Industry Update

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New Holland Construction Sponsoring Extreme Dream 2011 Contest

New Holland Construction is sponsoring the Extreme Dream 2011 contest, and the winning entry will be provided with a free L218 skid steer loader. Simply tell us about your biggest, best and/or most challenging landscape project, and three winners will be selected to receive a trip to the GIE+EXPO trade show in Louisville, Ky., where the grand prize winner will be announced in the New Holland Construction booth. Enter your project today at www.newholland.com.


Kobelco Announces Sweepstakes

Kobelco Construction Machinery America announced the “Your Competitive Edge” sweepstakes. To celebrate the launch of 13 new models in 2011, Kobelco is offering excavator operators the chance to win a new Kobelco compact excavator for a year. The winner will receive a one-year lease on a new Kobelco 55SRx, valued at $26,000; two tickets to the U2 360 Degree Tour concert on July 15 in Chicago; and $2,000 spending cash for travel and hotel accommodations. To participate, enter online at www.kobelcoamerica.com/edge by May 31, 2011.


Reinders Holds 20th Conference

Reinders held its 20th Turf & Irrigation Conference at the Waukesha Expo Center in Milwaukee, Wis., with a theme of March Turf Madness. Reinders partnered with Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer to help raise money for funding research on cancer and related blood disorders. The event featured over 35 seminars, and speakers included Dr. Fred Yelverton, Scott Rhodes, Dr. Joe Vargas, Darin Ayers, John Merthan, Larry DiVito, Jerry Kienast and Brian Hedges.

Neil Radatz of Hawks LandingGolf Club, Verona, Wis., wonthe Apple iPad grand prize atthe Reinders conference.


STEC Partners with Reist

In an ongoing effort to provide customers with a comprehensive product offering, STEC Equipment has partnered with Canadian manufacturer Reist Industries. The partnership’s purpose is to provide quality equipment, including seeders and ground preparation tools, at an affordable price. Products will feature the STEC Green paint scheme.


Judges Select 50 Semi-Finalists in Cub Cadet’s “Future Vision Contest”

With its 50th celebration under way, Cub Cadet has announced the next phase of its Future Vision Contest, the Cast Your Vote Sweepstakes. The voting site, www.CubCadet.com/FutureVision, will be available from May 1 to June 16, and will feature winning ideas from 50 semi-finalists who have been hand-picked by an expert panel of judges, including representatives of Cub Cadet, the University of Akron, Hearst Magazines’ Popular Mechanics and an award-winning member of the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). To determine the winners, Cub Cadet is asking fans to help choose the five grand-prize winners, who will win a cash prize of $5,000 and their entry will appear in the October issue of Popular Mechanics, as well as featured on Cub Cadet’s Facebook and Twitter pages and mentioned on the company’s website. And, those taking part in the online voting will be entered for a chance to win one of six weekly prizes. Each week, one voter will be awarded a cash prize of $500.


Heitzler Promoted at Aquascape

Colleen Heitzler was promoted from her position as chief operating officer to president for Aquascape, Inc. She will focus on building a solid foundation to continue to grow Aquascape’s profitability. Heitzler began her career with the company in 2001 as controller.


Hortica Announces Board Changes, New Hire

Hortica Insurance & Employee Benefits announced changes to its board of directors. Chairman Jim Leider announced his retirement effective February 21, 2012. The board elected Cornelis Boonman as the new chairman and Randy Tagawa to the position of vice chairman. Leider will remain a director until his retirement next year.

Lindley Mann and John Smith Jr. retired from the board after 36 and six years of service, respectively. Steve Hutton, Bob Otsuka and Ken Young were added to the board.

Hortica appointed Mike Odermatt as a senior account executive for Kansas, Nebraska and western Missouri. Previously, he worked for CIG Insurance. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Emporia State University.


Precision Provides Smart Technology

Precision Laboratories is leading the turf industry with its inclusion of Microsoft Tags, a variation of Quick Response or QR codes, on their product labels, marketing collateral and business cards. Tags are accessed with any smartphone and provide instant access to educational resources such as videos, technical sheets, case studies and other online resources. Customers can download the free Tag Reader app onto their smartphone by visiting www.gettag.mobi.


Exmark Award Nominations Open

Exmark announced that nominations for its inaugural Mark Awards are now open. This annual award will recognize the best within the Exmark community in three categories: Dealer of the Year, Best Lawn Care or Landscaping Company and Crew Member of the Year. Nominations can be made through May at www.exmarkpride.com/awards. Voting will take place from June 1 to June 30, with winners announced in the fall of 2011.


SWT Receives Awards from ASLA Chapter

SWT Design, St. Louis, Mo., received the President’s Award for Excellence and a merit award from the St. Louis Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. SWT Design received the awards for their work on the design of the Des Peres Park Lake improvement project and the SWT Design campus.


PECO Launches Redesigned Website

PECO, Inc. announced the launch of its new, redesigned website at www.lawnvac.com. The site is easier to navigate, with many additional useful features. It offers prominent product category selection for easy browsing, product information, photos, product videos, printable catalog and price list, comprehensive dealer locator and links to PECO’s Facebook page, Twitter feed and LinkedIn profile.


CDS-John Blue Celebrates 125th Anniversary

CDS-John Blue Co. marks its 125th anniversary in 2011. John Blue founded the company in 1886. The company recently introduced the VisaGage II Flow Monitor to complement the newly enhanced flow divider and Next Generation Piston Pump. CDS-John Blue attained ISO certification in 2005.


Tractor Hill Named Most Improved Dealer

Tractor Hill, based in Mineral, Va., was given the Most Improved Dealer of 2010 award at Kioti Tractor’s annual dealer meeting, held in Raleigh, N.C. The company received the award for its outstanding sales and service performance throughout 2010. Tractor Hill offers the full line of more than 30 Kioti tractor models, as well as the Mechron UTV.


Redi-Rock Announces Rocky Award Winners

Redi-Rock International announced the winners of the annual Rocky Awards for projects completed in 2010. Award recipients included Redi-Rock Walls of New England, Newport, N.H., Commercial Wall of the Year; Kistner Concrete Products, East Pembroke, N.Y., Water Application Wall of the Year; Redi-Rock of Kentuckiana, Mount Washington, Ky., Residential Wall of the Year; Jensen Precast, Las Vegas, Nev., Freestanding Wall of the Year; and Wilbert Precast, Spokane, Wash., Innovative Project of the Year.


Zipper Appoints VP

Zipper Mower, LLC appointed Thomas R. Glaze to the position of vice president and general manager. Glaze joined the company in June 2010. Previously, he worked for Maruyama, most recently serving as corporate vice president. He has also worked for Shindaiwa.


Eagle Point Strengthens Major Account Team

Eagle Point Software Corp., an Autodesk Preferred Industry Partner, announced the appointment of Larry Heavner to the position of major accounts manager. Prior to joining Eagle Point, Heavner had spent 21 years with Autodesk in various roles. In his new role, he will be responsible for the growth and focus of major accounts within Eagle Point.


Allmand Contest Winner Announced

Barry Heinrichs of Burris Equipment Co., Waukegan, Ill., was the winner of Allmand Bros., Inc.’s drawing for an engraved iPad. Heinrichs was randomly chosen from 45 entries that were submitted at the Rental Show 2011.


Case Honors Challenge Winner

Case Construction Equipment named Michael O’Keefe Ltd., Windsor, Ont., as the first monthly winner of the Case Community Challenge. O’Keefe has played a key role in developing Canada’s first Miracle League baseball field for special-needs athletes in Amherstburg, Ont. The company receives a $1,000 CNH parts and service reward card, and Case will donate $1,000 to the Miracle League project. Learn more at www.casece.com/ communitychallenge.


Horizon Offers Resources and Tips

Horizon Distributors announced the launch of its new BizPro eSources, an online course landscape contractors can visit to view resources that can be used to help discuss the safety of glyphosate-based herbicides, like Roundup, with customers. The resources, including a downloadable presentation, are designed to give landscape contractors information to help them answer customers’ questions and ease concerns about the safety of Roundup. To learn more, visit http://bizpro.horizononline.com.


Shepherd Receives CTSP Certification

Cary Shepherd, a 20-year veteran of Husqvarna, recently completed the Certified Treecare Safety Professional program offered by the Tree Care Industry Association. Shepherd has spent 20 years presenting chain saw safety and application training programs to groups across the U.S. The purpose of the CTSP program is to reduce work-related fatalities, injuries and illnesses overall, and completion of the program demonstrates a commitment to improving the safety and well-being of tree care workers across the industry.