In 2024, grinding specialists Bernhard and Company announced a strategic partnership with Maya Global Software – uniting two forward thinking innovators in turf care and land management.
Maya Global’s cutting-edge AI-driven platform empowers turf professionals to take a proactive, data-led approach to turf management and sustainability, pairing with data gathering devices to monitor soil conditions, analyse local weather inputs to forecast disease risk, assess nutrient usage, and trigger bespoke alerts for conditions such as frost or turf stress.
Now, with Bernhard and Company supporting distribution of Maya Global’s solutions across England and Wales, turf managers at golf courses, sports pitches, and beyond will have access to technology that helps streamline decision-making, enhance turf health, and ultimately raise standards of maintenance and efficiency.
In this exclusive interview, GBN talks to Steven Nixon, Managing Director for Bernhard and Company, and Valentine Godin, CEO of Maya Global, to learn more about the new partnership and what it means for the future of turf management.
GBN: Can you explain the relationship between Bernhard and Company and Maya Global?
Steve: Bernhard and Company is a business that is very agronomically focused. Even though our grinding machines are the primary products associated with the brand, we never really talk about the grinders themselves. Rather, we like to focus on the benefits that come along with having them in the workshop. This helps link our existing products with the data-driven direction we’re heading in and what we will be promoting in the future.
Partnering with Maya Global allows us to make further strides in our digital innovations, in addition to the Soil Scout product that we already distribute within the UK. This platform means that calculating resource allocation will become automated, so combined with our Soil Scout sensors, customers will be able to use their resources more efficiently and reduce maintenance costs further in other areas. Making decisions is much easier with instant insights that are backed by reliable data.
Maya Global is a company with values, aspirations, and ambitions that align 100% with those of Bernhard and Company, so it is a great partnership for us in that sense.
Why did Bernhard and Company decide to take on Maya Global as a distribution product? What value does it add to the offering and how does Maya fit with the Bernhard brand?
Steve: We focus on agronomic solutions, but our business model has been evolving. A few years ago, we made a conscious decision to diversify. We believe that relying solely on a single product line wasn’t the best long-term strategy. We started working with niche products – some were successful, some weren’t – but we’ve always been looking to expand our portfolio for greater business stability and to increase the benefit of our brand to our customers.
However, we don’t just add any product. We look for something different—something that provides real value. Our grinders require a technical sales approach. Our team really thrives in that environment, selling highly technical products focused on agronomy.
The future isn’t just coming – it’s already here. Data and information are vital to helping turf managers. Not to replace them, but to assist them in making the right decisions. Everything is changing – the climate, working conditions, and the overall landscape for turf management. This is why the solution that Maya Global offers in linking with existing data collection products and utilising AI to give turf managers the full picture of what is happening on their course/pitch is so crucial. They need tools to help navigate these changes, not just in the present but also for future planning.
If you look at our product range over the last three or four years, you’ll see how much technology has advanced. This trend will continue, integrating everything into a unified system that works together seamlessly. We’re excited about the direction our business is heading in.
Is improving efficiency the driving force for you and your team?
Steve: That’s exactly right. Our goal with the grinders for example, is to make them quicker, easier, and more efficient – helping golf clubs maintain more sustainable products. The push for healthier turf means less need for chemical interventions. Of course, chemicals have their place, but prevention is better than cure.
Everything we do helps turf managers and greenkeepers maximise the efficiency of their operation. Whether it’s utilising the Maya product to know when best to apply chemicals at the right time and when to conduct mechanical aeration, or to offer the best solution for sharpening mower blades. It all fits within our ethos.
Valentine, could you explain what Maya Global Software is and what benefits it offers to course and pitch managers?
Valentine: In a nutshell, Maya Global Software introduces new technology into the turf industry, through a 360-degree management platform. We started with data collection at the plant level, right where the action happens, and built everything else around that. Now, Maya connects the dots across resource management, inventory, scheduling, fertilisation planning, disease forecasting, and more. The real value lies in how we use the data. Data is not just stored, but it is actively used to generate insights and support decision-making. We apply AI to enhance disease forecasting and help greenkeepers and ground managers act early, smartly and save time, making data truly valuable.
For those interested in this software, how does it work? What products does it integrate with, and how do users interact with it?
Valentine: We connect with any smart tool that offers an API – that’s a way for systems to talk to each other. We don’t make hardware ourselves. Our job is to bring all the data together, in one clear, usable place.So whether you’re using a specific type of weather station, soil sensor, or another data-logging tool, Maya can plug into it and centralise that information.
Most users access the system via our web-based dashboard, but we have now also launched a mobile app that’s all about fast, on-the-go data collection.One feature we are especially proud of is our Bot integration. Instead of logging into a form or typing into a spreadsheet, users can just message the system like they would talk to a colleague: “There’s a dry patch on pitch 3” – and the system will analyse that, link it to relevant data, and offer real-time advice or actions.
Can you explain about the different data measuring devices and solutions that Maya can integrate with?
Valentine: Maya is designed to integrate with a wide range of tools – any hardware that collects turf-relevant data and has an open API. That includes weather stations, soil moisture, etc. In the short term, the biggest benefit is real-time insight, especially with disease forecasting. Within weeks, users start making data-driven decisions. In the long-term, AI-driven recommendations will further enhance decision-making and ultimately help produce the healthiest and most high-performance playing surfaces.
For example, we work with golf courses in Belgium that are geographically close, yet each show different disease patterns. AI helps identify these subtle variations, ensuring recommendations that are tailored to each individual course.
The system learns over time and will suggest best practices based on historical data and user input. We remain independent and neutral; we don’t prescribe specific products or methods. Our role is to empower turf managers with the facts, so they can choose what works best in their local context.
How does the partnership with Bernhard and Company impact Maya Global Software?
Valentine: It’s an exciting opportunity for us. Bernhard and Company is well-established, and the company’s values align closely with ours. The partnership allows us to focus on AI and developing the software while leveraging Bernhard’s market presence in the UK. As we continue to enhance data collection and AI capabilities, our goal is to streamline input processes while expanding AI-driven insights. Just like Bernhard and Company, we closely monitor technological advancements to integrate the latest innovations into our platform.
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