In context
In early 2023, the commercial landscaping industry was increasingly adopting robotic solutions to address labor shortages and improve efficiency. RC Mowers, a manufacturer of remote-operated robotic mowers, was strategically expanding its distribution to capture more public sector and commercial customers.
What was reported
RC Mowers announced dealership agreements with Pennsylvania-based Stephenson Equipment (SEI) and Iowa’s Elliott Equipment. SEI, founded in 1957, operates nine branches in Pennsylvania and New York, specializing in cranes and road maintenance equipment. Elliott Equipment, established in 1970, is headquartered in Grimes, Iowa, with additional locations in Nebraska, Missouri, and Colorado, focusing on municipal equipment.
Tim Kubista, RC Mowers’ vice president of sales and marketing, emphasized that both dealers are market leaders in heavy equipment with strong reputations in public works. Their existing relationships with government and commercial clients will help position RC Mowers’ product line effectively.
Charlie Walsh, SEI’s president, expressed enthusiasm about introducing RC Mowers’ remote-operated and autonomous mowing robots to their customer base, noting the complementary fit with their heavy equipment offerings. Gene Elliott, CEO of Elliott Equipment, highlighted that the partnership makes them a one-stop shop for public works crews, adding robotic mowers to their existing lineup of garbage and street-cleaning trucks.
RC Mowers carefully selects dealers, providing extensive training and support throughout the sales cycle. With these additions, the company now has nearly 30 dealers across the United States.
Why it mattered
This expansion signaled a growing trend of integrating robotic mowers into municipal and commercial operations, as traditional equipment dealers recognized the value of adding automation to their portfolios. It also demonstrated how manufacturers could leverage established distribution networks to accelerate adoption of robotics in public works.
“In offering our customers the remote-operated and autonomous mowing robots RC Mowers builds, we become the one-stop shop for public works crews.”
Source: Robotics & Automation News (roboticsandautomationnews.com) · Published 2023-04-09 · “RC Mowers expands its dealer network with addition of companies in New York and Iowa”