Source: www.TurfMagazine.com
Eldean Bergman, owner/developer of Border Magic/ Boulder Designs.
Border Magic/Boulder Designs Recognized Among Top Franchises
For the fourth time in five years, Border Magic/Boulder Designs has been recognized in Entrepreneur’s Annual Franchise 500 with a present ranking of No. 261 overall, and made the top 100 list of best home-based franchises in 2011, coming in at No. 79. The company, based in Rantoul, Ill., was franchised in 2008 and has grown to 32 units in the continental U.S.
Compact Power Launches New Website
Compact Power, Fort Mill, S.C., has released a new website, www.cpiequipment.com, to bring all three of its divisions, sales, rental, parts and service, into a single repository of information. Compact Power is comprised of three components: Compact Power Equipment Centers, Compact Power Services and CPECdirect.com.
Fockele Earns Three PLANET Awards
The Fockele Garden Co. received PLANET Awards in three categories in the Professional Landcare Network’s 41st Annual Environmental Improvement Awards Program. Fockele earned Merit Awards in the residential design/build division for the Hillside Garden at the Moss home in Gainesville, Ga., and in the erosion control division for its work at the Fusaro-Everitt home in Atlanta, Ga. The company also received a Distinction Award in the commercial maintenance category for its work at Peach State Bank & Trust.
Grygutis’ Imaginary Garden Receives Awards
Public artist Barbara Grygutis’ Imaginary Garden promenade in Walnut Street Park in Cary, N.C., has received two awards for design. It earned Best in Class in the Brick in Architecture competition and a Hardscape North America Project Award. The project was also a nominee for Masonry Construction’s Project of the Year award.
Case Equipment Wins Awards
Case Construction Equipment received awards from two leading industry publications for several new product launches and innovations. The Case N Series loader/backhoes were honored in the Aggregates Manager Top 25 Rollouts of 2010 and the Construction Equipment Top 100 Products list. The Case 650L crawler dozer and the Case 400 Series 3 skid steer loaders also appeared on the Construction Equipment Top 100 Products list.
Exmark Helps Complete Habitat for Humanity Project
Exmark Mfg. donated $1,000 to help complete a Habitat for Humanity project for Neva and Ernest Jantzen in Gage County, Neb. The Toro Giving Program, the community outreach arm of Toro, Exmark’s parent company, donated a new lawn mower to the couple. The project included a partial renovation of the Jantzens’ home to provide easy access for a power chair and walker.
Oklahoma-Arkansas Short Course Held
The Oklahoma-Arkansas Basic Turfgrass Short Course was held at the Oklahoma Botanical Garden Education Center in Stillwater, Okla. The event is a two-day, intensive, introductory-level turfgrass management short course. It is designed to benefit turfgrass managers in lawn, grounds or athletic field care who have not had a formal turf management course. Lectures covered the fundamentals of turf identification, selection, establishment, irrigation, aeration, dethatching and pest management.
Richard Hunter received the Irrigation Association’s Industry Achievement Award.
Hunter CEO Receives IA Award
Richard Hunter, chief executive officer of Hunter Industries, received the Irrigation Association’s highest honor, the Industry Achievement Award. The association chose Hunter because of his contributions to advancing irrigation practices, technologies and the industry at large. He helped his father, brother and sister build Hunter Industries from the ground up, becoming president and CEO in 1994. He also served as president of the Irrigation Association in 1989.
John Deere Division Joins Machinefinder.com
John Deere Construction & Forestry has joined www.machinefinder.com, a one-stop source for used Deere equipment online. With the addition of construction equipment, the entire John Deere enterprise is now represented on the site, as it also houses used Ag & Turf equipment. Customers can search for used machines in a variety of ways and can also view the inventory at a specific dealer.
CONEXPO-CON/AGG Offers Expanded Education Opportunities
CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011 attendees will find more industry-focused education at the event than ever before. Scheduled for March 22-26 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Nevada, the event’s education program will offer nine tracks, continuing education credits and Spanish interpretation for certain sessions. A Green Roads Summit is new for the 2011 show, and a number of associations will conduct industry certification courses and exams. Learn more at www.conexpoconagg.com.
Scotts Professional Seed signed an exclusive agreement with Beijing Clover & Turf Co.
Scotts Sells Global Professional, Enters Agreement
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. announced that it has received a binding offer from ICL to acquire the shares and substantially all the assets of the company’s Global Professional business for $270 million, subject to certain adjustments at closing. The Global Professional business markets professional products to commercial nurseries and greenhouses for ornamental horticulture; sports fields, golf courses and public parks for professional turf applications; and specialty agriculture in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. The U.S. professional seed business is not included in the offer.
Scotts Professional Seed announced an agreement with Beijing Clover Seed & Turf Co. that provides the Beijing-based seed distributor with exclusive rights to market and distribute Sea Spray seeded seashore paspalum throughout China, as well as Hainan Island. Beijing Clover also distributes Midnight II, Prosperity and Moonlight SLT on behalf of Scotts.
News from Ariens
Ariens Co. has invested $3.8 million to expand its office and research and development facilities at 655 West Ryan St., Brillion, Wis. The project includes the addition of a geothermal heating and cooling system. The Plant 1 upgrade will include increased workstation capacity, a new employee “kaizen” learning center, a new food services area, new product development and testing labs, and a revamped main entrance.
Economist Brian Beaulieu has accepted a position on the Ariens board of directors. He is a principal and CEO of the Institute for Trend Research, where his focus is research into using business cycle analysis and forecasts to increase business profits. He is also a principal and managing partner of ITR Capital Partners and chief economist for Vistage International.
United Rentals Launches Sustainability Program
United Rentals, Inc. announced the launch of an extensive sustainability program designed to foster growth and benefit customers, employees, suppliers and communities. The Sustainable Growth program’s new online presence at www.unitedrentals.com/sustainable-growth includes examples of the company’s involvement, encourages collaboration via the submission of ideas and suggestions, and offers a comprehensive white paper on Clean Construction.
Terex Distribution Center Begins Operation
Terex Aerial Work Platforms announced that it is now distributing Genie parts and Terex utilities parts from the new Terex Distribution Center East. This 500,000-square-foot distribution center is located in Southaven, Miss., and serves as a key supplier for the eastern and southern parts of the country.
Briggs & Stratton presented its Distributor of the Year award to Sedco.
Briggs Recognizes Sedco, Wins Award
Briggs & Stratton Corp. awarded Distributor of the Year to Sedco, Inc. of Pendergrass, Ga. Bill Reitman, senior vice president of sales and service for Briggs & Stratton, presented the award to Frank Manno, president of Sedco.
Briggs & Stratton Commercial Power’s Vanguard single-cylinder engines with the TransportGuard system were named the 2010 Innovative Product by RER magazine in its engines/power sourcing category. Competing against the other 10 category award winners, Briggs & Stratton’s newest engine series also received the magazine’s Silver award.
Ohno Assumes Top Position at Kawasaki Division
Fumihiro Ohno has been named to assume the position of general manager of Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.’s Engines and Power Products Division, based in Grand Rapids, Mich. He replaces Yoshiteru Ueda, who will return to the General Purpose Engine Division in Japan. Ohno, who was promoted to the position of deputy general manager of the division in October 2008, joined Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. in 1993 and initially worked for the company’s parts and materials sourcing. He also spent several years in marketing and sales, including involvement with Kawasaki’s OEM engine business in the U.S.
Rubbertrax Celebrates 10th Anniversary
January 2011 marked the 10th anniversary for Rubbertrax, Inc. Larry Griffeth, owner and operator, founded the company in 2001 to fulfill a need for aftermarket rubber tracks and undercarriage parts.
Western Launches New Website
Western Products launched a new website at www.westernplows.com that provides snow and ice control professionals with access to a variety of resources, making it easier to find the ideal snowplow. Western’s online experience features the QuickMatch plow selection system, virtual showroom with images and videos, and an extensive dealer locator.
Clayton Chesebro
Palfinger Hires Chesebro
Omaha Standard-Palfinger announced that Clayton Chesebro has been named project engineer for liftgates, responsible for all engineering design and project management functions pertaining to new product development and integration of the company’s line of MBB Palfinger and Eagle Lift liftgates. He will also provide technical support to production, sales and marketing, and purchasing.
Rogers to Display New Trailer Designs at CONEXPO
Rogers Brothers Corp. will display two new trailer designs at CONEXPO. Rogers builds trailers to customer specifications, and its modular designs offer increased versatility, with detachable rear frames and interchangeable deck styles.
This custom 80-ton capacity, 13-axle trailer from Rogers Brothers has a rocker shaft in the rear that distributes weight to the six rear axles.
TIC Hosts New Digital Archive Sites
The Turfgrass Information Center has completed two more digital archive sites for turfgrass publications: from Spain comes GreenKeepers (including C<0x00E9>sped Deportivo) and out of New York is CUTT. GreenKeepers is the first digital archive site constructed entirely in a language other than English; in this case, it is in Spanish. It is a cooperative project between the Asociaci<0x00F3>n Espa<0x00F1>ola de Greenkeepers and the Michigan State University Libraries. CUTT (Cornell University Turfgrass Times) is a quarterly newsletter, and the archive site is a cooperative project between the Cornell University Turfgrass Program and the MSU Libraries. <2>
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