Supplier news

Agrotain International, a supplier of stabilized nitrogen products, commissioned a new series of paintings called Artistry of Golf that pays tribute to the hard work and dedication of golf course superintendents. The first painting in the annual series, Crowds Have No Place Here, showcases the sixth hole at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind., often referred to by golf course architect Pete Dye as his firstborn. The commissioned work was unveiled at the 2005 Golf Industry Show, where golf course superintendents entered a contest to win one of 50 signed and numbered limited-edition prints that are suitable for framing. The grand-prize winner was to receive the original framed oil painting. Superintendents who visited the company’s booth and took the Stabilized Nitrogen Challenge received a commemorative poster featuring the artwork. The painting is the work of Sandy Cashman Schmieder, an artist who has been professionally serving the golf course maintenance industry for more than 15 years.

Avendra, a procurement services company, offers food-service operators programs that can help them address food-safety issues highlighted in a recently released report by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA reported widespread risks of food-borne illness throughout various types of food service operations. Food-safety-related offerings include: food-safety reviews, which thoroughly assess a property’s handling, preparation and serving of food; Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point program development, which helps properties comply with food-handling regulations; and Meet the Truck Audits, which ensure properties are getting wholesome product, delivered in the right condition, from local suppliers.

BASF says its Insignia fungicide received registration from the New York Environmental Protection Agency. Insignia provides control of more than 15 major turfgrass diseases as well as suppression of dollar spot. The active ingredient in the product is pyraclostrobin, a member of the strobilurin chemistry class, which inhibits mitochondrial respiration.

Finalists in the agricultural proficiency competition for the National Future Farmers of America organization were honored at the National FFA Convention in Louisville, Ky. Bayer Environmental Science sponsored three of the 49 proficiency awards, including turfgrass management, landscape management and diversified horticulture. The sponsorship is an example of Bayer’s commitment to the green industry, part of the company’s Backed by Bayer initiative.

Dave Sylvester of Bayer Environmental Science presented Frank DeRosa, superintendent of Cedar Brook Country Club in Old Brookeville, N.Y., with a Ford F-150 pick-up truck as part of the company’s yearlong sweepstakes celebrating the 10-year anniversary of Merit insecticide. DeRosa was the contest’s grand prize winner in the golf industry category.

John Deere introduced the One Source Credit Card with rates as low as 8.9 percent for all One Source soft-good purchases. Credit card holders can spread expenses with monthly payments equal to 10 percent of the amount financed, buy on demand, enjoy a flexible line of credit for multiple purchases and feel less pressured with the 8.9 percent APR. The new credit card is designed to smooth out the maintenance cycle. If the month is going well and there’s money left in the bank, cardholders can pay ahead and skip upcoming payments or pay off the balance with no penalty. There’s one consolidated bill a month.

Following two days of international competition, the 18th annual John Deere World Championship recently came to a close. Branxton (Australia) Golf Club became the first team outside North America to claim top honors. Contested Nov. 10 through 13, 2004 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., the tournament featured 31 teams from six countries. Each foursome represented a typical golf course management team – superintendent, owner, manager, golf professional – brought together to demonstrate a different set of skills on the golf course. The Branxton team of Aaron Ling, superintendent; Mark Hale, club president; Andrew Hayward, club professional; Gary Anderson, club manager; and Trent Bolton, John Deere representative, finished with a two-day modified scramble score of 103, edging a single stroke ahead the team from Hesperia (Calif.) Golf & Country Club.

LESCO expects its net sales for the year ending Dec. 31, 2004 to range from $560 to $563 million compared with net sales of $523.5 million in 2003 – an increase of about 7 to 7.5 percent. The growth in net sales is from the company’s service centers. The company also benefited from sales growth in its golf segment. It expects to release fourth quarter and 2004 results March 1.
Additionally, the company has retained Western Reserve Partners to explore the possibility of selling all or a portion of the company’s distribution and manufacturing assets. The company believes harvesting the working and fixed capital of its supply chain will allow it to focus its resources on the expansion of its service-center network.

Players Turf International provided the synthetic turf for a 25,000-square-foot indoor practice area at the Golf Industry Show. The practice area featured several areas designed for improving a player’s short game, including a practice putting green, an elevated chipping green and a driving range with a target green.

Pursell Technologies began production at its newest plant in Sylacauga, Ala., to meet the demand for the company’s polymer coating technology for horticulture and professional turf market segments. The facility will allow the corporation to double its present production capability. This is the third manufacturing expansion for the company in recent years. The multi-million dollar expansion employs 15 people. There are plans to add 10 workers in the upcoming year.

To help the victims and survivors of the recent tsunami disaster, SMT Golf is donating one dollar from the sale of every company driver, iron, wedge and hybrid sold during the months of January and February directly to the Tsunami Relief Fund. These contributions will include all orders placed directly through the company or by any of their distributors, including prebooks of any new equipment that the company introduced at the PGA Merchandise Show.

Syngenta is donating aid to help victims of the tsunami triggered by an earthquake in the Indian Ocean. Initially, Syngenta is donating $100,000 to aid agencies in Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Additionally, the company will provide 10,000 safety kits with gloves and masks for the Red Cross and specific insecticides to reduce the risk of dengue fever spreading in affected regions. The company also will work with regional and international agencies to contribute additional aid initiatives and programs

During 2005, Tee-2-Green will commemorate Penncross creeping bentgrass with a 50th anniversary celebration. The company started the celebration by producing a 50th anniversary compact disc, which was mailed to 15,000 industry professionals in the show issue of Golf and Environment, the superintendent’s video magazine. The company also will showcase the creeping bentgrass in a series of advertisements in industry trade publications.

Textron will donate as much as $750,000 to assist with tsunami relief efforts, including an initial contribution of $250,000 to the American Red Cross International Response Fund’s tsunami relief efforts and a $250,000 grant for a dollar-for-dollar match of employee contributions to the organization.

Turf Diagnostics and Design, a soil testing and consulting company, moved from Olathe, Kan., to Linwood, Kan.