International expansion: Italy

We are proud to enter our new country market Italy. Together with our distribution partner Brumar Garden Products S.r.L., we are looking forward to inspiring Italian customers with our brand and products “Made in Germany”. Our international expansion has only just begun – stay tuned.

Our Managing Director in an exclusive interview with Wirtschaftsforum

Tradition meets change at SABO-Maschinenfabrik GmbH from Gummersbach. Since its sale to the Munich-based investment company Mutares, the specialist for walk-behind lawn mowers has been breaking new ground. What has been good for over 65 years is set to become even better. “I want to take SABO back to where it belongs,” says Managing Director Fatmir Veselaj. In an interview with Wirtschaftsforum, he explains how this is to be achieved. To the interview

The little SABO lawn guide.

WHICH TYPE OF GRASS FOR WHICH PURPOSE?
Not all lawns are created equal. Because there are at least as many different seed mixtures as there are uses for them. When selecting the right grass seed, apart from location and soil condition, the most important factor to consider is how you intend to use your lawn. Confused? Don’t worry: we will briefly introduce you to the three most important types of lawn.

Ornamental Lawn
Ornamental lawns or English lawns are primarily intended for representational purposes and are therefore suitable for house and front gardens. It is dense, fine-leaved and delights its owners with a lush green. However, it is not very resilient. It may be walked on, but playing children or frolicking dogs quickly put an end to it. Its growth rate is low – its maintenance requirements, on the other hand, are high. Frequent mowing is required as well as verticutting, watering and fertilizing. Its ideal cutting height is 5 cm.
Play and Utility Turf
This popular lawn variety is the “all-rounder” among the lawn varieties. It is ideally suited for home gardens, public grounds, lawns or housing estates. The variety “RSM 2.3 Utility-Play Turf” is particularly popular with gardeners. It is robust, resilient and stress resistant – even to drought. Play and utility turf grows medium strong, dense and is usually short cut tolerant. The maintenance effort depends on the load, but is comparatively low. The optimum cutting height is 3.5 to 5 cm.
Sports Turf
Turf on sports fields must withstand high loads. The sports turf mixtures therefore use the particularly tread-resistant and regenerative grasses German ryegrass and meadow grass. With the addition of water and fertiliser, this turf can develop a hardy grain that can withstand extreme stresses such as regular football games. It is also resistant to weeds. However, this type of lawn is rarely used in gardens due to its rather rustic appearance. Its ideal cutting height is 4 to 5 cm.
More color in the garden: the flower meadow
Why just a lawn? Why not also create a bed with a flower meadow? With its diversity of species, it is pretty to look at and becomes a valuable biotope for small animals and insects such as butterflies, wild bees and bumblebees. Maintenance is relatively low: mowing twice a year is sufficient; fertilizer is applied only when necessary. In specialist stores you will find flower meadow mixtures that are adapted to the different types of soil. And our side discharge mowers ensure the perfect cut.
4-5cm cutting height

100 days: SABO transformation on track

The change of ownership from John Deere to Mutares SE & Co. KGaA closed an almost 30-year chapter for SABO. Since September 1, 2020, SABO has been on a new path with the Munich-based investment company Mutares. With ambitious goals in terms of growth and speed of execution, the first successes can already be seen 100 days later.

For example, the transition to a new ERP system at SABO began as an important investment in digitalization. The expansion of the logistics chain with local partners increases flexibility for our customers. The optimized SABO product portfolio is fully focused on customer needs and reduces complexity in marketing. With the new website, which offers an intuitive layout and new design, SABO can now provide its customers with much better information and a convincing brand experience. It has also succeeded in entering 8 additional international markets within 100 days.

Motivated by this positive momentum, the SABO team, together with its partners, is looking forward to an exciting and successful New Year 2021 – with new opportunities, an expanded portfolio, investments in digitalization and further international expansion.

The little SABO lawn lesson.

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Change of ownership at SABO: Mutares succeeds John Deere

SABO sets course for the future
SABO Maschinenfabrik GmbH is changing its ownership from Deere & Company (John Deere, NYSE:DE) to Mutares SE & Co. KGaA. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of July 2020.

SABO is one of the leading brands for high-quality lawn mowers and garden care products in Europe. The company has been based and produced in Gummersbach, Germany, since 1932 and has been part of Deere & Company since 1991.

Mutares is a private investment company based in Munich that specializes in the acquisition and management of medium-sized companies. Mutares currently owns 13 companies in three industry segments: Automotive & Mobility, Engineering & Technology and Goods & Services.

SABO will retain its workforce, brand, production site and portfolio of walk-behind lawn mowers and portable garden tools. The company will continue to supply its customers in Germany and other European countries with high-quality products and services. For employees, customers, suppliers and sales partners, there will be little change in day-to-day business.

According to Tim Merrett, Vice President John Deere Turf and Utility, SABO is one of the leading brands for high-quality lawn mowers and walk-behind garden tools in Europe. The company is particularly well positioned with its broad portfolio of high-performance battery systems. Nevertheless, as part of the recently announced “Smart Industrial” strategy, John Deere intends to focus more strongly on central production systems. Future investments in walk-behind mowers no longer represent a strategic fit.

Johannes Laumann, CIO of Mutares is pleased with the addition of SABO to the Goods & Services division and welcomes the SABO employees to the Mutares family. SABO is a very well-known brand in the garden and outdoor market. Laumann is convinced that Mutares is the best choice as new owner to drive SABO’s growth due to its proven expertise and operational experience. Mutares has very ambitious targets in terms of growth and speed, as they are currently successfully demonstrating with the keeeper Group. Mutares is determined to successfully realize SABO’s potential.
Company profile of SABO Maschinenfabrik GmbH
SABO is one of the leading brands for high-quality lawn mowers and garden care products for private and commercial customers in Europe. The company has been based in Gummersbach, Germany, since 1932 and has been a subsidiary of Deere & Company since 1991. The company employs around 125 people and has a fully integrated development center and various testing facilities at its production site.

SABO’s comprehensive product portfolio is complemented by a wide range of spare parts. SABO sells its products through an extensive distribution network of more than 1100 specialized dealers in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Slovakia and Switzerland as well as through its own online store.

SABO looks back on a long tradition and expertise as a manufacturer of hand-held lawn mowers and enjoys an excellent reputation as a leading supplier of quality products with the “Made in Germany” seal. The company’s products are known for their durability.

New management at SABO

Mutares SE & Co KGaA (ISIN: DE000A2NB650) signed an agreement to acquire SABO Maschinenfabrik GmbH in June 2020. The transaction is expected to be completed on September 1, 2020.

Prior to the closing of the transaction, the previous SABO Managing Director Mr. Christoph Büscher has decided to hand over the management of SABO Maschinenfabrik GmbH as of 31.08.2020 and to devote himself to a new challenge. The company would like to expressly thank Mr. Büscher for his work over the past years. Upon completion of the transaction, Mr. Fatmir Veselaj from Mutares will take over the management as an interim solution. Over the next few months, the new management will drive forward the restructuring of the company with the support and expertise of the Mutares consulting team and in close cooperation with the local employees and, together with all partners, set the course for sustainable growth of the brand.

The efficient classic: petrol mowers

The petrol mower impresses on lawns from 700 to 2,500 square meters. It also masters slopes effortlessly. SABO offers models with cutting widths between 40 and 54 centimeters. In combination with the powerful but economical petrol engines, efficient mowing is guaranteed. If you have a lot of trees, the petrol mower is preferable to a corded electric mower due to its greater mobility. If you rarely cut your lawn, you should ideally opt for a model with a side discharge: it can easily cope with tall grass.

Full battery power

The powerful lithium-ion battery with 40 volts and 6 Ah or 4Ah provides power for excellent cutting results and can be easily removed for charging. The modern battery technology is a clear plus for the environment, as no exhaust fumes and local emissions are produced – but also for your ears, as the brushless electric motor is extremely quiet and energy-efficient.

To start, simply press and hold the start button and tighten the safety bar – and your SABO cordless mower is ready for powerful cutting work. Thanks to the powerful battery technology, the blade speed of SABO cordless mowers is higher than that of petrol mowers, for example.

This not only gives you an excellent cutting pattern, but also a completely full collection bag, as the grass clippings are optimally collected.