Industry Update

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.

Horizon will offer Kawasaki hand-held power products in Georgia and North Carolina.

Horizon Adds Kawasaki Products in South, Offers Water Rebate Resources

Horizon Distributors expanded its product line to offer Kawasaki hand-held power products to its customers in Georgia and North Carolina. Previously, Horizon had only supplied these products to customers in Colorado, Texas and Arizona. The Georgia and North Carolina Horizon stores will distribute a wide selection of Kawasaki products, including line trimmers, backpack blowers, hedge trimmers and edgers.

To help landscape contractors provide water-saving solutions to their customers, Horizon 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.

SavATree Establishes New Division

SavATree announced the launch of its Natural Resource Consulting Division. 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.

Layman Named Entrepreneur of the Year

Chad Layman, owner of Harrisonburg, Va.-based lawn care company Fine Earth, received the 2008 Entrepreneur of the Year award from the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce. A graduate of James Madison University, Layman started Fine Earth 14 years ago.

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.

Hendry & Associates Forms Relationship with Atlantic Water Gardens

Hendry & Associates announced its appointment as the manufacturer’s representative of Atlantic Water Gardens. Hendry & Associates is an independent manufacturer’s representative firm serving the green industry in the Midwest and Southeast. Atlantic is based in Ohio and manufactures pond equipment.

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.

John Hopkins, IPN vice president of operations, left, accepts the Bay Friendly Clean Water Farm Award from Brandon Distillin of Northern Neck Soil & Water Conservation District.

IPN Recognized for Good Stewardship

Ingleside Plantation Nurseries, Oak Grove, Va., received the 2008 Bay Friendly Clean Water Farms Award. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation sponsors the award every year to honor Virginia farmers who implement nutrient management plans and are exemplary in their protection of the state’s soil and water quality. IPN follows industry best management practices and has an up-to-date nutrient management plan.

Skinner Announces Branch Closures

Skinner Nurseries has closed its distribution centers in Buford, Ga.; Summerville, S.C.; Carrollton, Texas; and Garland, Texas. Founded in 1973, Skinner operates two major growing facilities in north central Florida and a distribution network throughout the southeastern United States.

Kristin Zsoldos

Wright Promotes Zsoldos, Presents Award to Keen Edge

Kristin Zsoldos has been promoted to marketing manager at Wright Commercial Products. She joined Wright in 2005 as a distributor relations manager. Zsoldos earned an associate degree in business administration from Harrisburg Area Community College and a bachelor’s degree in business management from Hood College.

Keen Edge Co., Lyons, Ill., is once again the volume leader among Wright distributors for 2008. Bob Best and Hal White of Wright presented the award to Bill Burke Sr., president of Keen Edge, at the annual meeting.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Fertilizer Production Underway at Converted Organics Facility

Converted Organics, Inc. has 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.

Gehl Celebrates 150th Anniversary

The Gehl Co. sales team in 1921.

Gehl Co. marks its 150th anniversary in 2009. The company was founded in 1859 in a blacksmith shop in West Bend, Wis., where it is still headquartered today. It has been led by three generations of Gehl family members, with William Gehl the current CEO and board chairman. To commemorate the milestone, the company published an illustrated book that details its history and is available at www.gehl.com.

Terex AWP Acquires West Coast Refurbishment Center

Terex Aerial Work Platforms has acquired assets of a refurbishment facility owned by United Rentals in Modesto, Calif. The facility will provide refurbishment services for Genie aerial equipment, and eventually Terex equipment as well. The center has been in business for 10 years. Terex will employ its 32 team members, with John McPhedran, branch manager, reporting directly to Siva Balakrishnan, Terex AWP vice president and general manager of global services.

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.