Landscape & Amenity Product Update April 2017

British Water publishes code of practice for SuDS technology

In an industry first a code of practice for assessing surface water treatment technologies has been published by British Water.

The document, which took over two years to develop, has been supported by the Environment Agency and manufacturers of surface water treatment devices.

British Water members ACO Technologies, Hydro International (pictured) and Polypipe joined with the environmental regulator to sponsor an in-depth study of UK rainfall by research consultancy HR Wallingford. The information was key to the development of a robust product testing protocol.

British Water technical director Marta Perez said: “Standards are necessary to demonstrate how well proprietary devices used in sustainable drainage systems

A new concept of rotary mower

The

Never before has anyone produced a range of truly professional fine turf mowers that can be used as a professional roller mower with full width rollers front and rear, a finishing mower with 4 fully castoring wheels, or a combination of the two featuring castoring wheels on the front and a full width roller on the rear.

Furthermore the CRX MultiCut mowers can be front or rear mounted thanks to the reversible linkage, can be side or rear discharge by altering the baffles beneath the deck and adding the side delivery chute, and can also offer the option of mulching.The quality of operation in any format is not compromised by the fact that the machine is multi-functional.

Whatever your application, whatever your requirement, the CRX can be configured perfectly.

Wessex International Enquiry 2

(SuDS) treat run-off and remove heavy metals from the water cycle. Until now, there was no standard for testing in the UK.

“Conducting tests overseas creates a heavy cost burden which was prohibitive for smaller UK manufacturers looking to sell at home. This code of practice defines the process necessary to measure the pollutant capture and retention capability of any device entering the UK market.”

The voluntary code of practice allows professionals delivering SuDS to apply a risk-based approach to minimising the environmental impact of the diffuse pollution from runoff. Verifying the capture and retention capabilities of different devices for a range of pollutants gives regulators, designers, specifiers and local authorities the information they need to select the most

appropriate technology in a given application.

The tested devices are typically used to treat runoff from urban and residential hard-surfacing such as roads and car parks.

Ms Perez said: “The tests can be completed by the manufacturer or at a commercial test facility but must be witnessed by an approved independent UKASaccredited third-party. British Water is now seeking a partner in the position to install and run testing equipment.”

Approval and certification under the Code of Practice: Assessment of Manufactured Devices Designed to Treat Surface Water Runoff will allow manufacturers to demonstrate that their published capture and retention capabilities have been tested.

ACO Technologies Enquiry 1

Eurosport off the bench in enhanced A20 squad

Germinal has relaunched its best-selling sports pitch seed mixture, A20 Premier Ryesport, with the inclusion of Eurosport perennial ryegrass.

Eurosport joins the A20 line-up in place of Cadix and Promotor, with users of the new seed mixture set to benefit from improved fineness of leaf, live ground cover, stronger recovery and better visual merit.

The revised A20 seed mixture contains four perennial ryegrass cultivars, three of which are in the Top-10 of the BSPB’s Table S1 for sports uses.

Eugenius and Calico will both account for 35% of the A20 mixture, with Eurocordus (number 2 on Table S1) and Eurosport (number 4) both contributing 15% of the total seed content.

Richard Brown, Amenity Sales Manager for Germinal, said: “Eurosport gives a strong performance across all the important parameters on the

BSPB’s Table S1, with excellent scores for shoot density [7.8], recovery [7.8], live ground cover [7.9] and visual merit [7.9].

“As such it perfectly complements the other varieties within the standard A20 mixture, especially Eurocordus which continues to offer excellent all round ability and strong disease resistance.”

The standard A20 Premier Ryesport seed mixture can also be tailored to include a wide selection of alternative cultivars, with groundstaff able to create their own, fully bespoke mixture to suit their ground’s requirement.

Germinal Enquiry 3

launch of the new Wessex CRX Series MultiCut professional turf mowers heralds the arrival of a new concept of rotary mowers onto the market.

Our industry plays a big role in the nation’s economy and also in creating important assets such as green spaces, parks and sports facilities that benefit the wider community.

And this month we have a wide range of stories, technical articles and product information that perfectly captures just how diverse our industry has become.

In our new Professional Groundscare supplement we take a look at sports turf maintenance, as well as look at how finance deals are becoming increasingly important in the machinery market.

There is a Q&A with the new head groundsman at Leicester Tigers rugby club, as well as case studies and product news from across the sector.

Elsewhere this month we also look at the hard landscaping industry, the increasing importance of water management through correct drainage and irrigation, as well as a detailed round-up of the pedestrian and remote controlled mower market. We need to celebrate the diversity of our industry more and the vital role it plays in society.

Editor

Paul Groves,

OutThere bolsters its Kubota fleet

OutThere, one of the leading grounds maintenance and landscaping businesses in Northern Ireland, has strengthened its fleet of Kubota machinery following a successful 2016 and a strong start to the new year.

The company, which has developed an excellent reputation in the market for its commitment to the environment and the communities it serves, is going from strength to strength.

This latest order of Kubota’s market leading range of high performance groundcare equipment, supplied by local dealer Laird Grass Machinery, will enable OutThere to continue to provide the highest service to its customers whilst also enabling the company to continue its growth plans.

OutThere’s partnership approach to working is also reflected in its relationship with its supply chain. The company has worked with Kubota and local dealer Laird Grass Machinery for over 15 years. The latest deal takes OutThere’s fleet of Kubota machines to 150 and includes 12 new F series out front mowers.

OutThere use its Kubota machines on services such as grounds maintenance, landscape design and environmental management. With large contracts in open public spaces including parks, public gardens, schools, hospitals and social housing, it’s imperative to the company that the performance of the machines is second to none.

Ballybunion has a focus on quality with John Deere

The Old Course at Ballybunion – ranked by 2016Golf.com at #17 in the Top 100 golf courses in the world – has been subject to a complete renovation of the greens and surrounds.

Under the stewardship of course manager John Bambury, together with course architect Graeme Webster and construction firm Atlantic Golf Construction, the redevelopment was achieved in under 16 weeks.

As part of the on-going development of the club and course, John also looked at the fleet of machinery and equipment. As a result, John Deere and dealer Seamus Weldon of Killarney were selected as the preferred supplier to Ballybunion for 10 years.

“I wanted to get the club onto a sustainable fleet management and replacement programme, and you can’t really do that

properly over five years, particularly with the initial need to replace a lot of the older machines,” he explained.

“We know what the expenditure will be over this extended period, and this helps the club to budget accordingly.

“It’s a comprehensive fleet and we have chosen all the key machines John Deere has to offer the golf course.”

These include the new A Model fairway, rough and surrounds mowers, walk-behind and ride-on greens mowers including hybrid electric triplex machines, Gator utility vehicles, compact and utility tractors from 35 to 75hp and amenity turf sprayers.

“There were a number of reasons for the choice,” says John.

“Obviously the quality of the equipment, which is a given, but

primarily the local dealer service and support is a very important part of the equation.”

Ballybunion is a very busy golf course, with the biggest membership in Ireland plus high

A real natural for Replay

Synthetic surface maintenance company, Replay Maintenance, have recently appointed Tony Aitchison as their Key Accounts Manager.

This new role will see Tony working with new and existing business and sharing the knowledge, experience and skills he gained through his years of working within the sports surfaces industry.

Tony graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 1994 with an HND in Civil Engineering and went straight into a management scheme with the Charles Lawrence Group. In his 20+ years with the firm, he worked his way up to being a Regional Director for Construction.

Over this period, Tony has developed a wealth of experience and respect within the sports surfaces industry and brings with him an unpresented depth of knowledge on all synthetic products available within the current market place.

Replay Director Garry Martin added, “Tony is a well-known name in the industry and we’re delighted to now have his skill set and experience in the Replay portfolio. We are constantly looking to deepen our core knowledge so that we can evolve and enhance our service offering; Tony is exactly the type of appointment we need to enable this.”

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levels of overseas visitors during the playing season, so good time management of the course maintenance operation is critical.

John Deere Enquiry 6

Kubota Enquiry 7

Replay Maintenance Enquiry

Buying cheap isn’t always the cheapest option

With budgets and spending cuts being necessary to so many, choosing a machine that will last the distance has never been so important

Buying cheap is not always best practice, as generally machines of that type will lack the versatility and robustness you need, warns Etesia UK’s operations director, Les Malin.

Over the years the cost difference will be extremely noticeable. “My advice is to do your homework and look for a machine that combines multi-capacity roles with reliability, longevity and efficiency,” explains Les.

“Etesia’s Hydro 124 ride-on mower ticks all of the above boxes. With a 1.24 metre cutting width, it is the first mower that combines direct rear-ejection, integrated collection and highlift emptying. It is also available as in four wheel drive.

“Designed to mow up to 19,000 square metres per hour, the 600 litre grass box is filled to capacity every time and can be emptied from any height up to a maximum of 1.8 metres without the operator leaving the driver’s seat. It is without doubt one of

the most highly efficient mowers on the market.”

The range of Hydro 124’s all have a front PTO for accessories which include sweeper, snow blade, scarifier, front-mounted cutting unit and blower ensuring that the mower can be instantly turned into an all-year-round work horse.

“So as you can see, this type of mower can perform a number of various roles, which will also save you a significant amount of money as opposed to purchasing further equipment,”

Les continues. “These robust machines are also designed to stand the test of time; in fact, the H124 machines have been working day-in, day-out for the

same commercial customers for the last 15 years or so.

“Another major benefit of Etesia machines is the availability of 4 wheel drive options throughout the larger ranges, (100 cm and upwards). This enables the machines to be used all year round, turning a highly efficient grass cutter into a snow mover and tug for the winter.

“As for the smaller machines in the ride-on range, products such as our Hydro 80 have become firm favourites for local authorities and contractors due to their versatility, agility and ability to access areas that in the past were only cut by pedestrian mowers.

“Machines such as these not only increase productivity but they also significantly reduce costs. They are renowned for having overall low running costs, enabling budgets to be stretched even further, and that has resulted in repeated orders from customers for many years.

“We have also recently launched two ride-on mowers with can be remotely controlled for use on banks and slopes. This type of cutting units will allow for greater productivity and a safer operation for their users.”

MM60 is number one choice for the Eagles

Bruce Elliot, head of grounds and estates at Crystal Palace FC, has revealed that Limagrain’s MM60 is his preferred choice of winter sports grass seed.

Throughout his illustrious career, he has always relied on one brand of grass seed and when Bruce joined Palace in July 2015 he was keen to stick to what he knew has always delivered him excellent results.

“I’ve used Limagrain’s MM60 throughout my professional

career,” says Bruce. “It’s because I know what I’m going to get with it - for years it has been the number one winter sports mix.

“When I first started at the club, a new Desso pitch had just been installed, and it was sown with a grass seed which was the contractor’s preferred mix. However, when the opportunity came along I over-sowed with MM60 that season and then used it in the renovations at the start of this season. That’s nothing

against the old grass seed mixture that was used – it’s just that MM60 is my preferred mix.”

Limagrain’s MM60 grass seed is renowned for producing an excellent playing surface in a stadium environment. It is a 100% Ryegrass formula which is perfect for renovation and divot repair, has a high disease resistance, fantastic aesthetic qualities and offers extremely fast germination – which is boosted by the inclusion of Headstart GOLD.

Developed using the latest scientific findings and field experience, Headstart GOLD is a natural revolutionary grass seed treatment that ensures rapid germination and is perfect for enhancing performance on grass seed coatings for sports fi elds, golf courses, lawns and amenity turf.

Enquiry 11

Round Wood introduce thermo treated decking

Round Wood of Mayfield have recently introduced a range of eco-friendly, thermo treated timber products, including decking boards that are particularly suited to high end, contemporary projects.

As part of the Thermory collection, which also features cladding and flooring, these decking boards have been cut from ash and spruce sourced from responsibly managed forests in both North America and Europe.

The thermo treatment process they have undergone is chemical free and transforms the timber, giving it a durability that rivals that of tropical hardwoods.

Thermo-treatment takes place in computer controlled kilns.

Finished timber profiles are heated and steamed at temperatures of up to 215°C in order to reduce moisture content, remove resins and bake out the natural sugars that can cause decay.

The end result is a decking board with outstanding dimensional

stability and a deep, luxurious colour throughout.

Decking boards are currently available in both ash and pine, with a smooth face both sides. A selection of unique and time saving fitting accessories, which can drastically cut on site fitting times, are also available.

Etesia UK Enquiry 13

Limagrain

Round Wood Enquiry

Call for entries to BALI Awards 2017

The starting gun for the 2017 BALI National Landscape Awards has been fired with the announcement of the Call for Entries.

BALI Registered members – designers, contractors and affiliates (suppliers) –who want to be part of the largest and most successful landscape awards in the UK should note the following deadlines, by when their entries must be received at BALI Landscape House:

• Categories for Designers, Contractors and Groups: Early bird deadline – Thursday, April 27

Final deadline - Thursday June 8

• Categories for International, Affiliates and Employer:

Early bird deadline – Thursday June 8

Final deadline – Thursday July 13

This year a new category –Soft Landscaping, Unlimited Cost - has been added to the Domestic Garden Construction categories, and the Design Excellence Award has been divided by the overall cost of the scheme into three categories – Under £50,000; Between £50,000 and £125,000; and Over £125,000.

The Awards ceremony, which last year was attended by a record 963 BALI members, guests and industry names, will once again be held at the Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London, on Friday, December 1.

BALI

Fleet Line Markers previews GPS line marking machine

Fleet Line Markers Ltd has unveiled the latest innovation in line marking technology.

The company has introduced the ground-breaking new GPS line marking system - the MAQA line marking machine.

The MAQA line marking machine, which will be released soon, is the new era in line marking, using GPS technology to save both labour and time. This innovative line marking technology has had numerous IP rights registered and granted.

The MAQA line marking system can reduce the time it takes to initial mark by 75 per cent. Mike Lewis, of Highground Maintenance, said: “I can initial mark a full sized football pitch in 20 minutes, on my own. The results have left us speechless.”

The MAQA has a free life time guarantee and also free life time software updates.

Enquiry 16

At the recently-held preview day, a demonstration was staged at Malvern Rugby Club, close to Fleet’s headquarters which employs over 50 people including a specialist team of electronics engineers, software engineers and chemists. The MAQA line marking machine handles circles in a way never seen before, producing exciting results with ease.

Established by Peter McGuffie in 1953, Fleet Line Markers Ltd has over 50 years’ experience in the manufacture of line marking paint, machines and equipment.

In 2007, Fleet Line Markers created the first and only laser guided line marking machine worldwide, BeamRider - which was the result of a multi-million-development program involving the leading experts in the fields of lasers, optics and sports-marking technology.

Fleet Line Markers Ltd Enquiry 17

Snickers advice on What To Wear On Site

You’ll find all need to know about the world’s most innovative range of summer working clothes in a free 52 page magazine from Snickers, plus the latest news on Snickers Wearable Technology revolution.

There’s plenty of information to help choose the right working clothes to suit your trade – shirts, lightweight jackets and unique summer WorkTrousers.

Whether it’s in the RUFFWork, LITEWork, FLEXIWork or the ALLROUND workwear range,

these are workclothes that deliver superb functionality, comfort, protection and are equipped for any task at hand.

Whatever trade you’re in, there’s something precisely for you in the Snickers range – garments that make working on site an altogether cooler experience in summer and every craftsman and craftswoman’s workday easier and safer.

Snickers Enquiry 19

Makita’s new back-pack blower has even more air flow volume

The new Makita EB7660TH back-pack blower has increased air flow and air speed, with the maximum power output speed from the innovative Makita MM4 75.6cc 4-stroke engine increased to 7,200rpm.

Maximum air flow volume is raised to 20m³/min and the maximum air speed velocity increased to 92m/s. Vibration has been reduced to 3.5m/s² with the engine mounted on four damper springs effectively isolating the engine and fan

to reduce vibration on the operator’s back, even during long hours of use.

The back-pack carry frame has a comfortable harness with adjustable straps. The long telescopic pipe and nozzle gives accurate control of the airflow, and the extended distance from the nozzle to the throttle grip avoids the static electric shock risk created by the air exiting the nozzle.

Makita Enquiry 21

Hultafors Tools’ new product catalogue for 2017

Free to professional tradesmen and women around the UK, Hultafors Tools’ new catalogue is packed with details of the world’s most innovative hand tools and accessories.

Everything you find in the Hultafors Tools range carries the hallmarks of a company that has over 100 years experience in knowing what it takes to get a job done efficiently, effectively and safely.

Hultafors’ ingrained quality and innovation is found in every Hand Tool. Ergonomically crafted with built-in Fisco technology, there’s a host of tools for measuring and marking, chopping, striking and levelling. You should also check out the new range of spirit levels, craftman’s knives and chisels.

Hultafors Enquiry 20

Polaris youth ATV draw prize delivered

The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation / Polaris 2016 Prize Draw for a brand new Polaris Sportsman 110 EFI Youth ATV, worth £2,799 (incl. VAT), was won by Tony Hewitt from near Leeds, an NGO member who beats on his local shoot. All proceeds from the sale of the draw tickets go to funding the work of the NGO in promoting and defending keepering. Polaris is an NGO sponsor.

Lucky winner Tony Hewitt (pictured right) takes delivery of a brand new Polaris Sportsman 110 EFI Youth ATV from Matt North of Polaris dealer Forktruck Solutions in Ossett, West Yorkshire.

Polaris Enquiry 22

Commercial pressure can mean reduced mowing frequencies. Cue new Meteor®, the mower created for today’s nancial landscape. With its 2.15m width of cut, Meteor is highly productive and cost-effective. Its triple heads oat like a cylinder, but because of its unique ail heads it is better suited to longer grass.

And it is extremely robust, so it shrugs off discarded debris. You’ll even spend less time clearing up clippings, because cut grass stays within the cutting track.

TOUGH TIMES, TOUGH MOWER. For your Meteor demo, call 01473 270 000 or visit www.ransomesmeteor.com

A safe haven for urban trees with TreeBunker

Planting trees is often integral to an urban development, but without protection roots can get damaged, stunting the trees’ growth.

The new TreeBunker Tree Root Development System from Wrekin Products, manufacturer of intelligent products for civil engineering, protects the roots and encourages healthy, longterm greenery.

The modular TreeBunker system is easy to specify and simple to install. It gives tree roots space to grow without being stifled by the pressure of pedestrian or road traffic. This means that town planners, landscape architects and arboreal consultants can successfully add trees to car parks, plazas and other urban developments.

Wrekin has developed TreeBunker to be easy to install whatever size is needed. Once the required volume of soil is calculated, the tree is planted and the appropriate number of TreeBunker modules are installed around it.

Each TreeBunker unit consists of a grille, lid, base and four structural posts, capable of withstanding 15 tonne axle loads.

Lids and bases are available in square or honeycomb configuration to suit individual installation preferences.

The posts can be supplied by Wrekin in any size between 400mm and 1.4m to suit the depth of void, and can easily be cut on site to adapt to any minor adjustments for stable installation.

The TreeBunker Tree Root Development System is available directly from Wrekin, who also offers a full design service to achieve the best chamber layout for each project.

Products Ltd Enquiry 25

Antislip decking goes back to nature

Holiday-makers visiting luxurious log cabins set deep in Scottish woodlands, are able to enjoy the great outdoors more safely after JB Antislip Plus from Marley Eternit was specified to provide the external antislip surface for the cabins’ outdoor decking areas.

The 11 woodland cabins, which are located in Queen Elizabeth Forest Park, Strathyre, on the edge of Loch Lubnaig, offer guests a secluded escape in a variety of cabin options, many with a hot tub on the decking area.

Forest Holidays needed to specify a robust decking solution, which not only provided a natural extension to the cabins’ timber exteriors, but also delivered effective antislip properties. As a result, the company specified JB Antislip Plus, which features grey resin based aggregate inserts injected into the deck board grooves, delivering a durable and effective external antislip surface to minimise the risk of slipping.

JB Antislip Plus timber decking boards are specifically designed to provide a durable

Spearhead dealer partnership opportunities

Spearhead Machinery is Europe’s leading manufacturer of large area rotary mowers and offer an extensive range of vegetation management products and professional solutions to the agricultural, municipal, military and airport sectors.

To build further on its heritage and reputation, Spearhead are actively seeking to expand its partnerships with Ground Care dealer specialists to seek out sales and marketing

opportunities for their amenity and flail mower ranges, and are encouraging any interested parties to contact them directly to discuss the opportunity.

For more information contact Antony Prince - Director of Sales & Marketing, at aprince@spearheadmachinery. com or 07891 546216.

Spearhead Machinery Enquiry 26

and effective external antislip surface, designed to perform even in the most adverse weather conditions. Furthermore, the decking can be treated for extra protection to either Use Class 3 (MicroPro) or Use Class 4 (Naturewood) to further suit the project requirements.

The decking’s antislip properties exceed HSL slip testing guidelines, ensuring the highest level of protection for visitors.

Marley Eternit Enquiry 24

New Sadolin Outdoor Varnish puts wood centre stage

Sadolin’s new Outdoor Varnish represents an exciting development in superior woodcare, achieving a natural, modern feel for exterior projects.

The product’s completely clear formulation, in a choice of matt or satin finish, offers translucency with the perfect blend of protection.

Ideal for use outdoors on windows, doors and conservatories, this premium clear varnish can be applied on both new wood and previously coated surfaces.

The look is also assured for the long-term with Sadolin Outdoor Varnish building a durable barrier of protection against weathering.

Sharon Smith, Sadolin Brand Manager, said: “There’s a growing trend towards a contemporary look which highlights the natural look of wood and Sadolin Outdoor Varnish has been developed to offer the perfect solution.

“Both the contemporary satin or matt finishes maintain the natural colour and finish of the wood.

“Developed by our wood care experts with protective UV additives, the premium formulation also protects against damaging UV light and provides long lasting protection.”

This latest addition reflects the brand’s commitment to creating the very best in wood protection products, drawing on more than 200 years of innovation to offer customers quality, trusted products. It comes in a choice of 750 ml and 2.5 litre pack sizes.

Enquiry 27

Wrekin

Sadolin

Highspeed going forward with Acumen

Acumen Waste Services Ltd (Acumen) has announce it has completed the acquisition of Highspeed Group Ltd (Highspeed) including all subsidiary companies, staff, headquarters and waste transfer and treatment facility in Keighley, West Yorkshire.

The acquisition of Highspeed will complement Acumen’s existing national waste management

infrastructure, whilst also developing the great work done to date with ClearWater and Waste Away. Acumen looks forward to demonstrating a continued commitment to meeting customers’ expectations and to the development of new products and services.

Highspeed customers will be pleased to learn that the business

will be strengthened by the transaction and that the same team will be on hand to provide the services.

David Mears and Andrew Vincent are being retained as consultants by Acumen to ensure a smooth transition of ownership. Pictured is Acumen’s Kris Sutton (2nd from right) with the Highspeed

Team left-to-right David Mears, Andy Vincent & Matthew Mears at BTME 2017.

Commenting on the deal, Kris Sutton, Finance Director of Acumen commented: “We’re proud to be able to welcome the Highspeed team and their Customers to Acumen. Andrew Vincent, David Mears and the team can be justifiably proud of what they have achieved with the business.”

David Mears added: “Andy and I have developed the business over the last sixteen years taking us into new markets and we wanted to ensure that any new owners would share our vision for the business and Acumen have demonstrated those shared goals. We can now look forward to our retirement in due course.”

Highspeed Group Enquiry 31

Melspring launches Marathon TCR

Melspring International B.V. has launched its new product Marathon TCR.

Marathon Turf Core Renovator is an extremely versatile product that can be used on all areas of the golf course (roughs, fairways, greens) as well as on sports turf pitches and ornamental lawns that where re-vitalised or aeriated with active organic matter.

Marathon TCR is a proprietary organo mineral complex for better nutrient efficiency. Marathon TCR was developed to provide rapid recovery from stress situations on fine turf areas caused by essential maintenance. It contains a mixture of nitrogen sources to provide both immediate and prolonged growth for recovery so that playing surfaces can be quickly returned to use.

The formula is NPK 4-3-4 + 8 CaO + 3.5 MgO + 0.5 Fe and usage of the product results in a rapid sod closure and reduction of stable soil organic matter.

Melspring International Enquiry 30

Snickers WorkTrousers are getting even smarter

Snickers Workwear has always been renowned for its modern designs, innovative functionality and market-leading fabric technology.

Now its WorkTrousers are getting even ‘smarter’ with the integration of technology to improve performance and wellbeing at work.

A recent study carried out in Scandinavia showed more than 50% of the professional craftsmen there are cutting corners at work and don´t use the available health and safety equipment as they should.

David Clark, managing director of the Hultafors Group UK says: “Our experience is that craftsmen usually are so focused on getting the job done

that personal protection tends to be overlooked.

“The study shows that 6 out of 10 craftsmen are suffering from pain in their knees. So we see that there is definitely room for improving their wellbeing beyond just knee protectionand our ‘Smart Workwear’ is one way.

“Market-leading technology and innovation have long been hallmarks of Snickers Workwear. We are well known for our KneeGuard System, 37.5 Fabric Technology and technical functionality, but the integration of ‘smart’ wearable technology into our clothing shows the extent to which we are looking at working clothes and wellbeing on site in a completely new way.”

Snickers

Ground Control deploys special storm force

Following hot on the heels of the recent Storm Doris, Storm Ewen provided Ireland, north west England, Wales and eastern Scotland with further severe weather including winds of up to 70 mph in exposed areas by the sea and the potential for snow storms.

Thanks to external maintenance and commercial landscaping company, Ground Control, disruption throughout these storms has been kept to a minimum thanks to a combination of innovative weather tracking technology and rapid response capabilities.

Working with organisations including Network Rail, UK Power Networks, WPD and Electricity North West to name a few, Ground Control has attended more than 80 sites in the last few days, clearing hundreds of trees and associated debris to ensure customers’ networks remained connected and sites stayed open and safe at all times.

Stephen Amison, Contracts Director at Ground Control, commented: “It’s been a very busy few days! Our teams

have been cutting away trees that were lying across the A6, to enable traffic and WPD to access a fault. In Derby, Contract Delivery Manager Vince Storey and his team were still on the road at 2.30am on Friday morning following technicians from fault to fault in order to restore power. There are many other stories just like this where our teams have been on the road helping customers to minimise the impact of these storms. It has been a sterling effort by everyone concerned.”

Storm Ewen, which was named by the Irish Met Éireann, is the fifth storm to hit the UK in as many months. In addition to this latest storm, the Met Office is warning that temperatures are likely to plunge through to the middle of March, causing further road and rail disruption for commuters. According to Ground Control, the early warning weather service not only helps customers to reduce the impact of storms on their operations, but importantly allows businesses to plan ahead and decrease exposure to damage.

Ground Control Enquiry 36

Oregon announces Spring promotion

Oregon is offering landscaping professionals another reason to try its revolutionary Gator SpeedLoad cutting system.

As part of its spring promotion, which started in April, customers will receive a free 24-225, 24275 or 24-550 Gator SpeedLoad trimmer head with any qualifying purchase replacement line disks.

The Oregon Gator SpeedLoad cutting system was designed to get landscaping professionals back to work quicker and increase productivity. Oregon’s integrated head and disk line system simplifies the reloading of trimmer line because it requires no winding or spooling, reducing both frustration and replacement time to less than 20 seconds.

Oregon Enquiry 35

Private gated community chooses Iseki mower

Shotwick Park, located in Chester, has taken delivery of an Iseki SXG326 cut and collect compact tractor mower to help maintain the eight-acre private residential area.

Tony Kinkead, Estate Manager at Shotwick Park since 2000 said the main priority when looking for a suitable ride-on mower was the ability of the machine to mulch leaves and to cope well with the amount of grass that needs cutting.

The Iseki SXG326 has been purchased after previously using a different brand for a period of 10 years. The new tractor mower will cut grass in the summer months and has had a tow bar fitted which will assist with other tasks such as maintaining flower beds, shrubs and transporting branches when cutting back trees. During the autumn and winter seasons, the Iseki machine will help with general maintenance tasks and mulching leaves.

Vertical earth retaining solutions

Grass Concrete Limited is a world leader in the development and supply of ‘green’ construction solutions. Expert environmental systems for over 45 years, we are still committed to our environment and the creation of greenspace.

Grass

Ransomes Jacobsen Enquiry 34

MP opens Alpha Rail’s new manufacturing facility

Gloria de Piero, Member of Parliament for Ashfield and Eastwood has officially opened Alpha Rail’s new £800,000 manufacturing facility in Huthwaite.

Commenting on her visit to Alpha Rail the MP said: “Over its 30-year history, Alpha Rail has played an important part in

the local economy, providing employment for generations of local people. Their growth and expansion into this fantastic new facility represents the next phase of their development and I wish them every success.”

Alpha Rail has many very loyal long standing employees, some of whom have been with

the company since 1985 and have seen generations of their family join the business and get involved in many prestigious projects across the UK. Many of the projects in which Alpha Rail has been involved have won their category in the prestigious British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) Awards.

Alpha Rail has re-developed the site to create one open plan unit which now provides over 16,000 square feet of floor space and office space

The company works on behalf of some of the UK’s largest building and landscaping contractors such as Willmott Dixon, Robert Woodhead, Carillion Tarmac and Ground Control.

Alpha Rail Enquiry 39

Concrete fencing stands the test of time

Homeowners still prefer to use timber fence posts, but choosing timber over concrete is false economy.

Supreme Concrete’s Strongcast slotted concrete fence posts have a typical life expectancy of 25 years or more, and will continue to provide support for expensive fence panels whatever the weather. Couple these with attractive concrete gravel boards that keep the

timber panels out of contact with the wet ground and the fence will provide many years of additional service from the original investment.

Supreme concrete posts will not rot and are made using the latest environmentally friendly raw materials and processes, so offer a lasting ‘green’ alternative.

Supreme Concrete Enquiry 42

Get ready for spring with AkzoNobel

With over 2300 garden centres and retail nurseries in the UK, spending on garden-related items is now topping out at a whopping £5bn per annum.

Garden buildings, decking and fencing all need to be prepared and protected properly to keep them in optimum condition right throughout the year. At Blackburn-based coatings manufacturer AkzoNobel they know that supplying the highest quality products to protect these wooden assemblies is key to safeguarding their longevity and looks.

Sikkens CETOL ® WF 771 from AkzoNobel is the ideal product for use on fencing, sheds and decking this Spring. It’s technical qualities, ease of application, colour vibrancy and trouble-free maintenance make it a perfect choice for a selection of applications where UV light and moisture

are an issue. As well as being perfect for application by brush for the DIY market, Sikkens CETOL® WF 771 can also be used for application in factory environments by trade coaters.

To meet the needs of commercial cladding coaters, Sikkens

CETOL® WF 771 provides a perfect coating solution, whether it is applied by vacuum coater, brush coater or automated spray lines… a real boon at the early stages of construction affording more quality control.

Bituchem creates landscape school

Hard-landscaping specialists, Bituchem, have been involved in the construction of a new primary school in North Dorset.

Dorset County Council had previous experience with Bituchem’s hard landscaping material when it specified it over five years ago at The Blandford School and the surface is performing very well.

Over 300 square metres of Bituchem’s 6mm Natratex Cotswold was used in pedestrian areas around the main school entrance and reception areas, and 1000 square metres of 10mm Natratex Cotswold was used on the vehicle driveway and the running surface of the carpark.

Natratex is Bituchem’s flagship product and has been used for

various applications in schools due to its modern aesthetics and safety benefits.

The material is created using naturally-occurring aggregates bound using Bituchem’s specialist clear resin binder to give it the complete compactness that it requires. The Cotswold and grey coloured aggregates offer an aesthetically pleasing alternative to a traditional tarmac finish, with the same durable and long-lasting qualities as asphalt.

The hard-wearing, compact finish of Natratex has made it a popular choice for school playground applications, similar to Pimperne Primary School.

The resin binder used to create the smooth surface reduces the likelihood of the material deteriorating and causing potholes

or other breakages in the surface so eliminating trip hazards and making the material smoother and safer for young children.

Bituchem Enquiry 41

New look for the Gateway to the Isles and Highlands

A prestigious paving scheme at the centre of a wider environmental improvement project in the Scottish coastal gateway town of Oban has benefited from the extensive use of BS7533 compliant hard landscaping products from Parex.

The Oban Bay Harbour Project for Argyll and Bute Council incorporates high quality seating, footways, street furniture and energy-saving LED lighting to provide an improved experience for the townsfolk and visitors.

The main visual impact of the work is the paving along Queens Park Place and George Street which consists of Magma Granite and Italian Porphyry natural stone violet mix. Station Square, which is adjacent to the ferry terminal has been finished with alternate bands of silver grey and

natural buff granite aggregate. Parex materials were selected for their suitability for the work and for being compliant with BS7533. After excavation of the existing services and installation of new drainage, Parex Fine Bedding Concrete was placed to a depth of 30 mm to provide a firm base for the new paving elements, which were treated with a hand applied coating of Parex Bond Plus bonding mortar on the underside to provide a firm bond with the base.

AkzoNobel

BALI launches new enquiry pack

The British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) is the leading trade association in the UK for landscape contractors, garden designers, grounds maintenance contractors and suppliers of industry products and services.

It returned to Ecobuild this March, where it took up position amongst similar Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity organisations and Registered Affiliate members Green-tech, SureSet UK, Mobilane UK, Ronacrete, Addagrip Terraco and Ecoscape UK.

BALI’s stand featured a selection of BALI Registered member products and displays, designed to promote sustainability and green infrastructure excellence, including exquisite Topiary; including Ligistrum and Buxus plants, courtesy of BALI Registered Affiliate member Boningale Nurseries and a freestanding, dual sided LiveDivider system from Registered Affiliate Mobilane, which offers both privacy and a feeling of wellbeing in any indoor environment, with individual cassettes holding a selection of indoor plant varieties that reduce carbon monoxide and pollutant particles.

BALI’s Marketing and Communications Manager,

Darren Taylor, commented: “Ecobuild is an important event in the industry calendar, particularly for BALI as it provides an ideal platform to promote our members to a targeted audience made up of high profile specifiers and decision makers from local authority, architects and contracting firms around the London area and the rest of the UK.

“BALI’s Who’s Who Landscaping Directory 2017 will be available to those who wish to find a local BALI Registered member in their area, and is an invaluable tool when looking for professionally vetted contractor, garden designer and affiliate members, filtered down by region and discipline.”

BALI’s new enquiry pack for 2017 is sponsored by BALI Registered Affiliate Tarmac Topsport, who will be launching their new brand Topscape.

Topscape is the specialist landscaping materials division of Tarmac and supplies a range of topsoil, subsoil, rootzone, fibre reinforced Loksand, drainage gravels and pathway materials for constructing and maintaining landscaping and leisure projects.

BALI Enquiry 46

Charcon’s new block paving offers improved visual appeal

Charcon, the commercial hard landscaping division of Aggregate Industries, has enhanced its successful Infilta permeable block paving range by incorporating a new design element.

The new Infilta range now features nibs that end 13mm short of the face of the block. The result is a totally unique block paving solution that does not compromise interlocking performance and offers enhanced aesthetic appeal with the unsightly nibs being hidden from view when laid.

Not only is Infilta more appealing from a design perspective, it is a totally unique permeable paving solution that does not

compromise on water drainage performance, enabling water to drain away through the gaps. Incredibly hardwearing, it offers excellent durability and grip which makes it perfectly equipped for all trafficked applications including car parks, retail areas and other heavy-use commercial locations such as HGV loading areas.

This new stylish offering is available in four different variations: Ecopave Textured, Andover Washed, Andover Textured and StoneMaster. Designers can also choose from a range of textures and colour options to complement their project, such as Grey Fleck, Pink Granite, Sandy Buff and Rustic.

Mike Davies, Category Manager for Charcon, comments: “Not only do the new straight edges provide a much cleaner and contemporary finish, they significantly enhance the design options available as architects and specifiers can now opt to have have Infilta laid alongside

and in combination with a vast range of standard paving.

“Not only that, Infilta is part of our Life range of products which makes it the ideal choice for sustainable specification.”

Charcon Enquiry 45

Howe Green tops the bill at ‘The Other Place’

Howe Green’s Medium Duty 7500 Series metal fabricated access covers were selected for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s studio theatre renovation project ‘The Other Place’.

The transformed venue reopened in 2016 and houses a new 200 seat theatre space and the RSC’s extensive costume store.

Howe Green’s aluminium 7500 Series access covers were fitted on the ground floor to provide easy access to underfloor ducting services throughout the building.

Main Contractor BAM Construction fitted the panels on a suspended concrete slab. Once installed, they were infilled

Polystone stands test of time

This range from The Pot Co Ltd not only offers modern, sleek styling, but also outstanding resilience.

Polystone is an extremely dense compound of resin and powdered stone that will stand up to the harshest of elements and look good all the while.

It has the appearance of stone but whilst it retains a solid, heavy feel it is more manageable in weight. Polystone is available in cubes, troughs and cylinders in slate black or marble white.

The Pot Co Ltd Enquiry 48

with K-screed followed by a resin finish to create a discreet access solution for routine and emergency servicing. The covers have a minimal showedge and are made to sit flush with the surround, guarding against the risk of slips and trips.

Howe Green Enquiry 47

Club strikes it lucky with Bailoy

When Warrington Golf Club’s course was struck by lightning the voltage burnt out its 30-yearold irrigation controller and the club found itself in the market for a new system, which is where Bailoy stepped in.

Investigating different manufacturers comparing price

and products soon led John back to the original manufacturer, Bailoy and its latest GTI PC system, and John says it was the product’s straight forward operator experience and application precision that sealed the deal.

The club also opted for ongoing GTI Support, choosing the Gold level. This backup service, although not yet used by John, is reassuring to have. The GTI PC comes with Remote Access, which John is very much looking forward to using this year.

Bailoy Enquiry 51

Firestone’s PondGard enables Victorian pond restoration

Firestone Buildings Products’ PondGard EPDM lining has been used to refurbish the ‘Horseshoe Pond’ at Gunnersbury Park in West London as part of a significant improvement programme at the 75 hectare, Grade II listed landscape.

Located in front of the Park’s historic orangery, the Victorian Horseshoe Pond was partially infilled in the 1960s, at which time the remaining portion was modified with concrete additions to create a modern water feature.

New footings and a new blockwork wall have been introduced in addition to the

existing Victorian wall and contractor, Ivel Aquatics, excavated the pond to the required depth, compacting the clay soil at the base.

The Ivel Aquatics team then laid a 300g separation and filter geotextile before installing the Firestone PondGard EPDM lining membrane. The 1mm thick membrane was cut into sections and laid into the pond cavity with a 150mm overlap on each section, which was joined using Firestone’s QuickSeam selfadhesive tape. The lining was taken up the sides of the pond and secured in place by coping stones placed around the perimeter.

An additional layer of geotextile was then laid onto the PondGard membrane followed by a surcharge of clay soil, which both anchored the lining in place and obscured it from view. The pond area was then landscaped and filled with water. The project has now been completed and the boating pond located near

the main entrance to the Park has also been upgraded, with a new clay bund installed as a temporary measure to reinforce the surrounding concrete and pond edge to stabilise the structure and prevent water loss.

Firestone Enquiry 52

A new monolithic drainage system

Hauraton Limited have introduced into the UK, RECYFIX MONOTEC, their new high capacity channel system for surface drainage where the channels need to have high lateral strength, are capable of withstanding continuous compressive loads and where ease of installation is a major consideration.

The RECYFIX MONOTEC one metre long channel component is of a sturdy monolithic design where the grating and the tongue and groove linking system are integral to the channel moulding.

The whole unit is made of tough, virtually unbreakable polypropylene (PP) formulated to be very resistant to daily temperature fluctuations from frost conditions to strong sunlight, including the Ultra Violet (UV) spectrum. PP is naturally resistant to de-icing salt.

Complying with the requirements of EN 1433, the PP is given its

UV resistance by adding just sufficient carbon black as a stabiliser so that the structural strength of the material is unaffected and a consistent appearance is maintained.

MONOTEC channels are offered in two nominal grating widths of 100 and 200mm, both suitable for a loading category of up to Class D400. The 100mm channels are available in three overall heights; 230, 280 and 380mm and provide channel cross-sections of 190.5cm2, 245.5 cm2, and 355.5cm2 respectively. The largest 200mm channel, which only weighs 16.2kg, has a cross-section of 746.1cm2 and so has an attenuation volume in excess of 74 litres per meter.

Club brings in complete Toro irrigation system

Oakmere Golf Club’s course redesign and expansion presented the perfect opportunity for the up-and-coming club to replace its 40-year-old irrigation system with Toro and bring the entire site above par.

Those operating the new system can now exact more control and as a result are already seeing water and cost savings, as well as improved turf quality.

The club opted for a Lynx control system and a range of sprinklers, from Infinity to T7s, to not only maintain the course but to “raise its standards and maximise playability,” says director of golf Daryl St John Jones.

“Our previous system was 40 years old and the pipes were brittle and cracked. This led to huge losses of water. Now we have strong polyethylene pipes and the new system will alert me to any leaks,

which is very reassuring and will save us a lot of money.”

“Lynx gives far more control to the operator; water distribution can be as precise as 5mm to the greens or 4mm to the tees and the weather station monitors the humidity so water is not lost to evaporation. The variation provided by Lynx is great too, as you can give different amounts of water to different greens. Plants are flourishing as the green is never flooded, instead it’s given just the right amount of water, and we’ve seen a significant reduction in our water bills.”

READER ENQUIRY 55

Hauraton

Reesink Turfcare

Turf Maintenance LIVE! a unique turf care event with an emphasis on working demonstrations and up close inspection of the new season’s products returns for 2017.

The collaborative event by eight of the industry’s leading innovators will be held on Wednesday, April 26 and Thursday, April 27.

Location is The Worcestershire Golf Club at Malvern Wells and those involved are GKB Machines, Husqvarna, Iseki, Jacobsen, Martin Lishman, Rigby Taylor, Wessex International and Wiedenmann UK.

The event, featuring working machines and equipment that

are not static as in exhibition halls, targets groundsmen, greenkeepers, contractors, local authority personnel, estate managers and schools as well as amateur and professional clubs.

A TML organiser said: “The Worcestershire Golf Club is a superb venue as it’s within striking distance of the M5/M50 intersection and Three Counties Show Ground it’s pretty accessible.

“We’ve had good indications of people travelling not just locally but from Shropshire, Herefordshire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Gloucestershire, Bristol, South Wales and Oxfordshire so there should be a quite a buzz.

“We’ll be showcasing some of the latest technology with a serious amount of diverse kit on view, so there’s plenty of incentive to make a day of it.

“We’re indebted to two associate sponsors – The IOG and BIGGA - both of whom will be awarding CPD points to attendees.”

On both days the event will start at 10am with free registration. Online registrations are being taken at www.turfmaintenancelive.com or by phone on 0141 814 3366. Follow the event as it develops on Twitter @liveturf or on Facebook.

Rigby Taylor Enquiry 57

Woodhall Spa Golf Club has acquired an Air2G2 from Campey Turf Care Systems, via the dealer Burdens.

The sprawling 36-hole complex includes the world renowned Hotchkin Course, and is home to the National Golf Centre.

The vast site is managed by course manager, Sam Rhodes, where he and his 17-staff work to keep the courses at a standard befitting of the tournaments they host, with the Air2G2 now an integral part of the maintenance operation.

The importance of the machine comes from the expectations of golfers. Gone are the days when winter golf is seen as a bonus, and in are the demands for perfect putting surfaces all year round. This expectation is managed by Sam and is the reason the Air2G2 is an exciting addition.

“In modern day golf the condition of the greens is important throughout the year,” says Sam. “Years ago, winter golf was a bonus, now there is a lot more pressure on turf professionals to maintain good quality playing surfaces 12 months a year.

“The beauty of the Air2G2 is I can go out there now, I can do the work on a green to break up any compacted layer underneath and help with the drainage, come off, cut the green and you wouldn’t know I’d been on it.”

Time has been taken to figure out exactly where the pan layer is, and then with the three varying size of tines Sam has cracked

that layer and experimented with depth to reduce compaction as much as possible.

Club brings in year-round aeration BIGGA support team for the BMW PGA Championship

By doing this he now has welldraining greens with the added ability of reacting to any heavy rain fall before or during tournaments, giving him a 12-months a year aeration operation.

A support team of British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association members will be heading to The Wentworth Club in May to help prepare the course for the BMW PGA Championship.

The greenkeepers will be on hand to assist Director of Golf Courses & Estates Kenny Mackay and his team throughout the European Tour’s flagship event. The team will help out with early morning course work and preparation in advance of each day’s play.

“I keep going out of my love for golf,” said the Links (Newmarket) head greenkeeper. “How many tournaments can you get inside the ropes? I learn something everyday, that’s what’s so great about this job.”

New Zealander Rob Boyce is a Wentworth veteran and this will be the 19th time he has joined the support team.

BIGGA Enquiry 59

Campey Turf Care Enquiry 58

Jakarta redesign set to take off

Duncan Ross executes first phase of bunker redevelopments

Duncan Ross has executed the vision of renowned golf course architect, Jonathan Gaunt, with the fabrication of four bunkers at Astbury Golf Club, which have been very well received by the board of directors and members.

It was the aim of Jonathan to reinstate some character to the course through the bunkers, making the design process crucial, but the interpretation of those designs from Duncan Ross even more so.

and Duncan has interpreted that really well,” Jonathan explained.

“When it comes to designing bunkers for courses it’s more of a job for me to implement the ideas of the club and pick the right contractors to oversee the work to make sure it’s done to the right standard.

An Indonesian golf club is rerouting its course because of an airport expansion - and it’s going to showcase its new look with the assistance of Harris Kalinka, the world’s leading golf course animation company.

Cengkareng Golf Club, in Jakarta - a semi-private club - is located adjacent to the city’s international airport, Soekarno-Hatta.

The golf club has engaged US architecture practice Golfplan to help replace the fi fth hole and renovate the fourth and sixth. The club also contacted Harris Kalinka - which helps golf firms and architects communicate ideas and designs through images and animations - requesting some visualisations of the changes which could then be presented to members.

The co-founder of Harris Kalinka, Andrew Harris, said: “The plan is to create an aerial image of the proposed new course, so members can easily see the land taken by the airport and the new hole layout and routing.

“In addition, we will produce an animation of the new and renovated holes, in order to create excitement and anticipation among the members, so they buy into the concept.”

Harris Kalinka’s visualisations have been used successfully to attract members, raise investment, sell off-plan, develop a design or to present an idea.

Harris Kalinka Enquiry

62

“The bunkering at Astbury is designed not to be too severe to play from, visually attractive and in view from the tee or approach,

“They asked me to provide them with a master plan and that included if bunkers should be filled in, repositioned, reshaped or remodelled. I worked my way around the course and came up with an 18-hole master plan, and that plan has become their blue print for future works.”

With the second phase of work planned to take place on the site this year the success of the first phase was very important for all parties, not least the club itself. Dave explains the teamwork involved in the project and the results that can now be seen on the 1st and 13th holes. The project also

incorporated a rubber membrane into the bunkers for the first time. It’s hoped that whilst the initial outlay for the product was expensive that the long-term benefits will far out way the cost by keeping the sand clean and stopping it getting contaminated.

Duncan Ross Enquiry 61

Award for Operation Pollinator champion

outstanding ecological habitat creation and management.

The Award was presented to Steve at the Golf Environment

Awards ceremony, organised by the STRI at BTME Harrogate, along with colleagues Kevin Armstrong and Chris Watts of the John O’Gaunt greenkeeping team.

As one of the great champions of the Operation Pollinator initiative - set up to introduce more bee-friendly wildflower areas around golf coursesSteve has successfully overseen the planting and management of more than three hectares of

AQUA-AID Europe and ProGrass host information days

AQUA-AID’s Eu’s Irish distributor, ProGrass Ltd, held two successful industry information days at NAAS Golf Club, Kildare House and Castletroy Golf Club, Limerick Clubhouse at the beginning of March.

The days were organised by Prograss’ Managing Director Gerard McEvoy, and hosted by David Behan, course manager

at NAAS Golf Club and Aiden Hiney golf course superintendent at Castletroy Golf Club.

The aim of the days was to showcase the AQUA-AID range of products alongside talks from Duco Van Der Veen from Mivena, and an explanation of organic matter control in greens from Harris Turf Improvements ltd. Brian O’Shaughnessy from Campey Turf Care Systems

was also there to support with machinery demonstrations of the award winning Air2G2 and Imants shockwave.

The uptake of the AQUA-AID range has been very positive across Europe and In Ireland with programmes in place at the Aviva Stadium, Croke Park and Dunmurray Springs Golf Club.

AQUA-AID

Enquiry 64

dedicated habitat; welcomed by the club’s players and a wealth of pollinating insects. Syngenta Operation Pollinator Manager, Caroline Carroll, highlighted that John O’Gaunt’s success in winning award was recognition of the entire greenkeeping team’s efforts, led by Course Manager, Nigel Broadwith, and the Club’s commitment to proactively utilising the whole area of the golf course.

Syngenta Enquiry 63

John O’Gaunt Golf Club greenkeeper, Steve Thompson, has picked up the prestigious Syngenta Operation Pollinator Award, for the golf club’s consistently

Club gets by with a little help from their friends

England’s most south westerly course, The Isles of Scilly 9 hole Golf Club, offers stunning views and is maintained by a team of three volunteer greenkeepers, headed by Derek Metcalfe.

Having no previous greenkeeping, or even gardening, experience Derek relies on advice and guidance from trusted friends and industry contacts –like Headland Amenity for the clubs nutritional requirements.

Richard Shapland from Headland visited the club and has been helping with the nutritional side of maintenance.

“Richard came over and advised that, because we had not previously done a lot of work on the fairways over the years, we could struggle to maintain them with the amount of moss, weeds, fibre content and heather encroachment that we had,” said Derek.

“We trialled a couple of products, Mulitigreen and Xtend

46-0-0 Soluble, in different parts of the course. The results were impressive and following this we formulated a weed control programme. Since the application we have seen a big improvement in the sward and now we are able to start work to remove the moss with verti cutting, brushing and spring raking.

“We now have a full Headland programme in place including Greentec, Protec NK and C-Complex fertilisers, Seamac Ultra Plus and CalciComplex which has helped to raise the pH on some of the greens which were almost peat.”

The Isles of Scilly course is also not on a mains water supply so they spend time hand watering when water is available and the rest of the time they’re relying on rainfall. To help with it also uses Headland’s Tricure AD which helps to prevent hydrophobic conditions.

Headland Amenity Enquiry 68

First Terra Spike SL6 goes to golf club

Market Drayton Golf Club has taken delivery of the first Terra Spike SL6, Wiedenmann’s super light aerator for fine turf.

“It came along just as I was looking for extra depth,” said head greenkeeper, Simon Cotterill. “Our previous microtine machine operated to about 100 mm but going to 210 mm just suits us better.”

No stranger to Wiedenmann aerators, this is the fourth Terra Spike Simon Cotterill has purchased in his 26 years at the parkland course, having bought an original P6 and two subsequent XP6s.

“The plan is to use solid tines across all greens every 3 weeks or so falling back to four to five weeks in winter, weather depending. If we’re out early morning and

follow with a cut, no-one will know we’ve been out.”

Smart in every sense of the word, an innovative cover is one of several bespoke features designed to keep the SL’s weight to just 470kg.

An updated version of Wiedenmann’s patented TwinDrive takes up less room and moves the centre of gravity closer to the tractor. Other developments include a built-in tine return system and additional shock absorbing facility.

At 1.4 m this new aerator is wide enough to cover the greens quickly but small enough to be very nimble. The XP6 at 400mm deep is at the opposite end of the aerator range so Simon and the lads have all bases covered now.

CE marking for Classen aerator

Classen’s new TA18 aerator now has CE marking in compliance with EU health and safety requirements.

The width of the aerator is just 27.2”/69cm allowing it to fit through almost all gates and doors and the small footprint with the handles folded makes it exceptionally easy to store and transport.

For groundsmen, landscapers, hire outlets and homeowners the Classen TA18 is the ideal solution for highly productive treatment of grass areas including hills, slopes and inclines. It’s the most compact aerator in its class and easily negotiates around trees, shrubs and in tight spaces while aerating at speed.

There are five banks of tine wheels with tight tine placement to pull more holes for faster results, and yet the width of the aerator is just Power comes from a Honda GX120 engine

which drives the aerator at speeds up to 4.2mph/6.7kmh and the easily reached operation controls ensure user comfort and less fatigue. The TA18 can aerate up to 29,500 square feet of lawn per hour, making it the ideal, productive addition to a landscaper’s equipment fleet.

Another key feature of the Classen TA18 is the two ergonomically shaped and removable weights at the front and top of the machine, which ensure even weight distribution.

The Classen TA 18 Aerator has been designed with productivity and portability in mind and it comes with a two-year commercial warranty to add to it being fully certified, to give the contractor, hire outlet and end user complete peace of mind. Orders are being taken for delivery in mid-April.

Schiller

Groundscare Enquiry 67

Wiedenmann Enquiry 69

Reesink Turfcare appoints new national accounts manager

Alastair Rowell has been appointed national accounts manager for grounds at Reesink Turfcare, a position created due to the company’s growing prominence in the groundscare sector.

The appointment comes after a period of great growth for the

company who, through working directly with manufacturer Toro, has helped develop a comprehensive turfcare machinery range ideal for the sometimes harsh conditions and environments across the UK.

With customer relationships central to his role, Alastair brings

over 35 years experience in the industry including most recently eight years as sales manager at dealer Carrs Billington. Here he looked after grounds and horticultural machinery with over seven horticultural outlets.

Alastair says: “I started in the industry as an apprentice mechanic and then worked up to sales manager, I have been involved in selling the Toro brand now for over 20 years and from personal experience can recommend the quality of Toro’s build and reliability. I am really looking forward to working with the team at Reesink and Toro to continue to provide service and support to customers.”

Toro’s research and development is market leading and, with Reesink’s input on the challenges facing groundscare professionals today, the range is comprised of innovative solutions to tackle reduced budgets and tough mowing conditions. The product

line includes cylinder and rotary mowers to flails with optional cylinder attachments that give a tough cutting flail a fine cylinder finish when needed.

David Cole, Reesink’s managing director, says: “Alastair has experience in all the areas important for this role, he understands and has used Toro machines, he has a wealth of sales experience and has worked as a dealer selling direct to customers. With this kind of experience and breadth of knowledge regarding customers, dealers and distributors, he’s a valuable asset to our groundscare team.”

Alastair will be supporting and working closely with Reesink’s biggest clients across the country, and upholding the company’s reputation for providing awardwinning aftermarket support to customers.

Reesink Turfcare Enquiry 72

Abbott’s new tractors help company’s growth

Ordering four new John Deere tractors led to MJ Abbott Limited’s sales & technical director Adrian Abbott experiencing a golden moment when he drove the first one off the production line at the Mannheim tractor factory in Germany.

MJ Abbott is one of the UK’s leading sports turf construction and maintenance contractors, specialising in golf courses and sports pitch construction as well as irrigation and water management, land drainage, landscaping and environmental works.

Supplied by local dealer R Hunt Ltd at Tilshead in Wiltshire, the four new John Deere 6120M tractors, all equipped with

grassland tyres, take Abbott’s total fleet of John Deere large utility and compact tractors to 23. They were chosen due to their ease of operation, and the ongoing reliability of the machines in the contracting fleet.

They will be predominantly used on a wide range of sports turf projects from golf courses to football and rugby pitches, mainly for towing gravel hoppers, Weidenmann Terra Spike aerators, Blec Groundbreaker rotary decompactors and a range of other cultivators and seeders. Current projects include reconstruction of Wentworth Golf Club’s West Course, and drainage and irrigation work at Adare Manor Golf Resort in Ireland.

“We have been John Deere customers for over 20 years, so this latest deal reinforces our brand loyalty,” says Adrian Abbott.

“Our core tractor fleet ranges from 80 to 120hp, and with this latest purchase we now have 12 units in this power range. We have hired machines but this was

a false economy, and we quickly realised that we needed to expand the tractor fleet to cope with our expanding workload – we are fortunate to have a strong order book at the moment, which gave us the confidence to make this new investment.”

Deere Enquiry 73

GreenMech again for Arboreco

Arboreco carry out a range of tree and hedge works for both domestic and commercial customers.

With such differing projects the company needs a fleet of chipping machinery capable of getting into small and restricted spaces, as well as man enough for large site clearance projects.

Already owning a GreenMech QuadChip 160, Director Eddie Litchfield turned again to GreenMech again to purchase a smaller machine - a new MK II Arborist 130 unit.

Arboreco have always used GreenMech machines and been really pleased with them. When it came to adding another chipper to their fleet they were particularly impressed by the new features added onto the ever-popular Arborist 130 model.

The MK II units include a new folding table; bottom control bar; all new infeed touch controls; led lights - even a new livery.

GreenMech Enquiry 71

A

• Wide range of tank-mix options

John

SIS Pitches enjoy dominant year following key projects

ICL & Syngenta launch Ultimate Offers for 2017

ICL and Syngenta have launched their popular Primo Maxx Ultimate Offers for 2017, which are set to provide turf managers with a combination of great products through a range of extremely cost-effective packages.

Primo Maxx is commonly used on all types of sports and amenity turf because it improves the quality and performance of the turf and encourages root development as well as significantly reducing the mowing requirements.

Due to these benefits Primo Maxx has become a fundamental component of many maintenance programmes and so the Ultimate Offer is always most welcome at this time of year.

liquid fertilizer AND Syngenta XC nozzles. The packages are designed for use on greens or stadium pitches (Ultimate Offer 1), tees and surrounds or multiple pitch applications

(Ultimate Offer 2) or fairways, roughs or larger multiple pitch applications (Ultimate Offer 3).

Available exclusively through ICL distributors until December 31 2017, the Ultimate Offers can

help stretch budgets by saving turf managers up to £4,000 per year.

ICL Enquiry 76

Sports pitch-specialists SIS Pitches enjoyed a standout year in 2016, as a number of prestigious projects helped to propel the company to even greater heights.

With a group turnover exceeding £50 million, SIS Pitches is one of the world’s largest sports pitch companies, and is also unique in its ability to design, build, manufacture, install and maintain natural grass, synthetic turf and hybrid pitches.

Last year’s investment saw new tufting lines installed in the factory, new SISGrass machines capable of completing a full size fi eld in fi ve days commissioned, and new site equipment purchased.

Not only were more square metres of synthetic turf manufactured in the Cumbrian plant, SIS Pitches installed more pitches than in any previous calendar year.

The most prestigious project completed throughout the year was the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, where the opening match and final of the 2018

World Cup will be played. Incorporating technologically advanced SISGrass as well as the SISAir under-soil heating and cooling system, SIS Pitches has ensured perfect playing conditions for the most famous football event in the world.

The company has also agreed contracts to complete work for three more of the twelve stadiums to be used at the tournament.

SISGrass fields were completed for clients such as Chelsea, Derby County, Besiktas and Athletic Bilbao whilst the company also installed a new SISGrass hybrid pitch at AFC Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium, making Premier league history in the process.

In London, SIS Pitches upgraded the SISTurf pitch for English and European rugby champions Saracens, whilst SIS Pitches also constructed two RFU funded projects at Aylesbury and Preston Grasshoppers.

The Ultimate Offers combines the grass growth regulator Primo Maxx, Sportsmaster WSF water soluble fertilizer, Greenmaster

SIS Pitches Enquiry

77

New QF header system gets the most out of dripline irrigation

The benefits of on-surface and sub-surface dripline irrigation are widely recognised.

Efficient installation of dripline systems has, however, been challenging for contractors who had to build on-site any required header assemblies. Rain Bird’s new QF Dripline Header has changed this.

It is the market’s only selfdispensing coiled and pre-fabricated header system for dripline

installations. Users simply roll it out and attach any number of lateral lengths of dripline tubing to the T-piece barbs. When connected to the water source, consistent levels of irrigation are then assured.

Contact Peter Longman, Rain Bird Northern Europe Landscape Area Manager, email: plongman@rainbird.eu www.rainbird.eu

Rainbird Enquiry 78

Taking on the Tigers is no mean feat

Laurence Gale meets up with Ed Mowe, new head groundsman at Leicester Tigers, to talk about the challenge of working at one of the UK’s biggest rugby clubs.

It has been 10 years since my last visit to Welford Road, home ground of Leicester Tigers, plenty has changed in terms of new stands and the installation of a new hybrid pitch supplied by County Turf.

Tigers regularly play to a full house of 26,000 and attract some of the world’s best players, the club have in recent seasons also invested heavily in improving their training facilities at Oval Park.

So it is a good time to catch up with their Head Groundsman Ed Mowe who took up this new challenging post last December.

Q - What was the reason for taking up this new post at Leicester Tigers?

“Up until now I have spent most of my working career working in football, having spent 17 years at Leicester City FC , and three years at St Georges Park. I felt I needed a new challenge and Leicester Tigers will certainly give me that, in terms of getting their pitches up

to scratch. As with most of the Premier rugby sides they do not have the staff and resources we have in professional football.

“I was happy working at St Georges Park, but when the job came up at Tigers, I thought this would be a great opportunity for me to develop my skills set further and take playing pitch standards to a new level at Tigers.”

Q - What facilities come under your remit?

“I am responsible for looking after the stadium and the clubs three training pitches at Oval Park. The stadium’s pitch was newly laid last year, with the club trialling out a new Eclipse hybrid turf pitch (exclusively grown by County Turf in the UK and for Europe under licence from the Motz Group Eclipse Hybrid Turf is a patented combination of natural grass growing in a unique stabilizing mat).

“This hybrid turf combines natural and synthetic fibres tufted into an open-weave backing, top dressed with specified sand. The reinforcement of the artificial grass guarantees stability and an even playing surface immediately after installation. The club had also invested in a

new pop up watering system that was installed prior to the new pitch being laid.

“Since my arrival, I have also managed to acquire the use of some SGL lighting rigs to help stimulate grass growth on specific wear and shaded areas of the pitch. I’ve also overseeded twice since Christmas and applied a 4:0:6 granular fertiliser to keep the grass plant ticking over.

“We also look after three very heavily used pitches at Oval Park, mainly due to the fact the club share this facility with Oadby Wyggestonians Rugby Club. Pitch one is a natural soil based pitch with no drainage , pitch two is a 13 year old Desso Grassmaster pitch with drainage, irrigation and floodlights and pitch three is a natural soil pitch with drainage.

“These three pitches are in constant demand for training and matches on a daily basis and in any one season July – April we will be accommodating 233 games and untold amount of training sessions.

“As for the Leicester Tigers, the club have 39 senior players, we

play 16 home fixtures at Welford Road, they train four days a week (9am-3pm) at Oval Park and the team train at the stadium a day before home games. We then have a development team of 16 players who train alongside the seniors. So, all in all we are kept very busy.”

Q - What staff and resources do you have?

“When I arrived, there was only me and Cheryl Hill to cope with all the work. Cheryl has been a great asset to me in terms of her 26 years of working experience at Tigers. However, we both knew we needed to recruit more staff. In February I appointed James Keywood an experienced groundmans from Oakham School to the team. Although both Cheryl and James are based at the training ground, they are always on hand to help me at Welford Road.

“I have also been working closely with Brooksby Melton College to secure the release of two horticultural students who come in and help us on Mondays and Fridays as part of their training and development, they also started working for us in February.

“As for machinery, we are in the process of evaluating our needs. Our current machinery is quite old and limiting, however. With STIHL being one of our main sponsors, they have been very helpful in providing us with any relevant STIHL equipment, strimmers, blowers and small pedestrian rotary mowers.

“I have already started to ring the changes, with the purchase of a new Dennis G860 cassette mower which will be used at Welford Road, we currently hire in a Toro Procore, I am confident once they see improvements in pitch quality and what we can achieve under our new maintenance regimes the club will support

my machinery needs, with such a small team of ground staff, we need to ensure we can be efficient and affective.”

Q - What is your current assessment of the pitches?

“One of the first things I did when I arrived was to have some soil samples taken and analysed the results, working closely with Mark Akins of Soil Harmony we have come up with a feeding regime to improve the vigour and health of the grass plant. We are now applying a range of products in both liquid and granular formulations on a little and often basis.

“As for the two hybrid pitches, they are providing a good stable surface and able to withstand a lot of ware, it merely a case of improving the quality of the sward and maintain more grass cover.

“As for the soil based pitches, these will need an upgrade at some time in the future to bring them into line with our hybrid pitches. With that in mind we have set up a trial area down at the training ground and installed an area of Eclipse hybrid turf to see how well it performs.”

I am using the GrasPro online diary system so that I can record all of our pitch usage and all maintenance, irrigation, feeding activities that go onto the surfaces. The collation of all this data which is all retrievable will help me distinguish if there are

any factors to why certain areas have performed well or not. I will then have evidence for any future renovation, machinery requests that I feel the surfaces will need to help us move forward and evolve.

Q - What have you got planned for the end of season renovations? “Yes, my renovations are planned to start on June 10, all four pitches will be renovated, it is simply a case of removing the surface vegetation, verti-draining, topping up surface levels and reseeding in the case of the Eclipse hybrid pitch and the Desso Grassmaster we will need bring in County Turf and Hewitts to undertake the renovations.

“As for the two soil based pitches, these again will be cleaned off (removal of top vegetation), rotovated, top dressed with 60 tonnes of MM45 sand, vertidrained and reseeded and with a rye grass seed mixture.

“It will then be down to us, undertaking a robust maintenance regime of regular cutting on a daily/ every other day regime depending on growth, keeping the height of cut at around 30mm.

“Coping with the reinstatement after training and matches, this will be centred on cleaning the surface with rotary mowers, divoting and brushing. We will also ensure the pitches are aerated on a regular basis and fed.”

Sherriff Amenity launches GoGreen Energy

Sherriff Amenity has announced the launch of GoGreen Energy, a concentrated bio-stimulant formulated to assist plant health and relieve stress symptoms.

Over recent years, professionals in the groundscare and amenity industry have turned to Sherriff Amenity’s GoGreen complexed iron range.

Renowned for delivering outstanding results, the GoGreen range already boasts the longlasting iron granules (GoGreen Granules) and in liquid form (GoGreen Plus).

It has now been announced that GoGreen Energy is the latest product to be added to the unique range of products.

GoGreen Energy is a concentrated bio-stimulant, formulated to assist plant health and relieve stress symptoms in a wide variety of amenity turf situations. It contains seaweed, plant sugars, simple carbohydrates and trace elements that have been specially selected to give optimum results when grass is stressed. The low NPK analysis, complemented by suitable wetting and spreading agents, makes this an ideal component of any turf maintenance programme.

A cold processed seaweed extract was chosen to provide the maximum amounts of plant growth hormones; such as auxins, gibberellins and betains, to capitalise on increasing the root and shoot development. It

Top safety accreditation for Duralock

Duralock UK has been awarded accreditation from Alcumus SafeContractor for achieving excellence in health and safety in the workplace.

Alcumus SafeContractor is a leading third party accreditation scheme which recognises extremely rigorous standards in health and safety management amongst contractors. It is used by thousands

of organisations in the UK from SMEs to FTSE 100 companies.

Duralock is principally involved in the PVC fencing sector, specialising in the Equine and Sports industries, with a £3 million turnover. Duralock’s most recent clients have included major players such as Ascot Racecourse, Epsom Downs Racecourse and the RFU.

also contains a full package of trace elements.

GoGreen Energy uses a natural plant-based source of sugars and other carbohydrates that does not require a destructive sterilisation process, such as is mandatory with products containing hydrocarbons derived from bovine materials.

It can be used all year round and is ideal for all amenity turf areas or as a pre-game stadia application.

Sherriff Amenity Enquiry 81

Mow in any weather conditions with increased efficiency and minimum operating costs

Since its return to the UK market, Roberine has been promoting the R3 triple cylinder and F3 triple flail mowers to the John Deere dealer network through which the machines are supplied.

Roberine has teamed up with Nottingham-based Howard Marshall Engineering Ltd, who

have supplied products and solutions to the John Deere network for nearly 20 years, to stock parts in the UK and support Roberine dealers with demonstrations and technical assistance.

The F3 brings new innovation in commercial flail mowing with reduced operating costs,

minimal down time for setup and servicing, and the flexibility to mow in varying grass conditions including thick growth, sports turf and parks and recreation grounds in all weather conditions.

It also has the lowest noise levels in its class which will benefit councils working on housing estates or public parks. The R3 is a refined cylinder mower offering the latest technology and choice of 8” or 10” blades. Both machines are hydrostatic with permanent 4WD and there is also an option to have a reverse blow fan, another way of reducing maintenance down time, making the Roberine user and service friendly.

Roberine Enquiry 82

On the right lines at Ardingly College

The company’s Production & Installation Manager Jack Green, who was instrumental in ensuring Duralock worked towards the accreditation said: “Safety is paramount in every stage of the production process and it makes sense that we take the same level of care when it comes to our installations.”

Duralock UK Enquiry 83

Ian Card is Head of Grounds and Security at Ardingly College, an independent, mixed school set in a beautiful 230-acre campus in the West Sussex countryside.

In 2014, Ian returned to Ardingly and now leads a skilled team of nine maintaining the grounds and twelve grass pitches, three squares and two all-weather artificial turf pitches. Football is the dominant sport alongside rugby, cricket, hockey, athletics and tennis.

As is expected the standards of all facilities must be maintained to an exemplary level and the pitches are pounded seven days a week by the school’s 400+ students. The amount of use and the high quality expected of the grounds certainly keeps Ian and his team on their toes.

The finishing touch and stand out feature of any sports pitch is the white line presentation. This school year saw Ardingly

become a customer for Bristolbased sports paint supplier, Pitchmark. Their Eco System appealed to Ian and his staff, as he explained: “I like the marking machine. It’s very simple and easy to operate and has a nice user-friendly feel to it.”

Ian continued: “Pitchmark’s assistance before and after I became a customer has been excellent. One of their reps, Olly (Boys), comes to see me and the team, and we chat through how the paint and machine are performing and my general feedback. It’s something that was being overlooked with a previous supplier - good, friendly customer service.”

Pitchmark have been supplying Ardingly College with their readyto-use paint Ecoline+ and this is having a positive effect on work efficiency. “The no mixing is very convenient. My guys don’t have to spend down-time mixing and getting messy. The product quality and finish is consistent, allowing us to spend more time on other tasks to raise the standards further.”

“Sometimes, the paint can be too good,” he said, jokingly. “We swap some football fields to rugby every January and I could still see the old lines weeks after.” Well, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Pitchmark Enquiry 84

Fencing for a multitude of needs

importantly still that I would want my kids to play in.

Leisure and sports fencing can keep balls in play, reduce maintenance, provide safety and security, deter vandalism and graffiti and even be an integral part of the field of play.

One fantastic example where we supplied multiple types of fencing, railings and gates was Paddington Recreation Ground in Westminster, London. It is my favourite case study on a single site of creative solutions to specific challenges and issues.

Full Size Synthetic Hockey Pitch – Bespoke hockey mesh panels surround a professional-standard 101x65m hockey pitch that caters for a large number of spectators.

The panels can withstand high impact hockey balls, but also allows excellent through visibility. The goal ends use attractive ‘transition panels’, which grade the transition between the 5m-high ends and 3m-high sides.

Football Pitch – The recreation ground includes a sand dressed football pitch for a variety of sports. The 106x64m pitch is surrounded by Duo8 sports fencing for a robust playing area, with rubber inserts between the panels and posts to keep ‘rattle’ during play to a minimum.

Cricket Nets – Duo8 sports fencing was used to fashion four professional-standard cricket nets. A sports netting ‘roof’ retains cricket balls within the area, slows the transit of balls and deadens the final impact.

Tennis / Basketball / 5-A-Side MUGAs – The courts use 4m high Duo8 on the park side, but in order to maximise ball retention, use 5m high fencing on a side that backs onto a housing estate. This area further increases the options available to residents, as two of the tennis courts use Super Rebound fencing and double as 5-A-side football pitches.

Integrated lighting columns are installed in the fence line and act as fence posts.

5-A-Side Football Pitch – This innovative 3-in-1 5-a-side pitch has six goal recesses, one at each end and two on each side. This enables one large game or two smaller games to be played simultaneously. The 61x37m pitch uses Zaun’s Super Rebound system, giving an excellent rebound surface, that lasts longer than wooden boards and allows an unhindered view of the action.

Play Areas – Bow top railings are the traditional perimeter for play areas as they are in keeping with their surroundings, provide high visibility of children playing within and comply with RoSPA guidelines, such as gates which mitigate against the risk of finger traps. Gates are also fitted with self-closers that automatically draw the gates to a close so children can’t wander out and dogs cannot get in. We supplied some curved railings to encircle a round play area near some flats.

Pathways – Bow top railings mirroring those surrounding the children’s play area, delineate pathways and separate walkways from shrubbery and other natural landscaping.

Groundsman’s compound –We secured the perimeter of the groundsman’s compound in the centre of the recreation ground with 3m-high Duo8 to protect their cabinm groundscare eauipment and material sticks. This included lockable double gates to allow access to maintenance machinery.

Zaun Enquiry 87

Make sure you use your purchasing power

available before making the right choice for you.”

times are a-changing in the groundcare market, Jane Carley reports.

The groundcare industry has traditionally been focused on capital investment to expand or update its machinery fleet, but Kubota UK’s Groundcare Business Development Manager Adrian Langmead reports, buying habits are evolving.

“Today, flexibility and the whole life costs are the priorities,” he explains. “Approximately 25% of our groundcare customers now use finance as a means of purchase and we expect this will increase.

“Not all options will be right for every customer, though, so it’s important to thoroughly research and understand all the options

Customers can choose between four finance packages: Hire Purchase, Operating Lease, Contract Hire and Finance Lease. These options can also be beneficial for smaller operators, Adrian adds. “A modest landscaping firm for example can keep a tight rein on outgoings through Contract Hire, which is key if they are being paid based on a ‘metres mown’ or ‘volume of grass cut’ rate.”

John Deere Financial’s general sales manager Ed Thompson comments: ”With golfers more transient, many clubs have recently ‘sweated’ their machinery fleet assets, running up higher repair bills and stepping out from a previously regular replacement policy to meet short term budgetary constraints - to the extent that they can lose sight of their true running and depreciation costs.”

“We see a switch from traditional HP or finance lease to operating lease as the

best way of fi xing costs. For some this is driven by partial VAT exemption, for others it simply offers the best means of budgeting for expenditure.”

Campey Turfcare is a leading dealership for New Holland tractors as well as holding franchises for Dennis, Trimax and Baroness. Richard Campey maintains that capital investment is still popular, especially for smaller sports clubs which allocate money for machinery purchases from club funds.

“I would say that its 50/50 between machinery that is financed and that purchased from

the club’s budget. It depends on the influence of the company or organisation’s accountant, however – they often don’t like having assets on the books. Plus, the leading manufacturers can put together some extremely attractive packages to include extended warranties and servicing, which have proved popular with golf clubs etc.”

He adds that some customers prefer to source finance independently, which can work well.

At Stoke City FC, Head Groundsman Andrew Jackson operates three New Holland tractors for the bet365 Stadium

Out There chooses out-fronts

Out There Services, located in Co Antrim in Northern Ireland, has invested in a new fleet of 15 John Deere commercial outfront rotary mowers.

The current models have been bought using a hirepurchase facility provided at a very competitive rate by the company’s bank, Danske Bank in Belfast, which has been applied across the whole business, says Out There’s financial director Bronagh Vallely.

“We didn’t find contract hire was a particularly good solution for us,” she explains. “In our business, working in a variety of public open spaces, we deal with some very rough grass conditions compared to golf clubs, for example, so we have to be able to allow for that when buying and trading in our equipment.

“We’ve actually returned to using HP. We can still take advantage

and Clayton Wood training ground: a 2012 Boomer 45D with loader, 2015 Boomer 45D and a 2016 Boomer 25, all supplied by Campey Turfcare.

Overseeding - from seed choice to machinery selection

The provision of favourable germination and establishment conditions are essential to the success of any overseeding operation. technical support manager for DLF John Hughes and charterhouse turf machinery’s dougie archibald offer some advice.

The first step to a successful overseeding programme is to consider the soil preparation.

“Technically grass roots will only grow in the air spaces within the soil so bearing that in mind, it is vital to create a well aerated and free draining soil structure to give the new seed the best possible start,” explains John Hughes.

With the groundwork done you can now consider which seed mixtures to use. It’s important firstly to understand what grasses you have in the existing surface, meaning an accurate survey of species is a worthwhile task.

“It is the species rather than the cultivar that affects the speed of germination but once the seed is through, the choice of cultivar becomes far more important” explains John. “The cultivars in the mixtures selected will determine its establishment rate, it’s physical and playing characteristics and ultimately its suitability for the task at hand.”

Even newer is the introduction by DLF of ProNitro, a seed

coating which provides slow and quick release N directly to the developing root as the seed germinates. This means the establishment of these smaller seeded species, with low nutrient reserves, is vastly improved and highly targeted.

“The Redexim range of overseeders encapsulates a variety of working widths, hopper capacities and delivery methods –all of which are fully adjustable for any required seed density” explains Dougie Archibald.

“First up is the Speed Seed which delivers the seed into dimples relatively close to the surface, created by a spiked sarel roller. The Speed Seed is ideal for fine

turf, where drill lines need to be avoided. An optional second roller can be fitted to increase the number of holes created from 940 per m2 with one roller up to 1840 per m2. For improved seed to soil contact, or in situations where high

germination rates are the priority, it could be worth considering disc seeders. Disc seeders will open up the turf and accurately deposit the seed into the furrow created, therefore increasing the delivery efficiency.”

of the capital allowances from a tax perspective and we own the machines at the end of the finance period, so we have the flexibility to decide whether to retain or replace them at that point.

“With HP we know the interest charges, so everything is budgeted for in advance over the four-year finance period. For this new purchase we also separately agreed and fixed prices with Johnston Gilpin for parts and servicing, which makes it easier for us to budget for the total fleet maintenance costs.”

Tractors are purchased outright as from the club’s capital expenditure budget once the purchase has been agreed by the management board.

The Eliet DZC600 Overseeder, available from PSD Groundscare, provided the perfect solution.

With the DZC600 grass seed is inserted into slots cut between existing vegetation so minimising competition from the existing grass sward. It is essential for the success of the treatment that the seed is in contactv with the soil so it can germinate as soon as possible and maximise the growth opportunities.

Landscape contractor James Collins maintains 34 bowling greens across Devon and Cornwall and wanted a quicker, more cost-effective solution to his previous method of overseeding by scarifying and brushing in seed, followed by top dressing.

Back in the game

Building new pitches or renovating existing facilities –industry developments are al leading to better playing surfaces, reports Jane Carley.

Sports clubs are now faced with strong competition from other leisure activities to attract players, and providing a top quality playing surface is an important part of the overall offering. Contractors and groundsmen are benefiting from the latest techniques to construct and renovate pitches.

Sportsturf contractor Duncan Ross has carried out a three-year drainage project at Bolton RUFC after initial work on the first pitch and training area.

Bolton RUFC has three pitches and a training area – roughly half the size of a normal rugby field –to maintain, for use by their four men’s teams and 12 junior teams ranging from ages 6-18.

“Our senior teams have league programs throughout the season, but with juniors you’re looking for continuity, because if games start getting called off on a regular basis they go and find another sport to play,” Les began.

This conscious effort to improve the surfaces has had a dramatic effect on the pitches, and these improvements aren’t being limited to renovations, with any problem areas being tackled as and when it’s appropriate.

“The main work that we had done almost three years ago was the training area and the first pitch, which are situated immediately in front of the club house.

The training area is extensively used throughout the season and the first pitch tends to be the one that gets used the most.

“This year, as well as the general renovation, we’ve focused on the other fields where there was an area that was particularly wet, which was highlighted in the winter.

“So we’ve put some additional drainage into that to try and improve it, because whilst we’ve given the fi rst pitch and training area a lot of initial focus, we know it’s important to get all of the surfaces up to a certain standard.”

In the racing industry, providing safe footing for valuable racehorses that encourages competitive, fair racing is an ongoing challenge.

Campey Turf Care Systems has supplied York Racecourse with an Imants Shockwave and Rotoknife as they continue to adopt new methods in a bid to

maintain their course in the best condition possible.

Significant drainage works were carried out in 2008 to assist in removing surface water from the racing surface, which is situated on a floodplain, fed by the river Ouse. Head groundsman, Adrian Kay has continued to focus on maintaining and improving the drainage system.

Both machines, which were supplied by Campey dealer CLS Selfdrive, are working in conjunction with a Koro Top Drain used at a depth of 25cm to trench, remove spoil, inject sand and re-compact in the same operation. The Shockwave and Rotoknife give a greater ability to move surface water, whilst providing compaction relief.

“The main reason behind purchasing the Rotoknife is keeping the surface open and clean. That allows the oxygen to get in, but it also helps prevent thatch build up,” explains Adrian.

Club captain, Les Towler has been involved with the club since 1977 and explains the importance of consistently providing high quality pitches for the junior teams to play on.

AdrianKayYork Racecourse,Peter Slater CLS Sel-Drive andRichardHeywood CampeyTurfCare

Duncan Ross Bolton RFU

“When it comes to the Shockwave it’s more how the linear decompaction works with the new drainage profile that we have incorporated, and keeping that route from the surface down to the subsurface clean and open.

“We are also de-compacting with the Shockwave, which assists with the gaseous exchange and aeration we get with the Rotoknife.”

Adrian concludes: “Using all three in combination along with solid tine decompaction means the surface is getting the best chance possible to filter water and air through to the subsurface drainage system. These implements and processes

all come together to allow us to provide a safe and consistent racing surface throughout the season and in the process reduce the risk of abandonment.”

Derby County head groundsman Nathan Scarff has praised the SISIS Javelin Aer-Aid 1500 tractor mounted aerator for all-year-round use to keep the playing surface at the iPro Stadium in peak condition.

The Javelin Aer-Aid 1500 from SISIS aerates with a vertical action and injects air into the root zone at a fast working rate, creating thousands of fi ssures.

The cam trigger mechanism ensures that the air is always expelled at the bottom of the

tine penetration, enabling treatment to be targeted precisely and consistently.

This machine features 10mm diameter ‘tipped’ tines spaced at 75mm with depth of penetration, infinitely variable, to a maximum of 127mm. These air injection tines are specially designed to use the maximum air available from the compressor and produce clean, fresh air at a constant rate of 88 litres per minute, while surface disturbance is kept to a minimum.

“We use the Javelin Aer-Aid every time we get a decent break in between games - we’re trying to keep the pitch regulated in terms of how hard or soft it is.

We can aerate the pitch in under three hours and it can be played on immediately afterwards,” explains Nathan.

“The option of the air injection has proved to be invaluable to us. In a stadium environment we don’t get a lot of natural air movement or sunlight so the water movement isn’t particularly good. Being able to inject the air helps prevent any problems like black layer and it also great for helping to reduce the compaction from using the heavier machinery on the pitch.”

Timing is key for effective aeration, suggests Charterhouse Turf Machinery, Nick Darking.

Aerate anytime of the year with no disruption to play

SISISJavelin

CharterhouseVertidrain

“During the winter months, deep aeration to 30-35cm during any relatively dry periods will help to keep surfaces playable; draining and free from puddling. Thought should also be given to the top profile which may have become saturated and requires helps to rid itself of excess water. As soon as you can get a machine onto the surface, without causing issues, aeration should be conducted.”

“Heading into spring, lighter Verti-Drains such as the 1513 or 1517 from Charterhouse can be mounted behind a small compact tractor and deliver the results required to keep the surface free draining,” he says.

“It can also help to link up with the deeper aeration work done over the winter. Any holes will allow the plant to take advantage of available oxygen and nutrition which will help to deliver an improvement in overall sward vigour.”

Nick adds that If a wet spring is on the cards, the linear aeration provided by the Redexim VertiQuake is a good alternative.

“The rotary motion, combined with the forward speed sets up a wave action which helps decompaction to take place. However, it should be used with caution in dry conditions as slit lines can shrink and open up if

the ground is too dry. Again, timing is essential. “

“For the drier conditions we’d expect as we head into summer, needle tines are the most effective way to keep the surface open, helping to maximise the effects of irrigation and nutritional programmes. Again, aerating at the right time will reduce costs associated with irrigation and feeding, maximising the utilisation of any rainfall, while creating minimal disruption to the surface.”

Manufacturers have introduced a number of new products for renovation works.

The new GKB SP100 Sandspreader has been developed to meet customer needs with easy mounting onto turf trucks, such as the John Deere Gator and Toro Workman. Fitting is straightforward via a bolt-on system and stand legs allow the SP100 to be quickly set up or removed.

With its 1m3 hopper capacity the machine suits a variety of purposes, evenly distributing materials, such as sand and mulch on sports pitches, with variable spread widths and depths. It’s easily fitted with electro-hydraulic controls and runs directly off the hydraulics of the chosen turf truck.

The GKB Sandfiller is built to tackle the problems of surface drainage and aeration, simultaneously aerating and filling the topsoil with sand, creating the right conditions for root growth. To allow the machine to follow the contours of the ground, three adjustable depth rollers are used while a slitting rotor, situated between conveyor rollers, operates the aerating and slitting actions.

Two conveyor rollers are pivoted to distribute weight efficiently and material removed from the top layer by verticutting is immediately collected in a sideways tipping container. Sand flow is controlled hydraulically

by means of an adjustable valve situated on the side of the machine.

GKB also supplies the Combinator, designed to combine frase mowing and verticutting grass areas, removing and loading the complete upper layer of unwanted turf. On uneven surfaces the Combinator frase mower removes all irregularities for a level result. The cut material is loaded by conveyor belts to a trailer on the move.

The DZC 600 Overseeder from Eliet makes high tech overseeding possible at an affordable price, suggests supplier PSD Groundscare.

“As the years go by, all sportsturf is subject to ageing where grass dies thus reducing the density of growth. This gives weeds and moss the opportunity to take over the turf and while scarifying and spraying can help to briefly interrupt the decline, the only long-term solution is to rejuvenate the grass - the key to successful turf is overseeding, explains PSD Groundscare’s Scott Grieve.

The patented operating principle of the DZC 600 offers ideal conditions for the introduction of seed.

Cutting blades at the front of the machine cut open 10 to

15mm deep grooves in the soil in preparation for the grass seed. The blades rotate over the top and cast the soil in an arch to the rear of the machine so that it does not fall into the newly cut grooves.

Seed is carried under the projected excess soil by the Helix Seed Duct into small funnels leading to discharge channels precisely located above the clean grooves. A small air pressure generator blows air through the seed funnels so the seed is blown while it is being distributed, helping the seed to settle faster and with more precision in the grooves.

The MAJOR Swift Roller Mower is a high-output machine, suitable for the maintenance of parks, schools, sports grounds and turf farms. Working widths of

and 5.5m available in trailed, 3 point linkage and front mounted configurations.

Eliet

GKBsandspreader

GKBquickbrush

Earth is pressed down by a powered rubber roller which immediately follows the seed distribution process and ensures that there is good contact between the soil and the seeds.

Projected excess earth falls just behind the roller on the sown area to cover the seedbed and provide a protective layer for the seed, increasing the chances of germination and growth.

The Eliet DZC 600 offers a reliable and robust solution that in the correct conditions offers visible results within 14 days and has recently been trialled and tested at the STRI research facility in Bingley, West Yorkshire,

Scott Grieve comments: “The Eliet DZC600 successfully fills a gap in the market for a pedestrian overseeder that offers a robust yet highly efficient solution to sports turf renovation.”

Classen’s new TA18 aerator now has CE marking in compliance with EU health and safety requirements. The CE has been done by an independent company to confirm the vibration figures at 3.6ms².

At just 69cm wide the aerator can fit through almost all gates and doors and the small footprint with the handles folded makes it easy to store and transport.

There are five banks of tine wheels with tight tine placement to pull more holes for faster results and power comes from a Honda GX120 engine which drives the aerator at speeds up to 6.7kmh. The TA18 can aerate up to 29,500 square feet per hour.

Removable weights at the front and top of the machine reduce its weight to 97kg for easy transportation.

Synthetic turf

Synthetic sports surfaces have long provided local authorities and community sports clubs with reliable all-weather play and reduced maintenance costs. The latest materials are seeing the pitches increase in popularity for professional sport.

Evo-Stik North club Hyde United FC has installed a new GreenFields 3G pitch at its Ewen Fields Stadium.

The club selected GreenFields MX TriMension, accredited to FIFA two-star standard and used by top clubs around the world including at Arsenal FC’s Training Ground, Falkirk FC. Stadium, PSV Eindhoven and Charlton Athletic FC’s Training Ground.

MX TriMension utilises patented triple W-weave

technology resulting in an extremely high tuft bind.

The MX TriMension 50 artificial surface was selected due to its durability and ability to sustain many hours of rigorous training and competitive play. The pitch has a total area of 116m x 70m and was tested to FIFA 2 star quality.

It was completed with a logo mat in the tunnel including both the club’s and GreenFields’ logo as well as GreenFields branding

throughout the stadium as part of an enhanced sponsorship deal with the club.

The installation was enabled by a £400,000 plus investment from Tameside Borough Council providing not only a competitive sports pitch but a facility for the whole community as well. The club runs its full time academy, all fixtures and training at Ewen Fields and is able to accept community bookings, increasing its revenue.

HydeGreenfields

Classen

Maintenance is also simplified, with the pitch just requiring a daily brush and quarterly decompaction.

Pete Ainger, Community and General Manager at Hyde United Football Club explains: “The feedback so far has been excellent! One of the officials commented it was by far the best 3G surface he had ever officiated on. The technology is massively different from other 3Gs, it performs like a grass pitch with increased durability.”

Turf Reclamation Solutions UK uses new machinery imported from the USA to strip a full size artificial grass pitch, remove it from site and prepare it for recycling in less than 48 hours. So far TRS machinery has been used at around 20 venues up and down the country.

It comprises of a base unit powered by a three-cylinder, 31hp turbo charged Kubota engine which is anchored by two 25cm wide tracks with two add-on units: a turf slicer, a turf

Getting ahead with a Major Swift

family enterprise with Keith, his son Lewis and wife Angela all involved in the business.

The Southampton-based company, established in 2012, is a bona fide

“We have many loyal customers who have come to expect a high level of workmanship from us,” explained Keith. To ensure continuous client satisfaction,

the company only use firstrate machinery and mowing equipment.

With this in mind, the company purchased a Major 2.4m Swift Roller Mower and a Kubota STV 40 last year through their local dealer Rod Gaskin.

Southern Ground Care has ground maintenance contracts throughout the South of England so the Major Swift earns its keep in a variety of locations including schools, football, rugby and cricket pitches.

“The front and rear rollers deliver a beautiful striped finish even when the grass is wet,” said Keith. “It’s a gear driven mower so any issues with belts are eliminated.

“The user friendly height adjustment system allows us to cut from 10mm to 150mm depending on where we’re working. In addition to doing a fantastic job, the mower is easy to maintain and cost effective to run.”

Major Equipment Enquiry 100

roller and a specialised tracked infill separator.

Dave Gibson, Director of TRS UK and Contracts Director of Fairways Sportsgrounds says:

“This service is exactly right for these more environmentally conscious times. Everyone –contractors, councils, clubs - is looking more closely at eco impact and to minimise their environmental footprint. Up until recently a worn pitch would almost always end up in landfill.”

A typical worn out synthetic pitch can weigh between 100 -200 tonnes depending on the original surface type. Occasionally the old surface can be re-purposed but inevitably it ends up in landfill.

The new process means that the old materials can be effectively recycled at a centre where the various elements can be cleaned and reused, becoming new feedstock material for a variety of new products.

The TRS machinery slices the worn pitch into 1.15m wide strips, before the infill material is extracted on site by the specialised Rattlesnake machine and then the old turf is wound into manageable rolls.

“For a sand filled carpet the TRS machinery extracts the sand fill from the surface and bags it directly into one tonne sacks. This bagged sand is then lab tested and, if approved, it can either be reused on the new pitch or in another part of the construction process. Elsewise it can be readily used as a top dressing material for natural grass pitches,” explains Dave.

“On sand/ rubber filled carpets the uplifted infill can be taken off site and separated. Again the granules and sand once lab tested can go on to serve in another synthetic carpet.”

Further cost savings are achieved as the low ground pressure tracked machinery causes no damage to the underlying

constructions. Existing shockpads can be reused saving the client both time and money when surface replacements are carried out.

At one recently completed project the carpet was completely removed, fill materials separated, and the old surface stacked neatly in the adjacent car park in just over two days, despite torrential rain during most of the first day.

Dave comments: “We had a very tight turn around there and the TRS machinery helped speed up the whole process. For budgetary and timing reasons the client needed us to retain the existing shock pad and we were able to start to install the new pitch within three days of us commencing the contract.

“The majority of the old carpet was transferred off site to be recycled into new plastic products. The remainder was re-purposed at a local Golf Club where the lighter carpet was easily transported around the course and placed exactly where needed. “

Synthetic turf also benefits from innovation in maintenance equipment - the GKB Rotobrush RB120 is designed to rejuvenate and maintain sports field artificial turf and help keep it in top condition. The Rotobrush offers a quick and easy method of removing dirt collected between the fibres in a single pass, with a closed deck to prevent loss of collected infill material, to bring a heavily compacted surface back to life.

GKB Quick Clean is a three-point CAT I/II linkage mounted and PTO operated machine for quick and thorough cleaning of artificial turf, sweeping up leaves, branches and dirt in a single pass. It uses a depth adaptable brush and shaking screen system to deposit dirt into a waste bin. The screens are interchangeable to allow filtering of different grain sizes such as sand, rubber, cork and TPE.

TRSFairwaysGroup

Keith Petley is a former transport business owner, whose attention to detail and organisational skills have been carried over to his sports turf management company Southern Ground Care Ltd.

Irus remote mowers offer robust solutions

Irus have been building Mowers in Germany since 1928, with their first Remote mower in 2003. Consequently there range of remote mowers and tool carriers are one of the most developed on the market.

Starting with the wheeled Quatrak, with either pneumatic or steel spike wheels, the range moves onto the Evotrak which is one of the lightest, and most

stable remote tracked machines on the market.

The Deltrak is now on version 2.5 with 38hp Kubota power. And coming into the UK this year, the twin 50hp high performance dual mounted Tool Carrier, follows the Irus policy of balance and stability on slopes.

Loxston Groundcare Enquiry

103

New Harrier 41 Pro rear roller mower from Hayter

Hayter has introduced the Harrier 41 Pro to their range.

Designed for landscape professionals, this mower is an all-new addition to the Harrier rear-roller mower line-up that’s been integral to the Hayter portfolio for more than 30 years. The Harrier 41 Pro is specifically designed to meet the needs of landscape contractors and gardeners wanting to achieve a high- quality, striped turf finish in small to medium gardens and grassed areas.

Class-leading collection is paramount to the Harrier 41 Pro’s design. The new shape cast aluminum deck, designed using aerospace airflow technology, provides maximum airflow for optimum collection performance.

McConnel puts customers in control with ROBO range

McConnel’s ROBOMAX is an 80hp all-terrain work platform that can tackle slopes of up to 55 degree and delivers twice the power of the company’s best-

selling ROBOCUT machine. Alongside ROBOMOZ, a high-performance all-terrain slope mower with a Yanmar 33hp engine and six different

attachments and ROBOZERO – the world’s first commercial remote control zero-turn mower, the ROBO range offers a wide range of professional solutions.

A new grass bag design with integrated cover drafts dust and debris away from the operator and aids collection of up to 60 litres of grass cuttings so you can mow for longer. With this model, Hayter also introduces new Vari-Pitch technology, which automatically adjusts the deck to increase airflow when set to cut longer grass, improving collection when conditions are most challenging.

The new Harrier 41 Pro features a Honda GCV160 engine and a split rear-roller for easy turning with no turf markings. Specifically designed to withstand the rigors of commercial mowing, other pro-friendly features include heavy-duty wheels and front and rear lifting handles to aid transport.

Added to this is the incorporation of a Trim Side, enabling the operator to cut right to the edge, making it ideal for cutting right up to borders, retaining walls and raised flower beds – reducing the need to strim after mowing.

Hayter Enquiry104

Other models in the McConnel remote range include:

• ROBOCUT – the world’s best-selling remote control tool carrier. Comes with a range of 17 different work attachments from a stump grinder to a fixed-tooth forestry flailhead.

• ROBOPOWER – part of the new wave of unmanned tractors, this innovative 140hp machine has front and rear three-point linkage for universal compatibility.

• ROBOLOAD – features a 40hp Isuzu diesel engine, a powerful loader bucket capable of lifting more than 300kg, and is compatible with the full range of ROBOCUT attachments and accessories.

McConnel Enquiry 106

Low vibration, noise and maintenance with electric mower

The Mean Green WBX-33 from Overton (UK) heralds a new era in electric commercial mowing.

With its Stand-On and Zero Turn big brothers they all use the latest Lithium-Ion battery technology to drive the wheels and power the mower deck.

Independent HAV, WBV and dB tests on all mowers gave very low readings allowing for longer, quieter working times. Maintenance costs and down time are low as they have no belts or filters.

Overton Enquiry 105

Excellence andefficiency asstandard

“

We have around 250-300 Etesia pedestrian rotaries in our fleet, so we see them as our pedestrian mower of choice and Etesia is a key supplier.

Stuart Derbyshire, Glendale’s Commercial Director

Etesia pedestrian mowers are trusted for their quality, efficiency and excellent cutting capability in all weather.

Kersten makes a simple change

All of Kersten’s 2 Wheel Tractors support a range of attachments to keep you working 12 months a year from just a single power unit, cutting down on service costs, storage space and operator training.

The Quick Attach 35 and Quick Attach 70 system’s allow attachments to be changed very quickly without tools. This means you can easily change the attachment and get on with the next task at a moments notice.

The three-step process is simple:

1. Pull the spring-loaded locking pin up and lock in the raised position by inverting the handle.

2. Disconnect the hydraulic hoses using the quick release couplings. These are male and

female connectors, will only fit one way to ensure correct drive rotation of the implement.

3. Slide the attachment out of the socket.

Re-fitting is a reversal of the above procedure. Less than 30 seconds is all it takes to go from mowing to ploughing, or sweeping to spreading.

Kersten Enquiry 109

Etesia electric start gives users the power

Etesia’s Duocut 46 RMBE pedestrian mower features the new Briggs and Stratton 775iS Series Instart engine.

The Briggs and Stratton 775iS Series DOV InStart engines represent the ultimate performance package. They naturally incorporate the heritage attributes of power, performance and reliability, but add the most innovative and easiest starting ever seen on a lawnmower.

iS series engines use Lithium-lon batteries to provide repeated and reliable starting without the need of a pull-cord capable of 50 engine starts before it needs recharging.

The Etesia Duocut 46 RMBE is a single speed machine with a cutting width of 46cm.

A range of mowers to suit all requirements

Lloyds and Co of Letchworth manufactures the superb range of Paladin pedestrian and Leda gang mowers.

Any turf professional responsible for the maintenance and general upkeep of sports surfaces, including those used for golf, rugby, football, cricket, tennis and bowls, can benefit from owning a Lloyds machine.

The Paladin brand is known across the world and holds an enviable reputation for ease of operation and robust construction. All of the products are of excellent quality and retain their simplistic but effective engineering which always delivers outstanding performance and trouble free service.

There are several models available; the Paladin, Paladin Dual and the Paladin TG in two widths of 21”(533mm) and 24”(610mm).

Lloyds Paladin Dual has been developed to give the best finish with an infinitely variable adjustment to facilitate the perfect cut.

Lloyds Paladin TG has all the features and performance of the Paladin but with the added benefit of a groomer for conditioning the turf and improving its playability. The groomer is fitted closely between the cutting cylinder and the grooved front roller and encourages healthy growth by removing the lateral grasses and other debris.

Lloyds Leda Gang Mowers range from combinations of the Standard units with 190mm diameter and 760mm wide cylinders, or Lloyds Leda Giant units with 254mm diameter cylinders 760mm long. In outfits of Trio, Quintuple and Septuple.

Lloyds and Co Enquiry 111

As with all rotary mowers in the Duocut range, it offers low vibrations combined with high performance, quality cut and reliability. Extremely versatile, the new model is capable of mowing with or without collection in all conditions, or for high-quality mulching - without the need for an accessory.

That high performance is possible thanks to the Duocut concept which is the perfect combination between 100% collection and 100% mulching decks, without compromising the results of either of the functions.

Changing the mowing system is easy: just place the removable insert under the deck if you want to mulch. Remove the insert if you prefer to mow with

or without collection. There is no need for a tool or blade change. The insert completes the shape of the deck to form a smooth surface with no

roughness, allowing the grass to move easily for incomparably superior mulching.

New version of space-saving Toro SmartStow unveiled

Toro has announced the release of a new model of the innovative SmartStow mower - the first petrol mower that can be folded and stored vertically without having to drain the fuel and oil.

The new SmartStow (model 20961) now has rear-wheel drive, an Automatic Drive System and Recycle on Demand as standard.

The unique Automatic Drive System automatically matches the mower’s speed to the user’s walking pace, while a Traction Assist handle enables improved control on difficult terrain. Traction is further enhanced with the introduction of rear-wheel drive.

The Recycle-on-Demand feature allows the user to switch between collecting, cutting or recycling clippings at the pull of a lever. Recycling sees the grass repeatedly chopped into fine pieces and forced back into the turf, helping achieve a lusher

lawn as it maintains nutrients and moisture in the soil.

These new features just add to the unique ability of the SmartStow to store vertically with no petrol or oil spills, reducing the mower’s storage footprint by 70 per cent.

Available now, the SmartStow has a wide 55cm/22” steel cutting deck to get the job done quickly, and is a great choice for customers with medium to large gardens but for whom storage space is a challenge.

Julie Dommett, Marketing Manager for Toro, commented: “This new SmartStow continues to provide the unique ability to store the mower vertically, but with the new features on the 20961 model adding to the already proven durability, reliability and cut of the mower.

“These new developments highlight the ongoing innovation Toro strives to maintain across all its products and ranges. With more than 1,500 patents related to turf maintenance, innovation is at the heart of everything we do, and we are delighted to offer this new product to the market.”

Etesia UK Enquiry 110

John Deere range at the cutting edge

Ease your greens into play this Spring

Spring can be a difficult and sometimes frustrating time in the greenkeeping calendar.

The use of triplex units should be avoided to reduce stress on the plant. The advantage of the Cub Cadet Infinicut is that, as well as cutting heads for when mowing is appropriate, there are cassettes for sarel rolling, spiking and vibration for this relatively lightweight unit.

The effects of a winter that may have resulted in disease scarred greens; worn areas through heavy play and generally weak turf can cause problems in getting the greens ready for the summer.

Until soil temperatures rise significantly then the modus

John Deere lawn care equipment is engineered to combine outstanding performance and reliability with ease of use, comfort and control.

The extensive range means there is a John Deere to suit every garden or area of grass, whatever its size, shape or type.

John Deere’s TANGO E5 Series

II robotic mower features a big display screen and smart navigation technology; it’s simple to set up and produces consistently excellent results.

TANGO’s powerful Lithium-Ion battery enables it to cover grass areas up to 2200m2 (about half an acre), mowing in a random pattern within an easily installed concealed boundary wire.

John Deere’s walk-behind mowers offer a wide choice of size, power and high performance features across the company’s extensive line-up. Cutting widths range from 40cm up to 54cm. There are petrol, electric and battery powered

mowers plus the choice to collect clippings or to mulch. Prices start at £390 inc VAT.

The R54RKB walk-behind mower has a Subaru petrol engine for top performance and reliability. Suitable for mowing areas up to 2500m2 (over half an acre), the R54RKB is fitted with a steel rear roller for a stylish striped finish.

The TurboStar mowing system ensures a precision cut and great collection even when mowing in tough or damp conditions. With a 54cm (21in) cutting width, the die cast aluminium mower deck is surprisingly light but tough –so tough that it comes with a 15 year warranty.

The Blade Brake Clutch means the blades stop the moment you release your grip but the engine still runs. This lets you empty the collector and then get back to mowing without having to restart every time.

operandi is less about “spring maintenance” and is more akin to “disguising” the inherent aforementioned issues of disparate growth until higher soil temperatures begin.

Some maintenance procedures, using the appropriate Infinicut SMART cassette, are of course useful such as shallow tining in the form of sarel rolling or spiking to alleviate surface sealing and so help with gas diffusion, but anything more aggressive may not be sensible.

Low surface area contact procedures such as hollow coring and punch tining can be employed, but one has to be particularly careful that dry, windy conditions are not

Pellenc Rasion Easy pedestrian mower available from Etesia UK

Following the successful launch of the Pellenc Rasion Basic and Smart models in 2015, the company introduced the Pellenc Rasion Easy.

The Rasion Easy has an IP54 water rating, which as time goes on will be the standard through the rest of the Pellenc tool range, and features a grass density detector - a patented feature exclusive to Pellenc which allows the mower to detect the height and density of the grass and change the engine speed accordingly. This saves power as operators do not have to run the machine under full-load unnecessarily.

A cutting width of 60cm with height of cut between 25-75mm, 70 litre grass box capacity and two front swivel wheels ensure the Rasion Easy is ultra-manoeuvrable.

Weighing less than 30kgs and folding handlebars means that transportation between sites is effortless. All Pellenc batteries and tools come complete with a three year commercial warranty as standard - the first manufacturer to offer this on battery-powered tools. Pellenc is exclusively distributed in the UK and Ireland by Etesia UK.

Etesia UK Enquiry 117

forecast. The increased surface area as a result of hollow coring in particular could cause issues with desiccation.

The urge to reduce cutting heights to smooth the green surface should be unheeded until growth rates start to improve. If bumpy greens are becoming

a nuisance then better to roll instead. Vibratory rollers, such as the Infinicut SMARTVibe cassette, are a good safe option that can be used in combination with shallow tining to prevent surface sealing.

Cub Cadet Enquiry 115

Spider machines continue to impress

Specially developed for mowing in challenging, high slope environments, Spider remote-control mowers are available now from T H WHITE Machinery Imports.

Spider slope mowers are perfect for a wide range of applications involving steep, uneven or sometimes dangerous terrain. The machines are ideal for canal paths, airfields, reservoirs, landfill sites, motorways and railway embankments, brush clearance, cemeteries, golf courses, national heritage sites and more.

Operators can maintain a safe distance from any dangers and these light-weight machines are able to operate on inclines of up to 40 degrees. Add the integrated hydraulic winch and this increases to a market-leading 55 degrees.

The two standard models are the Spider ILD 01 and Spider ILD 02. Both feature patented 360-degree unlimited steering,

forward and reverse 4wheel drive, an integral mulching kit, low fuel consumption and fantastic manoeuvrability. These units are also compact and easily loaded into vans for transportation.

The remote control technology can operate from a safe viewing distance of 150 feet and a Spider can tackle grass as thick as 2 inches. Spider also offers a third semi-commercial model – the Mini, giving mower hobbyists the chance to try out this technology in large gardens and private estates. The Spider ILD 02 can be purchased with an optional snow plough widening its usage even further.

TH White Enquiry 118

John Deere Enquiry 116

Scarify now for a green summer

Scarifying now is the best possible chemical-free tonic you can give your lawn to ensure a healthy and luxurious sward for the summer.

The advice from Allett Lawnmowers is that aeration will remove dead grass, roots and rubbish from the lawn and also open up the compacted surface allowing sunshine, rain and oxygen to reach the roots enabling the lawn to maximise its natural spring and early summer growth potential.

Allett is the UK’s leading specialist manufacturer of cylinder lawnmowers and, through its UK dealer network,

offers lawn owners a choice of aeration and other lawn care aids a part of its Complete Lawn Care System. This turns the lawnmower into a powered gardening aid.

This is a collection of six cartridges that interchange with the cutting cylinder on the Allett Classic and Kensington petrol cylinder lawnmowers.

Other cylinders in the range include a lawn brush, verticut, aerator, dethatcher and a tenblade cylinder to give you lawn that golf green finish.

Allett Mowers Enquiry

121

Too steep to walk?

The Gekko from innovative, multi-award winning German manufacturer Koppl, is available through PSD Groundscare and means you can now choose whether to operate your mower via walk-behind or remote control.

The Gekko is a robust and reliable solution for banks mowing that is suitable for heavy use in tough working conditions including areas that are difficult to reach via the easy to use remote control function.

Benefits include:

• High performance and multiattachment capabilities

• Powerful 23 HP petrol engine

• Remote control range up to 300m

• Capable of working on slopes up to 45°

• High ground clearance and low centre of gravity

• Cutting edge innovations including revolutionary twistgrip steering.

Koppl have been manufacturing since 1896 and produce an extensive range of implement carriers (5.7hp – 23hp) and attachments including sweepers, rotavators and mowers to suit individual specific needs.

PSD Groundscare Enquiry 122

Dennis G860 makes the Tigers more self-sufficient

After having to rely on outside assistance for the past few years, Castleford Tigers RLFC are now able to keep all of their turf maintenance tasks in-house after purchasing a brand new Dennis G860 cylinder mower.

Stuart Vause has been involved with the club for 13 years part time and 3 years as head groundsman after 30 years in the trade working for a local authority.

Stuart’s research led him to the Dennis G860, which is the ideal machine for someone looking to complete a number of tasks with just one power unit.

Featuring an interchangeable cassette system, users have the option of fitting different types of heads including scarifiers, verticutters, brushes, spikers, and slitters - something which Stuart is particularly impressed with.

“In my opinion, the G860’s best feature is the interchangeable cassette system - it’s unbelievable,” he says. “It means that you’ve got one machine for so many jobs and it’s just so easy – one-out-one in - and if you have

a good day at it, you can scarify, brush, and cut all in one day.

“I’ve got the 8-bladed cutting cylinder, the verti-cutting cassette, the tungsten tipped verti-cutter and the soft brush – which has made my life a lot easier in clearing debris from the pitch after a game.

“Before I would have to use a hand-held blower and walk round the pitch blowing the debris into piles and then gather it all up. So instead of it taking me approximately three hours after a game, I can now get it done in no time at all and can collect it at the same time as well.

“I’ve always wanted to be more self-suffi cient, and I now feel as though I fi nally am and the grass is the healthiest it has ever been. The improvements that I’ve had in just six months have been amazing so I’m looking forward to seeing how much more of a difference it will make after having the G860 for a whole year.”

Dennis Enquiry 123

Filter maintenance made easy with Toro performance kit

Work-life is busy enough without unnecessarily adding to the to-do list. So best to keep things as simple and productive as possible – easily achievable when it comes to turfcare machinery maintenance by using Toro’s handy MVP (maintenance value performance) kits.

Toro distributor Reesink Turfcare is reminding customers that there is one easy way to save money and time this season. Toro’s MVP Filter kit is designed with specific maintenance issues in mind, allowing turf professionals to be as responsive and productive as possible while stretching that allimportant budget further.

Toro’s MVP Filter packs conveniently provide all the oil and air filters needed for the first 400-500 hours of machine operation. Not only does this mean you don’t have to go through the hassle of finding what you need from the catalogue, placing the order, then waiting for delivery risking machine downtime, but you can also save 20 percent of the cost of the individual parts.

Described as a veritable ‘packet of peace of mind’, Toro’s MVP Filter packs are compiled for specific Toro models providing the right filters for each maintenance interval.

Instructions are provided giving advice on when maintenance is due depending on the model and

number of hours of use, helping to avoid that easy temptation to run your turf equipment harder and longer without proper maintenance.

Michael Hampton, Reesink Turfcare parts manager, comments: “The ultimate aim as a groundsman is to ensure your machines perform consistently to a high standard and constantly, without the risk of extended downtime and that best possible use of your budget is made.

“With Toro’s MVP kits comes the peace of mind that you can react as soon as there is a maintenance or repair issue. Plus it makes budgeting much easier, allowing you to forecast exactly what needs to be allocated on parts and servicing for the next several hundred hours of use.”

Toro MVP kits are a prudent investment, ordering is easy and handy presentation boxes mean storage isn’t a problem so you can stock up.

Reesink Turfare Enquiry 128

Reform customers get product updates

Reform specialist tractors recently welcomed a number of A J Scambler dealership customers to their Wels (Austria) headquarters for a two day product update event.

Simon Richard, UK Agent for the Reform range said: “Reform’s policy is to invest in provision of the best possible back-up service to both dealers and their customers.

“This trip was to highlight recent updates and innovations introduced across the company’s range which includes the Reform Metrac and Mounty specialist tractors for safe working at up to forty fi ve degree angles and the Muli multi-purpose transport vehicle.”

Simon Richard Enquiry126

Ventrac goes on tour

Price Turfcare, the newly established business founded by Ransomes Jacobsen’s former International Sales Director, Rupert Price, has been promoting Ventrac with a series of demonstration tours in the South East of England and across the Midlands.

The first venue was at a private school south of the Thames, followed quickly by a trip up the M1 motorway to three venues in the Midlands, including a wellknown football club and a couple of prestigious golf courses.

Productive site solutions at PLANTWORX

The third biennial Plantworx Construction Machinery exhibition is just weeks away.

The show takes place at its established home at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground in Leicestershire from 6-8th June 2017.

Over 320 exhibitors have signed up for the ‘all action’ event and of these 100 exhibitors will be making their show debut.

Plantworx is also the one show in the exhibition calendar where visitors can see machines and tools being put through their paces on one of the many demonstration areas around the show.

Visitors with the correct operators’ licences and PPE are invited by many of the manufacturers to ‘have a go’ on their machines and test out the latest innovations in

You will love the performance of the NEW CAMON SG30 Stump Grinder fitted with the hard wearing Greenteeth system.

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earthmoving machinery in working site conditions.

Plantworx is not just about the ‘big kit’ – the show has plenty of smaller machines and equipment, which is designed to be used on residential construction sites and inner city developments, where working space can be restricted.

New machinery and innovations will also feature at the event and many exhibitors will use Plantworx as a launch platform for new products and services.

PLANTWORX Enquiry 129

“We had a great road trip,” said Rupert Price. “The demonstration at the training ground of the football club went extremely well. The weather was awful; it was very wet, the banks around the training pitches really quite steep and there was standing water at the base of the banks.

“However, the Ventrac showed what a good machine it is; it mowed the steep grass banks and didn’t leave any tracks, despite the atrocious conditions. I don’t think a conventional machine would have gone near those slopes.

“The golf courses were equally impressed, especially with the versatility of the machine. We demonstrated the out-front rotary deck and the contour mowing deck; both did a great job with the contour deck showing how it coped with bunker edges and slopes.

“There was a lot of positivity around the product and I’m reasonably confident that we’ll achieve a couple of sales from the trip.”

Price Turfcare Enquiry 127

Avant helps to lighten the load

The addition of an Avant tool carrier has made work much easier for Jonny Bottrell, owner of O C Spas in Cornwall.

Jonny bought the Avant 640 from Paul Helps Avant Equipment Sales after being impressed with how many jobs he could carry out with just one, compact machine.

“The Avant has been great,” said Jonny. “It’s so versatile and changing the attachments is so quick and easy. For such a small machine, it lifts a lot, and it’s been really reliable for installing hot tubs, and a variety of other jobs.”

Jonny uses his machine on a daily basis to move hot tubs around at his luxury show room in Goonhavern, and also to install them at customer’s homes. “It makes installation much quicker as I can tow it behind my vehicle, and because it’s so compact, it’s easy to manoeuvre in tight spaces,” he added.

Our UK built SG30 Stump Grinder cannot be beaten on performance, reliability or price.

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Avant

New dealer for all-terrain brushcutter mowers

Lawncare Garden Machinery Ltd has become a specialist dealer for the Canycom Samurai extreme range of brushcutters, from exclusive Canycom importer ICB Plant & Machinery Ltd.

These superior hand-built Japanese designed and manufactured machines, which feature an unmatched CE Certified stability angle of 30 Degrees on slopes, because of their low centre of gravity and unique engineering features.

The super hard working Canycom all terrain ride-on mower performs in conditions that would usually destroy standard equipment, safely and effortlessly.

The Canycom’s ability to plough straight through overgrown brush, extremely long grass and wooded material up to 36mm is

due to their unique engineering and physics.

At the heart of the science is that the power for the Samurai steel blades comes directly from the Subaru V2 engine through a shaft

drive to an oil filled gearbox and onto the blades. This unique shaft driven system delivers almost 100% of the engine power to the blades, which means that they can cut thicker and taller vegetation compared to normal

belt driven machines which can lose up to 30% of their power between the engine and the cutting blades.

Lawncare Garden Machinery Ltd Enquiry 133

Take the rough with the smooth

Polaris has announced the introduction of the latest Ranger Diesel UTV with new features to complement its durability and practicality.

The 2017 Ranger Diesel HD comes with more torque, more towing power and a significantly longer lifespan than petrolpowered counterparts.

This is a real workhorse with its Active Descent Control for controlled hill descents, automatic four-wheel braking on steep inclines and Electronic Power Steering. A new 7-pin trailer socket now comes fitted as standard and comfort is ensured with the Lock & Ride Pro-Fit cab system and a whole range of accessories.

The new 2017 Ranger Diesel HD is built for purpose with a 1028cc Kohler 3-cylinder overhead cam liquid cooled engine. This proven, high performance diesel engine utilizes indirect injection and delivers smooth power with reduced combustion noise.

The compact, heavy-duty design has a cast iron crankcase for durability and an aluminium cylinder head for weight

reduction. It is also EPA/CARB Tier 4 compliant. To make life really comfortable, the industry exclusive Lock & Ride ProFit cab system provides a new standard in accessory integration.

The highly modular design offers options from robust canvas doors and a poly windscreen, to premium automotive glass tip-out windscreens and electric windows. The roof and rear panel on the 2017 Ranger Diesel come as standard. The ideal seat height combines with wide foot clearance for easy entry and exit. There’s a full ten inches of tilt steering adjustment and room for three adults.

The payload capacity on this latest Diesel is 680.4 kg, with a gas-assisted rear dump box that can handle a hefty 454 kg of materials and a full-sized pallet.

When it comes to towing there’s 907kg of class-leading towing capacity on tap and when the going gets rough the on-demand all-wheel drive kicks in for more forward traction when its needed, reverting back to 2WD when the terrain smoothes out.

Polaris Enquiry 134

New Volvo ECR25D for Hillside

James Issac, proprietor of Hillside Building Services Ltd has taken delivery of his first Volvo mini excavator in the guise of a zero swing two and a half tonne ECR25D.

The machine has been supplied by Volvo’s utility dealer for the south west of England - Plant & Engineering Services.

The new 2.5 tonne ECR25D replaces a slightly smaller competitive model and was chosen primarily for its optimum size for the typical work Mr Isaac’s building firm undertakes.

“I needed to increase the size and operating capacity of the machine to tackle the wide variety of jobs we undertake,” explains James.

“I took the ECR25D on demonstration to evaluate its performance from Plant and Engineering Services and it ticked all the boxes. It’s a very well balanced machine, has plenty of reach and dig depth and it’s the right size for moving it from site to site on our plant trailers.”

Volvo Enquiry 135

Track Loader boosts Specialised Groundcare

Specialised Groundcare Ltd, based at Loughborough in Leicestershire in the UK, has expanded with the purchase of a new top-of-the-range Bobcat T870H compact tracked loader from Butler Reynolds, the Authorised Bobcat Dealer based at Costock near Loughborough.

Specialised Groundcare also has a similar breadth of attachments for use with the new T870H, including Bobcat 4-in-1 bucket, box blade and forestry cutter attachments.

The arrival of the new T870H loader has added a significant increase in hydraulic performance, enabling more work to be accomplished. The standard auxiliary hydraulic flow on the T870 is 87.1 l/ min, but the optional high flow version purchased by Specialised Groundcare offers a much higher flow of 138.5 l/ min, providing more power for work with attachments.

Specialised Groundcare Ltd Enquiry 138

Chippindale to put on a show

Mecalac Construction (formerly Terex GB), has appointed Chippindale Plant Limited to its global distributor network. Stocking TA site dumper units – from one to ten-tonne payloads – the hire and sales specialist will supply construction firms across Yorkshire with innovative plant equipment.

Discussing the agreement, Paul Macpherson, Sales and Marketing Director at Mecalac Construction’s Coventry facility, said: “As a leading provider of compact construction equipment, working with trusted partners

around the globe is a key part of our business strategy. By embracing a local approach to sales and service, we can deliver a fit-for-purpose offer for construction professionals worldwide.

“Chippindale Plant is a highly beneficial addition to our network. Alongside boasting more than 70 years’ experience, the team has a personal approach to customer service – a key trait we look for in all of our distributors.”

Mecalac Enquiry 137

GreenMech at the Arb Show 2017

British manufacturer of wood chippers, GreenMech Ltd, will be exhibiting their Arborist 130 and Arborist 150 chippers at the Arb Show 2017.

Amongst other highlights, visitors to stand C18 & C19 will be able to see the new features to the Arborist range whilst the sales team will also be on

hand to offer comprehensive technical advice and explain the flexible finance options that are currently available.

The Arborist 130 and Arborist 150 are simple-touse, cost effective, road tow chippers designed for quality, performance and economy.

They both have a generous 970mm x 790mm in-feed hopper which aids bushy brash reduction, coupled with a 150cm x 230cm letterboxstyle throat enabling heavily forked branches to be fed in easily. Recent updates to the range include a new folding table, bottom control bars, LED

lights and all new infeed touch controls - as well as the units sporting a new livery.

The Arborist 130 comes as standard with a 23hp Honda petrol engine, whilst the Arborist 150 offers a 26hp Kubota diesel engine.

Both machines are fitted with GreenMech’s patented Disc Blade system giving up to 150 hours of chipping before requiring re-sharpening and the electronically controlled ‘NoStress’ feed system. In addition, both machines are backed up with a 3 year warranty as standard.

GreenMech Ltd Enquiry 139

Ipswich School sports new TYM tractor

Sport is an integral part of every day life for the students of Ipswich School in Suffolk and keeping the grounds, which is home to some of the country’s sporting successes of the future, in first-class condition is no small job. But making that job easier is a new TYM T433 tractor.

The school has four superb sporting venues, including the new Ipswich School Sports Centre at Rushmere, as well as Eton Fives courts, squash courts and an indoor swimming pool on the main school site.

With surfaces catering for rugby, boys’ and girls’ cricket, athletics, football, hockey, netball and tennis, head groundsman Martyn Cull says it’s a demanding job to keep the school ‘play-ready’, which is why a TYM T433 tractor was welcomed onto the grounds at the start of this year.

As well as getting “a lot of tractor for your money”, Martyn says another factor in his decision to choose TYM was his relationship with TYM’s UK distributor Reesink Turfcare.

The tractor was primarily purchased to pull a Toro SR72

aerator across its many sites to relieve soil compaction and improve drainage, making turf healthier, helping it recover from compaction quicker and bringing it back into play faster. TYM is, says Reesink, the perfect choice when working alongside Toro equipment and the design of the SR72 makes life easy by allowing tine depth to be adjusted without changing the angle of entry.

But with a range of features and attachments available, the T433 is so versatile it can be put to almost any task and Martyn and his five-strong groundskeeping team have found its optional attachments, such as the front loader and bucket, especially useful for moving vast quantities of soil and leaves. Having also opted for the snowplough attachment, Martyn says with this the TYM could “prove to be a real lifesaver in the winter.”

The T433 is a middleweight, fuel-efficient compact tractor, which comes with a 43hp engine and boasts an impressive 1500kg lift capacity.

Toro introduces new TITAN HD zero-turn mowers

Toro, a global leader in turf and landscape maintenance equipment, is pleased to announce its new line of TITAN HD zero-turn mowers.

These all-new machines emphasise quality and comfort, and can be equipped with unique tool-mounting brackets for unprecedented versatility and increased efficiency.

Specifically designed for landscape professionals looking for great results and durability at outstanding value, the new highly maneuverable TITAN HD is available in two cutting widths - 122cm and 132cm.

TITAN HD mowers are built to last with rugged, reliable frames and Toro’s highly acclaimed TURBO FORCE cutting decks that offer excellent quality of cut and durability. The TITAN HD lineup is powered by commercial-grade Toro engines and features a foldable ROPS.

To improve productivity, the TITAN HD Series offers the exclusive ability to easily attach tools and other accessories directly to the mower with innovative tool-mounting brackets including a 19L bucket (ideal for carrying smaller tools), and a strimmer mount. Contractors can now get more

Promote growth with Plugr

The colder months can have a significant impact on gardens, even the best cared for of lawns can need a helping hand to encourage new growth and revitalise them.

A key way of doing this is through aeration. The days of traditional aerating with a garden fork are gone, particularly for owners of larger lawns.

Plugr aerators from Billy Goat offer a compact solution that can improve drainage and promote new growth with absolute ease. By making holes throughout the turf that allow air circulation through the roots, Plugr products help restore lawns to their perfect green condition.

Ideal for large domestic gardens is the PL1800 reciprocating aerator, which

has an 18” working width, along with four tines that puncture the turf and place cores 2.75” deep, aerating at 22,000 square feet per hour. With an easy folding handle it allows for compact use, transportation and storage.

Billy Goat products are exclusively available in the UK through Henton & Chattell dealers nationwide.

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done saving time and improving efficiency, by securely transporting a host of tools around a site.

For enhanced operating comfort, the all-new TITAN HD platform features an adjustable deluxe suspension seat, isolated fl oor pan design,

easy access from the front or side of the machine, and simple to use controls.

TITAN HD Series mowers will be available from Toro’s Dealer network this spring.

Toro Enquiry 142

Club tackles thatch with the help of Graden and Redexim

Spey Valley Golf & Country Club may have been voted the most picturesque course in the UK, but for Head Greenkeeper Dave Beardwood it has its drawbacks.

At 400 feet above sea level, and set in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, this 18 hole championship course delivers some spectacular views for the players.

With a reduced growing season being so far north, Dave needs to maximise the efficiency of the maintenance season so he turned to a Graden CSI and a Redexim Speedbrush, from Charterhouse Turf Machinery for help.

Having used a Graden machine before during his time working at a club in Cyprus, Dave decided to invest in a Graden CSI, from Charterhouse Turf Machinery, which was delivered

mid-2016. Due to staffing levels, the greens were covered over a period of weeks with Dave delighted at the results.

At the same time, Dave took delivery of a Redexim Speedbrush to help him achieve his greens project. To date, the Speedbrush has been great for light topdressings following the Graden work and for collecting seedlings and debris from the greens.

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Charterhouse Turf Machinery Enquiry

Henton & Chattell Enquiry

Reesink Turfcare Enquiry 143

Record breaking Cricket Groundsman’s Seminar

The recent Dennis and SISIS Cricket Groundsman’s Seminar recorded its highest ever attendance with an impressive 260 delegates making their way to Gloucestershire County Cricket Club all looking to refresh and enhance their education on a variety of topics.

The seminar, which was supported by Gloucester Cricket Board, Boughton Loam, CricketWorld.com, Limagrain UK, Lister Wilder, Stuart Canvas Products and Poweroll, brought together a wide range of cricket groundsmen from grass roots, local and county clubs,

and international test venues. It was also reported that the event recorded the largest ever amount of attendees from groundsmen working within schools and colleges.

All sharing the same goal of ultimately enhancing their education and improving their cricket facilities, the seminar was a fantastic opportunity to meet like-minded individuals, learn best practices and share and gain knowledge from some of the top names in cricket groundsmanship.

RHS Garden Bridgewater praised for soil re-use and management

A comprehensive Soil Resource Survey carried out for the Royal Horticultural Society by soil scientists at Tim O’Hare Associates (TOHA) for the proposed RHS Garden Bridgewater will provide an exemplar case study on the sustainable re-use and management of existing soils.

The proposed new garden – on the site of the former Worsley New Hall in Salford, to the north west of Manchester – has been designed by landscape designer Tom Stuart-Smith.

Soils on the 63 ha site, which slopes down to the Bridgewater Canal on its southern boundary,

range from a sandy loam, through alluvial silts and clays in the woodland areas, to peaty soils in the meadows abutting the canal.

TOHA Principal Consultant Tim O’Hare and Senior Associate Ceri Spears carried out a baseline assessment of all soils found on

the site in November 2016, in advance of the commencement of construction of the planned visitor centre, with a view to their re-use for the new garden. The survey will also help to refine decisions made on the final landscape design and planting schemes provided outline planning permission is granted.

“This is an intriguing project that has the potential to act as an exemplar for future schemes where in situ soils, if correctly managed, can be re-used to their full potential” explained Tim O’Hare.

“The range of soils within the four main areas of the site will need to be treated differently. Some of the sandy clay loams are very delicate and susceptible to compaction, for example. A good soil management strategy should be developed to ensure these soils are protected throughout the different phases of the garden’s construction.”

SISIS