Disaster ResponseFeaturedIndustry NewsLawn Mowing Maintenance and Lawn CareLoaders, Excavators & TractorsMaintenanceManufacturer/Supplier UpdatesProductsProducts and EquipmentThe Latest
Bobcat Introduces TL623 Telehandler
Jessica Schwartz
On July 20, NALP Renewal & Remembrance Event Will Be Smaller, Shared On Video
For nearly a quarter of a century, landscape and lawn care professionals have gathered together at Arlington National Cemetery for Renewal & Remembrance, the largest day of service in the industry. This year’s event has been canceled due to COVID-19 and is closed to the public. On July 20, 2020, in place of the large-scale event that would have taken place, the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) will hold a small closed ceremony and tree planting with remarks by NALP President, Andrew Ziehler, and Arlington National Cemetery Superintendent, Mr. Charles “Ray” Alexander, Jr. The following people will also be on hand to represent the hundreds of volunteers who would have participated in this year’s volunteer service event: past Chairs of Renewal & Remembrance Bruce Allentuck, Phil Fogarty, and Walter Wray; current Vice-Chair, Eric Gilbey; current Chair, John Eggleston; and NALP CEO, Britt Wood. Those in the industry who would like to honor the legacy and take time to remember this industry’s commitment to serve military members and their families are invited to join together, on Monday, July 20, at 2 pm ET, to view the ceremony. The video will be available on NALP’s website, Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube platforms. “We are humbled that Arlington National Cemetery is joining together with us to honor the work that the industry has done in service to one of our nation’s most sacred landscapes,” said NALP CEO, Britt Wood. “We hope that everyone comes together on Monday afternoon to watch the ceremony, taking ...
Get Equipped: Mowers
Take a look at these six mowers that can improve your professional lawn care services. Model 937 EFI FrontMount™ Mower From Grasshopper Equipped with a powerful 993 cc EFI Vanguard Big Block air-cooled, horizontal crankshaft engine, the Grasshopper Model 937EFI FrontMount™ mower powers through tough jobs with ease while taking advantage of the efficiency of fuel injection. The G3 hydrostatic pump-and-wheel-motor system with seven-micron filtration is powered by a single, flat, ribbed, serpentine belt. Perform all-day mowing without having to fill up thanks to the mower’s 14.4 gallon fuel capacity. Grasshopper brings comfort, durability, and performance with a low center of gravity and balanced weight distribution among six wheels for a lighter footprint on the turf. The 937 EFI FrontMount is available with PTO-driven, 5.5″ deep DuraMax® cutting decks in 61″ and 72″ widths. A number of PowerVac™ Collection Systems, turf renovation, and snow removal implements are also available, making the 937 EFI a versatile year-round grounds maintenance system. 120V Professional Series Mower From Oregon Oregon’s new LMA 120VX 21″ self-propelled mower is a battery powered walk behind that offers real commercial durability. With a 14 gauge high-lift steel deck and two-speed heavy-duty transmission, it’s one of the fastest in its class. The large-capacity 2.5 bushel rear bagging design also offers mulching capabilities and cutting heights from 1″ to 4.5″ in half-inch increments. This mower is ready for heavy use in all kinds of weather with the 120V Professional Series’ standard IP56 rating and a two-year commercial warranty. The only ...
You Have a Wealth of Mower Choices
There’s never been a better time to purchase mowers — that is if you like variety. Twenty eight mower suppliers exhibited at the 2016 GIE+EXPO in Louisville, Kentucky. Most manufacturers displayed multiple models. Commercial-grade ZTRs (riders and stand-ons) dominated both the show floor and the outside demo area. In terms of the riders, these included both mid-mount and versatile front-mount models. But if you were looking for even a rugged little 21-inch trim mower, the GIE+EXPO wouldn’t have disappointed you. If the sheer number and variety of mowers being displayed weren’t enough to excite you, perhaps the many different available engine and fuel options did. Again, there was a wealth of choices. On display were large rugged commercial zeroturning radius mowers powered by Kawasaki, Kohler, Briggs & Stratton, Kubota and Yamaha engines. Each of these manufacturers offered power plants in a range of horsepower ratings. Yamaha, the latest manufacturer to enter the ZTR market, debuted its engines on select Gravely commercial zeros for the 2017 season. Engine choices for small walk-behind mowers at the event included Honda, Briggs & Stratton and Subaru. Contractors attending the GIE+EXPO saw machines powered by gasoline, propane and diesel fuel, along with the promise of more battery-powered commercial cutters by Greenworks, joining industry pioneer Mean Green in that space. And manufacturers that displayed another crop of new models or models with exciting new features at the GIE+EXPO included: Altoz, Ariens and Gravely, Bad Boy Mowers, Cub Cadet, Dixie Chopper, Worldlawn, Exmark, Ferris, John Deere, Mean ...
Ariens to Sell Stens and JThomas, Lawsuit Challenges Lawn Care Ban: This Week’s Industry News
Want to keep up with the latest news in lawn care and landscaping? Check back every Thursday for a quick recap of recent happenings in the green industry. Ariens to Sell Aftermarket Parts Business to Arrowhead Engineered Products Ariens Company has announced a definitive agreement to sell its aftermarket parts business to Arrowhead Engineered Products Inc. of Blaine, Minnesota. Stens and JThomas Parts are privately-held and terms of the agreement will not be disclosed. The sale is expected to be complete by the end of 2016. The company will also invest in a robust e-commerce platform for its niche outdoor supply brands Gempler’s, AW Direct and Ben Meadows. Ariens Company acquired Stens in 1995 and JThomas in 2008. Virginia Legislators Honor STIHL Board Chairman Fred Whyte The Virginia Senate and House of Delegates recently honored STIHL Inc., Board Chairman Fred Whyte with a joint resolution outlining his successful tenure with the company. State Sen. Bill DeSteph (R-8th) presented the joint resolution at a luncheon in Virginia Beach. The resolution highlighted Whyte’s career, from his start as one of the company’s first 50 employees to his community leadership across southeast Virginia as a member of the boards for Old Dominion University and the Children’s Health Foundation of Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters. Whyte currently serves as the sole director and chairman of the STIHL Inc. Board of Directors, following his retirement as president in December 2015. Governor Responds to Georgia Drought with Level 2 Watering Restrictions More than 20 weeks ...
Houzz Scholarship, PremierPRO Bermudagrass for WII Memorial: This Week’s Industry News
Want to keep up with the latest news in lawn care and landscaping? Check back every Thursday for a quick recap of recent happenings in the green industry. SiteOne Reports Soft Third Quarter Growth, Acquisition Activity SiteOne Landscape Supply, Inc., in announcing earnings for its third quarter ending October 2, 2016, reported strong year-over-year growth in net sales, gross profit, net income and adjusted EBITDA. SiteOne third quarter results at a glance: Net sales increased by 10 percent year-over-year to $444.5 million Organic sales increased by 2 percent reflecting soft market conditions during the summer Gross profit increased by 17 percent to $138.4 million; gross margin expanded by 180 basis points to 31.1 percent Net income of $14.9 million, an increase of 31 percent year-over-year Adjusted EBITDA increased by 30 percent to $43.7 million; Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded by 150 basis points to 9.8 percent Completed the acquisitions of Bissett Nursery & Equipment Companies and Glen Allen Nursery DBi Services Tabs RogerZino as CEO DBi Services has named Roger Zino as its CEO. Zino is the former president ValleyCrest of Valley Crest Landscape Maintenance where he grew revenue from $140 million to over $650 million. He later served as the first non-family CEO of ValleyCrest. Most recently he served as vice chairman of Brickman-ValleyCrest, focusing on integrating a $2 billion landscape services company with 300 locations and 23,000 employees. DBi Services, headquartered in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, grew from a small commercial residential maintenance company to a global network of more than ...
Syngenta Rewards Program, Gravely/Yamaha Partnership: This Week’s Industry News
Want to keep up with the latest news in lawn care and landscaping? Check back every Thursday for a quick recap of recent happenings in the green industry. Papa John’s Pizza Founder to Keynote GIE+EXPO 2016 John Schnatter founded Papa John’s pizza in 1983 when he knocked out a broom closet in the back of his father’s tavern in Jeffersonville, Indiana. He then sold his 1971 Z28 Camaro to purchase $1,600 worth of used pizza equipment and began selling pizzas to the tavern’s customers out of the converted closet. His pizzas proved so popular that one year later he was able to move into an adjoining space. The company is the third largest take-out and pizza delivery restaurant chain in the world with headquarters in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, near Louisville. “Papa” John Schnatter will be presenting the keynote address at the GIE+EXPO 8 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 20. Schnatter’s keynote will have a $15 registration fee, which will benefit the Louisville Zoo. Gravely Unveils Yamaha-Powered ZTRs to Dealers The Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, Outdoor Power Equipment showed off its new MXV-EFI Vertical V-twin series engines designed specifically for ZTRs at the Gravely dealer meeting in Amelia, Florida, on Oct. 3. The three new engines — the MX775V-EFI, MX800V-EFI and MX825V-EFI — range from 29 gross horsepower to 33 certified gross horsepower. The later two new models will be available early spring 2017 on select models in Gravely’s Pro-Turn 200 and 400 lines. Read a first-hand account of the reveal from editor-at-large, Ronnie ...
Ariens Makes Personnel Changes to Meet Greater Sales Demands
BRILLION, Wis. – Ariens Company announced personnel changes in the area of sales management aimed at supporting the growth of the Ariens and Gravely brands of products. “These changes coincide with additional territory positions, internal operational changes and other investments we have made that are aimed at meeting a new level of customer need associated with steady year-over-year growth,” says Dan Ariens, Chairman and CEO. “Our focus is to expand our presence in international markets while maintaining the growth we have been experiencing domestically.” John Horn, Vice President of Global Sales, will shift his primary focus to global sales, spending more time with sales staff, distributors and dealers in international markets. He will also add two new sales positions internationally. Ron Marcellus will become Director North American Sales, reporting to Horn. Marcellus will be responsible for sales growth in both the dealer and national retailer channels. Marcellus has held various sales management positions with Ariens Company for the past 18 years. Joe Pope becomes Director Dealer Development, reporting to Horn. Pope will develop and implement strategic sales and training programs within the dealer channel and work with dealers to improve Ariens and Gravely brand awareness. Pope has been with Ariens Company for the last 14 years in various sales management roles.
