INSIDE AGRI-TURF

"The greatest thing since the Industrial revolution" are amongst the opening words by Wesley Baker, Founder and CEO of Canterbury AI.

In this podcast, Wesley provides an overview of the likely impact that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will have on us all in clear and no-nonsense language.

AI is not here to take jobs, if it does, they will be replaced quickly, he says. It will certainly reduce workloads and massively improve service and productivity.

He also says that a lack of funding for research and development is not reaching small, innovative companies who are the backbone of this country.

Websites

Wesley Baker

LinkedIn

Canterbury AI

Blue Strawberry

This episode is another in a series I'm calling The Franchise Jigsaw.

And who knew that the collective name for a jigsaw enthusiast is a dissectologist?

My guest is David Hart, Managing Director of Kubota UK and President Business Transformation Kubota Europe BV.

As the consolidation of the UK farm machinery dealers network continues, so companies such as Kubota are taking the opportunity to offer a replacement main franchise to dealers who have been sacked by a major brand, or have decided to change their lead franchise due to unacceptable terms and conditions being offered.

However, as David explains the task of putting together a workable franchise territory for new dealers is never easy nor straightforward, particularly if several branches are involved.

And what are the priorities for manufacturers when they appoint a replacement new franchise?

David's experiences have confirmed that manufacturers in this position should always 'expect the unexpected'

A year after first publishing a comprehensive listing of the UK's Biggest Farming Dealers ranked by turnover exclusively for the Farmers Weekly, I catch up again with freelance agricultural journalist Peter Hill to deep dive his latest report..

The original report published in 2022 was based on dealers' financials for 2020, the latest published a few weeks ago reflects the figures for 2021.

A total of 45 dealers make up the listing, all of whom have a turnover in excess of £30 million. 2021 appears to have been a recovery year following the impact of Covid with all dealers in the list showing increased turnover despite supply problems.

The reports once again vividly illustrates the on-going consolidation in the UK dealer network.

Access the reports

2022 Report (2020 year) 2023 Report (2021 year)

After a summer break, Inside Agri-Turf podcast returns for the Autumn, Winter, Spring season.

Here are excerpts of episodes already recorded and news of an exciting addition for the Agri-Turf community. Forthcoming episodes are:

24 August 2023: THE FRANCHISE JIGSAW 1: Featuring freelance agricultural journalist Peter Hill talking about his published reports for the Farmers Weekly on Britain's Biggest Farm Machinery Dealers based on 2020 and 2021 financials. 2020 Report 2021 Report

31 August 2023: THE FRANCHISE JIGSAW 2: David Hart, md Kubota UK talks about the manufacturers role when a dealer switches its lead franchise from a competitive brand to Kubota.

7 September 2023: The use and likely impact, positive and negative, of AI (Artificial Intelligence) on small business by Wesley Baker, md of Canterbury AI Ltd.

14 September 2023: First in a two-part series, St John Craner, md of Agrarian Ltd, a leading rural sales company based in New Zealand, will talk about The Art of the Sales Conversation

How would Aidan, Aileen and Aimee - the clue lies in the first two letters of each name – describe the attractions of land-based engineering?

I have produced this episode using ChatGPT, posing questions, refining the text responses, using the read-aloud feature, allocating appropriate voices and recording for this podcast.  You cannot edit the text in ChatGPT, so you hear the actual responses.

Commentators believe Artificial Intelligence could be the single greatest human achievement, but critics argue that it has the potential to be the most destructive.

I only participated in the foothills of ChatGPT, there is much greater sophistication being developed daily. As I recorded this episode, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was in Washington meeting US President Joe Biden with the implementation of controls on AI development high on the agenda.

A thought? Given that everything in cyberspace has been created by humans, I wonder whether the saying ‘garbage in, garbage out’ still holds true?

I have put a transcript of the ChatGPT ‘conversation’ on the Inside Agri-Turf website which you can access HERE

The human campaign to encourage greater understanding and participation is outlined on the We Are Landbased Engineering website

PODCAST produced on behalf of Autoguide Ltd, first published January 2022 - moved to Inside Agri-Turf channel to centralise all published episodes (May 2023)

A familiar sight at cricket grounds around the world, the Auto-Roller manufactured by Autoguide Equipment Ltd, reached its century in 2021.

Hand-built by craftsmen at the company's Wiltshire factory, the Auto-Roller is the choice of many leading groundsmen at Test and County grounds for the upkeep and preparation of their playing surface.

(0:41) The podcast traces the development of turf machinery used in cricket, starting with the invention of the lawnmower (as we know it) in 1832.

(05:20) Host Chris Biddle finds out more about the history of the Auto-Roller from Richard Robinson, the founder of Autoguide, and discovers more about the lengths the company goes to ensure comfort, ease of use and reliability.

(15:40) Chris talks winter rolling regimes with Auto-Roller user Gary Barwell, head groundsman at Edgbaston, home of County Champions Warwickshire CCC and famous Test Match venue. Gary also talks about the scrutiny of the pitch during a game, whether the captains often ask for his advice and why he feels that a variation in pitches around the country gives the game energy and spectator appeal.

PODCAST IS PRODUCED ON BEHALF OF AUTOGUIDE EQUIPMENT LTD

Further information: Auto-Roller website

This week, I’m proud to be publishing the 100th episode of Inside Agri-turf podcast, talking to my special guest Keith Christian, the recently retired Director of BAGMA about his remarkable career which including heading both trade associations for manufacturers and dealers.

Keith started life working in banking, but soon ‘found’ the garden machinery industry. Working first with a dealership, Burlinghams, then a manufacturer Spear and Jackson who were UK Stiga distributor at the time.

He then moved to set up Claymore Grass Machinery to distribute a range of overseas brands including Bolens, Masport, Stiga, Simplicity, Solo, Yanmar, Roberine and others. In doing so, he organised the much coveted, but unofficial, Claymore Travel Club.

During this time, Keith was elected President of the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA) representing UK manufacturers, importers and suppliers of farm and garden machinery.

After Claymore was sold to Farm and Garden Machinery, Keith ‘crossed the floor’ and in 2007 was appointed to head the UK dealer representative body BAGMA (British Agricultural and Garden Machinery Association).

 At the time, BAGMA was part of BIRA (British Independent Retailers Association, formerly British Hardware Federation).  In many respects,it was not an ideal fit, and in 2021 the AEA bought BAGMA.

And so, it created a full circle for Keith, who officially retired a BAGMA Director in March 2023.  

Photo courtesy of BAGMA Bulletin

The Agri-Turf machinery industry has long wrestled with finding a readily understood definition of what it is and what it does - and what three words best sum up its attraction?

Officially categorised as Land-based Engineering, the challenge for those recruiting is to catch the eye and capture the interest of potential new employees in around 5 seconds according to the latest definition of attention span in this digital age.

In December 2022, the cross-industry Land-based Engineering, Training and Education Committee (LE-TEC) developed a new campaign, We Are Land-based Engineering, designed to utilise all the current social media platforms to explain and expand on all the opportunities it offers.

In this episode, Ruth Bailey, CEO of the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA) and Gareth Ford, Digital Media and Marketing Specialist at the AEA discuss the concept of the campaign, the planning, content and early response from the industry itself, from colleges - and the general public.

Gareth has conducted many filmed interviews for the campaign with those currently working in Landbased Engineering, from apprentices to managers and business owners. They are asked what three words sum up the industry for them? The most common responses include 'rewarding', 'varied', 'long term', 'security' and 'innovative'

We Are Land-based Engineering website

Campaign video

Want to get involved or have a story to tell? [email protected]

From an apprentice himself, Ken Smyth is to today general service manager at leading dealership Ernest Doe Ltd, overseeing the service departments and transport fleet at Doe's 19 branches with 180 technicians and over 160 vehicles.

He has overall responsibility for the company’s service provision for agricultural machinery, construction equipment, professional turfcare machinery, garden machinery and viticulture, small tractors and machinery for fruit growers and vineyards.

Ken talks about his early days as an apprentice, his work overseas and of then joining a manufacturer before returning to the dealer trade. He describes the recruitment into Doe’s Apprenticeship scheme and how ‘it is never too young’ to start 'planting the seeds' amongst school pupils about the exciting opportunities offered by the land-based engineering industry – once they understand what is meant by the term.

He says “No other industry provides you with such a wide range of skill-sets. It will teach you more than you will ever learn doing anything else”

Ernest Doe Ltd

We Are Land-based Engineering  

Is there enough collaboration and discussion between suppliers and their dealers about business management and maximising sales and service opportunities?

They are, or should be, business partners with common aims, but the relationship rarely goes beyond the order book.

To discuss, I'm joined by Jerry Hanss who has extensive experience in establishing dealer networks. We talk about benchmarking, finance managment, reduction of downtime, managing brands, service absorption and more.

LINKS

Hanss Group Consultancy

Microsoft Power BI

HIVE QR