Landscape & Amenity Product Update August 2019

Public not getting daily dose of green space

New research by Keep Britain

Tidy has found only 32% of the population are getting their ‘20-minutes-a-day’ to give them the two-hour-aweek minimum ‘dose’ of time recently recommended by researchers at the University of Exeter Medical School as the crucial amount of time to spend in nature to help improve mental wellbeing.

The extensive study of 2,000 adults found that 85% of people experience a positive effect on their mental state after spending time outside in a green space.

Despite this, 8% of us have not visited a green space in the past month and a further 7% can’t remember the last time they did, even though more than half (53%) of us live within a mile of our local park.

This news comes as a record number of parks and green spaces - 1,970 in total - are awarded a Green Flag, the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.

The Green Flag Award is a sign of a well-managed, clean and safe park, as the same research reveals that parks being clean and well managed is one of the most important qualities people look for – as well as it being nearby to where they live.

More than three quarters (77%) of people say they would actively avoid a park if it was poorly maintained or felt unsafe, showing the importance of schemes such as the Green Flag Award to set the quality standard.

Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive Allison OgdenNewton said: “We have awarded more Green Flags to parks and green spaces this year than ever before, which means beautiful, well-managed and peaceful spaces are accessible to more people than ever. But our message is use it or lose it.

“Not only does visiting your local park boost your mental health but your visit supports the Herculean effort made by local authorities to provide world-class parks and that has never been harder to do.

“With around 27,000 parks and greenspaces across England alone Green Flag standard parks are still the exception but the number of awards given out this year is a testament to the hard work and innovation displayed by many local authorities.

Indeed, Keep Britain Tidy wants to see many more meet

INFINICUT launch new SM34 rotary mower

At the first in a series of launch events, groundsmen and greenkeepers were invited to Tottenham Hotspur FC’s training facility to see the new INFINICUT SM34 Rotary Mower.

Using the very latest design technology, MTD design engineers have produced a machine that has unsurpassed rotary cut quality to ensure the best possible results regardless of turf conditions. The SM34 follows the same design philosophy as the rest of the INFINICUT range, offering best in class performance with an emphasis on a modern, clean power source.

It takes its mode of traction from the INFINICUT reel mower,

renowned for its durability, paired with a deck designed on the back of MTD’s considerable years of rotary experience.

By utilizing expensive stamp tooling, users can be confident that airflow is optimal when

compared to other fabricated decks. The culmination is a machine that ensures ‘fit-forpurpose’ application, but also necessary safety compliance that comes with rotary decks.

Cub Cadet

the Green Flag Award standards creating a national network of quality parks and green spaces on people’s doorsteps, inspiring more of us to get our ‘20 a day’.

“If you want to boost your wellbeing even more, you could take it one step further and get involved in your local park by joining its friends’ group.

“Being part of a community goal, while spending time outside, can give a real sense of pride and positivity.

“We’ve seen it with many of our volunteer groups over the years.”

Record number of Green Flag Awards

A total of 1,970 parks and green spaces have received the prestigious Green Flag Award.

The international Award, now in its third decade, is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible environmental standards, is beautifully maintained and has good visitor facilities.

Parks and green spaces receiving the Award this year include first time winner Venetian Waterways managed by Great Yarmouth Borough

Council and Worden Park managed by South Ribble Borough Council that has won the Award every year since the scheme made its first Awards in 1997.

The Green Flag Award scheme reached a record breaking 2,096 accredited parks and green spaces across 14 countries and spanning 4 continents - more than any other parks accreditation scheme in the world.

Green Flag Awards

Keep Britain Tidy

Welcome...

The 2019 Love Parks Week in July provided a useful focal point for highlighting the continuing importance of the local park and green space to communities throughout the week.

It also served as the perfect platform for the industry to publish new research showing the importance of these spaces and the economic and health and well-being benefits they provide to the country.

With a record number of Green Flags being awarded this year our industry continues to prove its worth in producing and maintaining world-class parks and facilities.

Who knows maybe our new Prime Minister might prove to the champion of parks, green spaces and our industry in general that we have been waiting for? We will wait and see with interest.

This month we have our regular Play & Activity supplement and again there is plenty of news, opinion and research confirming the important work our industry does on a daily basis. Allied to the high quality products and services provided by UK manufacturers and companies and we are certainly blessed with some of the best facilities and resources in Europe.

With the UK now enjoying another summer of sunshine and high temperatures it is the perfect time to get out and see just how good are parks, green spaces and play areas are.

Also, this month, we look at important product areas such as Ride-on Mowers and Compact Tractors, a special feature on fencing and security and the usual mix of news, product launches and case studies from the groundscare industry and urban environment.

In the meantime, enjoy the summer as the autumn and winter exhibition season is just around the corner.

Groves, Editor

Paul

GROW YOUR BUSINESS WITH THE CANTER 3.5t

Get your hands on a Canter 3.5t Dropside for £75* a week Expertly navigate through parks, woodland and the suburban streets of Britain with this small but mighty truck. With a 1.5t body/payload allowance, the smallest turning circle in its class and a cab width of under 2m, the Canter 3.5t can go anywhere a van can go. A 7t max gross train weight means it’s strong enough to pull chippers, plant trailers and ride-on mowers, with no special training required, this strong yet agile truck packs a punch. Canter can do loads more. To find out more visit Canter.co.uk

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Lottery celebrates 25-year love affair with public parks

In 2019, the National Lottery Heritage Fund celebrate 25 years of supporting heritage good causes around the country.

In that time, it has invested £1.6billion of National Lottery money in landscapes and nature.

That includes more than £950m in public parks and cemeteries.

The fund recognised early on the value of investing in public parks, and over 25 years its grants have reached every corner of the UK, providing benefi t to the 37m people that use public parks every year.

In 2006 it was joined in our support of parks by The National Lottery Community Fund,

helping to expand the work in transforming public parks. Highlights of the fund’s park projects over the past quartercentury includes:

• Antrim Castle Gardens, an 8th-century AngloDutch water garden, was transformed. It has been an amazing success since receiving funding in 2006. This year it won a Tourism Northern Ireland award for Authentic Northern Ireland Experience of the Year.

• Funding also helped to shine a light on the miniature masterpiece of design that is York Gate Gardens.

Tucked away in the village of Adel on the outskirts of Leeds, it’s a magnifi cent example of the Arts and Crafts movement in garden form. In 2017 it was named by The Times as “the seventh best garden to visit in the UK”.

Dean Castle Country Park in East Ayrshire, Saughton Park in Edinburgh, and Holywells in Ipswich are leading the way on the accessibility front with Changing Places toilets. These extra-large bathrooms meet the needs of all people with a disability and ensure

equal access to an enjoyable day out.

• There are more than 1,300 Changing Places toilets around the UK.

• Brooke Park (pictured) is another lovely example from Northern Ireland. Conservation volunteers help manage the park, which features wheelchairfriendly play equipment, and is one of the few large green spaces in Derry City.

• Marine Cove Gardens in Burnham-On-Sea in Somerset is possibly one of the smallest green spaces we’ve ever funded. The tiny but perfectly formed 0.17 hectare of formal gardens was originally part of an old vicarage site. Almost a decade on from the award, it is still going strong, and the much-loved lion head fountain remains in use.

• The Friends of Zion Graveyard, in Attercliffe, revitalise the very small and forgotten graveyard, located in the middle of a Sheffield industrial estate. The graveyard is the resting place of Mary Anne Rawson, one of the leading anti-slavery campaigners of the 19th century.

Dead Space to Living Place is another great cemetery project, in Berkhamsted. It’s a small green space with a committed volunteer group. They inspire wonderful community involvement through activities ranging from the recent book festival to adopt-a-grave gardening scheme and volunteer social events.

• The beautiful Whitworth Art Garden, part of The Whitworth Gallery (which was transformed with £15m of National Lottery funding), takes the exhibition space beyond the gallery walls. It houses outdoor sculptures, as well as an orchard garden and wildflower area for relaxation and reflection.

• Burnby Hall Gardens is home to one of the best collections of hardy water lilies in a natural setting in Europe and attracts around 50,000 visitors a year. The 2016 funding helped renovate the park’s lakes – revitalising the lilies and improving conditions for the ornamental fish that live in them.

National Lottery

Wildflower matting supplied for homes site

Green-tech has recently supplied 1000 sqm of John Chambers wildflower matting for a newly created Balancing pond on a new housing development.

PGE Landscaping Ltd is a professional landscaping, fencing and grounds maintenance company working within the construction sector throughout the Midlands and surrounding counties

They were working on behalf of major UK residential property developer, Bellway homes on their Ashtree gardens development; a stunning development of new homes in the market town of Ashby-de la-Zouch.

A balancing pond (also known as a balancing lakes, attenuation or retention ponds) acts as a temporary storage facility for watercourses like streams.

Rather than water being discharged directly into the watercourse, potentially overwhelming it and causing flooding, the water is stored in the balancing pond.

John Chambers Wildflower Matting has been installed around the pond. It is a balanced mixture of wildflowers and grasses growing in a moisture retentive biodegradable felt, that provide an instant wildflower meadow.

Made up of native wildflower species, the Wildflower Turf will provide beautiful blooms that will grow back year after year. As well as being lovely to look

at, it will encourage biodiversity and over time will help build up and support an ecosystem.

Green-tech

"Parks and green spaces is an important element of Edinburgh. If we can free up what limited resources we have to look after the borders and plants, it's a winner for everybody because the borders are clean and the grass is still getting cut. It keeps it to a standard that we couldn't keep before”. - Edinburgh City Council

Makita powers Welcome to Yorkshire garden

Makita supplied seven of its Submersible Semi-Trash Pumps, to power the Gold Medal winning Welcome to Yorkshire garden - which was also named The People’s Choice Best Show Garden - at this year’s prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Designed and constructed by Mark Gregory and his team at Landform Consultants, the Welcome to Yorkshire Garden 2019 aimed to represent the industrial heritage of West Yorkshire.

Mark Gregory, Managing Director at Landform Consultants and designer of Welcome to Yorkshire 2019 said: “Makita’s Submersible Semi-Trash Pumps were instrumental in bringing the Welcome to Yorkshire garden to life. Makita’s pumps were required to handle extreme conditions, including dirt and debris within the water.

“Limited on-site space also meant that the pumps had to be installed in incredibly restricted areas that were not easily accessible once the garden had been fully constructed.

“Despite these challenges, I knew that Makita’s Submersible Semi-Trash Pumps would provide the high performance and output needed to power the canal throughout the show, disruption free.

Show,

The seven Submersible SemiTrash Pumps (PF1110) used to power the lock feature can each pump up to 250litres of water per minute – this high output was a key consideration for Mark,

who wanted to ensure the lock could be fully functioning and as authentic as possible.

Makita also supplied a range of power tools to assist Mark Gregory and the Landform Consultants team during the construction of the Welcome to Yorkshire garden.

Makita

John Chambers Wildflower meadow at Burncross Community Garden

Green-tech has supplied John Chambers Wildflower Seed to a community project in Burncross, which lies just outside of Sheffield City Centre.

The neighbourhood is largely bounded by countryside with open fields and woods close by.

The local community has a group set up; the Burncross Action Team; dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly to improve their local area and community.

In 2017, as part of a Greening Great Britain initiative with the

Royal Horticultural Society, the Burncross Action Team approached the John Chambers Wildflower team to help them transform a forgotten ‘grey spot’ in Sheffield into a mini haven for wildlife.

The area had previously been used as storage for various materials and as a result it had a high salt content. The team took this into consideration and supplied enough John Chambers Pro Cornfield Annuals and Pro Coastal 100% Wildfl ower mixes to cover an area of 500m².

The John Chambers Pro Cornfi eld Annuals Rich 100% Wildfl ower Seed Mix and the John Chambers Pro Coastal 100% Wildflower Seed Mix has been designed and mixed with a range of wildflower seed for the professional installer.

The Pro-range includes mixes that include more commonly found species to suit a wide variety of growing conditions. These mixes provide a beautiful wildflower habitat, encouraging biodiversity in urban landscapes.

Green-tech

Dennis PRO 34R tops the wishlist at Warwick

New planning guidance hopes to make it simpler and easier for local authorities and planning bodies to provide facilities that enable people to get active. In partnership with David Lock Associates (DLA), Sport England

has produced the Planning for Sport Guidance that focuses on 12 principles which seek to help the planning system provide opportunities for all to take part in sport and physical activity.

The guidance builds on the importance the Government, and its National Planning Policy Framework, places on the need for the planning system to enable and support healthy lifestyles.

It’s hoped the 12 planning-forsport principles and suggested actions the guidance presents, will assist all involved in, or looking to engage with, the planning system in England.

This system includes local authority officers and councillors, planning inspectors, developers and consultants, right through to parish and town councils, neighbourhood forums, public health leads, sports clubs organisations, community groups and individuals.

Sport England’s executive director of property, Charles Johnston, thinks the guidance will make a big impact.

“The planning system provides huge opportunities for communities to lead healthy and active lifestyles, whether that’s providing access to sports facilities and spaces for informal

exercise or making it safe and convenient to walk and cycle to everyday destinations,” he said.

“Our new guidance has been designed to help the planning system take an increasingly proactive role in providing such opportunities and creating ‘active environments’ so more people can reap the benefits of improved physical and mental wellbeing.

“If you work in or are looking to engage with the planning system I encourage you to take a look at the guidance and help the planning system embrace the 12 planning-for-sport principles it presents.”

The guidance, produced with the support of DLA, benefitted from a range of parties providing more than 380 comments on a draft version. Consulting parties included national governing bodies, planning and leisure consultancies and government departments, and the guidance will continue to be updated as necessary.

The Planning for Sport Guidance replaces and brings together Sport England’s four 2014 planning for sport guides; Planning Aims and Objectives Guide, Forward Planning Guide, Development Management Guide and Supporting Advice Guide.

Sport England

“There is no room for error at the RHS Chelsea Flower

which is why it was so important that we used trusted products to construct the garden.”

New ProtecWork from Snickers Workwear

ProtecWork is a new collection of protective working clothes and accessories from Snickers Workwear, which has developed out of over 40 years leading the workwear industry -and through close consultation with users and employers in the railway and energy sectors around Europe.

The market-leading riskprotection properties of the clothing are integral components of the extensive range of Base-, Mid- and Top-Layer garments for men and women that

combine well with the Snickers Workwear hallmarks of bestin-class durability, comfort, ergonomics and fit.

Fully accredited as appropriate to a variety of risk and weather conditions such as heat and flame, electrostatic, chemical and bad weather working environments, all the garments are manufactured from tailor-made fabrics designed to respond to the demands and risk factors of the conditions in which they’re worn.

Save more than your lakes this summer with Otterbine

It’s taken a little time to warm up this year (unlike last year!), but British Summer Time is in full swing and Reesink Turfcare is offering all customers an extra five percent off its entire range of water management specialist Otterbine’s aerators and aerating fountains on orders placed before 31 August.

The promotion is timed to help customers when they need it most, says Pete Newton at Reesink.

“When higher levels of sunlight and heat is generated by the summer sun it can lead to excess nutrients in water bodies and when combined with low oxygen levels and minimal circulation, it prematurely ages the water throwing its natural ecosystem out of balance,” he explains. “This can quickly lead to problems with algae, aquatic weeds and a build-up of silt on the riverbed, and in severe cases can even lead to unpleasant odours and cause fish to perish.”

In order to avoid this, a proper water management system is

needed, Pete says: “Waiting until symptoms of poor water quality appear before implementing good water management could be detrimental to the environment and be costly to rectify.”

“Once a lake has lost its ecological balance, it goes into crisis, at which point the cost of restoring it dramatically rises. As well as often being more expensive to implement, reactive solutions tend to be less friendly to the environment too.”

To prevent or eliminate stagnant water in a pond or lake, the most natural water quality management solution is to introduce aeration, which is where Otterbine’s aeration systems can help.

With solutions suitable for small ponds to vast lakes, Otterbine’s wide range of aeration systems comprise aerating fountains, industrial aerators and diffused air systems.

Each has unique features that work to increase oxygen levels and circulate oxygen rich

water, keeping water quality high, and inhibiting algae, aquatic weeds and odours.

Plus, installation is quick meaning that if this situation does occur it is easily fixed with Otterbine, says Pete: “These symptoms are quickly formed but with Otterbine also speedily rectified.

We offer the highest oxygen transfer and pumping rates in the industry with independent testing done by the University of Minnesota and GSCEE to prove it.

The High Volume units, for example, adds 3.3lbs or 1.5kg of oxygen per horsepower hour into the

water and pumps over 920gpm or 199m3/hr per horsepower.”

And now, with an extra five percent off any purchase, is the time to ensure that these unwanted symptoms don’t impact on your water feature or bring about a negative perception.

Otterbine

Seven Wiedenmann Terra Spikes for ALS Contracts

ALS Contracts has taken delivery of its sixth and seventh Wiedenmann Terra Spikes, with two new extra deep XD machines have joined their previous fleet of five XDs.

Increasingly ALS Contracts has been offering an “all fairways in one day” package to golf clubs across the UK. Interest has been favourable because of convenience and efficient results. Repeat bookings have prompted ALS to expand their number of machines.

Harvey, Contracts Manager at ALS Contracts,

says when it comes to deep aeration, his customers expect all round excellence. Accordingly, he has committed to the best machines for task which he believes to be the Wiedenmann Terra Spike XD, built to either a 1.6 m or 2.1 m working width.

As well as delivering best practice aeration, Dave Harvey wants the best for his dedicated staff who accommodate early starts and late fi nishes to meet client requests.

Wiedenmann Terra Spikes have two patented shock

systems called Vibrastop and PowerPack; together they absorb jolts and vibrations caused by extreme compaction or from stones. The result is

unrivalled smoothness and importantly, the operator and tractor are protected, too

Dave

Wiedenmann UK

Snickers

LTP partners with Lower Barn Farm at glorious garden festival

Award winning UltraScape paving grout is on point

UltraScape flowpoint smooth mortar paving grout is helping Merchants and Landscapers keep up with the big demand for porcelain tiled, inside to outside, living spaces.

LTP recently joined its partner, Lower Barn Farm, at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. As well as offering support and advice to visitors, LTP also supplied ECOPROTEC treatments for Lower Barn Farm’s Outdoor Living Show Garden – a stunning creation by multi-award winning garden designer, Robert Grimstead.

A variety of stone and porcelain surfaces featured within the

scheme, including Eva Porcelain and Stoneleaf 3D wall cladding. Chic surfaces were offset with a striking wall mural by Polish stencil artist, Tank Petrol.

LTP’s new ECOPROTEC Porcelain Protector was applied to the unpolished porcelain surfaces before grouting, to protect them from staining and to allow easy removal of fixing residues.

LTP

BBA Addaset Resin Bound surfacing for Business Park

Addagrip approved contractor

Midland Decorative Surfaces was appointed to install an area of 1750m2 of BBA approved Addaset Resin Bound surfacing to rejuvenate the existing paving for the plaza of the Winnersh Triangle Business Park in Berkshire.

Winnersh Triangle is a 1.5 million sq ft mixed-use business park located in Reading, offering office spaces including major headquarter buildings, Grade A offices and start-up office suites. The existing resin bonded surface was starting to age and the client was looking for a solution to enable them to restore the decorative natural aggregate appearance with a product with a longer lifespan.

Midland Decorative Surfaces were asked by client Colliers to install a Resin Bound system over the old bonded paving.

Once the existing surface had been prepared, Resin Bound Addaset in a 6mm Acorn blend was overlaid to create a decorative but hard wearing paving to smarten up the area in front of the hotel and shops on site.

Addagrip

Creating a seamless transition from inside to outside living spaces has become exceptionally popular in recent years and due to its low maintenance and low absorption of moisture, porcelain is the ideal paving solution for these types of designs.

Suitable for large or small scale domestic, landscaping and public

realm projects, award winning flowpoint smooth does just that. It is economical to use and available in the on trend colours of charcoal and natural grey.

Rapid setting, it is ideally suited to smooth paving stones and slabs with joints as small as 3mm and can also withstand foot traffic within an hour.

The established UltraScape product also has the reassurance of meeting and exceeding the strict demands of BS 7533.

Instarmac

A walk on the wild side in Woking

Visitors to Woking High Street now enjoy a new natural walkway with the installation of a 75m living wall.

The Mobilane Green Screens sit along the length of the Woking Train Station’s exterior wall as part of the Council’s green initiatives.

The ivy screens form a naturally green frame for the iconic mural that depicts life along High Street in Edwardian times.

With a mix of species bringing foliage and floral interest to an otherwise grey and urban part of town, the screens improve biodiversity and air quality, capturing pollutants from passing and waiting traffic.

Mobilane UK installed the screens, planted with Hedera Helix Woerner, variegated and non-variegated, and the new Euonymus Darts Blanket.

Accommodating the natural slope of the road and walkway, the screens maintain a straight top edge using a mix of screen heights from 1 metre to 2.2 metre.

In fibreglass containers for ease of placement by forklift and repositioning, the screens were cut to fit prior to the installation of drip-line irrigation by the Mobilane technical team. Ongoing maintenance will be managed by Woking Council.

Mobilane

Warrington’s Granite Paving Refurbishment

Warrington Borough Council like to take great pride in the appearance of their prestige Birchwood Business Park, and they wanted to avoid this being spoiled to some extent every year by weed growth in the granite sett paved areas of the attractive park-like surroundings, as well as eliminating the expense of weeding, cleaning and resanding this every year, with resulting disruption to their blue-chip tenants.

The Facilities Management Landscape Contractor, JM & M Scanlon of Stockport, contacted specialists NCC Streetscape and they were able to propose a longterm solution. To confirm this, a demonstration and trial area carried out by CR Services, which involved pressure jet-washing to remove weed growths, cleaning the paving surfaces and clearing the previously sand filled joints.

Then wet-slurry pointing the joints with GftK’s vdw-850plus, a unique 2-component, epoxy resin bound, global state-of-the-art in paving jointing.

This advanced technology is supplied completely pre-batched and is based on water-dispersed, epoxy resin coated, graded alluvial quartz sand, which is specifically designed for heavy duty applications under both foot and vehicular traffic loading.

The dust-free material is mixed to a homogeneous nature and wetslurry applied to the pre-saturated paving areas, where it is selfcompacting into the joints using more water – In fact you can’t use too much water for the application.

Once cured, the material hardens by reaction to the ideal strength and e-modulus correlation for setts and other small format paving, which is of course more joint dependent than larger paving units. The resulting joints are durably tough and resilient, providing a weed-free, frost and de-icing salt resistant surface for the long term and one that is also jet-washer and even mechanical street-cleaner friendly too, for easy maintenance in all types of paved areas.

The owners were so impressed with this trial area in the heavily pedestrian trafficked area outside of the central café and gym, that after monitoring this over-winter, Phase 1 of the works has now also been successfully completed.

This was around a flagship central courtyard, requiring all of the works to be completed over the weekend to have the paved areas opened again on Monday morning, providing access to the surrounding offices, and for the employees to make use of these courtyard areas in the fresh air during their breaks.

Rinato deck boards suit all projects

F.H. Brundle’s range of Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) nontoxic deck boards there is a style, colour and price to suit everyone.

The boards are easy to install, look fantastic and are as easy to work as wood and are recyclable.

The dual faced boards have a traditional grooved effect on one side and wood grain on the other for maximum flexibility.

As well as being environmentally friendly, all the company’s decking is virtually maintenance free, and thanks to its composite properties, it is incredibly durable and suitable for a variety of outdoor uses.

All of F.H. Brundle’s products are covered by the UK backed 25 year warranty.

F.H. Brundle

Using these GftK products from NCC Streetscape allowed CR Services to complete cleaning and pointing approximately 260 m2 of the granite sett paving over

the weekend and be fully open for use on Monday morning, despite the short turnaround time. NCC

Another nailed-on winner from SENCO!

Fibreglass GRP Palisade Fencing Panels

FibreGrid, the leading producer of anti-slip fl ooring products, is pleased to announce that its Fibreglass GRP Palisade Fencing Panels are now available to buy online.

Benefits of FibreGrid

Fibreglass GRP Palisade Fencing Panels include: impact resistence; lightweight, chemical and rust resistant; and non-conductive.

SENCO has announced the UK launch of its new SGT90i Li-Ion Gas Nailer.

Ideal for decking, fencing and a whole host of exterior wood applications, the SGT90i drives 34° angle clipped-head collated nails of 50 to 90mm in length.

Consistently driving up to 8,000 nails per battery charge, the tool comes equipped with two long life 2.5Ah Li-ion batteries with a rapid charge function, with a 2-minute charge giving the user200 shots, so there’s no lengthy waiting to get the job done. In addition an LED power gauge helps you instantly recognize the battery condition.

The SGT90i also has a depth of drive thumbwheel, ensuring perfect drives every time regardless of the type of wood being used, and the nose piece has both a claw option to ensure no slipping when fi ring, plus an optional no-mark pad which can be fi tted to prevent damage to more aesthetic applications.

Andwhat’smorethetoolcomes with a two-year warranty.

With the SENCO SGT90i, plus the Senco Gas and Nail Pack range,theusercanbeassuredofa professional fi nish with every nail.

Kyocera SENCO UK

BSW helps to promote wellness in nature

BSW Timber, the UK’s largest sawmilling business, showcased its new IRO range at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show by helping to promote wellness in nature as timber partners and sponsors of a collaborative installation called LAND.

A joint venture by Laura Slater and The Plant Room, LAND was an immersive installation and creative space that engages visitors with the importance of nature in creativity and wellbeing.

The installation consisted of a covered structure which

housed textile and botanical collections, taking inspiration from Japanese architectural simplicity and modernist buildings found in Palm Springs, California.

All timber used in LAND was supplied by BSW and it featured an array of the organisation’s products including fence posts, construction timbers, and its brand new IRO Timber decking, which is inspired by the ancient Japanese process of yakisugi.

BSW Timber

Acoustic timber fence panel set to double sales

Since its launch in 2017, sales of the first noise reducing timber fence panel for home delivery from retailers doubled in year one and look set to repeat that performance again in 2019.

The Decibel Noise Reduction Panel from Forest Garden combines cutting down unwanted sound from traffic or neighbours with great looks.

It will reduce noise from average road traffi c or typical petrol lawnmowers to a level

where a normal conversation can be held. That is a reduction in noise level of up to 30DB – an eight-fold reduction.

This is achieved by using 17mm interlocking tongue and groove boards that are have a triangulated profile to create multiple angles over the face of the panel which helps to scatter noise waves, reducing their intensity.

These smooth planed boards are mounted in a 45mm thick

rebated frame. There are no gaps for the noise to pass through. “Unwanted garden noise from a variety of sources can become a significant issue. Our panels provide an attractive, costeffective and practical solution.

This is particularly relevant as gardens become smaller and houses closer together,” says Nicola Simpson, Marketing Director at Forest Garden.

Forest Garden

FibreGrid’s fibreglass GRP Palisade Fencing Panels are a non-conductive, non-rust alternative to traditional steel fencing. They are extremely heavy duty and impact resistant, yet lightweight enough to install without any heavy machinery - a two-person team can easily complete the job.

They are now available to buy online in 3 different heights, and can be purchased in metre lengths. Standard stock colour is grey, but they can be manufactured in any BS or RAL colour.

FibreGrid

Building Supplies Online launches garden and outdoor categories

Building Supplies Online has launched two new categories covering paving, garden and outdoor products.

Aimed at professional landscapers, commercial gardening contractors and individual consumers, Building Supplies Online is able to offer a comprehensive range that fulfi ls all requirements, while satisfying both contemporary and traditional tastes.

Reflecting the current trends for outdoor living, Building Supplies Online has collaborated with Forest Garden to supply an extensive range of decorative fencing, garden structures, furniture and summerhouses.

For committed gardeners, the collectionincludesgreenhouses, raised beds and cold frames.

This launch is part of a broader initiative for 2019, which will see a series of new categories introduced across the year and the expansion of existing ones.

With a target to double revenues in 2019, Building Supplies Online is also undertaking a complete review of all existing categories to ensure that each is optimised to meet its trade customers’ requirements, in terms of choice and cost competiveness.

Boundaries Without Limits

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Building Supplies Online

US President protected by RDS

US President Donald Trump slept secure behind a ring of steel on his recent State visit to the United Kingdom – thanks to a premier British fencing systems manufacturer.

Trump stayed behind an eightfoot-high security fence of Zaun Limited’s multi awardwinning Rapid Deployment System (RDS), developed with partner Highway Care Security, that surrounded the house and gardens of the US Ambassador’s residence Winfield House in Regent’s Park.

Wolverhampton-based Zaun first created RDS, which forms part of the National Barrier Asset, for political conferences and major outdoor events.

The security fences were erected ahead of the President’s controversial three-day state visit to join the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

Around 10,000 police offi cers were on duty at a cost to the UK taxpayer of £18m and parts of the London park were closed. Thousands of protesters gathered to demonstrate against his visit, including the inflatable baby blimp which flew during his last visit to London.

RDS has become the firm favourite with police for securing party conferences since it saved up to 90% of police time and proved its rapid-install-withhigh-security credentials during a whistle-stop tour from Brighton to Birmingham via Manchester for the three main UK political parties’ autumn conferences in 2012 and at the G8 summit in Northern Ireland in May 2013.

After the Labour autumn conference in 2012, Inspector Steve Worth, Specialist Operations Branch, Conference Planning Unit, Greater Manchester Police, said:

“RDS is now firmly the preferred product for the delivery of security operations for party political conferences we police, fully supported by The Home Office.”

Since then, RDS has won a number of security innovation awards, including the Security Innovation Award and the Counter Terror Expo Excellence Awards for Best Physical Security Innovation.

A new QuickFit post system halves the manpower for installing RDS, with a team of two able to install a 30m run in just half an hour in trials.

Opposing wedge-shape protrusions on the posts and clamp bar serve as a pincer system to clamp the fence panels to the posts. They are locked in place with a single bolt fixing per post with the head of the bolt completely encapsulated inside a tube so it cannot be removed.

Zaun

F.H. Brundle unveil their biggest and best ever Master Catalogue

Leading wholesaler F.H. Brundle has launched its biggest ever master catalogue showcasing its full range of innovative products and systems.

In the year it celebrates its 130th anniversary, F.H. Brundle has included its entire product range over an impressive 740 pages.

It is the second time the company has produced such a digest, but Paul Smith, head of marketing at F.H. Brundle, said the 2019 version is bigger and better and provides even more sales opportunities for customers.

Paul said: “Our aim is to always supply top quality products and provide a first-class service and the F.H. Brundle master catalogue is a prime example of that.

“This year’s version contains more than 30 pages of new products and systems ideally suited to new build and the repair, maintain and improvement markets.

“We have also produced a condensed A5 brochure which gives a brief overview of what’s new and where to find it in the master catalogue.

“We are proud to offer such an extensive product range and biggest catalogue ever – to coincide with our 130th year in business.”

Among the headlines of the new catalogue are F.H. Brundle’s Fortitude readyto-install railings and gates, GRP Palisade Fencing and LiveConfigurator – the company’s free real-time design software for its ProRailing range of products.

F.H. Brundle

Self closing gates for play areas

The speed of Easy-Gate’s self-closing gate is controlled through the hydraulic closing unit that is built into the main frame of the gate

Gate closure can be easily adjusted to suit individual requirements and the selfclosing gate mechanism has a design life of 500,000

operations. To keep out water and dirt, stainless steel bearings sealed for life and set in inverted cups are used on all hinges of our self-closing gates.

Regular maintenance is now a thing of the past.

The controlled and silent closure on to rubber stops eliminates

the annoying clang normally associated with self-closing gates. Easy-Gate

SMARTPLY SITEPROTECT is the highly engineered, moisture resistant, pre-primed OSB3 panel specifically designed to save time and money in the most demanding hoarding applications.

By popular demand, and in line with the Temporary Works Forum’s (TWF) Guide to Good Practice, SMARTPLY SITEPROTECT is now being manufactured in a thickness of 16mm as well as 18mm, increasing its versatility across the site hoarding sector.

Made by innovative timber panel manufacturers MEDITE SMARTPLY, this new specification extends the range and enabling contractors to select the best hoarding panel for each individual project. SMARTPLY SITEPROTECT comes pre-primed with a heavy-duty, cross-linked polymer primer, is structurally

sound and can be manufactured in sizes of up to three metres high, ensuring maximum security.

With only the top coat to apply, this not only saves contractors hours in time and energy, but makes it ideal for use in a wide range of hoarding applications. From temporary hoarding where time is of the essence, through to long-term security installations in highprofile locations, SMARTPLY SITEPROTECT can be trusted.

Manufactured using only FSC certified timber from sustainably managed Irish forests, SMARTPLY SITEPROTECT is also perfect for maintaining sustainability throughout your entire site, even contributing towards credits for environmental building standards such as BREEAM.

SMARTPLY

Time to put children and young people first with ministerial appointment

The Association of Play Industries (API) attended a dinner at the House of Lords to launch a campaign for the appointment of a Cabinet Minister for Children and Young People.

Life Peer Baroness D’Souza is spearheading the campaign and brought together the working group of leading organisations in the field to brainstorm next steps.

Standing in for API Chair Mark Hardy, Mary Lubrano of the FSPA, pointred out that currently there is no one Minister responsible for the health and wellbeing of children and their needs are being neglected.

“Today’s children and young people are facing an unprecedented set of circumstances meaning that for many their mental and physical health is at crisis point,” she explained. The dominance of digital culture and rising levels of inactivity and obesity mean that this current generation could be the most unhealthy and unhappy to date.

“Central to the campaign is the recognition that joined-up action is urgently required; currently government departments work largely in isolation.

“A Cabinet Minister for Children and Young People would put children at the heart of politics and introduce policies across departments which would directly benefit them.

“The event was an opportunity to update the group on the API’s Nowhere to Play and Movement for Movement campaigns: the dominance of digital culture has created a strong inducement to stay indoors and, at the same time, there is a dramatic and sustained reduction in public outdoor play provision.

“For the overwhelming majority of UK children and young people living in urban areas, this is a dangerous cocktail; children are being ‘pulled’ indoors by screens and ‘pushed’ away from outdoor play because of the decline in accessible public playgrounds.

“In one of the most densely populated, urbanised countries in Europe, with ever-shrinking opportunities for children to play outdoors, public playgrounds play a crucial role in improving children’s movement levels and, in turn, their physical and mental health.

Playgrounds uniquely provide a safe, traffic-free environment in and around our towns and

cities and for many children they represent their only chance for outdoor play.

“The API wants to see playgrounds prioritised before they disappear for good. As a resource to foster the health of children and young people –through movement and outdoor play – the role of public playgrounds should not be under-estimated.

For a relatively modest government investment now the health and wellbeing of children would benefi t greatly for years to come.

A dedicated Cabinet Minister for Children and Young People would be ideally placed to effect policies to ensure that playgrounds are protected.”

Association of Play

Parents have ‘no time’ to take kids to the park New 10-minute Shake Ups to make activity fun

To mark the launch of #LoveParks Week, Keep Britain Tidy called on parents across the UK to make time to visit their local green space with their child, as research shows a whopping 75% of children would like to spend more time outdoors.

The research reveals that children in Britain visit outdoor spaces an average of three times a week, with four out of five parents (80%) admitting they would like their child to spend more time outside.

When it comes to barriers to children spending time outdoors, the top reason given by parents was that they don’t have time to take their children to the park.

As a result, classic outdoor skills children often learn in the park could be on the decline, with the research indicating that over a third (34%) of children have never learnt to ride a bike, and almost half (49%) have never climbed a tree.

Love Parks Week in midJuly celebrated and highlights not just major UK parks, but unexpected areas of greenery, ensuring outdoor space is accessible for all.

Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton said: “Parks and green spaces are an essential part of childhood.

Millions of schoolchildren will be inspired to get physically active this summer thanks to the latest phase of the groundbreaking partnership between Change4Life and Disney.

New 10 Minute Shake Ups, featuring a host of popular Disney characters from the hit films Frozen, The Lion King and Toy Story 4 have been distributed to primary schools to help teachers embed activity into their daily school routine at times when pupils are usually sedentary, including assembly and between lessons.

Packs will also be given to children to take home so they can continue to keep active over the summer. Tim Hollingsworth, Sport England’s chief executive, hailed the campaign’s return as a vital tool in helping children build a positive attitude to physical activity.

“Our recent research gives us the richest evidence yet that sport and physical activity needs to be fun and enjoyable above all because enjoyment is the biggest motivator for children in getting active,” he said.

Sport England

It’s great to see that, despite recent concerns about digital distractions,only19%ofchildren prefer playing on devices to exploringthegreatoutdoors.”

Green Flag Awards

The Land Trust teams up with MowMow to encourage more young people to get outdoors

The Land Trust has teamed up with MowMow to encourage children and families to spend more time outdoors.

MowMow is a new, free to download app, available on the Apple Store and Android Google Play store, which combines technology with a good old fashioned game of hide and seek resulting in a fun activity that gets children moving outside in the real world.

The app builds on the popular children’s activity of painting rocks and leaving them for people to find. While there are a number of active Facebook groups where people share the rocks they have hidden or found players can’t currently track where their rocks are or who has found them.

This is where MowMow comes in. The new app will allow players to log where they hide their rocks and will be notified whenever their rock is found by someone playing the game. The rock even springs to life in rich augmented reality too!

Alan Carter, Director of Portfolio management for the Land Trust, explained why the partnership between the Land Trust and MowMow was a natural fit.

“We’re delighted to be teaming up with MowMow to launch this fantastic initiative and we hope it will make a real difference and inspire young people and their families to get outside and enjoy spending time together in the outdoors.

“We know that spending time outdoors in green space

has a myriad of physical and mental health benefits and it’s absolutely vital that young people develop the routine of spending time in the natural environment at the earliest possible stage and develop this habit in order to ensure that they enjoy healthy, active lives.

“However in order to encourage this, children must have positive, and most importantly fun, experiences and this is where apps like MowMow are so important.

“In this digital world, with many young people having access to mobile phones and tablets, to be able to combine an online game with spending time in green space is an ideal solution and we look forward to a successful partnership with MowMow and working with them on our sites across the country.”

The new app will be officially with an event on the Land Trust site at Wellesley Woodlands with hundreds of children

expected to attend and will be followed at events at other Land Trust sites across the country.

Matt Faulkner CMO and Cofounder at MowMow said: “We are delighted to be teaming up with the Land Trust, an organisation that shares our passion for getting children spending more time outdoors and encouraging an active lifestyle.

“The game is already incredibly popular but our app will take things one step further, allowing families to plan their routes, share photos when they find the rocks, and track their step count along the way.

“MowMow is a country wide initiative and we hope that our first event at Wellesley Woodlands will trigger a chain reaction within schools, local communities, children’s clubs and families in general to encourage each other to get involved and get active.”

The Land Trust

Resin bound Addaset for communal area at school

Addagrip approved contractor Total Protection (GB) Ltd was invited to install over 1700m 2 of BBA approved Addaset Resin Bound surfacing as part of the redevelopment of the former Minchenden School site in Southgate.

As part of the works to convert an area of the site into a school for

upper end aged secondary autistic pupils, Total Protection (GB) Ltd was appointed by Thomas Sinden to install a resilient, seamless, porous surfacing for the external communal areas in contrasting colours.

The client chose to proceed with a 6mm Dorset Gold for the majority of the surface with a

contrasting 6mm Lucerne Silver for the benched seating areas.

Work was completed over a period of 6 non-consecutive days to meet the client’s deadline to ensure that the new surface was ready for the opening of the school.

Outdoor Musical InstrumentsIn Tune With Nature

Our finely crafted outdoor percussion instruments make a striking addition to any play area.

Budding musicians of all ages and abilities will want to try their hand on the giant drums, chimes and xylophones.

All instruments are carefully tuned to the same key, allowing players to explore sounds and rhythms in pairs or groups.

The EN1176 compliant designs are built to last, using materials that are guaranteed to retain

their musical and visual qualities over many years. We supply preassembled steel and timber frame models with full

instructions for installing into any surface.

Acoustic Arts

Addagrip

Multigenerational moveart playsculpture tackles challenges of modern family life in public space

Playrite aces it for Tennis Word with Matchplay 2

In the UK over 1.7 million people play tennis every month with 20% of those playing in clubs and 28% playing in leisure centres, with a staggering 5.4 million playing at least once a year.

Thanks to companies like Tennis World accessibility to grass roots tennis has now been well-established making it enjoyable, open, welcoming and relevant to everyone.

Tennis World would ultimately choose Yorkshire-based Playrite to supply their Matchplay 2 product to meet and surpass their stringent requirements.

“This was important to us as in the North East of England as we have so much bad weather.

Swiss moveart playsculpture are the latest innovative brand to be added to All Urban’s designer brand portfolio.

All Urban are dedicated to equipping landscape architects and urban designers with products such as these to achieve their mission of improving the quality in public space and moveart playsculptures are perfect for this. Moveart playsculpture are the original inventors for these interactive multiuse art objects which encourage fun and exploration for all. These objects create living spaces where young and old come together in a playful way… including grandparents.

The large-format, walk-in playsculptures inspire shared experimentation, creative movement, carefree communication or simply relaxation. These qualities bring a natural animation to urban spaces and help them to become places of rest, encounters and enjoyment for the whole family.

Ideal for city streets, plazas and squares, public parks and gardens, river and canal sides, patios, terraces, rooftops and courtyards, urban planners can choose from a set of beautifully designed standardised

sculptures or work together with moveart playsculpture ® to design bespoke forms which synthesise with a local landscape and community. Their versatility in form makes them ideal for small compact public spaces which want to cultivate more engagement.

The beautiful forms are inspired by the shape of the double helix, whose geometry symbolises the adaptability of life. Alluring in form, they have a harmonising and stimulating effect both on humans and on their material and natural surroundings making them perfectly suited for enriching public spaces.

The fascinating shapes contribute to the character of a space, their beauty can encourage families to walk and cycle bringing huge health and wellbeing benefits to everyone involved. These sustainable forms are manufactured from exceptionally durable accoya wood, and therefore have an extremely long life and keep maintenance to minimum. They are designed and manufactured in accordance with European safety standards for playground equipment SN EN 1176.

All Urban

Pitch and gym encourage the next Olympians

Basildon sport has received a shot in the arm following the opening of a near £1m scheme at Everyone Active’s Eversley Leisure Centre.

Witham-based ETC Sports Surfaces has installed new 3G football pitches and floodlights for 11-, nine-, seven- and fivea-side football, while contractor Morgan Sindall focused on the centre’s internal development.

The sports hall has been transformed into a state-of-the-art gym to add to the Basildon Sporting Village base of South Essex Gymnastic Club (SEGC) that has turned out star members, including Max Whitlock, Amy Tinkler and Brinn Bevan.

Basildon Council has invested £570,000 in the first outdoor allweather pitch in Pitsea, combined with £230,000 from SEGC and £123,900 from the Veolia Pitsea Marshes Maintenance Trust. The full size 3G football pitch allows

play all year round and provides players with the look and feel of natural turf and all the benefits of a hardwearing, weather and studresistant surface.

ETC worked alongside Zaun Ltd, who manufactured and supplied its Duo8 Super Rebound sports fencing system and gates to surround the pitch. Duo8 Super Rebound forms a robust play area that is highly durable, low maintenance and ‘graffiti-proof’, with great rebound properties similar to a wall and rubber inserts between panels and posts to keep ‘rattle’ during play to a minimum.

Councillor Kevin Blake, Basildon Council’s chairman of the leisure, culture and environment committee, said: “The development of a second gymnastics hub for the borough is a great opportunity for young people to try the sport for the first time.”

Zaun

Tennis World have recently upgraded their playing surfaces at their state-of-the art facility in Middlesbrough.

In the past Tennis World has served up several Wimbledon aces, now Middlesbrough’s largest independent tennis club has had its first makeover in 30 years.

In 2018 Tennis World was given a six-figure “New lease of life” with world-standard indoor and outdoor courts. Tennis World is unique in having 4 indoor and 6 outdoor courts.

Playrite is a division of National Floorcoverings, a UK family owned group of companies dating back to 1873. The business has a combined experience in a vast array of flooring types. Playrite is the only UK company to develop, design and manufacture all three types of artificial surface for sports and leisure, Tufted, Needlepunch and Woven.

Nigel Garton, Centre Manager, Tennis World commented: “We opted for the Playrite Matchplay 2 product for a few reasons. Outdoors we wanted an allweather medium paced artificial grass surface.”

He added; “We had visited various venues and tried various surfaces in the winter as we needed a surface which was playable during or immediately after rain.

“We decided we wanted a needlepunch surface as our research revealed this would be the hardest wearing medium-paced product and would be a great surface for all ages and standards.

“Also, Playrite are the only company using green and purple which we wanted as my research told me purple is the polaropposite colour to the yellow ball but also the colours look very good.

“The Playrite surfaces are excellent both in and outdoors. As soon as it stops raining outside you can play on them. Also, the bounce and comfort indoors are second to none.”

Ken Smith, Area Sales Manager, Playrite Ltd, commented: “Our Matchplay 2 surface was initially recommended by a technical consultant known to Nigel Garton at Tennis World.

“We visited Tennis World with sample products and supporting information plus further research. A visit by Tennis World staff to an existing tennis club using Matchplay 2 influenced their final decision.”

On challenges about the installation Ken Smith went on to further comment: “We had to ensure that the purple court colour fibre which was not a standard colour at that time could be sourced, manufactured and approved by Tennis World, all within budget and on time.

“A great tennis surface needs to be tested to industry standards with a performance level to suit specific club and player requirements. It’s also crucial to have a no-nonsense installation, aesthetically pleasing, low maintenance and be made in the UK.We developed an excellent working relationship with Tennis World by supplying a good line of communication and support throughout the specification and installation process.”

Playrite

Gerflor serves up success for table tennis club

The Goodwin Development Trust is an organisation committed to improving the quality of life within the communities of Hull.

Its Octagon Centre includes a state-of-the-art multi-use sports area, providing a range of sports facilities such as floor space for the Goodwin Table Tennis Club (GTTC) to practise and play on.

Providing a suitable playing surface for the GTTC would involve a local flooring installer supplying 300m2of top-quality flooring from international flooring specialist Gerflor.

It would prove to be an ideal project perfectly suited to Gerflor’s world-renowned Taraflex Table Tennis Floor.

Hull-based Floorcovers UK Limited specialise in commercial/domestic wall and floor coverings.

They have a wealth of experience and knowledge in fitting all types of flooring and wall coverings to a high standard.

Dave Randerson, Chairman Goodwin Table Tennis Club commented; “We wanted the best international table tennis standard flooring we could afford to make this new venue the best playing conditions in the town and surrounding Yorkshire area.

“We hoped to attract higher level table tennis matches to the venue. With the new Gerflor floor and support of the Goodwin Trust we believe we have done this.”

Engineered and developed in partnership with the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Taraflex Table Tennis Floor is available in a ready to go, easy to install portable playing surface (3.7 mmthick) and a permanent format (4.5 mm or 6.2 mmthick).

It provides excellent player comfort and protection with its structured embossing made for perfect footing.

When playing racket sports, the floor is part of the game. It should offer an excellent compromise between slide and grip for lateral moves, accelerations and changes of direction.

The Taraflex Table Tennis Floor (6.5mm thick permanent solution) provides a P1 level of shock absorption to EN 14904 (25% ≤ P1 < 35%) and has a ball bounce value of EN 12235 ≥ 90%. Both the portable and 6.2mm thick permanent solutions come with Triple Action Protecsol surface treatment for easy maintenance, friction-burn protection and an ‘intelligent’ sliding coefficient.

Gerflor

Go Ape! wins first-ever RoSPA Leisure Trophy for health and safety practices

Go Ape!, which has 34 activity sites across the UK, has been handed a prestigious award in recognition of its practices and achievements in managing risks at its sites.

The company has won the new RoSPA Leisure Trophy, sponsored by Sportscover, which is part of the internationallyrenowned RoSPA Health and Safety Awards, and which celebrates organisations that embrace and appropriately manage risks in leisure settings.

David Walker, RoSPA leisure safety manager, said: “Go Ape! demonstrated executive-level leadership and, importantly, engagement with risk. They were very clear about their appetite for risk with both staff and visitors, informing everyone of potential risks and their benefits, which is fundamental to this Leisure Safety Trophy win.”

Established in 2001 by exArmy tank commander Tristram Mayhew and wife Rebecca, Go Ape! has branched out across the country. It offers people the chance to take part in forest adventures, either high up among the trees or on woodland paths.

Linda Green, head of health and safety at Go Ape! said: “Winning this award is a huge achievement and demonstrates our clear commitment, and proven performance, in managing risks to our staff, contractors, volunteers and visitors.

As well as the competitive Leisure Safety Trophy, RoSPA also presents non-competitive leisure safety achievement awards, which recognise excellence in health and safety management among companies that primarily offer services direct to guests and visitors. This year, De Vere, Go Ape!, K:A Leisure and Nottingham City Council – Sport and Leisure all picked up a Gold Award, while East Kilbride Shopping Centre, Gedling Borough Council –Leisure Services, Meadowhall Centre Ltd and Zoological Society of London all won Silver Awards.

The RoSPA Awards scheme, which receives entries from organisations around the world, recognises achievement in health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement.

The majority of awards are non-competitive and mark achievement at merit, bronze, silver and gold levels. Gold medals, president’s awards, orders of distinction and the patron’s award are presented to organisations sustaining the high standards of the gold level over consecutive years.

Julia Small, RoSPA’s head of qualifications, awards and events, said:

with

awards this year including the Leisure Safety Awards, the Safe@Work Safe@ Home Award and the Inspiration Awards. Highly-respected, with almost 2,000 entrants every year, RoSPA award winners benefit from the wide-ranging rewards of improved sector reputation.”

sponsors and

The majority of awards are noncompetitive and mark achievement at merit, bronze, silver and gold levels. Gold medals, president’s awards, orders of distinction and the Patron’s Award are presented to organisations sustaining the high standards of the gold level over consecutive years.

Competitive awards go to the best entries in 24 industry sectors including construction, healthcare, transport and logistics, engineering, manufacturing and education.

There are specialist awards for health at work, environmental management and fleet safety, and excellence trophies for the best international, new entry, workforce involvement and organisation operating or based in Scotland. RoSPA’s top accolade is the Sir George Earle Trophy.

Headline sponsor of the RoSPA Awards 2019 is NEBOSH – the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health –for the 14th consecutive year.

“Go Ape! is a high-risk activity, and winning this award is testament to our incredibly robust health and safety management system.”

“The

RoSPA

Awards have become the key fixture in the health and safety calendar

new

new

RoSPA

Etesia Hydro 80 is an all-round performer

John Maxwell, managing director at Inverallan Landscapes, has reported a number of benefits from using the Etesia Hydro 80 MKHP ride-on mower.

He is quite particular when it comes to selecting machinery, insisting on using only equipment of the highest standard. Therefore, when he needed a new ride-on mower he was careful to ensure that it ticked all of the necessary boxes.

Measuring less than 1 metre wide, the Etesia Hydro 80 is easily transported in any vehicle whether it be a van or a trailer. Its compact size means that this impressive machine can pass through most gateways and its tight turning circle makes it ideal for small or awkward areas. It mows close to walls and fences and is highly manoeuvrable. Also, with its large-sized front wheels, the Etesia Hydro 80 easily overcomes all obstacles such as pavement kerbs.

It has been designed to cut and collect both long and short grass, without clogging. Add to that its compact dimensions, ease of use, hydrostatic drive and powerful 15hp twin-cylinder Kawasaki engine, and you have a highly efficient machine offering the kind of output that would easily replace three walkbehind mowers.

The Hydro 80 has been robustly built and requires minimal maintenance. Operators have access to the engine and all working parts and the hydrostatic transmission system is maintenance free.

The specially coated 60 mm tubular chassis is also designed for strength and long-life.

“We have had the Etesia Hydro 80 for three seasons now and it is used mostly every day between four different vans,” said John. “It is nice and light as opposed to some of our other larger equipment too. Up here the ground can be very wet and soft at times so the Hydro 80 is the ideal machine to get on and get these areas cut. We have the flexibility to mulch or pick-up the grass which is beneficial too.

“It is also brilliant when attending to large grass areas because as opposed to having two or three operators using push mowers, we can just have one person covering the whole area with the Hydro 80.”

If you require a large ride-on mower, Etesia UK has announced a ‘try before you buy’ offer.

Following a demonstration with an Etesia member of staff in attendance, customers will be presented with a cheque which will entitle them to an additional £500 discount on the purchase price of the Buffalo 100 range (BVHP2, BVHPX2, BPHP & BPHPX models) or a £1000 discount on the purchase price of the Hydro124 range (H124 DX, H124DN and H124DL models).

This offer is in addition to any discount the customer undertakes with the supplying dealer and runs until 31st December 2019.

Intelligent design from Amazone

Amazone’s new Profihopper 1500 SmartLine self-propelled mower is capable of high outputs up to 15,000m² per hour, thanks to a working speed of up to 10 km/h and a cutting width of 1.50m.

As a fine flail mower, the machine is designed to provide an excellent cutting quality in both short and long grass, with cut heights from 0-9cm. It is equipped with the SmartCut exact cut rotor with a chevron-shaped blade arrangement for improved cutting and pick-up quality.

Grass is compacted immediately after being picked up by the PowerCompactor auger conveyor system consists of both a longitudinal and a transverse auger, which enables the Profihopper to have higher conveying rates, and thus better forward speed, even in long grass.

The 45.6hp engine comes Stage V ready and without the need for Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF).

Amazone

Dutch club chooses Jacobsen

Perfection is the minimum requirement at Wassenaarse Golf Groendael in The Netherlands, and a new fleet of Jacobsen mowers will be contributing towards impeccable greens and immaculate fairways.

To meet the standards expected by the 350 members, the club turned to Jacobsen’s renowned quality of cut and after-cut presentation. A super light-weight SLF530 reel mower was selected for use on the fescue fairways for its exceptional aftercut presentation.

At Wassenaarse, all fairways are cross-mowed and boxed off, with a clear definition between the fairways and rough at all times.

Being able to adjust the units at the touch of a button has made achieving this defi nition easier along with the groomer system that is preventing the build-up of wet clippings and leaves falling into the grass sward Jacobsen

Etesia

PRO-Z-essional mowing from Cub Cadet

Proven by landscape professionals Cub Cadet’s

PRO Z Series of zero-turns will fulfil all your commercial requirements whilst providing a fast, premium quality cut.

The patented SyncroSteer technology with steering wheel means that inexperienced operators can easily use the steering wheel and dual hydrostatic transmission to control all four wheels, minimising the turf being churned by the wheels as it would on a lap bar zero-turn and ensuring the ultimate manoeuvrability – an exclusive offering in the commercial sector which reduces mowing time by up to 10% compared to lap bar mowers.

The ability to control all four wheels with a steering wheel and steerable front wheels, which sets the PRO Z Series apart from all other zero-turns,

provides greater hillside stability up to 20° and enhanced traction on uneven terrain as well as mowing in straighter lines.

The PRO Z series powers through the thickest grass in one pass at maximum speeds of up to 12mph meaning you can do the job quicker. The high lift Marbain blades with a blade tip speed up to 18,500 fpm and the 3” total blade overlap will ensure that you always get a tight consistent cut.

The frame and axle on the PRO Z5 and Z7 float as the machines move allowing the deck to follow the shape of the terrain and avoids scalping.

Commercial grade petrol engines rather than diesel from Kohler and Kawasaki provide the consistent power you need to get the job done and maximise your work-day – reducing the downtime which could cost you

both time and money. The petrol engines benefit from having lower emissions and reduced fuel usage.

Comfort is at the forefront of each machine’s design. Your operators can experience a smooth ride all day long thanks to the cushioned and isolated dampening system on the top of the range PRO Z Z7 – meaning they are working in vibrationcontrolled comfort, lessening downtime for your business.

Angled back adjustments, padded armrest and lumbar support give added protection across the whole range.

The PRO Z series has everything and more that you would expect from a quality professional machine - ultimate performance, comfort and durability that delivers a fast, premium cut.

Cub Cadet

The ride-on mower with remote control functionality

Mowing on steep and diffi cult terrain has always been a challenge for the machine operator and the AS 940 and AS 940 XL ride on brushcutter have beenespeciallydevelopedforthis demandingapplication.

With ride-on brushcutters, steep slopescanbemownconveniently andeconomically.However,there arealwaysareaswheremowingis very unpleasant or unsafe for the operator, including steep terrain, loose substrate, mowing under trees and bushes, along hedges andevenareasaroundwaspnests.

ASMotorhavethesolution-theAS 940 Remote Control which offers all the benefi ts of the standard AS 940butwiththeoptiontoconvertto remotecontrolwhenrequired.

PSD Groundscare

Groundbreaking new mower from TYM

The innovative new TYM T194 is generating acclaim in the market because it means customers can have a product that has the features of a ride on mower, with the additional functionality of a tractor.

Equipped with a 54-inch midmounted deck, mowing height can be adjusted from the seat via the onboard height-of-cut lever which is easy to use and intuitive to set.

Its tractor credentials hinge on the category one three-point linkage and 540 rpm rear PTO which allows for many rearmounted attachments to be fitted and enabling it to be used for numerous tasks around the garden, orchard, woods and fields.

summer

autumn, as well winter sweeping and clear-up, and spring

Ventrac all-terrain compact tractor works for institute

ISEKI improves popular range with new outfront mower

The New ISEKI SF224 mower offers the most economical way to cut grass commercially with high productivity plus the added benefit of the new 22.5hp engine enabling customers to save on fuel costs and initial purchasing costs of their machinery.

Offering a range of decks to suit the various customer sites and cutting cycles, customers can choose from the tried and tested Wessex, ISEKI and Muthing fl ail decks, or the new ISEKI outfront rotary deck.

The new ISEKI 60” (1525 mm)outfront rotary deck with three blades ensures that no grass is left uncut even when undertaking tight turns.

The cutting height can be adjusted from 25mm to 125mm (1-5”) in 12.5mm (0.5”) increments as required. A mulching kit is available to order if required.

Product Manager, Richard Tyrrell commented: “With the new SF224 operators can be more effective and productive with their time, taking all the equipment with them in the large storage bed on the back of the mower, keeping items safe with the operator, eliminating the need to keep going back to the van to empty bins or change tools.”

These high-performance out-front mowers are highly productive and manoeuvrable, designed to facilitate grass cutting in difficult areas.

The mowers are equipped with easy to use two-pedal hydrostatic transmission and automatic or selectable 4WD. There is also a lockable differential for use when conditions demand. To ensure efficient engine cooling the radiator is fitted with an automatic reversing fan so preventing the blockage of the grill. Operators are well catered for with a spacious, comfortable platform, ergonomic controls and excellent visibility. The steering column is easily adjusted to suit the operator.

Routine maintenance and servicing is easily carried out thanks to excellent access to the engine, radiator and service points.

ISEKI

Landscaping Manager George Reeder is the man tasked with the job of managing the 110acre estate at The SAS Institute at Medmenham, near Marlow in Buckinghamshire.

To assist in their year-round estate management programme he has recently added a Ventrac 4500 compact tractor and attachments to his fleet.

The Medmenham estate consists of formal gardens and lawns, a unique arboretum, a cricket pitch for staff use as well as the local village team, a 3-hole pitch-and-putt course, 5-a-side football pitch, wildflower meadow, river frontage to the Thames and staff allotments.

“Our mid-mounted rotary mower was nearing the end of its

working life,” he said, “and we saw the Ventrac with its Contour deck at a dealer open day.

“It worked exceptionally well later during a demonstration, producing great stripes and has now replaced our cylinder mower as well.

“Rye stalks, which are problematic for a cylinder machine, are no longer an issue as it deals with them admirably. This versatility has enabled us to replace two machines with one. As well as the Contour deck we have also purchased a Finishing deck and a ToughCut deck and there’s scope to purchase additional implements in the future.

“Its compact nature means we can get under branches and we have

saved considerable man-hours on strimming due to its out-front design and manoeuvrability.

“The Finishing deck, which mulches effectively and is rear discharge, works great in all conditions. Height adjustment is simple and it does not scalp easily.

“The tractor has a relatively small engine, minimal hydraulics and is good on fuel. The flip up decks are easy to clean and it provides a comfortable working platform for the operator.

“The ToughCut deck is equally impressive, especially in little maintained areas where it can cut through saplings and long brush with ease. All in all, a great addition to our fleet here at Medmenham.”

Price Turfcare

The

With a range of rotary or flail decks to suit various sites and cutting cycles plus the large storage box allowing you to take all your tools and rubbish bags with you, the SF224 helps you to be even more efficient with your time. Contact your local dealer to book a demonstration today.

More deck options, storage, efficiency, performance and specifications. With less vibration, noise, cost and complication.

New ISEKI SF224 mower offers the most economical way to cut grass commercially with high productivity plus the added benefit of the new Stage V compliant 22.5hp engine enabling you to save money on fuel costs and initial purchasing cost.

Husqvarna offer a host of technical developments

All Husqvarna front-mount mowers use Husqvarna’s patented BioClip feature which repeatedly circulates leaves and clippings through the blades, cutting them into small pieces, before dropping onto the lawn.

These cuttings pass through the grass, down to the soil, working as a natural fertiliser.

Front-mounted Combi cutting decks are stamped from a single piece of heavy gauge steel and are designed to offer efficient mulch performance.

Available in cutting widths from 112-155cm, the decks are easily converted to rear ejection.

An articulated steering system improves manoeuvrability giving an uncut circle of 50cm at full lock and boosting efficiency in narrow spaces and around obstacles.

An independent all-wheel drive transmission automatically adjusts the traction on all wheels ensuring grip on uneven, wet and slippery areas and slopes.

Husqvarna

Ransomes TR320 is perfectly balanced

The Ransomes TR320 triplex cylinder mower is the perfect balance of power, manoeuvrability cut quality and comfort. It has been designed for a number of uses across the sports turf industry including rugby, football, cricket outfields, parks and gardens.

Cutting these areas requires a mower that offers strength, longevity, durability and a highprecision cut and with these features combined with the industry’s narrowest transport width, the TR320 is the perfect multi-area cylinder mower.

The industry leading machine uses a powerful 24.8hp Kubota diesel engine that sits transversely in the chassis enhancing the low centre of gravity and helping even weight distribution between the wheels.

These characteristics in turn ensure maximum traction, reducing turf damage. This design allows the hydraulic tank to be mounted at the rear of the unit adding to the weight distribution, traction and importantly the slope working and approach angles. Traction is further enhanced with the standard fit of a rear wheel drive system and an optional weight transfer kit that ensures enhanced traction on wet slopes.

The lightweight footprint of the machine allows it to operate in varying weather conditions whilst always putting minimal stress on the turf. Operating the mower in tight spaces is aided by the threewheel drive configuration which also ensures maximum traction and manoeuvrability even on steep slopes.

The TR320 is unique in its class with the ability to raise the cutting units to a vertical position. Doing this reduces the cutting width from 1.83m down to 1.64m, making it easier to access smaller areas, drive through ornamental gardens and store the machine in limited space.

Ransomes renowned highquality cutting units come in a number of options to suit a variety of surfaces with a choice of fi ve or seven bladed cylinders. The three cutting units are hydraulically driven with outboard motor drive and can be configured in either a full lift with vertical fold up of the front units or lift horizontally only allowing the motors to

be tucked inside the units for a close cut to borders, hedges and fence lines.

The units have the flexibility to offer forward or rear discharge of the grass clippings with optional grass collection boxes providing a clean finish to quality turf areas.

Operator comfort and safety are also at the forefront of the TR320 design. The ergonomic operator platform provides exceptional comfort with a fully adjustable control arm and seat. A one-piece hood is easily raised for access to the engine and all common service parts.

Ransomes

Hinckley finds value in fleet finance

Founded in 1894, Hinckley Golf Club is one of Leicestershire’s finest parkland courses and is now looking to build on its reputation as one of the ‘must play’ courses in the Midlands, after investing in a new John Deere course maintenance equipment fleet supplied by local dealer Farol Ltd.

General manager John Prior and course manager Adam Castle opted for a new approach to financing the package deal, which brought their first ever John Deere machines to the club.

These include mowers for the tees, fairways, approaches and greens, an aerator and a compact tractor plus ancillary equipment.

The deal was also the first by Farol’s newest golf & turf area sales manager Jacob Shellis, who worked as a greenkeeper at The Belfry before joining the dealership.

“A big selling point for us was that the John Deere Financial offer was very flexible, so we were able to structure the deal around what suited us best financially,” says John Prior.

“We chose a mix of operating lease and hire purchase to deliver best value for the club, with machines that will still be in good condition at the end of the deal bought on HP, and going down the lease route for the kit that will run up longer hours.

“After an initial meeting to discuss the options, Adam and I were really impressed with the whole set-up at John Deere as well as the Farol dealership process. The fact that John Deere has its own bank for example proves it is a very robust business, and everyone involved worked really hard to put the deal together.

“Once we saw the overall levels of dealer service and back-up, the speed of parts delivery

and efficiency of repairs and maintenance, it gave both Adam and I, and ultimately the club’s board, the confidence that this was the right approach.

“Then after having the machines on demonstration for a couple of months, we quickly saw improvements in the course condition and aesthetics and decided there was no reason to look elsewhere. We wanted to establish a foundation for the next deal and the one after that, giving us more consistency and productivity – if it’s successful, it provides the club with a blueprint going forward.

“Seeing the results was justification of the expenditure to the board, and I have no doubt this process has helped us to attract new members and retain existing ones.

“It’s not just about the machinery either, it’s the whole package of product support, training and the relationship that’s been established between the club and our new partners that’s making a big difference.”

Course manager Adam Castle put the package together with Jacob Shellis’ assistance and presented the deal together with John Prior to the club board for their approval. “The overall message was that we were looking for greater efficiency and cost savings, particularly by reducing the expensive downtime that we had been experiencing with our previous fleet.

“Since the new machines arrived we’ve become more efficient and productive, we’re getting jobs done more quickly and costeffectively and we’re using less fuel – that’s all we could ask for.

The three A Model mowers we have bought can be set using the advanced TechControl feature, so we get the speed settings we want and everything clearly and

easily set up on the dashboard, for better, more consistent cutting across the course.

“You always get niggles with new machines, but the speed with which any service issues have been dealt with has been notable right from the start.

“We did have a problem with a greens mower early on, but the

The greenkeeping team is enjoying using the new machines and you can clearly see the results of this out on the course, which is looking better than ever.”

John Deere

New Grillo FD900 out-front mower

Grillo UK are pleased to announce the release of their new FD900 out-front mower with Stage V compliant engine. With class leading features this is sure to enhance the brand still further.

A triple blade 126cm cutter deck ensures complete collection into the 750ltr hopper. Height adjustment is hydraulically controlled with no need to stop.

Four-wheel drive with diff lock comes as standard along with a full UK road kit.

Steve Gadsby of Grillo said: “With the advent of new engine regulations shortly coming into effect we believe this competitively priced machine with its Stage 5, 25hp engine together with Grillo’s excellent build quality will be appreciated by homeowners and professionals alike.

“The FD 900 can also accept a 132cm flail mower which can be offset from side to side.”

dealer sorted it out within four hours – this is one of the main reasons we chose Farol and John Deere.

Grillo UK

Ventrac – one machine and alternative attachments

The Ventrac 4500 compact tractor is ideal for maintaining hedges and verges in safety, as it is an effective and versatile implement carrier with numerous attachments, that can tackle inclines of up to 30 degrees.

Maintaining verges beside highways is always an issue, usually resulting in lane closures and other safety measures, so time is of the essence.

The Ventrac 4500 with its choice of mowing decks is a highly

productive combination allowing large areas to be mown, quickly and efficiently.

Easy servicing of belts and pulleys is provided by hinged and removable covers. The tilt-up decks provide easy access to the heavy-duty blades that counter rotate to cut and deposit waste evenly without windrowing.

The recently introduced Boom Mower is the perfect tool for cutting back hedges, shrubs and small trees. The reciprocating

cutting head, with a reach in excess of 2.74 metres (108 inches), features a double action 91.4 cm (36 inch) sickle bar with an auto-levelling system, which keeps the head at the desired angle of cut for consistent operation.

Its out-front mounting system provides excellent visibility for the operator and like all Ventrac attachments it’s quick and easy to install and folds into itself for compact storage.

Price Turfcare

TWIGA Classic now offers even more value

Spearhead’s best-value TWIGA Classic hedge and verge cutters now include a model with variable forward reach (VFR) technology.

The New Classic VFR is a gamechanger for farmers, contractors and local authorities.

Tackling sizeable mowing and cutting jobs with ease, the brand-new VFR model enables the operator to move the arm forward and work within his peripheral field of vision, even when driving. This is a distinctive advantage for driver comfort - optimum visibility and a forward-facing stance can be maintained.

high grass and steep slopes conveniently, safely and economically.

Maximum results with a new mini range

New from Ryetec for the 2019 season are the Mini Multi-Use offset verge and bank mowers.

A development of the MultiUse mower for larger tractors, the Mini Multi-Use range offers a similarly robust mower but designed to suit compact tractors.

“With this type of machine where the heaviest part, the mowing head, can be used completely offset it is important to match it to the tractor’s lift capacity and wheelbase to ensure stabilitythe Mini Multi-Use is available in a light and heavy duty version and in three cutting widths.

This gives a range of weights from 260 to 390kg to suit compact tractors from 20 to 45hp and above, with cutting widths of 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6m,” explains Ryetec’s Mark Harrison.

The Mini Multi-use can mow directly behind the tractor, or hydraulic offset of 130cm can move the head to a fully offset position, so the tractor does not drive on the grass to be cut, ideal for verges, woodland rides and overgrown areas where it is not always possible to see obstructions hidden in the undergrowth.

The mowing head can also pivot with a fl oating hydraulic ram, allowing mowing to 50deg down a bank or ditch side or lifting to +90deg to trim hedgerows and bushes.

Designated MUML (Light) and MUMH (Heavy duty) the main difference is the flails, MUML machines operated with Ryetec’s light weight delta cast hammer flail which offers a cutting capacity up to 25mm and a fine finish.

A hammer flail which can cut woody material up to 50mm in diameter is used on the MUMH; both machines feature a full width height adjustable rear roller and ejection of the cut grass over the rear roller for an even spread of cuttings. Also now available across the full range of Ryetec’s compact side arm flails is a new electronic joystick single lever control system.

The Ergo stick system offers a single lever operation in a compact unit designed to offer a comfortable and easy to use control which can be fine-tuned to suit personal taste. The Ergo stick’s top is hand-shaped with a roller switch for head angle control from the operator’s thumb and simple movement of the hand for second arm and main boom operation.

Ryetec

The TWIGA Classic range is well-known for great value, long-term service and robust build quality.

The addition of VFR capability has raised the bar even further. Spearhead

Flexibility is key with KUHN

KUHN Farm Machinery offers a range of hedge and verge maintenance machinery, starting with the Agri-longer with 4.3 and 4.8m reach with 1.2m flail head, suitable for tractors of 70hp.

There’s a choice of cable or electronic joystick control.

Offering greater reach of 5m and suitable for tractors of 80hp, the Pro-Longer has electronic four function joystick control as standard.

Using KUHN’s Optiview parallelogram pivot-mounted arm for extended vertical and horizontal reach and increased arm rigidity, the Multi-Longer GII has a reach of 5.7m and matches 90hp tractors.

The company also offers the Spring-Longer and TBE/TBES ranges of offset arm verge shredders which can be front or rear mounted, with a choice of tools from spoon flails to articulated hammer flails.

BPR horizontal axis shredders canalsobefrontorrearmounted and are from 2.10 to 3.05m working width.

McConnel brings the power with new range

McConnel’s new heavy-duty 75-series Power Arms are designed to meet the needs of contractors and municipalities.

Superseding the popular 1000 series, the new 75-Series features a radical new oil tank design which has an integrated oil cooler fan.The unique design delivers outstanding de-aeration performance, improved cooling and eliminates areas within the tank where resting oil can concentrate.

This new design improves efficiency, performance and durability, ensures consistent cooling in all weather conditions, and reduces heat build-up.

The 75-Series comes with a choice of fi ve different reach options from 5.6m to 8.0m including VFR and TeleVFR armset and are powered by a 70hp high-performance hydraulic system. LED lighting, high visibility strobe work lights and reflective rear chevrons now also come as standard.

REVOLUTION, McConnel flagship Power Arm control, can now be specifi ed with a mini joystick.

Previously, the control system was only available with a large joystick, but customers can now choose the style of joystick they prefer, without losing any of the advanced functionality REVOLUTION offers.

This includes full proportional control of up to eight different functions as well as two further bang-bang functions.

It also comes with McConnel’s acclaimed Easy Drive System, boosting safety and increasing

verge mowing speeds by up to 4.5 times the norm. REVOLUTION MINI also utilizes the same 5.5 inch display control unit which is found on the standard Revolution.

The screen can be mounted anywhere within the tractor cab and provides at-a-glance information on active functions, power output, job hours, service alerts and much more.

The screen also allows users to customize a variety of different functions to suit personal preferences for specific tasks at a touch of a button.

McConnel

Top of the range Pro-Longer GII also uses the Optiview arm and has a more powerful cutting head, with a tractor requirement of 100hp.

Multiple applications for Bobcat forestry cutters

Mounted on T590H and T770H loaders, Bobcat forestry cutters have very varied applications, particularly for those with compact or limited site access.

The cutters are ideal for forestry including cutting fire breaks in woods and forests, clearing work and removing/thinning unwanted undergrowth, shrubs and trees; wildlife, national park,

leisure, golf club and country estate management; perimeter maintenance of facilities such as schools and military bases; to site development in construction for removing undergrowth and trees before site and hazardous waste survey work.

The forestry cutters can also be used to maintain vegetation, brambles and shrubs next to Path

and Ride areas, pathways and other right-of-ways, including removal of invasive species such as Rhododendron plants; utilities (electric lines, walkways, bridges, canals and riversides); rail lines and embankments and roadside verges and banks next to highways as well as clean-up work after storms and floods.

KUHN

Bobcat

Etesia unveil two new Attila brushcutter models

holiday parks and road verges. Ease of operation and manoeuvrability ensure total efficiency and high output.

Efficiency:

• Heavy-duty brush cutting (up to Ø 30 with AH75 and Ø20 with AK60) Mowi ng on the most difficult slopes (up to 20°) thanks to the hydraulic transmission with a differential lock

• T wo idlers that can be locked without a tool for improved stability on slopes in the AH75

• Possibility to fit two wider rear wheels as an option

• Cutting height adjustment with three positions from the handle

Handle offset control from the operating position with three working positions and one transport position

Comfort: High manoeuvrability thanks to the hydraulic transmission and three forward speeds and one reverse speed

• Differential lock can be engaged without interrupting movement

• All operating controls are available from the operating position for convenience and safety

• Protection for controls and hands with the guards incorporated into the handle with a three-position adjustment facility

• Central handle that allows easier access to low controls (parking brake, forward transmission bypass, engine starter), with full protection for cables

• Parking brake for safe immobilisation

• An ti-vibration rubber handles

Ruggedness: Machine can be moved into vertical position to gain access to the cutter blade for maintenance and cleaning

• Maintenance-free hydrostatic transmission with forced-air cooling, integrated expansion vessel

• F lail blades: reversible, protect the blade transmission system, low maintenance costs

• Rugged and reliable engines: Engine crank shaft mounted on bearings.

The AK60 model is fitted with a Kawasaki FJ180 OHV engine with a 60cm cutting width, while the AH75 is fitted with a Honda GXV 390 engine with a 75cm cutting width. A full two-year commercial warranty comes as standard.

Etesia UK

Mastering challenging tasks with Weaving

A relatively recent addition to the ranks of hedge and verge maintenance suppliers, Weaving Machinery offers several ranges.

Agrimaster in-line machines have a special cutting action which throws material over the top of the roller, keeping the cutting rotor clean and leaving a neater cut.

The Agrimaster XL is designed for trimming roadside verges, ditches and embankments suitable for tractors from 20-30hp. With right hand operation the XL can be used behind the tractor or hydraulically offset to operate outside the tractor rear wheel.

The cutting head can be angled from vertical for siding hedges to 45deg downwards into ditches at the touch of a lever. A hydraulic safety break-back system prevents collision damage. Working widths are 1.3-1.8m.

Suitable for general use on a 60100hp tractor with Cat II linkage, the Agrimaster KL270 takes the place of a 3m topper. It features a fixed counter knife, paddle flails and a rear roller and has a working width of 2.7m.

To tackle hedges, the Agrimaster Giraffe using a reciprocatingbladewhichdrops trimmings to the floor rather than throwing them, making it ideal for use in parks, schools and public areas.

Only a small compact tractor is required which gives access to confined spaces and it gives a clean, tidy cut and finish, says Weaving Machinery.

Withacutterbarlengthof1.2m, maximum sideways reach of 3.3m and a maximum cutting height of 4.6m, specification includes cable control, right hand cut, oil flow control and safety bracket.

Suitable for tractors from 25–50hp operating in large gardens andpublicareassuchasparks,the Agrimaster Compact comes with sturdycablecontrols,parallelarm linkage and head float.

It is available in versions from 3.2m reach with 80cm head to 5m reach with 1.2m head.

Etesia UK has unveiled two new Attila pedestrian brushcutters ahead of the 2019 season. With built-in rugged reliability as standard,

the new Etesia AK60 and AH75 pedestrian brushcutters have been designed to work in the toughest of conditions. These powerful workhorses

effectively deal with clearing vegetation from a wide variety of sites – long grass, weeds, bracken and brambles on woodland paths, orchards,

The remote option increases in popularity

Giving the facility to attach outfront PTO driven units, the RoboFlail Vario is a diesel powered tracked machine.

The Mini is has a 50cm cut using an underslung rotary deck; the RoboFlail One is avaiable in petrol and diesel versions and has a 1.2m cut underslung STM deck for cutting in either direction.

The RoboFlail One Petrol is a lighter weight machine than the larger outfront remote control mowers on the market; and coupled with its new deeper profile herringbone tracks designed to minimise slipping in wet conditions, this looks to account for a steady rise in sales in recent months.

The machine comes with a UK-built three-blade rotary deck slung directly underneath, which makes for a compact design that’s useful for transporting and planning cutting patterns.

It can be used to cut grass up to 60cm high, but can also leave a neat regular cut down to 7 5cm.

Specialist solutions from Kilworth

Kilworth Machinery offers the Procomas range of flail arms for specialist vegetation management.

The BS82 side arm fl ail hedge cutter fitted to a tractor is very useful for sites with restricted access. It swings from left to right hydraulically and can be used in either direction, so is ideal for fi tting to a reverse drive tractor.

Used in this way the operator has full sight of the flail head in front of him or her. It’s also handy when working canal towpaths as the flail can be swung over the water when passing under the low bridges.

The BS82 is suitable for grass and hedge cutting on banks and verges and for general estate maintenance.

Designed for tractors up to 60hp, rotor speed is 3000rpm and control is via a bank of four levers or electronic switch box. Weighing in at 535kg, the mower has a reach of 4.3m, and

Make quick work with Billy Goat brushcutter mowers

Whether you’re looking to tackle overgrow bushes and fields, needing to clear meadows or cut pathways quickly and easily, landowners and farmers will find the Billy Goat brushcutters are the answer.

With a choice of five machines in the range, these heavy-duty machines dramatically improve productivity and profitability, as they cut away and clear shrubbery effortlessly.

The BC2600HH and BC2600HEBH, have a 26”/ 66 cm wide pivoting deck with higher tip speed for improved speed and cut quality, no job is too tough. Engineered to glide over uneven terrain, the pivoting brush deck hugs the ground for a better cut. This minimises scalping and improves traction by keeping the weight of the machine on its drive wheels.

The next machine in the line, the BC2600HHEU, offers all the great features of the BC Series with pivoting deck and variable Tuff Torq hydrostatic transmission but it has lockable front caster wheels to help hold its position on hillsides.

Finally, the BC2600HM and BC2600ICM, complete the range offering a 26”/ 66 cm wide fi xed deck

This commercial-duty brush cutter mower provides excellent stability in deep vegetation and the mechanical transaxle, featuring three speeds forward and one reverse, is ideal for clearing meadows and fi elds or cuttingpathsandtrailswherever densebrushandweedspresenta clean-up challenge.

Henton & Chattel

isfi ttedwithan80cmfl ailheadas standard; optional 1.0m fl ails or 1.2mcutterbarscanbespecifi ed.

Spider is designed brushcutting on steep slopes

Banks and hillsides are difficult to maintain and, in this health and safety-conscious age, councils and landscape contractors have to think very carefully before sending in teams to maintain these areas.

However, there is now an alternative as Nick Penn, Territory Sales Manager for Spider Mowers in the UK explains: “Spider mowers were designed for a specific purpose using rotary blades to cut through thick vegetation on steep hillsides and are the only remote-controlled mower with wheeled traction.

“They have been adopted in the UK by the Environment Agency, many local and municipal authorities and national and regional landscape contractors.

“Spider’s USP is that it can mow slopes of up to 40 degrees comfortably and up to 55 degrees with its integral stabilising winch system.

It can cut down brambles, gorse, long grass and small saplings, making it ideal for this type of application. Unlike its tracked competitors, which tend to tear up the terrain when turning in

soft or wet conditions, it has 4-wheel drive and 4-wheel steering, a light footprint and a mulching action, which leaves a very acceptable finish.

“From an operator perspective, they are not in contact with the machine, so there are no hand and arm vibration issues, they are operating it remotely so they are subject to less noise and they can stand on level ground, without the strain on skeletal joints normally associated with brushcutting.”

Spider Mowers

Robots now a commercial option

Husqvarna is targeting robotic mowers at commercial customers with the Automower 500 Series.

The range now consists of three models with an area capacity of up to 5000m2 per machine. New for 2019 is the all-wheel drive Husqvarna Automower 535 AWD which allows slopes of up to 70% to be maintained, compared to 45% for the standard models.

The mowers are designed to cut little and often, recycling the micro-clippings back into the soil improving grass quality whilst maintaining a consistent grass length. All models come with Husqvarna Fleet Services built-in,

enabling fleet management and mower control from a smartphone, tablet or laptop.

Said to be ideal for applications including grounds maintenance, sports facilities, commercial properties, holiday parks etc, multiple machines can be installed for businesses with several grassed areas, and the Automower can also maintain complex areas with obstacles and work at night.

All models are specified with an anti-theft alarm and GPS theft tracking, automatic passage handling, lift and tilt sensors and ultrasonic collision sensors.

Working height adjustment is electric and the mowing unit is weather proof; GPS assisted navigation guides the mower around the working area

Simon Tullett Machinery offers RoboFlail tracked remote control machines in four variants: the Mini, the RoboFlail One Petrol, the RoboFlail One Diesel and the RoboFlail Vario.

Kilworth Machinery

Simon Tullet Machinery

Husqvarna

New models boost versatile Branson range

Branson Tractors UK have a full range of hydrostatic and mechanical transmission tractors from 19 to 75HP.

The Branson brand offers the discerning customer a professional specification of compact tractor, with a 2 year or 1000 hour warranty, at a price you can afford.

The new entry level 1905h, boasting a Yanmar 19HP diesel power unit, is very competitively priced without compromising quality or reliability. Branson also offers a full range of turf, agricultural and industrial specifi cation tyres as standard and a full range of ancillary attachments such as loaders, backhoes, mowers and trailers.

Also new to the market this year

These tractors are an evolution from the highly successful F series 35 and 45 HP ROPS tractors and offer a new fully specifi ed factory fi tted cab with Bluetooth radio, aircon, super bright LED worklight bar and have been specifi cally designed to be low enough to fi t into a standard shipping container for overnightstorage.Thismakesthe Branson range an ideal solution for landscaping, contractors and professional owners alike.

For parts and service backup, there is a Branson Tractor dealership network across the UK, which can be found at the dealer locator on our website, and both a UK and Central European Parts stocking centre for rapid spare parts supply

Top performance from TYM at Elland Road

Elland Road, home of Leeds United Football Club, has been using a TYM T503 at its training grounds since 2017 and has now chosen the tractor brand for the stadium.

Head groundsman Kiel Barrett says: “The T503 has delivered over and above expectations and worked brilliantly for our annual renovation work at the training ground as well as for topdressing and stripping turf off. It’s a really reliable workhorse.”

With such an assured performance it made sense to invest in TYM again for Elland Road, says Kiel: “We’ve recently invested in another TYM tractor because what we’ve been using has performed so well. We’ve found models to suit the surfaces at both the stadium and the training grounds which are very different despite being the same length and width.”

Since having the machine, which is being used for moving equipment, carrying out drainage, aeration and spraying, Kiel has not been disappointed: “The T393 is the perfectadditiontothestadium’s maintenance fl eet.

“Like the T503 at the training ground,it’sahugeimprovement fromthepreviousequipmentwe were using and we can really tell the difference.

“In terms of a compact tractor range, TYM is one of the best around and I foresee that in the coming years it’s going to be seen more and more across the grounds industry.

“Plus,ithasthebenefi tofReesink as its distributor who I trust to providehigh-qualityproducts.”

Reesink Turfcare

New addition to popular L2 Series

Kubota has added a new model to the L2 Series. The 62hp L2602 features the HST Plus, designed to provide optimal control and easy operation of both the hydraulic pump and the drive motor.

In addition to three range shift speeds, Kubota’s HST Plus includes a lever to shift between high and low speeds in each range, giving six speeds in total. There is also the option to set up automatic Hi/Lo shifting between the high and low speeds whilst on the move.

The new Auto Throttle Advance feature links the HST pedal and the engine throttle, synchronising tractor speed and engine revs. This not only makes the tractor easier to operate but also helps reduce fuel consumption – all the operator needs to do to control tractor speed and engine revs is to depress the HST pedal.

There is also a load sensing feature on the transmission.

If it detects a drop in engine RPM, it will automatically regulate HST pump and motor activity. With three modes to choose from, transmission operation can be adjusted to the task in hand by depressing a button to select the next mode.

Standard specification includes a premium cab with deluxe suspension seat,12V charging socket, power steering and the Intellipanel LED screen providing operational information. There is a range of loaders to match L2 tractors.

Adrian Langmead, Business Development Manager for Kubota UK Tractor and Groundcare, commented: “The new L2 Series is really making its mark on the groundcare industry – the L2602’s new engine reduces emissions to make the tractor compliant with stage 5 emissions regulations, whilst maintaining a high level of power and torque.”

John Deere fleet is perfect fit

The Royal Automobile Club’s John Deere tractor fleet includes a 4520 and two 4066R compact models, supplied by Farol.

“I like features such as cruise control, automatic engine systems that allow the tractor to be operated in the mode best suited to the application, Hitch Assist inching control and particularly the cab, which has excellent visibility and clear digital displays,” says golf course manager Lee Strutt.

“Deere has done a good job of modernising the workspace for the operator, it’s very comfortable and all the controls come to hand very easily.

“If operators enjoy driving the machines they use, they’ll do a better job.”

Kubota

Members of the Royal Automobile Club greenkeeping team (left to right) Simon Glover, Andy Airlee, Lee Strutt

and Gary Stewart with the club’s two John Deere 4066R compact tractors flanking a new 5125R utility tractor.

Picture by Ash Youd Photography. John Deere

idverde choose Reform again

Supplied by the Ilminster-based Loxston Groundcare dealership, national landscaping and groundscare services provider idverde has taken delivery of a second Reform Metrac - a H7RX, to be used primarily for highway maintenance work.

Simon Richard, the UK agent for the Reform specialist bank tractor range the H7RX’s low centre of gravity, combined with constant power hydrostatic drive provides maximum ground contact and the suspended front axle ensures that all four wheels have permanent ground contact even on uneven terrain.

Additionally, an inching pedal means the operator can work around trees, shrubs etc, with confidence. Depending on task, selection can be made between four wheel, front wheel, rear wheel or continuously adjustable crab steering mode.

Paynes Turf first to go for Fleischmann

Paynes Turf is the first company in the United Kingdom to utilise the Fleischmann Electric 5 Deck Rotary Mower.

The Essex based turf farmers purchased the second machine

ever made after seeing a demonstration of the first in 2017.

The mower has five 2.20 metre cutting decks with six blades per deck, giving a 10-metre overall cutting width.

It features a braked steering rear axle, and the lower linkage pivoting hitch provides great manoeuvrability as it’s connected to the rear steer axle, enabling cutting speeds up to 20kph.

Each blade on the five cutting decks is powered by a low maintenance electric motor, leaving behind traditional gearboxes and PTO shafts whilst eliminating the risk of oil leaks.

The six high tip speed blades in each deck give more cuts per metreandexcellentclipdispersal because the electric motor spins them much faster than PTO driven blades.

The modern generator used to power the mower is very efficient and lowers all the factors you want less of.

That’s low PTO requirements, low engine revs and lower noise output for quiet operation

Campey Turf Care

Double finance deal for TYM tractors

Reesink Turfcare is taking flexible finance to a new level for TYM Tractors offering not one, but two options to help customers get the tractor they need.

Steven Haynes, TYM sales manager for TYM at Reesink, says: “Reesink’s motto is to offer customers more, and as such we’ve worked hard to bring to market two very competitive finance options on TYM’s sub, mid-duty and heavy-duty compact tractor ranges.

“Zero percent finance is available on up to an incredible 75 percent of the retail value of the tractor, whichever option you choose.”

With two options available depending on whether you’d rather buy now and pay later, or spread the cost over three years, Steven says: “These finance options are designed to help customers buy the tractors they need without compromising cash flow, allowing them to replenish or add to their fleet of turfcare equipment in a way that suits their financial situation.”

For those who opt for option one, there’s nothing to pay until May 2020, while the second option spreads the cost over three years with three months payment upfront then 33 equal monthly payments thereafter

ThankstotheTYM’sinnovative features such as easy-to-read LED displays, hydrostatic power-steering and optional weather cab, it’s easy to see why TYM is fast becoming the first choice for greenkeepers and groundsmen.

And Reesink is gearing up for thebrand’sincreasingpopularity by bringing more choice to customers, more product launches, more attachments and more fi nance options.

Both options are available until 29 November 2019 and are available on all tractors in the TYM range except the T194 and TS25 models. Finance is subject to acceptance and only available in the UK.

Reesink Turfcare

Simon Richard

To reduce nutrient leaching on their sand-based surfaces, AFC Bournemouth’s Head of Grounds Ian Lucas has switched to Headland Amenity’s H-Cote Mini fertiliser and is delighted with the longevity and improvement in plant health achieved.

This new controlled-release formulation is the latest

addition to the club’s nutritional programme which, for the fi rst time over the 2018/19 season, was fungicide free

The new H-Cote range fills the gap between traditional outfield and fine turf products and offers 3 to 4 month longevity due to the inclusion of high levels (70-91%) of controlled-release

This provides release characteristics that are gentle and sustained, with minimal risk of flushing or excessive growth.

Headland Amenity

SMALL

Club aims for improved cut with Foley grinders

The Richmond Golf Club are aiming to improve their cutting performance by relief grinding back to OEM specifications using their new Foley Company Grinders.

Course manager, Les Howkins, has been steering improvements and is now aiming to enhance his

mowers’ cutting performance by relief grinding with the purchase of a Foley company Accu-Pro 633 with Accu-Touch 3 control and a 673 automatic Bed-Knife grinder.

Complimenting the 633 is the 673 automatic Bed-Knife and the 450 Rotary blade grinders.

Automation is an essential featureofFoleygrindersbecause it increases productivity, ensures accurate results and allows operators to carry out other workshop tasks while grinding.

McConnel’s compact Power Arm series combines the benefits of a light, robust design with outstanding manoeuvrability and precision.

Offering a choice of reach from 3.4m to 4.8m and powerful dependent 30hp hydraulics, 30-series Power Arms can be fitted to a wide range of utility vehicles and compact tractors including front or rear mounting.

compact and low horsepower tractors.

For more information call 01584 873 131 or visit www.mcconnel.com

Available with a choice of proportional control systems and a range of attachments including fine cut rotary heads, multisaws and cutterbars, the machines deliver all the benefits of McConnel’s advanced hedge and verge-cutting technology for McConnel

ProSport