Source: www.TurfMagazine.com
Coneqtec Acquires Terramite Assets
Terraquip Construction Products, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Coneqtec Corp., Inc., has acquired the assets and the rights to manufacture and distribute the product lines of the Terramite Co., Inc. Terramite was formed in 1965 and sells its products domestically and internationally. Coneqtec is headquartered in Wichita, Kan., and has facilities in Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, West Virginia and England.
SavATree Establishes New Division
SavATree announced the launch of its Natural Resource Consulting Divison. The new business division is designed to provide specialty services to private, corporate, institutional and municipal clients. SavATree services include landscape management planning, site evaluation, tree inventory, formal tree risk assessment, tree appraisal, legal and expert witness, project management and tree preservation. Patrick Parker, SavATree’s plant health care program director, will head the division. He is an ISA/Massachusetts Certified Arborist, Connecticut and Rhode Island Certified Arborist and New Jersey Certified Tree Expert with a background in plant biology, insect/disease management and product technology.
CST Signs National Agreement With TPC Network
CS Trading LLC, based in Liberty, S.C., has established a national account with the TPC Network. CS Trading distributes Sisis turf equipment and 3PointPower products.
Second Half of FY 2009 Cap Reached
The Department of Homeland Security announced that the 33,000 cap for the second half of fiscal year 2009 was reached January 7, 2009, meaning that many companies may not get the H-2B workers they need without congressional action. The Professional Landcare Network continues to lobby Congress for an immediate H-2B fix. Representatives and senators can be contacted through the congressional switchboard at 202-225-3121, and letters can be sent through PLANET’s Web site, www.landcarenetwork.org.
DHS and the Department of Labor issued final rules related to H-2B program administration that went into effect January 18, 2009. The rules make changes to program administration and enforcement, but do not impact the 66,000 cap. DHS delegated additional enforcement authority to DOL. The rules also prohibit recruiters or employers from collecting application or recruitment fees from H-2B workers, establish an attestation process and change the role of the State Workforce Agencies. To view the complete text of the rules, visit www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/pdf/H2BFinalRule.pdf for DOL and http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-30094.htm for DHS.
Clean Air Lawn Care Opens in Washington
Clean Air Lawn Care has opened a franchise in Bellingham, Wash., owned by Robert Brulotte. Clean Air is a lawn maintenance company that uses electric and biodiesel-powered equipment and engages in other environmentally friendly practices.
Horizon Offers Water Rebate Resources
To help landscape contractors provide water-saving solutions to their customers, Horizon Distributors has created a section on its Web site dedicated to water district rebates. The section is categorized by city and includes information on rebates currently available for installing smart irrigation products. For details, visit www.horizononline.com/waterrebates.
GIS Dynamics Offers Online Service
GIS Dynamics, West Chester, Ohio, has created an online service that enables lawn care and landscape companies to attain accurate property measurements and building footprints from any Internet-connected computer. Go iLawn software allows users to log on and enter the address of the property to produce a high-resolution aerial view of the building with boundary lines clearly marked. A measurement tool is provided, as well as additional views.
Kawasaki Selects Stens for Canadian Distribution
The Engines & Power Products Division of Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A., has chosen Stens, LLC, Jasper, Ind., as its distributor to a network of more than 500 independent dealers in Canada. Stens, a subsidiary of Ariens Co., currently supplies parts and accessories to more than 50,000 customers through its worldwide distribution network. It will use distribution centers in Brantford, Ont., and Calgary, Alb., to provide direct support to the Canadian dealer network.
CGC and SPI Merge
Commercial Grounds Care, Inc., Johnson Creek, Wis., and Schiller-Pfeiffer, Inc., Southampton, Pa., have merged to create Schiller Grounds Care, Inc. The new entity will continue to manufacture and distribute the BOB-CAT, Bunton, Classen, Little Wonder, Mantis, Ryan and Steiner brands through three manufacturing facilities in Norfolk, Neb., Southampton and Johnson Creek. The Southampton facility will also serve as the corporate office.
Tesselaar Names New Grower
Anthony Tesselaar Plants has named Village Nurseries, Orange, Calif., as a licensed grower of its products for the landscape trade. Village Nurseries has sales offices in Orange and Sacramento with more than 700 acres under cultivation in growing facilities located throughout northern and southern California. It has specialty landscape centers in Sacramento, Brentwood, Orange, Huntington Beach and Del Mar, Calif., and also serves the Arizona and Nevada markets and extends into Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Texas.
ASTM Requests Papers for 2009 Symposium
ASTM International is seeking paper submissions for the 30th Symposium on Pesticide Formulations and Delivery Systems: Regulations and Innovation, scheduled for October 20-22, 2009. Participants can submit preliminary abstracts by May 22 and will be notified of acceptance by June 26. Dr. P.V. Shah of the EPA will be the keynote speaker, and the event will feature presentations on biopesticides, drift reduction and development of multiactive formulations as well as industry commentary. Visit www.astm.org for more information.
New Mexico American Water Announces Landscaping Rebates
New Mexico American Water announced a new rebate program for residential customers in Clovis, N.M. The Residential Landscape Rebate Program will offer rebates of 40 cents per square foot to customers who replace grass lawns with landscapes that use less water. Customers are eligible for rebates of up to $800. Visit www.newmexicoamwater.com for more information.
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Schmitt Named Equipment Specialist for Target
Target Specialty Products has hired Joe Schmitt as its equipment specialist. He will work closely with Target’s sales team to make recommendations and research equipment solutions for specific customer needs. Previously, Schmitt worked for Spraying Devices, Inc., and Exeter Irrigation & Supply Co.
Redexim Charterhouse Opens Factory Direct Store
Redexim Charterhouse, Inc. announced the opening of a new factory direct store, Redexim Turf Products, in Fenton, Mo. The factory store will offer sales of the entire Redexim Charterhouse product line, as well as parts and service. Nate Patrick will act as sales manager for the store and manage accounts in Kansas City and areas further west, including western Missouri and Kansas. Derek Smith will cover the St. Louis market, eastern Missouri and southern Illinois.
Honda Announces Three-Year Warranties
Honda Power Equipment announced three-year warranty coverage for its outdoor power equipment products that feature selected Honda GX Series engines. It does not include products equipped with engines less than 97cc or GXV160 engines. Honda will also offer a three-year warranty on many of its GX Series engines. Full details can be found at www.honda-engines.com.
John Deere Redesigns Equipment Site, Wins IA Award
John Deere has redesigned its MachineFinder Web site at www.MachineFinder.com. The site now features an enhanced search and browsing system, built-in shipping integration, ability to save searches, Google Maps, detailed gallery views, user profiles, comprehensive equipment information and more.
John Deere Green Tech won an Irrigation Association 2008 New Product Award, which honors innovative products and services in four categories: specialty, golf, agriculture and turf and landscape. John Deere Green Tech took top honors in the specialty category with the MHG (Micro Hydroelectric Generator), a system that produces electricity from water flowing through pipes.
Exmark Awards Extreme Cup to LEPCO
Exmark has selected Lawn Equipment Parts Co., Marietta, Pa., as the winner of its 2008 Extreme Cup, which is awarded annually to the most outstanding manager or parts department of an Exmark distributor. LEPCO supplies aftermarket parts to more than 800 dealers, including Exmark dealers in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia and West Virginia. Doug Ulmer led the parts department until his retirement in December 2008, and Glen Burkholder is now the parts and service manager.
Fertilizer Production Underway at Converted Organics Facility
Converted Organics, Inc. announced that it produced its first batch of organic granular fertilizer at its new Woodbridge, N.J., manufacturing facility and is poised to fill orders from customers for the 2009 growing season. Converted Organics began using its proprietary High Temperature Liquid Composting process at the Woodbridge facility in the summer of 2008 to manufacture organic liquid fertilizer and soil amendment products. It also has a manufacturing facility in Gonzales, Calif.
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