Source: www.TurfMagazine.com
Scag Partners with Atlanta Motor Speedway
Scag Power Equipment, along with their regional distributor, Power Tool Company, and Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS), have announced a six-year partnership to help the speedway maintain its 887-acre facility.
A Scag dual-fuel Turf Tiger mower is ready for the “green flag” at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Scag is now the official lawn mower of Atlanta Motor Speedway. A group of Turf Tiger dual-fuel zero-turn riders and Pro-V walk-behind mowers was delivered to AMS by Power Tool Company in late July. Mason Tractor and Equipment, the local authorized Scag dealer in McDonough, Ga., is the official mower service provider of AMS.
Coxreels Moves to New Location
Coxreels will move to a new location, not far from its current facility in Tempe, Ariz. Fabrication, machine and welding departments have already relocated and are fully functional. The new facility will provide production with nearly 50 percent more operational space. This move will permit manufacturing processes to be improved and increase productivity.
Syngenta to Acquire DuPont Professional Products Business
Syngenta has announced that it will acquire the DuPont Professional Products insecticide business, including a number of registered trademark brands.
Created in 2002, the DuPont Professional Products insecticide business specializes in the development and marketing of innovative branded products for the professional turf and pest control markets, including Altriset, Advion, Arilon and Acelepryn. The acquisition price is $125 million.
As a result of this transaction, Syngenta can pursue opportunities in adjacent markets such as the ornamental horticulture and consumer markets. Finally, Syngenta Research & Development investment will drive growth in opportunities to extend the use of the active ingredients in the professional and home pest markets.
The transaction is subject to regulatory approval. Closing is expected in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Valent Names Territory Manager
Valent Professional Products announced that Robert Santana has joined the company as the territory manager for southeast Florida. Santana graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in food and resource economics, focusing on agribusiness management. He most recently worked in turf and ornamental distribution in southwest Florida. He will be based in Fort Lauderdale for Valent.
David Keffer
Fred Key
Ruppert Opens New Location; Promotes Keffer, Key
Ruppert Landscape has expanded its Virginia operations to include a new branch in Lorton, Va., and has promoted David Keffer to the position of branch manager to run the branch. Keffer has over 25 years of industry experience and in 2008 was recognized with Ruppert’s Branch Impact Award for his outstanding dedication and contributions made in the Gainesville Landscape Management Branch.
Ruppert announced the promotion of Fred Key to the role of region manager, where he will oversee branches in Raleigh, N.C.; Richmond, Va.; Lorton, Va.; and Gainesville, Va. Key has over 20 years of industry experience and has been with Ruppert for 10 years, serving in a variety of positions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Salisbury State University.
OLCA Hosts Lawn Care Seminar
The Ohio Lawn Care Association and Ohio State University Extension hosted the 18th annual Ohio Lawn Care Outdoor Summer Seminar at the Ohio Turfgrass Foundation Research & Education Facility in Columbus. It featured presentations at turfgrass research plots on various topics, including crabgrass management, organic and synthetic fertilizers, herbicides on lawns, aquatic/pond weed management, landscape insect management and update, turf disease management and diagnosis update, and more.
U.S. Lawns Prepares for Snow & Ice Storms in Florida
Orlando is an unlikely place and the dead of summer is an unlikely time to make preparations for snow and ice, but that is exactly what U.S. Lawns does. That is in part how this semi-tropics-based company ranked number eight on Snow Magazine’s TOP 100 snow contractors list for 2012.
Ken Hutcheson, president of U.S. Lawns.
“We have to monitor very closely the expectations of our customers in the snow regions, and when a snow or ice event strikes, we have to be ready,” said Ken Hutcheson, president of U.S. Lawns. “We have manned and automated systems in place to react and track progress for multiple locations simultaneously nationwide, with great results.”
U.S. Lawns is a full service, year-round commercial landscape management company with 250 offices nationwide. Their commercial contracts allow them time to prepare for the winter.
“