Bangkok, Thailand: With Sports Turf Solutions (STS) acting as distributor for Shibaura in Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar, the Japanese-owned company has been embraced by the region’s turf industry as a leading brand of turf mowers and top-dressers.

Designed and manufactured in Japan, Shibaura has kept a simple yet robust approach to the development of its machines, leading to a 232% increase in sales in the past two years.

“While the turf industry in other parts of the world is turning to high-tech gimmicks created to enhance interest and generate sales, Shibaura understands the geographic challenges of raising the level of education to turf facilities throughout Asia,” said Brad Burgess, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of STS, a Full Business Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.

He added: “Many golf courses in the region don’t have the opportunity or exposure to the level of education in the maintenance departments required to have an in-depth understanding of computers and diagnostic tools. This is going to take some time.

“Many superintendents become frustrated by not having the option to repair and troubleshoot problems on the spot and carry on with their work. Every turf facility wants to simply turn on the machines, go and mow.”

Burgess said additional strengths within the Shibaura network are the readily available parts required for repair works.

He said: “Based and manufactured in Asia, Shibaura has the ability to have parts on hand and delivered fast to clients.

“With components of the machines being made up of parts that can be easily sourced locally in remote parts of Asia there is less dependency on long waiting periods for specialised and expensive parts to be sent from other areas of the world, avoiding the on-going supply chain problems. 

“Being a Japanese-owned company, the high-quality steel manufactured in Japan is also a cut above the competition. Nothing has changed in over 150 years when it comes to the functionality of the reel and bedknife.”

A spokesperson for Shibaura added: “We believe there is no need to reinvent the wheel and tinker with what drives those reels.”

*For further information, please email contact@sportsturfsolutions.com