Page 17 - OPE Sep-Oct 2021

MARKETPLACE
Ride-on Mowers
IT’S CERTAINLY BEEN an eventful past 18 months under the cloud of a pandemic, but the topsy-
turvy ride remains fresh in the mind of Husqvarna’s Steve Middleton.
“Last year was very unusual after Covid struck, the autumn and winter seasons were very mild, and there was almost a frenzy of retail spending. People were investing in and around their properties and all our mowing products – from robotics through to ride-ons – really fired.”
On top of which, Steve adds, a lot of products which didn’t eventuate for various reasons late last year dropped into the start of this year, giving Husqvarna in New Zealand a strong first quarter.
“We’ve probably seen sales patterns traditionalise somewhat as 2021 has unfolded but things have remained buoyant and consumer confidence continues to be strong.”
Steelfort GM Gavin Lowndes agrees that “this year is a completely different ball game” after the initial shock of Covid in 2020.
“When we went into lockdown last year, thatwasnewterritory,andwehadcomeoff the back of a very poor weather period with droughts in late 2019 and early 2020.
“This time we’ve been flat-out all year with high sales volumes, and we’ve gone into August’s lockdown in a very healthy position.
“There was still a noticeable dip in July- August sales but not to the same degree as we’ve seen in the past.”
Outdoor power these days is a year-round
business, says Gavin: “It used to be so defined, almost like turning a tap on and off, whereas now you still have a level of business all the way through the year, albeit with some peaks and troughs.”
The pandemic has also brought new demands, adds Steve Middleton, who says the broader Husqvarna network has had to become adept at quickly adjusting to the criteria of each lockdown level.
“We have really tight systems and procedures in place to enable us to deliver products to the market in a safe and efficient way.
“We’ve been busy fielding lots of online enquiries and we’re heading into a Spring campaign with a surge of questions coming through around products and promotions.”
And those questions are ever more detailed, says Steve: “Consumers are now much more educated around what products they’re after and they mainly require confirmation from
a dealer or salesperson that they’re buying exactly the right tool for the job.”
On top of which the pressure is on with Husky dealers “staring down the barrel of Spring”and“waterintheground”,whichisa big one for the mowing industry.
“Parts of the country are looking lush, and not too many regions are in need of more rain. Warmer weather will boost grass growth and the workshops have been getting plenty of enquiries around servicing gear.”
Another change perhaps from some of the panic buying of last year, says Steve Middleton, is a sense that customers have
SIMPLY STRONG AND RELIABLE
THE JOHN DEERE S130 brings
strength, reliability, and simplicity to the New Zealand market and is the perfect machine for anyone looking to upgrade their lawn equipment this Spring-mowing season.
Part of the John Deere S100 Series mower line-up, the ride-on is known for having a superior cut and ultimate
ease-of-use, comes standard with MulchControl, houses a 107cm edge deck and includes the John Deere Easy Change 30-Second Oil Change System to streamline maintenance.
With easy-to-drive twin touch pedals, this smooth and comfortable ride-on mower can make short work of any lawn.
www.deere.co.nz
MEAN GREEN ADDS ELECTRIC STAND-ON
UNTIL RECENTLY, MEAN Green
Electric Mowers had focused on the development of larger ride-ons such as the 60-inch Rival, or its 74-inch EVO flagship.
However, the company’s new Evolution Series now includes the Vanquish 52/60- inch stand-on.
As Bruce Scott from Mean Green notes, some contractors in the US run
their entire businesses using stand-ons, so we can expect Mean Green to further develop this range if local take-up meets expectations.
Plus, he says, as councils “move from rhetoric to action” in terms of their sustainability plans, interest and then demand for battery-powered solutions is sure to grow further.
www.meangreenmowers.co.nz
FOR NEW ZEALAND’S LEADING RIDE-ON MOWER BRANDS
FIND YOUR LOCAL DEALER | WWW.STEELFORT.CO.NZ
A STEELFORT PRODUCT | CELEBRATING 75 YEARS
more at www. facebook.com/NZOPEmagazine
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 NZ OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT 017