Disaster ResponseFeaturedLoaders, Excavators & TractorsManufacturer/Supplier UpdatesProducts and EquipmentTree Care Gear
Loftness Adds Lightweight Mulching Head For Compact Excavators
Jessica Schwartz
FMC, NALP Develop Joint Initiative To Help Lawn Care Operators Grow
Today, FMC Corporation and the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) launched a joint initiative to help lawn care operators (LCO) grow their businesses by providing access to a variety of tools and resources offered by both FMC and NALP. The FMC True Champions program helps small-to-medium-sized lawn care companies ($450,000-$850,000 in annual revenue) transition from working “in” their business to working “on” their business. FMC will sponsor memberships in NALP to give small companies access to resources and training. “FMC is committed to growing the future of the lawn care industry,” says Mike Sisti, Marketing Manager at FMC Professional Solutions. “We built the FMC True Champions end-user program as a way to support LCOs strategically grow their business.” FMC will sponsor a free, one-year membership in NALP to companies that meet a minimum requirement for the promotion. FMC True Champion program members will be provided a discount for the following two years of NALP membership to allow LCOs to become fully engaged with the association. “We are extremely excited to partner with FMC and their True Champions program on this effort,’ said Britt Wood, NALP CEO. “By working together, we can help up and coming LCO’s grow and develop their businesses.” FMC is offering the NALP-FMC Kickoff Promotion November 30-December 11, 2020, with rebates on FMC products specifically geared towards the lawn care market. Companies enrolled in the program will also receive a complimentary registration to some NALP education events, ensuring that they have every opportunity to access ...
From Displays To Switches, Delta Systems Designs Keep Landscapers Moving
This article is contributed by Delta Systems, a manufacturer of switches, displays and controls for outdoor power equipment (OPE). Based in Streetsboro, OH, the company has been a longtime supplier to top mower manufacturers such as MTD, John Deere, and Husqvarna. Delta Systems believes in going above and beyond the ordinary, changing the way people interact with mowers. As a supplier of switches, displays and controls, Delta Systems builds its components to not only perform in harsh conditions, but the 47-year-old Ohio-based company also designs elegant and easy-to-use Human Machine Interface (HMI) dashboard solutions that keep drivers in command with a focus on ease and convenience. “The consumer demand for what is expected with engine-powered outdoor power equipment follows the trends we see in automotive design, albeit with a bit of lag,” said Bill Michaels, senior vice president of sales & marketing for Delta Systems, a firm that has been a longtime supplier to top mower manufacturers such as MTD, John Deere, and Husqvarna. “Operators want simple, intuitive dashboard interfaces that provide at-a-glance information, and they want the equipment to work every time. There’s no tolerance for downtime because that means lost money to landscapers.” Designing The Inside For What’s Outside To help keep mowers running smoothly, Delta Systems has developed a deep bench of IP67-rated mower components for various outdoor power equipment (OPE) applications, including walk behinds, stand-on mowers, riding mowers and ZTRs. Built to counter tough environmental conditions, these components range from switches to controllers, displays to connectivity ...
Keep An Eye On Lawn And Tree Disease
By Lindsey Getz From the Spring 2019 Issue As a lawn care operator, you’re in the business of producing well-maintained and lush green lawns and landscapes. But the unpredictability of weather and the prevalence of certain diseases (as a result of changing weather and site conditions) can make this challenging to say the least. Even so, having success with turf and tree disease management as an add-on service isn’t exactly an easy feat, either. It often requires taking the time to talk to and educate customers—along with a serious dose of honesty. Fred Oskanian, owner of Terra Lawn Care Specialists in Collegeville, PA, knows a thing about that. In fact, he’s often competing against the “big national companies” that tend to make hard sales pitches and even use diseases as bait. “There is a lot of misinformation out there, and some of it is perpetuated by companies who are willing to use any line to hook new customers,” Oskanian says. “It’s why we have two agronomists on staff, and we make all of our technicians obtain their own licensure. We’ve been out to properties in which the client was told their lawn was dead when in fact it was just dormant.” Oskanian says that lawn care companies that fail to educate their clients also run the risk of the client assuming they did something wrong, when in fact, the lawn has just been plagued by disease. “That’s why we’re big on sending one of our two lead technicians over to ...
Mowers: Buying Cycles And Pricing Prowess
By Lindsey Getz From the Spring 2019 Issue If mowing often feels like it is the most complex part of your lawn care business, you’re not alone. For as basic as a service that mowing is, a lot of lawn care operators say that everything from perfecting their buying cycle of mowers to pricing these jobs accurately feels as though it eludes them. “Mowing is more complex than a lot of people realize,” says Scott Bierman, owner of Pro-Mow Lawn Care in Charleston, IL. “It’s a simple service but there is a lot involved in setting pricing, perfecting routing, and even mowing turnover strategy. And when these factors are overlooked, it’s easy for the service to start losing you money.” Rounding Up The Fleet When it comes to operating a successful mowing service, you need to be sure that you’ve rounded up the right fleet of mowers to get the job done well. The perfect mix of mowers is going to differ from company to company with factors such as the type of properties you’re servicing, size of the jobs you perform, and your budget leading the decision in what will work best. Bierman says that for his market and the types of jobs that he performs, 60-inch mowers are ideal. “When it comes to buying parts, and you have all 60s, it makes it a lot easier to service the mowers,” Bierman says. “Brand loyalty is also important to our ideal fleet. Our local dealer is really good to ...
