Category: News

Alert PET reader John Greco in Old Forge, Pa. spotted the almost-forgotten McCulloch BP-1 chain saw in the photo on p. 48 of the PET November PowerGuide issue and sent a note thanking us for running it. Greco, who sold McCulloch for Eastern States Distributors and as a factory rep back in the day, noted…

One of the best-attended sessions last month at GIE+EXPO in Louisville October 23-25 was at The Dealer Experience, where long-time industry leaders Stihl Inc. President Fred Whyte and Ariens Co. President Dan Ariens took questions from the 100+ dealers in the audience and gauged the outlook for independent dealers in the lawn and garden industry….

Ariens Co. has announced the signing of a letter of intent to enter into an agreement with two Iowa middle school students to produce and distribute an invention they designed as part of the Invent Iowa program. Sam Hipple and Matt Moran attend Sudlow Intermediate School in Davenport. They designed the “Mega Melter” as part…

Husqvarna has announced the winners of its 2008 “Husqvarna Heroes” program, a special recognition designed to highlight dealers for being “hands-on” in support of their local community. Five dealers across the country were selected on the basis of their community participation and good works. “Several of our Husqvarna dealers have recently gone above and beyond…

I noticed it just this morning driving to work. Gas at the local station had dropped six cents a gallon overnight to $1.99, led by the “Venezuelans” that supply several Citgo franchises around town. I need to send a photo to PET sales rep Bill Albrant, who lives in Orange County, Calif. Last month at…

While Stihl got a cool mention in the Wall Street Journal a couple of weeks ago for its dealer relationships, Yamaha recently found itself front and center in an in-depth WSJ article about pending utility vehicle regulation. There’s nothing like being used as a major media example—the “poster child” for a given issue—to set off…

The Equipment & Engine Training Council (EETC), a non-profit association whose goal is to address the critical shortage of qualified service technicians in the OPE industry, recently announced address changes for certification program correspondence, and for EETC’s offices. Info Access has responsibility for administration of the EETC’s technician certification testing program, and ARI recently acquired…

The politician promising a zero-turn in every yard and a trimmer in every garage and tool closet—that’s the one I voted for…. Actually, I drove past my polling place at a municipal library here in Montgomery this morning and flipped out at the long line stretching out the door, through the parking lot and around…

There’s a new lobby ornament at the Honda Power Equipment Mfg. plant in Swepsonville, NC: the facility’s 20 millionth product—a shiny new HRR216K5VXAA walk-behind mower that factory officials say they’re going to keep as a monument to the organization’s success and quality output. Honda Power Equipment products are produced at 11 manufacturing facilities worldwide, and…

This year’s GIE+EXPO in Louisville October 23-25 featured the three “Es” on every dealer’s mind: The economy, the election and ethanol, though not necessarily in that order depending on the topic at hand. For dealers who were at GIE+EXPO and for those who missed it, here’s the scoop on what industry leaders, suppliers and dealers…