The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) has announced its support of legislation from U.S. Senators Leahy and Sanders and Rep. Welch that provides consumers with a 25% tax credit towards the purchase of alternative energy powered lawn, garden, and forestry power equipment.

According to the Leahy, Sanders and Welch offices, this “tax credit to purchase clean lawn and garden equipment would give Americans a powerful incentive to operate clean, alternative energy power equipment that will reduce our dependence on imported oil.”

At the same time, gasoline powered equipment uses the latest technologies to produce the cleanest, lowest emission products ever and is fully regulated by the EPA. The agency began regulating outdoor power equipment emissions with its Phase I in 1997, followed by Phase II in 2002.  In August, 2008 EPA announced its Phase III emissions regulations for outdoor power equipment.  Once fully implemented, the outdoor power equipment industry will have reduced emissions by 95% in just 15 years since it first became regulated.

“We are pleased to support this new tax credit that truly incentivizes consumers to seek out a range of alternative energy sources when operating outdoor power equipment,” says Kris Kiser, Executive VP at OPEI. “Our members are responding to stated public policy that aims for energy independence with innovative, technology-driven product.”

Product purchases that qualify for the 25% tax credit include equipment that

Husqvarna announced that effective May 1, 2009, its RedMax organization will become part of Husqvarna Professional Products, Inc., which will include all of Husqvarna’s professional products brands (Husqvarna, RedMax, Yazoo Kees, Dixon and BlueBird).  The integration of RedMax will create additional operational efficiencies for Husqvarna and create value for its customers through improved customer support and service.

The company will continue to have separate dealer and distributor sales forces for individual brands, but with an integrated leadership approach.  “RedMax offers outstanding professional products for our end users and our multiple brand strategy provides our diverse group of customers and end users with unique products to meet each of their needs,” says Dave Zerfoss, president of Husqvarna Professional Products. 

Positec USA has announced a partnership with Integrated Distributors Network (IDN) to sell Worx lawn and garden power equipment nationally through independent service dealers. The Worx brand includes a full line of corded and cordless lawnmowers, grass trimmers, edgers, hedge trimmers and blowers.

Known for its innovative electric product designs, Worx is launching the first lithium-ion battery powered lawn care equipment into the U.S. market through IDN. The Worx program includes three new lithium lawn care tools: the 18V Grass Trimmer (WG151.5), successor to its popular 18V Ni-Cd model WG150, winner of the prestigious Popular Mechanics Editor’s Choice award; an 18V Hedge Trimmer (WG251.5) and an 18V Sweeper/Blower (WG540.5).

“We are enthusiastic about joining forces with IDN, which is a premier distributor group serving independent servicing dealers nationwide,” says Joe Ferris, Worx Product Manager, Outdoor Products, adding that one of the IDN group distributors had signed up 40 dealers soon after the agreement was announced. “Our partnership combines the marketing strength of Worx product innovations and TV advertising campaign with IDN’s unparalleled channel experience, state-of-the-art facilities and loyal customer base of more than 30,000 sales and service accounts.” Worx products will be distributed by IDN’s 16 strategically located distribution centers and dealers located throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit integrateddistributors.com or worxyardtools.com.

The GIE+EXPO Dealer Experience, sponsored by Stihl Inc. and the Ariens Co. and hosted by the North American Equipment Dealers Assn. (NAEDA) and Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), returns to GIE+EXPO 2009 and offers many benefits to dealers of all sizes. GIE+EXPO is set for October 29-31 at the Kentucky Exposition Center. The Dealer Experience will include:

Education (Oct. 29 and 30) that provides dealers step-by-step recommendations for profitability, early-morning entrance to trade show floor, and the popular Dealer Club for relaxing, checking e-mail, enjoying refreshments and networking.

The event also features dealer panelists from throughout the U.S. and a look inside the power equipment industry with an informal discussion between Fred Whyte, president of Stihl Inc. and Bill Harley, president and CEO of OPEI.

The Dealer Experience includes presentations by motivational speaker Chip Eichelberger and Ariens Co. VP of sales and marketing Jeff Hebbard. Eichelberger’s material will cover formulas for sales success and failure, focusing on your priorities, actions to take right now and strategies for generating team momentum. Hebbard will provide an introduction to lean principles that will drive out waste and improve efficiency in your business. He will share his experiences using lean tools such as standard work, value stream mapping and 5 S.

Pre-registration is required for The Dealer Experience.  The sessions are free.  Pre-registration for a three-day pass to the tradeshow is $10 per person.  The tradeshow admission for those who wait to register onsite will be $50.  To register online for the ‘Experience’ and the tradeshow, go to www.gie-expo.com.  Additional details about the show are available on the website (www.gie-expo.com) or by calling Sellers Expositions, 800-558-8767 or 812-949-9200.

U.S. Senator Susan Collins has introduced legislation to expand the current federal ethanol research and development program to include efforts to make biofuels more compatible for use in small-non road engines. Senator Collins introduced the legislation along with Senator Mark Udall (D-CO).

Specifically, the legislation would amend the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to expand  the research, development, and demonstration program, authorized in that bill, to include efforts to make biofuels more compatible with small non-road engines.

Previous testing done through the Department of Energy shows that increased ethanol content in smaller engines creates a leaner burning mixture, which may increase idle speed on some small engines, creating unanticipated clutch engagement on equipment such as chain saws and handheld trimmers. Also, ethanol is more corrosive and less efficient than traditional gasoline blends.

“During these difficult economic times, equipment damage due to ethanol-gasoline fuel blends only adds to the many challenges facing Maine’s farmers, fishermen, independent woodsmen and recreational industry,” said Senator Collins. “As we pursue strategies to lessen our dependence on foreign oil, we must also take action to ensure that ethanol fuel blends are safe and efficient for small engines.”

Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Nancy Nord is calling for a 12-month stay of the Consumer Product Safety Improvements Act (CPSIA), which would allow banned youth ATVs and motorcycles to be once again sold in dealership showrooms.

For this to happen, however, the commission’s other commissioner, Thomas Moore, would have to support this move.

“During this timeout, it is my hope that Congress will consider how the law needs to be fine-tuned to address this serious child safety dilemma,” Nord wrote in a statement. “This enforcement hiatus will also give the industry the opportunity to examine what reasonable changes can be made in their products to bring them closer to the requirements Congress set out in the CPSIA.”

Nord’s statement comes after the commission’s staff requested commissioners not to approve an exemption for youth ATVs and motorcycles from the minimum lead requirement called for in the CPSIA.

It’s not known when Moore will make his decision public. However, CPSC staff has said both commissioners usually make a decision about five days after the staff ruling is publicized. The staff ruling was made public April 1.

It was the spring of 2008 when a vendor approached Stens with a request to donate an ambulance to Mercy & Sharing, an organization dedicated to helping feed, educate, and medically care for children and widows in Haiti.  “The request was a bit of a surprise to be honest,” says Peter Ariens, president of Stens, an Ariens Co. subsidiary.  “It’s not often that we have vendors approach us for such specific donations.”  Mark Salter, the Stens vendor who asked for the donation, has grown used to soliciting for such useful donations.  Since his involvement in the Mercy & Sharing organization, he has taken the role of Program Director and helped founder Susie Krabacher foster the children of Haiti.  “I have been to Haiti and seen the dangerous and unhealthy conditions these children live in everyday.  It’s truly heartwrenching,” Salter admits.

The embattled Yamaha Rhino—subject of a Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) investigation, the product made an example of in a 2008 Wall Street Journal article about growing UTV regulation and a target for many trial lawyers—is now part of a 120,000 unit free repair program to address safety issues for about 120,000 Rhino model 450 and 660 UTVS and 25,000 model 700 Rhino UTVs. PowerETblog covered the Rhino’s woes in two posts back in November.

According to the CPSC, staff members have investigated more than 50 incidents involving 46 driver and passenger deaths in these two Rhino models since 2003. More than two-thirds of the cases involved rollovers and many involved riders that were not wearing seatbelts. Of the rollover-related deaths and reported injuries, many appear to involve turns at relatively low speeds and on level terrain, CPSC reports state.

The repair program is designed to reduce rollover risk, as well as improve handling and keep riders’ limbs inside the vehicles. In a press release, Yamaha officials stated that “More than 99% of Rhino owners use the product without incident, the CPSC and Yamaha have examined the small segment of Rhino owners who have had an incident on the product to develop modifications that may help reduce the chance of rollover and improve vehicle handling in certain situations. Yamaha stands behind the Rhino and is proud of the Rhino’s safety record and safety features.”

About 120,000 of the 450 and 660 model Rhinos have been distributed nationwide since fall 2003. Some units have been equipped by Yamaha with half doors and additional passenger handholds, either before or after sale. Yamaha’s repair includes the installation of a spacer on the rear wheels as well as the removal of the rear anti-sway bar to help reduce the chance of rollover and improve vehicle handling, and continued installation of half doors and additional passenger handholds where these features have not been previously installed to help keep occupants’ arms and legs inside the vehicle during a rollover and reduce injuries. Owners of the affected Rhinos should stop using them and call their dealer to schedule an appointment to have repairs made once they are available and to take advantage of a free helmet offer.

Yamaha notes that once these repairs have been made to their vehicles, Rhino users should always wear their helmet and seatbelt and follow the safety instructions and warnings in the on-product labels, owner’s manuals and other safety materials. The Rhino is only recommended for operators 16 and older with a valid driver’s license. All passengers must be tall enough to place both feet on the floorboard with their back against the seat back.

This most recent Rhino action from the CPSC follows a 2008 Rhino 450 and 700 UTV recall due to faulty brake calipers.