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 http://www.newholland.com.

UMass to Hold Annual Field Day

The University of Massachusetts will hold its Turf Research Field Day on July 21 at the UMass Joseph Troll Turf Research Center in South Deerfield, Mass. It will focus on the research currently taking place at the center, as well as on research being conducted at other locations by UMass Turf Program faculty, staff and graduate students. Current research includes studies on the biology and integrated management of turf-damaging insects and diseases, short and long-term weed management, fertility, water use, pesticide fate and wear tolerance. Learn more at www.umassturf.org.


Susan Connolly

Connolly Elected to RVHFH Board

Susan Connolly, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Foley, Inc., Piscataway, N.J., was elected president of the board of trustees of Raritan Valley Habitat for Humanity, Inc. for a term of one year, renewable for up to three years. Connolly has been with Foley since 1974, serving in her current position since 2000. She has served as an officer of the RVHFH board since 2008, when she was elected to the position of board secretary.

Kioti Names Certified Dealers, Hires Medeiros


Eugene Medeiros

Kioti Tractor announced its 2010 5-Paw Certified Dealers. Qualifying dealers were recognized at an awards banquet at the annual dealer meeting. Forty-six dealers earned the certification for 2010, with 12 of those having earned it for the second time and 10 dealers having earned it for the third consecutive year since the program’s launch.

Kioti appointed Eugene Medeiros to the position of director of product support. He has over 35 years’ experience in support positions from national parts manager to vice president of operations for companies including Massey Ferguson, Kubota, Komatsu, Eagle-Picher, Reliable Tractor and McCormick.


Kioti’s 2010 5-Paw Dealers.

Solar Panel Installation Completed at Becker Facility

Becker Underwood, Inc. announced the completion of the installation of 84 solar panels on its facility in St. Joseph, Mo., making it the largest private solar panel array in the city. The solar panels will reduce the facility’s carbon dioxide emissions by 789 tons over 25 years and produce renewable energy for the site. The project was completed as part of the company’s overall sustainability strategy to protect and reduce its impact on the environment, as well as to reduce its exposure to increasing energy prices.


Becker Underwood installed solar panels on its facility in St. Joseph, Mo.

Toro Sponsors PGMS

Toro has extended and expanded support for the Professional Grounds Management Society as a Gold Elite Partner in Professionalism in 2011. Toro has committed additional support to the society, which will allow PGMS to enhance its member education and certification programs. As a Gold Elite Partner, Toro will use specialized marketing programs for green industry suppliers, including email marketing, advertising, feature articles in the PGMS Grounds Management Forum and the Grounds for Thought e-newsletter, and more.

Zipper Hires Hurst

Zipper Mowers appointed Deven Hurst as its exclusive manufacturer’s representative for the Southeast region of the U.S. Hurst will represent the entire Zipper product line in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama. He brings strong industry credentials from Husqvarna and distributors for Stihl and Snapper.

GIE+EXPO Offers Variety of Workshops

GIE+EXPO offers a wide range of educational tracks every year. A mini-series, called GIE+EXPO Workshops, is available for lawn and landscape pros who want an introduction to the Green Industry Conference. Workshops this year will include Adding Hardscape Installation to Your Company’s Success, with Pat McCrindle; How to Become a Great Foreman, with Phil Harwood; Best Practices That All Smaller, Growing Companies Need to Know and Practice, with Bill Arman; and Breakthrough Selling in a Tough Economy, with Jeffrey Scott. Learn more at www.gie-expo.com.

Coxreels Expands Manufacturing Capabilities

Coxreels announced the expansion of its manufacturing capabilities, which will double capacity levels by the end of 2011. The additional space will provide manufacturing with the capacity to build reels more proficiently, allowing for continued growth of the company, which saw a major increase in sales throughout 2010.

CST Opens Distribution Yard

The Concrete Stone & Tile Corp. announced the grand opening of its new distribution yard in Manassas, Va. CST believes the new distribution yard will provide dealers with the capability to fill partial orders easily and efficiently.


Pro-Tech’s new website.

TruGreen to Donate for Facebook “Likes”

TruGreen announced it will donate up to $10,000 to GreenCare for Troops, a Project EverGreen program that offers free lawn care and landscape services to military families. TruGreen will donate $1 for every new follower it gains on its Facebook page for a three-month period. To donate, simply visit the page, www.facebook.com/TruGreen, and click the “like” button at the top of the page.

Pro-Tech Launches New Website

Pro-Tech Mfg. & Distribution announced the launch of its new website at www.protechcorp.com. Some of the helpful tools on the new site include a dealer locator, equipment selector and the Pro-Tech forum. The site also contains a dealer portal for enhanced dealer support.

Kichler Acquires Teron

Kichler Lighting has acquired Teron Lighting, Inc., a commercial lighting product manufacturer headquartered in Fairfield, Ohio. TLI will operate as a standalone entity with Michael Bellos and David Bellos continuing to manage its business.