Page 11 - OPE November 2020

MARKETPLACE
Walk-behind mowers
GOING LARGE OR LARGER?
MASPORT’S 84V M-TECH
Mowers feature a powerful 1.5kW brushless induction motor with load- sensing technology, larger 19-inch cutting decks, a heavy-duty, full-size crankshaft, and an 84V 4.3Ah integrated Lithium-ion battery that will match the performance
of many domestic petrol engines. Providing up to 70 minutes of runtime,
this mower is ideal for medium to large lawns and, for those with bigger lawns, the battery system is upgradeable to two batteries for double the run time.
www.masport.co.nz
Light & compact entry level
THE NEW ENTRY point to STIHL’s cordless mower range is the
STIHL RMA 235. It’s also the lightest (at only 14kg) and most compact lawnmower in the range, making it ideal for small gardens with lots of confined spaces, and easy to transport and store. Being a part of STIHL’s AK System, the RMA 235 is compatible with all AK batteries.
The motor unit is equipped with an always-on eco mode which, together with the flowoptimised blade, ensures maximum efficiency when mowing. And, by using the central cutting height adjustment, you can choose from five height settings. The foldable grass catcher has also been designed for ease of handling and can be released and emptied in just
a few simple steps.
www.stihl.co.nz
Typically strongest in the mower categories, brand influence is stronger than ever, says Masport’s Simon Gaunt.
“More so than ever, consumers are supporting brands they know and trust. Both the well-established Kiwi brands Masport and Morrison are experiencing unprecedented demand.
“Consumers are not risking their valuable disposable income on unproven brands,
or on brands trying to sell out of their core product categories.”
That’s as may be, but Husqvarna’s Steve Middleton argues that the growth chart continues to head in one direction as consumers embrace fast-charge, petrol performance in a battery product.
“We’ve had some interesting demonstrations out in the field with our commercial buyers and the feedback is that once they’ve tried it, they’re blown away.”
Steelfort’s Gavin Lowndes confirms that, aside from lockdown, the cordless market has continued to grow for LawnMaster every monththisyearoverthesamemonththe
previous year, and it shows no sign of abating. “It’s Lithium, Lithium, Lithium in
terms of sales growth,” he says, quickly adding that this is additional demand, not replacement demand to the detriment of petrol sales.
“In fact,” he’s pleased to report, “we’ve gained a little bit of market share. Battery remains an incremental business for us at this stage but it’s expanding all the time.
Petrol developments aplenty
Petrol sales still comfortably outweigh battery sales with push mowers, confirms Steve Middleton, thanks in part at least to ongoing engine development and value gains on offer to end users.
As part of Husqvarna’s LC series upgrades, the Loncin OHV engines are now fully supported by Husqvarna in terms of spare parts and warranty.
up... and it makes the whole process a lot smoother for the dealer and end user.”
Meanwhile Steelfort has recently released the new LawnMaster 460mm aluminium lawnmower with a pressure- cast body.
Gavin Lowndes says it provides a
more aesthetically pleasing look while maintaining the high-end performance that LawnMaster mowers are well known for.
Not to be outdone, Masport has introduced a range of push- and self- propelled mowers that feature Integrated InStart Lithium-ion electric start engines.
Simon Gaunt explains that the InStart engine features a removable Lithium-ion battery that can be charged off the mower, while the Integrated InStart engine features a Lithium-ion battery that is integrated directly into the engine itself.
“It’s simply a matter of connecting the charging cable directly to the mower to charge. Both these systems offer consumers the power and performance of a petrol engine with the ease and convenience of push-buttonelectricstart.” n
“Yes, we’ve had to ramp up communication with the retailers
but we’re happy with where we’re at, with phenomenal sales after the lockdown period”
“With the market continuing to grow at a significant pace, we are seeing the quality and performance of our batteries improve.”
In which respect, he says candidly: “Initially we, like most others, faced the issue of battery failure but, over the last 18 months, this position has largely resolved itself and at the same time we are gaining longerandmoreconsistentruntimes.”
“It’s a well-received engine around the world and now we have the support for it ourselves. It doesn’t lower our entry price point but we can control the whole process without having to rely on third-party suppliers.
“Like the Kawasaki we run on the majority of our range, we support that enginethroughspareparts,warranty,back-
more at www. facebook.com/NZOPEmagazine
NOVEMBER 2020 NZ OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT 011