Industry Update

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Horizon Becomes Authorized Pavestone Distributor

Horizon partnered with Pavestone Co. to offer the Pavestone product line to customers in the 11 states Horizon serves. Horizon will also work with Pavestone to offer contractors the opportunity to attend training classes. Pavestone manufactures segmental concrete products, including concrete pavestones, retaining wall units, edgers and stepping-stones.

Rob Golembiewski

Golembiewski Takes Over as OSU Turf Director

Rob Golembiewski has replaced Tom Cook as the director of Oregon State University’s turf management program. Previously, he was head of the golf and turf management program at the Crookston campus of the University of Minnesota. He also launched Montana State University’s turf program and co-owned a landscaping company in Arizona. He holds the newly created N.B. and Jacqueline Giustina Professorship in turf management.

McCloskey Names New Distributor

McCloskey International announced that Columbia Crushing & Screening, LLC is now its official distributor for Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Columbia, headed by Kieran Waterson, is in its seventh year of operation and plans to promote its McCloskey line with four dedicated sales representatives and four dedicated service technicians.

Kendra and Barry Nichols with their newNext Lazer Z.

News from Exmark

Barry Nichols, a part-time landscaper and full-time firefighter from Loveland, Ohio, was the winner of Exmark’s Next Lazer Z giveaway at the 2008 GIE+EXPO. The prize package included a trip to Exmark’s headquarters in Beatrice, Neb., where Nichols watched his mower roll down the production line. Nichols and his wife, Kendra, also toured Exmark’s facilities and spoke with employees.

Exmark announced that it will ship all Next Lazer Z and Next Lazer Z AS mowers to its distributors and dealers in returnable steel crates. The crates, which are manufactured by Wright Metal Products, Simpsonville, S.C., will be collected from dealers and reused.

NaEx Announces New Uses for Soyaplex

NaEx Corp. announced that its all-natural Soyaplex fertilizer is now available and labeled for use on commercial landscapes, sports fields, home lawns, parks and all other turf applications. It also has agricultural labeling for use on food and nonfood crops in conventional and organic production. Soyaplex is made from 100 percent non-GMO, food-grade soybeans.

Shindaiwa sponsored a Hand-Held Power University at GIE+EXPO.

Shindaiwa Sponsors Hand-Held Power University

Shindaiwa, along with Oregon Cutting Systems and the Equipment & Engine Training Council, sponsored a Hand-Held Power University at the 2008 GIE+EXPO. It featured 15-minute presentations that were applicable to all brands of equipment, including “Hand-Held Product Safety” and “Saw Chain Anatomy & Basic Maintenance.” Attendees had the opportunity to enter Shindaiwa’s Power Passport promotion to win new equipment and gas cards.

Paladin Names Ceder as VP & General Manager

Paladin appointed Mats Ceder to the position of vice president and general manager for the demolition and recycling division. He replaces Bruce Bacon, who resigned to pursue other interests. Ceder joined Paladin in 2008 as director of business development in the heavy construction division. During his career, he has held leadership roles in sales, marketing and general management, as well as operational assignments.

Wright Names Administrator, Award Recipient

Wright Commercial Products named Jillian Jensen as sales and marketing administrator. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from George Mason University and has 15 years of management experience, primarily in sales and marketing.

Wright presented its 2008 Distributor of the Year Award to PACE, Inc., an outdoor power equipment distributor based in Plymouth, Mich. PACE earned Wright’s Market Expansion and Salesman of the Year awards in 2007 and was Wright’s 2006 Distributor of the Year.

Kioti Announces 5-Paw Certified Dealerships

Kioti Tractor unveiled a new 5-Paw Dealer Excellence Certification Program at its annual dealer meeting. The program features five evaluation areas: sales, service and parts, customer satisfaction, issue resolution and facility appearance. The following dealers have earned certification for the program’s first year (October 1, 2008, to September 30, 2009): Atrac Co., LLC; Burr Farm Machine, Inc.; C. Smith & Son Farm Equipment; County Tractor & Equipment; Equipements G. Gagnon, Inc.; Hepson Equipment, Inc.; Holtsclaw Sales & Service; Hoover Tractor, Inc.; Irrigation-Mart, Inc.; Little Tractor & Equipment, Inc.; Lynch Equipment Co., LLC; Michigan Iron & Equipment, LLC; Mountaineer Power Equipment; Off Duty Ranch, Inc.; Paige Tractors, Inc.; Perryville Outdoor Products; R.E. Egger Truck & Machine; Riley Equipment Sales; Rivera’s Machinery, Inc.; S&R Turf & Irrigation Equipment; S and W Feed & Supply, Inc.; Tri-County Supply, Inc.; and Whittemore & Sons.