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Doing �Mower� with Less
Zero-Turn Mower Attachments Can Increase Productivity
BY MARK HALL

Maintenance professionals constantly look for ways to get the most bang for their equipment buck, especially when times are tough. However, one piece of equipment that is found in many facilities � the zero-turn mower � holds a huge potential that often goes untapped.

This workhorse costs thousands of dollars, yet many are content just to have it mow. But imagine if it could tackle other tasks � like dethatching, spraying, sweeping and more. Then, the investment in a mower would be easier to justify. Thanks to recent developments in attachments, this is all possible. It�s time to start doing �mower� with less.

The thought of using a zero-turn mower as a tool carrier is not at all absurd, as this practice has long been used with various other types of equipment. Consider skid steers, for instance. These machines have greatly evolved over the years, going from simple loaders to multitasking machines and, of course, they�ve gotten more expensive throughout this progression. However, people have been able to justify the high price of a skid steer because of the multiple tasks they can accomplish with the available attachments.

But skid steers are only the tip of the iceberg. Utility vehicles and compact excavators are other examples of machines that are now used for more than their original purposes. Even cell phones are offered with data packages and applications that allow them to not only place a call, but also make businesses more efficient. It�s about time for the mower market to play a little catch-up.

As many people realize, zero-turn mower attachments have actually been available for some time, but both the infrastructure and quality of products were lacking. There wasn�t strong dealer support to satisfy needs, and attachments were typically offered through catalog orders only, so customers couldn�t see the product in the showroom before buying it. Virtually the only places where these items could be seen in person were farm and fleet stores, which generally carried a poor selection of products.

However, manufacturer support and distributor infrastructure have seen improvement. Although the mentality of only offering products through a catalog still prevails in most dealerships, some dealers are starting to exhibit these products on their showroom floors thanks to their improved distributor networks. Not only does this mean people can see a product before buying it, but they can also return to that dealer for warranty and service needs if they run into trouble.

While the availability has improved, so have the attachments themselves. Finally, manufacturers are developing products that meet the high quality lawn and turf professionals demand. And unlike attachments that were offered in the past, the newest ones cater better to mowers. They are specially engineered to accommodate zero-turn mower designs, providing the best-fit possible and exceeding expectations for performance.

In a way, the mower attachment industry has not just seen an evolution, but a revolution, as the number of available attachments has grown greatly, including seed and fertilizer spreaders, sprayers, brooms, leaf pushers and dethatchers. Some attachments are even multipurpose. For example, TurfEx offers a Thatch, Groom �N� Sweep package, which is a two-in-one attachment. To transform it from a sweeper to a dethatcher, the operator simply slides out the brush sections from the sweeper housing and replaces them with dethatcher tines.

For added versatility, a leaf pusher can also be attached to the housing for gathering large piles of leaves.

Not only has the number of attachments on the market grown, but the technology behind the equipment has also increased, and more thought has been put into the design of attachments to better accommodate mowers.

No matter what the scenario may be, many have been achieving newfound success by using mower attachments. With this latest trend, the high-quality products that professionals want are now starting to be made available at the dealers they trust. And by making only a small investment, they can make a huge impact in their landscapes � and their efficiency. ❑ Mark Hall is director of Marketing & Sales, TrynEx International.