PET 0823 digimag

The Future Is Here

In urban Indianapolis, a non-profit is building better kids by giving them repaired lawnmowers that allow them to have the experience of running their own businesses as lawn care contractors.

Gary Szymczak founded the non-profit, which gives kids repaired lawnmowers that he’s fixed. Kids sign a pledge to never give up, to represent the project with respect and to mow at least one yard for free for a needy person.

He started The Lawnmower Project a couple years ago, and last year six very small businesses were started, and another six this year. He also provides some entrepreneurial advice and some financial literacy information. I know we’ve seen those internet jokes about how “GoFundMe” in the 1980s was simply a kid with a mower and a can of gas— in fact now that I think about it I’ve probably run one of those jokes in this magazine before. But as the mother of little ones that are starting to need money for everything under God’s creation, Szymczak’s program sounds wonderful.

For many, young and not so young alike, the idea of starting a small business is daunting. You can get good advice and bad advice and it can just take the wind right out of your sails. But with a little help, the right encouragement can change someone’s future. That sounds a little pie in the sky, but think back to your first few years in business. Sure it was not easy.

There have been long nights, early mornings, blood, sweat and if you’re being honest with yourself, probably some tears. But also think back to the first few times someone handed you a payment. The first time you had the true joy of making money because of your own hard work. Gives you chills, right? I bet you could find a few hours to help a kid feel that same joy. When you look out at your crusty mowers that need help consider posting on social media about starting your own mower project. It might be more for your plate, but it also might help spark the next generation of power equipment dealers.

I know I have been part of the problem, complaining about what is next for this industry as the dealer base continues to age. I see the survey results every other year, where more guys than not want to get out but don’t have a choice. What if we could create our own choice?

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” And I like to think that Abraham Lincoln, who is credited with that quote, really did change the future for all of us.

For more information about Szymczak’s Lawnmower Project, visit thelawnmowerproject.org. And the next time you are resisting the urge to complain about the misspent youth of today consider following in Szymczak’s footsteps and start your own program. I’m sure there’s a neighborhood little one who would love to have some extra cash and a few yards that need to be mowed. PET

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Keffer Is Stihl President & CEO

As of August 4, current Stihl Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Chris Keffer will be promoted to President and CEO. He succeeds Terry Horan, who has been appointed to the Board of Directors of Stihl Inc.

“Terry has the heartfelt thanks of the Stihl family for his exceptional leadership,” says Dr. Nikolas Stihl, chairman of the advisory and supervisory boards at the Stihl Group. “He has built a strong leadership team and established the foundation for significant growth through a demonstrated commitment to our loyal distribution network and local Stihl dealers, focusing the organization on winning as one team.”

Chairman of the Stihl Executive Board Michael Traub adds, “The U.S. is by far our most important market worldwide. These appointments provide stability and continuity, which are critical to our long-term strategic and operational success. Chris has quickly established himself as an innovator and leader and has a keen understanding of our market and our customers. His experience and expertise will enable the company to lead in all markets in which we choose to compete.”

“I would like to thank Terry, the Stihl Board and the Stihl family for their confidence in me,” says Keffer. “Stihl has always had a long-term strategic outlook. So, while our market may be facing short-term challenges, we see tremendous opportunity in our future. We have the people, products, programs and partners to grow our position as the leading authority in the gas and battery power equipment markets.”

NEDA Head Gaiss Retires

Ralph Gaiss, Executive VP & CEO, retired from Northeast Equipment Dealers Assn. (NEDA) on June 30, 2023.

Gaiss says it is difficult to retire because of the respect he has for all dealer and associate members, the dedicated employee team and sister associations in the U.S. and Canada. He is also proud of the accomplishments made over the years and believes NEDA will continue to be the best place to serve equipment dealers in the Northeast.

Gaiss’s successor will be David Close, who currently serves as NEDA’s Director of Operations. With over 35 years experience in various other capacities with NEDA, Close will insure successful operating continuity and structure to serve NEDA dealer-members going forward.

BNSE Announces 2023 Recipients

Bill Nelson Scholarship Endowment (BNSE) has awarded fourscholarships totaling $10,000 to its 2023 class of recipients.

Recipients for the 2023 awards are: Paris Coney of Vidalia, Ga.; Lauren Carlson of Byron, Ill.; Joan Tillman of Glennville, Ga; and Joshua Howard of Rock Falls, Ill.

BNSE is an educational charity designed to advance the academic pursuits of employees and the children of employees who are employed by member companies of the Outdoor Power Parts & Accessories Assn. (OPPAA). Since 2000, the endowment has awarded

A Clarification On Honda Power Equipment

In the last issue of Power Equipment Trade I wrote an editorial touching on a variety of topics. However, it has been pointed out that I was perhaps I was misleading in my comments regarding Honda Power Equipment. My understanding comes from no inside knowledge—I know what y’all know. However, my wording could have been clearer. Honda will make small engines in the future. Honda will not make mowers in the future.

—Jessica Johnson

74 scholarships totaling more than $157,000 to high school and college students.

Scholarship recipients for this year represent Oregon Tool and Rotary Corp., and were chosen from numerous applications received.

The BNSE is governed by the following Trustees: Mark Errick, D.E. Errick, Inc.; Sue Chaney, K-C Sales; John Joensen, Kress Commercial; and Ed Nelson, Rotary Corp. Staff includes Brandon Martin and Suzanne Shomers of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI).

NAEDA Announces 2023 Award Recipients

The North American Equipment Dealers Assn. (NAEDA) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 Dealer’s Choice and Gold Level awards. The Dealer’s Choice award is presented to the top-rated manufacturer in each of NAEDA’s four manufacturer categories based on results of the annual Dealer-Manufacturer Relations survey. Gold Level award recipients are manufacturers that scored exceptionally well in their respective categories.

2023 Dealer’s Choice award Recipients are for full-line manufacturer, Kubota Canada; tractor manufacturer, Branson Tractors; shortline manufacturer, Meyer Mfg.; and for power equipment manufacturer, Scag.

Gold Level award recipients for 2023 are Yanmar, LS Tractor, Kioti, Vermeer, Bourgault, Elmers Mfg., Great Plains Mfg., Unverferth Mfg., Degelman, Grasshopper, Exmark, Bad Boy Mowers, Shindaiwa and Wright Mfg.

Kress Earns CORE Eligibility

Kress Commercial has qualified for the Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE) for professional landscapers by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Kress is focused on the transition away from gas-powered to battery-powered products that offer the same level of power and no downtime, so professional landscapers—and their communities—no longer have to endure hazardous, unhealthy conditions caused by fossil-fuel emissions.

California Climate Investments, the state agency that oversees CORE qualification and manages billions of Cap-

Chris Keffer

Ralph Gaiss

and-Trade auction dollars toincentivize the program, awards the CORE designation and related voucher funds as part of the statewide initiative that helps professionals switch from gas-powered equipment to zero-emission technologies. Having secured CORE qualification, Kress Commercial can offer professionals new purchasing-power using CORE incentive funding at CORE participating dealers.

ASV Announces 2022 Dealer Awards

ASV, a Yanmar Compact Equipment brand, a brand and manufacturer of all-purpose and all-season compact track loaders and skid steers, has presented three dealers with Dealer of the Year Awards for 2022. Canada’s Barda Equipment is the large market winner; Connecticut-based Butler Equipment is the medium market winner, and Duffy’s

Sales & Rental in Wisconsin is the winner for the small market category.

“These three dealers stand out due to their commitment to ASV and excellent customer service standards,” comments Jeff Pate, director of sales for the ASV brand. “We are proud to have them as our partners representing our brand in their communities.”

ASV selected Duffy’s Sales & Rental, located in Barron, Wis. not far from the Minnesota border, and has served ASV customers since 1993, providing sales, rental, parts and services for the con-

struction, landscaping and land clearing industries. Their parts and service department is run by the longest tenured service representative of ASV equipment in the U.S., cultivating a knowledge base at this dealership that is unparalleled.

Toro Names New VP

The Toro Co. has replaced a retiring Blake Grams with Jason P. Baab as vice president of strategy, corporate development and sustainability, effective July 31, 2023. Baab succeeds Grams, who retired in April 2023 after 25 years with the company.

“Jason brings a strong leadership background and extensive experience fostering growth and innovation across multiple brands and industries,” says Richard M. Olson, chairman and chief executive officer. “I am very excited to welcome him to the Toro company and our enterprise leadership team. Jason’s global strategy and business development expertise will enhance our focus on key enablers in support of organic growth and future acquisitions,

positioning us well to deliver meaningful value for our customers and shareholders.”

Baab comes to Toro from Oshkosh Corp., a global manufacturer of specialty vehicles and equipment, where he most recently served as senior vice president of corporate development, strategy and venture capital. At Oshkosh Corp., he played a key role in establishing the company’s first venture capital fund focused on sustainable technology investments in the electrification, autonomy/active safety and intelligent products sectors.

Prior to joining Oshkosh Corp., Baab served as vice president of corporate development at Fortune Brands Home & Security, a manufacturer of home build product brands, where he led mergers and acquisitions, business development and evaluated investments for future growth.

Baab holds a Bachelor of Science in Financial Management from Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C., and earned an MBA in International Business from the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

Rotary Grows Sales Staff

Rotary Corp. has appointed Leo Allen territory manager for Michigan and northwest Ohio, according to an announcement by Chief Sales Officer Mark Smith.

Allen was previously a territory sales representative at Larson Mfg. for nearly 20 years. He also has served in various project and service management roles during his career in sales. In his new position with Rotary, Allen will be responsible for business development including sales and support for power equipment dealers in his territory.

“Leo has a wide range of experience and we are excited to have him on our team,” comments Smith. “His expertise in customer service and sales management will help us build powerful relationships with existing dealers and new

Rotary customers in the area. Our goal is to ensure long term success for our independent dealers.”

OPEI Testifies At CPSC Battery Forum

The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute’s (OPEI) testimony provided support for compliance in industry voluntary safety standards during the lithium-ion battery forum hosted by the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) July 27. The CPSC was specifically focusing on fire risks in e-bikes and other micro-mobility products, as well as the risks that may arise from the ever-growing battery-powered consumer products marketplace. OPEI highlighted the story of electrification in the outdoor equipment sector as one of success, due in large part to the all-encompassing and widely adopted voluntary safety standards and product certification schemes that exist today. Ongoing dialogue on how the CPSC will support rulemaking within the micro-mobility sector will be monitored by the OPEI

Leo Allen

Battery Electric Products Committee with the ability to provide further comments if necessary.

John Deere, EGO Announce Partnership

JohnDeere has announced a new strategic partnership with EGO, and parent company Chervon, that will allow the brands to provide homeowners with EGO battery-powered products through JohnDeere dealers.

“Simplifying the landscape management of properties is what drives us every day. We seek to provide our customers with a broad range of tools, which will now include a battery ecosystem that can be extended into a variety of property care solutions,” says David Thorne, vice president, JohnDeere turf and compact utility business. “Partnering with a leading electric solutions brand, like EGO, to provide top-quality battery-powered equipment will propel both JohnDeere and Chervon into a stronger market position to serve our evolving customers.”

As part of this new agreement,

EGO-branded battery products will be available through JohnDeere dealers. EGO batteries are portable and can be used across over 70 compatible products, allowing customers to complete multiple projects using multiple products with the same battery system.

NAEDA Appoints New Development Manager

The North American Equipment Dealers (NAEDA) is thrilled to announce the appointment of Shane Wilker as the Dealer Development Manager for the Pacific Northwest and Far West regions. NAEDA, a prominent organization supporting equipment dealers across the U.S. and Canada, continues to bolster its commitment to member services through regional representation.

Michael Piercy, NAEDA’s VP of Dealer Development states, “As a Dealer Development Manager, Shane Wilker will provide support to NAEDA's Dealer Members, helping in crucial areas such as government affairs, manufacturer relations, training, consulting, and other essential services.

With a strong focus on cultivating mutually beneficial relationships, Wilker will play a vital role in enhancing the success and growth of dealerships in the Pacific Northwest and Far West. He brings 35 years of experience in the agriculture aftermarket industry to his new role.

As the President and CEO of the Shane Wilker Co., Wilker has established himself as an expert in consulting and training, particularly in customer and employee focus groups. Notably, he recently served as the Dealer Development Consultant for the Far West Equipment Dealers Assn., providing comprehensive guidance to dealers on a wide range of topics and challenges.

“Shane has long been an invaluable asset to the dealer equipment industry, garnering immense respect from his peers," adds Piercy. "His extensive knowledge and expertise in dealer operations have been instrumental in helping numerous organizations find effective solutions to their most pressing issues. Furthermore, his strong dealer relationships underscore his exceptional ability to deliver consultative services in the equipment industry."

Pro Customer Focus Keeps Alamia Busy

Three locations provide solid market coverage.

BY DAN SHELL

DENVER, Colo.

Working to provide commercial lawn and garden equipment operators with premium power equipment and top-notch product service and repair at three different locations, owner Saad Bulifa has a great option for customers in central Denver and the south side of town.

Asked how he came to own and operate three lawn and garden dealerships in the greater Denver area, Saad Bulifa says in one way it was easy: “I just bought the competition” when they were looking to exit the industry, he remembers. Both dealership owners approached Bulifa and said they were looking to get out of the industry. This fit well with Bulifa’s constant eye toward expansion.

Bulifa has had a commercial customer focus from his first days of starting his own dealership. A native of Libya who came to the U.S. in 1979 to pursue an engineering degree, Bulifa had taken a job at a lawn and garden dealership in the area.

The business concentrated on homeowner and residential markets for sales. When Bulifa proposed an initiative to pursue more commercial sales, the owners said they weren’t interested in the pro customer opportunity. So Bulifa started his own dealership in 1987, Alamia Outdoor Power Equipment, to target that market. He bought and moved into the current Alamia building in 1990. Since he bought a second dealership in 2003 and another dealership in 2013, it’s been a decade of integrating the three locations—Alamia Outdoor Power Equipment and Colorado Outdoor Power Equipment (’03) in Denver and Broadway Total Power Power Equipment (’13) in nearby Englewood, Colo.

The stores are integrated, but not com-

pletely. Bulifa prefers to operate each location as its own business with their separate original business names.

Instead of developing an overall brand for the three locations, Bulifa operates each independently, though the facilities have several key things in common: the same major product lines, the same labor rate and a c-Systems business management system that has all three facilities linked digitally and allows each store to search for parts and inventory in the other two locations. Bulifa has run c-Systems for more than 30 years.

The businesses provide a solid option for commercial equipment operators in the Denver area. Top handheld lines include Stihl, Echo, Shindaiwa and Husqvarna, RedMax, Mantis and Little Wonder. Mowers include Bobcat, Scag, Toro, Walker, Worldlawn and Wright, and specialty lines include Billy Goat, BCS, Bluebird Turf, Classen and Crary Bearcat. Engines carried include Briggs, Honda, Kawasaki and Kohler. With battery equipment starting to show its potential in the market, Bulifa recently added the Greenworks line.

“Most of the product lines are the same, (at each store) but some of the accessories might be different,” Bulifa says.

Alamia Outdoor Power Equipment and Colorado Outdoor Power Equipment are both located in commercial-industrial areas near major throughways. The Broadway Total Power location is a good bit larger than the other two, housed in a former Harley-Davidson dealership. There are roughly 8-10 employees at each location.

The three dealerships are tightly focused on commercial customers and pro users—the market segment Bulifa targeted when he first started Alamia. The two Denver stores are 90%+ commercial sales, while the Englewood store is

All three locations have the same shop labor rate.

Bulifa: Always with an eye toward expansion

“only” about 80% commercial customers, Bulifa says.

The locations provide good market coverage for central Denver, especially south of I-70 in the fast-growing communities of Aurora, Lakewood and Englewood. The Alamia location functions as a headquarters, with a storage warehouse located nearby to hold whole goods for the smaller showrooms. From the Alamia location it’s

between 7-8 miles to both of the other stores.

The Alamia location also does a lot of warranty work, but all three stores maintain a full staff of technicians and handle wheeled and handheld equipment. Bulifa says he hasn’t tried to truly centralize any aspect of the business’ overall service capacity across the three stores: He says he doesn’t want to get involved with hauling cus-

tomers’ machines to other locations and the logistics required.

“It’s bad enough that they are always asking when the machine will be ready,”Bulifa says.

Good Season

Despite a late spring that had completely burned off by the time PET visited in mid July, Bulifa says he’s look-

Colorado Outdoor Power Equipment location showroom and parts area. This store has a large winter weather salt and de-icing program that helps make the business less seasonal.

Original Alamia Outdoor Power Equipment location has large warehouse storage facility nearby.

ing at a “really good season, very interesting.” He had a lot of inventory available, and when the sun and warmth finally broke through, the stores were ready.

“We had bought a lot of inventory last year, and to have success you have to have product on the shelf,” Bulifa says. He adds that supply chain and product availability issues aren’t as bad now as they were a couple years ago but issues remain:

“We try to buy a lot, and if it’s available we order it,” Bulifa says, noting that after supply chain scares in the recent past he’s leaning toward “stocking up” when ample amounts of product are available.

Parts Effort

Bulifa is a firm believer in Internet sales for all products and counts legions of customers far and wide. In fact, he’s been selling parts over the Internet for more than 20 years. To bolster sales, Bulifa developed his own branded parts line, Alamia Outdoor Power Equipment Parts, that he sells over the Internet and distributes regionally as well.

Looking to the future, Bulifa says he’s finishing a new warehouse-storage site, and he’s also like to add another location in the next five years or so, possibly on the north or even south side of town. PET

Alamaia has sold parts over the Internet and also branded its own parts line for years.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following companies submitted these editorial profiles and images to complement their advertisements placed elsewhere in this issue. All statements and claims are attributable to the companies.

ARCHER

Archer is a 100% Australian-owned, China-based manufacturing and trading company offering over 10,000 quality parts and accessories for the lawn and garden industry.

Archer has a large offering of lawn and garden products— including robotic mower parts and blades.

We manufacture in a modern, state-of-the-art factory, where a dedicated QC program and laboratory that ensures only the highest quality product is produced and shipped from our factory. Our factory is ISO endorsed and audited. We pride ourselves on manufacturing high quality products, supplied to pro replacement markets around the world.

We also use our laboratory and QC programs to audit all parts and accessories that we sell to our many partners and customers around the world. This ensures consistent quality and provides our customers with the confidence that they require for dealing with China today. It also enables us to 100% guarantee all products and shipments.

We have our own in-house packaging department which allows us to offer all types of packaging including clamshell retail, pro distributor, private label, bar coding, and part numbering—catering to all customer’s requirements.

Archer is located in Jinhua, China and invites all interested people to visit our factory and showroom. We offer you risk-free business.

ASPEN

Aspen USA is now offering its clean-burning fuels locally to professional and residential power equipment operators. Aspen fuels are alkylate-based fuels, which are among the cleanest and most stable gasoline products that can be produced. As clean high-octane gasoline, Aspen provides a much better user-experience and extends the life of 2-cycle and 4-cycle power equipment.

Over 30 years ago, Aspen first developed alkylate fuel for small engine equipment with the mission to improve the conditions for equipment operators, who were experiencing various health problems from frequent equipment operation. Aspen’s fuels are ethanol-free and engineered to be virtually free of the other harmful substances that are found in pump gasoline such as sulfur, benzene, toluene and other aromatic hydrocarbons.

Professionals are among the primary users of Aspen 2 and Aspen 4 as they have the most to benefit from a cleaner high-performance fuel. The cleaner ethanol-free formulation helps minimize engine corrosion and soot buildup for longer-lasting engines and reduced downtime. Dealer service departments can also greatly benefit from Aspen’s advantages for their shop use and ensure that serviced equipment starts up whenever needed.

In the U.S., Aspen Fuels are available to dealers through Oscar Wilson Engine & Parts (Midwest), Power Equipment Systems (Western), John E Landis Co. (Northeast and Mid-Atlantic) and Marr Brothers (South Central). Aspen fuels can be purchased in quarts, 1.3 gal. and larger pails and drums, ideal for shop and professional use.

CURTIS INDUSTRIES

Making operators comfortable while they mow is what this new Curtis Cab is all about!

Get ready to take your outdoor experience to the next level with the Curtis Premium Air-Conditioned Cab for John Deere Z994R and John Deere Ztrak Z970R, Ferris ISX 3300, and Kubota ZD1211 Zero-Turns! Designed to provide the ultimate in operator comfort, this cab offers protection from the scorching heat, blinding sun, pesky rain, annoying dust, and dangerous insects.

Featuring a state-of-the-art, lightweight aluminum design, this cab is not only durable but also sleek. The tinted, hard-coated, scratch-re-

sistant polycarbonate windshield and doors ensure clear visibility while keeping you safe from any debris.

But what sets this cab apart from the rest is its high-performance air conditioning system. Powered by a belt-driven, automotive-style mechanical compressor, it delivers maximum cooling performance, allowing you to stay cool and comfortable even in the hottest weather. No more sweating it out under the sun!

Upgrade your John Deere Z994R or Ztrak Z970R with the Curtis Premium Air-Conditioned Cab and say goodbye to discomfort and hello to a whole new level of enjoyment. Don’t miss out on this game-changing accessory that will revolutionize your outdoor experience. Get yours today and beat the heat in style!

HEFTEE

For more than 20 years, the Heftee 4000 has been the lift of choice for technicians working on the largest riding mowers and commercial turf equipment. The 4000 safely accommodates equipment up to 84-in. wide and lifts up to 4,000 lbs., to 6 ft., in less than a minute. It’s ideal for shops short on floor space.

There is no special installation required and the Heftee 4000 operates on 110 power.

Technicians stand comfortably with unrestricted access to service areas, no longer laying on cold concrete floors in awkward positions to perform under-equipment jobs—and it’s freestanding for easy relocation within the shop.

The Heftee 4000 standard equipment package comes complete with jacks, boom and extension arms for completing virtually any repair job.

Heftee’s revolutionary single-mast design gives unrestricted access to the equipment. There are no crossbars or twisting cables, and the jacks, booms, support arms and easily adjustable work platforms all integrate with the lift.

Making hard-to-service equipment easy to service is Heftee’s business. Any lift can lift; with Heftee the technician can focus on repairing hard-to-service turf equipment and utility vehicles better, faster, safer.

KRESS COMMERCIAL

Part of the initial launch in North America, the Kress Commercial 21 in. Self-Propelled Lawn Mower is the first truly cordless and gas-free solution for commercial landscapers and facilities managers.

With a high cutting speed of 3300 RPM, powerful 7 lbs./ft. of torque and four blade types, the Kress Commercial self-propelled mower provides the strength needed for professional cuts even under intense conditions of tall, thick or wet grasses. Engineered to deliver high vacuum levels, the mowing deck provides high-quality cuts for mulching and bagging. And the Kress Commercial self-propelled mower comes equipped with a grass collection bag with a capacity of up to 2.5 bushels.

A built-in LED control panel displays battery power levels and available adjustable settings, including variable self-propelled speeds up to 4 MPH. The heavy-duty differential drive transmission provides durability while the auto-clutch allows for an easy transition from self-propelled to push operation. Constructed with a reinforced steel deck with two-point height adjustment and IPX4 waterproofing, the Kress Commercial self-propelled mower also comes equipped with a front bumper guard and trim side deck plate for additional protection during hauling and cutting.

As with all Kress Commercial products, the Kress Commercial 21 in. Self-Propelled Mower is powered by the unmatched eight minute CyberSystem. Kress Commercial batteries are designed with Kress-built brushless motors and provide up to twice the power output of traditional lithium-ion cells, up to 10 times more life cycles and the have the ability to fully charge in eight minutes or less.

MASPORT

Masport is an iconic brand in the New Zealand marketplace with a 112-year history of producing and supplying quality power equipment to consumers around the world. It is a household name in New Zealand having won the “Most Trusted” lawnmower brand products category of the New Zealand Reader’s Digest consumer judged awards. Masport is a leading manufacturer of lawn and garden power equipment in both New Zealand and Australia with a proud engineering history dating back to the first lawnmower in 1930. Masport has an extensive range of rotary and cylinder gasoline walk behind mowers, in addition to shredders, edgers and cultivators.

Masport products are sold in 45 countries around the world, including the U.S. and Canada, where a range of walk behind mowers and power equipment was first introduced in 2012. Power Distributors in U.S. and Power Source Canada in Canada, distribute Masport’s range of consumer and professional power equipment to servicing dealers across North America. Masport is a dealer brand in North America and is ideally suited to this form of distribution as its products are feature rich and of high quality.

Masport mowers are available in various cutting widths are capable of mulch, catch and side discharge. They feature aluminum and steel decks, ball bearing wheels, single lever height adjustment and a unique handle lift system for ease of emptying collected grass.

For the 2022 season Masport offers an extensive line of consumer and professional walk-behind mowers powered by Briggs & Stratton engines.

Masport offers competitively priced, high quality, unique products which are not available in the Big Box stores. Contact your regional Power Distributor’s territory manager for more details on the Masport 2023 dealer brand program.

MEAN GREEN

Mean Green invented the world’s first commercial grade, all day, electric, zero-turn mower more than 10 years ago. Today, Mean Green offers a full range of electrified commercial mowers that can mow all day on a single charge.

Unlike competitive “all day” mowers that claim all day “run times,” Mean Green mowers have proprietary designs that allow you to continuously mowfor up to eight hours on a single charge.

Recently, Mean Green products introduced the Fury, a compact stand-on mower, designed to allow access to gated areas that most other commercial mowers are too wide to enter. With a mowing width of either 32 in. or 36 in., the Fury joins Mean Green’s full-sized stand-on, the Vanquish (52 in. or 60 in.) to complete the line of commercial, electric-powered, stand-on mowers that can run all day on a single charge. The Fury is available with either side-discharge or a rear-discharge mulching deck.

When you are expected to deliver top quality to your customer and top efficiency to your business, everything counts.

Reliability: Your equipment must start, run all day, and be easy to maintain. It must reliably put in a full day’s work, just like you. Electric mowers have fewer moving parts and that means less maintenance, no tune-ups and more time working in the field (not in the shop).

Efficiency: High ground speed (that does not sacrifice quality), reduced downtime (no refueling stops), and ease of operation all help you get the job done fast—so you can move on to the next one. With speeds of up to 13 MPH, Fury will leave your gas mowers in the dust! Plus, with their quiet operation, you can start residential jobs earlier in the morning (or finish them later in the day) without bothering your customers.

Employee Satisfaction: When you take away the gas, the fumes, and the noise of typical gas mowers, and offer the comfort of an extraordinarily smooth ride, the work can be a pleasure and that keeps your crew happier.

OREGON

Whether you’re looking for a replacement part to get a piece of power equipment back up and running, or to improve equipment performance, Oregon offers a full range of professional-grade blades and parts to fit nearly every make and model of walk-behind mowers, tractors and zero-turn riders. Gearing up for 2024, Oregon is adding over 700 power equipment parts to an already robust portfolio to keep products running smoothly for your customers.

The Oregon 100-series blades boast ultra-extended cutting length, which means more mulching capacity per rotation and less time emptying the bag. They’re also made to reduce noise by up to 1.5 decibels, offering more ear protection on longer jobs.

Our replacement mower blades are engineered and designed to outperform standard equipment and fit as well as the original equipment manufacturers’ blade. Oregon replacement parts are created with an emphasis on quality control and a variety of features.

In addition to standard mower blades, Oregon offers its top-of-the-line Gator blades. This year marks 30-years since Oregon invented its proprietary, toothed Gator mulching blade technology designed to maximize performance and durability. Developed with progressive geometry on the cutting edge and an aggressive blade angle to increase air flow, this patented Gator technology properly recirculates and recuts clippings for unmatched mulching—creating a professional-looking cut with any mower.

All Oregon Gator Blades are made in the U.S. and come with a lifetime warranty.

PELLENC

Pellenc, the industry leader in commercial-grade battery-powered tools, is scheduled to release their latest generation of their professional self-propelled lawn mower in the U.S., the Raison 2. This mower meets the needs of residential or commercial contract jobs. Pellenc prides itself on its universal battery system and has developed some of the most powerful battery packs on the market. Pick up a charged battery from the trailer, quickly snap it onto the mower, and get to mowing for up to five hours on a single charge!

Commercial-grade can mean many things. For Pellenc, it means the ability to work whether its rain or shine. Both the equipment and the batteries are IP54 allowing you to get the job done without having to reschedule for weather. It also means longer run times and minimal amount of maintenance as they understand their tools are not designed to be used by a single homeowner or business allowing your business to continue to operate multiple jobs each day. Professional landscapers will also benefit from Pellenc’s built-in automatic unclogging feature, adjustable deck, compact and collapsible frame for easy transportation, and its weight coming in at only 62 lbs.

The Raison 2 features an ultra-maneuverable zero-turn, self-propelled drive system with four speeds. It also features a reverse function that can be used on hilly terrain to reduce operator fatigue. The Pellenc Raison 2 is loaded with a 1600 Watt electric motor to power dual cutting blades under a 24 in. deck. This system uses a quiet direct-drive system to minimize excessive noise, perfect for commercial contracts where landscape maintenance can quickly become synonym of nuisance.

ROTARY

Rotary features the industry’s widest assortment of professional-grade mower blades including Copperhead brand flat, high-lift, lowlift and mulching models. The choice of landscape professionals, Copperhead blades are made in the U.S. with American steel and engineered to perform better, last longer and cut with powerful force.

Copperhead mulching blades require less power to drive the blade while reducing vibration to prevent pre-mature engine wear. The airlift design increases particle retention under the deck for improved mulching and uniform distribution. Available for practically any brand, Rotary blades exceed all OEM standards for operation and are ISO certified to ensure exceptional quality.

Over 12 million mower and edger blades are manufactured annually at Rotary’s world class facility in Georgia. Rotary uses only premium-grade American steel that is heat treated and tempered for uniform hardness then formed, balanced and precision-sharpened for a cleaner, finer cut.

A vast assortment of mower blades is highlighted in a special section of the company’s 2023 parts catalog. Blades are featured with photos, illustrations and descriptions plus a specifications chart with OEM number, length, center hole diameter, width and steel thickness. Additional items such as blade adapters, bolts, washers and bushings are also included.

A popular new item is the Rotary Six-Pack of commercial blades—specifically for landscape professionals.

SUNBELT

Sunbelt Outdoor Products is a wholesaler of professional grade turf products with everything from arborist supplies to trimmer products and is celebrating over 60 years in the turf business. With multiple warehouses across the U.S., Sunbelt can help you get the parts you need when you need them.

XHT, Predator Brand Tough Mower Blades

Sunbelt Outdoor Products Predator and XHT blades are the strongest blades on the market. The secret to their strength and durability is in a patented austempering process, taking it a step further than competitors. Ideal for professionals, these blades require less sharpening, last longer, and are lighter weight than other competing blades.

Accelerator Industries Premium Grass Catchers

Ideal for professionals working in wet climates or any conditions where it is necessary to bag grass or leaves, the Accelerator Industries line of premium aluminum grass catchers are best in class. The drilled aluminum body provides high airflow that will prevent clogging that commonly happens with other bagging systems.

Precision Equipment The Professional’s Choice

Precision is an industry leader in broadcast spreaders, lawn rollers, trailer dump carts, lawn sweepers, hose reels, and so much more. The professionals choice for lawn equipment assembles quickly to save time, produces professional results, and are tough enough to hold up to daily use.

Outdated Price Lists Silent Killer Of Profitability

How do outdated price lists hurt your profitability?

BY CRISTINA BACIU

Are you diligently selling parts and equipment at your dealership, only to find that your profits seem unusually low? It’s possible that the problem isn’t how much you’re selling but how much you’re selling it for. Specifically, outdated price lists might be the hidden culprit impacting your overall profitability.

Outdated price lists make it more challenging to recover the costs of your parts and equipment. While your selling price remains unchanged, the actual costs of acquiring the unit are higher, leading to a shrinkage in your profit margin. Over time, this can chip away at your overall profitability in the following ways.

Decreased Margins; Increased Costs

One of the primary consequences of outdated price lists is that you might be selling parts at a price that barely covers the cost. Worse still, the selling price might be less than the cost price.

Sheila Schons, Price List Specialist at Ideal Computer Systems, highlights the significance of maintaining margins, especially on parts, noting that 85% of the parts sold through a dealership are less than $20: “It’s just the margins you have to maintain on them. When you look at something that costs 50 cents, and it actually costs 60 cents—it accumulates so quickly, so you’re working at a loss.”

Lost Revenue

To break things down further, suppose you sell a part for $10, and the cost of the part is $5. You get a profit margin of $5 for each unit sold ($10-$5 = $5).

Now suppose the cost of the part goes to $6, but your selling price isn’t updated. Your profit margin per unit goes down to $4. Now, you would need to sell the part one and a half times to generate enough profit to cover the cost.

Recent market developments could allow you to raise prices and generate more revenue. For example, perhaps the demand for certain parts has gone up, or there’s a shortage in the market, and customers are willing to pay a premium.

However, with outdated prices, you can’t capitalize on these opportunities, leading to a loss in revenue.

Inefficient Processes

Manually updating price lists, especially if you’re working with thousands of parts from various OEMs, is a time-consuming task that takes away from other important aspects of managing your dealership.

Deanna Martin from Dakota Cat Motorsports notes, “Just one OEM that we have is Arctic Cat, and they have 120,000 parts. Trying to sell something at the right price and doing it manually by updating the parts is a losing proposition. When you add more than one OEM to the group, there’s not enough time in a day to stay on top of it.”

The manual process also opens up the risk of human error. An incorrectly entered price could result in undercharging or overcharging your customers, which could cause customer dissatisfaction and potential loss of business.

Outdated price lists can also lead to confusion and discrepancies among the sales team since they may not have access to the most up-to-date information when quoting prices to customers. This creates a lack of consistency and professionalism, potentially damaging a dealership’s reputation.

Staying Competitive

With OEMs releasing updated price files more frequently, dealers need to be on top of these changes to avoid leaving money on the table. In a highly compet-

itive market, outdated price lists can put your dealership at a disadvantage, especially if competitors are regularly updating their prices.

A dealership management software (DMS) that integrates with manufacturers can simplify this process. Instead of manually entering and updating each part’s price—an approach prone to errors and inefficiency—a DMS can access the most accurate, up-to-date information directly from the source, ensuring that your price lists always reflect the latest cost adjustments.

By leveraging the power of a DMS, like Ideal Computer Systems, you can eliminate the pitfalls associated with outdated price lists, transforming what was once a daunting challenge into an opportunity for enhanced profi tability and improved customer satisfaction.

Tip: To calculate the number of times a part needs to be sold to recover the cost, divide the cost of the part by the profit margin per unit $6 / $4 = 1.5.

Move Toward Battery Power Not Letting Up For Dealers

BY DAN SHELL

The move toward more battery-powered lawn and garden equipment continues full throttle as consumers look for more convenience as performance and technology improvements have electric-powered equipment matching gas powered products in many applications.

Home Depot made waves in early summer 2023 as company executives announced they expect that by the end of fiscal year 2028, more than 85% of the company’s U.S. and Canada’s sales in lawn and garden power equipment, specifically push lawnmowers and handheld outdoor equipment like leaf blowers and trimmers, will run on rechargeable battery technology instead of gas.

Announcements like that from a company of Home Depot’s size will undoubtedly help move the overall market needle in the battery-powered direction.

After the company’s announcement, Home Depot Chief Sustainability Officer Ron Jarvis made a series of media interviews where he detailed the company’s vision to help reduce fossil fuel emissions by speeding the transition to more battery-powered equipment sales in their stores.

He noted that Home Depot had been working to add more battery-powered lawn and garden equipment options during the past decade as technology has gotten better, and it’s been in the past year and a half or so that the company has sought to help the industry transition quicker.

Meanwhile, a law coming into effect in California in 2024 bans many mower and trimmer small engines, plus laws passed or considered by more than 100 municipalities across the U.S. to reduce emissions or ban gas-powered leaf blowers, for example, have the effect of moving the market toward more battery-powered lawn and garden equipment.

While Home Depot executives refused to say what share of their current lawn and garden equipment sales are battery-powered, the company estimated the market for electric tools and accessories is $32 billion and growing.

In a related news report, Bill Boltz, Lowe’s executive vice president of merchandising, said the company’s sales of cordless power tools and outdoor power equipment more than doubled in the past five years — and he expects that rate to continue for the next five years at least.

One commercial market study analysis forecasts global demand for lawnmowers to reach $9.5 billion in 2025. While engine-driven lawn mowers will continue to dominate sales, battery-powered models will see their share of the market increase from 18% in 2020 to 24% in 2025, to increase market share by roughly 30% more than now.

The study also notes that the increasing popularity of robotic mowers that are almost all battery-powered is also providing market push, with big gains expected in the U.S. in the next decade.

Meanwhile, the move toward more battery power in more applications, starting on the low end and working its way to higher performance price points, will not let up.

Dealers tend to handle equipment that’s on the higher end and less susceptible to the battery-powered wave, but dealers can’t put their heads in the sand and instead have to find a way to incorporate the demand for battery-powered equipment into their business plans.

Forecast for the future? More electrics in the showroom.

Readers are encouraged to send relevant historical lawn and garden media items in.

50-40-30 Years Ago Today….

August ’73

50 years ago, in August ’73, Chain Saw Age publisher Norm Raies died suddenly of a heart attack. The veteran newsman—and highly patriotic veteran—brought the chain saw publication to another level in terms of professionalism and quality and into the modern publishing era. He established and edited the Seabees newspaper during World War II and established the Mideast Press Service while in DC. How his family was able to overcome Raies’ passing and keep the publication going is an amazing success story.

Regional music sensation and McCulloch spokesperson Buzz Martin, the “Singing Logger,” was featured.

August ’83

The CSA project “hot saw” made its first test run, with editors reporting “durability, good power and plenty of racing potential.”

Echo news release notes sale of 60 backpack blowers to the U.S. Navy for maintenance on nuclear carriers.

July-August ’93

Monster Louisville show issue goes 152 pages, has more than 70 advertisers. Ah, the good ol’ days.

knows the whole story.

was on the verge of a TV show deal.

Stihl’s Manufacturing Technology Summer Camp For Teens Returns

Stihl, in collaboration with the Virginia Manufacturers Assn., is fostering the next generation of skilled manufacturing workers one teenage camper at a time. On July 26-29, the company hosted 34 high school students at its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Virginia Beach for its ninth Manufacturing Technology Summer Camp. This marked the first year the camp has been held since 2019, returning with a forward-looking theme: “Lighting the Future.”

“This camp is a great way to promote local manufacturing and introduce students to careers in a field that they may not otherwise have exposure,” says Lorraine Amesbury Holder, senior vice president of operations at Stihl. “Not only do the students walk away from this camp learning about Stihl Inc., this camp leaves students excited about pursuing careers in manufacturing after they graduate, helping Stihl Inc. and other companies fill their future positions.”

Through the camp, the company promoted careers in modern manufacturing and educated teens on both skilled trades and degreed career paths in manufacturing.

“This program allows us to engage with students and introduce them to a STEM career field and new technologies, with the goal of really getting them passionate about this industry and correcting any old misconceptions they may have about manufacturing,” adds Courtney Addison, Stihl manager of talent development.

This free four-day program provides high school students experience with manufacturing process planning, budgeting, and product quality, as well as the significance of hard work and collaboration. Students were given a hands-on technology-based project working in teams to build desk lamps using Stihl components.

On the final day, teams competed in a friendly competition before a panel of judges including Jen Kiggans, U.S. House of Representatives; Gary Pan, Commissioner, Virginia Depart-

ment of Labor & Industry; and Michael Berlucchi, Virginia Beach City Council.

Members of the winning Team Bleu—River Aman, Carson Bernstein, BellaGrace Chavez, Issac Halcomb, Aiden Kearns, Joseph Quartararo and Emily Wagner—received a $1,000 scholarship from Virginia Industry Foundation and were named 2023 Stihl Manufacturing Technology Summer Camp Champions.

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This issue of Power Equipment Trade is brought to you in part by the following companies, which will gladly supply additional information about their products.

Re-Thinking Dealership Organizational Structures

BY LANCE FORMWALT

As business owners, most of you are familiar with the typical top to bottom governance structurefor a business: Owner,Board of Directors,CEO/Management.

I would guess that most of you follow this structure in your business, just like the publicly tradedcompanies. But the difference between your dealership and a publicly traded company is that most dealerships have the same people in all three categories. This is a significant difference—if the samepeople fill all roles, you lose the potential benefits of the checks and balances involved in this business structure and a typical consequence is that the dealership’s Board of Directors is left with no real function. Instead, the owners make all key decisions, and the management team implements them throughtheir day-to-day jobs.

This model is gradually shifting as the pace of succession planning within dealerships continuesto accelerate. Many of you have seen this play out with the hiring of a non-family members in keymanagement. But an overlooked change that can add a lot of value to the organization without dramatic day-to-day change or financial consequences is the use of one or more independent people toserve on your Board of Directors.

What Is The Role Of An Indepen-

dent

Director?

The first role of an independent director comes straight from the title—independent. Boardmembers are always supposed to look out for the best interests of the business (versus the owners orthe employees). However, when board members are also owners and/or employees, it is incrediblydifficult to expect them to check these other interests at the door. As a result, the easiest way to help theBoard focus on its duty to look after the dealership is to bring in an independent director that is notfamily, not an employee and not a key customer/supplier.

The second role of an independent director is to help the entire Board focus and execute on thetraditional Board of Director functions.

These include the following:

● Provide strategic direction and vision for the dealership with a focus on longer-term strategies

● Oversee the CEO/President, including performance evaluation, growth, and development

● Monitor organizational succession planning

Independent directors should also be selected to help bring missing expertise or other needsto your dealership.

When Is The Right Time To Consider An Independent Director?

As long as you think an independent director can add value, there is no “right time.” But thesetypes of decisions are typically made as part of succession-planning events like mergers that create large shareholder groups from multiple families. They can also help with transitions involving multiple generations andcreation of ESOPs that require the use of independent directors.

These types of situations are often trigger points for change in dealerships due to the closelyheld nature of the ownership groups involved. In these situations, independent directors often servean important role as a buffer between generations to help take the “family” out of “family decisions” and reduce stress on management that is notpart of the family. Independent directors help fulfill a similar role as a tiebreaker, reality check, or “us vs. them”buffer that can be important in helping multiple family groupscome together successfully as part of a merger.

Getting Started

There are no set rules when it comes to adding independent directors to your dealership but here are a few commontopics that often come up when giving it consideration:

● Start Small: Adding even a single

independent director can help change the culture of the organization. Withmost dealers, one or two independent director will be most common, although some ESOPs require a majority of directors tobe independent.

● Compensation: Independent directors are compensated. Compensation is based on a per meeting fee ordaily rate.

● Change is Expected: Independent directors servebecause they are elected by the owners. As a result, theycan be removed at any time, and it is perfectly acceptableto replace Board members if you do not think they are adding enough value or if you think the dealership’s needs havechanged and require a different skillset.

● Dealership Size: Independent directors will notbreak the bank, so there is no magic dealership size required.Although larger dealers have been the first to adopt this model, smaller dealers may get as much or more value out ofindependent directors that help them keep the focus on business decisions versus family conflict.

Adding an independent director into your dealership’s organizational structure is something that should be thoughtfully planned, but it is one of the lowest-cost and least disruptive changes that can be made from an organizationalstandpoint. As a result, it is a step that most dealers should consider as they look toward maximizing long-term value in their organization. PET

This article is intended to provide general recommendations and is not intended to be legal advice. You should always consult your attorney for advice unique to you and your business.

Lance Formwalt is the leader of the Equipment Dealer Group at Seigfreid Bingham, P.C. The firm serves as legal counsel to several equipment dealer associations and many individual equipment dealers. Lance also serves as an independent director for some equipment dealers. lancef@sk-kc.com; 816-265-4106.