numbers over time thereafter. Through this research the company have been looking at ways to prolong the microbial activity by adding carbon feeds or bio-stimulants via a spray facility down the holes to optimise bacterial longevity. Research is ongoing into ways of application. To compete in a changing
market a range of synthetic turf maintenance products have also been launched. There are several machines developed for routine maintenance such as brushing and loosening infill. They are about to launch two new tractor mounted machines that will lift up to 10mm of infill, filter it and drop it back into the fibre carpet. One of these machines is air assisted using a patented vacuum system and vibrating sieve to remove small and large alien particulates. Charterhouse has always been vulnerable to economic downturns because all of the machines that are manufactured and sold are essential for long-term maintenance but can be overlooked in the short term during a recession. Because of this, the company needed to diversify from the professional turf maintenance market and have invested in an upmarket garden range called Connoisseur. This range includes the DR trimmer, a mower which suit small estates and large gardens. They also sell rotary mowers and Active brushcutters and are sole distributors to the UK. This equipment is sold through a distribution network of sixty garden machinery dealers.
Six years ago the company also purchased a mail order business from Michael Richmond. He was selling chainsaws, brushcutters and arborist equipment to tree surgeons and landscapers but wished to retire. This third part of the business is run directly from the Haslemere depot and includes over 1000 products available by mail order, an online website and fixed and mobile local retail sales.
As well as the garden machinery dealers, there are 25 dealerships around the UK, selling the professional range of machines. Charterhouse also employ twenty-three full time staff in the UK with further Redexim staff in Holland.
Running these three individual and diverse businesses is a challenge for Philip. “I love this industry and enjoy getting out of bed every day. On the whole this
industry is full of normal, nice and pleasant people, which makes it enjoyable to go to work. I think this is highlighted particularly when you can talk openly around a table with all your competitors as I regularly find myself doing at Agricultural Engineers Association events.” “If I have any gripes it is that, as in any other industry, the workload on people is far greater now. Perhaps we are doing three times as much work now as we would have done in the 80’s. Some of the reasons for this have been bought about by business legislation but mostly because margins have shrunk dramatically. In my early days of selling, machinery was never discounted. Nowadays everybody wants best price and every customer expects to receive discount.” “We have to look carefully at the costs of running a machinery distribution and dealer network. Customers want to see machinery in their place of work not at shows and that is a big expense in terms of transport, time and depreciation of machinery. I don’t begrudge any customer a demonstration against our competitors but it annoys me when some people ask for a demonstration when they have no intention of a purchase thereafter.” “I am not sure how the industry addresses this problem, it is the same for all machinery manufacturers. Perhaps there should be a concerted effort by all of us to make customers more aware of the costs involved. The money has to come from somewhere and ultimately it will affect the quality of service from dealerships. The industry is working on smaller margins and if this continues we will see more and more dealers going to the wall.” “Redexim Charterhouse celebrates twenty-five years of business in March 2007. It has been a great challenge to bring the company up to date and we have worked hard to put everything in place to secure the long-term future, at least for another twenty-five years!” “Predicting the future is the ultimate challenge. New software and systems is one of the ways that Charterhouse Turf Machinery can remain efficient in a very
competitive world. The other is choosing the right staff. I am very fortunate to have a great team of hard working bright young people to help me grow the business.”
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