Bangkok, Thailand: STS Sports Turf Solutions has signed a Distributor Agreement with IHI Shibaura for the rights to sell the full range of Shibaura’s Turf Care Machinery and Tractors in Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar.
IHI Shibaura, who is also the distributor for Bernhard Grinders in Japan, has been monitoring the performance of STS for more than a year.
Discussions started during a visit to the Shibaura Factory in Matsumoto, Japan where STS had a detailed tour of the factory and met with customers and distributors to discuss their opinion of Shibaura.
“STS had no previous desire to take on a range of machinery but we were extremely impressed with the quality of the machinery and the efficiency of the factory,” said Brad Burgess, Managing Director and Owner of STS, a Full Business Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation [AGIF].
He added: “Shibaura build their own Diesel Engines, Frames and Drive Units from the ground up. They also manufacture diesel engines and tractors for companies such as Caterpillar, Perkins, Yanmar and Mitsubishi. We were extremely impressed with the magnitude of IHI Shibaura.
“Knowing the quality was in the machines we then weighed up the other benefits that would serve turf managers and golf club owners in Southeast Asia.
“Spare Parts are very accessible and can be delivered in a few days or any major components can be sent by sea with a transit time of only 10 days from the Nagoya Port in Japan to the Bangkok Port.
“The other strong factor considered was the value of the machinery. As the Japanese yen is now weaker and the US dollar is strengthening, this will give the clubs the ability to purchase machinery for a much better price.”
Some of the machines will be on display at the Thai Golf Course Superintendents’ Association and AGIF Turfgrass Management Exposition at Pattaya’s Laem Chabang Golf Club on March 10.