Southeast distributor opens new service and training facility

 Power Tool Company, a Johnson City, Tenn.-based wholesale distributor of outdoor power equipment including Scag commercial mowers, Little Wonder/Mantis and Brown Products, has opened a new service and training facility to address the needs of its equipment dealers in a three-state area, as well as the general public.

The George Bennett Training & Service Academy (GBTSA) is a 4,000-square-foot facility designed to provide a unique, hands-on educational experience for a variety of businesses across the Southeast. The academy was named after Power Tool Company’s first employee, George Bennett, who worked for the company for more than 50 years and was the guest of honor at the recently held ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“This is no ordinary training center,” says Todd Bohon, president of Power Tool Company. “This is a place where under one roof you have a space for interactive coursework, a mock showroom, computers for online certifications, meeting space and most impressively, a full-service mechanical shop, including a hydraulic lift that can be fitted for anything from a lawn mower to a large vehicle.”

A Scag-endorsed technical certification program is being developed for all Scag dealers’ service technicians to be taught at the GBTSA. The first event at the facility will be held Feb. 22-23. More than 80 regional Scag technicians have been invited to attend the inaugural training session, which will inform technicians on what’s new on 2011 models, including features and benefits of the equipment.

Bohon says the center is not limited to the Power Tool Company’s brands, and feels the opportunities available at the center would benefit many businesses. “It’s been proven that many people retain information better if they’ve had hands-on experience with the subject,” adds Bohon. “Actually, studies show a 70-percent higher retention rate by practicing what was taught, as opposed to just hearing a lecture. So any industry with any type of equipment or motor that can be taken apart could see benefits from the use this facility for their training and continuing education courses.”

To learn more about The George Bennett Training & Service Academy, call Julie Robinson at (800) 752-1780 or visit www.powertoolco.com.