Industry Update

Source: www.TurfMagazine.com

Ventrac Announces New Web Site

Venture Products, Inc., manufacturer of the Ventrac compact tractor, has launched a newly designed Web site at www.ventrac.com. The site includes additional product information, Ventrac Advantage pages, customer testimonial pages, a Markets section highlighting various sales markets and Monthly Featured Product information. It also features easier navigation, a wider knowledge base, expanded photo and video gallery, and links to Ventrac’s blog, Facebook page, YouTube videos and Twitter.

Landscaping Department Wins Award

The landscaping department at Middlebury College won the Grand Honor Award for 2009 for landscape and garden commercial maintenance from Green Works Vermont Nursery & Landscape Association. The department was recognized for maintenance done on Middlebury’s grounds, as well as landscape planting and environmental initiatives.

New England Grows Packs BCEC

More than 13,000 green industry professionals attended New England Grows, held at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and featuring more than 600 exhibiting companies. The event included solution-based educational seminars, exposition with show specials and Ask the Experts sessions.

Barnyard Supply Launches New Web Site

Barnyard Supply Ltd. launched a new e-commerce Web site at www.barnyardproducts.com. It features a variety of lawn and garden supplies from small, family-owned businesses throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Marc Boissonnault Anthony Warren

News from Kioti

Kioti Tractor has launched a Facebook fan page to communicate corporate, product and general tractor news. The new page allows Kioti to post news releases, marketing polls and surveys, product and corporate videos, and photos, as well as generate discussion about its products.

Marc Boissonnault has joined Kioti as territory manager for Quebec and Atlantic Canada. He has served as director of sales for Ag Dealer Magazine, territory manager for a distributor in eastern Canada and Ontario territory manager for a farm equipment supply OEM.

Anthony Warren was named purchasing manager for Kioti’s line of compact tractors and UTVs. Most recently, he was a commodity manager/team leader for the North American Cranes Division of Terex, and he has also worked for John Deere.

PACE Named Distributor of the Year

Wright presented its 2009 Distributor of the Year Award to PACE, Inc., Plymouth, Mich. PACE also earned the award in 2006 and 2008, as well as the Market Expansion and Salesman of the Year awards in 2007.

Kubota Provides Earthquake Relief Donations

Kubota Corp.’s affiliated companies in the U.S. and Canada, including Kubota Tractor Corp., Kubota Credit Corp., Kubota Mfg. of America, Kubota Industrial Equipment, Kubota Engine America Corp. and Kubota Canada, Ltd., have donated $50,000 in equipment in-kind for ongoing relief efforts following the earthquake in Haiti. Kubota has provided generators and other electronic and first aid supplies through the California-based Operation USA. Kubota Corp. of Osaka, Japan, has made a contribution of $110,000 to the Japanese Red Cross Society for earthquake relief assistance.

Blue Water to Carry Ashland Products

Fertilizer produced by Ashland Hercules Water Technologies, a commercial unit of Ashland, Inc., is now available exclusively through Blue Water Agronomy The products include bluAgro Chip, bluAgro Granular and bluAgro Powder.

TWCA Debuts at TPI Conference

The Turfgrass Water Conservation Alliance made its debut at the midwinter conference of Turfgrass Producers International. TWCA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the environment through water conservation initiatives. It recognizes and promotes plants that can thrive using limited amounts of water.

GE Money Renews Program with Toro

GE Money, the consumer lending unit of General Electric Co., announced the extension of a consumer financing agreement with the Toro Co.. The financing program, originally established in 2004, provides end-user customers with revolving and installment credit options on Toro and Exmark equipment purchases.

Redi-Rock Announces Rocky Award Winners

Redi-Rock International announced the winners of the annual Rocky Awards for 2009. The winners included Piedmont Precast, Atlanta, Ga., Commercial Wall of the Year; Redi-Rock Structures of OKI, Independence, Ky., Water Application Wall of the Year; Puget Sound Precast, Tacoma, Wash., Residential Wall of the Year; Redi-Rock Walls of New England, with offices throughout New England, Freestanding Wall of the Year; and Foster Supply, Inc., Scott Depot, W.Va., New Product of the Year.

From left, Dan Roche, marketing manager, commercial power, Briggs & Stratton; Lee Hadenfeldt; and Johannes Schulze Vohren, vice president of sales and product support, Wacker Neuson.

Wacker Neuson Hosts WOC Challenge

Wacker Neuson held a ride-on Trowel Challenge at World of Concrete. Lee Hadenfeldt, H&H Concrete & Construction, Doniphan, Neb., won the competition and received the company’s customized CRT 48-35VX ride-on trowel. Ricky Ruiz, Slater & Son Concrete, Sacramento, Calif., was the runner-up.

Aquascape Installs Rainwater Harvesting System

A team of Aquascape Foundation volunteers installed a 10,000-gallon rainwater harvesting system at La Rosa de Saron School in Barranquilla, Colombia. The water project paired the RainXchange rainwater harvesting system by Aquascape, Inc. with Genieye’s Eye-Nizer water purification system. The system provides clean drinking water for about 400 schoolchildren year-round and creates the ability to prepare one hot meal per day.

Stihl Supports NASPD Leadership School

The Oglebay National Training Center in West Virginia hosted the third year of the National Association of State Park Directors Leadership School. The program is funded in part by gold-level sponsor Stihl, Inc., which provides travel funds to offset expenses of attending on-site leadership school events and also sponsors the NASPD annual conference.

Ben Anderson

Maruyama Hires Anderson, Holds Training

Maruyama U.S., Inc. hired Ben Anderson as regional sales manager for the western region of North America. Previously, he worked for C&N Tractor and Berchtold Equipment Co. He has over 10 years of sales experience.

Maruyama held a training seminar for distributor technical service managers. Technical representatives from 10 distributorships in North America attended the four-day meeting, held at the company’s headquarters in Denton, Texas.

LFI Launches Design Symposia

The 2010 Lightfair International has broadened its educational programming with the launch of the Design Symposia. The initiative will present four 90-minute symposia, including “Changing the Orientation by 180° at 6500K” with Ken Lewis; “Lighting: The Most Important Aspect of Interior Design” with Michael Bedner; “Create Iconic Places: Lighting is a Big Player” with Mark Rios; and “Sustainable Design & Architecture in Mexico” with Tatiana Bilbao. LFI is scheduled for May 10-14 in Las Vegas, Nev.

Berndt Joins Environmental Turf

Dr. William L. “Lee” Berndt has joined Environmental Turf, Inc. as vice president of research and development. He spearheaded the turf management program at Edison College, has consulted for many golf courses and conducts research on SeaDwarf seashore paspalum and other turf issues. Berndt earned his doctorate in botany and plant pathology from Michigan State University.