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: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/753192
6 November/December 2016 Landscape and Irrigation www.landscapeirrigation.com VIEWPOINT Editor John Kmitta | jkmitta@epgmediallc.com EDITORIAL STAFF Group Publisher David Voll Associate Publisher, Editor John Kmitta (763) 383-4405; jkmitta@epgmediallc.com Products Editor Steve Noe (763) 383-4407; fax (763) 383-4499; snoe@epgmediallc.com PRODUCTION TEAM Art Director Jean Blackmer Production Manager Karen Kalinyak ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES: EAST Chris Pelikan Senior Account Manager Phone: (763) 383-4408 cpelikan@epgmediallc.com MIDWEST Peggy Tupper Senior Account Manager Phone: (763) 383-4429 ptupper@epgmediallc.com WEST Leslie Palmer Senior Account Manager Phone: (763) 383-4460 lpalmer@epgmediallc.com DIRECT MAIL LIST SALES MeritDirect, Jim Scova, (914) 368-1012; e-mail jscova@MeritDirect.com REPRINT SERVICE Robin Cooper, e-mail rcooper@epgmediallc.com CIRCULATION For subscription inquiries and customer service questions, please call (763) 383-4491, or fax (763) 383-4497 customerservice@epgmediallc.com business hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. EST EPG Media & Specialty Information 10405 6th Ave. N., Ste. 210 Minneapolis, MN 55441 www.landscapeirrigation.com P u b l i s h e r ' s N o t i c e : W e a s s u m e n o responsibility for the validity of advertising claims in connection with items appearing in Landscape and Irrigation. Commercial product names are used for the convenience of the reader. Mention of a commercial product does not imply endorsement by EPG Media & Specialty Information, or preference over similar products not mentioned. So Much to See… GIE+EXPO 2016 has come and gone, and there was more than ever to see and do both inside the Kentucky Exposition Center and out. More than 22,600 people from around the world represented a 12-percent increase in registration over 2015. There were more than 900 exhibits in total at GIE+EXPO and Hardscape North America. The indoor booths occupied 676,000 net square feet, and the Outdoor Demonstration Area was 20 acres. As a member of the media, it is almost too much to cover in three days. But that challenge is part of what makes GIE+EXPO so great. GIE+EXPO is a kid-in-a-candy-store barrage of new product introductions, wall-to-wall press conferences, and so much square footage to cover that you defi nitely don't want to be breaking in new shoes at the end of October. As a result, our 2016 post-show recap (beginning on page 7) is, naturally, our largest and most in-depth ever. 2016 marked the 12th GIE+EXPO I have attended. Although the years and shows often blend together, there are also distinct moments, products, and people from each year that stand out. GIE+EXPO 2016 had plenty of things that I'm sure will stick with me. ¾The folks at Briggs & Stratton started things off the day before the show by introducing their new Vanguard Oil Guard System, which allows landscape contractors to operate a commercial mower for 500 hours between oil changes (see page 9). They then treated the members of the media to a tour of the Woodford Reserve bourbon distillery and dinner at Silver Dollar restaurant (yes, being a member of the media has its privileges). ¾The inaugural UTV University will stand out in my memory because we assisted our sister publication, PowerSports Business, with its organization (although my job was primarily to make sure people knew where to go and then hold the door for them). ¾Altoz turned heads once again at GIE+EXPO with its new TRX tracked zero-turn mower. The TRX is equipped with rear-mounted tracks and torsional suspension system to allow professionals to work in sloped, wet and rough conditions such as roadsides, vacant lots, and other places that can't be cut safely with a traditional zero-turn mower (see page 8). ¾Mother Nature made some memories this year by knocking out power to part of the Exposition Center. But, as everyone in the landscape industry knows, weather can be a beast and put a crimp in your plans, but the show must go on — and it did. ¾Cub Cadet launched its new PRO Z line of commercial zero-turn mowers. The new product introduction was made by landscape professionals who spent thousands of hours testing the equipment and providing feedback for product development. But Cub Cadet's message made an impact on at least this member of the media after the show as well. Although most manufacturers thankfully provide all press materials on a handy USB fl ash/thumb drive, Cub Cadet sent its press release about the PRO Z series to us after the show. The reason it was mailed separately is that the news was etched into Cub Cadet's three layers of 7-gauge steel (as featured on the PRO Z Series). It's not often that I receive a 15-pound press release (see photo), but it certainly made a solid impression. There are many more memories and moments from this year's GIE+EXPO, so I hope you will enjoy all the photos and news we have to share in this issue.