Professional Groundscare January 2023

Continued commitment to protecting playing fields

New figures show that Sport England protected more than 900 playing fields between April 2020 and March 2021.

Its role as a statutory consultee on planning applications means work to protect playing fields is a key part of the organisation’s remit.

Across this time period, 95% of all concluded planning applications involving a playing field resulted in the protection, or improvement of, facilities.

As part of planning processes, councils are required to refer cases to Sport England when any proposed development would affect or lead to the loss of a sports playing field.

Sport England objects to all applications unless the developer can prove it will improve or protect community sports provision.

The new data shows how it continues to act to protect and enhance playing fields across the country:

• 95% (930 out of 978) of concluded planning applications affecting playing fields resulted in improved or safeguarded sports provision

• Of the 109 applications where Sport England maintained its objection, 61 (56%) were either withdrawn by the applicants or refused planning permission

• In 58% of the cases where Sport England originally objected to an application, further negotiations led to an overall improvement in sports provision

Head of planning, Nick Evans, said: “The figures released today again highlight Sport England’s unwavering commitment to protecting and enhancing playing fields across England.

This is pivotal given community playing fields help people of all ages and abilities to get active, connecting our communities and bringing people together through the joy of movement.

“However, our commitment doesn’t start and end with our statutory role.

“Earlier this year we announced an investment of over £15m into the Football Foundation,

with this funding targeted at helping to further improve pitches in places where they can have the biggest impact.”

Sport England Enquiry 29

ISEKI record year ready for restructure

ISEKI UK & Ireland has reported continuous growth and is set for another successful year in 2022 with huge and consistent headway made in the market place year on year.

David Withers the Managing Director commented: “We estimate that at year end the market size for our products will be slightly down compared to last year in terms of units shipped whereas we will have shipped around 10% more units than we did in 2021, which was at that time our best year ever.

“We would like to thank our dealers and customers for your help in growing our market share and being part of our success.”

As the business continues to expand it has been necessary

to look at the organisation structures and make sure that the business is strong and ready for the bright future ahead. As such ISEKI UK & Ireland are creating a new position of Sales Director within the ISEKI business, the Sales Managers Phil Self, John Clifford and Andrew Donnachie will report in to this position as will Graham Hooper the Commercial Manager and our new demonstrator.

Additionally, the Sales Director will be directly responsible for export business outside of UK and Ireland, giving more support and focus to dealer partners in these important regions.

David Withers explains further: “Alan Prickett will take up the new position of Sales Director, reporting to me. A lot of people

within the turf industry will know Alan, be aware of his long history within the sector and will no doubt welcome working with him again.

“Phil Self who was focused on the ADDAX and Raymo electric range will now sell all products including ISEKI and will take over Alan’s Dealership area covering North Wales, Midlands, East and North England. John and Andrew will continue with their roles but adding responsibility for Raymo and ADDAX to their sales portfolios in their areas.

“We believe that this will strengthen our position, allow for further growth and expansion and look forward to what 2023 brings.”

Aspen helps to fuel a cleaner way of working

As one of the largest associations of its kind, Orwell Housing provides housing for more than 7,500 residents by managing over 4000 properties across East Anglia.

Powering the maintenance services, as well as helping to lower the associations carbon footprint, is 2 and 4-stroke petrol from Aspen Fuel – a switch made by Repairs and Estates Manager Simon Bennett three years ago, and one that’s delivering improvements on a daily basis

to the workforce, the residents and the machinery alike.

Being ethanol-free and virtually free from sulphur, benzene and other hazardous hydrocarbons, Aspen alkylate petrol burns cleaner than regular petrol making it safer and greener for operators, machinery and the environment.

“The operators like using it – they notice the reduction in noxious fumes and don’t go home smelling of petrol come the end of the day,” said Simon.

“This is also a major plus for those tasks where we’re in close proximity to the residents.

“Three years in, we’re also seeing a big reduction in the number of machinery breakdowns we’re experiencing with is a further cost saving. I’ve recently done another cost analysis, which has shown that purchasing Aspen has actually decreased our annual fuel bill by approximately 10-15%.”

ISEKI UK Enquiry 31

Andy Richards,Grounds Manager,Haileybury School

Aspen Fuel Enquiry

Two new attachments from Ventrac

Ventrac has launched two new attachments for their 4520 allterrain compact tractor to help turf managers with the important task of seedbed preparation.

The first is the DC520 Soil Cultivator which prepares bare soil by cultivating a soft and uniform seedbed for the best possible direct-seeding results. This attachment reconditions hard, compacted soil into a fine surface for more successful and consistent germination rates.

The Soil Cultivator consists of four main components that work simultaneously to process high volumes of soil and provide the ultimate seedbed. Cultivator Tines pulverize the soil and separate the debris, then Separator Tines sift and bury rock and other large debris below

the prep surface. The Distribution Blade carries the sifted soil and distributes it evenly across the working surface before the Perforated Roller creates a pocketed surface for seed and presses small debris below the graded soil.

Complementing the Soil Cultivator is the EG520 Primary Seeder, which plants grass seed directly into bare soil with a consistent and accurate drop rate for perfect seed placement. With precise application adjustment and a removable calibration tray, easy adjustment for different grass seed types is possible.

The Primary Seeder features five main components for improved direct-seeding capability. The Calibration Tray is a built-in tray that catches material during

the calibration process. The Front Packer Roller crushes the material to provide a smooth surface for the seed to drop. The Rear Packer Roller is an offset roller that places a fine layer of dirt over the seed.

The Seed Box has a 142-litre capacity to accommodate a significant amount of seed and the Precision Seed Funnels allow an accurate flow for a variety of turf seeds. This ground-driven application is consistent at variable speeds, and the offset cultipacker discs are designed to create optimal seed-to-soil contact. Finally, the 142-litre hopper capacity provides the efficiency expected from Ventrac attachments.

Price Turfcare Enquiry 35

Turf grower challenges industry to become truly green

A UK turf grower is calling for the end of the use of plastic netting in turf – something he says is causing unseen environmental damage.

Stephen Fell, who owns Yorkshire-based business Lindum Turf, describes the plastic netting – which is in the majority of turf sold in the UK – as a completely avoidable source of pollution, adding few British consumers even know that most turf sold in the UK contains plastic.

The call is being supported by industry body the Turf Growers Association, which is encouraging its members to go plastic free by 2025.

Stephen made the call after Lindum Turf reported a threefold increase in sales of its plasticfree wildflower turf product over the past two years as the trend for replacing manicured lawns with wildfl ower meadows has gathered pace.

People buy wildflower turf to increase biodiversity and attract pollinators to their gardens, Stephen said, but are often appalled when they discover the product they are laying could cause significant damage to the environment.

“The trouble is, over time the plastic netting breaks down into microplastics and pollutes the soil and can leach off into watercourses,” Stephen said.

“But because the net is hidden within the turf and people can’t see it, they don’t know it is there. So, despite people having the best intentions of doing the right thing for the environment, they often don’t realise the damage choosing the wrong product can cause.

“It’s a throwback to earlier production methods the industry likes to keep quiet about. But technology has moved on. We have worked hard for many years to eliminate plastic from our turf, including our wildflower turf, and we believe it is now time for the rest of the industry to catch up.”

Lindum Turf Enquiry 36

New location and a bespoke stand

Price Turfcare, the UK and Ireland distributor of the Ventrac multi-implement, allterrain compact tractor, returns to BTME with a new location and a bespoke stand for this year’s event.

For the past three events, we have occupied a space at the top of the stairway leading to Hall 3, but for this year’s event we have moved to Hall 1, where you will find us on a new, bespoke stand with an impressive display of the new Ventrac 4520 compact tractor and attachments.

For some visitors it will be the first opportunity to see the new machine. It’s not a radical change, but there’s a whole series of improvements ‘under the bonnet’ resulting in 30% more available power, giving the best mix of

machine performance, operator experience and durability.

At its core, the 4520 is a compact tractor, but it is very different to what most greenkeepers are used to seeing. The purpose of a tractor is to perform tasks more effi ciently than manual tasks.

The Ventrac 4520 plays on these advantages, then takes it to the next level. When coupled with the extensive line of over 25 Ventrac attachments, this tractor is a versatile machine for a variety of professional users.

The 4520 retains all the features of its predecessor, including its 30-degree slope climbing ability, but has been enhanced with an all-new hydraulic system featuring larger bore piping, more powerful auxiliary hydraulics and more resilient hoses and fi ttings resulting in faster and stronger operation.

That means 30% more available power, improving performance and productivity while providing the operator with a quieter working platform.

Ventrac has become the number one choice for versatility in the greenkeeping sector.

Combining a blend of peak power and agility with frontmounted attachments for superior visibility, a pivoting frame for manoeuvrability, and excellent weight distribution for balance and stability, the new 4520 elevates the Ventrac experience to a whole new level.

To understand why the industry has embraced the Ventrac product come along and visit stand 122 in Hall 1.

Price Turfcare Enquiry 39

Origin Amenity Solutions at BTME

It’s going to be a busy week for the Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS) team as they return to BTME in 2023.

Not only will members of the technical team be delivering six classes and seminars in the ‘Continue to Learn’ programme, innovative solutions to fine turf seed selection, nutritional

treatments and data management systems from across the OAS brands will be showcased on not one but three stands in the main exhibition halls.

Comprised of Headland Amenity, Rigby Taylor, Symbio and Turfkeeper – and with their own Turf Science & Technology Centre – OAS has

become the leading force in the amenity sector. Research conducted in-house and with selected partners around the globe are shaping the products of the future, such as the Carbon4Grass mixtures available from Rigby Taylor.

Origin Amenity Solutions Enquiry 40

Mansfield Sand unveils solutions

Mansfield Sand will feature a wide range of innovative products for sports, landscaping and equestrian uses on Stand 242 at BTME 2023.

Pioneers in the development and production of premium quality silica sand-based products for over 170 years, Mansfield Sand is the market leader in supplying to some of the most prestigious

sporting venues across the UK and Europe.

Head to the Mansfield Sand stand at BTME where the experienced team will be able to explain how the products could make a significant improvement to your turf.

Mansfield Sand Enquiry 42

READER ENQUIRY 13

Turfco built the first mechanised topdresser in 1961 and continues as the first choice of professional turf managers worldwide.

Turfco designs and manufactures products that help do jobs more efficiently and effectively in topdressing, seeding, debris blowing, application and renovation. Turfco is driven by a passion for improving the health and playability of turf, and this unwavering commitment has yielded a continuous series of breakthroughs; that’s quality innovations rewarded by 16 patents.

In the UK, Turfco is primarily known for the high-quality range of trailed and truckmounted 1550 series top dressers, powerful Torrent 2 debris blowers and the TriWave overseeders.

However, it also manufactures the CR-15, a combined material handler and top dresser for fairway maintenance, the Mete-R-Matic range of drop-style top dressers and pedestrian edgers and turf cutters.

Turfco Enquiry 43

New smart and versatile controllers

At BTME 2023 (Stand 132), Rain Bird Landscape and Sports Turf irrigation will be displaying a number of new products including the new RC2 Smart Irrigation controller and the modular ESPLXME 2 traditionally wired models. Used in conjunction with and accessed through the Rain Bird Mobile App, the RC2 enables users to manage remotely residential and light commercial installations. Contractors and site managers have full WiFi control of irrigation scheduling for multiple sites and zones.

Through alerts, users can monitor and manage all irrigation events and warnings in real-time, ensuring the landscape will receive only the water it needs while potentially saving up to 50% in water.

Compatible with Rain Bird’s IQ4 Cloud irrigation management system, the ESP-LXME 2 traditionally wired modular models focus on water conservation, flexibility and simplicity in use.

Turf management made easy Kubota’s innovative

No trip to BTME would be complete without a stop by the Kubota stand to see the latest innovations in their golf and groundcare portfolio.

Visitors to stand 624 will be able to see a number of units from their RTV range, including the topselling RTV-X1110 equipped with a dedicated golf cage kit, alongside a new, wider Centre Collect Front

Dennis & SISIS reveal line-up

Dennis & SISIS have revealed which products they will be showcasing at BTME, on stand 104 at the Harrogate Convention Centre.

With a particular focus on golf course maintenance, visitors to the joint stand can look forward to finding out more about the market leading products.

Dennis and SISIS’ experienced staff will be available throughout

the two days to answer any queries and offer valuable advice.

Also, Lloyds Mowers and Hunter Grinders will be making their first BTME appearance since being acquired by the Howardson Group, manufacturers of the Dennis and SISIS brands. This strategic alliance signals exciting times for the two well respected brands.

Kubota Enquiry 46

Dennis Enquiry 44

Mower (CCFM) from the Kubota Gianni Ferrari S.R.L division.

STIHL updates cordless hedge trimmer range

STIHL has updated its HSA 94 R and HSA 94 T hedge trimmers, now offering professional users reduced vibration and sound levels, as well as a new EC motor and the ability to connect to STIHL’s new Smart Connector 2 A.

STIHL’s most powerful cordless hedge trimmers available for professional users, both models boast a new EC motor featuring embedded magnets, leading to improved durability. The new motor also has an automatic motor rotation reversal feature, meaning the blades can be released if they become jammed in an extreme application, preventing blade damage and downtime.

The HSA 94 R delivers a lower blade speed for cutting thicker growth and managing tougher

hedges, while the HSA 94 T offers a faster blade speed more suited to trimming ornamental hedges neatly and efficiently to leave a fine finish. Both tools feature 3 blade speed settings, allowing users to choose the ideal blade speed for any task; up to 3,200 rpm on the R version and 5,000 rpm on the T version.

As well as the tool’s impressive performance, the hedge trimmers also provide high levels of operator comfort, as both models include rotating multi-function control handles for side and top cutting that are quick and easy to adjust, allowing for improved user comfort and reduced wrist strain when working for long durations.

With a low weight of just 3.9kg for the T version and 4.1kg for the R version, the hedge

trimmer is perfectly balanced, allowing for easy handling and operation. In addition, both hedge trimmers have a loop handle with an inner switch that prevents one handed operation and improves safety levels.

STIHL’s AP batteries and AR backpack batteries can power both tools - and for optimal performance, both trimmers will be ready for use with STIHL’s Smart Connector 2 A, plugging directly into the machines control unit where valuable data can be transmitted to any smartphone or tablet within range via Bluetooth.

More information on STIHL’s Smart Connector 2 A coming soon.

STIHL Enquiry 48

All-electric tractor on show

Acknowledged for leading the low carbon technology way when it comes to tractors, Reesink Agriculture is bringing the industry’s fi rst all-electric tractor from Farmtrac to the Low Carbon Agriculture Show.

This will be joined by BigToolRack’s Ultimate Rack for the ultimate in tractor cargo space.

Farmtrac’s FT25G is critically acclaimed for bringing zero emissions, minimal noise and vibration, high energy efficiency, and low operating and maintenance costs to the UK’s farming sector.

It has led the way with the growing industry focus on moving away from fossil fuels to low or zero emission products since it launched two years ago and in that time has proven itself as more than capable of equalling the performance of its diesel counterparts, something Fully Charged’s presenter Robert Llewellyn and farmer Adam Henson discovered when they reviewed it and put it through its paces around the farm for BBC’s Countryfile and Fully Charged YouTube channel.

It is powered by a 22kwh battery pack, has a lift capacity of 450kg and boasts world class components including transmissions designed and produced by Carraro and hydraulic systems from MITA, to deliver a superior performance

whatever the task. Visit Reesink Agriculture on stand LEV6 at the Low Carbon Agriculture Show 2022 from 7-8 February at NAEC, Stoneleigh.

Reesink Turfcare Enquiry 49

Makita mower makes light work

A new addition to the Makita range of outdoor power equipment is the latest selfpropelled motor mower.

To ensure a clean and efficient cut every time, the LM001CX3 includes variable speed control, 10-stage height adjustment (from 20-100mm) and three operation modes. It also includes a 70L cloth catcher that allows for effi cient grass

collection – with a useful grass level indicator to let the user know when it needs emptying.

To ensure optimal operation, the LM001CX3 has four swing back blades that work to keep the machine working efficiently, even if it encounters a solid object in the lawn.

Makita Enquiry

OUR TESTED FUEL NEVER FAILS YOU

As alkylate petrol pioneers since 1988, you can be assured of highquality fuel in every can. Aspen alkylate petrol burns cleaner –resulting in equipment that starts easily, engines that won’t clog and fuel that doesn’t deteriorate over time.

Count on your machine to do its job so you can focus on yours.

50

New electric EU street legal UTV

Club Car, a world-leading manufacturer of small-wheel, zeroemissions electric vehicles, today unveiled its new homologated vehicle, the Club Car Urban N1.

The new Urban N1 expands Club Car’s leading electric vehicle portfolio, which has been prominent in commercial

markets for decades. Featuring an ergonomic design, superior handling, 1-ton load capacity and quick acceleration with a top speed of 55 kilometers per hour, the new Club Car Urban N1 is the perfect utility vehicle solution.

Club Car Enquiry 52

The best choice for electric vehicles

Whether you are working in cities and towns, parks and gardens, running last mile delivery or moving items around hotels and resorts the Addax 100% electric vehicle is fully customisable to your specific needs.

From delivering parcels in busy city centres to collecting waste on a university campus with the option of tipper, box van or combo tipper bodies to suit

the required use, the Addax is adaptable and versatile.

A payload of up to 1000 kg (or 6m³) allows the van to carry a wide range of goods with minimal effort.

Fully N1 road homologated with a speed of up to 42kmph the Addax vehicle is ideal for travelling between sites or through towns where zero

emissions are required. Good for your wallet and the environment the commercial vehicles boast one of the lowest running costs in the market. Each model can be adapted to your specific needs.

Addax Motors are designed and manufactured in Belgium, distributed in the UK by ISEKI UK & Ireland.

ISEKI Enquiry 53

Dennis ES-860 is unrivalled at VFL Wolfsburg

After comparing various batterypowered cylinder mowers, Head Groundsman of Bundesliga football club VfL Wolfsburg Peter Sauer has chosen the new Dennis ES-860.

“Technology in this industry is evolving faster and faster and electric equipment is at the forefront,” said Peter. “It is important to speak to all the manufacturers to identify any new and upcoming products.

“I want to be involved and am always asking to test products, so if there is something I like, I can then plan accordingly to put it into my budget.

“Dennis Mowers is a company that really listens to their customers. They then put those ideas into their machines.”

Peter, who has also been a greenkeeper and worked at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, admitted to being excited when he fi rst heard that Dennis was developing a range of batterypowered equipment.

The ES-860 is a 34” battery powered turf management system which delivers maximum versatility and the range of 13 interchangeable cassette options provide a solution to many dayto-day maintenance tasks such as cutting, scarifying, brushing and verticutting.

Furthermore, traditional G860 cassettes will also fit into the ES860, meaning that customers will not have to purchase additional cassettes, something which Peter was impressed with. The aim with the Dennis E-Series is to help

Pellenc stands out above the rest

market recognition by offering a unique range of ‘zero emission’ battery-powered tools, thanks to the development of Lithium-ion ultra-high-performance batteries.

professionals meet sustainability and environmental initiatives, reduce carbon footprint emissions, running costs and noise without any range anxiety. Peter believes the ES-860 certainly ticks all the boxes.

“For anyone that is considering changing to electric equipment I would certainly recommend Pellenc,” said Tony. “The products have been 100% in every single way. Over the past six months we’ve been looking for alternatives to our machinery which was using fossil fuels. It is important to us as a company to be able to promote zero emissions, and there are so many other benefits to using electric equipment.” Over recent years, Pellenc has gained

INFINICUTs mark the start of the ‘Electric Era’

Marking the start of a shift over to more battery-powered equipment, the University of Nottingham are now the proud owners of three 26” INFINICUT FX mowers.

Along with completing the daily mowing on the campuses two cricket squares and bowling green, the purchase of additional UltraGroomer and ThatchMaster cassettes from the TMSystem means that the grounds team can now undertake multiple maintenance tasks – all with reduced hand-arm vibration and fuel costs. In charge of the maintenance is Interim Grounds Manager Greg Smith, who specified the investment in the INFINICUTs, delivered by George Browns in March 2022.

To get even more return from the three 26” Fixed Head machines,

the University also purchased a set of cassettes from the renowned TMSystem collection. Featuring over 80 tungsten carbide tipped blades, the UltraGroomer improves the plants immediate environment by removing Poa ingress, lateral growth and organic matter to enhance the movement of oxygen, moisture and nutrients.

The extensive Pellenc product range features an impressive portfolio – from chainsaws, pole saws and hedge cutters to grass strimmers, brushcutters, blowers and mowers and Tony claims that the benefits are huge.

Tony’s Pellenc fleet features Rasion mowers, Helion hedgecutters, Excelion strimmers and Airion blowers – and he can’t imagine ever switching back to petrol-based machinery.

Pellenc offers an industry leading four-year commercial warranty for all batteries and a three-year warranty for all tools. Pellenc is distributed exclusively in the UK by Etesia UK.

Dennis Enquiry 54

Tony Chalkley, General Manager of D. Horne Services, has explained why he chose Pellenc above other brands of batterypowered equipment.

Etesia

Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi8 HD boosts college grounds

Myreside Stadium in Edinburgh is home to George Watson’s College and Watsonian rugby club.

Regular fixtures held there include Tennent’s National League Division 1, FOSROC Super Six Championship and Tennent’s Women’s Premier League matches.

Beside the main pitch, Head of Grounds, Craig Eccleston, and his team of five, have eight other full size rugby pitches, two large training areas and three cricket squares to maintain, as well as the school’s estate.

In September, they took delivery of a Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi8 HD deep aerator from Wiedenmann UK’s Scottish dealer, Fairways GM.

Craig Eccleston said: “Aeration is a massive part of pitch playability and it’s important that we give all our surfaces best care. In summer I went to a demo at Dollar Academy, where the Wiedenmann team answered my questions.

“I thought the GXi 8 pricewise would be out my range, and we’d go for a smaller one, but I was pleasantly surprised when it came in under my budget.

“The long life of the Wiedenmann was a big consideration. The school plays so much rugby, and if you factor the FPs’ activity too, all pitches are busy right through until the summer term, when focus switches to athletics and cricket. We’ve relied on contractors to

come in on a pre-booked day which can bring limitations. Sometimes the conditions don’t suit, or fixtures change, and it doesn’t get done.

“I made a financial case that if we owned our own machine, we could go out as often as necessary, making use of any windows of opportunity, especially as a full pitch can be done in just over 2.5 hrs. Having as many pitches, the numbers stacked up. As soon as the GXi8

DTA means club goes into winter clear of compaction

from GKB Machines has been delivered and put straight to work by the team at Spalding Golf Club, as part of their prewinter maintenance programme.

Delivering impressive aeration down to 12”, the DTA 160 has already completed passes on both the greens and the fairways since its arrival in October 2022

course clear of compaction as the wetter months approach.

Head Greenkeeper Kevin Goude took charge just three months ago, and together with the greens team of five, was delighted to learn he’d inherited an order for a new GKB DTA 160 placed by his predecessor and due for delivery from local distributor Russells Groundcare. “We’ve

shed which is ideal for summer work at depths of 4” but we needed something to replace an ageing machine that could penetrate much deeper to really help drainage and root growth” explains Kevin.

The GKB DTA is deep by name and deep by nature, offering easily adjustable depth and heave angle of up to 25o for effective compaction relief. At 1.6m wide,

arrived in September we did all, rugby pitches with 20 mm tines at once,” he added. “A few had a second aeration in November. During January or February, we will go again once, leaving them until renovations time, which for us is the end of July.

“Our cricket wickets only need to be done annually so ours were aerated at the end of October with 8 mm tines.”

Wiedenmann Enquiry 58

Redexim combo gets club ready for winter

For the first time in four years, the players at Warrenpoint Golf Club are going into the winter on main greens, thanks to an extensive aeration programme introduced by Head Greenkeeper Matt Purcell.

It’s also no coincidence that this year, Matt purchased a Redexim Carrier and VertiDrain 1513 allowing the team to effectively aerate all 18 greens in as little as a day –keeping them bone dry and proving themselves as fit for year-round play.

Since the combination was purchased and delivered in March this year, Matt and the team have aerated all greens

once a month, along with the tees twice and specific problem areas on some of the fairways.

The Redexim Carrier is powered by a 31hp engine and hydrostatic transmission which lends itself to high output and ease of operation.

It can work with a variety of implements such as seeders, verti-cutters and in this instance the Verti-Drain 1513 – a lightweight 1.3m model, working with 15o of heave and to a maximum depth of 6” making it ideal for use on sensitive turf areas.

Redexim Enquiry 59

the DTA 160 at Spalding GC is well suited for tasks around the golf course – from fairways, tees and aprons to intensive aeration on the clubs 18 greens.

Enquiry 60

A Deep Tine Aerator (DTA)

GKB Machines

Terrain Aeration’s long-term treatment reaches one metre deep where

Robust solution for regular maintenance

The HSTS98 Artificial Surface Sweeper is robust in construction to withstand prolonged heavy use.

A differential mechanism allows the sweeper to be manoeuvred in tight corners without the wheels “scuffing”.

The machine benefits from the differential mechanism by having both wheels able to drive the pick-up brushes, giving it superior sweeping power

over competitors. The height adjustment is simple, and gives the sweeper versatility on many different surfaces.

The main drive is transmitted via strong metal gears. The large capacity solid plastic catcher is rot and tear-proof, and simple to empty. Reversing onto the tipping heap can be difficult for some, but it is made easier with the HSTS98 as it only has two wheels in contact with the ground.

This sweeper benefits with a sprung floor, which lets the sand or rubber crumb fill to flow back through the base of the hopper, at the same time collecting debris such as leaves, and twigs.

A cover plate is supplied with each machine, to cover the mesh floor in sweeping operations where all debris is required to be collected.

SCH Supplies Enquiry 63

Tackle deep surface compaction with the GKB Aerator

The benefits of regular brushing on synthetic surfaces are well documented – keeping fibres upright and retaining the durability, safety and longevity of your artificial pitch.

For surface managers, this could be further enhanced with a pass by the GKB Aerator.

SISIS is marvellous for club

A range of SISIS synthetic turf maintenance equipment is helping to keep the Merthyr Town FC’s pitch in excellent condition.

Specially designed for synthetic surfaces, the Brush-Pro is a ride-on brushing system consisting of a pair of mid mounted oscillating brush units

and three rear mounted brushes. The oscillating brushes are ideal for periodic aggressive brushing to keep infill mobile, prevent algae accumulation, surface compaction and loss of porosity.

Equally impressive is the SISIS SSS1000 - a tractor mounted sweeper that can be pulled by

Fast clearance of surface debris

any machine. The rotary brush has been designed for use on synthetic surfaces to remove surface debris, lift the carpet pile and redistribute sand or rubber crumb infill giving the surface maximum performance and extended life.

SISIS Enquiry 64

Considered by a leading carpet manufacturer to be even more effective at decompacting sand and rubber infill, the Aerators ability to tackle compaction regenerates a surfaces’ technical, play and drainage characteristics.

Compacted pitches processed with a brush could be considered a ‘quick fix’, with often just the top few millimetres of infill being agitated.

The GKB Aerator by comparison is equipped with twin spiked rollers which penetrate down to the bottom of the fibres. Linked together with a chain drive, the

spiked rollers generate a slight ‘heave’ effect, similar to that achieved with tines on natural playing surfaces, to open up the surface, return infill to the

upper layers of the system and lever debris up to the surface for convenient collection.

For the fast removal and collection of leaves and other debris, the Speed-Clean from Redexim is a land-driven surface sweeper which efficiently lifts and separates infill and contaminants in a single pass.

It is important that surface cleaning takes place as soon as any material is present on the top of the carpet.

If left, allowing the debris to be broken down and trodden into the carpet, bigger problems with

drainage and compromised play performance and safety are likely to follow. The paddle brush system of the Speed-Clean effectively lifts the infill from the surface, where detritus is separated via an oscillating sieve and collected in bins on the rear of the unit. The cleaned infill is then returned to the surface, restoring a carpets permeability and playability.

Redexim Enquiry 66

GKB Machines Enquiry 65