SCH (Supplies) Ltd founder and former managing director Andrew
Rodwell has died age 80.
Many will know Andrew from the
companies’ 33 years of extensive attendance at garden machinery shows across
the country, where SCH have displayed their product range to potential
customers and machinery dealers.
In 1986, Andrew recognised that the ordinary lawn mower tractor
was capable of a lot more than merely mowing grass. With the help and encouragement of Malcolm Vandenburgh at Wests
Engineering Ltd, the pair set about designing and manufacturing a range of
grass care machinery. Before long, SCH (Supplies) Ltd was created and began
selling products to a handful of local dealers.
Through sheer hard work and
determination the business flourished and expanded, and now has a catalogue of
over 200 products, and a vast network containing hundreds of machinery dealers
across the country. Andrew spent countless hours thinking of every possible
need for the keen gardener, groundsman and game keeper, with the popular
product range constantly evolving.
From the early days of SCH, Andrew
was an advocate of training local aspiring engineers. He nurtured and mentored
his young apprentices, some of whom have remained with SCH for over twenty
years. The business now employs 25 people who design, manufacture and deliver
the machinery.
In December 2018, Andrew and his
family decided to hand over the running of SCH to two of his long term
employees John Free and Ian Holder. SCH had been Andrew’s passion for over
thirty years, and his hard work has put the company’s future on a successful
trajectory. SCH will continue to trade as normal, so that his legacy is
maintained.
Andrew has been described as a
larger than life character, he was gregarious, often hilarious and a great
British eccentric. He had a passion for anything mechanical from vintage
tractors to classic cars. He will be sorely missed by SCH and all who knew him.
David Stiles, managing director of TSP Media and publisher of Landscape & Amenity Product Update, and the rest of the team would like to pass on their condolences to Andrew's family and everyone at SCH Supplies.
