As machinery manager for Glendale, a leading management company maintaining substantial areas of green open spaces, forestry and sports facilities, Neal Harper is responsible for the purchase, upkeep and use of over 5000 pieces of equipment and vehicles.In this podcast, he talks to Chris Biddle about his route into the agri-turf machinery industry, of his years working in varied roles for a number of dealers before taking up his present role which has meant switching from being a supplier to that of a significant customer.He says that it is important that he, as the client, works closely with both dealers and manufacturers to mutual benefit – and that price alone is not always the major factor when buying equipment for the fleet.  

In this episode, Chris Biddle reflects on the people and the quotes that have stood out during the current season of Inside Agri-TurfIn particular, he discusses how and why so many sons and daughters have followed parents into the family business, bringing with them new skills. He also picks out the stand-moment when the industry was described in glowing terms - and finally reflects on the perfect mission statement for dealersTime stamps for subjects covered05:01 The importance of Ps and Qs06:56 The stand-out quote of the season09:28 How do you 'bottle' and present the industry to outsiders?15:49 Mission Statements17:19 The perfect dealer mission statement

Wide ranging talk with Jim Croxton, CEO of BIGGA (British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association) with updated news about shows and the management of golf courses post-pandemic. Time stamps of topics covered:01:25 Festival of Turf 2021 update - and future11:15 Golf course 'stock' and staff furloughs?15:50 Club budgets?18:10 Overplaying and changes to club income models?22:00 Greens staff well-being during COVID?25:54 Permanent changes to course management?28:10 BIGGA role during past year?35:50 BTME Harrogate 2022?

Erik Hogervorst is President of CLIMMAR, the pan-European trade association representing over 19,000 farm and turfcare machinery sales and service dealers.He is a director of a family owned Dutch dealership with a Kubota franchises and specialist divisions in fork lift trucks and spraying equipment, and has been CLIMMAR President for 6 years.In this wide ranging discussion with Chris Biddle he is accompanied by Keith Christian from BAGMA, the UK's representative on CLIMMAR.They reflect on issues impacting dealers across Europe including dealer contracts, recruitment and training, the handling of data, the future of shows and the looming RMI (Repair and Maintenance Information) legislation allowing dealers access to servicing information for products for which they do not hold a main franchise.Reflecting on the past year and prospects for year ahead in this COVID-age, Erik says that dealers take a long-term approach and are used to 'riding the waves' of external influences on their businesses whether it be weather, the economy - or a pandemichttps://www.climmar.comhttps://www.wouthogervorst.nl

Graham Thompson reflects on a career starting as a service technician with an agricultural engineer in Hampshire to his appointment as Director, Tractor Portfolio Development and Strategic Growth Planning for Deere and Co in the USAfter working on a Hampshire farm, Graham took further education at Sparsholt College and Lackham College and landed a job as a service technician with John Deere dealer Roger Hunt.After three years, he joined John Deere UK branch as a Field Service Manager, moved to Deere's European operation at Mannheim before being offered a move to the United States, based at the company's iconic Waterloo tractor plant in Iowa.He reflects on the mentors who helped him along the way, on lessons learned during travel to over 60 countries, his interest in vintage tractors and the best advice he was ever given.

Could this be a year when independents come into their own following the decimation of so many well know store brands?Display and merchandising consultant Murray Burton who has worked with leading brands, national retail chains and specialist lawn and garden machinery dealers is in conversation with Chris Biddle about a new age of retailing. He says that the 'bricks and mortar' department store model (Debenhams, British Home Stores, Woolworths etc) is unlikely to succeed in the future but those High Street names that do adapt will still be part of the retail mix.Similarly, he believes that independents who get their approach to customers right should do well as evermore discerning consumers seek out personal service and a welcoming environment in which to buy.

In this episode Chris Biddle talks to two people with fascinating accounts on how ex service personnel find fulfilling careers in agriculture after leaving the services.After training at Sparsholt Agricultural College in Hampshire and Harper Adams University, Jeremy Gibbs joined John Deere where he worked in both the agricultural and turf machinery divisions based in the UK and Germany. After several roles in training and product management, he left Deere after almost 10 years and two years ago set up Forces Farming which acts a liaison between service personnel leaving the forces and job opportunities in the agricultural sectorWill Foster spent 23 years in Army, most recently as a Technical Trainer on tanks and other armoured vehicles based at the British Army’s Centre for Excellence for fighting vehicles at Bovington Camp in Dorset. On leaving the Forces at the age of 39 he decided to rekindle his childhood passions for toy soldiers and tractors. He met colleagues who told him that agricultural engineering was ‘cool',  and last year he gained a post as a service technician working for leading AGCO dealership, Chandlers Farm Equipment.Visit Forces Farming website

When the UK formally left the UK on 1 January 2020, there was a new set of trading challenges for companies, and not least Irish companies with branches on both sides of the Irish Sea.Paul Butterly of FGM Claymore talks to Chris Biddle about the impact on his family-owned company as a buyer and seller of imported products with trading bases in the Ireland and the UK.He also recalls the early 1990's when setting up in the UK and carrying a lawnmower as baggage on Ryanair during the fledgling days of the low-cost airline!

Chris Biddle talks to Richard Charles, UK and Ireland Training Manager for the AGCO Corporation about the ongoing challenge of recruiting new, talented employees.Richard considers the agricultural engineering industry to be a 'closed shop' with most new employees being recruited from other companies already in the industry. We should be looking for candidates outside the normal channels he says, and that a unified industry presence at skills or jobs fair would be far more effective than individual companiesHe also discusses the impact of COVID on the company's Apprenticeship and training programme, of whether the industry is too male-dominated and the challenges of providing training programmes for AGCO's four brands.

2021 marks the centenary of the first mass produced petrol engine made by Atco. Costing around £20 it was lightweight and brought lawnmowing to the masses.Here, Chris Biddle chats to Austin Jarrett, md of Staffordshire based Allett Ltd who in 2011 bought all the intellectual drawings, plants, equipment and tooling for the Atco range when the factory at Stowmarket closed.Recognising that the British loves their lawns with stripes created by the cylinder or reel, his company has become the largest supplier of cylinder mowers in the UK with a range that extends from largest models at use at iconic venues such as Lords Cricket Ground and World Cup stadiums to small models for use on lawns.He says that Union Jack displayed on the products is a valued indicator of Britain's reputation for fine engineering and fine turf - with stripes.

Chris Biddle chats to Charlie Nicklin, the recently appointed CEO of the Institution of Agricultural Engineers. (IAgrE).From a farming family, at the age of 10 Charlie was given a 'little grey Fergie' by his grandfather, which is still part of growing collection.Having gained a degree in engineering at Harper Adams, he subsequently spent 24 years in senior engineering roles at JCB. However, Charlie wanted a challenge that would involve taking him back to basics in the engineering world, and spreading the message about the career opportunities in agricultural engineering at a time of an explosion in new technology."We are involved in one of the most exciting and challenging industries - and should have people queuing up at the door" he says.A champion ploughman with many awards, he is a regular competitor in the British Ploughing Championships where he has been highly placed several times

A special end-of-season episode reflecting on an unforgettable year through the eyes and voices of those at the sharp-end of the Agri-Turf industry.We hear about the role of trade associations to provide independent companies with information and 'dos and donts'. There are accounts by dealers of the measures they had to take to drive business remotely and by manufacturers on promoting products.There views on the future of shows, of the lack of diversity in the industry, of issues when dealers change franchises, of robotic mowers coming-of-age and of the demise of a legendary brand. Hosted by Chris Biddle, contributors are:06:38 Ruth Bailey08:07 Keith Christian10:28 Chris Gibson12:49 Anthony Deacon14:31 Bob Clements17:11 David Withers19:21 David Hart23:56 Paul Hemingway25:55 Peter Arrand27:03 Les Malin28:32 Gavin Bird30:29 Briggs & Stratton31:41 Robin Lennie

After a career spanning 30 years at Stihl GB, the last 14 years as managing director, Robin Lennie retires on 31 December. In the penultimate Inside Agri-Turf episode of 2020, he talks openly and frankly to Chris Biddle about the chemistry between himself and Peter Baker, the MD when he joined the company in 1990 as Finance Director, who needed 'fag-packet' projections rather than complicated financial modelling.He also talks about the challenges of developing friendships amongst dealers within a commercial relationship, particularly when trading terms had to be changed.For all its size, Stihl is a modest company he says which is why German executives liked to welcome dealer and press trips to the Stihl plants to provide them with a 'look behind the curtain'.This was not the farewell to staff and dealers that he had planned - COVID restrictions meant the cancellation of a final 'tour' - but there is obvious pride and satisfaction in overseeing a massive increase in sales during his tenure at Stihl from £17 million in 1990 to over £120 million in 2020.

Chris Biddle is joined this week by Keith Christian, Director of BAGMA (British Agricultural and Garden Machinery Association) and leading agricultural journalist Martin Rickatson to reflect on the 2020 season for the Agri-Turf industry - and provide some thoughts on the months ahead.The episode was recorded in the midst of the final Brexit talks to decide on the terms of the UK's withdrawal agreement from the EU which comes into force on 31 December 2020. With much of the detail yet to be agreed there is a likelihood that Britain may leave without an agreement.So much of the talk surrounds the likely impact of Brexit but also takes in the ongoing consolidation of dealers, the likelihood of manufacturer owned dealerships, the need for manufacturers and dealers to work together, likely mergers and acquisitions, the introduction of robots into farming and the likely effect on the machinery market as subsidies are removed over the next few years.

Chris Gibson, MD of GGM Groundscare relives a season that veered from optimism through to fear when lockdown was announced in March, and ended with pride in his team for pulling together and navigating a very challenging season.He tells how some initiatives introduced because of Covid restrictions actually improved the business, how his team made calls to customers simply to say 'hello' and how introducing new products because of franchise realignments were difficult 'because of the good job we had done with competitive brands in the past'!He also talks about the importance to the business of service contracts, of having a well-organised hire department and his belief that there is plenty of pent-up demand in the professional turfcare market for next year - as long as supplies can be maintained.

This episode we go 'across the pond' to catch up with America's leading dealership coaches, Bob Clements and Sara to discuss their new book You're the Problem - and the Solution which provides dealers with advice and tips on how to reclaim their sanity, their life and their dealership.We also talk about the impact of COVID19 on US dealer business this year , the relationship between manufacturer and dealer, and whether manufacturers really understand the psychology of being a dealer, and how dealer produced product videos can be more effective than those made by manufacturers.Bob also tells how a US ag dealer went from being £1 million down on his sales projection in April this year - to being £1m up one month later!Bob Clements International

Bedfordshire ATV specialist, MKM Agriculture, are unusual in being able to offer the four leading Japanese ATV brands under one roof.Managing Director Anthony tells Chris Biddle how the company gradually built up a 'full house' of the franchises, and how they fit well together.He also discusses the importance of operator training and the benefit of being a qualified EASI (European ATV Safety Institute) instructor.MKM opened a second branch in Suffolk last year and says that winning the ATV Dealer of the Year award organised by Service Dealer last year provided a valuable 'status' during 2020 and a 'badge of service quality' which has helped to exceed his expectations for the business in challenging trading conditions.MKM website

Chris Biddle is joined by Andrew Goodacre, Chief Executive of the British Independent Retailers Association (bira) for an an episode recorded the day that England entered a second national lockdown of 2020, a decision which Andrew describes as his greatest disappointment of the year to-date.With so many 'bricks and mortar' retailers having to close for 3 months during the first lockdown, but with a partial recovery underway, he says that many independent retailers were banking on making up lost ground in the run-up to Christmas. "This will mean that many small businesses will have had to close for four months this year".He questioned the decision to open garden centres who focus almost exclusively on Christmas related products rather than gardening at this time of the year, giving an unfair advantage over many small shops.However he praised the ingenuity and innovative moves by many independent retailers 'to go the customers who couldn't go to them'. "But there is still much to do, around 80% of independent retailers have websites, but only 25% have transactional facilities built in" Website: British Independent Retailers Association

A highly topical conversation with David Hart, MD of Kubota UK recorded on a day when two of Kubota's long standing dealers agreed on an uncoupling of key franchises in order to provide greater clarity and focus for their companies in the future.It was a complex and complicated decision agreed between two respected multi-branch dealers.Elsewhere in a wide-ranging interview, David talks about:(09:40) Difference between manufacturers and dealers(15:38) Challenges for dealers of changing major franchises(21:14) The story behind the uncoupling of franchises by two main dealers(31:40) Finding new well-resourced dealers(33:25) Manufacturer owned dealerships and external investmentKubota website Chris Biddle website

They are the 'In-Betweeners' , specialist sales and service dealers who are the vital conduit between the manufacturer and the end-user. Almost inevitably their numbers are diminishing as moves by manufacturers to establish multi-branch 'super-dealers' gathers pace.There is often a clash of cultures between the priorities of major corporations with responsibilities to shareholders and family-owned dealerships whose priorities lie closer to home.Are there enough well-resourced dealers to meet market needs? Will we see dealerships become attractive to outside investors? Will manufacturers be tempted to fully own dealerships in the future? And in the lawn and garden machinery sector, will dealers be able to take advantage of the rise in shop openings by independent retailers in response to the mass closure of chain store branches?During the episode, Chris Biddle talks to Steve Gibbs, Editor of Service Dealer magazine about a recent but growing threat to dealers (16:50)These and other issues will be explored by Chris over the coming weeks in conversation with those at the sharp-end of the industry.Feedback or comments: Email ChrisOg7otm17AiLyVOn6cMPC

Chris Biddle in conversation with Peter Arrand, President of BAGMA (British Agricultural and Garden Machinery Association) following the formation of the Association's new Training and Education group.We talk about a possible skills gap, whether the industry is talking the right language, the importance of spreading the message into schools and the looming introduction of T-Level qualifications

Paul Hemingway, the current President of the Institution of Agricultural Engineers talks to Chris Biddle about the role of the Institution.He also recalls his more than 30 years in senior management roles at JCB, his concerns about the lack of diversity in the industry, about the attractions of agricultural engineering as a career and how Brexit may result in UK farmers have to face the challenges and ultimate success of their counterparts in New Zealand when subsidies were removed.Best quote: "In the 1970s I was told not to go into tractor design - because it had all been done!"IAgrE website

Chris Biddle discusses the current state of the agri-turf industry with Les Malin, the current President of the Agricultural Engineers Association. Les heads up the UK arm of a French company, Etesia, selling top of the range turf maintenance machinery and has been the lone person in the office for past months where has been fielding enquiries mainly from machine owners.The wide ranging discussion covers the future prospects for the ag and turfcare industry in the UK, the future of shows and exhibitions - and inevitably Brexit which Les believes could have as disruptive impact in the coming months as Covid-19 has had on the past few monthsAgricultural Engineers AssociationEtesia UK

The UK's first commercially available fully electric tractor was featured on a recent BBC1 Countryfile programme. In this episode, Chris Biddle features an audio extract of a video on the Farmtrac tractor made by Robert Llewellyn of the Fully Charged Show in conversation with Adam Henson.Chris also talks to Steven Haynes, sales manager of Reesink UK, the UK distributor of Farmtrac about the early response to the TV coverage.To become widely used, electric tractor need to be scaled up, so Chris looks at other sectors and updates on the progress made by tractor manufacturers.The Fully Charged ShowVideo made by Robert Llewellyn

In this episode I speak to Ken Brewster, UK Sales and Marketing Director for Husqvarna Group and Lincolnshire garden machinery dealer, Gavin Bird of Green Stripe Garden Machinery about the increasing popularity of robotic mowers.We hear about 'Bob', a robotic mower installed by Gavin at his premises in 2006, and which has so far clocked up almost 35,000 hours of operation over 14 years with minimal maintenance costs.Many robotic mowers are sold in 'clusters' as the most effective sales people are existing owners who tell their neighbours and friends about the benefits of 'hand-free' mowing.The mowers also appeal to those who find mowing the lawn a chore, and who discover that the purchase price is often much cheaper than installing ecologically damaging synthetic 'grass'.

Claimed as a world's first, a team based at Harper Adams University, have successfully completed the cycle of cultivating, planting and harvesting crops remotely, without human intervention in the field - using the harvested crops to produce gin and pizzas. Chris Biddle is in conversation with one of the team leaders, Kit Franklin of Hands Free Hectare, now expanded to Hands Free Farm about the challenges they faced in the past, and this year when floods and pandemic impacted upon their plans.Kit is adamant that whilst many robot machines are in development, a great number look like 'sci-fi' blobs' which is why the team adapted tractors and machinery that potential users recognise and trust.The expanded project, will embrace five fields with all the usual obstacles, trees, fences, gates etc and cover 35 hectares (almost 90 acres)Hands Free Farm

David Withers rose from working as a demonstrator of turfcare machinery to becoming President of Jacobsen, a global turf machinery brand and based in the United States. Three years after returning to the UK, he is heading his own company distributing the Iseki compact tractor and grass machinery range, and is demonstrating machinery once again through video production as the current pandemic restricts shows and working demonstrations.He talks to Chris about the advantages of single brand rather than a 'house of brands', of controlling the 'space' in which they operate, of 'happy dealers' and of the cultural differences between doing business in the US and the UK.Favourite quote is "Good dealers can sell a bad product, yet and bad dealer cannot even sell a good product"