Episode 81

BIRTH OF A BRAND Part Two with Harry Handkammer

In Part One of my conversation with Harry Handkammer we learned about the circumstances that led up to the creation of the Countax brand, (now owned by Ariens) and a successful launch to dealers in 1990.

In Part Two, Harry talks about winning a BBC Award as Business Survivor of the Year, of events turning full circle when he was able to buy Westwood, the company that threatened his survival, of building a Williams Formula One garden tractor, a JCB version, and of a Countax lawn tractor reaching 100mph on a Welsh beach.

Lastly, Harry tells how Service Dealer magazine, which I had founded in 1988, played an important role in the ongoing marketing of Countax.

(02:07) Winning Survivor of the Year Award

(05:48) Westwood full circle

(12:30) Williams Formula One garden tractor

(18:00) JCB branding

(21:45) The '100mph' garden tractor

(28:30) Sale to Ariens

(31:00) Role of Service Dealer

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INSIDE AGRI-TURF
The farm and grass machinery business

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About your host

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Chris Biddle

Chris is an experienced journalist specialising in the farm and grass machinery market. He has worked for a major tractor manufacturer and been a managing director of a farm and grass machinery dealership in the West Country.
In 1988, he launched trade magazine, Service Dealer followed by TurfPro in 1998, selling both titles to Land Power Publications in 2015.
He was editor of Landwards, the professional journal of the Institution of Agricultural Engineers (IAgrE) from 2008 until 2019 and is the recipient of the 2020 IAgrE Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Land-Based industry.
Chris lives in Salisbury with his wife Trish, and is an avid cricket fan and member of the MCC for over 55 years.