AriensCo meet Lawn Care Legends

2/25/2020 6:00:00 AM

AriensCo collaborated with Kawasaki Engines Europe on 30th January 2020 to host a dedicated day for lawncare professionals from the online community Lawn Care Legends. Members of the Facebook group visited the company’s UK Headquarters in Great Haseley, Oxfordshire. The day consisted of an introduction to AriensCo, its history and the brands it manufactures and distributes. This was followed by product demos of the Ariens zero-turns, and Countax and Westwood garden tractors, complemented by workshops on machinery maintenance from Kawasaki Engines Europe.

The attendees were given a factory tour of the new zero-turn production line – the first in Europe – giving them the chance to see precisely how Ariens zero-turns are manufactured and assembled. A series of demonstrations followed, with the opportunity to try products from the existing range of Ariens zero-turns, including IKON X, APEX, and ZENITH as well as two prototype machines. . A zero-turn challenge, with prizes for the three lowest scores, was run and saw many eager participants battling it out, manoeuvring zero-turns around a series of cones, to take the three top spots.

“The day offered the perfect opportunity to demonstrate to attendees from Lawn Care Legends that Ariens and ECHO offer a wide range of products in the outdoor power equipment and garden machinery marketplace for commercial operators,” said Darren Spencer, Vice President EMEA and Asia.

The day ended with a Q and A session and industry updates, with discussions amongst attendees including new products and future industry considerations for 2020.

“Events like this show the value and importance of relationships between manufacturers and end-users,” said John Ryan, founder of Lawn Care Legends, “everyone came away feeling uplifted by the experience.”

The members’ positive outlook on the Ariens zero-turns was accentuated by the demos and seeing first-hand the craftsmanship of the manufacturing at the UK factory. There was excellent feedback from everyone who attended the day and they are excited to come back next year! If you would like further information on Ariens zero-turns visit ariens.com, or call 0044 (0)1844 278800.

First European zero-turn mower built in Oxfordshire

2/10/2020 6:00:00 AM

First European Zero Turn Mower Built in Oxfordshire

The first zero-turn mower to be manufactured in Europe has been produced at the AriensCo factory in Great Haseley, Oxfordshire. The decision by the US-owned company to build in Britain follows industry analysis which showed exceptional growth in demand for zero-turn mowers in the UK and Europe in recent years. Until now, zero-turns have mainly been imported from the US.

Assembly Line of First European Zero Turn Mower Built in Oxfordshire

“Sales of zero-turns in Europe have experienced outstanding growth over the past three years,” says Darren Spencer, AriensCo Vice President - EMEA and Asia. “We have experienced this growth in numerous markets and, based upon extensive research with our distribution partners, we expect the progress to continue. The industry analysis points to the many opportunities to be met by producing zero-turns at our Great Haseley plant. We currently sell into ten different countries within Europe and aim to increase our European footprint in 2020.”

First European Zero Turn Mower Built in Oxfordshire

Future growth is predicted to accelerate as the benefits of zero-turn mowers are understood by potential customers, namely increased speed of cut, greater versatility and overall productivity. Zero-turn production in the UK is seen to offer significant advantages, allowing for rapid delivery and improved availability throughout the year. There is also the potential for zero-turns to be adapted with features and benefits to meet local market needs. AriensCo says they have made a significant investment in the Oxfordshire factory with the new zero-turn production line, fixtures and tooling. A number of CE zero-turn models will be produced for European markets and close collaboration with the US will be maintained to match up to Ariens’ reputation for manufacturing quality, says the company. Increased utilisation of the Great Haseley factory has provided operational cost benefits and will generate a number of new jobs for the area.

For more information visit ariens.com or call 01844 278800.

The future’s bright, the future’s Ariens orange

1/20/2020 6:00:00 AM

Mark and Amanda Brown, owners of M&A Brown & Sons Ltd, a groundcare and garden machinery specialist in Kent, United Kingdom talk to Out Working magazine about how they become Ariens dealers and the successes they have had to-date.

“We became an Ariens dealer by chance, three years ago. We had space on our stand at the Kent County show and my sales representative suggested we take an Ariens zero-turn and test the interest. We had heard the name Ariens before but hadn’t seen any of their zero-turn mowers. The interest we got at the show was fantastic; we sold three machines that day and we haven’t looked back since.

Zero-turns are still relatively new to the UK market although the momentum for these machines is increasing dramatically. Demonstrations are key to helping customers understand the benefits of zero-turns over tractors and we invite them to sit on the product and literally take it for a spin. Whether a demo is done at their premises or ours, once they get over the initial fear of how to drive a zero-turn - they absolutely love it! We actively encourage our customers to demo a zero-turn because its not until you drive one that you grasp how much faster and more manoeuvrable, they are. Customers have told us early on after purchasing a zero-turn, that their cutting time is dramatically reduced in comparison to their old tractor mowers. Most of the zero-turns we sell are sold with mulch kits.

In the three years of becoming an Ariens dealer we have sold 41 machines, each year selling more than double the amount of the previous year. When Ariens launched the APEX machine at the end of 2017, we saw the number of commercial sales increase and the launch of the ZENITH 60 in Spring 2019, has seen this growth increase further. The APEX 48 is our most popular machine, especially with the commercial operator. They are converting to these zero-turns over other machinery for their speed, manoeuvrability and cutting capability and the fact they fit in the back of a van. This negates the need for staff to tow trailers and employers having to pay for employees to take their trailer test.

In my opinion Ariens’ machines are built to a very high standard and are competitively priced. The very positive feedback we get from our customers, cements my confidence in the brand and we are looking forward to seeing what new products they will add to their UK portfolio. The support we get from the Ariens team is exceptional. Building relationships with my suppliers is very important to my business and they tick all the boxes here. We believe Ariens are the market leader for zero-turns in the UK and we’re proud to be a dealer. We’re looking forward to continuing our success. The future is bright, the future is orange – Ariens orange to be precise!”