Industry Update

Source: www.TurfMagazine.com

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.

Underhill Names Master Distributor

Underhill International named Atlantic Irrigation Specialties as a master stocking distributor. Atlantic has represented major irrigation and landscape lighting manufacturers for more than 25 years and has branches in Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia.

Healy Joins Foley Rents

Emmett Healy has joined Foley Rents as a rental account manager. Healy spent the last nine years at another equipment rental facility. He will be responsible for all outside rentals of Caterpillar equipment in Bergen, Passaic and Sussex counties in New Jersey, as well as sales and rentals of all allied equipment in the same territory.

AGMG Earns Awards

DiversityBusiness.com presented Affiliated Grounds Maintenance Group, Inc. with Top 100 Diversity Business Awards in two categories: Top 100 Women-Owned Businesses in the State of Pennsylvania and Top 100 Diversity Business in the State of Pennsylvania. Each year DiversityBusiness.com collects and compiles information on businesses on a state and national level to determine the top diversity businesses in the country. AGMG is headquartered in Lake City, Pa., and provides landscape maintenance services, snow and ice management and more.

Finn Relauches Website

Finn Corp. has relaunched www.finncorp.com. The updated website incorporates a wealth of valuable and instructive information, but also has improved navigation. It also incorporates a section that is exclusive to Finn equipment and parts dealers.

Scotts Professional Becomes Everris

In February 2011, the Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. sold its professional division to the ICL Group. Executives from Scotts Professional and ICL Specialty Fertilizers announced a new name for the global professional business, Everris. Representing the term “ever rising,” the name Everris is symbolic of the new company’s commitment to further enhance the technologies, products and services it offers to green industry professionals worldwide.

Potleicki Wins Grassterpiece Sweepstakes

The Grasshopper Co. announced the winner of its Grassterpiece sweepstakes, awarding Gayle Potleicki of Zoar, Ohio, with a brand-new Grasshopper 120K-48 MidMount mower. The mower was presented to Potleicki at the historic Zoar School Inn Bed & Breakfast, which she owns with her husband, Joe. Helping deliver the mower were distributor Superior Implement & Supply Co., Greenville, Ohio, and authorized dealer Country Sales, Inc., Orrville, Ohio.

New Sea Spray Website

Scotts Professional Seed launched a revitalized Sea Spray website at www.seasprayinfo.com that provides turf professionals with a wide range of technical resources and end user insight regarding the grow-in and maintenance process of seashore paspalum. The site features research and educational tools, including a complete guide to turf establishment and maintenance, third-party research and a series of case studies. The FAQ section tackles questions regarding paspalum seeding, water, aesthetics and history of the variety.

Moisture Manager Saves Home From Fire


Ecologel’s Hydretain technology helped save a home from a brush fire.

The home of veterinarian Dr. Mike Brannan near Weeki Wachee, Fla., was apparently saved from a brush fire that destroyed 70 acres of property because he had treated his lawn with a product that keeps the grass from drying out. Brannan’s home is separated from woods by a large lawn that he treated with Moisture Manager, a private label of Ecologel Solutions LLC’s Hydretain technology. The woods were scorched, but the fire stopped where the woods and grass meet.

Worldlawn Distribution Expands

General Power Equipment and Beaver Valley Supply were added as distributors for Worldlawn Power Equipment. General Power will work the territory of Ohio, Michigan and Indiana, while Beaver Valley will handle Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona and New Mexico.

An expanded territory was awarded to Lawn Equipment Enterprises, Inc., which will now cover Florida in addition to Georgia and Alabama.

Oldcastle Acquires Duratek Assets

Oldcastle Precast, Inc. announced that it has acquired select assets of Duratek Precast Technologies, Inc. The intellectual property and manufacturing assets gained through the procurement will allow Oldcastle to take Duratek’s product line to a national level.

EHRF Releases Report

The Environmental Health Research Foundation has released a report, “Benefits of Green Space: Recent Research.” The report is a scientific review of literature that provides a comprehensive evaluation and analysis of recent research studies from a variety of sources across the U.S. on the environmental and health benefits of properly maintained green spaces. It cites primarily peer-reviewed, published studies, as well as government and academic reports that have been developed since 2000. For a copy of the report, email info@ehrf.info or visit www.ehrf.info.

John Deere Sponsors Challenge Team


John Deere sponsored a team in the AEM Construction Challenge.

John Deere Construction & Forestry sponsored a team from the High School Academy of Science & Engineering, Bartlett, Ill., in this year’s Association of Equipment Manufacturers Construction Challenge. This is the third year the company has sponsored a team through its C&F Tech Program. The program is a partnership between Deere, its dealers and select community colleges around the country where students can earn a degree and work in a dealership to use the skills they’ve learned.

Belden Receives ISO 14001 Certification

Belden Brick Co. was the first manufacturer of brick products to receive ISO 14001 certification. The certification is given to businesses that show environmental responsibility through compliance with government regulations, verifying this compliance through strict documentation.

Felling Debuts Parts Website

Felling Trailers created and unveiled www.trailerpartz.com to offer customers another option in purchasing trailer parts. The site offers thousands of in-stock parts at its warehouse, including complete axles. Same-day pickup and domestic and international shipping are also available.

Case to Transition Operations

Case Construction Equipment announced that it plans to transition D3 Equipment’s operations in Southern California over to Case Power & Equipment stores. D3 Equipment sells, rents and services Case equipment through locations in El Cajon, Fontana and Santa Fe Springs.

Aluma Launches New Website

Trailer manufacturer Aluma un- veiled its new, comprehensive product website at www.alumaklm.com. The new site includes a search feature that allows users to find specific product information through a keyword search. It also offers details on over 80 different products, dealer locator, warranty guidelines and financing information.

General Equipment Introduces QR Codes

General Equipment Co. now includes QR codes on its products. When scanned with a smartphone, the codes direct users to videos, literature, operational tips, service information and manuals. They are printed on weather and damage-resistant data plates, which are securely mounted on each piece of equipment.

SOL Expands to Europe, Hires VP

SOL, Inc. launched its first international subsidiary, SOL International, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. With this global expansion, SOL has a greater ability to respond to the solar lighting needs of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

Franck Legardeur was hired as vice president of international sales to lead SOL International. He has nearly two decades of sales experience in energy and lighting products, most recently with General Electric.

Thompson Holds Pumpology School

Thompson Pump & Mfg. Co., Inc. held its 21st annual Pumpology School at its corporate facilities in Port Orange, Fla. Thompson hosted more than 45 attendees from 16 states and two foreign countries. The three-day workshop included training sessions on pumping fundamentals, dewatering and bypass applications, selecting the correct pumping equipment, design and installation of systems, troubleshooting, pump maintenance and more.

Rhino Acquires Concrete Solutions

Rhino Linings Corp. announced the acquisition of Concrete Solutions, Inc. Concrete Solutions will relocate its operations to the Rhino facilities in San Diego, Calif. Bart Sadleir, who served as general manager of operations and training, will oversee the Concrete Solutions division as general manager.

SP Systems Appoints Distributor Center

SP Systems LLC announced the appointment of A.M. Leonard, Inc. as a parts distribution center. A.M. Leonard has a history of service to the horticultural trades dating back to 1885. The company owns and operates a distribution facility of over 100,000 square feet with more than 100 dedicated employees.

Pool & Spa Retailer Featured

Bullfrog International, LC, announced that authorized Bullfrog spas dealer Olympic Pools & Spas, Sydney, Nova Scotia, is featured in Pools, Spas and Patios, a Canadian publication, for its excellent backyard design work. In a very small space, Olympic was able to design a functional year-round backyard paradise with all of the amenities and beauty of yards two or three times the size.