As I sit down to write this, it's a sweltering 90 degrees F, the sun is blazing and I have recently returned home from SIMA's annual Snow & Ice Symposium.
While this last trip felt smaller in comparison to others, mostly because I only had to drive two hours rather than let the airlines dictate whether I would make it to my destination on time, I still learned quite a bit about where the snow industry is at right now and what trends are brewing on the horizon. You can find my recap of what I learned during the education sessions here.
What's more, the trade show got me excited about others coming down the line this year, most notably, Equip Expo in Louisville in October and the National Association of Landscape Professionals' Elevate event in Charlotte in November. Obviously, the Snow & Ice Symposium zeroed in on snow products, which is only one small segment of the industry, but I have a feeling that the trade shows coming down the road will be bigger and better than ever with more and more products to enhance landscape pros' operations. Plus, what better place for landscape professionals to be able to discuss purchasing opportunities with sales reps, learn the ins and outs of the product from product managers and discuss industry trends with their peers?
The possibilities really do seem endless at these shows. You can learn about the latest mowing technology, try your hand at the newest trenching technology outside or even network with fellow landscape professionals about how to solve some of the industry's challenges.
Speaking of products, this issue of Green Industry Pros encompasses our 2024 Editor's Choice Awards, a compilation of the top 35 products that have been most influential in helping green industry professionals become more efficient and effective.
The products listed represent each segment of the industry: software, mowing and maintenance, lawn care, design/build and installation, irrigation and lighting, tree care and snow care.
We received quite a few submissions this year, and it was tough to cut down the list. You can find the complete list of winners here.
What about you? What products have made your business run a little smoother and helped you sleep a little better at night? Are they included on our roundup? I’d love to hear your thoughts—and I’m sure your fellow readers would, too. Email your ideas to swebb@iron.markets or connect with me on LinkedIn by following the link below.
In addition to our Editor’s Choice Awards, you can find stories on the latest on government regulations; the different techniques for tree care services; insight into what makes a smart irrigation system smart; and much more.
Looking ahead, make sure you check out next month’s issue, where we will take a sneak peek into this year’s Equip Expo and all the products and equipment that will be on display there.
Until next time!
