Landscape and Irrigation is read by decision makers throughout the landscape and irrigation markets — including contractors, landscape architects, professional grounds managers, and irrigation and water mgmt companies and reaches the entire spetrum.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/252445
1030 W. Higgins Road, Suite 230, Park Ridge, IL 60068 Phone: (847) 720-5600 • Fax: (847) 720-5601 Web site: http://www.landscapeirrigation.com Group Publisher Jeff Patterson (763) 383-4458; jpatterson@epgmediallc.com Editorial Staff Associate Publisher, Editor John Kmitta (847) 720-5613; fax (847) 720-5601; jkmitta@specialtyim.com Products Editor Steve Noe (630) 499-1017; fax (630) 499-1026; snoe@specialtyim.com Production Team Art Director Brian Snook Production Manager Karen Kalinyak Direct Mail List Sales MeritDirect, Jim Scova, (914) 368-1012; e-mail jscova@MeritDirect.com Reprint Service Debra Welter, Circulation and Audience Development Manager, e-mail dwelter@specialtyim.com Circulation For subscription inquiries and customer service questions, please call (845) 856-2229, or fax (845) 856-5822 business hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. EST Landscape and Irrigation is published monthly except May/June, July/Aug and Nov/Dec. Publisher's Notice: We assume no responsibility for the validity of advertising claims in connection with items appearing in Landscape and Irrigation. Commercial product names are used for the conven- ience of the reader. Mention of a commercial product does not imply endorsement by Landscape and Irrigation or Specialty Information Media, or preference over similar products not mentioned. IRRIGAT ON 1030 W. Higgins Road, Suite 230, Park Ridge, IL 60068 Phone: (847) 720-5600 • Fax: (847) 720-5601 Account Representatives: WEST Leslie Palmer Senior Account Manager Phone: 248-530-0300 lpalmer@specialtyim.com MIDWEST Peggy Tupper Senior Account Manager Phone: (763) 383-4429 ptupper@epgmediallc.com EAST Chris Pelikan Senior Account Manager Phone: (954) 964-8676 cpelikan@epgmediallc.com John Kmitta t the recent slate of industry trade shows, it was great to see the abundance of effort being put forth to innovate. Not only are industry manufacturers striving to make users' jobs easier and more efficient, but they are obviously paying close attention to their competitors to ensure that their own product lines are keeping up with the latest trends. For example, growth in battery/electric-powered products was on display at GIE+EXPO 2013 in Louisville, Ky., as a wide range of manufacturers are now offering products in these segments. "This year, we saw more battery/electric manufacturers and a broader range of prod- ucts in this category, including some first-time UTV exhibitors," said Kris Kiser, president and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI). "It is clearly a growing segment in OPE, and as battery technology improves, there will be broader applica- tions." OPEI is taking the growth of the battery/electric-powered segment very seriously, and recently announced that it is ramping up its regulatory, standards and market re- porting and statistics efforts for those product segments (see page 4). At Irrigation Show 2013, there were a record number of innovations entered in the Irrigation Association's New Product Contest; and at the Tree Care Industry Expo, several companies introduced entire lines of new products. It is tough to tell what products and technologies introduced in 2013, if any, will truly be revolutionary, but it is refreshing to see the wheels of innovation churning. For example, even though it is a consumer product, a great example of innovation is the new Toro Recycler mower with the SmartStow feature that allows the unit to be stored vertically. The mower is possible as a result of Mow 'N' Stow technology by Briggs & Stratton. With the Mow 'N' Stow engine, there are no concerns about leaking gas or oil when you tip the mower upright. This patented technology features improved seals and gaskets, a unique fuel tank design and a "no-weep" carburetor. All of these features combine to allow for vertical storage. Anyone who has tried to maximize garage space has to think it is pretty cool. Hopefully, manufacturers across all industry segments continue to exhibit this type of forward-thinking mentality when developing solutions for the landscape and irriga- tion industries. For our list of exciting new innovations from 2013, please see the overview beginning on page 8. Editorial Innovation Speaking of innovation, we here at Landscape and Irrigation are seeking to innovate editorially by changing our approach for 2014 and beyond. Rather than seven print edi- tions for 2014, we will now feature 11 total issues (six print editions and five stand-alone digital editions), with a goal of increasing the number of print and digital issues even further in 2015. We will also be increasing the page counts of each print edition for more in-depth editorial coverage of the landscape and irrigation segments. If you are interested in providing articles, pictures or other editorial content, please contact me at jkmitta@specialtyim.com. Viewpoint A Daring to Innovate LI 6 Landscape and Irrigation January/February 2014 www.landscapeirrigation.com