Archive for the ‘General’ Category

Hubbard Life and Exmark Launch “Best Things in Life” Sweepstakes

Tuesday, September 1st, 2015

Best Things In Life Logo(1)Hubbard Life and Exmark have teamed up for a 2nd year in a row to give away three top-of-the-line Exmark zero-turn mowers away in the Hubbard Life ‘Best Things in Life’ Sweepstakes.

Exmark and Hubbard Life share a single-minded dedication to excellence. While the focuses of the businesses are different, the commitment to leadership and delivering the very best to their customers is the same.

Hubbard Feeds focuses on the nutritional care of your animals, no matter what their size or purpose. Exmark focus is on designing and manufacturing cutting-edge mowing and turf care products. Both Hubbard and Exmark work every day to earn their customers’ trust and exceed their expectations.

The Hubbard Life ‘The Best Things in Life’ Sweepstakes began July 30, 2015. No purchase is necessary to enter. Simply visit a participating Hubbard Life dealer to complete the postage-paid sweepstakes entry card. All entries must be received by October 1, 2015.

Three winners will be selected – one from each of the three Hubbard Life business unit regions. Each winner will take home a 2015 Exmark Lazer Z X-Series zero-turn mower with a 60-inch cutting deck and a retail value of more than $13,000.

To find the nearest Hubbard Life dealer visit www.hubbardlife.com/dealers. To learn more about the Exmark advantage, visit www.exmark.com

Hunt Brothers Pizza and Exmark Help People ‘Mow Like a Pro’

Sunday, August 30th, 2015

Exmark Mow Like a Pro Home PageExmark and Hunt Brothers Pizza teamed up again in 2015 to present the Mow Like a Pro sweepstakes, and the winners recently received their new professional-grade Exmark mowers.

Today, we’ll introduce you to a number of 2015 Mow Like a Pro winners and their new Exmark machines.

Mow Like a Pro - Wayne Sparks

2015 Mow Like a Pro grand prize winner, Wayne Sparks, sits with his new Exmark Lazer Z X-Series mower.

Wayne Sparks of Cusseta, Georgia is the grand prize winner of the 2015 Mow Like a Pro sweepstakes. He took home a top-of-the-line Exmark Lazer Z X-Series zero-turn riding mower valued at more than $12,000.

“I couldn’t be more excited,” Sparks said. “Owning my own landscape business means I need quality mowers I can rely on, so winning one of the top mowers on the market is a blessing.

“It’s great to finally have a new mower after wanting one for a very long time. Not only do I have the equipment I need to start cutting more grass, I can do it in style!”

Joshua Calkins - Mow Like a Pro

First place winner, Joshua Calkins, and his new Exmark Pioneer S-Series mower.

The first place prize — an Exmark Pioneer S-Series zero-turn riding mower valued at more than $7,000 — went to Joshua Calkins of Montere, Louisiana.

Puxico, Missouri’s Regina Hale took home the second place prize: an Exmark Quest S-Series Front Steer riding mower. The machine is Exmark’s first steering wheel-equipped zero-turn rider and it’ll make quick work of Hale’s property.

Three third place winners each took home a new Exmark Commercial 30 walk-behind mower, including: Suzanne Looney of Nettleton, Mississippi; Mathel Carter of Clarks, Louisiana; and Michelle Adams of Albany, Louisiana.

Regina Hale - Mow Like a Pro

Second place winner, Regina Hale, looks ready to mow on her new Exmark Quest S-Series mower.

In addition to the six mowers, Hunt Bros Pizza and Exmark gave away 100 pairs of safety sunglasses (4th place prize) and 100 pairs of work gloves (5th place prize). Click here to see a complete list of secondary prize winners.

“On behalf of Hunt Brothers Pizza, we congratulate all the winners of the ‘Mow Like a Pro’ sweepstakes and thank all participants for their support,” said Keith Solsvig, vice president of marketing at Hunt Brothers Pizza. “The sweepstakes provided us an opportunity to connect with and reward many of our fans that are landscapers and enjoy the outdoors with a quality prize from one of the best brands in the landscaping industry.”

Stop back Wednesday, September 2 to learn more about how you could get a chance to win your own new Exmark mower!

 

Lawn Mower Parts or Exmark Original Parts – What’s the Difference?

Sunday, August 23rd, 2015

Exmark Original Parts logoWhen you need lawn mower parts for your Exmark, you’ve got an important decision to make. There are a lot of reasons to run Exmark equipment, but productivity, durability and cut quality are reasons our customers often cite. Our products perform as they do thanks to the innovative design and manufacturing, and ultimately the performance, of each of the machine’s original parts. Collectively, they contribute to the overall performance and durability of your Exmark.

If any of these components are compromised, the machine’s performance or durability will inevitably be affected. Virtually any company can sell you lawn mower parts that are almost right for your machine. But only Exmark can provide you with OEM lawn mower parts designed, engineered and extensively tested to work optimally with every other part on your Exmark machine. You’ll get precisely the right performance, every time.

Learn more about the Exmark Original Parts Advantage:

You didn’t buy an Exmark because you wanted “almost right”, did you? Don’t settle for anything less than Exmark Original Parts and you’ll never get less than 100 percent genuine Exmark performance. That’s what value looks like to us.

Learn more about the difference between lawn mower parts and Exmark Original Parts at Exmark.com/OriginalParts.

Mower Settings for Late Summer and Early Fall Lawn Care

Wednesday, August 19th, 2015

Mower settings are a hot topic of debate for some, but a few basic guidelines can help keep your lawn healthy and weed-free throughout the year. Today, we’ll talk about the seasonal cycle of mower height settings, with a particular focus on lawn mower settings for cooler late-summer and early-fall cutting conditions.

Mower settings for late-summer

Your ideal cutting height range will depend on the type of grasses you’re cutting.

Ultimately, your ideal mower height settings vary with the type of grass you’re cutting and the time of year. While it’s typical to cut cool season grasses a little longer, in the 2 to 4 inch range, warm season grasses can be cut to as short as one inch, sometimes less. Consultation with your local county extension office or lawn care professional can help you dial in your mower height settings based on region and grass type.

The seasonal cycle explained

While turf types may vary, the method for setting mower height is similar within the ‘ideal’ range of the grass you’re mowing. Here in the Midwest, Kentucky Bluegrass is prevalent, which typically thrives when cut to a height of 2-3 inches. With Kentucky Bluegrass, set the mower at roughly two inches in the spring, and as the weather warms up in July and August, gradually increase mower height to a maximum of 3 inches.

Mowing grass higher in the heat of the summer helps keep vital moisture in the ground for your lawn to use, reducing the need for water.

With the transition to fall, the days get shorter and begin to cool off. As they do, it makes sense to lower mower height gradually, so it’s on the low end of your ‘ideal’ height range just before the first freeze, or you see your coldest annual temperatures. Doing so helps to prevent fungus growth over winter months.

Lawn care rules to remember

Mower settings

As your daily temperatures decrease from their seasonal peak, you can begin to lower your cutting deck incrementally until you reach the low end of your ideal height range.

As you transition to mowing grass shorter, don’t forget the ‘Rule of Thirds’. That is, never cut more than one-third of the total length of the grass. If you’re starting with three-inch tall grass, don’t mow shorter than two inches in one cutting.

Also, avoid mowing during times of heat stress, or extreme wet. Instead, mow just before a forecast rain to allow the freshly cut grass to soak the moisture in.

As soon as the weather begins to cool from its seasonal peak, it’s time to begin adjusting your mower settings for late summer and early fall lawn care. You’ll help your lawn be healthier and more beautiful all year long.

References & Additional resources:

  1. http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/outdoors/gardening/what-is-the-ideal-height-to-cut-the-grass
  2. http://outdoorswithdave.com/landscaping/mowing-your-lawn
  3. http://www.safelawns.org/blog/2012/05/13-essential-mowing-tips-first-and-foremost-keep-the-blade-sharp-set-high/
  4. http://msue.anr.msu.edu/resources/mowing-lawn-turf

Rear Discharge vs. Side Discharge: Why Choose a Rear Discharge Mower?

Sunday, August 16th, 2015
Exmark Lazer Z Rear-Discharge

A rear-discharge mower offers numerous advantages, not the least of which is the ability to trim on both sides of the deck.

An increasing number of Exmark mowers are now available with our UltraCut Rear Discharge cutting deck. And as our customers learn more about the advantages of a rear-discharge mower, they’re choosing the option more and more.

Today we’ll talk through the reasons somebody would choose rear-discharge riding mowers over the more common side-discharge mowers, and what cutting conditions rear-discharge commercial mowers excel in.

Reason 1: increased clipping control

Rear-discharge decks send clippings out behind the deck, under the mower, instead of through a side-discharge chute. The operator stays cleaner and clippings are distributed uniformly over a wider area. Rear-discharge decks also reduce the potential for debris or foreign objects to be discharged at dangerous velocity, making them a popular option with municipalities as well as parks and recreation departments.

Reason 2: increased cutting efficiency

With one counter-rotating blade, the UltraCut Rear Discharge cutting deck offers increased cut quality and even clipping distribution.

With one counter-rotating blade, the UltraCut Rear Discharge cutting deck offers increased cut quality and even clipping distribution.

The UltraCut Rear Discharge deck reduces clipping over-processing using a counter-rotating blade design and patented Flow Control baffles. Because clippings are cut once and discharged, a rear-discharge deck uses less horsepower than an equivalent side-discharge deck, which must pass clippings from blade-to-blade to be discharged. As a result, rear-discharge is a great choice for cutting taller grasses and in rougher cutting conditions, so they are an appealing choice for use on farms or acreages.

Reason 3: ability to trim on both sides of the deck

Whether you’re a landscape professional looking to maximize productivity, or an acreage owner looking for maximum versatility, the ability to trim on both sides of the cutting deck is a big advantage for a rear-discharge mower. No longer must you plan your entire mowing pattern based on the location of landscaping. Now, you simply take the most efficient route and get the job done faster.

Reason 4: reduced noise

Exmark rear-discharge

The decreased noise and increased clipping control of a rear-discharge mower are ideal for maintaining residential properties.

Discharging clippings behind the deck, under the mower, dramatically reduces the noise level of the deck for both the operator and for bystanders.

For those looking for additional noise reductions as well as an increased quality of cut for the most highly manicured appearance, Exmark offers its Finish Cut baffle kit for the UltraCut Rear Discharge deck. It’s perhaps the ultimate combination of cut quality, productivity and clipping control.

Bagging is perhaps the one challenge that the UltraCut Rear Discharge deck doesn’t tackle. That said, our Navigator – a dedicated bagging machine – uses a rear-discharge deck, so if you’re committed to bagging and like the benefits of rear-discharge, it just may be the rear-discharge commercial mower you’re looking for.

The UltraCut Rear Discharge deck is available on select Pioneer and Lazer Z rear discharge mower models. Visit Exmark.com to learn more about Exmark’s entire line of UltraCut decks.

Exmark Employee Profile: Lenny Mangnall

Thursday, August 6th, 2015

Lenny Mangnall of Exmark

Where are you from?

I’ve lived 50 miles from Beatrice, Nebraska my whole life. I currently live about ten miles away, with my wonderful wife and my three boys, ages nine to sixteen.

Tell us about what you do at Exmark.

I work in customer service, which has two groups: customer care and technical service. I’m in technical service, where we focus on the technical aspect of the product, and assisting our distributors. Typically we’re on the road about 50 percent of the time January through March. We go to different regions and do hands-on sessions on-location at dealers, making sure they are up to speed on our latest products.

For the rest of the year, we’re tied to the phone the majority of the time. For instance, last year Exmark customer service took 6,500 phone calls. If there’s a major issue we can’t resolve over the phone, we hop on a plane and go out to help resolve the problem firsthand.

The main parts of our job are preparing our service people with hands-on service and knowledge, and answering the customers’ needs. We combine those two and become both the voice of the service guy and the eyes of the customer.

What’s your favorite thing about working with Exmark?

This industry is amazing, full of such great people. I’ve built amazing relationships with end users, dealers, and distributor partners. It’s something that I look forward to each day.

At Exmark, we focus on doing the right thing and developing partnerships with our distributors, dealers, and our end users. By working together and helping our partners, whether distributors, dealers or end users, we’re making our own jobs a little easier in the long run. We’re all interrelated.

What do you like to do in your free time?

With three boys at home, I don’t have much free time! But my main passion for the last 7-8 years has been coaching baseball for my boys. It’s so much fun. The organization does it right. Even though we want to win, the more important priority is building character. And the people are great. There’s nothing better than getting a group of parents and kids together and watching them grow together as a secondary family.

If you could have lunch with any person, who would it be?

I’d like to talk to somebody who lived through the Great Depression or The Dust Bowl. We take so many things for granted and must remember to be careful with what we continue to take from Mother Nature. Any person that lived through such trying times and fought through that: it’s just remarkable to me. Those people just didn’t have the same benefits we do today. You see pictures of what they went through with the Dust Bowl and it’s remarkable they could persevere. We take a lot of things for granted today.

What’s something surprising about you not many people know about?

I graduated in a class of just 8 people. When I was in 6th grade, the entire school from kindergarten to 12th grade had about 110 people in it so I knew everybody by name. Most people are surprised to hear that.

Lenny Mangnall has been a member of the Exmark family for 17 years.

The Benefits of RED Technology

Monday, August 3rd, 2015

RED_equipped

The cost of fuel is a significant line item for every landscape maintenance professional, so any opportunity to reduce fuel consumption, especially if it doesn’t negatively impact productivity, is one that’s worth considering.

Exmark developed patented RED Technology to optimize productivity and machine life while dramatically increasing fuel efficiency. In fact, a RED-equipped Lazer Z X-Series mower can save up to 500 gallons of fuel in a typical 600-hour annual duty cycle. That’s not 500 gallons saved over a fleet of 10 machines. It’s 500 gallons saved per machine.

Governor Droop chart

RED-eqiupped engines use an electronic governor and EFI to virtually eliminate governor droop, so blade tip speed and cut quality are maximized.

Perhaps even more impressive, performance isn’t sacrificed for the gains in efficiency. RED enables communication and response between key systems on the mower, so the machine maintains performance and blade tip speed in a wider range of conditions.

At the heart of this increased responsiveness is an electronic governor-equipped Kohler EFI powerplant. The electronic governor significantly decreases governor droop, so blade tip speed is more consistent to deliver an increased quality of cut and higher level of productivity.

Lazer Z X-Series control panel

The defined performance modes are selected with the three-position rocker switch just above the Exmark logo.

RED-equipped machines feature three defined operation modes, controlled by a three-position rocker switch. This enables the operator to match the machine’s power to the specific conditions at hand.

RED Technology tracks vital engine parameters including temperature and oil pressure, alerting the operator if thresholds have been exceeded. It places the machine in a “safe transport” mode at that point, so the machine can return safely to the shop for service. In addition, a Clutch Saver feature extends clutch life by engaging blades at 2,750 RPM and disengaging at 2,500 RPM, regardless of throttle position.

Learn more about the advantages of RED Technology in the following video:

Learn more about Exmark’s patented RED Technology at Exmark.com.

 

Gifts for the Exmark Aficionado

Monday, July 27th, 2015

Looking for great gifts for a friend or family member that bleeds Exmark red? Or perhaps rewards for your hard working crew? You’re in luck! Exmark offers a wide variety of high quality branded clothing and gear that’s both stylish and practical. You can find Exmark gear online at the Exmark Apparel & Gift Store.

Popular Exmark branded clothing and gear includes:

Exmark Realtree Blaze Orange cap. Click on photo to go to the product page.

Exmark Realtree Blaze Orange cap: perfect for the outdoor enthusiast. Click photos to view the product pages.

Exmark Safety Glasses

Exmark Safety Glasses: durable, stylish eye protection.

Exmark Lazer Z X-Series replica

Exmark Lazer Z X-Series 1:24 scale die-cast replica: sure to be a hit with both the young and the young at-heart.

Exmark Tumbler

Exmark Soft Touch Tumbler: carry your coffee in style.

See all the Exmark clothing and gear that’s available today at the Exmark Apparel & Gift Store.

Mower Safety Tips

Sunday, July 19th, 2015


Exmark General Mower Safety Tips

  • Read and understand your operator’s manual before operating the mower.
  • Do not add gasoline to a running or hot engine and never leave the machine running in an enclosed area.
  • As with other power tools and equipment, do not operate a lawn mower when consuming alcohol.
  • Wear appropriate clothing – significant footwear, long pants, eye and hearing protection.
Safe mower operation

Safe operation of a zero-turn mower includes always mowing with the ROPS in the up position (if so equipped) and the lap belt fastened snug and low around the operator’s waist.

  • Pick up stones, toys and debris from the lawn to prevent injuries and damage from flying objects.
  • Never allow children to be passengers on ride-on mowers.
  • Keep children and pets a safe distance from the area you are mowing. Use extreme care near blind corners and around objects that may block you from seeing a child.
  • Do not operate without the grass catcher, discharge chute, or other safety devices in place and working.
  • Be careful when mowing slopes.
  • Do not mow in wet conditions.
  • Never mow in reverse unless absolutely necessary – carefully look for others behind you when you do.
  • Turn off the mower and wait for blade(s) to stop completely before leaving the mower, removing the grass catcher, picking up debris, or crossing gravel roads or paths.
  • Let the mower cool before refueling, cleaning and storing.
  • Follow all directions – including turning off the engine and disconnecting the spark plug or electric cord – before working on the mower or trying to unclog the discharge chute.

Learn more about safe operation of your mower at http://www.exmark.com/Service-And-Support/Safety-Resources/. View additional safety videos on the Exmark YouTube channel.

Mid-Season Mower Maintenance

Thursday, July 16th, 2015

By David Martin, Exmark customer service manager

Maintenance: mower cleaning

Minimize the use of water when cleaning your mower. Instead, use compressed air whenever possible.

Now that mowing season is well under way, the last thing you want to happen is for your mower to experience downtime. The following maintenance tips will help you keep your mower running in tip-top shape.

Maintenance: mower blades

Sharp, balanced blades are critical to the performance of the cutting system. Check and sharpen blades if necessary.

  • Check the operator’s manual to see what might need to be greased. Keeping the right parts greased is an important step in extending the life of a mower.
  • Check the air filter (inner and outer) and change it if necessary. Never use compressed air to clean a filter. The powerful air stream can compromise the filter’s ability to effectively filter the air coming into the engine.
  • Depending on how many hours the mower has been running, consider changing the fuel filter. Consult your owner’s manual or http://www.exmark.com/Service-And-Support/Maintenance/Schedules/ for the recommended replacement interval.
  • Check and, if necessary, change the spark plugs.
  • Blow the debris off the unit:
    • Remove the belt deck belt shields and blow off all foreign material.
    • Blow the grass off the areas around the pumps and wheel motors (overheated oil leads to shorter component life).
    • Blow through the openings in and around the console or remove the console mounting screws to get debris out of this area.
  • Check for loose hardware.
  • Verify torque on wheel motor castle nut and tire mounting lug nuts.
  • Verify oil changes are being performed at the proper intervals, and perform the service if necessary. NEVER, under any circumstances, exceed the manufacturer’s recommendations by more than 100 hours. Significant damage will result that will reduce the machine’s lifespan and compromise productivity.

Learn more about how to effectively service and maintain your mowers and lawn care equipment at http://www.exmark.com/Service-And-Support/Maintenance/Service-Tips/.