Industry Update

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Cotton Awarded Fourth U.S. Patent

Don Cotton was granted patent protection on an invention that improves the method used to sharpen reel-type mowers. Cotton, who also has three other patents, is president and owner of Turf Pride LLC, Andalusia, Ala.

From left, Vice President Wayne Buchberger and CEO Rodney Miller, McCormick; Ryan Delaney; and President J.L. Hans Bouwers, National Sales Manager Greg Bouwers and Product Manager Sergio Correia, Landini.

Spirit Implements Enters Supply Agreement

Spirit Implements, LLC, Waupaca, Wis., entered an exclusive supply agreement with McCormick International USA and Landini, McCormick Canada. Spirit will supply front-end loaders and other tractor attachments for the U.S. and Canadian market. Ryan R. Delaney founded the company in 1999 and is currently its president and sole owner.

Scott Warren

Warren Joins Foley

Scott Warren has joined Foley, Inc. as a heavy account manager for the machinery sales division. He comes to Foley with over 22 years of construction equipment sales and sales management experience. Warren will be responsible for heavy machinery sales in Monmouth and Mercer counties in New Jersey.

SavATree Acquires H.R. Spooner

SavATree announced a merger with H.R. Spooner Ornamental Care, Falmouth, Mass. H.R. Spooner has been providing Cape Cod residents with plant health care services for over a decade.

Toro and AST Resolve Wireless Soil Monitoring Dispute

The Toro Co. has agreed to settle all outstanding litigation with Advanced Sensor Technology, Inc. The parties’ patent infringement, trade secret, false advertising and other claims and counter-claims were resolved without any admission of liability or wrongdoing, nor any licensing agreement, by either party.

Both companies will continue to compete in the field of soil sensing with their respective technologies, Toro’s Turf Guard and AST’s UgMO, and they have agreed not to disparage one another’s product.

While Toro believes that Turf Guard never infringed a patent that AST licensed, the company nevertheless agreed to modify the Turf Guard source code to address AST’s concerns and resolve the dispute. The modification does not impact Turf Guard’s performance or functionality.

Agresource Releases Topdressing Guide

Agresource now offers a comprehensive guide to topdressing turf with compost, available for download from its Web site at www.agresourceinc.com. The publication describes the benefits of topdressing and provides guidance on selecting composts, topdressing methods and equipment, and application rates. It also includes references to published studies that document the benefits of compost topdressing.

Dr. John Thomson, left, and Nick Federoff.

Thomson Receives SEE Award

Dr. John A. A. Thomson, originator of SUPERthrive, received the Lifetime Environmental Awareness Award from Sustainable Environmental Education, a nonprofit organization. Radio show host Nick Federoff presented the award at Thomson’s Vitamin Institute facilities in North Hollywood, Calif.

Cook Acquires PECO

Peter Allen Cook has acquired PECO, Inc., Asheville, N.C., from its founder, Peter Hall. Cook has a degree in finance from Central Michigan University and has held a number of professional management positions. PECO was founded in 1972 and manufactures outdoor power equipment.

King Innovation Launches New Web Site

King Innovation launched a new Web site at www.kinginnovation.com geared toward the “people” side of business. The user-friendly site features feedback-oriented information, a well-organized home page, product pages, specification sheets, free sample requests, videos, blogging capabilities and more.

Otterbine Launches New Web Site

Otterbine Barebo, Inc. launched its newly designed Web site at www.otterbine.com. Features of the new site include market-specific sections, photo galleries and improved resources, with direct access to owner’s manuals, specification forms and feature installations in addition to expanded product listings and reference documentation. The site also offers enhanced directory listings and an electronic sales lead program.

Pressler Joins AST

Paul Pressler has joined the board of Advanced Sensor Technology, Inc. as vice chairman. Pressler is a director for Avon Products, Inc., OpenTable, Inc. and Overture Acquisitions Corp., and is an adviser to Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. He is working with the UgMO team to help forge strategic partnerships, expand growth opportunities and promote UgMO’s water advocacy role.

Wolf Joins Stihl

Stihl, Inc. announced the appointment of Matthias Wolf to the position of manager of manufacturing engineering. He comes to Stihl with more than 10 years of management experience, most recently as vice president with the American subsidiary of Hengst Automotive. Wolf received a master’s degree in mechanical and electronic engineering from the Technical University of Berlin (Germany) and a certification in accounting and finance from Midlands Technical College.

News from Maruyama

Maruyama U.S., Inc. hosted its first North American distributor council meeting in St. Louis, Mo. Council members include Steve Purdy, Jack Ball, Rick Roberts, Robert Smith and Donald Marquis.

Maruyama announced business partnerships with two outdoor power equipment distributors. Smiths South-Central Sales Co., Springhill, La., will distribute the full line of Maruyama commercial products in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma. Roberts Supply, Inc., Winter Park, Fla., will cover Florida, Georgia and Alabama.

ValleyCrest Adds Sprint GPS Solutions

Sprint and ValleyCrest Landscape Companies announced an agreement for Sprint to add GPS services to ValleyCrest’s communications tool kit at select branch locations. The location-based services will help ValleyCrest better track employee job location and company assets for these field branches. The tool will also help in handling payroll and route job assignments.

Agrium Offers Fertilizer Guide

Agrium Advanced Technologies offers information about choosing fertilizer products and best practices in its free “Fertilizer 101 Agronomy Guide.” Landscape and lawn care professionals can request printed copies and download the guide in English and Spanish at www.agriumat.com/AgronomyGuide.

Martin Levy

Jacobsen Hires Levy, Holds Dealer Training

Martin L. Levy has joined Jacobsen as vice president of sales and marketing, with responsibility for the Americas and Asia Pacific. Levy has worked for Ingersoll-Rand Co. and Doosan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and a master’s in business administration from the University of Miami, Coral Gables. Levy is replacing Ralph Nicotera, vice president of sales, who has spent 35 years with the company and will retire in early 2010.

Jacobsen held a two-day sales training program at Madden’s on Gull Lake resort near Brainerd, Minn. The training was facilitated by Erik Sides, Jacobsen University’s training manager, assisted by Gene Klinkman, product support manager, and Les King, northwest territory sales manager.

News from Doosan

Doosan Infracore America’s 48-Hour Parts Guarantee for its wheel loader and excavator customers is celebrating its two-year anniversary. The program guarantees that Doosan machine owners will receive “machine debilitating” replacement parts within two business days, or Doosan will pay for a replacement machine rental. To learn more, visit www.doosan48hour.com.

The company launched Doosan Elite Plus, which provides customers with comprehensive product support solutions. It offers programs including Doosan Elite Assurance, an extended warranty program, preventive maintenance programs, Doosan GPS, Doosan’s Component Oil Analysis Program, remanufacturing and all-makes parts and attachments.

Ledex Receives U.S. Patent

Ledex Industries announced that it has received a U.S. patent on its new Steel Trip Edge system with Trip-Lock. Ledex manufactures Avalanche snowplows.

Mrotek Joins Terex AWP

Mike Mrotek was appointed to the position of senior product manager for Terex Aerial Work Platforms’ Genie telehandler product line. Previously, he was an industry marketing manager for Rexnord. Mrotek earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Wisconsin and a master’s in business administration from DePaul University.

NaturaLawn President Phil Catron, left, and Nick Vujicic.

NaturaLawn Holds Owners Meeting

NaturaLawn of America held its owners meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz. Motivational speaker Nick Vujicic of Attitude is Altitude gave the keynote address. NaturaLawn is headquartered in Frederick, Md.

Telogis Wins Award

Telogis announced that Network Products Guide named its WorkForce software application a winner of the 2009 Best Products and Services Award. WorkForce is a handset-based application that connects mobile workers to their office.

RSC Launches Used Equipment Web Site

RSC Equipment Rental launched an updated used equipment sales Web site, accessible at www.RSCrental.com/usedequipment. Visitors can quickly search for equipment by type, make, model, year and current location, and information sheets can be prepared for specific units. A separate “Great Deals” section features limited-time opportunities on selected pieces of equipment.

Bobcat Facility Awarded Certifications

Bobcat Co.’s manufacturing facility in Bismarck, N.D., has received ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certification by the British Standards Institution in recognition of its commitment to environmentally friendly operation and a safe, healthy work setting. The facility’s environmental management effort encompassed implementing a systematic approach to setting environmental objectives and targets and demonstrating continuous improvements in environmental performance. Bobcat also created an occupational health and safety management system that controls risks and improves performance, and demonstrated the system is working.

Bud Smart

Smart Releases Sustainable Development Podcast

Miles M. “Bud” Smart, president of Audubon Environmental, released a podcast discussing sustainable development design. The podcast is available for download at www.mmimarketing.com/podcast.

Talbert Recognizes Top Dealers

Talbert Mfg., Inc. recognized its top dealers for superior achievements in sales and service throughout the past year. The number one dealer was Hale Trailer Brake & Wheel, Voorhees, N.J., which operates 14 locations along the East Coast. Other top dealers included Big Iron Equipment, Lively, Ont.; Branded Trailer Sales, Woodworth, La.; Freightliner, Grand Rapids, Mich.; J&B Pavelka Truck & Trailer, Corpus Christi, Texas; Leslie Equipment, Cowen, W.Va.; Lucky’s Trailer Sales, South Royalton, Vt.; Trailer America, Columbiana, Ohio; and Western Truck & Trailer Sales, Las Vegas, Nev.