to herbicide, the most efficient way to distribute liquid or granular material in the green industry is with increasingly sophisticated spray or spreader systems or machines. While productivity is critical to consider when purchasing a stand-on sprayer/spreader or truck-mounted unit to complete more jobs in a day, it doesn’t amount to much without ease of use to reduce operator training and error, comfort to retain employees and ensure their safety, and precision to cut wasted product and time. There’s no question, landscape and lawn care professionals are all about hard work. You’re not doing this unless, unless you’re up for hard work. However, there’s no reason that you need to make it harder than it is. “That’s our mantra, how do we help you grow your business profitably and that’s about being more productive,
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but also enjoying it,” says Scott Kinkead, executive vice president, Turfco. “Right now, a lot of landscaping companies have great opportunities for growth, and we hear more companies trying to figure out how to grow their business profitably and find the staff to run their equipment.” For lawn care operators, one of those key pieces of equipment is sprayers. There are several key features when looking at a sprayer and most of them come from how you plan on operating your lawn care business. The underlying issue within the green industry is labor. “We’re in this great position in our industry right now where it’s not, is there organic growth, it’s how do I grow my business and how do I grow it profitably?” Kinkead says, noting that he is excited to help contractors that are looking to figure out
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how to grow and what to invest in. “It’s no different than in our factory. We’re not doing everything just with wrenches, we’re using lasers and computer-controlled machining centers, it’s a natural progression,” he says. In a general sense, Kinkead says it’s important for contractors to consider how easy it will be to train the next employee on a new machine. Many have machines for small properties and another machine for larger properties and the operator is unable to move between the two so there is no or limited cross functionality. “We have two machines, one is the largest capacity applicator that will fit through a 36-inch gate and then I also have a unit on a similar platform which holds 60 gallons and 326 pounds of granular for larger proper-
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ties,” he says. “A guy can step off that one machine and step on the other machine if somebody doesn’t show up to work that day, all your employees can easily run both. That’s one of the things that we’ve heard out in the field.” “I think that training piece is a crucial piece for what they’re looking at,” Kinkead says. “I think that’s something as a lawn care operator, as they’re selecting that piece of equipment, that should be considered.” He also believes intuitive operation is one of the main attractions when purchasing a new stand-on sprayer/ spreader, especially when many landscape contractors are turning away work because they can’t staff the projects. Turfco’s design platform with a steering wheel, hands-free speed control and hydrostatic transmission is based around the general concept productivity and ease in training. Kinkead says a new employee can be up and running on the equipment in under a week. Beyond making the current generation of stand-on sprayers/spreaders easy to operate and maintain, manufacturers are also taking on other important initiatives to get operators on board. With the labor shortage continuing to cripple some landscaping companies’ ability to expand, sprayer/spreader providers are striving to make their equipment easier on the operator’s body. “What we hear from operators is that they are not exhausted at the end of the day after doing a lot of properties on our equipment,” Kinkead says. The more content your employees are at the end of each day, the likelier you are to retain them. If the contractor next door is offering the same wage, but with shoddier equipment, employees are going to opt for the company offering modern, comfortable equipment instead. As part of training, Chris Lemke, technical director of Weed Man says contractors need to also be aware of the higher flow rates required. “Ride-on units use lower flow rates which is a concern becuase the product is more concentrated,” he says. “Also the ride-on machines need
low flow rates in order to do more large areas without having to refill” As example, Lemke says TurfCo has a 60-gallon tank. At a .5 gallon per 1,000 sq ft flow rate, you can treate approximtaely 120,000 square feet and approximtely 60,000 sg. ft at a 1 gallon flow rate. Comparatively, he says Weed Man uses two 174 gallon tanks and a 1.2 gallon flow rate to treat approximtely 300,000 sg ft. “Higher flow rates mean less square footage that can be treated thus you would need larger tanks,” he says. With that in mind, Lemke says another consideration is determining if you want to be able to do more than one type of liquid application so at one house? For example, you’re using an herbicide, but you find a home that has disease, and you want to use a liquid fungicide . Having a system that has two tanks allows you to do multiple applications quikcly.. He says other considerations are whether products need constant agitation and if a sprayer provides the ability to ensure products do not settle over the course of a day. In addition, Lemke says it is important to review the engine, pump, and reels on a spray system. “With pumps I always suggest going high end, you pay at the start, but you will get many more years out of an expensive pump with fewer breakdowns,” he says. “The same applies to the reels and with this you want to also think about how much hose you can put on the reel. If it can only handle a 200-foot hose, then that likely is not enough to service some larger residential properties.” Lemke says he always suggests carrying 300 feet or more of hose. Teddy Mathis, national fleet manager, Graham Spray Equipment, says a sprayer must be capable of handling the overall workload for each day. “You want to take into account its capacity, if you have multiple services you are going to need multiple setups, things of that nature,” he says. Lastly, safety is one of the biggest
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Turfco’s hands-free speed control permits operators to use one hand for steering and the other to control the wand while driving if necessary. Turfco
As part of the training process it is important for contractors to be aware of the difference in flow rate requirements between a ride-on spreader/sprayer and a truck-mounted unit. Weed Man
Calibration is one of the number one issues when it comes to application of fertilizers, herbicides and other liquids. Graham Spray Equipment
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LAWN CARE things to consider but often gets overlooked by lawn care professionals. “You will want to have the ability to shut off and prevent leaks if anything goes wrong like a broken hose or intake line to the pump itself,” Lemke says. “One of the most important things that Weed Man did early on is make the tanks in our trade marked spray systems from aluminum. This is awfully expensive compared to a plastic tank, but I have seen our systems hold up even after a major accident like a roll over.”
Calibration is key
The biggest mistake that a lawn care applicator can make is not calibrating the sprayer/spreader and/ or the technician every single day. “It’s our job as a manufacturer to try to minimize that as much as possible,” Kinkead says. With overapplication a common problem, a ride-on sprayer/spreader such
as Turfco’s T3100 or T5000 machines can help ensure operators match up with the next path. Kinkead notes that calibration is something they’ve spent a lot of time ensuring is an easy task. “We train our franchisees to calibrate every single day,” Lemke says. “When I was in operations, I never allowed a technician to go home until we knew what his calibration was.” Ensuring calibration of equipment is vital from both a customer call-back standpoint and a legal/ regulatory standpoint. “Without the proper calibration you cannot predict if you’re putting the chemical out correctly or not,” Mathis says. Jonathan Guarneri, product manager, Z Turf Equipment agrees that calibration is everything. “A lot of the products lawn care professionals use have limits on the quantity that can be applied in a calendar year,” he says “More isn’t always
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a good thing. Some chemicals can only do so much, and if over-applied, they can actually do damage.” It’s also a cost issue. Guarneri says if a contractor is over-applying materials, that can increase costs and decrease profitability. “When products are cheap you can say oh well off by 10% will not cost me that much,” Lemke says. “If you’re applying over the label rate this can be an issue with the state enforcement but more so its money that comes directly out of your pocket. When your below calibration then this means you’re not applying enough product and with pre-emergent this could be a major issue with breakthrough and then unhappy customers.” Outside of calibration, another common mistake is just general consistency of even coverage. “One of the more common mistakes we hear about is operators not knowing their overlap, so they either miss spots, or over apply material where there’s overlap,” Guarneri says. Mathis says some contractors also fail to treat the edges of the grass with additional chemicals so weed outbreaks occur along the sidewalks, beds, and driveways where water collects. Selecting the right equipment for the job is another key error for lawn care operators. For example,
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Assembled in the USA using domestic and foreign parts.
With a Turfco, there are options to fit through a 36-inch gate or have a machine for larger-sized properties. Each have identical operating platforms. Turfco
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There aren’t a lot of applications where an appropriately sized ride-on spreader sprayer can’t do anything a truck-mounted sprayer can do. Z Turf Equipment
Guarneri says, using a backpack sprayer to cover a large lawn. “It’s always best to do it right the first time, because if a customer has to call you back out to fix an application problem, your profitability will suffer,” he says.
Take a ride
When it comes to spraying and spreading, there aren’t a lot of applications where an appropriately sized ride- or stand-on sprayer/spreader can’t do anything a truck-mounted sprayer can do. “Today, lawn care companies face more challenges than ever when it comes to labor. When a worker doesn’t have to walk, but instead can ride on the machine, that’s a big deal, both in terms of productivity, but also in terms of sustainability and employee morale,” Guarneri says. However, he explains that there are some situations, such as a hotel with a green space in a courtyard or rooftop. “In those situations, a ride-on machine is obviously not an option,” he says. “You also need to consider the landscape architecture, and if there are
elevated areas with limited access, a ride-on machine may not be the best choice.” Still, in his opinion, for most properties, a stand-on sprayer/spreader is the best, most productive option. Upgrading to a stand-on sprayer/spreader allows lawn care contractors to tackle several tasks at once, Guarneri says. “We are seeing a lot of people trending away from the old style, where they’re airing the hose off of a truck and then push spreading,” he says. “They’re moving to stand-on spreader/sprayers because they’re obviously able to get multiple things done at once, as well as improve their application consistency.” When riding sprayer/spreaders first hit the market years ago, contractors
were initially concerned whether they would be as effective. As time has passed, more contractors are seeing some of the benefits. “If you’re moving to a ride on applicator, you’re already trying to increase your productiv-
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LAWN CARE ity,” Kinkead says. “You’re saying I’ve gotten a lot of business out here and I don’t want to walk anymore.” In addition, he suggests that the use of the ride-on sprayer/spreader promotes a more professional vibe on a jobsite. “If you’re driving on the property with a professional looking applicator, the homeowners also are less
likely like to say ‘Well, I could just do this myself,’” he says. “You’re done before they even know you’re there.” Another factor to consider is the versatility of route management. Most contractors have a mixture of residential and commercial properties on their client list. “It’s such a productivity killer to
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drive by a large site while doing a small property with one machine or spray system, and then three blocks away is a big property, but you need a different machine,” Kinkead says. “You really don’t want to be in a situation where you’re where you’re spraying the front yard with the with the ride-on applicator, and then you’re back to dragging a hose for the backyard.” As opposed to having multiple different types of machines and all kinds of different operations, he says Turfco has two machines that cover literally every kind of property. “We also find that the application consistency with a stand-on spreader sprayer is far better throughout the day,” Guarneri says. “When you’re walking, you might start the day walking three miles per hour, but by the end of the day, might only be walking two miles per hour. From an application standpoint, that’s a big difference. The machine doesn’t get tired.” Outside of the consistency, Mathis says the biggest determining factor in a walking sprayer versus a ride-on unit is time. “On a small yard, just front and sides etc., it’s quicker to spray by hand,” he says.
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Ultimately, it depends on size and density of properties involved. “What a lot of our customers have said after using our machine is, you know what, I use it all the time, unless the time it takes me longer to drive it off of the trailer is more than it would be if I just pushed a spreader,” Kinkead says. “You can just do so many more properties and more effectively and again, grow your business and add on customers. I think that’s a crucial piece of getting a ride-on applicator.” Conversely, Lemke, technical director for Weed Man, a lawn care company built on technicians walking on clients’ properties admits to being the worst person to speak to any benefits of a ride-on sprayer/spreader. “The only pro I have for a ride-on sprayer are using it for only anything over 40,000 square feet,” Lemke quips. “Even then I am not too sure if I were still in operations that I would have one.” Comparing the two, he is confident he can do the job faster on the smaller residential lawns just using a regular spray system. “By the time a person unloads and fills the ride-on I have half the lawn done,” he says.
For either residential or commercial properties, he would rather send additional technicians with spray units than use a ride-on machine. His other arguments against ride-on machines relate to price and the potential for breakdowns or accidents. “I have been to many a business and seen a lot of them just sitting doing
nothing because they are waiting for parts or after four years of use are literally not being used anymore,” he says. “In most cases you must trailer them and bring water with you to fill them. You must mix quite often on site which is always a concern as well. That increases the likelihood of accidents especially related to the trailer.”
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CONTRACTOR PROFILE
By Ryan Whisner
Women Are
MOWING DOWN THE COMPETITION L
Mullins Lawn Enforcement
andscaping pros have always been predominantly male, but more women are working in the industry today than ever before. Ramona Mullins, owner of Mullins Lawn Enforcement and Kristy Boase, co-owner of MIL-SPEC Landscaping haven’t been slowed down due to their gender. Both Jobber customers, the duo have faced their share of adversity and benefits of owning their companies. They also share a passion of the outdoors. Mullins, who has been in business for 11 years, almost stumbled into owning a landscaping business. Her husband was deployed overseas, and she needed to get a new mower. “I went into Home Depot with the intention of buying a small push mower, but instead I came out with a large commercial mower, which I learned how to use in the parking lot,” she says. “I put an advertisement in the paper and my businesses started there.” Prior to starting the business, she had previously run a children’s before- and after-care program out of her house, but when the family moved to a new house, it wasn’t allowed due to HOA restrictions and Mullins Lawn Enforcement was the result. Boase says she just loves working outside and being able to create art with beautiful plans and different substrates for clients. Celebrating 5 years in business, she says for her, the best part is the transformation. “The design process is very artistic with infinite possibilities,” she says. “It allows me to take a client’s vision and turn it into reality for them.”
Ramona Mullins, owner of Mullins Lawn Enforcement encourages people to be the best they can be and take pride in what they do.
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Overcoming obstacles
Neither of the women said the drawbacks of having a female-owned business are that severe. For both, when someone asks for the owner, there is on occasion that moment of shock when they explain that they are the owner. “It is not necessarily an obstacle, rather an assumption that many guys make right off the bat since it is a male dominated industry,” Boase says. “Everyone laughs about it later and we generally just roll with it, so feelings don’t get hurt.” Rather than a challenge, both seems to find that having a femaleowned landscaping business has quite a few advantages. “It provides me a competitive edge because it usually falls on women to care for homes and pay the bills, so most people who are seeking lawncare services are already women,” Mullins says.
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Continuing, she says in her military small town, it’s mostly the women that are home while their husbands are deployed, and they feel more comfortable dealing with another female than they do a male. For Boase, she flourishes in her ability to bring a feminine artistic flair to the design process when talking with female clients. “It definitely puts the wives more at ease to know that they can speak to another woman “If you’re a woman and want to dominate a male industry, be and to see another woman more knowledgeable than the men,” Kristy Boase says. on their property,” she says. Mullins estimates that make the client happy, etc.,” Boase says. options 90 percent of her custom“He always laughs and tells me that based on ers choose her company Kristy Boase says she loves working we’re there to fix things for them, your USDA because it is female owned. outside and being able to create art while I am trying to get him to complizone, front “When it comes to with beautiful plans. ment at least one thing in their yard vs row, back row, landscaping, I’m mostly telling them all the things he’s going shade, sun, part shade, part sun, width, dealing with other women who are to fix,” she says. “I do believe it’s why height, type of soil specific plants grow making those decisions. They tell we work so well together though. He’s in... this list could go on and on” me “I want pretty flowers!” or someblunt and is focused on fixing everyShe suggests partnering with a thing along those lines,” she says. thing for our clients, while I am more local nursey and learning to speak Of course, for both, there are some sensitive to their overall vision.” in the plant’s scientific name, obstacles, like not being able to physiSome landscaping companot the common name. cally lift as much as a man. “When I nies will hire only men. “If you’re a woman and want to first started, I focused on the things “I just had a girl I hired this year dominate a male industry, be more I was good at like cutting bushes, that applied to several companies knowledgeable than the men,” laying down mulch, mowing and garand none would hire her because she Boase says. “The running joke that dening,” Mullins says. “My skills was a woman,” Mullins says. “That Brian tells all of his male counterhave only grown from there.” loss was my gain, women are empaparts is that they need to go find thetic with customers and tend to themselves their own Kristy.” Moving forward have greater attention to detail.” Overall, the green industry seems to Ignore the doubters. When approached by women like be getting better at accepting women. “The men in my life suggested I could her recent hire who have been turned “I see more landscape companies not run a successful company because I away, she views it as an opportuhiring more women into the field was a woman,” Mullins says. “Aspiring nity to equip them with the skills today,” Mullins says. “That said, I female entrepreneurs need to turn this they need to set off on their own. still don’t think that women are startskepticism into fuel when starting a “I don’t hire people to keep them here, ing their own landscaping business, business. Once their company is up and but to make them the best they can be,” most women that I know in the field running, they will see the rewards.” Mullins says. “If they have the initiative are in it because their husband started Boase agrees, suggesting that the to start their own business, I’m all about the business, and they help when it best way for a woman to be suchelping others create their own future.” comes to scheduling and invoices.” cessful in the is to go all in. She knows from personal expeWorking alongside her husband Brian, “Dedicate yourself to being a lifelong rience that women often get told Boase says she sees how he looks at learner and build your knowledge portthey can’t do something. things differently than her and is blunt. folio before jumping in the ring,” she “We need to encourage people to “Women bring a different perspecsays. “You want to be able to look at a be the best they can be and take pride tive, we hear things differently when clients’ current landscaping, rattle off all in what they do, that will create a clients are explaining their vision, we the names of each plant without hesitalot of change,” Mullins says. generally focus more on how we can tion, and then provide educated design
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BEYOND THE BLADE
By John Tyreman
The Customer Journey in
LANDSCAPING
W
ho are your customers? How did they find you? And what inspired them to choose your landscaping service and not your competitor? Recently, Silverback Strategies launched a survey to answer these questions, with the goal of helping service providers across the country choose the best marketing strategies to reach future customers. Part of a broader study on consumer services, we conducted a special analysis on buyers of residential home services. We focused in on 724 buyers who purchased home services during the summer of 2020 and broke down results by industry. As a business owner, you likely have a sense of your ideal customer. But to reach them, you need to know what their buying journey looks like, from start to finish — from their first
Google search to their final Yelp review. Understanding the behaviors and trends that shape how buyers make decisions can influence your marketing strategy, and help your business stand out in a competitive market. Let’s dig in.
The Buyer’s Journey
Buyers don’t just make sudden a decision to purchase – they go through a process. We boiled it down to five steps: realization, education, evaluation, decision and advocacy. Step 1: Realization From buying a new home to wanting to spend more time outside, the decision-making process starts with a buyer realizing they need your service. And after that ‘light bulb moment,’ our research indicates that the internet is the first place they go. According to survey results, 44% of landscaping buyers went online after they realized they had a problem to solve. Going online was considerably more common than asking a friend or family member for a
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referral (26%) or calling a previous provider (27%). When we looked at buyers of residential home services across generations, we found notable differences in behavior. For example, 39% of Boomers will call a past contractor for help, as compared to only 15% of Millennials. But despite minor differences across demographic lines, one thing is clear: going online was the go-to strategy for most shoppers in 2020. For landscaping contractors, this means that investing in your digital brand is a vital part of your marketing strategy, particularly if you want to target younger buyers. A good place to start would be to make sure your website guides users to contact your business and structure your site in a way that makes it easy for Google to display it in search results. This step alone will make it far more likely that a future customer will find you.
Step 2: Education After realizing an initial need, buyers then engage in more extensive research and education to decide who the top providers are in their area. Usually, this begins with a search engine – about 26% of buyers start with Google, Bing, or a similar platform. But even though most buyers start their research online, word-of-mouth referrals and personal experience are still popular strategies – about 20% of home service shoppers will
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start their search by asking a friend or talking to someone they’ve worked with before. Comparatively, only about 10% of buyers went on social media to do research. But despite this lower ranking during the education phase, social media plays an important foundational role, spreading brand awareness to keep your business top-of-mind, and helping clients better evaluate your services. In the landscaping industry, Facebook is the most popular social media platform for buyers. More than 70% reported using the site actively, at least once a week. Instagram and YouTube are second and third on that list, with 47% and 46% of buyers saying they actively use those platforms. Investing promoted ads on these platforms can be a great way to improve brand recognition throughout the customer journey. Step 3: Evaluation Before making a final decision, buyers evaluate a few top choices they discovered during the education phase. This evaluation typically includes calling contractors and looking at customer reviews and ratings. The biggest influencers for most customers, beyond cost, is past performance – 43% of customers said this was the primary criteria they used to evaluate a contractor. Ratings and reviews are also important, with 41% of respondents turning to this method. Based on this data, landscapers looking to stand out should having an engaging photo or video gallery of past work, a testimonials page, and solid reviews and ratings
Step 4: Decision Unlike other home service industries, where prospective customers may only call one provider, the landscaping industry is different. Nearly 40% of buyers reported calling two providers, and 35% called three or more. For this reason, landscapers need to be ready to talk about how they are different from their competitors. This starts by understanding your specific customer base and what they value in working with you. Timeliness, responsiveness, quality of work, specialization, past performance — these are all attributes of your business that you can highlight to show what makes your business different from the ‘other guys.’ These messages should appear in your digital marketing, then reinforced in the field. Step 5: Advocacy After extensive research and evaluation, buyers finally make that critical decision: they hire your company. But what they do after they’ve chosen your service is almost as important. Ideally, you want your customers to become promoters for your brand. And incentivizing them to advocate for you – via reviews, ratings, and referrals – can help you stand out to future customers. In the landscaping industry, more than 48% of buyers report leaving reviews for past providers. Landscapers can encourage customers to rate them by sending follow-up emails or text messages after completing a service, or by asking customers directly to leave reviews on specific platforms. The most popular review platforms for home service providers were Facebook and
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Google – 51% of users said they left reviews on these platforms. Finally, don’t forget about word of mouth. Incentive programs for customers to refer their friends are still effective, even in the digital age – remember, 20% of people in the education phase ask their network for referrals. Offering a discount on future service or sending out small gift cards when a referral comes in can be great ways to get your past clients talking to their friends about your company. Meet Your Buyer at Every Stage In today’s digital world, it’s not enough to provide a top-quality service. Landscapers who want to attract new customers also need a robust digital presence. But that can be a challenge. Effective digital marketing is an orchestration across creative, promotion, and data analytics resources. Companies who can get this right are poised for growth and will attract new generations of customers. This article was written by John Tyreman, director of marketing, Silverback Strategies.
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• Copperhead trimmer line available in a wide assortment of loops, donuts or spools for optimal tensile and impact strength, flex life, wear resistance and performance in hot, cold, dry or wet conditions • Vortex, diamond-cut, quad-tex, premium quad and precut line varieties • Assortment of fast loading trimmer heads, replacement spools, covers, housing and cam assemblies • Popular commercial trimmer systems with professional bumpn-feed heads are available for easy line advancing and dual line indexing with durable nylon construction and a large capacity spool for easy release • The entire catalog may be downloaded in a PDF format at rotarycorp.com www.greenindustrypros.com/21105690
Bobcat R-Series T62 and S62 Loaders The R-Series T62 compact track loader and S62 skid-steer loader are radius lift path models that fit in the 60-frame loader size class.
• Feature 68-hp redesigned Bobcat 2.4-liter, Tier 4 no-DPF diesel engines and 2,150- (T62) and 2,100-lb. (S62) rated operating capacities • Inline engine design and a durable direct-drive system ensures high performance • Redesigned cooling system with a larger, higher-capacity radiator and heavy-duty steel louvers on the tailgate • Stronger cast steel lift arm sections and powerful hydraulics improve lifting capabilities • One-piece sealed and pressurized cab • Bob-Tach attachment mounting system www.greenindustrypros.com/21201093
ASV Max-Series Loaders ASV Holdings’ MAX-Series includes the RT-65, VT-70 High Output, RT-75 and RT-75 Heavy-Duty MAX-Series Posi-Track loaders featuring a nextgeneration cab with 360° visibility, a more spacious operator area, fully suspended adjustable seat, 7-in. touchscreen display and more.
• Tier 4 Final 56.8-hp Kubota V2607-CR-TE5B turbocharged diesel engine with 157 ft.-lb. of torque • 8-in. touchscreen multi-function color monitor with integrated air conditional and radio functions • Automotive styled interior • Intuitive jog dial and switch panel • Operating weight: 14,793 lb. • Dig depth: 13 ft. 4.8 in. • Maximum reach: 21 ft. 11.3 in. • Bucket breakout force: 14,613 lb.
• Next generation highly pressurized, all-weather cab featuring 360-degree visibility • Fully suspended seat featuring adjustable recline, slide, weight and four-way arm rest settings • Roof escape hatch, allowing operators to get out quickly in emergency situations • Option to add Heavy-Duty guarding including metal guarding against brush and debris around key areas, such as lights, the AC condenser and rear screen to other MAX-Series machines • 2-year/2,000-hour warranty which covers tracks for the entire period and includes a no-derailment guarantee
www.greenindustrypros.com/21196881
www.greenindustrypros.com/21195886
Takeuchi TB370 Compact Hydraulic Excavator Takeuchi’s TB370 compact hydraulic excavator features a load sensing hydraulic system providing over 31 gpm of auxiliary hydraulic flow.
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STIHL HT 135 Pole Pruner
Brookside Agra H2OExcel
With the STIHL HT 135 pole pruner, even the high branches are within reach. It is designed with a quickly adjustable, telescoping pole shaft for heavy tree maintenance jobs.
Brookside Agra’s H2O Excel, is a natural water conservation agent and soil amendment which can be safely blended with fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. It is suited for golf course fairways, crops, landscaping, turf and fruit and vegetable gardens.
• Fuel-efficient, low-emission engine • Metal gearbox and metal branch hook • Weight: 17.3 pounds and balanced • Overall length: 8 foot 10 in.es to 12 feet 10 in.es • Fuel capacity: 17.9 ounces
• Reduces soil surface tension and allows • Not harmful to plants, animal or humans • Increases root mass and length with less water and fertilizer
www.greenindustrypros. com/21201901
www.greenindustrypros. com/21233156
In-Cab Touchscreen Display
Cabide Cutting
Feature
Feed Control Feature
160cc Variable Motor, ECU Torque Control Direct Drive, 2,500rpm Drum, 60” Cutting Width Patents Pending Chip Storage Feature
Mastodon Feed Control Cutting Tooth
Phone: (405) 542-3520
www.mastodon.com Dougherty Forestry Mfg. Hinton, Oklahoma
www.greenindustrypros.com
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Bluetooth Shift Ajustment
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Bluetooth tuning with a smartphone. Built in GPM tester. Track Operating Hours Track Total Mulcher Hours Track Overtemp Events
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NEW PRODUCTS
Makita 18V X2 (36V) LXT Cordless Earth Auger (XGD01) Makita’s ’s 18V X2 (36V) LXT Cordless Earth Auger provides highperformance digging of even and consistent holes, making it ideal for landscaping, construction, and soil sampling.
Fecon Upgraded Stumpex The upgraded Stumpex auger-type stump grinder includes a two-speed hydraulic motor for faster stump removal, especially on soft woods.
• Can remove 24-in. stumps in less than 3 minutes • Reduces wear on blades and cones for longer service life and extended intervals between blade sharpening • Suited for skid-steer and compact tracked loaders with 60+ hp • Easily transported in a pickup truck • Very little maintenance required
• 8-in. wide and 41-in. deep hole drilling capacity • Equivalent to 36cc gas earth auger2 speed options: 0-350 RPM and 0-1,400 RPM • Exclusive Extreme Protection Technology (XPT) • Includes auger bit adaptors and a chuck key with on-tool storage • Other accessories such as 4-, 6- and 8-in. auger drill bits and extension bars sold separately www.greenindustrypros.com/21233220
www.greenindustrypros.com/21204574
STOCK UP & SAVE!
® SIX-PACK
Copperhead professional-grade mower blades are the choice of landscape pros. • The more you buy, the more you save • Stay on the job and save money
ECHO Pressurized Water Tank The ECHO universal pressurized water tank serves as a portable water source when cutting on roads, highways and other remote locations where water hook-ups are not available.
• Semi-transparent 3-gallon tank capacity • 10-foot water supply hose • Unique Schrader valve design allows for use of air compressor line to eliminate manual pumping • Automatic pressure relief valve • Wheels for easy transport • Quick connect coupler with built in check valve www.greenindustrypros. com/21233205
• Landscapers agree, "Nothing cuts like Copperhead" Visit rotarycorp.com or call 1.800.841.3989 Servicing dealers and distributors only.
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5/13/21 3:44 PM
ISOtunes XTRA 2.0 Earbuds Soil Connect Marketplace Soil Connect combines technology and social networking capabilities to provide a fast, cost-effective way for construction professionals to transport and acquire soil, aggregates and other building materials.
• Mobile and web-based app fully digitizes and streamlines the soil transfer process • Users have the ability to post listings and requests for soil, aggregates and other materials, and can upload supplier-certified analysis and geotechnical reports • Enables soil providers and recipients to transact at shorter distances between jobsites • eTickets can be generated to enable easy capture, tracking and sharing of details of hauling materials www.greenindustrypros.com/21271426
With a secure neckband and convenient magnetic multi-function eartips, ISOtunes XTRA 2.0 earbuds are perfect for the worker on the move and are Bluetooth, Siri and Google Voice compatible.
• OSHA compliant/ANSIcertified 27 dB NRR • SafeMax Technology limits volume output to 85 dB • Up to 11 hours of battery life • IP67 dust, sweat, and water resistance • Noise-isolating microphone for clear calls in loud environments www.greenindustrypros.com/21283781
G IN NG M I M DG E I TRD EUID AN G
Kubota SVL97-2 Compact Track Loader Kubota Tractor’s SVL97-2 compact tract loader sets the bar high with standard equipped telematics, rearview camera, lockable DEF door and a newly redesigned DEF System. The unit replaces the popular SVL95-2s.
• 96-hp engine with a rated operating capacity of 3,200 lbs (at 35% tipping load) • 7,961 lbs of breakout force • 3.4-ft reach at max height • Optional front LED work lights • Improved cab sealing, reducing the amount of dust, water and debris entering the operating space www.greenindustrypros. com/21271282
IM
R T
CPR E RE
859-384-3276 | www.edgit.com
www.greenindustrypros.com
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NEW PRODUCTS
Vista SBV10-4 Hi-Fi Landscape Audio System Vista SBV-10-4 Hi-Fi Landscape Audio System is an outdoor audio system that landscape, irrigation and lighting contractors can quickly and easily install for their homeowner customers. It is designed to work with most two-channel receivers or amplifiers.
• Supports up to 6 outdoor satellite speakers and one dual subwoofer • Includes four 4-in. 100W satellite speakers with a PP waterproof cone • One 10-in. Dual VC Long Throw Driver subwoofer • Designed to with acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) to withstand harsh weather conditions • Limited 5-year warranty
G
Rain Bird Flow Indicating Basket Filter
T t i
Rain Bird’s FlowIndicating Basket Filters makes irrigation systems easier to install and maintain by providing flow measurement, filtration and integrated pressure regulation in an all-in-one, compact solution.
• •
• • • •
• Designed to work with any resident or commercial system with a flow range of 3.0 gpm to 20 gpm • Upright design prevents debris from entereeing makes cleanign easier • Available in five models www.greenindustrypros.com/21307069
www.greenindustrypros.com/21330627
7-FOOT
5-FOOT
NEW! TOTE FORM
AVY DUTY ZIPPERS • 7
HEAVY DUTY MESH • HE
HANDLES
A MUST-HAVE TOOL ds for Landscapers & Groun ONOMIC! ...ERG
loads SAFER method to manage tarps & plastic bags! ELIMINATES expensive t so quick to load, haul SAVES TIME - starts fla ts job times in HALF! and empty material - cu e clippings, leaves, hedg EASY to collect grasssti ! sh tra en ev s and trimmings, weeds, ck Made RIGHT in Charlotte, NC
Custom Branding Available LeafBurrito.com | 800-BURRITO
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Kubota R540 and R640 Wheel Loaders Kubota Tractor Corporation’s next-generation wheel loaders, the R540 and R640 models, are available in both canopy and cab models and feature redesigned arms for better visibility to enable connecting attachments with the hydraulic coupler without leaving the cab.
• R640 boasts an operating weight of 11,563 lbs., 64-hp Tier 4 Final engine and a maximum breakout force of 9,869 lbs. and 8,161 lbs. of lifting capacity • R540 has a 10,285-lb. operating weight, a 54-hp Tier 4 Final engine and a maximum breakout force of 8,183 lbs. and 6,767 lbs. of lifting capacity • High-visibility cabin with 360° panoramic view • Standard multi-function control lever • Standard LED working lights www.greenindustrypros.com/21295820
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Grasshopper 937 EFI FrontMount The Grasshopper 937 EFI FrontMount mower powers through the tough jobs with ease while taking advantage of the fuel efficiency of fuel injection.
• 993 cc EFI Vanguard Big Block • G3 hydrostatic pump-and-wheel-motor system is powered by a single, flat, ribbed serpentine belt • 14.4-gallon fuel capacity • PowerFold electric deck lift • 5.5-in.-deep DuraMax 61- and 72-in. cutting decks • Compatible with PowerVac collection systems, turf renovation and snow removal implements for year-round use www.greenindustrypros.com/21330987
ECHO SRM-410X Trimmer ECHO’s SRM-410X trimmer is has the power and durability to last 6-8 hours a day and is designed for heavy clearing and ideal for tall, heavy grasses, hilly terrain, ditches and weed abatement.
• 20 in. cutting swath • 42.7 cc engine that generates that generates 2.23 hp • Commercial-grade pleated air filtration system • Speed-Feed 450 trimmer head • Extra heavy-duty vibration reduction system reduces operator fatigue and increases comfort • 2-year commercial warranty and a 5-year consumer warranty www.greenindustrypros.com/21354282
Kubota SZ-2 Mowers Kubota has updated its SZ-Series of commercial stand-on mowers with adjustable baffles, enhanced serviceability and increased tire performance while maintaining the same horsepower and deck size configurations as previous models.
• 19-, 22-, or 26-hp Kawasaki FX or Kawasaki FT EFI commercial engines • 36-, 48-, 52-, or 61-in. cutting decks • 23-in. Zero T tires on 48- or 61-in. models • Adjustable baffles for 48-. 52-, and 61-in. models • Hydro-Gear ZT3100 or ZT 3600 transmissions • Travel speeds of up to 11 mph • Ergonomic cushion pad and large operator stations www.greenindustrypros. com/21343060
Elevated Payload, Durability & Reliability Monroe Truck Equipment’s Quad Axle Dump helps heavy duty contractors work safer, faster, and easier than ever before.
Learn more at info.monroetruck.com/quadaxledump
www.greenindustrypros.com
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®
Professional Grade for POWERFUL PERFORMANCE!
T T X S A General Equipment 2350 Bor-Max Earth Auger
Vortex, diamond, quad tex & premium quad trimmer line
1.800.841.3989 for more info!
Servicing dealers and distributors only. rotarycorp.com
General Equipment Company’ 2350 Bor-Max Series earth augers and auger extensions are specially designed to drill through unconsolidated soil classifications, such as loams, sands, soft clays and granular rubbles.
Featuring an 11-in.-wide all-terrain track, the Altoz TSX 561 i tracked stand-on mower provides operators the stability and maneuverability to safely mow terrain that traditional mowers are unable to.
StoneHook CORDLESS VACUUM LIFTER
Standard pad 1400 pound capacity; pads available from 88 to 2200 pounds. Windy Ridge Corporation Tamworth, NH 603-323-2323 www.stonehook.com
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• •
• • Heavy-gauged helicoid-type flighting and axle to better withstand bending and torque loads • Drive connection 1-in. diameter • Cast-steel boring head with an alloy-steel screw bit and heattreated cutting blade that are easily field replaceable • Cutting blade’s outside edge extends past the boring head and flighting to extend service life • Nominal diameters ranging from 2 to 8 in. • Plain shaft-type auger extension can be used with all auger sizes and increases the digging depth by 15 in. • Designed for use with G 200 Series hole digging products or others with 1-in. auger drive connections
Altoz TSX 561 i
Runs all day on a charge
T u p s
• 61-in. HV All-Terrain Deck • TorqFlex front suspension • 8.5 gallon fuel tank • SmarTrac Pro control • Keyless push-to-start ignition • Patented SoftStart clutch control www.greenindustrypros.com/21354792
www.greenindustrypros.com
5/13/21 3:45 PM
•
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Turfco TurnAer XT10 Stand-on Aerator Turfco replaced the XT8 with the TurnAer XT10 stand-on aerator with upgrades that increase reliability and durability to keep landscape professionals on top of their game on residential, commercial or sports field properties.
• 23-hp engine • Auto Depth Control tine-setting adapts automatically to changing ground conditions to achieve uniform consistency • Aerating speed of 7 mph and 30-in. aerating width – capable of covering two acres of turf per hour • Optional 60-pound seeder attachment to increase productivity by up to 50% • Upgraded electronic foot-controlled tine switch is easier to clean and maintain • Drive chains located outside the aeration area to prevent clogs in the system www.greenindustrypros.com/21389890
J!!ev�
•Affordable price •Saves money •Compact •Two year warranty •Most drills powered by a 4 cycle Honda engine •Goes from horizontal to vertical in two minutes •Removes soil under concrete,no wate •Drills holes upto 8" •Don't have to close a sidewalk or driv •Built in the USA
.
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ADVERTISERS INDEX Merlo - Applied Machinery Sales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Bobcat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Bobcat Log Grapple
Dougherty Forestry Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Bobcat Company’s log grapple attachment for mini track loaders and small articulated loader meets the challenging demands of landscaping and site clearing jobs. Whether felling trees, loading logs onto trailers, or transporting material, this free-hanging attachment adds force and agility where operators need it most.
• Equipped with heavy-duty teeth and reinforced tines • Rope bollards for an additional anchor point • 56-in. wide opening • Rotates in all directions • Easy clamping of logs and piles of brush, clearing areas in confined spaces • Integrated tree pusher, ensuring material falls in the intended direction www.greenindustrypros. com/21366674
1
eBay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Edgit Corp.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Ford. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 GIE+Expo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Greenworks Commercial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 John Deere Construction Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 44 Kubota Tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Leaf Burrito . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Mean Green Mowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Monroe Truck Equipment. Rotary Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36, 40, 43 Drill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 SiBore Drill. Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 The Toro Company. Turfco Mfg. Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Windy Ridge Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
www.greenindustrypros.com
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NEW PRODUCTS
M Mastodon Model M60-S and M60-C Forestry Mulcher Attachments
The Mastodon M60-S and M60-C forestry mulchers have a 60-in. cut width and are powered by a 160cc variable piston hydraulic motor controlled by E-TECH Smartdrive. This ECU-controlled power management system adapts and controls the displacement of the motor to produce instant torque and optimal mulching performance.
• Tune to any machine using Bluetooth and a smartphone app or with the in-cab monitor • Both models feature a direct drivetrain that puts all available power to the rotor • Produces up 780 ft.-lbs. of torque • Maximum rotor speed of 2,500 rpm • M60-C has a hydraulically controlled dual-mode cutting chamber that offers fingertip control of the size of mulch and degree of broadcasting desired www.greenindustrypros.com/21404093
ECHO WT-1610 Walk-Behind Wheeled Trimmer Key applications for ECHO Inc.’s WT-1610 walk-behind wheeled trimmer include cutting dense weeds and mowing tall grass, with 5 times more power than a handheld trimmer. Features include:
• 24-in. cutting swath • .155 in. Cross-Fire trimmer line • Adjustable handlebar with two adjustments at the base • Body of trimmer can be pivoted 7.5 degrees or 2 in. to the left or right at the nose, to reach further beyond the wheels • Briggs and Stratton 675EXi Series 163 cc engine • Enclosed 10-gauge steel housing keeps debris out • Large 16-in. wheels with sealed ball bearings for easy maneuverability over rough terrain www.greenindustrypros.com/21198676
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Jacto HD-400 – Manual Backpack Sprayers Very durable, the Jacto HD400 is extremely popular with landscape professionals and organic farmers. It takes only six handle pumps to achieve 45 psi, reducing operator fatigue.
• Viton piston cup for users who will spray caustic chemicals • Easily converted for either right or left-hand operation • Internal mechanical agitator • Carry handle built into top for ease of transport • 3-year warranty www.greenindustrypros.com/21404013
Kawasaki KTECH Pre-Mixed 2-Cycle Fuel + Oil Product Kawasaki’s KTECH Pre-Mixed 2-Cycle Fuel + Oil product, is engineered to avoid the inherent issues attached to pump fuel that is formulated for the transportation industry.
• Available in quart, one and five gallon can and 54-gallon drums • Lasts two years in a tank, five years in sealed container • Formulated for small engines, 93 Octane ethanol and 100% syntehic blend FD certified oil • Easy start and run applications at sea level or higher altitude, cold, dry, humid or hot weather • Works with equal efficacy in lower RPM blowers and in higher RPM chainsaws www.greenindustrypros.com/21415710
www.greenindustrypros.com
5/13/21 3:46 PM
More SavingS, More ConvenienCe for independent dealerS. Book Early & Save! Rotary's pre-season booking program is the best way to take advantage of dealer discounts on a vast selection of outdoor power equipment parts, tools and accessories.
Next Day Delivery Need parts fast? Rotary provides same day shipping* to 85% of the continental U.S. on most orders received by 4 p.m. EST.
Shop 24/7 at RotaryCorp.com Rotary’s 2021 catalog makes it easy to order parts online with a comprehensive listing and “keyword” search. Track orders, check product updates and find special sales exclusively for dealers.
Thousands of Quality Parts Rotary has the industry's best selection of guaranteed quality parts at everyday low prices with flexible payment options.
Your Partner for Success.
America's Best-Selling Outdoor Power Equipment Parts.
View dealer video
©2021 Rotary Corporation. Rotary is a registered trademark of Rotary Corporation. Available through servicing dealers & distributors. *Next Day Delivery available in most areas. Delivery time may vary and is subject to change.
t o j o i n r o t a r Y ’ S d e a l e r n e t w o r k , c a l l 1 . 8 0 0 . 8 4 1 . 3 9 8 9 o r v i S i t r o t a r Y c o r P. c o m
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26G 75G 85G
26G EXCAVATOR
539
$
316GR 324G
PER 1,2 MONTH 317G
595 WITH CAB
$
204L
75G EXCAVATOR
1,655
$
PER 1,3 MONTH
OWN IT OFFER BACK FOR
THE
MORE
More machines, more savings and more muscle. Because now’s the time to OWN IT and get even more out of your investment. Contact your dealer today.
¹Offer valid on qualifying purchases of new equipment made between 1 April 2021 to 31 October 2021. Subject to approved installment credit with John Deere Financial, for commercial use only. Down payment may be required. Average down payment is 10%. Taxes, freight, setup, delivery charges and optional features could increase monthly payment. Available at participating U.S. dealers. Prices and available models may vary by dealer. Offers available on qualifying purchases of new equipment purchased in the U.S. Prices and savings in U.S. dollars. 2Qualified equipment includes the 26G canopy (8150) or cab (8185) operator station with a 18 in. bucket with teeth. 3Qualified equipment includes the 75G excavator with rubber crawler pad tracks (3265) and a 30 in. bucket with teeth. Machine icons in this ad are representations of qualified equipment.
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JohnDeere.com/OwnIt
5/13/21 3:46 PM
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26G 75G 85G
26G EXCAVATOR
539
$
316GR 324G
PER 1,2 MONTH 317G
595 WITH CAB
$
204L
75G EXCAVATOR
1,655
$
PER 1,3 MONTH
OWN IT OFFER BACK FOR
THE
MORE
More machines, more savings and more muscle. Because now’s the time to OWN IT and get even more out of your investment. Contact your dealer today.
¹Offer valid on qualifying purchases of new equipment made between 1 April 2021 to 31 October 2021. Subject to approved installment credit with John Deere Financial, for commercial use only. Down payment may be required. Average down payment is 10%. Taxes, freight, setup, delivery charges and optional features could increase monthly payment. Available at participating U.S. dealers. Prices and available models may vary by dealer. Offers available on qualifying purchases of new equipment purchased in the U.S. Prices and savings in U.S. dollars. 2Qualified equipment includes the 26G canopy (8150) or cab (8185) operator station with a 18 in. bucket with teeth. 3Qualified equipment includes the 75G excavator with rubber crawler pad tracks (3265) and a 30 in. bucket with teeth. Machine icons in this ad are representations of qualified equipment.
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JohnDeere.com/OwnIt
5/17/21 12:03 PM
2102891
