Archive for March, 2015

User-Generated Video Contest Puts Consumers First, While Creatively Demonstrating Mowers’ Time-Saving Capabilities

Tuesday, March 31st, 2015

TBYW

Exmark is excited to announce the launch of its Take Back Your Weekends Video Contest, a unique user-generated content initiative that will enable the world’s leading commercial-grade mower manufacturer to reach and impact consumers in a unique and meaningful manner.

Addressing the universal consumer challenges that is a lack of time, Exmark’s Video Contest welcomes interested consumers to create and submit a video depicting how they would take back their weekends if more free time for hobbies and leisure pursuits was available.

Backed by a robust, multi-media advertising campaign running nationally throughout the spring and summer months, the Contest’s video hub—www.exmark.com/weekends—will be open for submissions from April 1 – June 30, 2015, as well as house a wealth of entertaining and educational branded video content.

Win a dream fishing trip with top BASS and FLW Tournament Professional, Mike "Ike" Iaconelli.

Win a dream fishing trip with top BASS and FLW Tournament Professional, Mike “Ike” Iaconelli. Photo: www.mikeiaconelli.com.

“Taking into account that Exmark competes against 40-plus mower brands that traditionally fight for mindshare predominantly on the basis of durability, speed and quality of cut, we’ve chosen to go to market this year in a manner that focusses on our consumers’ aspirations and personal experiences,” states John Cloutier, Sr. Marketing Manager. “Our Take Back Your Weekends Video Contest is a great tool that will allow us to engage our customers and prospects in a real-world scenario, and to truly listen to what matters most to them in their daily lives.”

Eighteen Contest winners will be chosen to receive prizes ranging from an Exmark Lazer Z X-Series mower, dream fishing trip with bass fishing superstar, Mike Iaconelli, and an Augusta, GA golf and spa experience, to high-quality hunt-, fish-, and golf-related gear. The Contest’s impressive prize packages are provided by industry leading brands such as Abu Garcia, Berkley, Buck Knives, Grime Boss, Nikon, Rapala, Realtree, ScentLok and VMC.

 

Go Pro With A New Exmark Commercial Mower and Save

Monday, March 30th, 2015

Exmark Go Pro Spring Sales Event logo

Get a $500 rebate on any Pioneer E-Series or S-Series, or Lazer Z E-Series mower in April and May.

Get a $500 rebate on any Pioneer E-Series or S-Series, or Lazer Z E-Series mower in April and May.

Now is a great time to go pro with a new Exmark commercial mower, during the Go Pro Spring Sales Event. For a limited time, receive instant rebates and free seat upgrades on our most popular zero-turn models.

Purchase an Exmark Pioneer E-Series or S-Series, or a Lazer Z E-Series mower between April 1 and May 31, 2015 and receive a $500 instant rebate. In addition, Pioneer S-Series and Lazer Z E-Series

Take comfort to 11 with a free upgrade to Exmark's best seating system on Lazer Z E-Series and Pioneer S-Series models, for a limited time.

Take comfort to 11 with a free upgrade to Exmark’s best seating system on Lazer Z E-Series and Pioneer S-Series models, for a limited time.

machines will receive a full-suspension seat upgrade — a $300 retail value — at no charge. It’s the same seat found on Exmark’s top-of-the-line Lazer Z X-Series machine.

Don’t hesitate — the grass is growing now. Get your weekends back when you go pro with a new Exmark commercial mower. Visit your local Exmark dealer or Exmark.com to learn which model is right for you.

The Importance of Keeping Mower Blades Sharp

Thursday, March 26th, 2015

At Exmark, we understand the importance of making sure your lawnmower is in tip-top shape in preparation for the upcoming landscaping season. One of the top maintenance items for any rotary mower is to ensure blades are properly sharpened, balanced and in good working order.

Exmark blades

Sharp, balanced blades are an essential component of cut quality. Exmark offers a variety of blades to optimize performance for different cutting conditions.

Why Sharp Blades Matter

When you are shaving your face in preparation for the day, think about the difference between the times you use a brand-new razor blade and the times you are trying to get one last shave out of an old blade. When using an old blade, your skin is more prone to cuts, infection, and irritation. When using a brand-new blade, you get a nice, clean shave.

The same thing happens with your grass. If the blades are dull or nicked, the lawn will get cut in a ragged way, causing it to suffer damage and become more susceptible to pests and other diseases. But if the blades are nice and sharp, the grass will get a clean cut, with greatly reduced damage or stress.

Blade Inspection

Mower Blade

Inspect and sharpen or replace mower blades at the start of each cutting season.

At the beginning of the landscaping season (and after roughly 8-10 hours of service) do a thorough inspection of your mower’s blades. Signs of a dull blade include bends, nicks, and/or dents. You’ll want to ensure the blades are properly sharpened and balanced. In addition to the physical inspection of the blades, do a quick inspection of the lawn before you begin your landscaping — clear away any rocks, sticks, or other debris in the immediate area. As you mow, keep an eye out for these blade-nicking items.

Properly Sharpening Your Blades

Keep in mind these few basic tips for sharpening your blade:

  • Wear protective gear, such as safety glasses
  • Disconnect the spark plugs
  • Remove the blade (instructions are found in your owner’s manual)
  • Use a metal file or sharpening stone
  • If using a file, run it in the direction of the blade’s angle — never file back and forth
  • Work in one direction only; blades usually have an angle of 45 degrees
  • Consult your owner?s manual for procedures specific to your mower

Depending on usage, replace your lawn mower’s blade(s) every 1-3 years. Always use OEM blades designed for your specific mower. Universal blades may save you a couple dollars, but can cause potential safety issues from improper mounting and/or the type of metal used to construct the blade.

Properly Balancing Your Blades

Having properly balanced blades is every bit as important as blade sharpness. An unbalanced blade causes stress on the engine and cutting deck due to vibration.

After you sharpen the blade, test its balance with a blade-balancing tool. If you don’t have access to this specialized tool, you can hammer a nail partway into a wall in your garage and hang the blade from it (using the center hole). If the blade hangs horizontally, it is in balance. If one side drops, remove excess material from the side it leans to, using a file or sharpening stone.

Professional Sharpening

If you follow these recommendations and have the proper tools and safety gear on-hand, sharpening your blades is a relatively easy task. However, if you don’t have the proper gear, or don’t feel comfortable doing this type of maintenance yourself, your local Exmark dealer can quickly sharpen and balance blades for you.

Bottom line: using sharp blades will help you have a perfectly mowed lawn, every time.

Resources:

Exmark Brings EFI Propane Innovation to the Vantage S-Series Stand-On Rider

Thursday, March 19th, 2015

New Kohler EFI propane power plant can reduce fuel expenditures by up to 40 percent

The Vantage S-Series Propane joins Exmark's existing EFI propane Lazer Z and Turf Tracer models.

The Vantage S-Series Propane joins Exmark’s existing EFI propane Lazer Z and Turf Tracer models.

Exmark has unveiled the latest addition to its industry leading line of EFI propane commercial mowers — the Vantage S-Series Propane 52-inch stand-on rider. The new model uses a state-of-the-art Kohler EFI propane powerplant that delivers significant increases in fuel economy, performance and reliability along with being the most environmentally friendly engine option available today.

The new stand-on machine joins Exmark’s existing EFI propane Lazer Z and Turf Tracer models, providing the broadest product line-up in the industry. Landscape professionals now have an increasing number of options that can precisely meet their needs and enjoy the reliability, economic and environmental benefits of EFI propane power.

Exmark Director of Marketing, Daryn Walters, said an increasing number of landscape contractors are turning to propane power as a way to reduce costs, increase profitability and reduce impact on the environment.

“Time and again we hear that fuel is one of our customers’ largest expenses, and increasing fuel costs have put a serious dent on the profitability of many contractors across the country. More and more of these folks are turning to EFI propane powered equipment as a way to reduce their fuel bill and get more work done with fewer resources.”

The Kohler PCV740 EFI propane engine delivers increased fuel efficiency, performance and ease-of-starting.

The Kohler PCV740 EFI propane engine delivers increased fuel efficiency, performance and ease-of-starting.

The Vantage S-Series Propane machine features the groundbreaking Kohler Command Pro PCV740 EFI propane powerplant. The engine’s automotive-style closed-loop EFI system delivers significantly increased fuel economy, reliability and improved performance, combined with easy, no-choke starting. It precisely adjusts fuel/air mixture settings in real-time for optimal performance at any altitude, any temperature, in any conditions.

The efficiency of the EFI system reduces fuel consumption by up to 40 percent compared to carbureted propane engines.

The Vantage S-Series Propane model is available with a 52-inch UltraCut Series 4 cutting deck. The deck features Exmark’s patented Flow Control baffles to provide an unmatched quality of cut, and the welded steel deck construction features 7-gauge high-strength steel reinforced spindle mounting rings for top-notch strength and durability. Blade spindle assemblies feature rugged cast aluminum housings and zero-maintenance sealed heavy-duty bearings to maximize service life, even in the most demanding conditions.

Learn more about the 2015 Exmark Vantage S-Series Propane stand-on commercial mower at Exmark.com.

How Do You Know When It’s Time to Tune Your Lawn Mower?

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015

Believe it or not, this Friday is the first day of spring. Along with the blossoming trees and pretty flowers comes the growing grass. If you own a landscaping or lawn care company, your busy season is fast approaching. One of the most important things you can do to prepare for a successful season of cutting grass is to service your mowers.

Exmark Engine Oil

Oil is the life blood of your engine, so it makes sense to start the season off with a fresh oil change.

Here’s a quick list of ways to know when it’s time to tune your mower:

Service Tip 1: A New Season
Before every new mowing season, you should take your mower in for a tune-up. This doesn’t just apply to lawn-care companies. Whether you mow hundreds of acres a day or do your own yard once a week, every mower needs a tune-up before a new season of mowing. Lawn mowers are the workhorses of any landscaping company and need to be in perfect condition if you want to stay profitable. Using old, worn-out, faulty, or damaged equipment will cost your company time and money; two things you can’t afford to waste.

Even if your mower has only been idle for 1 or 2 months, that’s enough time for fuel to go bad, oil to become contaminated, blades to rust, or other problems to crop up. Consult your owners’ manual for a list of seasonal maintenance items for your specific machine.

Service Tip 2: A Poor Cut
If you or your employees have been using the same mower for more than a couple of months, you are probably well aware of how it cuts as well as its overall capabilities. If you notice a sudden decrease in cutting performance — areas of the grass no longer looking uniform and smooth but appearing uneven or chopped — your blade could stand to be sharpened.

As long as the decrease in performance is not accompanied by a sluggish engine or poor power, taking your blade to be sharpened will return your mower to mint condition. Look for a more detailed story on sharpening and balancing mower blades here next week.

Service Tip 3: Engine Trouble
Your mower should have its engine serviced at least once a year. And while annual tune-ups are great, how do you know if something is wrong in-between recommended maintenance?

Pay attention to the way your mower’s engine sounds. A sputtering or uneven idle can mean the fuel-to-air mixture is not balanced properly. A decrease in power can mean filters are clogged. Excess exhaust smoke or strange smells might mean oil is mixing with the fuel, and could be a sign of larger issues inside the engine. Unless you know engines inside and out (literally), these problems are best left to the professionals.

Service Tip 4: Dirt and Debris
Is your fleet of mowers dirty? Are your mowers covered in mud, grass, branches, and other messes? If so, it’s time to tune and clean your fleet. When you run a landscaping business, maximizing efficiency and cutting extra costs are both musts. Excess dirt and debris, though seemingly insignificant, reduce mower efficiency. A bit of mud near the axles, grass stuck to the blade, and branches jammed in the bodywork will each have a small impact on how much fuel you use and how long it takes to mow a given lawn. Add up all of those small issues and you will see a significant increase in not just running costs, but also machine wear over the course of a season.

DIY or Send It In?
Depending on how familiar you are with your mower, you may be able to do much of the maintenance on your own. Here are just a few of the things you should be able to do at home or in your shop:

  • Changing your mower’s oil is a relatively straightforward process. Most mowers have an oil tank that can be emptied by removing a cap (in a process very similar to changing a car or truck’s oil). Just make sure to do this outside or over a cloth and bucket.
  • Changing an air filter is simple enough for anyone to do. Most mowers, whether commercial or walk-behind, have easy-to-access filters mounted near the engine. All you typically need to do is remove the cap, pull out the old filter, and insert a new one. Just make sure you insert it in the proper direction, and consult your engine owner?s manual with any questions.
  • Replacing a spark plug is easy, assuming you have a spark plug socket wrench. Just make sure plugs you install are properly gapped for your specific mower.
Scan the QR code on the model plate on your Exmark to be taken to maintenance schedules for your machine on MyExmark.com.

Scan the QR code on the model plate on your Exmark to be taken to maintenance schedules for your machine on MyExmark.com.

More involved maintenance is often better left to a qualified service professional. If you don’t feel comfortable tackling something on your own, don’t do it. You will lose more money fixing a mistake than sending it to the dealer to begin with.

Saving Money with Regular Maintenance
Here at Exmark, we make a wide range of modern mowers and lawn care tools that dramatically increase efficiency to help you get more work done using fewer resources. Whether you have a top of the line Exmark mower, or an older machine, maintaining what you have is one of the best ways to save money. Make sure you tune your mower this spring and repeat as often as necessary. Doing so will not only save you time and money, but will prevent more costly problems in the future.

Farm Journal Magazine to Give Away Exmark Utility Vehicle

Thursday, March 5th, 2015

You could be the lucky winner of a new top-of-the-line Exmark 700S utility vehicle!

We’ve teamed up with Farm Journal magazine to give a brand new Exmark 700S Utility Vehicle away to one lucky winner.

To enter, visit http://agweb.com/win-an-exmark and complete the official registration form.

You can also enter the drawing by mailing a postcard addressed to:

Farm Journal Media
Attn: Win an Exmark 700S Utility Vehicle Sweepstakes
10600 W. Higgins Road
Suite 610
Rosemont, IL  60018

The sweepstakes begins March 16, 2015, and entries will be accepted through April 30, 2015. View official contest rules and conditions at http://agweb.com/win-an-exmark.

Exmark Launches “Take Back Your Weekends” Video Contest

Monday, March 2nd, 2015

Show your ultimate weekend for a chance to win trips, outdoor gear or an Exmark Lazer Z X-Series mower

Exmark today announced the upcoming launch of its “Take Back Your Weekends” video contest. Set to begin April 1, 2015, the contest will run through June 30, 2015.TBYW

Exmark Director of Marketing, Daryn Walters, said the contest gives entrants the opportunity to show what they would do with the extra free time a more productive mower would give them. “Exmark is the brand landscape professionals purchase two-to-one over the next best selling brand. The increased productivity Exmark mowers deliver is a professional’s competitive advantage. For a home or acreage owner, Exmark productivity allows them to spend less time on lawn maintenance and spend more time enjoying the benefits of a beautifully maintained property.”

Entrants are required to submit a video depicting how lawn mowers can save time along with a story on what they might do with the extra time. Videos must be original and not previously-published work, and will be judged on three weighted criteria: Creativity (50 percent); Authenticity of the person/story presented (30 percent); and, Demonstration of lawn mower’s time saving ability to “take back your weekends” (20 percent).

One lucky winner will take home the grand prize – a top-of-the-line Exmark Lazer Z X-Series commercial zero-turn riding mower valued at more than $12,000. First prize is a Delaware River fishing trip with professional tournament fisherman, Mike Iaconelli. Other prizes include:

  • Second Prize – 1 winner – The Masters Golf and Spa experience trip for the winner and one guest.
  • Hunting Pack Prize – 5 winners – Hunting gear package including a ScentLock Technologies backpack, Buck Knives Omni Hunter knife, Nikon MONARCH 10×42 camouflage binoculars and a $400 gift card.
  • Fishing Pack Prize – 5 winners – Fishing gear package including a Buck Knives Freshwater Splizzors multi-tool, Abu Garcia Revo spinning wheel, Abu Garcia Verito spinning rod, Berkley Trilene XL monofilament line, PowerBait tackle bag, a variety of DT lures and VMC jigheads and hooks, and more.
  • Golf Pack Prize – 5 winners – Nikon COOLSHOT 40i rangefinder.

Visit Exmark.com/weekends for complete “Take Back Your Weekends” contest rules, or to enter a video in the contest.