Saltex 2003 heralds a new milestone for well-known Toro distributors, Lely UK. For the first time, the company is exhibiting all three Toro product ranges (turf machinery, irrigation and consumer products) under its own umbrella.
This follows Lely’s appointment by The Toro Company to distribute the American company’s consumer products in the UK, from 1st September. The development will see the distribution of all Toro consumer products move from the Toro offices in Bournemouth to Lely’s base in St Neots, Cambridgeshire.
Toro says this change is in line with its business model to have its entire product range distributed by one distributor. Lely has distributed Toro commercial equipment since 1983 and last year it added the distribution of Toro irrigation products to its Toro portfolio. Lely (UK) Limited was founded in 1968 and is a member of the Lely group of companies, one of Europe’s largest manufacturers of agricultural machinery, with sales offices worldwide.
Dennis Himan, Toro vice-president and general manager, international business, said: “This development is in line with Toro’s goal of supporting its valued dealers with the world’s finest consumer lawn care products and to provide them with the highest level of customer services. Lely UK has been the distributor of Toro commercial machinery for almost 20 years and irrigation products for just over one year.”
Lely has begun the process of setting up a new business unit for consumer products, which comprise Toro pedestrian recycler mowers and Wheel Horse riding mowers and tractors, as well as associated hand-held products like trimmers and vacs.
Lely UK managing director, Graham Dale, who started in the turf industry in 1973 and has been involved with Toro products since 1980, welcomed the move to expand the Lely-Toro partnership. “Lely is delighted that Toro is entrusting us with yet another important part of its business,” he said. “We are formulating our plans to provide a full sales and technical support service and it’s our intention to include key staff appointments of current Toro staff members as well as new appointments. The Toro division of Lely UK is a major part of our overall distribution business.
“Several Toro consumer dealers are already existing Lely customers on the Toro commercial, as well as the agricultural, side of our business and we believe they will be supportive of this development.”
Lely (UK) Limited www.toro.com
.
Global Edition
