Scottish turf dealer Double A began in 1996 by demonstrating a single aerator to golf and bowling clubs. As it marks 30 years in business, it is taking over John Deere’s turf territory across the Highlands and Islands, and has already invested in new vehicles to support it.

In 1996, Sandy Armit spent his days demonstrating a pedestrian aerator to golf courses and bowling clubs across Scotland. Thirty years on, the business he started is now John Deere’s largest independent turf equipment dealer in the UK. This month, it will extend its John Deere territory to cover Highland, Moray, Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles.

The 30th anniversary and the expansion arrive in the same year, and together they show how far a small Scottish greenkeeping machinery supplier has come.

From one franchise to three outlets

The first franchise Double A acquired was the Groundsman Aerator range. Sandy spent many days demonstrating the machine to greenkeepers and bowling green staff, laying the foundations for a business built around professional turf care.

The company grew steadily through the late 1990s, adding Lastec mowers and Timberwolf woodchippers to its range. In 1999, it took the step that shaped its future, when it was appointed John Deere turf equipment dealer for Fife, Clackmannanshire and Tayside.

Double A built its headquarters in Cupar, Fife, in 2001 and has grown steadily from there. It now employs 56 people across three outlets in Scotland: Cupar, East Kilbride (Glasgow) and Kintore, Inverurie (Aberdeenshire). The Glasgow outlet joined the business through the acquisition of Nairn Brown (Glasgow) Ltd of Busby.

Sandy and his wife, Aileen, own the business, with their son Liam also involved. The couple are keen to emphasise that the business’s growth and success would not have been possible without the dedication and commitment of their staff, both past and present, to whom they are immensely grateful.

As well as John Deere, Double A is a main dealer for a number of other groundcare brands, including Campey, Grillo, Echo, Tru-Turf and Salsco. It is also a previous winner of UK Professional Turfcare Dealer of the Year in the AEA/Service Dealer awards.

What sets it apart

Sandy believes the company’s position comes from being one of the first dedicated professional turf dealers in the UK.

“We have focused on providing customers with quality equipment from across the industry,” he says. “We are always looking for innovative products to ensure we can provide our customers with the latest developments to enhance their golf course or sportsground.”

Being a John Deere Turf Dealer is, he adds, a big advantage. It gives Double A access to the manufacturer’s full portfolio of turf products and services, as well as technology developed across its agriculture, construction and turf businesses.

That gives us a lead in accuracy and reliability when it comes to Technology, GPS and Autosteer systems,” he says.

Old and new, side by side

Double A’s development reflects the wider evolution of professional turf machinery, from specialist aeration equipment to increasingly sophisticated, connected and electrified machines.

The company continues to sell Groundsman, Lastec and Timberwolf equipment, maintaining links with the products and brands that helped establish its reputation while expanding its offering to meet the changing needs of customers.

Technology is becoming increasingly integrated into turf machinery, and Double A continues to develop its expertise to keep pace. Advances in this area can help greenkeepers and grounds teams manage their facilities more effectively, making better use of people, machinery and chemicals.

Sandy says the company’s sales, support and technical teams are continually developing their knowledge so customers can get the most from their machinery and the technology available.

Taking on the north

That commitment will be tested over a much wider area. Double A will take over the territory previously served by Macgregor Industrial Supplies, which has been a John Deere dealer in the north of Scotland for more than two decades. Macgregor will continue to trade separately.

“We are absolutely delighted to be expanding our John Deere area into the Highlands and Islands,” Sandy says. “We look forward to welcoming them and providing the sales, service and parts support they need.”

The company has already begun to prepare. “We have already invested in new vehicles for this expansion, and we intend to grow our footprint in the Highland area as business allows,” Sandy explains.

The team at Kintore already knows many customers in the Highlands through sales of Campey, Tru-Turf and Lastec products. Sandy says Double A looks forward to developing these relationships and introducing the John Deere range to customers who may not have had the opportunity to see it before.

John Deere has backed the move. Chris Meacock, John Deere Division Sales Manager, Golf and Turf, thanked the Macgregor team “for their commitment and service to John Deere customers in the Highlands and Islands over the years”.

He added: “We are confident that Double A’s expertise and existing presence in the region will ensure customers continue to receive the high level of service and support they expect from a John Deere dealer.”

A different kind of milestone

Few dealers reach their 30th anniversary with a larger territory than they started the year with. For Double A, a firm that began with one pedestrian aerator and a willingness to spend days demonstrating it, the Highlands and Islands extend a story built on relationships with greenkeepers and grounds managers.

Three decades on, the business remains focused on the same fundamentals: quality equipment, technical expertise and reliable customer support, now delivered across a wider part of Scotland.

For more information, visit www.doublea.co.uk