mower supplier

Spring 2016
NOTES FROM BILL KOOY
WHAT’S INSIDE:
Notes from Bill Kooy | pg. 1-4
Spring Open House | pg. 5
What’s New! | pg. 6-7
Providential Financial | pg. 8
Parts Department | pg. 8
Did You Know? | pg. 8
Service Department | pg. 9
Mobile Service | pg. 9
It’s amazing how quickly thirty years has come and
gone. The landscape marketplace looked very
different then. Reel mowers were found on every
landscapers truck either in the form of a single
30” walk-behind or a National Triplex 68” mower.
They did a beautiful job on grass but couldn’t
cut dandelions worth a darn. You wonder how all
the work got done in a week. Even then a 3 man
crew frequently cut over 150+ lawns a week. A
pre-season service on a walk-behind reel mower could frequently cost four
or five hundred dollars where a 68” National Triplex could easily reach fifteen
hundred dollars with sharpening, bearings and a bed knife or two replaced.
That was reality and everyone paid it. Here at Kooy’s we were sharpening
and repairing up to two thousand reels a year. They were stacked up like
firewood! Then when the out front mowers like the Ferris and Scag arrived on
the scene, the world as we knew it changed. These out front mowers were
faster and they cut grass, weeds and rocks equally well.
I remember getting our first fax machine. It cost $5295.00 and I financed
it over 3 years. It had a huge roll of thermal paper and that’s what the fax
would come in on. If you left the fax on your desk or in a file for over a couple
of weeks everything on the page would disappear. It was cool technology
though when you realized you could receive parts diagrams from people
anywhere in the world.
The advent of cell phones was amazing. I can remember talking to a supplier
of ours in England who was phoning me from his car while driving in the
countryside. I thought “wow, that’s cutting edge!”
Thirty years ago, computers for home and small businesses were just start-
1

ing to show up on the scene. My brother
Albert created a software program for us
in high school and as part of his assignment,
we started keeping track of our
parts and creating invoices on the computer.
It’s crazy to think that the internet
wasn’t even around then. If we were trying
to find something, we had to look in
the yellow pages or something called the
Thomas Registry. Now looking back and
saying that, I sound like a fossil.
One thing for sure in my mind, nothing
ever changes more than change itself.
When I look back at some of the key
pivotal moments in our life here at Kooy
If you told me at that time that we’d one
day be the largest volume Kubota dealer
in Canada, I would’ve had a hard time
believing you. Most times when you’re in
something difficult, it’s tough to envision
your future ahead looking any different.
Sometimes mistakes can be your best
teacher. My best advice is to just stay
dedicated to the process, keep working
hard and never stop dreaming.
The next event was purchasing our own
building. From 1985 until 2001 we had
always rented our facilities but because
of the growth with Kubota, we had no
bright hopes for the spring season and
after a great winter things were looking
good for Kooy Brothers. Well, that March
turned out to be the worst month of my
life. I rarely give insight into my personal
life - but this is so much a part of my daily
life now... and the history of Kooy Brothers,
that it deserves mentioning.
My daughter Lisa worked alongside me.
She helped me with my daily schedule,
planned our Open Houses 2x a year,
made our showroom pricing tags, worked
on our brand new website and all the other
marketing materials for the business.
She was a friend to many customers and
family business owner you don’t doubt
yourself. You make tough decisions every
day and you soldier your family and staff
through tough times of change. When I
came back to work that empty desk next
to me tortured me. It was pure hell looking
through the window and knowing she’d
never sit in that seat again. Life was different
now and my views changed in several
ways. I realized all the more that things
are just things...the business’ success
was a blessing and I was very thankful...
but nothing can compare to the happiness
people bring you. I remember back
on Gordon MacKay, our first location, my
for your understanding during that difficult
time and the few years that followed.
Healing does not happen overnight rather
it’s a long difficult process. It’s about
change. I don’t believe things get easier
with time like people say. I think you must
adapt to change over time and strength
and growth come from accepting that
change, even when you don’t want to.
There were some dark days but I knew if
I made it through that worst day of my life
that there wasn’t much I couldn’t handle
going forward.
In 2007 Kooy Brothers lost another influential
team player and that was our mom
Maria. From grand opening day Mom
my family and I the strength we needed
to go on and a flourishing business certainly
gave us the distraction we needed
to keep going.
By 2008 Kooy Brothers was so busy and
we were short of space once again - I
knew this would mean another move. In
the spring of 2009 we were able to purchase
a 4 acre property right across the
road from my long-time friend Tony Speelman
who owns Speelmans Garden Centre.
This was right after the October 2008
credit crisis. Because the commercial real
Kooy Brothers first location
brothers I have to think about the first time
we installed a snow plow on a truck. Lots
of drama, many choice words and eight
hours of labour later we had our first plow
install complete. As a result of that first
install, plows and salters became a very
important part of our business.
Another key moment in time was when
we decided to take on the Kubota product
line. It had been ten years without a
Kubota dealer in Toronto. We knew nothing
about tractors of any brand. I was actually
praying that no one would call and
ask about one but eventually they did, and
we managed our way through it just fine.
Open House at the first location
choice but to find a larger
space. In 2001 we ended
up buying a 22,000 sq. ft. factory at
15 Torbarrie, and renovating it to suit our
business. We moved in on the May long
weekend that year and as a result of more
selection, our sales went up by 50%. It
was only two years later that we purchased
our neighbour next door at 9 Torbarrie.
We knocked half the building down
and made it parking.
Two years had sailed by and business was
again causing us to feel tight on space.
In the early spring of 2005 we were busy
planning our annual Spring Open House
party to once again thank all our customers
for their continued business. I had
15 Torbarrie when we first bought it
the sarcastic voice on the other end of the
phone when they’d call. In the blink of an
eye she was gone. The Lord took her to
be with Him on March 27, 2005. The tragedy
of losing my oldest daughter not only
halted our spring open house that year....
but the loss tore my heart into pieces. Not
only was it Easter morning but it was also
my oldest son Will’s birthday. In one single
day I lost my motivation. I lost my drive,
my spark...I lost my kid, forever. People
tell you that life is fragile but no one really
gets that until they lose someone they
love. Losing Lisa tore a huge hole into my
life plan. As a parent you never expect your
child to leave this earth before you. As a
15 Torbarrie after the renovation
little girl would come to work with me
from a young age and help on Saturdays
filing papers, stuffing envelope mailers and
sweeping the shop. She would be there
at every Open House to give away prizes,
hand out t-shirts and hats and pick names
from the draw box. So many memories all
crammed and blurred. I felt overwhelmed
on the day of Lisa’s funeral by all of you.
The funeral home said they’d never seen
so many flower arrangements in all their
years and the line-up at Lisa’s wake was
out the door the entire afternoon and into
the evening. The outpouring of gracious
well wishes from our customers both
long-time friends and new acquaintances
was truly heartwarming. I am so grateful
Construction on new building
came to clean the shop and showroom
and we always joked that people would
pull off hwy 400 to see our clean showroom
floors and comb their hair in our
equipment. Mom made the place sparkle.
She was in my opinion the closest thing
to an angel on earth. Mom never complained
and always had a gentle, fun loving
demeanor. Raising 9 kids and being a
part of all her grandchildren’s lives made
her the happiest. She left a huge empty
space when her life got cut short and we
miss her dearly.
So much had happened in our family
business in those 2 years but God gave
Current location 1919 Wilson Ave
estate market was at a complete
standstill, we had five different design
build firms clamouring to build us a
building. By December 2009 we signed a
deal with Maple Reindeers who came up
with the best design at the right price. So
right in the middle of the world coming to
an end we were able to design and build
one of the nicest buildings found in our
industry.
Fast forward five years and here we are
at our 30th official year in business! Our
30th year was very eventful although trying
at times. On October 9, 2015 I was
fortunate enough to complete a share
purchase from my two brothers. These
transactions are never easy, especially in
2
3

a family business and the change can often
be disruptive for the business. I am
confident however that this change will really
help the business long term and it addresses
succession plans in future years.
I know there has been a lot of chatter going
around but I assure you that the waters
are calm now and I promise you that
our customers experience here at Kooy
Brothers is my top priority. Right now
my number one focus is improving turnaround
times on equipment repairs. We
already have 18 mechanics on staff but if
we need more we will hire more. We are
presently reviewing our hours of operation
and are looking for additional feedback
from you on that. Having additional staff
hired in the parts department and on the
service desk will ensure that your phone
calls will be answered quicker than they
have in the past.
Avant 500 Series Post Hole Digger
4
NEW!
This spring we are excited about the arrival
of the Avant line of compact multi-purpose
wheel loaders. These wheel loaders
are manufactured in Finland and all come
equipped with Kubota engines. There
are over 150 different attachments and
because we are dealing with a factory
(Avant) owned distributor we feel confident
that we will be able to support the
product to the standards you are accustomed
to. The Avant will help many of you
who are working in tight areas or have to
be mindful of turf damage. These units are
perfectly suited for landscaping, tree removal,
nurseries, municipalities and sidewalk
snow removal. Check one out at our
Spring Open House.
I am very grateful to all of our valued employees,
(many of them who have been
here for well over 10 years) who toil day
in and day out to keep our clientele happy
and productive. A great big thank-you
goes out to all of you, our loyal clientele,
for your continued support over the past
30 years. We know that without you we
wouldn’t have a business. We still do
business with a handful of our first customers
and many of you have been familiar
faces for numerous years. The
challenge of managing our customers’
expectations has never changed.
We are concentrated on putting
you first and will continue to assist
you in making your business
a profitable one for years to come.
Please don’t hesitate to give us
feedback. We’re always open to
suggestions on how we can better
your experience with us.
We are looking forward to the return
of our Spring Open House
on Friday, April 1, 2016 (and no
that’s not an April fool’s joke!) It
promises to be a great day of fellowship,
great food and some amazing one day
only specials. We are looking forward to
seeing you there and I’m looking forward
to whatever the next 30 years may bring
to Kooy Brothers. Don’t forget to bring
your wallet!
Bill Kooy
KEN GRONBACH
I had the
opportunity
to hear
Ken Gronbach
speak
at a Toro
Elite Dealer
meeting in
Jacksonville
Florida. Ken
is a demographer.
Demographers
study how human populations
behave and factors that affect their
wellbeing. Ken told us that because of
the number of people in the America’s
and the number of people across the
world who want to come here to live,
the future is very bright. He told us that
to sustain a vibrant economy a population
needs a birth rate of 2.3 children.
Look at China he said, with their one
child policy. There are over 30 million
young males who can’t find a female
anywhere in China. Who is going to
work in the factories? A lot of those
manufacturing jobs could be coming
over here in the future. Look at Russia,
a country of 120 million with an over
abundance of elderly people to support.
Nobody’s rushing in to immigrate
to China or Russia are they? And then
there’s Europe, with the very low birth
rate in countries like Italy, Germany and
France, the future looks challenging.
Ken explained that a sale can’t happen
until there is a person to purchase that
product. Right now, based on the population
needs coming up, North America
is short 20 million housing units. This
is great news for all of us living here
and for the businesses we have. This
seminar gave me a completely different
view of the world and all its issues.
The transfer of wealth alone from the
boomers to their children and grandchildren
in the next 25 years will be
more than any other time in the history
of the world.
Don’t let the press turn you into a cynic,
the future for all of us in North America
is very bright. If you get a chance, read
Ken’s book, it’s called “The Age Curve:
How To Profit from the Coming Demographic
Storm.”
30 th Anniversary
(RAIN OR SHINE!)
On Road Compliance Seminar
Learn About: Truck & Trailer Safety • Load Security
Hours of Service • Mechanical Fitness
Meet with PRODUCT REPS from our great suppliers!
Enjoy some unique Dutch Appetizers & Goodies!
AMAZING ONE-DAY-ONLY SPRING SPECIALS!
To be announced online at 5pm the night before the Spring Open House!
awesome
Door Prizes!
delicious
bbq lunch
view new 2016
equipment
11am
www.kooybros.com

STIHL
WHAT’S NEw!
KUBOTA
For 2016, Kubota has
released two new Skid
Steer Loaders to its
line up, the SSV65 and
SSV75. It features greater
versatility, a more powerful
engine and Kubota’s
unique vertical lift design.
SSV65
SSV75
M5 M6 M7
Also new is the Kubota M5, M6 and M7 series. The M5 was been re-designed for better ergonomics. Kabota boasts
that the M6 has one of the largest cabs in its class. The Turbocharged engine in the M7 series has better fuel efficiency
meaning for fewer emissions and less money spent on fuel.
Kubotas’ ZD1000 Series Zero Turn Mower includes the ZD1011-48,
ZD1011-54 and ZD1021-60. These mowers feature Kubotas latest
patented innovation, an Aerodynamic Cutting System TM (ACS), which
provides for more efficient use of power resulting in better fuel efficiency
and faster cutting performance.
ECHO
The ECHO PB500 has
been replaced by the
PB580 (58cc) backpack
blower. The blower
is stronger and more
efficient.
FERRIS
ECHO also has a new GT-225 SF
Curved Shaft Trimmer. This model
features ECHO’s’ new Speed Feed
Trimmer Head. It is
the fastest loading
bump-to-advance
style head on the
market and can be
reloaded without
disassembly in 30
seconds or less.
Ferris has released the SRS Z2 Soft Ride Standon
Mower. It has raised the bar with it’s patent
pending operator platform featuring suspension
technology for optimal comfort and unparalleled
productivity. Also, precision-engineered for
superior maneuverability and balanced stability
and traction.
FERRIS
BR450
Stihl has released two new backpack blowers for 2016.
The BR450 and BR450 C-EF. The C-EF is the first
professional blower to have electric start on the throttle.
BG50
Also new to 2016 is a new BG50 handheld
blower. Stihl boasts that it’s the lightest
gasoline-powered handheld blower in their
lineup. It’s affordable, lightweight and fuel
efficient. The BGA 100 Battery Powered
Handheld blower is powered by a Lithium
Ion Battery. Stihl say it has a higher quality
and better ergonomics than any other
battery powered product on the market.
FSA 90 R
BR450 C-EF
BGA 100
The FSA 90 R is a new professional battery powered
line trimmer. It is good for work in noise sensitive areas,
powerful, ergonomic and starts easily with the squeeze of
a trigger.
Felco, the
manufacturer of
professional pruning
shears and cable
cutters, have colaborated with Stihl. Expect to see several
different types of Stihl/Felco Pruners products coming
soon. It will still be the great quality you are used to
seeing, just under the Stihl/Felco joint name.
6
7

When our customers think about Providential Financial they smile. So
many of you received your first Equipment Lease through Providential
when no one else would give you credit, and as a result that was the start
to a very successful career in the gardening and landscaping industry.
The beauty of a lease is that every lease can be individually tailored to
your cash flow needs. Don’t want to pay in the summer? No problem.
Only want to pay for 8 months and be off for 4? No problem. Flexibility
that’s designed for you is money and helps you sleep better at night.
Can you get your money at a better rate at the bank? Absolutely. Reports
back from our customers suggest that it can be a couple of weeks
before you can even get an appointment at the bank. Then when you
try to explain what type of equipment you’re looking to finance, your
banker will more than likely never have heard of it. If he or she can’t find a
reference of what the actual value is, your chances of approval will not be
good. This creates a lot of angst and wastes a lot of your time.
Kevin Ford and his team at Providential Financial make your life easy.
Our typical customer who needs a machine will call in and order
it - Providential then gets the lease paperwork ready and before the
customer arrives, the approvals and paper work are
completed. Kevin has a lifetime of experience matching
our customers with the financing that will help them
become successful.
Give Providential a call today, we’d love to help you!
Kevin Ford
kford@providential.ca
PARTS DEPARTMENT
Our parts department keeps
growing year after year. With now
over 2 million dollars of stocked
parts, the constant challenge is
making sure we have what you
need on hand. There is no central
distribution source for parts in
our industry, so we have to deal
with all the manufacturers on an
individual level. Access to parts
in a hurry is a prerequisite when we take on any lines and we are committed
to carrying brands that we are confident will follow through after the sale with
support and parts availability. We are always checking on what the fill rates
are for parts coming out of our suppliers. Most of them are now over 90% so
that’s a lot better than in was. There is still a lot of equipment running out there
that is over 20 years old, especially in the residential segment. Finding parts
for these can at times be a real challenge.
The bottom line is, we’d love to help you with all your parts and we’re committed
to making your experience here at Kooy’s the absolute best it can be.
8
Kooy Brothers began in a backyard
garage! Brothers Bill and Harry coerced
their sister Francine to go down the
street asking neighbours if they needed
their lawn equipment repaired. When
she came back with an electric weed
eater they told her they couldn’t fix
it and she should bring it back. She
refused...so they had no choice but to
fix it. They found a way to repair that
old weed eater and because of the
great job they did, from that point on
their business began to flourish and
hasn’t slowed down since.
The Kooy Brothers logo, designed by
Goodhoofd Inc. contains lines that
reflect sheet music. The Kooy Brothers
were a very musical family, playing in
many concerts – even performing at
Roy Thomson Hall for 18 years straight!
Kooy Brothers has been sharpening
reel mowers since day 1!
Kooy Brothers has been supplying
Lawn-Boy mowers, Bannerman line
trimmers and ECHO backpack blowers
since opening day 30 years ago!
Each Spring and Fall Open House,
Kooy Brothers along with our suppliers
give away 15 door prizes!? Why the
number #15? Because Bill’s late
daughter Lisa had consistently been
#15 on all her hockey teams. Family
is tucked into a lot of what happens
behind the scenes here at KB.
SERVICE DEPARTMENT
Here at Kooy’s the service department is gearing up for another busy spring season.
One habit that has changed over the years is the timing of our customers bringing
in their equipment for repairs. When we first started 30 years ago customers were
accustomed to bringing their machines in early. We would frequently see trucks and
trailers filled with equipment, pulling up in February so that they had everything ready by
the time grass cutting season came around. This was in large part due to the fact that
many landscapers operated with reel mowers and they took a lot of time to sharpen
and maintain. We are spoiled now because the quality of the equipment has changed
so much over the years. Motors and transmissions are much better now than they
once were and the parity in quality between brands is closer than ever. It’s got to the
point that customers are surprised and disappointed if they have a breakdown. It’s not surprising for us to find a tractor with 5-600
hours on it, still with all the original filters. We’ve heard many customers say they just don’t have the time to get their equipment looked
at, but all it takes is one major costly repair for a customer to realize how valuable it is to regularly service their equipment. With 18
full-time mechanics on staff, we are committed to turning your equipment around quickly. That’s how we got our reputation and we are
committed to having the quickest turn-around time in the industry. Do your part and bring your equipment in sooner than later and help
us help you.
As we remind people, we are in the happiness business and that’s exactly how we want you to leave here - happy!
MOBILE SERVICE TRUCK
Mobile service requests are increasing every passing year. With
the volume of equipment sold here at Kooy Brothers and the time
pressure many of you are under, calling for mobile service makes
perfect sense. That’s why we’ve ordered a new service truck that
will be outfitted and ready to go in the next month and a half.
So whether you are a property manager with bin pullers, a
construction company with on-site equipment or a landscaper,
call our service department and we will look after your every need
promptly.
All of this is in keeping with our strategic decision to improve your
turn-around times and up the happiness quotient.
Call our service department and
make an appointment today!
find us on facebook follow us on twitter watch us on youtube
www.facebook.com/KooyBrothers www.twitter.com/KooyBrother www.youtube.com/kooybrosequipment
Stay up-to-date, Comment & Share: News • Sales • Specials • Events • Videos • Tips
www.kooybros.com
9