Turf Matters November December 2022

Don’t forget Sport…

Living through history

Distributed every two months to sports turf professionals, independent schools, universities, local authorities and buyers of turfcare machinery and products.

The last two months have been a nightmare for many people in certain parts of the country and my heart goes out to everyone dealing with the aftermath of unprecedented flooding and devastating erosion.

The best case scenario for many is months of temporary living. For others, lives will never return to what they were.

We all wondered what life would be like when the Queen died and now we know. The whole country came together in mourning which was gratifying to see and, whatever anyone’s personal feelings about the monarchy, no-one can surely criticise The Queen for her exemplary life. She was a marvellous lady and a wonderfully stabilising influence in an increasingly unstable country.

While the fate of sports grounds and golf clubs might seem inconsequential in the face of such hardship, we at Turf Matters have a particular empathy with everyone who has seen years of agronomic husbandry literally washed away in the space of a few weeks.

I must admit, though, it does seem strange talking about King Charles without automatically adding on the word “spaniel”!

It must be hoped that banks – the financial institutions, not the things which edge overflown rivers – take an understanding approach to sporting facilities which have been unable to service loans as a result of them being unplayable and so unable to bring in revenue.

Editor: Scott MacCallum scott@turfmatters.co.uk

Distributed every two months to sports turf professionals, local authorities and buyers of turfcare machinery and products.

Design/Production Editor: Tim Moat tim@turfmatters.co.uk

Editor: Scott MacCallum scott@turfmatters.co.uk

Customer Relations Manager: Sinead Thacker sinead@turfmatters.co.uk

Design and Production Editor: Tim Moat tim@turfmatters.co.uk

Sales Manager: Pauline Thompson

Sales Executive: Marie Anderson marie@turfmatters.co.uk

In many ways, for any number of reasons, we’d like to see the back of 2022, but we still have two of the biggest events to come – SALTEX and the FIFA World Cup. The first, SALTEX, will be hoping to come back strongly from the last two Covid impacted years, the first of which caused the cancellation of the show altogether, while the Qatar World Cup, which we feature in the article with Lee Collier of STRI, will be much changed from the regular World Cups in its time of year, tight geographic constrictions and stricter laws.

As we have seen with the recent Winter Olympics, sport has such a galvanising effect on society and can be the catalyst for so much good, that it is imperative sporting facilities are not forgotten when the promised assistance is being allocated.

Hopefully both will be successful and provide a positive end to what has otherwise been, as our late Queen once memorably described, an “Annus Horribilis”.

On the issue of improving sporting facilities, we have been invited by Briggs & Stratton to become involved in its Pitch to Win competition, which provides a £3,000 makeover for what is judged to be the Under 18s football pitch in most need – find out more on pages 16-17. I am on the judging panel and visits will be made to a shortlist of deserving pitches soon. We will be looking not so much at the DESSO but the desperate!

From all at Turf Matters let me be the first to wish you a wonderful Christmas and happy 2023.

Scott MacCallum, Editor

On a final note, I am thrilled by the reception that the first issue of Turf Matters received. Many people have taken time to say how much they liked the look of the magazine and how they enjoyed the articles. We’re all pleased you found it to your liking and we will work hard to maintain the high standards. Thank you all very much.

Scott MacCallum, Editor

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All material © Turf Matters magazine 2022.

Turf Matters is published by Straight Down the Middle Communications Ltd.

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Printed by Warners Midlands PLC.

Printed by Warners Midlands PLC.

Inside this issue

Inside this issue

News 4-23

News 4-15

Pitch to Win 16-17 Mowing 19-22, 24-27

Tea Break Teaser 29

Gleneagles 30-35

Synthetic surfaces 24-25 Schools 26-27 Golf maintenance 29-33 World Cup preparations 34-44 SALTEX re-booted 50-53

BTME review 36-41

Diary of a Golfing Nobody 42 As seen on Twitter 43

SALTEX info, previews, listing 54-90 Estate management 91-95 Buyers’ Guide 96-98 Shout 99

Check out our website: www.turfmatters.co.uk

Check out our website: www.turfmatters.co.uk Next magazine distributed January 2023

Next magazine distributed 2 May

Solving Ibstock Place School’s drainage problem:

The majesty of Gleneagles,

KUBOTA OPENS NEW PARTS CENTRE

Kubota has opened a new European Parts Centre to strengthen its global parts supply chain network.

Located in Thionville in the French region of Moselle, the new warehouse was built specifically to supply dealers and distributors across Europe and the UK, but with the ability to also support key regions such as the US and Japan.

Built at a cost of €15 million, the new EUPC covers a footprint of 20,000 square metres, and currently employs around 90 staff.

“The development of this extensive parts centre will provide greater access and availability to further support our existing regional parts supply operation in the UK,” explained Simon Chadbone, Kubota (UK)’s Business Development Manager for parts.

“Having a European Parts Centre will greatly benefit our dealer and distributor network.”

Globally, Kubota has a spare parts strategy to build distribution centres that cover key regions in Japan, Europe and north America. This latest hub has a vital role in stocking a variety and quantity of parts to ensure the best product availability across Europe.

Rigby Taylor launch new Tiny Pro X line marker

Tiny Mobile Robots, marketed and distributed in the UK by Rigby Taylor, has launched the Tiny Pro X robotic line marker to the UK market.

Reinforcing their commitment to giving customers the best tools to carry out their line marking projects, the Tiny Pro X hosts a range of brand-new features designed to enhance the end users experience and make GPS robotic line marking easier and more accurate than ever.

Perhaps the most soughtafter new feature is the ability to mark out custom logos. This is something that the company has been asked for constantly and has been under development for a long-time. It is now a standard feature

on the Tiny Pro X and is a simple 3-step feature for the end user, allowing them to customise fields for events or occasions in a way that was not easily possible before.

The ’Multi-Select’ tool is another time-saving and efficient new feature which enables users to queue up multiple fields to be marked out in a specific order. A simple yet revolutionary feature is the new low paint alert system. When the robot is running low on paint, an automatic alert is sent to the user’s handheld tablet notifying them of the paint levels. This is a much-welcomed feature which avoids time being wasted marking out a field with no paint in the tank.

In addition to these, the Tiny Pro X offers many more

SAGE OPENS BOOKINGS FOR EARLY BIRD EXHIBITORS

SAGE has opened its books to exhibitors for the 2023 Show which will be held on July 19/20, with discounts for those who book their space early.

Hosted at the Three Counties venue in Malvern, Worcestershire, SAGE focuses on live demonstrations and experiences, which is a unique draw for exhibitors and visitors, granting them the opportunity to thoroughly “try before they buy”.

The show returns in 2023, with

sponsorship from Weibang UK.

“We’re so excited that SAGE is returning in 2023. We have had a great response from previous exhibitors and are really looking forward to being joined by many new names too,” said Exhibition Manager, Vicky Panniers.

“There has been a great deal of work put into SAGE to develop the show for 2023 to offer more for exhibitors and visitors, including the development of a new and improved website, which includes

a fantastic service directory.”

Sustainability is an important focus for the 2023 event, and it will proudly play host to the Sustainability Solutions for Grounds Specialists Summit live, in partnership with GRASS, and show organisers will be setting sustainability targets for SAGE to meet.

Discussing the show, Head of Environmental and Sustainability Stadia Projects at Bio-Circle, Mark Tomlinson said: “This is exactly

improvements, including general upgrades to the hardware and software for a largely improved experience on what was already a solid offering from the existing range of robots.

“I’m thrilled at the launch of the Tiny Pro X robotic line marker. It’s an exciting time as this has been a long time in development and testing. This new model offers the end user many increased features and the initial feedback from our salespeople and test customers has been fantastic,” said Jayne Leyland, Product Manager for Rigby Taylor.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing it rolled out across the UK following the launch.” n https://tinymobilerobots. com/tinymobilerobots-uk/

what the industry has asked for and brings quality visitors to a trade show who can see my products and services in action.”

Stands are currently available with a 15% early bird discount until 11th November. Early birds will also benefit from a free demonstration plot (where available) and free entry into the all-new online service directory – maximising their exposure and enhancing their promotion to visitors. n sportsandgrounds.events

New business development manager for Bernhard and Co

Bernhard and Company has appointed a new Business Development Manager for Asia.

Peter Stewart will assume his new role with immediate effect. Working closely with the Bernhard Asian Territory team, Stewart will be directly responsible for overseeing the development of the company’s grinding machinery and turf technologies business in Asia.

Speaking on Peter’s appointment, Bernhard and Company Managing Director, Steven Nixon, said they were thrilled to be welcoming Peter to

the Business Development team in the Asia region.

“Peter brings with him some fantastic experience from varying corners of the golf and turf industries. It’s great that we’ve been able to add such a dynamic, seasoned professional to our team and we are confident that he’ll take our business in Asia to the next level.”

Discussing his new role, Peter added that he felt extremely privileged to be joining a true market leader, and one of the turf industry’s powerhouses.

“I have been a part of this industry for many years, and I’ve always admired

Bernhard and Company, not only for the quality and innovation of its machinery, but also for the phenomenal reputation the company has for customer service and satisfaction. I can’t wait to get to work on further enhancing the company’s presence and reputation within Asia.”

He starts his new role at Bernhard and Company with experience spanning more than two decades in the turf and golf industries. After being awarded an Ohio State University Scholarship in Turf Management, he progressed his greenkeeping career

Case IH’s range of tractors well suited to amenity use

From the classic Farmall, to the powerful and compact Vestrum CVX, plus the Maxxum and Luxxum models, Case IH has a wide range of tractors perfectly suited to many applications in amenity use.

Case IH has been producing agricultural machinery for more than 175 years, and now manufacturers tractors from 55 to over 600 horsepower (hp). All models share the Case IH tradition of safety and operator comfort and can be specified with a range of implements including loaders, as well as tyres to match the demands of every application.

As a global brand, Case IH operates an extensive network of authorised dealerships across the UK and

Ireland, meaning you are never far away from a Case IH specialist.

The Farmall name is deeply rooted in the history of Case IH, with the first tractors to bear this name being produced back in 1923. Today’s Farmall tractors share a design emphasis on manoeuvrability, compact dimensions, ease of operation and a high power-to-weight ratio.

This means that whether you are working with mounted machinery, trailed equipment, transport duties or with a loader, there’s a Farmall to suit your needs. This range starts from 55hp, with cab and cabless options available.

Some things make jobs so much easier that you wonder how you ever managed without them. With greater manoeuvrability, higher levels of comfort and better visibility than any other Case IH tractor of this size, the Case IH Luxxum ensures greater productivity from both tractor and driver. There are three models in this series offering horsepower from 100 to 120.

The Maxxum series provides superior performance and fuel efficiency thanks to the use of Efficient Power technology. Available with a range of transmission

from the St Andrews Old Course to TPC Sawgrass, Royal Melbourne, and Dubai’s Emirates Golf Club, further extending his knowledge in warm and cool season grasses.

Stewart has also built strong experience in sales and business development with SubAir Systems and has developed relationships with a vast network of distributor partners.

More recently he has worked with Beau Welling Design/Tiger Woods Design to implement new Tiger Woods Design golf courses from planning to completion. n www.bernhard.co.uk

options including four- or eight-speed powershift delivering class-leading fuel efficiency, or a CVXDrive for the ultimate stepless transmission, the Maxxum makes work easy. A huge 13 models are available ranging from 116 to 150hp.

This series stands out from the crowd, combining the compact dimensions of a manoeuvrable four-cylinder tractor with the premium cab comfort design of larger Case IH models. The result is the first Case IH tractor in the 100hp class with the continuously variable CVXDrive transmission with a high power-to-weight ratio. Choose from four models from 100 to 130hp.

The new L-front loader series offers three front loader ranges, tailored perfectly to Case IH tractors to help you to get jobs done faster. Choose from entry level A-range, the U-range for every day handling tasks or the premium T-range including hydraulic self-levelling for increased lifting power. Whichever loader you choose, you will benefit from maximum precision and rapid response for exceptional ease of handling. n caseih.com

Peter Stewart

Corvus’s 100% electric UTV

Corvus Off-Road Vehicles are leading the off-road sector into the future, taking UTV efficiency and performance to the next level with its new all-electric work vehicle.

The official launch took place at the Game Fair at the Ragley Hall

estate in Warwickshire and is expected to make Corvus a new market share leader. It is the only European manufacturer with fully electric UTVs.

It is a UTV that offers a more pleasant ride thanks to its quiet operation and it has a large total load

capacity of up to 620 kg.

Unrivalled durability, low maintenance costs and efficient vehicle performance are hallmarks of the new Terrain EX4.

The new vehicle expands the product portfolio of this company, hailing from Murcia, which already offers a powerful and robust 4X4 diesel vehicle: the Terrain DX4 is already the market leader in its category of diesel off-road vehicles. This is a highly equipped work UTV, perfect for farming, livestock and forestry work, capable of carrying up to 450 kilos in its rear box.

“From the outset, our commitment to innovation focused on bringing the best driving experience

to workers has been a priority. We want to provide our customers with what they really need to be able to cope with the toughest work situations in the best way possible,” said Juan José Bernal-Quirós, Managing Director.

Getting the job done on difficult terrain is now possible with the 13 kW electric motor, which provides the power to transport or tow large loads with ease.

In addition, the 15 KwH lithium-ion battery is designed for fast and convenient charging, making the driving experience enjoyable from start to finish.

n www.bossorv.co.uk

Vibrant mix of machinery and sustainability at RTM Show

It was a delight for dealer RT Machinery to welcome 300 people in person for their first full RTM Show Live since 2019. The farm location was once again alive with the hum of conversation and machinery as guests took advantage of the opportunity to talk with over 30 manufacturers, watch demos and enjoy ride-and-drive trials.

In addition to the machinery, visitors were able to hear from five excellent speakers in the new hay loft during the morning, including Jo Little from Planet Mark, one of the UK’s leading organisations in sustainability –such a hot topic for our industry.

Indeed, Planet Mark had recently certified RT Machinery’s carbon footprint and Jo took advantage of the occasion to congratulate Richard Taylor at the end of her talk.

Guests also enjoyed Colonel Dan Rex MVO, from The

Queen’s Green Canopy – one of many great legacies of Her Majesty The Queen. Set up to encourage people to Plant a Tree for the Jubilee, the QGC has already inspired over a million trees to be planted across the UK and is now extended to the end of March 2023, giving people the opportunity to plant trees in memoriam to honour Her Majesty.

Ed Charles, from Perennial, was able to give visitors more insight into how it offers support and financial assistance to all the workers in our industry –anyone working with grass, trees, flowers or plants. Many had never heard of the charity before and were interested to learn what help is available.

Of course, there was a pig roast and the famous Becky’s cakes too!

“I’d like to thank all our customers, suppliers,speakers and colleagues who made the Show such a great day after the challenges of the last couple of years. Equally we all have a responsibility to improve the sustainability of the industry and the Show created a perfect opportunity to explore machinery innovations and a lot more in this regard,” said Richard.

Getting data on your side

assist your decision making, so many sales people (myself included) have been guilty of selling/supplying the hardware, with a way of viewing the info, providing a basic walk through, then pretty much just walking away and leaving you to it.

supply and install all of the tech, be it soil sensors, weather station, hand held etc, as well as the industries best weather forecasting service.

Data! What does it mean? What can you do with it? What’s its true value? How does my property make changes with it?

All of the above are the frequent questions all turf managers ask either the provider, or even themselves, when investigating the investment into data gathering technology.

Since the onset of these new technologies designed to aid and

I have been involved in technology from many different angles, be that GPS, Autosteer, machine control, right through to weather stations, hand held sensors and in-ground sensors. So being in a position now, with effectively a blank canvas, I am able to look at all these new concepts, overlay them, and look at pattern building and trend analysis, to see where there is correlation between all of these platforms.

August this year saw the birth of my first lone venture, Sports Turf Data Solutions Ltd. My aim is to do exactly what I have just said above. We are in the most giving three levels of what we do, BASIC – we will work with your existing nonconnectable technology, manually enter the data for you, then once a month have a call or visit to run through all findings, and give some assistance to using factual evidence to making better or simpler decisions. PRO – As basic, but working with your existing connectable hardware, pulling info in via API, then again having the call or visit to assist with utilsation of the information. Then finally ELITE – as before, but we will

Once all together, and run in conjunction with some artificial intelligence, a GDD table, and growth probability chart, we can look at minimising disease risk, energy usage, water usage, more timely application or nutrition and pesticide etc.

A huge thing to bear in mind is also the lack of available skilled staff, if used right, this form of digital agronomy, will free up a large percentage of time, giving that time back to carry on with tasks created by staff shortages.

The final piece of the Jigsaw is GPS guidance, and accurate auto steering, we are now the official sports turf, golf and amenity supplier for the amazing Patwork GPS solutions. A full spectrum from basic on screen follow the line guidance, right through to auto steer, and spreader/ sprayer control. This Patchwork solution is backed by an industry leading software package, aiding the ability to task manage and plan, as well as project planning via using the high levels of accuracy to plot irrigation systems, drainage lines etc.

Come and see us on stand D105 at SALTEX, to learn how we can build a bespoke solution tailored solely to your property.

Adam Sedgewick, Founder of Sports Turf Data Solutions, gives an insight about what data can do for you

Trencher Hire was just the job

A Toro TRX-16 pedestrian trencher – supplied with operator – dug out 400 metres of trenching in challenging land conditions in just one and a half days to the delight of customer Steve Stringfellow.

Steve, who lives in a remote farmhouse in Lincolnshire, wanted to lay a new water line from his house to the main water main, as the old existing iron water pipe ran across the farmer’s field and during ploughing often got damaged.

“We expected some problems with the property being built in 1850. The ground is fairly heavy clay agricultural land, with lots of trees and other obstacles within it,” said Steve.

“My initial reaction was to get a JCB for the job, but realised

that this would have caused a great deal of disruption.

“I also calculated that around 84 tonnes of sand would have been needed to backfill the trenches, which would have proved costly both in terms of buying the sand and the labour needed to do the work.

“One of my colleagues, who had used Trencher Hire UK in the past, recommended them. When I contacted the Operations Manager, Steve Kingdom, he ran through a few options open to me and I selected a Toro TRX-16 with operator.

“Not only was the trencher cheaper to hire than a JCB but, with its narrow-gauge cutter, could access areas a digger couldn’t. In addition, the narrow neat channels created

by the Toro meant that probably only 30 tonnes of sand would be needed to backfill afterwards –saving both material and labour costs compared to a digger.

“The trencher operator Paul was brilliant and cracked on with the job straight away, but was also honest and upfront highlighting patches of ground where he

could not get the Toro through and had to find another path.

“The new 32mm water pipe has been re-routed, but did have to pass over the old one and Paul was able to dig down without damaging it.

Most of the trenching was dug-out to a depth of 650mm and 100mm wide, but in some places adjustments were needed to be made because

of large rocks and other obstacles. This meant that in some areas he only dug down to a depth of 500mm, or even as low as 400mm.

“I could not fault the service from Trencher Hire – it was spoton. They arrived on time, did the job that they agreed to do and with no excess costs.” n www.trencherhire.com

Time to make the switch to battery power

With energy price cap rises and extortionate bills across almost every consumable product; record high petrol prices are the last thing that anyone needs – especially those who rely on fuel to run their business. Clearly, petrol users are experiencing an incredibly raw deal at a time when the cost-of-living crisis is being felt so strongly.

Professional turf managers using two-stroke engines are already starting to see these extra fuel costs eating away at their bottom lines, and with a multitude of batterypowered alternatives available on the market, there is no better time for trade users to begin exploring the advantages that making the switch could have on their businesses.

Recently, EGO conducted a cost comparison test between three of its products (Hedge Trimmer

HTX7500, Line Trimmer STX3800 and leaf blower LBX6000) and three petrol-powered alternatives.

The tools had an average annual power cost of £142.80 while the petrol tools had an average annual power cost of £1,295.40.

When the total cost of ownership over five years was calculated, including purchasing the tools and the running costs, this resulted in a considerable price difference overall. Over five years, the cost of owning three tools, two 10Ah batteries, a backpack harness and a rapid charger came to £2,893.00 which is an average annual cost of £578.60.

Whereas, owning three petrol tools, including the purchase, and running costs, came to £8,134.00 over five years – an average annual cost of £1,626.80.

Overall, across a period of five

years, on average it is £1,048.20 cheaper per year to own and run battery-operated tools. This is because, after the initial purchase, the tools do not require any further investment other than general wear and tear. As a result, products can deliver in excess of a 40% cost saving over petrol power: leading to long-term savings for any gardening business.

One of the most stand-out statistics uncovered by Challenge 2025, is that the most widely used outdoor power tool, the leaf blower, uses more than half of the petrol required to run a Ford Fiesta for the same amount of time. This means that users of petrolpowered tools will be hit even harder than the average motorist.

Even though we have also seen a rise in our energy bills, by switching

This year has seen some of the highest recorded petrol prices since the turn of the millennium – and it is not just motorists who are struggling to cope. Emma Gayler, Ambassador for Challenge 2025, discusses why it is time for professional gardeners to leave petrol in the past and make the switch to battery-powered outdoor equipment.

to battery power, trade users will notice a considerable difference in how much they must set aside for running costs, and instead will be able to take back control of their outgoings and invest more into the growth of the business.

Many of those who make the switch to battery are very vocal in expressing how much more they enjoy their work. No more aches and pains as the tools are lighter and vibrate less, no more clothes smelling of petrol fumes, and the significantly reduced noise provides extra work opportunities in environments that require minimal disruptions.

The UK has already taken bold steps towards reaching Net Zero by 2050, including bringing forward the end of sales of new petrol and diesel cars to 2030. With numerous ambitious strategies planned to cut emissions, professional gardeners can also join this movement, replacing one tool at a time is a step towards securing the longevity of their business and getting ahead of competitors before they press the button on battery power.

Over the last four decades, huge efforts have been made in the automotive industry to improve engine efficiency and reduce

harmful emissions. However, the same efforts were not reflected in the engines used in outdoor power equipment meaning that many still in use today operate from outdated designs and have significantly less emission control technology.

EGO wants this to change. A huge part of its commitment to innovation is to create superior alternatives to petrol that are also cost-effective.

The EGO ARC Lithium battery is more than a match for petrolpowered equipment, eliminating the harmful emissions, noise pollution and health issues associated with petrol power while maintaining the performance that users expect and need.

The only maintenance required is regular charging and even the largest handheld battery – the 12.0Ah – would be fully charged in 80 minutes with a rapid charger. Plus, with batteries designed to be used interchangeably across all EGO products, users can get multiple jobs done across a range of tools.

Petrol has reigned supreme for decades, not because it was the right choice, but because it was the only choice. Now, with the current cost of living crisis, the Government’s plans for a Net Zero future, and

a growing public concern for the environment, battery power provides a progressive solution to ensuring that businesses do not get left in the past. Instead, they will be at the forefront of securing a safer, cleaner, and more profitable future.

Challenge 2025 is a campaign which aims to educate and empower outdoor power equipment users to understand why petrol power belongs in the past. Its mission is that by 2025, battery power will become the principal power source for outdoor power equipment, leading to huge reductions in emissions, noise disturbance, and health risks, whilst increasing safety and user comfort.

Knowing how damaging petrolpowered tools are for both the environment and the health of professional gardeners, it is worrying that they are still used to maintain outdoor spaces – including those surrounding hospitals and school grounds. Challenge 2025 wants to make trade users aware of the dangers of petrol-powered tools, not just for the environment but also for the health of themselves and the communities that they work in. n https://egopowerplus.co.uk/ about-ego/technology/cost

“OVER THE LAST FOUR DECADES, HUGE EFFORTS HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY TO IMPROVE ENGINE EFFICIENCY AND REDUCE HARMFUL EMISSIONS. HOWEVER, THE SAME EFFORTS WERE NOT REFLECTED IN THE ENGINES USED IN OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT MEANING THAT MANY STILL IN USE TODAY OPERATE FROM OUTDATED DESIGNS AND HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS EMISSION CONTROL TECHNOLOGY.”

GroundsFest is coming

A new and exciting event featuring outdoor demonstrations, indoor zones, free education, interactive workstations, machinery workshops, a wellbeing hub, a live music festival plus much more, is set to be an annual fixture for grounds staff, greenkeepers, landscapers, local authorities, estate managers and contractors.

GroundsFest has been developed by award-winning event specialists

Purple Ash Media, whose Directors, Chris Bassett, Chris Bennett and Charles Neale, have worked in the grounds care industry for over two decades.

The event will be held at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire on 20 and 21 September 2023.

Main features will include:

n Outdoor demonstrations –visitors will get to see machinery in action on large outdoor areas.

n Indoor zones – a wide variety of exhibitor stands, dedicated sector areas, catering outlets and seminar theatres.

n Live interactive stations – a chance to find out the latest trial data on pesticides, fertilisers, bio-stimulants and many more.

n Machinery workshops – learn how to maintain and get the very best out of a wide range of machinery and equipment.

n Educational seminars – free educational seminars delivered by top speakers and industry experts.

n Wellbeing hub – designed to provide information, advice, and guidance about emotional and mental wellbeing.

n Festival – after an actionpacked day, unwind and continue networking with live music, delicious street food, and fun, skill-based activities.

The event has been created based on extensive research and independent surveys over the past

six years. The results show that September is the most favoured time of year and that a mix of both indoor space and outdoor demonstrations is the preferred format.

From an exhibitor point of view, GroundsFest will be an extremely cost-effective option and one which will opens its doors to a much wider range of companies.

“We have spent a considerable time talking with the industry to unpick what they really want from a trade show and we have built the GroundsFest concept based on the responses received together with ideas we have brought in from our own experience,” explained Chris Bennett.

“We have been delighted with the positive responses we have had in what are the very early stages of our discussions with potential exhibitors,” added Charles.

“We are also meeting with the industry bodies and are keen that we can do as much as we can to assist them to meet their own particular objectives,” said Chris Bassett. n www.groundsfest.com

“FROM AN EXHIBITOR POINT OF VIEW, GROUNDSFEST WILL BE AN EXTREMELY COST-EFFECTIVE OPTION”

Bernhard and Company: Industry leader in sports turf technologies

SALTEX 2022 is just around the corner, and one of the industry’s powerhouses, Bernhard and Company, will once again be at the show to display its impressive array of turf products and services. The company will descend on Birmingham at the start of November to show off a selection of key products, including SubAir Systems, TurfBreeze fans, the Rotamaster 4000, and Rapid facer.

SUBAIR SYSTEMS

Bernhard and Company is the official supplier of SubAir Systems to distributors and customers in EMEA and parts of Asia.

As a concept, SubAir Systems is a subsurface aeration and moisture control system for natural grass pitches and golf courses. The basic principle is that, with a SubAir System installed, pitch or field managers can manipulate the levels of moisture, oxygen, and gas transfer within their subsoil, to create the optimal growing conditions for their grass plant.

While the system can operate autonomously, it has two main user modes: pressure and vacuum. In pressure mode, the system simply

pushes clean oxygen into the selected root zone of any pitch or field. Grass naturally develops waste gas that formulates around the root zone, so being able to replace those gases with fresh oxygen means that growing conditions can be continually regulated.

The vacuum mode essentially works in the opposite way, by pulling air down and out away from the bottom of the root zone. When you remove air from this zone, it also pulls away moisture at the same time. This allows the user to be very calculated in determining the amount of moisture they want within the soil profile. This use of SubAir Systems is perhaps the most globally recognised, and is certainly one that customers appreciatebecause it allows them to maintain a constant moisture level, despite

any large storms or deluges of water that might otherwise cause flooding.

SubAir was developed to help and improve any natural grass pitch, field, or green. The system can be installed across multiple different platforms; from cricket to football, horse racing, golf and rugby, to name just a few. As such, each installation is totally bespoke – engineers will examine the space provided, then custom engineer a system to fit that location.

A SubAir System could be the ideal insurance policy for sporting venues that host major events or tournaments. Without the system installed, it is completely feasible that some pitches would quickly become unplayable after a downpour, and the cancellation of games in international tournaments can cost organisers millions.

Each system that gets installed has to contend with a different growing environment, and therefore needs to be programmed differently to tackle each unique climate. Bernhard and Company work closely with the turf manager at each site to determine the exact treatment requirements to create a bespoke plan that will deliver the

best possible results.

On Wednesday 2nd November at SALTEX 2022, Bernhard and Company will be offering a ‘Learning Live’ seminar in Theatre 3. The session – ‘Why subsurface ventilation matters: How healthy turf is more important to athletes’ health than you think’ – will take a deep dive into how creating an ultra-healthy grass plant can be key to playing performance and safety for athletes. There will also be 30-minute faceto-face demos with Steve Wilson, Business Development Manager at Bernhard and Company, on Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd November, at 12pm, 2pm and 4pm.

TURFBREEZE FANS

The leading global name in sports surface aeration, TurfBreeze fans have been designed to generate essential surface air movement to aid the development of highquality playing surfaces.

The system works by allowing pitch and field managers

to manipulate both surface temperature and manage the level of moisture on the turf canopy. Certain areas of pitches or turfed areas may not benefit from any natural air movement, or suffer from excessive heat. So, by having TurfBreeze fans in place, cold air can be blown into those problem areas to lower the temperature of the canopy, hence reduce the soil temperature for healthier growth across the turf.

Additionally, some pitches or sporting venues will suffer from having certain parts of the field that are covered by shade for large parts of the day. By operating the TurfBreeze fans in these areas, pitch managers can keep excess moisture from settling on the canopy of the turf and prevent disease breakouts.

RAPID FACER 1000

The Rapid Facer 1000 is unique and precise. It is a fast, easy to use maintenance tool that has the ability to restore the front face of a bedknife in just 90 seconds, enabling mowers to spend more time cutting grass than in the workshop. With speed, convenience, and accuracy, you can re-sharpen your bedknife weekly, or even daily as needed.

This unique tool secures magnetically to a bedknife, allowing for simple and precise adjustments. The cleaner cut delivered will produce a healthier grass plant as well as a consistent grass height for superior uniformity. In addition

to prolonging the life of a bedknife, this process will also help to reduce wear on the cylinder, and subsequently the cutting unit.

Moreover, the process of using the Rapid Facer will help maintain a sharp edge on the bedknife, resulting in a prolonged quality of cut.

Bernhard and Company can be found in Hall 8 at SALTEX 2022, on stand E026.

ROTAMASTER 4000

The Bernhard and Company Rotamaster 4000 is a rotary blade grinding machine that is designed to ensure that both ends of a blade are sharpened with automated precision. It delivers a superior edge with consistent balance for a better quality of cut. The result? Longer lasting blades and fantastic looking grass. With a clamp mechanism and fastaligning bars, blade mounting is quick and easy, improving the overall cycle time – you can set it up and walk away. The Rotamaster 4000 is also easy and safe to use, with an ergonomic design for operator safety. n For more information on Bernhard and Company and its full range of turf management products and solutions, head to www.bernhard.co.uk

“...AN IMPRESSIVE ARRAY OF TURF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES”

Cultivating new turf technologies

Rolawn is furthering its commitment to the future of turf growing by calling on its history for new ways to overcome the industry’s biggest challenges.

The company thrives on innovation, a culture that was initiated in 1975 by the founding members of the family-run business and that continues to inform the research and development which keeps Rolawn’s turf production at the forefront of the industry today.

Whether investing in state-ofthe-art equipment or developing and building its own cutting-edge technology, Rolawn applies the depth of knowledge gained during

its 47-year history, to meet and exceed the needs of the market and to drive the turf industry forward.

Farming an extensive acreage of turf, Rolawn supplies to the domestic, amenity, landscape and house building markets and considers consistent upgrades to its turf growing process part of its commitment to quality, its customers, and the environment.

The expertise and experience Rolawn have in turf growing informs and drives much of the pioneering technology that is developed at the company’s Yorkshire-based facilities. Expert engineers at Rolawn are kept busy, devising, and developing leading-edge equipment to address and adapt to the ever-changing challenges as they arise. In-house projects include producing the world’s largest turf pneumatic seed drill, developing the patented ProFresh system as a unique way to tackle sod heating and, what is believed to be, the UK’s largest turf roll harvester.

As part of its growing fleet of vehicles, Rolawn has invested in an impressive line-up of sophisticated machinery including the Trebro

AutoStack 3 harvester and a range of Fendt tractors. The machinery brings considerable benefits to production, particularly in improving Rolawn’s accuracy and efficiency.

Designed and engineered in-house, the Seed Drill Mark 2 has greatly enhanced Rolawn’s sowing process and is considered the secret to its seeding success. Specially selected, best quality grass seed is sown by the drill, using a multi-directional pattern to ensure weak spots are eliminated, providing a higher grade of turf. The drill’s dual seed application and its ability to level the ground provides unrivalled seed distribution which has resulted in improved establishment.

The pneumatic seed drill was entirely built by the Rolawn fabrication team and is believed to be the most advanced pneumatic turf seed drill in the country.

Described as “the most refined, high-production machine on the market,” the Auto-Stack 3 from Trebro is an important addition to Rolawn’s fleet as it offers innovative features that set it apart from others. Having already invested in the Trebro-TSR turf

harvester, Rolawn is the first in Europe to have the Montana-made AutoStack 3, believing that it helps reinforce their commitment to quality and attention to detail. The technology of this machine matches the ambitions of Rolawn, bringing the benefits of its many features, including sophisticated cutterhead accuracy and depth control, precise roll-up process, articulated steering for manoeuvrability, dual harvesting capabilities and improved weight distribution, which have allowed Rolawn to further increase productivity and build on the superior quality of the turf it grows.

Rolawn uses three Fendt 314 machines. The power to weight ratio and onboard tech-nology of the 314s offers improved accuracy when mowing, creating fewer scalpings and resulting in a betterquality product. With the aim of 60 hectares of mowing per tractor per day, this is now achievable with the flexibility and geared forward speed these Fendt machines offer.

Rolawn’s fleet also includes the Fendt 516 tractor, which incorporates revolutionary live, real time grass plant analysis linked by sprayer and applicator control systems. This technology allows Rolawn to optimise field outputs,

such as fertilisers, which has led to marked improvements in quality with reduced environmental impact.

All the Fendt machines Rolawn operates have been specifically chosen to boost efficiency and offer better overall turf consistency. Its move to Fendt machines has been “a real eye-opener” for the business and it intends to add more to its fleet in the future.

“The consistent, superior quality of our turf is no accident. It is the result of years of research, refinement, and improvement” said Sales Director Jonathan Hill.

“We are meticulous about the equipment and technology we introduce, investing time and money to ensure each element introduced positively contributes to the turf growing process and the quality of the product for our customers.

“We stand behind each and every one of our products, we take pride in our turf and we’re confident that it’s the technology, processes and people we put in place that make our products so exceptional,” said Jonathan.

GKB Infiller makes for quick and accurate spreading

After seeing the machine at SALTEX 2021, South Wales Sports Grounds organised for a demonstration model of the Infiller to be shipped over from GKB HQ on the basis that if they were impressed with it, they’d keep it… and they did! Adding to a vast and varied fleet of equipment for the construction and

maintenance of both natural and artificial surfaces, the GKB Infiller has dramatically improved the speed of infill spreading, whilst retaining the quality of finish.

South Wales Sports Grounds undertake contracts for a range of clients from local authorities to schools and independent sports clubs, everywhere between West Wales and Gloucester. Maintenance Manager Matt Dennison explained how they decided to take a look at the GKB Infiller, after noticing their previous machine was slowing down the process of dispensing and topping-up infill.

“We’re very particular about how we install an artificial/3G pitch, using the best tools and techniques to produce the best results” said Matt.

“We wanted a machine that was simpler to use and that would ultimately make the job quicker and more efficient. As soon as we received the Infiller in December, from our local dealer Hopkins Machinery, it was evident straight away that it ticked all the boxes.”

Suited to all types of infill material, the Infiller provides a quick and accurate spreading solution. The metering valve can be adjusted manually or hydraulically to suit the depth and type of infill required. The specification is completed by a large 3m 3 hopper.

“One big key point for us is that you can rotate the seat to spread the sand in front of the wheels of travel, ensuring the infill gets down into the fibres before they’re flattened.”

Along with sand, Matt intends to use rubber in the Infiller and indicates that the machine and the team have a busy synthetic season ahead.

“So far, it’s done two artificial constructions and is now about to do another.” He concludes: “Because it’s so easy to operate, we’ve now got a number of our operatives trained up with it, who all can’t wait to benefit from the speed and accuracy we can now achieve in getting the job done.” n www.gkbmachines.com

SISIS helps the ‘Wembley of South Wales’

Arange of SISIS synthetic turf maintenance equipment is helping to keep the ‘Wembley of South Wales’ in excellent condition.

Merthyr Town FC is a non-league team from South Wales. It is a 100% fan owned community club that play in the Southern League Premier Division at its historical home of The MET Coaches Stadium at Penydarren Park, right in the heart of the Merthyr Tydfil community.

The club has had its ups and downs over the years, but the installation of a synthetic pitch has helped turn fortunes around.

“Part of the improvement plan was to have a new synthetic pitch,” explained Merthyr man, Julian Axhorn.

“Previously, in winter the grass would disappear, and we couldn’t use the pitch. Now we can use it all year round and it also creates a vital revenue stream. We wanted to make it a community asset, and now everyone uses it – they love it, and I love it. I call it the Wembley of South Wales.”

Julian is known as the Merthyr man for good reason – not only does he maintain the pitch, but he is on the board as the Treasurer, works on the turnstiles, and helps with numerous other tasks on a matchday. Therefore, when it comes to his own little slice of Wembley – he wants only the best.

“The pitch was replaced with a new surface a year ago and I thought the time was right to invest

in new equipment,” he said.

“We had a very old tractor with a little brush on the back and it was very slow and antiquated. We wanted an improvement and after doing some research we identified the SISIS Brush-Pro and the SISIS SSS1000 as the ideal equipment.”

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

Julian explained how the two SISIS machines play a part in his maintenance programme.

“After every 20 hours of use we carry out one hour of maintenance, and this pitch is

always in use,” he said. “Typically, we try and stick to a cycle, so one week we will do the brushing; the following week we will use the oscillating brushes, and then the next week we will do the sweeping with the SSS1000.

“These two machines keep the pitch in great condition, they help to move the crumb around the surface and the sweeper picks up all the debris.

“I’m not very technically minded but the Brush-Pro is easy to operate, it is comfortable to sit on and easy to maintain, it is easy to set-up, and it does the job that it is there to do. I just can’t fault the equipment. They also fit nicely in the garage and save space which is an added benefit.”

Julian revealed that some funding issues initially delayed the purchase of the equipment, however he thanked the SISIS team for their understanding.

“The funding wasn’t quite in place, so SISIS kindly supplied us with a demonstration model to use until it was all sorted. I knew I had made the right decision because you can’t beat that for customer service.

“You really do get the full package from SISIS.” n www.synprobysisis.com

Keeping contaminants at bay

Clearance of debris such as leaves is an annual priority for those maintaining a synthetic surface at this time of year. 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 SpeedClean 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 carpet’s permeability and playability.

Available in 1m and 1.7m working widths to suit facilities of all sizes, the machine also features integrated tines to aid decompaction while the rear brush preens the surface to leave an aesthetically pleasing finish.

Riddle of drainage problems solved at last

Since 2018 Ibstock Place School’s sports field suffered from standing water during winter, and it was only after investigation work from AMS Contracting that the extent of the issue was revealed.

As the only grass area for sports at the school, it is a vital space for sports. During the year two football pitches transition to rugby pitches and then to athletics, keeping the area in constant use.

Ibstock Groundsman, Louis Macklin, joined the private school in August 2020, and inherited the drainage problem, but after a brief examination he called in AMS to explore further.

“When I joined I didn’t actually believe them when they told me about the issue,” explained Louis.

“I came in and got a verti-drain, reseeded and had everything looking nice and everyone was amazed with how it looked. And then the winter months came and I was thinking, ‘now I understand’.

“In the winter months it would rain a little bit and we’d have standing water for about a month if it was dry after that. It just wasn’t draining

and the pitches were overused, so the grass was ripping out and there were big mud sludges.

“The investigation work was a really valuable part of the process and meant that we could be confident in the plan that was put in place.

“Originally I was going around digging holes and I put two and two together, because the sports staff kept saying it’s ever since the

irrigation went in. So I dug near the irrigation and I straight away found a pipe beside a drain run that had been severed through.

“AMS came in and we got some cameras and dug some more holes and it seemed like every drain run that was near an irrigation line was severed.

“The pitches were originally constructed in 2016 and in 2018 an irrigation company came in to install irrigation.

“I think because there were no plans to show where the original drainage was done. So, when they dug their trenches for the pipelines they cut through some of the drainage runs.

“The outlet was going through a wooded area that was also overgrown, and that was always flooding and water was sitting on top of the field because it had nowhere to go.”

AMS surveyed the land, and used GPS to plot the field and wooded area to formulate a plan.

With the original outlet pipe going into the neighbouring golf club’s trench, an attenuation basin had to be built to accommodate the additional water and the irrigation pipes moved to go in between the drainage runs.

With the project completed, Louis says the field is ‘draining like a dream’, while giving him time to raise the quality.

“It gives me time to get the standards of the actual field and playing quality up higher. We are a private school and they have always preferred for other schools not to come here because of the condition of the field and pitches.

“Slowly but surely, we’re getting into a position where they will want to host games here.” n www.amscontracting.co.uk

ISEKI joins school’s team

An ISEKI compact tractor is proving to be an ‘extra member of staff’ for the grounds team at Bloxham School according to Head Groundsman Paul White.

Located in the heart of the beautiful Oxfordshire village of Bloxham, Bloxham School is an independent, co-educational boarding and day school for boys and girls aged 11 to 18.

On a single-site campus the school boasts state-of-the-art facilities for academic work, technology, arts, and sport – which is where Paul comes in. Bloxham has a superb sporting programme offering a wide range of sports and Paul and his grounds team work hard to prepare these surfaces to the highest standard.

To achieve this, Paul is somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to grounds maintenance equipment.

“As soon as machinery becomes outdated and not fit for purpose it absolutely needs replacing,” he said.

“Specifically, we wanted a tractor to cover all the implements we have in our workforce, and to be able to use them safely and correctly on different surfaces.

“The reason we bought into ISEKI was because we have used their

machines regularly in the past and they have always been reliable.”

After a demonstration arranged by ISEKI dealer Turney Groundcare & Garden Machinery, Paul decided to purchase the ISEKI TG6495 – a 47 hp compact tractor with the innovative IQ dual-clutch 24-speed transmission.

Other benefits of the TG6495 include:

1 580 kg lift capacity at the ball ends and 1400 kg lift capacity @24″ behind C ategory 2 cab with air-conditioning, heating, and a good view

Front loader joystick, up-stop PTO, linkage up in reverse and draft control all supplied as standard Equipped with an electro-hydraulic power take-off shaft that saves the attachment and the engine while providing operator comfort

“We all been really impressed with the tractor,” said Paul.

“The lifting of the PTO has been a massive benefit and the automatic clutch shut off is good for when we are turning on the sports fields.

“The weight and the size of it is much better on our fields for compaction. It has good traction for the wheels, the all-

round visibility of the tractor is very much improved compared to our last tractor, and general use is a lot easier for the operator.

“It has performed exceptionally well in all weather conditions. Through the winter it has been fantastic with our vertidrainer and in summer it has helped with a number of different implements.

“Also, the IQ transmission makes it easier for our operators to use and change gear when there are implements on the back.

“We like to think of this tractor as an extra member of staff - it does everything we ask of it.” n www.iseki.co.uk

Air2G2 Air Inject is perfect choice

Since a £1.2m course redevelopment in 2019, the popularity of Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society has surged, along with the importance of the Air2G2 Air Inject.

The work carried out by Mackenzie & Ebert was done while preserving previous developments by Willie Park Jr., Alister MacKenzie, James Braid and Fred Hawtree. The world’s fourth oldest golf club had 80 bunkers redesigned and repositioned along with the addition of seven new greens, tee boxes and half of the irrigation system.

Although the pedestrian aerator had been supplied to the Edinburgh club before the renovation, through local machinery dealer Double A, its use has become paramount since work was complete. Course Manager, Neil Hogg, is into his third season in charge and arguably knows the course better than anyone, having spent 33 years at the club.

Now, the greenkeeping team’s most significant challenge is working between the old and new areas of the course. But to manage this, Neil has utilised the versatility of the Air2G2 as it has become a machine he wouldn’t be without.

“We’ve got our challenges with adapting from our old course to

our new course, and the Air2G2 is perfect for that,” Neil explained.

“The course is a heavy parkland clay. All of our greens are USGA specification, and we have some established older tees and some brand-new tees. So, we’ve got a bit of both across the course which is on two tiers with a higher area and a lower lying area.

“We have a lot of pinch points on our greens where it is quite narrow walking in and out. We’ve got a lot of bunker surrounds where members and visitors tend to walk up and around. The Air2G2 can really target these areas and open up the soil again, relieve the surface tension and get some valuable air down and obviously, water goes down as well.

“We had the machine before we did the redevelopment, but the reason we got it was because of its versatility, it’s quick, and once you’ve been over the greens, no one knows you’ve been there. This year during the knock-out part of our Club Championship, I ran it over the greens, and nobody mentioned it because there was no impact on the play.

“It’s such a quick, clean and easy machine to use. You can get out early in

the morning, and you can get your job done on it and get ahead of the golfers, and they don’t even know you’ve been there.”

Consistent use of the Air2G2 is proven to create healthy, firm, and free draining surfaces. At Bruntsfield Links, Neil sees this effect on greens, bunker tops, tees and pathways using a little and often approach.

“After having it for six years, it is a machine I wouldn’t be without now. Over time it’s become a popular in the industry, and we’ve had courses local to us asking to use it, which is the best evidence you need for what a great job it does.”

n www. campeyturfcare. com

Neat way to avoid slips and trips

Gripclad’s aim is to prevent slipping on hazardous elevated stepped access in any spectator sport, or tripping or falling from steep sided golf club tees.

“We believe that coatings are no longer the way forward in slip resistance due to the eventual depletion of the wearing course and it simply isn’t thick enough to hold an aggregate in the long term,” said Barry Eagle, of Gripclad.

“Our neat and tidy GRP composite retrofit covers are a solid preformed anti-slip tread that has so far solved this problem for over 800 golf clubs so far. We want to extend this product to all other sports from football, rugby, cricket, hockey, and wherever a

pedestrian crowd may gather. The more footfall the more likely a slip or trip,” he added. This 4mm to 5mm thick product is easy to fit with a few screws. It is tough and extremely durable and resistant to high impact, frost and high foot traffic. The product has no weak spots, no chipping, no peel back, no layering, just the toughest, most durable and longer lasting anti-slip product available up to 15 years easily.

“These treads are all precut in accordance with your specification. Installation is easy and straight forward. Most of our customers report that it takes much less time to install than previous methods,” concluded Barry Call Barry Eagle at Gripclad on 023 8040 6796.

60 years of topdressing and much more

Turfco built the world’s first mechanised topdresser in 1961 and now, over 60 years later, manufactures a range of broadcast topdressers, drop spreaders, blowers, overseeders and edgers.

“Our philosophy is to design and build equipment that increases productivity, saving

work hours while reducing fuel costs when operating on fine turf surfaces,” said John Moore, Turfco’s European Sales Manager.

“Our WideSpin topdressers reduce the number of passes and compaction to complete the job, while ensuring an even distribution }

60 years of topdressing and much more

of material in all conditions.

“Our Torrent 2 powerful all-purpose blower has been designed with significant input from golf course, grounds, and turf managers. Available in tow-behind or tractor-mounted pto-driven formats it delivers unprecedented control over air speed, air direction, noise management and fuel consumption. This is a precision clean-up tool that can used year-round to give golf courses or grounds a new level of polish and playability,” explained John.

The TriWave 60 and TriWave 45 are a new breed of overseeder that can significantly increase the success of overseeding operations by up to 30%, especially on contoured ground.

The TriWave 60 has three, 460mm wide patented floating heads which move independently and blade spacing at 38mm; it doesn’t miss low spots, it won’t destroy high areas or unmarked sprinkler heads, offering unmatched consistency in seed density and depth.

The TriWave 45 is self-contained overseeder, which can be towed behind a utility vehicle, quad bike, bunker rake or tractor, and provides versatility and easiest operation of any overseeder on the market. Power comes from an 18.4 kW (25 hp) Briggs and Stratton Vanguard petrol engine and is convenient and efficient to use. n jmoore@turfco.com

Even favourable comments being received from golfers

Over the past couple of years, the True Fit Golf Centre, at Cuerdley near Warrington, has purchased two Ventrac allterrain compact tractors and a selection of attachments from local dealer Cheshire Turf Machinery, to maintain their 18-hole Fiddlers Ferry golf course and 22-bay driving range.

The True Fit Golf Centre was originally formed in 1985 as a golf club assembly business by engineer Mark Overton, before he added a 9-hole golf course, which quickly turned into 18-holes of golf when a local farmer sold him some adjoining land.

The small course maintenance team were using an eclectic mix of mowing equipment before the engineer in Mark decided there must be a more cost-effective way to manage the 5,500-yard course.

“I followed Ventrac on YouTube long before I decided to have a demo, as it appealed to my engineering instincts”, he said.

“I liked the fact that you have a single power unit and multiple attachments to do various jobs around the course. We purchased our first unit back in 2020 and it quickly became apparent that we needed another one. We were considering the purchase of a new fairway mower from a major brand, but for the £80,000 purchase price we can have a Ventrac with a selection of attachments that do more than just one task. It just made sound commercial sense.”

Ian Millington added that they had the two tractor units and added more attachments over time.

“So we now have a Contour deck, which we set at 35mm for the semi-rough and the triple Reel mower, which is set at

14mm for the fairways. The triple cuts as well, if not better, than some of the major brands. The Tough Cut deck is used on overgrown areas, and the Trencher is used for creating drainage bands, as we are situated very close to the river Mersey and it can be wet at times.

“Our final attachment is the Power Rake which we use for reinstating gravel pathways or preparing new areas when we need to break up the soil. It really has added to the overall presentation and playability of the course; even the golfers have made favourable comments!”

Mark added that they were a Pay-andPlay course with many regulars using our seasonal pass, creating a membership feel.

“All greens and tees have been built to USGA specifications and it

has been designed to suit all levels of golfer from the beginner right through to the regular enthusiast. We’re not a long course by any calculation, but the Ventrac is the ideal solution for cost-effective course maintenance.

“Covering over 120 acres, the course has many water features and can be quite wet due to our proximity to the river, as Ian alluded to earlier. Now, with the Trencher, we have the flexibility to install drainage when we want to and are not reliant on contractors. And we can get the machine out when it’s wet due to its incredibly low ground pressure. It’s robust, very well built and, as we have proved, it’s not just a machine for highend clubs. Yes, we definitely like it.” n www.priceturfcare.com

Smithco has the answer

There’s no finer sports turf than that found on golf greens and for the discerning golfer, true greens with consistent ball roll are more important than fast greens. Rolling will immediately produce a smoother, truer surface with the improvements easily measured using a Stimp Meter.

Perhaps less well known is that this effect will last on the green for up to 48 hours after the roll, leaving a residual effect and higher than ‘normal’ speeds, improving the standards of the playing surface, without requiring daily use of the roller.

Smithco’s Tournament greens rollers provide consistent and true putting surfaces. With rolling widths from 91 cm to 1.78 metres, there’s a machine ideal for maximum efficiency on any golf course.

Smithco were one of the first companies to introduce GPS technology for spraying, when their Star Command system debuted in 2012. Today they are on the

third iteration of the system on their Spray Star range of industry-leading sprayers.

The popular Spray Star 1200 features the most accurate spray technology at your fingertips, while the GPS-enabled state-of-the-art Star Command 3.0 ensures a precise application every time. Superior construction materials combine to ensure industry-leading longevity across all product lines.

The cab-forward design provides superior visibility, handling, and operator comfort,

providing and excellent platform that makes the work simple, comfortable, and enjoyable.

The Sand Star E bunker rake emphasises Smithco’s commitment to cutting-edge technologies and environmentallyconscious products. While the Sand Star E is primarily for use on golf course bunkers, it is also ideally suited for shaping contours during golf course construction and for landscape contractors when preparing sites for seeding and turfing. jm@smithco.com

World Cup with a difference

Scott MacCallum talks with Lee Collier, STRI’s Technical Director, about the challenges that had to be overcome to stage football’s premier event

Yes, both Christmas and the FIFA World Cup will be different this year. When the realisation dawned that a traditional summer World Cup in Qatar might be a little too warm for players and spectators alike, the decision was made to move the tournament to November and December.

So this year, for one World Cup only, that legendary front five of Rudolph, Blitzen, Cupid, Prancer and Dancer will be challenging the superstars of Messi, Neymar, Mbappe, Bale and Kane for game time.

It is certain that this year’s Qatar World Cup will offer a real change from the regular four yearly spectacle, it created a slew

of challenges to overcome and not just to the calendar. But don’t just take my word for it. Lee Collier, STRI’s Technical Director, has been heavily involved in preparations, not just for this World Cup but for every one since South Africa in 2010.

STRI came together with the Aspire Zone Foundation in Qatar to bolster local expertise in sports turf. Together they formed Aspire Sports Turf, for whom Ewen Hodge, formerly of STRI, runs the AST Turf Programme, which worked to ensure solutions to Qatar’s unique set of challenges.

Their research facility provided the team with vital knowledge ahead of the construction of a turf farm on the outskirts of Doha. It

“On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: Five Red Cards; Four VAR Referrals; Three French Pens; Two Perfect Pitches, and a Southgate in a State of Glee.”

enabled studies into optimising turf quality for the tournament, as well as identifying the most efficient and sustainable water management practices to be used in that specific climate.

The work that Lee and his STRI colleagues have carried out means there is every confidence that the tournament will be successful from a stadium and pitch perspective, while some of the research has unearthed advances which may be beneficial long after the football circus has moved on from Qatar.

“One of the significant challenges of Qatar was the timing of the tournament and the fact that originally it was scheduled to happen in summer,” recalled Lee.

“The stadium designers had been given a brief that they had to provide a stadium which was a bowl and which could be operated in 24 degrees temperature. That meant that they had to incorporate passive cooling or cooling mechanisms to be able to provide those conditions at game time,” explained Lee.

When you appreciate that Qatar

is one of the driest countries on the planet, with fewer than nine rainy days per year and average highs of 41 degrees Celsius, the scale of the problem can be seen.

“In order to achieve that – to be able to move air passively inside one of those stadiums – effectively what you have to do is build very high structures with a very small roof opening, because that way you keep the air inside and limit the amount of loss through the top.”

This turf farm on the outskirts of Doha allowed local studies into optimising turf quality for the tournament

LEE COLLIER, STRI’S TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

That was a solution to a problem identified for a summer World Cup in Qatar, but it wasn’t something that would work for the November and December version which we have now.

“There is a conflict of interest in relation to shade and light which is massively important for turf health, hence the advancement in grow light systems over the last 20 years. If you build something higher, and some of the stadiums in Qatar are 70 to 80 metres high, you are reducing the amount of light significantly,” explained Lee.

Putting a big roof over the stadium

“RESEARCH SHOWED THAT THE TURF WOULD NEED MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF LIGHT ENERGY TO THRIVE, THREE TIMES MORE THAN WE GENERALLY USE IN EUROPE”

}

to create shade made it extremely difficult to grow warm season grasses and, as is often the case, the requirements of spectators had been considered to be more important to that of the pitch.

“Research showed that the turf would need massive amounts of light energy to thrive, three times more than we generally use in Europe. And when you consider that the average UK groundsman in the winter can be using rigs 12 hours a day, you can imagine the theoretical numbers that our light analysis came up with.”

Such an energy-sapping plan did sit uncomfortably with the overarching desire to make the tournament as

sustainable as possible.

“With such a reliance on supplementary light, in a country with so much natural light, there was a big drive to see what could be done to optimise roof design to lower the requirement for artificial light and let in more natural light.”

As a result, many of the stadiums incorporate translucent panels on the southern end in a attempt to let in more light.

“There is an argument to be had about how successful they will be without a system to clean the roof panels in a climate where there is so much sand and so many dust storms, but we made a genuine attempt to try and

provide more light while complying with the wider requirements of spectators,” said Lee.

“We went through multiple different roof configurations and analysis of roof components and materials, and it was certainly very interesting to be involved in the design side of things. There were some new fabrics on the market at the time which proved to be quite high in light transmission rates but also would provide shade.”

The next phase was to identify the best cultivars for the tournament, a process which included the AST team, alongside STRI’s Christian Spring, Ruth Mann, (who has since left the Group),

As you would expect, much care and attention is focussed on making sure the World Cup stadia can stand up to global scrutiny

} Richard Gibbs and Lee himself.

The research also helped to establish the signature pitch design to be used at the Qatar World Cup, a unified design to be used across all venues to ensure maximum consistency of surface characteristics.

What was ultimately chosen was a cultivar used in Asia, Australia and the Americas – paspalum with the variety Platinum, known for its exceptional disease resistance, efficient uptake of nutrients and water, fewer fertiliser applications and less irrigation.

However, the winter tournament timing means that while the base of the pitch is paspalum they will have transitioned to rye grass.

“At that time of year conditions dictate that the turf would be semi dormant, and you couldn’t play a tournament on it so you have to oversow with rye,” Lee explained.

The next issue to address was that of irrigation.

“We did look at surface irrigation but we also looked at the possibility of using sub surface irrigation systems because the less water you put on the top the less you lose through evapotransporation. We were looking at around 40% water saving if we went sub surface against traditional

overhead irrigation,” he said.

They looked at a number of methods including the passive method which was used in Europe, a conventional leaky pipe system and another which involved a layer of impermeable membrane to spread the water out.

“The leaky pipe does work but what happens is that it comes out of the pipe and goes straight down. The research carried out showed that the passive irrigation worked really well, could charge the root zone layers and provide consistent and uniform depth of water.

“Water is going to be on everybody’s agenda in the turf industry, so any kind of mechanism to help to sustainably manage water and save, is something which is going to be considered, even in traditionally wetter parts of the world.”

With lighting, cultivar and irrigation issues addressed the fourth element of a successful stadium pitch was tackled.

“That was basically pulling everything together, incorporating vacuum and ventilation, sub air systems, and different types of turf reinforcement all in combination just to ensure that the various elements of individual research were validated.”

The construction project was put out to tender and split between various local businesses to reduce the build time. Consistency was ensured as all companies were working to the exact same design and specification – what became known as the Signature Pitch –- as well as the supervision and management of the construction being overseen by AST itself.

Running parallel to the early

“WE DID LOOK AT SURFACE IRRIGATION BUT WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE POSSIBILITY OF USING SUB SURFACE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS BECAUSE THE LESS WATER YOU PUT ON THE TOP THE LESS YOU LOSE THROUGH EVAPOTRANSPORATION.”

phases of the journey, AST also ran an educational programme, which became the Qatar national training programme for all turf construction and management. The aim of this was to upskill contractors who had limited experience of elite sports surfaces due to lack of demand in the country previously for the World Cup.

This training programme ensured that all contractors were trained and accredited by AST prior to any work taking place,

enabling them to deliver the pitches to the exact specification, and arming them with valuable transferable skills for the future.

With just a few weeks to go until the World Cup kicks off, Lee believes that from a sporting perspective it will be superb.

“I was first in Qatar six or seven years ago and it was quite a different place to what it is now. The speed of development has been astonishing and I’m sure it will be a really good

tournament. That said, it will not be a conventional tournament because it is being held in quite a small area so, logistically, it will be different.

“I was in Moscow for the Russia World Cup four years ago where there were two stadiums with everything else in other parts of the country. And it was really busy. Having everyone all in one small space will be unique, and that will be a huge challenge to the infrastructure.

“It might be that it will work well

“I WAS FIRST IN QATAR SIX OR SEVEN YEARS AGO AND IT WAS QUITE A DIFFERENT PLACE TO WHAT IT IS NOW. THE SPEED OF DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN ASTONISHING AND I’M SURE IT WILL BE A REALLY GOOD TOURNAMENT.”

} because everything is close together and we learn that it is a good way of doing it. I know that they have also relaxed some of their laws slightly to accommodate footballing culture.”

The spotlight has fallen on some aspects of human rights in Qatar and welfare of the workers who have built the stadiums, but having seen the work first-hand, Lee is happy that on their side at least, standards are high.

“In our world it is important that the people you work with are comfortable with doing what they are doing, and I know at that AST they have the right procedures and mechanisms in place to ensure everything they do is ethically sound. So I am comfortable with that.”

Lee is hopeful that work commitments will allow him to attend Qatar as he has wonderful memories of attending World Cups in the past and has particularly strong memories of the Argentina – Mexico game which he attended four years ago.

“Maradona was in the crowd and at one point he was smoking a cigar and everyone stopped and started clapping him. It was almost as though the match was incidental, and Lionel Messi was on the pitch

playing. There is something really special about a World Cup.”

Whether he is there or not this time around, Lee will be interspersing his Christmas festivities with making sure he pays full attention to all aspects

“On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: Six Penalty ShootOuts; Five Red Cards; Four VAR Referrals; Three French Pens; Two Perfect Pitches, and a Southgate in a State of Glee.”

TURF

of the stadiums and the pitches in Qatar just to ensure everything matches up to expectations.

Not least because it may well act as a basis for the preparation work for the 2026 World Cup in the USA.

Now, here we go…

Getting closer: Agriculture

At first viewing, the amenity turf and agriculture sectors may appear to be different worlds. Yet there are important similarities and indeed lessons that each can share when it comes to the environment.

Mark Fowles, business development director for the William Gilder Group – a specialist in environmental management with a farming heritage – examines these in closer detail.

It is no secret that agriculture has long had a challenge on its hands when it comes to sustainability.

‘Sustainable agriculture’, referring to the ways in which the health of the land can be preserved without affecting the health of crops, is a concept that continues to create debate and, in some cases, cause operational headaches.

But despite these, the sector has been successful in progressing the sustainability agenda.

One of the main ways is through maximising the full potential of the ground itself. What may have once been seen as waste and, therefore an expense, now has a new lease of life as organic fertilisers.

Using organic fertilisers returns vital nutrients back to the earth and enriches it. Some types of are best spread in a targeted manner through the use of precise injection techniques. This minimises the amount of harmful synthetic nitrogen released back into the atmosphere and maintain the correct level of nutrients in the soil at the same time.

Turf can draw on similar processes and techniques, particularly in areas of nutrient deficiency. Because organic fertilisers tend to release nutrients at slower rate when compared to artificial, there is less risk of over-fertilising the land, therefore enabling turf to grow healthily and, in some cases, even giving it greater aesthetic

appeal. The main point, though, is that organic fertilisers keep soils nutrient-rich for future growths.

On another level, retaining soil health directly influences ESG credentials and strengthens customer relations. With healthy turf growth, managers of business parks and other facilities are able to provide a positive impression for visitors and staff alike. To take a lesson learnt by agriculture, organics fertilisers can even be less expensive, especially when one considers that the building blocks for these fertilisers originate from food waste and other components that can naturally be gathered in the course of day-to-day site upkeep.

The end result, ultimately, is less landfill waste and a product that will add value to the site.

So why is the rollout of organic fertilisers not as commonplace as could be expected? Price, quality, availability and awareness and education, have all been

and amenity

challenges agriculture has experienced in bringing organic fertilisers forward, and many of the same hurdles exist in sectors elsewhere. Rather than seeing these as a hindrance to progress, there is a unique opportunity for seemingly separate industries to share knowledge and contribute to a series of common goals.

Indeed, the circular economy model that is becoming more commonplace within agriculture may lend itself well to the amenity sector. Dead plants and most materials that may once have been

instantly regarded as no longer having value still have roles in the preservation of the environment. With both sides having a vested interest in the health of the land, collaborating and bringing wider resources together to maintain optimum soil health will facilitate a move towards recognised best practices and processes for other industries to adapt for their own uses, and therefore, a sustainable future. Knowledge gained needs to filter through all levels and all sectors in order to have the best outcome.

Video game that mirrors real-life

We’re sure many Turf Managers relax by coming home from work, having dinner and then settling down in front of the computer to play games. No doubt there are some experts in Minecraft, or Grand Theft Auto but most will be no more than casual players.

However, a new game is guaranteed to uncover some of the top players in the country from the ranks of our turf professionals.

Lawn Mower Simulator is a video game developed by a Liverpool-based company, Skyhook which allows you to delve into the serene British countryside on real world licenced mowers. These include manufacturers such as Toro, Sitga and Stag. LMS enables you to experience

the day-to-day running of your lawn mowing business while exploring the charming scenery on display.

The idea came into the mind of Managing Director, David Harper, one afternoon as he observed landscapers at work in the park.

“It was that moment that led development on the project to commence in January 2020 and was released in August 2021 to Steam and Xbox Series S|X. Lawn Mowing Simulator is now available on Xbox One. We brought together our highly skilled team here at Skyhook with our publisher Curve Games to bring our vision to life,” explained David. So now you can take your work home and keep your grass cutting skills as sharp as ever!

Soil Scout offers ‘comfort blanket’

Visitors to the Soil Scout stand at SALTEX will be able to have a first-look at their newly developed dual-depth sensor. The ground-breaking DDS gives the well-known Hydra sensor an additional sensing head. The main sensor will continue to perform the radio communication, whilst the second-sensor can deliver measurement data from very deep. All from the same hole and with an excellent battery life of over ten years.

Pete Ashworth is the Head Groundsman at Preston North End and has been at the club for 17 years. Preston has recently installed Soil Scout. “It’s almost like a comfort blanket, knowing you’re not overdoing it or letting it get too dry.

“I’m always looking at the dashboard and it gives us that extra bit of belief that everything we are doing on the pitch is right,” said Pete. John McLoughlin is Course Manager at Wallasey Golf Club and another user of the Soil Scout solution.

“What drew me to Soil Scout is the live data you get every 20 minutes. Having that at your fingertips is unique in the industry. I also think it’s quite nice to feel like you’re in control. So when you’re at home and going through a dry spell, for peace of mind, it’s great.

“There can be times when the greens are drying out or getting too wet, and being able to check that takes a lot of pressure off you.” n www.soilscout.com

Together on electric greens

All-electric ride-on power arrived in East Anglia for the first time when Sheringham became the first club in the area to purchase Toro’s all-electric eTriFlex 3370 riding greensmower.

When ranked 75th in the 2022 National Club Golfer Top 100 Courses in England, the work undertaken each year isn’t just about maintaining the status quo, it’s about working hard to enhance the club in meaningful ways, according to Course Manager Ricky Goodman, and in 2022 sustainability was top of the agenda.

Currently in his fourth year at the Norfolk club, known for its unique ocean and stream train views, Ricky made his bid for new Toro machinery when he arrived, and the board supported the move once they understood all the benefits this change would bring to the club.

“I shared my plans and ideas for the course and how bringing Toro in, the quality of the machines and innovation of the brand would benefit the course and with finance through distributor Reesink available, I got their backing,” said Ricky.

“Clubs in Norfolk, including this one, are known for using a specific brand of turfcare machinery and our club was ready to move on and set itself apart, all it needed was a little push.

“We’re focusing on many sustainable initiatives this year and using lithium-ion battery-power for cutting our greens spearheads them all. The all-electric eTriFlex 3370 ticks so many boxes and solves many issues. There’s no noise pollution which means we can start mowing earlier without disturbing the residents we have bordering the back of the club and we no longer need to worry about oil spills on the greens, which causes incredible damage.”

In addition to this, Ricky explained how the club is using solar panels to create its own energy and is replacing plastic

tees with biodegradable wooden ones instead. Irrigation is a top priority, both supply and storage given the recent draught and Ricky is “looking into water storage and capture for irrigation for the paths and fairways”, alongside construction works, including levelling tees that are 100 years old. He is also cutting back on the nutrients in the greens to help preserve more sustainable species.

The Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 is not the only Toro machine the club is investing in, also on order are a ProCore 648 aerator and Reelmaster 3575-D. The reason for further expanding the fleet is for the brand’s longevity and resale value.

“Toro machines can run for five to six years no trouble; they have a market leading resale value and whereas other brands would go off-cut very quickly with Toro it’s just a quick click and you’re back on it. Plus, I can take all units off quick release and back on in five minutes, other brands would take 30 minutes just to take them out so productivity with Toro is much improved.”

It’s certainly a decision that’s proved itself with Ricky’s seven-strong team, the members and board.

“The Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 mower is the benchmark, the next level in turfcare machinery, and we couldn’t be happier with the difference we can see on the course. All-electric mowers are the talk of the industry, and discussion on their benefits has influenced other clubs to go green as well.”

The Dons discover benefits of batteries

Aberdeen Football Club have made a major step forward in their aim of reducing emissions by 50% by 2030 with the purchase of a brace of battery-powered mowers from INFINICUT.

The combination of an INFINICUT SM34 rotary and 34” floating head mower form part of a wider sustainability strategy for The Dons – reducing not just their carbon footprint but noise pollution too.

The Club have recently added their signature to the UN Sports for Climate Change framework, underlining its intent to become carbon neutral, and are implementing a plan across all areas of operation. In charge of this for the fibre-sand stadium pitch is Head Groundsperson David Nicholson, who alongside his team of four are now discovering the many benefits of battery-power.

“From our very first conversation with Bobby McDougall at INFINICUT, we could see how the purchase of these mowers would be a fantastic step forward in reducing our fuel usage and improving our green credentials” explained David.

“Once we’d decided battery was

the way to go, it didn’t take us long to settle on the INFINICUT’s – we had a demonstration of both the rotary machine and floating head cylinder mower and were so impressed that we didn’t look at anything else!”

“We thought the cut quality of our previous petrol-driven machine would be hard to beat but the cut we get from the INFINICUT SM34, together with the powerful suction, is superb.” Used for the post-match clean-up cut, another thing that has impressed David and the team is the noise – or lack of it – emitted from the mower, equipped with a UXR lithium battery. “Sometimes it would be half an hour before we could resume work after a fixture because of media interviews the ground but with the SM34 we can be out and cutting straight away.”

“This has been another fantastic purchase and the floating head has without doubt improved the quality of cut and, in turn, had a really positive impact on plant health.

“These machines ultimately do the job of cutting and presenting a first-class surface better than any other machine we’ve used.”

ALL-ELECTRIC ETRIFLEX

SO MANY

NO NOISE POLLUTION WHICH MEANS WE CAN START MOWING EARLIER AND WE NO LONGER NEED TO WORRY ABOUT OIL SPILLS ON THE GREENS”

RE-BOOTED

Observant visitors to the NEC for SALTEX this year will notice a few changes. The whole show will have a much fresher feel, the traditional Saltex logo has been modernised in line with the new website, launched in July, which includes a tool to enable visitors to make their most of their visit to Birmingham. All in all an excellent restart after the Covid 19-impacted last two years.

These are just some of the changes which the GMA have implemented since last year’s SALTEX – a Show which returned after the enforced break in 2020, and which was meticulously managed through the latter stages of Covid restrictions in place at the time.

Much of the change has been driven as a result of the decision taken by the GMA Board to bring what had previously been managed by outside agencies – the Show’s sales and its marketing – in-house.

Following an exhaustive

recruitment process two new key positions were created and subsequently filled, with Andrea McMahon joining as Director of Communications and Sarah Cunningham, as Director of Commercial and Events. They started on the same day and both hit the ground running.

In each case they are new to this industry, but Sarah had a little advantage over Andrea in that she worked at the last Saltex in a freelance capacity, before being attracted to throwing

her lot in with the GMA.

“From those first days it was apparent that this is a lovely industry. Last year was SALTEX’s 75th anniversary and the fact that it had been running for such a length of time was testament to the fact that it is a great show,” recalled Sarah.

“We were still under Covid restrictions last year and it was the first indoor show I’d worked at under Covid and the attendance was much higher than average for a show of its type. You could tell how passionate the people were. It was obvious that it was a ‘must attend’ show.

“That made the opportunity of a permanent role very attractive to me as I saw it very much a case of building upon the foundations that had already been put in place,” she added.

For Andrea, joining the GMA and this particular industry, allows her to bring knowledge and experience gathered for 15 years in the private sector and five years in the not for profit sector to the party.

Andrea McMahon

Sarah Cunningham

“FROM THOSE FIRST DAYS IT WAS APPARENT THAT THIS IS A LOVELY INDUSTRY. LAST YEAR WAS SALTEX’S 75TH ANNIVERSARY AND THE FACT THAT IT HAD BEEN RUNNING FOR SUCH A LENGTH OF TIME WAS TESTAMENT TO THE FACT THAT IT IS A GREAT SHOW”

Scott MacCallum reports on how a key industry event is reinventing itself

“Every time I’ve move job it has been into a new sector, so I’ve never been industry specific. I saw this as a great opportunity to create a brand new communications team within the GMA, and that very much attracted me to the role,” explained Andrea.

The GMA’s policy of outsourcing functions to specialist companies had worked extremely well, ensuring that SALTEX and the GMA in general have been as successful and effective to date, but there were benefits to be derived from the new in-house approach.

“The Board acknowledged that there needed to be investment

into communications – not just within the marketing and communications side, but also in public affairs and external relations as well,” explained Andrea.

“Having started down this path it gives us an opportunity to create a structure which can make the changes that will enable us to fulfil the five year strategy. To be able to do that as part of the senior management team is right up my street,” added Andrea.

On the same theme Sarah saw real benefits of working with the GMA’s partners and members much more closely over the whole year and not just around SALTEX.

“My role is about developing relationships. I know that the outsourced agencies build up great relationships with the industry over a long period of time, but we know that we should be working more closely with our customers, our suppliers, our corporate exhibitors and our members,” she explained.

“Being on staff now means that I can work all year round with our partners, understand what their objectives are and help to deliver them.”

While Sarah’s work will revolve around all of the Association’s activity it is fair to say that SALTEX will take a large portion of her time. }

“Exhibitors invest a lot in SALTEX in terms of time and money so we must ensure that it is a ‘must attend’ event for everyone working in the industry, so we can ensure that those exhibitors get a return on their investment.”

Having had one Saltex under her belt, one which was conducted under very well managed Covid restrictions, Sarah, is confident that this SALTEX will build on the success of the last.

“I’m hopeful of getting our visitor numbers close to pre-pandemic levels. That is ambitious as the event’s industry in general is expecting a bit of a dip. Some people are still a bit reticent about travelling but what I would say is that those attendees who do turn up will be quality over quantity

as it will people who really feel that they need to be at Saltex rather than those who would like to but don’t need to,” said Sarah.

With much work carried out already by both Sarah and Andrea, those attending SALTEX this year will notice new look and feel to the show. Indeed, those organised visitors will be able to take advantage of the new website saltex. org.uk ahead of the Show to plan their trip and planning meetings with exhibitors thus cutting down on that frustrating hanging around time waiting for someone to end a conversation and have a chat.

“We have invested in technology to enable people to plan their day,” explained Andrea, who added that it was important to appreciate

that the GMA was a not for profit organisation and that all the money generated through SALTEX and other initiatives was ploughed back into the Association for the benefit of the membership.

That is just one of the many projects Andrea has been working on under the banner of communications and she is already looking to expand her newly created department with the appointment of a senior digital content and engagement executive role.

“We need to manage the SALTEX and the GMA websites and the communications to our members and industry partners and that, together with the PR Marketing and Communications Manager role which we will fill soon, are key to

fulfilling our five year strategy,” said Andrea, who is determined that the GMA’s voice within the industry, and to its own members, is as strong as it can be.

“We want to liaise with industry colleagues and, where we have the opportunity, have a real steer on Government policy.”

Andrea has also been working through the market research that was carried out recently, and which Geoff Webb discussed in Turf Matters a couple of issues ago.

“It is clear that there is a lot of contentment about working outdoors, as part of a team and applying technical expertise to achieve an outcome.

“However, I do think we need to spend a lot more time talking up the

role and the opportunities that are available within the sector and less of the talking down,” said Andrea.

She also pointed to the benefits of the transferable skills that turf management offer.

“We know that people are attracted to the industry because they are passionate about sport and that could be golf, it could be football. But you might enter in golf and end up in football, such are the transferable qualities we have here. We have to make it clear that there is a rich and varied career path available to all.”

Sarah and Andrea’s enthusiasm for their new roles, and the experience and skill they bring to them, is going to be a key element in the success of the GMA and SALTEX going forward.

“WE WANT TO LIAISE WITH INDUSTRY COLLEAGUES AND, WHERE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, HAVE A REAL STEER ON GOVERNMENT POLICY.”

What’s going on at this must-see event

Now in its 76th year, Europe’s largest sports amenities and landscaping trade exhibition, SALTEX, will be held at Birmingham’s NEC over two days on 2-3 November.

With over 400 brands showcasing products in three halls, across two days, at one location, SALTEX is a must-attend event for everybody operating in, or supplying to, the groundscare sector.

At SALTEX you can:

n Listen and learn from industry thought leaders

n See over 400 brands all in one place

Stay up to date with the latest product innovations

Further your career with free advice and guidance

Connect with industry suppliers and partners

Get expert advice on your specific turf challenges

Network with national and international peers

Celebrate achievements at the GMA Industry Awards.

WHAT’S ON?

In addition to learning about new products, services and suppliers to the industry from home and abroad, SALTEX also has an extensive programme of events and learning opportunities.

SALTEX has links with the Football Foundation and this year like all others sees the relevant funding bodies from the sporting world come together to share the impact of financial support in the groundscare industry. And BASIS will be attending too, who at this year’s show will be presenting the latest information on this year’s hot topic –sustainability – in a sporting context.

LEARNING LIVE

The Learning LIVE schedule this year has been extended to over 30 sessions, with additional papers attacking the key issues for the grounds care industry of pay, career development, recruitment, and retention, how to negotiate in the workplace and how to find out about the millions of pounds of grant funding available from sports clubs. But what’s at the heart of Learning LIVE and this year’s show is

sustainability and the environment.

Those managing and maintaining sports turf and green spaces are already having to deal with the impact of climate change and industry suppliers are doing their best to innovate and help grounds people minimise the impact of droughts and floods. The session on reducing the impact of future water restrictions on golf and sports turf, for example, with Owen Turpin from the Environment Agency, Tony Hanson from Environmental Solutions International and Robin Price from Anglian Water discussing the water charter and how to deal with it will provide valuable practical advice.

The full seminar line up is available online at saltex.org. uk, but whether it’s elite sports grounds attendees are interested in or a strategy for grassroots football, Learning LIVE has it covered and provides the opportunity to build knowledge and stay ahead of the game.

ECO VILLAGE

The whole concept of the Eco Village is to showcase sustainable and environmentally-friendly

practices in grounds care and consider what is a sustainable piece of machinery – what’s the impact on the environment and how does it help achieve neutrality? The Eco Village features a programme of daily demonstrations of cutting-edge sustainable technology, offering visitors an opportunity of seeing several products in action. Plus, industry experts will offer advice on green technology and how it could benefit current working practices.

GMA INDUSTRY AWARDS

The GMA Industry Awards hosted by the BBC’s Mark Clemmit are back for the 12th year. It’s so important to celebrate the achievements of individuals and teams operating in

grounds management and is key to positive workforce development. With 18 awards and an evening to celebrate everyone nominated, it’s a ringing endorsement to the good work and talented people in the industry. Tickets to the event can be purchased at saltex.org.uk

So, whether working in educational establishments, community facilities, on private estates, or in sports clubs at grassroot, amateur, or professional level, if you’re passionate about keeping green spaces and playing surfaces safe, accessible, and sustainable, and you’re keen to stay ahead of the game in the grounds care industry, then SALTEX is the show for you.

Register at saltex.org.uk

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

With both, the opera-tor can take a safe position up to 100 metres away. Both have hybrid electric brush-less motors and generators. Available from Wiedenmann UK dealers www.agria.de/en-gb/

ADVANCE GRASS SOLUTIONS

STAND C135

Advance Grass Solutions is the UK’s largest independent sports turf supply and agronomy business. Our team of former turf managers will be on hand to discuss all things grass – whether it’s the latest nonfungicidal strategy, a conversation on the importance of soil health or to learn more about our well established organic based grow in packages, used extensively across the UK in professional sport.

We are exclusive distributors for Growth Products, Sustane Natural Fertilizers, Polyon CRF as well as showcasing the latest technology from Barenbrug and Aquatrols.

AGRONOMIC SERVICES LTD

STAND C087

Agronomic Services Ltd are market leaders in foliar nutrition, producing the most advanced soil testing evaluation service and agronomic advice. We offer a comprehensive range of carefully curated turf care nutrition.

Supplying world class venues in the UK and Internationally. We create a road map for your sports turf to enable you to produce the finest quality greens throughout the year and excellent playing surfaces. We have 30 years of experience and specialise in grow-ins and renovation work. Let us help you and your team take your sports turf to the next level! Call in for a coffee and a chat and collect your goody bag!

speed and precision – cutting larger lawns quickly and manoeuvring around obstacles such as trees with ease. Also on display will be the ZENITH E, Ariens’ first all-electric zero-turn. Now available in a range of sizes, 48”, 52” and 60” and in either side or rear discharge deck configuration, this mower offers five and a half hours continuous cutting depending on cutting conditions. With low noise, low vibration and no emissions (at point of use) access to ‘greener contracts’ is also possible.

AS-Motor’s range of high grass, slope and mulching mowers will also be on display. The SHERPA and YAK, both available in 2WD and 4WD configurations, cut high grass and dense scrub with ease. These machines are designed and built for commercial operators who need to cut high grass on steep slopes and difficult terrain. ASMotor’s new generation of battery powered equipment, featuring EGO batteries will also be on display.

Agria’s remote controlled slope mower, the Agria 9500, now comes in both a standard and premium version.

The 70 cm wide standard version with a 16 hp Briggs & Stratton engine maintains and mulches slopes and gradients up to 45°. Buyers can choose a second model, the premium, which is 10 cm wider and powered by a Kawasaki 17.3 hp engine. The premium model can also work on slopes as steep as 50°.

ARIENSCO

STAND E090

AriensCo is a market leader in commercial outdoor power equipment. On display will be a range of battery and petrol-powered grass cutting solutions from Ariens and newly acquired brand, AS-Motor.

Ariens will be launching its first stand-on mower – the ARROW, available with 32” or 36” cut-ting decks and a powerful Kawasaki engine. The ARROW provides both

ASPEN FUEL STAND M055

Aspen, the original alkylate petrol pioneers, are returning with their range of alkyl-ate fuels for two and four-stroke engines and an initiative not to be missed. Visitors to the stand can learn how Aspen enhances engine performance and reduces the negative impact on both the operator and environment with a chance to then trial it for themselves – and get their money back if they change their minds!

The cleaner burn achieved with Aspen also helps to maintain engine performance, reliability and preserve the life of engine components that can be susceptible to clogging or failure when running on conventional pump fuel; especially if equipment has been left in storage for any significant period of time.

Those wishing to experience the Aspen difference for themselves

AGRIA UK STAND A085

can now try the fuel, risk-free, with a new money back guarantee launching at the Show. Subject to a bulk purchase, operators can use Aspen in their own working environments with the confidence that, if they don’t notice the significant improvements to sustainable working practices, they can return the unused fuel.

collaborating and offering support to the professional sports market, with years of dedication in their own grass breeding, research, trials and production. With a focus on the key traits vital to a stadium and pitch environments, it has resulted in the Barenbrug Winter Sport range. Their seed is already in use from Premier League stadiums to the top-ranked golf courses and tennis courts, and offers solutions for creating and repairing every kind of grass surface.

and algaecide effects on outdoor buildings, building materials and on all hard surfaces (porous and non-porous) in green spaces.

Safer to use than traditional quaternary ammonia biocides, it is the only biocide to be classified by OF & G Organic as suitable for use in organic farming systems.

One litre of Enclean, mixed with water, will treat over 500m 2 using only a small knapsack sprayer. It is fast acting and, once applied, quickly breaks down into natural elements leaving behind no harmful resides.

STAND H070

ATT will be returning to the Show, showcasing their popular INFINICUT and TMSystem ranges. As the only professional sports turf mower that has been specifically designed with electric power it maintains best in class for both efficiency and quality of cut.

On their stand at the NEC, the ATT team will have a handy software programme which can help calculate payback on energy which could help to validate any decisions in making the transfer.

As has come to be expected with the quick-moving design team at ATT, visitors will also be able to see a wealth of new INFINICUT features, including the extension of the range of battery’s they offer to include a new 105AH Lithium variant – allowing users to specify whatever duty cycle is required, with zero compromise.

Completing the abundance of new innovations, the recently introduced brush system used on the INFINICUT SM34 Rotary mower will also be on display. This setup is the only one that sees the brush sit behind the front roller, ensuring maximum grass agitation prior to cutting or vacuuming.

CAMPEY STAND HO28

Campey has earned a reputation for supplying market-leading, innovative turf care machinery. This is demonstrated in the lineup of top machines from Vredo, Air2G2, Imants, Dakota, Campey and AllTrec, which will all be on the stand at Saltex along with Campey’s product specialists to answer any questions. The AllTrec Tool Carrier follows the Koro FTM with Universe Rotor and Air2G2 as one of Campey’s most innovative products. The 100% electric machine provides zero CO2 emissions can also be used with several other attachments, including the Air E-Variator, weed brush, and hedge cutter. The AllTrec will be present in the Eco Village, with regular presentations throughout the show.

COOPER PEGLER STAND F125

Professional knapsack specialists Cooper Pegler are introducing padded straps to its Classic and Series 2000 models to heighten operator comfort and limit body strain during use.

Many of the go-to knapsack models across the popular brand include ergonomically tailored harnesses to channel loading forces in a way that limits stresses on the body.

The latest advance from manufacturer Hozelock-Exel, which follows extensive trialling, further enhances operator safety and protection to include cushioned strap-ping on Cooper Pegler’s Classic and Series 2000 knapsack models.

The cushioned strapping is introduced at a time when more sports venues and amenity sites are reducing the quantity of treatment liquids they apply in a bid to improve their green credentials.

Golf course greens teams report they are using knapsacks increasingly for spot-spray weed control, a practice that cuts the quantity of liquid applied significantly.

CERTIS BELCHIM

STAND A100

Designed specifically for ground maintenance professionals, Enclean – a plant origin-based bio-cide containing (EC)500g/L of nonanoic acid – is now widely accepted as a “game-changer” in the professional biocide market.

Barenbrug is here for you, exchanging knowledge,

Winner of an Innovation Award in the consumables category at Saltex 2021, Enclean has proven curative

More knapsack hand spraying raises the importance of operator comfort to new levels, therefore.

The strapping is understood to be available on new knapsacks from March 2023 but models already in use can be retrofitted with the accessory once launched.

www.cooper-pegler.com

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At this year’s Saltex, Cramer will feature over 30 cordless professional outdoor power equipment tools, including chainsaws, blowers, hedge trimmers, grass trimmers, brush cutters, multitools, and power cutters.

We are especially excited to showcase their brand new

82V Zero Turn mower built for commercial use. This product will be a real showstopper due to its 4 hectares cutting capacity per charge (5 hours of mowing) and its robust ergonomic design.

https://cramertools.com

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW CRAMER STAND E045

wide-range of pedestrian batterypowered products on their stand.

2022 has been an exciting year for the innovative British manufacturers – not only does it see Dennis celebrating its 100-year anniversary and SISIS their 90th anniversary, but both companies are experiencing a record-breaking year for orders. This has all been possible due to their commitment to continual investment – investment in facilities, marketing, exhibitions, staff, export and of course products – which is where the battery-powered products come in.

DENNIS AND SISIS STAND E070

Continuing their long history of exhibiting at SALTEX, Dennis and SISIS will be showcasing a

Since making its debut at SALTEX last year, the Dennis E-Series has taken the industry by storm standing out from the competition in terms of power, battery-range and performance.

Reliable and long lasting, the exciting Dennis E-Series is a range of battery powered mowers that

are no compromise alternatives to its popular range of petrol machines. Ultra-low noise, low vibration, user friendly and super low CO2 footprint, the new range of mowers are helping users towards the carbon neutral goal.

www.dennisuk.com

become key weapons in every turf managers armoury.

In attempts to repair and recover surfaces during the cooler season, the increased energy reserves of DLF’s 4turf tetraploid perennial ryegrass demonstrates exceptional germination at temperatures as low as 4ºC.

In European trials, 4turf demonstrated exceptional resistance to disease – including Brown Patch – during the autumn and winter months.

ETESIA UK STAND E072

J052

DLF are putting sustainable and environmental solutions under the spotlight as they return to the Show. With predictions that drought conditions like those experienced this summer will become a more frequent occurrence, species such as tetraploid perennial ryegrass and clover will likely

For spring renovations – and of particular interest for local authorities, sports grounds and gardens – could be self-sustaining clover. The unique root nodules on clover are capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into a gradual supply of natural fertiliser.

The DLF technical team will be on hand to discuss formulations from across the Johnsons Sports Seed, MM Seed and Masterline ranges, in addition to the Pro Flora wild flower and Colour Boost amenity flower collections.

Etesia UK will have a range of pedestrian and ride-on mowers, brushcutters and the awardwinning ET Lander electric utility vehicle on display.

Etesia are specialists in building high quality grass cutting machinery and have been a regular exhibitor at SALTEX over the years, choosing the show as a platform to launch new products and make exciting announcements. This year is no exception.

They will be launching the Electric Bahia M2EL lithium and will be announcing a new feature of the ET Lander electric utility vehicle.

The ET Lander will be returning

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW to this year’s SALTEX but this time visitors will be pleased to see that the new models will be fully N1 homologation compliant meaning that the ET Lander will be fully road legal along with being able to be used off road.

The new models will also feature lithium-ion batteries which ensures that the range of the ET Lander will extend to 100km and have a charger system compatible with a standard type 2EV car charger. These models will also come in a new sleek, black option.

Etesia’s other exciting news is that the Bahia M2E – the world’s first 100% electric professional ride-on mower with grass collection, is now powered by a 48V, 100Ah lithium battery.

It is also highly economical – the electric Bahia’s running costs are £0.35 against £3.57 for the petrol

GKB MACHINES

STAND H051

GKB Machines return to the show, showcasing a new solution to the problem of large-area leaf clearance.

The GKB Leaf Reducer offers an economic and environmentally-

friendly alternative to the timeconsuming task of leaf collection – effectively mulching the material and returning it, and its nutrients, back into the surface to the benefit of impoverished soils. This, and many other innovative machinery solutions for natural, hybrid and synthetic surfaces.

In trials conducted by municipalities in The Netherlands, it has proven not just to deliver labour and cost savings to the task but has proven effective at returning an all-important source of food and nutrients back into the soil.

The technical team will be on hand to discuss this and other products from the GKB range including the Deep-Clean, for effective cleaning and removal of contaminants from synthetic surfaces and the Deep Tine Aerator.

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version and there are the obvious reduced maintenance costs – such as no belt, no filters, and no engine oil.

C100

At GreenBest we have been manufacturing and distributing liquid, granular, and soluble fertilisers, soil conditioners and turf care-related products since 1998. Our products which are made in Britain, are in high demand for prestige turf and landscaping applications around the world and are used in many of the top golf, football, and sports venues.

Our success comes from combining deep technical ability with a commitment to providing the bestperforming products and highest quality service to our customers.

Whether using our bespoke fertiliser services or shopping our Velvit, SmartLawn or Florifeed ranges, you’ll find a product to suit your turf, lawn, or plant needs.

www.greenbest.co.uk

GROUNDSMAN INDUSTRIES

STAND K103

Established in 1990, Groundsman Industries based in Northern Ireland design and manufacture Turf Machinery for Aeration, Core Collection, Sod Cutting, Irrigation-pipe Insertion distributing around the world.

Two and four-wheel-drive Turf/ Sod Multi Cutters deliver exceptional traction and sod-cutting ability in all conditions. Sod blades 30cm to 60cm wide cutting 1cm to 7cm thick plus Trench, Decompaction and Mole-drain blades to 13cm depth. Guillotine Attachment to measure and cut the turf to length. Trench Insertion Machine lays dripper Line irrigation pipe or cable down to 15cm deep with no soil removal.

Pedestrian and Tractor Mounting Aerators 45cm to 180cm wide using Groundsman’s proven Elliptical

Plunge Action mechanism aerating to 15cm deep. Quick-change Holders for Solid, Hollow and Chisel Tines plus Cluster Heads for dense pattern aeration and seeding.

Groundsman Flexblade Collectors 0.8m to 2.3m wide Aerator Attachment to Core and Collect as well as Compact Tractor Mounting for Follow-up Collection of Cores and Linear Aeration Soil.

www.groundsmanindustries.com

HEADLAND AMENITY STAND G060

Headland Amenity can be found on the Origin Amenity Solutions stand, G060. A leading force within the amenity and grounds management industry, OAS combines the expertise, knowledge and innovation of Headland

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Amenity, Rigby Taylor, Symbio and Turfkeeper to create a solutions led offering for its customers.

Whether you require digital assistance with your workflow, advice on soil health or tried and tested fertiliser and grass seed products, OAS offers it all. At Saltex the Headland team will be profiling its established range of fertilisers including the pioneering 20-20-30 enhanced plant health tank-mix which has been independently tested at the STRI and OAS Turf Tech-nology Centre and is proven to minimise disease occurrence by boosting turf health and strengthening the plant’s natural defences.

www.originamenity.com

KIOTI UK STAND K030

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

ISEKI STAND H040

ISEKI are looking forward to SALTEX 2022 and will be presenting their unbeatable SF range of cut and collect mowers alongside their renowned high quality range of compact tractors. With many changes to models pop along and see what’s been happening.

This year ISEKI are also excited to announce they are now distributors for Addax all electric commercial van’s, built to order to individual specifications these vans come with box or tipper bodies to suit the required use, plus a payload of up 1000kg. 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.

www.iseki.co.uk

KIOTI UK will be showcasing a selection of KIOTI compact tractors, utility vehicles and zero turn mowers, ideally suited to ground care and turf maintenance. In addition, there will be the LM multipurpose utility tractor, designed for applications such as, sweeping, weeding, vegetation cutting etc. Finally, the Zemmler DS 1000 rotary screener will make its UK debut. Small and compact, the MS 1000 can be easily towed behind a van and is capable of screening up to 20m3/hr of material ranging from soil, compost, rubble and timber. www.kioti-uk.com

A dedicated ‘new product’ zone is going to be bursting at the seams on the stand, as Kubota return to the Show. A trio of new machines will be on show across the RTV and compact tractor ranges that promise to meet the requirements of even more of today’s groundcare professionals – with the launch of the LXe-261 electric compact tractor marking a major step forward in Kubota’s eco-friendly product line-up.

The LXe-261 overcomes the major challenge of range, powered by a large capacity battery that provides rapid one-hour charging and a continuous operational run-time of three to four hours.

KRESS UK AND IRELAND STAND A040

A game-changer in every way, Kress is leading the charge with a breakthrough innovation in battery-powered technology, built to deliver the performance and power of petrol. Come and be among the first to see the future of green gardening at SALTEX. As a part of the well-established Positec family of brands, Kress is recognised for its superior German engineering that has been synonymous with reliability, quality, and industry leading standards for over 50 years.

This new line of Kress commercialgrade outdoor power equipment, powered by its exclusive cordless battery technology, is a revolutionary development and highlights the commitment towards a future that will forever eliminate the need for petrol-powered equipment.

Also new in the tractor portfolio will be the EK1-261. The EK1-261 is powered by a 24.4hp diesel engine, driving through to the ground via the 9F+3R manual transmission and providing a rear linkage lift capacity of 750kg.

The Kubota team will be on hand across the two days to discuss the complete tractor, ride-on mower and side-by-side vehicle ranges –the newest addition to this being the RTV 520, launched earlier this year and making its UK debut. The compact and versatile RTV 520 combines high performance and comfort with a range of accessories suitable for a wide range of domestic and commercial applications.

KUBOTA STAND C070

LANTRA

K124

At Lantra, we recognise that like so many other land-based industries, a shortage of suitably skilled labour is a major issue in the landscape sector. A key solution to addressing this skills gap and growing the sector is without doubt high quality, industry recognised training and qualifications. That’s why we believe it’s crucial we attend events like SALTEX to share details of our latest training initiatives and keep our finger on the pulse in terms of what’s needed in the real world of work. This year, we’ll also be continuing with our drive to recruit experienced industry experts as training Instructors who can inspire, motivate, and educate both the current and future landscape workforce.

MAJOR EQUIPMENT

STAND J112

Major will be showing the 3m CS Pro (MJ65-300) for the first time.

The CS Pro is a multi-purpose mower for compact tractors. As little as 30hp is required to power this mower, giving the subcompact or low-end utility tractor more capability than before. Heavy duty gearboxes power multiple rotors achieving consistent results in dense vegetation and hedgerow undergrowth as well as estate lawns and sports turf.

Alongside the CS Pro and Swift mowers to be featured on the Major stand, visitors will also be able to see the Major Contoura and Synergy mowers. www.major-equipment.com

Visitors to the stand can expect to see a wide range of sand-based products that are vital to the overall health and performance of a sports pitch.

Mansfield Sand has pioneered the development and production of premium silica sand-based products for over 170 years. The company provides a wide range of innovative products for sports, landscaping, and equestrian uses. These include stadium and training ground facilities; championship golf courses and world class show jumping arenas.

The company’s leading experts will be on hand to explain how some of the products which

MANSFIELD SAND STAND C110

could make a difference to your sports turf projects.

On show will be the ranges of Reinforced Rootzones Sand Soil Rootzones Sand Compost Rootzones Top Dressing and the Mansil Silica Sand Sports Range Sourced from the company’s Two Oaks Quarry in Mansfield where the Mansil range of Silica Sands is produced. These products are predominantly used in the construction and maintenance of a wide range of sports surfaces – from winter sports pitches, golf courses, bowling greens and all amenity turf areas.

www.mansfield-sand.co.uk

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

The across-all-areas Maredo Wiedenmann STrac 700 system welcomes a new High-Speed-Corer head, taking its number of tool type attachments to six. The STrac 700’s revolutionary pedestrian power unit already supports scarifying, aeration, seeding and fraise mowing. Light, fast and versatile on difficult undulations, it provides uniformity of care and presentation. Areas like golf course collars, bowling greens, or where tractors can’t access, are now possible.

and visitors will get the chance to find out how the innovative seed technology could vastly benefit their sports pitches.

MM is one of the most respected brands in the UK sportsturf and amenity industries and is relied upon at top sports grounds throughout the UK and beyond. With a proven track record of producing the best possible swards, the MM range of grass seed offers an unrivalled performance and appearance.

Just some of the mixtures on display will be MM60, a 100% Ryegrass formula and the UK’s leading winter sports renovation mixture. MM50 is perfect for cricket squares, tennis courts and also golf tees and fairways. This hardwearing mix has rapid germination, extremely fine leaved appearance, high shoot density and is tolerant to very close mowing, as low as 5mm, along with high disease resistance. MM Tetrasport which is a traditional repair mixture, espe-cially useful for overseeding of high quality sportsfields to improve sward composition and aid recovery from disease scarring.

All mixtures in the MM range, are treated with HEADSTART GOLD – a revolutionary grass seed treatment that ensures rapid, even germination.

www.mm-seeds.co.uk

greenkeepers a solutions led approach to turf management.

The £1m Origin turf science and research centre will be profiled at the event with seminars by Geoff Fenn, OAS Research & Development Director, and Angus Finlayson OAS Turf Tri-als Research Manager. www.originamenity.com

ORIGIN AMENITY

STAND G060

At Saltex, Origin Amenity Solutions will be demonstrating the breadth and wealth of its four brands, Rigby Taylor, Headland, Symbio and Turfkeeper. Visit the stand to meet the teams behind the brands and see first-hand how they work in partnership to offer grounds managers and

PELLENC STAND E072

Pellenc UK has announced that it will be launching two new products at the Show.

Over recent years, Pellenc has gained market recognition by offering a unique range of ‘zero emission’ battery-powered tools, thanks to the development of Lithium-ion ultra-highperformance batteries.

The extensive Pellenc product range features an impressive portfolio – from chainsaws, pole saws and hedge cutters to grass strimmers, brushcutters, blowers and mowers.

Visitors to the stand will get the opportunity to see a wide range of the market leading equipment as well as see two new products.

Pellenc will be launching two new models of professional shears at SALTEX – the C35 and C45. The new pruning shears are equipped with the innovative Active Security anti-cut system, patented by Pellenc, which is based on the principle of the natural bioimpedance of the body: the blade stops immediately in case of contact with the hand.

The Pellenc range of equipment with onboard Alpha battery has been extended with the arrival of the new Cultivion Alpha.

The Cultivion soil cultivator is a high-performance alternative to chemical products. Powerful, fast, and precise, it increases

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MAREDO STAND A085

MM SEED STAND J052

An impressive range of MM grass seed mixtures will be showcased

your productivity when working. Totally versatile, it can be used for hoeing, soil aeration, or weeding, and is suitable for all types of soil, both on the surface and below. Its lightness and manoeuvrability make your work easier.

www.pellencuk.com

Qatar, with their most recent trip focusing on training and education.

Grounds staff will benefit from line marking machines and accessories, hand-built to the highest standards, including the innovative Hybrid spray marker and LineFix socket system.

As part of Pitchmark’s trip, grounds staff have been provided with free legionnaire hats and water bottles to help them cope with the weatherintensive conditions in Qatar.

Ventrac 4520 compact tractor unit, so 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.

To understand why the industry has embraced the Ventrac product come along and visit the stand.

PITCHMARK

STAND E125

This winter, Pitchmark’s line marking products will shine brightest in Qatar as the sporting world turns its attention to another landmark competition. After being awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade in 2019, Pitchmark continues to demonstrate exceptional growth and success overseas – including developing strong relationships in

PRICE TURFCARE

STAND B124

Price Turfcare, the UK and Ireland distributor of the Ventrac multiimplement, all-terrain compact tractor, return to SALTEX with a new, bespoke stand for this year’s event. We will be exhibiting the new

REDEXIM STAND M075

Redexim are excited to be making their post-pandemic return to SALTEX with a new stand providing the platform to showcase their vast portfolio of

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

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equipment critical to successful sports turf maintenance. As their 40th anniversary celebrations continue, the latest iteration of where it all began – the iconic VertiDrain – will feature on the stand where visitors will also have the opportunity to enter Redexim’s big birthday competition for a chance of winning a ‘fast and furious’ prize!

The latest model, the Redexim Verti-Drain 2519, has now set the benchmark when it comes to highspeed, high-productivity aerators. Featuring a 1.9m working width and an ability to accept a wide range of tine options, the 2519 can cover almost 9000 sq.m per hour thanks to its PTO speed of up to 540rpm.

With the FIFA World Cup kicking off a fortnight after SALTEX and to mark the occasion, and in conjunction with their 40th anniversary, Redexim will be inviting

visitors to predict the outcome of this year’s tournament for their chance to be the lucky winner of an experience to remember.

For more details of all the latest additions to the Redexim range, and entry into the World Cup competition, speak to the technical team on hand across the two days, at the NEC this November.

Origin Amenity Solutions stand. A leading force within the amenity and grounds management industry, OAS combines the expertise, knowledge and innovation of Headland Amenity, Rigby Taylor, Symbio and Turfkeeper to create a solutionsled offering for its customers. Whether you require digital assistance with your workflow, advice on soil health or tried and tested fertiliser and grass seed products, OAS offers it all.

RIGBY TAYLOR STAND G060

Rigby Taylor will be attending SALTEX and can be found on the

At Saltex, the Rigby Taylor team will be showcasing the latest addition to its GPS robotic line marking range, the Tiny Pro X, Euroflor wildflowers, and the latest innovation in Grass seed solutions for the colder months with a focus on tetraploid seed mixtures. www.originamenity.com

SOIL SCOUT

STAND H081

Leading soil monitoring solution provider Soil Scout is pleased to announce that we will once again be exhibiting at SALTEX.

Following a very successful first appearance at the 2021 show we have once again teamed up with our partner Turf Lighting Solutions (TLS) to share a much larger open stand space, you can find us in a central location on stand H081.

You will be guaranteed a warm welcome with team members from Soil Scout headquarters in Finland including CEO Jalmari Talola on-hand to answer any questions you have beside our UK-based Sales & Sports Turf Specialist, Nick Durkin. Having

previously worked in the professional football turf industry at Chelsea FC, Wembley Stadium and Derby County, Nick has a wealth of practical experience and technical knowledge.

be profiling Degraid, an innovative thatch degrading biological for rootzones and the popular range of Symbio Compost Teas. www.originamenity.com

SYMBIO

STAND G060

Symbio will be attending SALTEX and can be found on the Origin Amenity Solutions stand. A leading force within the amenity and grounds management industry, OAS combines the expertise, knowledge and innovation of Headland Amenity, Rigby Taylor, Symbio and Turfkeeper to create a solutions-led offering for its customers. Whether you require digital assistance with your workflow, advice on soil health or tried and tested fertiliser and grass seed products, OAS offers it all. At Saltex the Symbio team will

TEAM SPRAYERS STAND C095

British sprayer manufacturer Team Sprayers will be at SALTEX with their range of pedestrian, mounted and self-propelled sprayers, which are all designed to provide precision application for your sportsground.

Team Sprayers has been a manufacturer of agricultural, groundcare and horticultural sprayers since 1981 and design their sprayers to be robust and simple to use while providing efficient

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

application. All their sprayers are manufactured in house, giving them the capability to build bespoke sprayers to match their customers’ exact requirements.

sales@team-sprayers.com

TURFKEEPER

STAND G060

TurfKeeper will be attending SALTEX and can be found on the Origin Amenity Solutions stand. A leading force within the amenity and grounds management industry, OAS combines the expertise, knowledge and innovation of Headland Amenity, Rigby Taylor, Symbio and Turfkeeper to create a solutions-

led offering for its customers. Whether you require digital assistance with your workflow, advice on soil health or tried and tested fertiliser and grass seed products, OAS offers it all. At Saltex we will be demonstrating the latest digital addition to the Turfkeeper platform – the Beacon app. Offering push-notifications direct to a mobile device and helping the operator to keep-up-to-date with their team and jobs list while away from the desk. www.originamenity.com

is bringing the revolutionary Turf Tank One back to Saltex 2022.

This year the company is bringing a new development to the show, the next generation robotic line marking software. Visitors will have a chance to discover the latest features, that improve usability, make the process even faster and easier, and of-fer more customisation options.

Please visit Stand G085 and learn how Turf Tank could improve their line marking operations.

TURF TANK

STAND GO85

Turf Tank, leading robotic line marking company and winner of the 2017 Saltex Innovation Award,

TYRE-LINE STAND D082

Tyre-Line are pleased to be back exhibiting at this year’s SALTEX

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

show at the NEC Birmingham, bringing their extensive tyre knowledge and product portfolio to the UK’s Premier Turf Management exhibition. They will again be exhibiting their extensive range of Carlisle Lawn, Garden & Golf Tyres at SALTEX, along with showcasing the Michelin Tweel Airless Radial range of tyres for Zero Turn mowers that are now available to order for multiple machinery fitments directly from Tyre-Line’s Aftermarket division. aftermarket@tyreline.com

It’s been an exciting period of growth for the Vanmac group since their last appearance at SALTEX, with new premises, new products and more new faces joining the team.

This year will feature highlights such as the Progressive TDR-X trideck con-tour mower and infamous Trilo S3 vacuum collector, with the technical team on hand to discuss these and other products from across the Vanmac and Trilo portfolios.

More than a year on from the extension of the partnership between Vanmac and Progressive, this has borne fruit for both parties with the range of innovative, rotary

finishing mowers delivering firstclass quality of cut for turf managers across the country and the full spectrum of applications. Debuted at SALTEX 2021, the Progressive TDR-X is now setting the standard for contour following ability – with three independent floating decks offering a cutting height range from 9.5mm to 84.5mm and cutting width of 3.2m.

Sitting alongside the TDR-X, visitors can expect to see a number of leaf clearance solutions from the Trilo range including the multi-purpose S3 and the BL960.

The BL960 is the largest blower in the Trilo range and one of the most powerful on the market.

Also on the stand will be Vanmac’s new CEO Christiaan Arends. No stranger to the ground-care sector, Christiaan joins Vanmac after more than 20 years at the Royal Barenbrug Group.

VANMAC STAND K070

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

WEEDINGTECH

E057

Weedingtech, the world leaders in non-herbicidal weed control, will be returning to SALTEX with their revolutionary Foamstream

product, with visitors able to see the very first hybrid powered unit – the M600H. The chemical-free solution to vegetation management is already a firm favourite with a number of councils and local authorities around the country.

With changes to herbicide and environmental legislation and growing public pressure to reduce usage of harmful weedkillers and chemicals in green space management, Foamstream has fast become recognised as the future of non-chemical control. In trials, it has been proven to be as effective at treating broadleaf weeds – including species that can be difficult to control by conventional methods – as Glyphosate.

Its active ingredient is hot water, which is insulated by a patented foam formulated from 100% natural plant oils and sugars meaning

it can be used in any weather and on any surface, including environmentally-sensitive areas and those close to children or animals.

The foam maintains kill zone temperatures for six times longer than other heat-based treatments, killing the weed, damaging the root and sterilising seeds and spores to reduce re-growth.

In addition to controlling weeds, moss and other unwanted vegetation, it offers further benefit by tackling a host of other urban tasks including sanitisation, gum removal and the cleaning of graffiti.

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

and everything in between. Wiedenmann’s Super 500 and Super 600 have endless uses. Leaf sweeping and collecting can be done quickly and efficiently vacuum packed into tanks of 2500 and 4500 litres respectively. In different modes they can flail mow, fraise mow, sweep and scarify and have a 2.1m high dump into trailers.

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WIEDENMANN STAND A080

Wiedenmann UK’s Saltex offering embraces the current need to be flexible. Grounds teams and contractors seek multi-tasking machines all year-round can find solutions with us.

Known for Terra Spike deep aerators, clients can choose from 11 – the super light SL (210mm) to the extra deep XP (400mm)

WHITE HORSE CONTRACTORS

STAND G120

Whether you are looking for a new hybrid-turf pitch, improved drainage to your existing sports pitches, or on-going maintenance and regeneration of your grounds, White Horse Contractors offer a renowned and complete service for your build.

Working with us, you will benefit from our in-house expertise with our experienced design team, continued support through planning, and a company-owned fleet of specialist plant and collaborative site teams to deliver your project. White Horse Contractors will bring to bear our 65-years of trusted delivery skills to your project, ensuring you of our dependable service, great value for money and a first-class end product.

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Exhibitor listing

EXHIBITOR

STAND NO

Advance Grass Solutions C135

Advanced Turf Technology Ltd H070

AEA / NSTS M145

Agria UK & Maredo BV A085

Agrigem Limited E110

Agronomics Services Ltd C087

Air-Seal Products C030

AKFS A090

Allett Ltd K009

Ambrogio C085

AMS Robotics K109

Aqua Aid C107

Aquatrols H055 Ariens E090

Aspen Fuel UK M055 ATE (UK) Ltd K028

EXHIBITOR

STAND NO

F110 Auto-Mow F132

ATVTrac

Avant Tecno L138

BAGMA F190

BALI K190J

Barenbrug UK G055

Bayer CropScience Ltd G030 Bernhard and Company E026

BIGGA A112

Billie Box Ltd J184

Billy Goat/Hansa G070 Blade Machinery Ltd J182

Block Blitz Ltd M085

Bobcat Mowers F030

Campey Turf Care Systems H082 CANYCOM F008

Exhibitor listing

EXHIBITOR

FG

FGM

Flails

FLEET

STAND NO

E102

D012

A087

B112

Forst C050

GARDEN

Grasshopper

GrassMaster

Green-Tech.

GreenBest

F101

C035

A130

C055

H051

M095

G110

H057

C100

A070

M147

EXHIBITOR

Groundsman Industries Ltd

STAND NO

K103

HARROD SPORT K095

HATKO SPORTS E120 Healthmatic Ltd M105

Henchman Ltd C089

Hewitt Sportsturf G150

Hewitts Sportsturf - Natural Grass -Grassmax G140` Hilltip E020 Horticulture week K190h Hozelock Exel F125

Hurrells Seeds D062 Husqvarna H060 ICL C090

International Greenkeepers D220 ISEKI H040 Javelin Irrigation Systems Ltd A051

Exhibitor listing

EXHIBITOR

JUB HOLLAND in combination with

STAND NO

K123

K.A.R UK Ltd E053

Kersten Site

G075

Kioti UK Ltd K030

KRAMP UK H190

Kress UK & Ireland A040

Kubota UK C070

Lahore Enterprises J179

EXHIBITOR

Mawdsleys BER LTD

Melcourt Industries Ltd

STAND NO

J108

K190i

Merlo E071

MH Goals E095

Milwaukee Tool UK H075

MJ Abbott Ltd B102

Moasure F100

Muck Truck UK Ltd H005

Mumby Machinery LTD G165

Landscape

C065 Lantra K124

Lubbe & Sons (Bulbs) Ltd G025

LWS Irrigation Ltd J187

MAJOR EQUIPMENT LTD J112

Makita UK Ltd K190a

Mansfield Sand C110 Martin Lishman Ltd E080

Myerscough College C220

New Milton Sand and Ballast Ltd K190G

NGK Spark Plugs (UK) Ltd K055

Nomix Enviro E055

One Ash Training K120

Origin Amenity Solutions G060 Overton (UK) Limited M035

Exhibitor listing

EXHIBITOR

STAND NO

Overton (UK) Limited K050

Overton (UK) Limited M050

Phoenix

Postpullers (UK)

Price

Prodata

H100

H185

B124

C097

ProPitch Ltd F112

PSD

Rainbow

E081

G040

Ransomes J125

Raw

J189

Redexim UK M075

Reesink UK K080

Ritchie &

J180

Rootwave G041

Service

H010

EXHIBITOR

SGL

STAND NO

G130

SISGrass G095

SMG Sportplatzmaschinenbau GmbH E129

Southern Machinery Ltd A054

Spaldings & Central Spares C040

Sports & Turf F180

Sports turf data solutions Ltd D105

Springmasters Ltd A110

STIHL H020

STM Co Ltd K090

STUART CANVAS GROUP B089 Tarmac Topsport H110

Team Sprayers Ltd C095

Terraflex K180 Timberwolf Ltd H085 TLS – Turf Lighting Solutions H081

Vision fulfilled at Hampshire estate

Andrew Day, the Estate Manager at a large property in Hampshire, says his vision for the aesthetic appearance of the estate has been fulfilled with significant help from his two Ventrac all-terrain compact tractors and a comprehensive selection of attachments.

Andrew has been Estate Manager since 2011 and his vision for the estate has resulted in a level of presentation, high in quality and detail, across the entire property.

The estate is a large and varied property, set in the rolling hills of the Test valley, with challenging farming ground, renowned fishing on the UK’s pre-eminent chalk stream and some stunning vistas throughout.

“Our local agriculture and groundscare dealer is TH White, with whom we have an excellent working relationship. I wanted to enhance the overall appearance of the estate and they suggested the Ventrac. To be honest it didn’t initially catch my eye, until I gave it a moment and then decided to have a demonstration,” said Andrew.

“Rupert Price, and his colleague Tony Doe turned up with a selection of attachments and put them through their paces in several different areas across the estate. It

proved to be a very successful demo; their ability to fully demonstrate every aspect of each attachment resulted in the purchase of two Ventrac tractor units, four Contour mowing decks, a Tough Cut deck, an Edger, a Turbine blower, a Power bucket and an Aera-Vator.

“With this level of investment, we have the versatility and flexibility to tackle a host of estate management tasks. One machine, together with a specialist attachment, can be used for taking down scrub in our nursery plantations, maintaining our field boundaries, keeping the riverbank pathways accessible, edging the roadways, blowing leaves and debris and striping up the

numerous formal lawned areas.

“Some are kind enough to comment on the fantastic condition of the estate and our Ventracs play a very important role in this; they have helped me to fulfil the vision I had in mind. They are simply brilliant machines,” revealed Andrew. n www.priceturfcare.com

“WITH THIS LEVEL OF INVESTMENT, WE HAVE THE VERSATILITY AND FLEXIBILITY TO TACKLE A HOST OF ESTATE MANAGEMENT TASKS.”

Chipper with everything

The Babraham Research Campus, one of the UK’s leading locations for academic and commercial bioscience, has taken delivery of an EVO 205D SAFE-Trak to keep pace with the site’s demand for wood chip and weed suppressant.

The 100-acre campus sits within an additional 360 acres of estate land, maintained by Estates and Waste Manager Matt Antrobus and two ground teams – all of whom have been mightily impressed with the power, performance and build quality of their new woodchipper

from GreenMech’s EVO series.

“The site has grown and changed a lot over the last decade, both in terms of the variety and types of research conducted here and the push towards more environmentally-friendly methods of maintenance” explained Matt, who has been at the Campus for 15 years.

“We use in the region of 300 tonnes of woodchip every year for suppressing weeds as well as decoration for borders, beds and miles and miles of public footpaths! Our previous chipper was struggling to cope and, after comparing a couple of options, the EVO 205D emerged head and shoulders above the competition.”

The backbone of the EVO 205D’s design is a deep beam, high tensile steel chassis, with a generous in-feed hopper measuring 1250mm x 700mm allowing the easy processing of bulky material. Maximum chipping efficiency is powered by a Kubota Stage V-Complaint 50hp diesel engine, while GreenMech’s SAFE-Trak system delivers ground clearance of up to 400mm, enabling access across uneven terrain and in difficult ground conditions.

“The EVO was installed in July by our local dealer Thurlow Nunn Standen and Julian Cullis, of GreenMech, who delivered some outstanding training to the team that was on a par with – if not better than, some of the official woodchipper courses available.

“The first major thing they commented on was the ease of manoeuvrability and access, meaning we can position the 205D exactly where we are working which saves a lot of time. Secondly, the feed rate is drastically quicker with this machine… the teams just can’t keep up with it!” revealed Matt

“There isn’t really much the team haven’t been impressed with. The build quality is fantastic and from a usability perspective, you can tell that GreenMech have really thought about what the operator wants and needs from a woodchipper.

“This EVO 205D will be fundamental to our new willow replanting and rotation programme which will help give us the quantity of wood and chip we need to continue our sustainable site management programme,” he added.

n www.greenmech.co.uk

Banish fallen leaves with Billy Goat’s wheeled vacuums

With the autumn months upon us, and we deal with a drop in temperature, it’s an opportune time to clear pathways and grounds of debris, such as fallen leaves, twigs and branches. Removing debris from the ground is an essential maintenance task that ensures lawns stay healthy all year round while preventing pathways from becoming treacherous, especially during bouts of colder weather.

Billy Goat manufactures a powerful and robust range of industrial wheeled vacuum for commercial outdoor property clearance and is the expert when it comes to the maintenance of outdoor spaces. Its range of industrial vacuum offer the power and performance to keep these spaces at their best throughout the autumn and winter months.

For smaller, residential areas, the KV601 Multi-Surface Wheeled Vacuum is the perfect choice. Powered by a reliable Briggs & Stratton engine, the KV601 offers a powerful suction and easy operation, so the clean up of leaves, seeds, mulch, blooms, branches, litter and debris is quick, simple and fatigue-free. It’s also ideal for multi-surface residential and light commercial use, while it’s versatile 27” wide lawn and litter vacuum has a range of height adjustments, making light work or hard surface and turf clean up.

For greater ease of operation, the KV601 boats robust 12”

tyres, making uneven terrain and hilly environments a breeze to travel over.

For both lawn and hard surface areas, the MV601 Multi-Surface Vacuum offers the perfect machine for larger clean-up projects, thanks to its Briggs & Stratton electric easy start engine, self-propelled and 3-speed vacuum. Plus, its powerful 6-blade serrated impeller en-courages maximum suction, picking up leaves, grass clippings, litter and other debris quickly and efficiently, making mass clean-up easy and stress-free.

The MV601 has also been manufactured using abrasion-resistant composite housing components, offering a lightweight model that won’t rust or dent so it can be used year after year.

Billy Goat’s QV900HSP Industrial Duty Vacuum

offers the world’s quietest vacuum, making it the perfect choice for clean up in busy, public areas such as school sites, hospitals, airport pedestrian areas, parks, churches and resorts.

It also offers a unique cyclonic filtration with exclusive Dust Sock technology that dramatically reduced dust in dry conditions. The robust vacuum is perfect for clearing up a range of hard surface areas and is ideal for contractor or municipal clean up applications, such as tarmac, city streets and pavements.

Its housing and 6-blade armour plate steel fan combination also provides optimum suction, making clean up fast, while it features a self-propelled drive type that is powered by a reliable and dynamic Honda engine. n www.billygoat.co.uk

Kubota release LXe-261 compact electric tractor

Kubota’s new LXe-261, which has been designed to meet current environmental standards, will be available for rental and showcased at several events around Eu-rope over the coming months.

With an increasing number of European markets tightening regulations and implementing bans on diesel vehicles, many local authorities and other public bodies are actively seeking alternatives - such as electric vehicles and fuel-cell vehicles. In light of this, and in line with

Kubota’s Environmental Vision published in 2021 to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, they have been researching, developing and trialling electric tractors.

One of the major challenges when developing electric tractors is range and operational time. For that reason, the new LXe-261 is equipped with a largecapacity battery that can provide rapid one hour charging and three to four hours of continuous run-time. This means operators will be able to quickly charge the batteries during lunch and continue working in the after-noon for optimal efficiency.

The LXe-261 also includes key features for mowing, hauling, and other green space man-agement tasks, such as an independent PTO, a comfortable HST transmission and multiple hydraulic outlets. The specification of the LXe-261 is contained in a compact size, making this model well-suited to a range of applications.

Kubota’s new LXe-261 will soon be displayed at several shows in Europe, including Salon Vert in France, EIMA in Italy

and SALTEX in November, Europe’s largest turf management show. It will then be available for rental in the UK from April 2023.

After its release, customer feedback will be sought in order to shape the future developments and expansions to Kubota’s eco-friendly product line-up.

Kubota Corporation is the first Japanese manufacturer to release a limited number of LXe-261 compact electric tractors in Europe, with the company actively striving towards carbon neutrality. For that reason, Kubota has been transitioning to electric, hybrid, and fuel-cell drives in an effort to decarbonise power sources and reduce CO2 emissions.

These developments represent an important strategic step for Kubota in the UK and Europe, as it aims to fulfil the requirements of core customer segments who have long invested in Kubota’s range of compact tractors, utility vehicles and ride-on mowers for park maintenance and other groundcare tasks.

n www.kubota-eu.com

Make way for smart controller

The new RC2 Smart Irrigation Control

Solution has been added to Rain Bird’s range of irrigation controllers. Used in conjunction with and accessed through the Rain Bird Mobile App, it enables users to manage remotely residential and light commercial installations with confidence, with or without WiFi.

The RC2 is a powerful, contractor grade controller that is fast and easy to use. It has an eight station capacity, three standard programs and four start times/programs as well as a Master Valve pump start relay. When paired with the free of charge professional App, contractors and site managers have full WiFi control of irrigation scheduling of multiple sites and zones.

Through alerts, users can monitor and manage all irrigation events and warnings in real-time and make adjustments to prevent overwatering or costly wastage. The landscape will receive only the water it needs while potentially saving up to 50% in water.

A number of features support the claim that combining the RC2 with the Mobile App makes it the most efficiently programmed controller available today.

WiFi connectivity and Rain Bird’s Quick Pair technology enables fast, seamless initial set-up between a mobile phone or tablet and lasting stability. The RC2 is compatible with iOS 8.0 and Android 6 or later mobile devices.

Irrigation programs are instantly sent and imported into the controller. Schedule templates allow contractors to employ commonly used irrigation programs or alternatively customised schedules can be set, including watering specific zones at specific times. Weather data from local weather sources can also be obtained and be used to automatically adjust system run times daily.

As well as access to the advanced scheduling features of the Mobile App, the RC 2 also has simple touch commands at the controller interface.

A built-in complete system access point enables allows users to configure and make changes to the controller on-site if a Wifi network or hotspot is unavailable. In the event of power failure, the RC2 memorises and permanently saves the current programming.

n www.rainbird.eu

Shout is the UK’s first and only free, 24/7, confidential text message support service for anyone who is struggling to cope.

If you’re feeling worried, stressed or like you have nobody to talk to, you are not alone. Shout is always only a text message away. Shout’s trained volunteers are there to support you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with whatever you are going through.

Every day, Shout takes around 2,100 conversations with children, young people and adults across the UK who need in-the-moment

support with issues such as anxiety, stress, depression, loneliness, relationships, racism, self-harm, suicide, grief and so much more.

As a digital service, Shout provides a private and silent way to communicate,

alleviating some of the pressure many people feel around talking about their worries out loud. The service is also confidential, anonymous and won’t show up on your phone bill. Shout is available around the clock. Most people text Shout for support at night and into the early hours of the morning, when the majority of other support services are closed and when many people are feeling alone and struggling with their mental health.

Anyone in the UK can text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 to start a conversation any time of the day or night. Shout Volunteers work to take you from a moment of distress to a calm, safe place and help you come up with a plan to move forwards.

If your life is at imminent risk, please call 999.

n For more information, advice and support, visit: giveusashout.org

Exercising for your mental health

With four weeks of World Cup action on the horizon, what better time to champion some of the benefits of exercise for our mental health?

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH GO HAND-IN-HAND

Exercise can make a big difference to how you feel. If you’re down or struggling with stress, anxiety or depression, getting moving can help you feel better.

Regular exercise can reduce stress, boost our self-esteem and even help us get a good night’s sleep. Even 10 minutes of brisk walking boosts our alertness, energy and mood.

As well as releasing endorphins (the feel good hormone), exercise and physical movement can also help decrease the production of stress hormones in the longer-term.

WHAT EXERCISE CAN I DO?

Exercising isn’t everybody’s cup of tea and it can be hard to find time in our busy lives to fit it in. But you don’t have to take on a marathon or hit the gym all week (unless you want to!)

Getting exercise can be as simple as going for a walk in the park, taking the stairs instead of the lift or getting off the bus one stop earlier.

If you are feeling particularly stressed, try to take a break from what you are doing and get moving - head outside for some fresh air, do some stretches or grab a ball and do some keep-ups!

Finding something that works for

you can have a positive impact on your physical and mental health.

Need some inspiration?

Texters to our Shout service have given us some of their favourite ways of exercising:

n Getting outside for some fresh air

n Taking the dog for a walk

n Jogging and running

n Having a kickabout with mates

n Working out to music

n Going to the gym.

WHAT IF I CAN’T EXERCISE?

For some people, it can be hard to exercise, especially if you are feeling unwell, demotivated or you have a physical condition which stops

you from being able to get active.

Go easy on yourself. Only do what you can, when you can, and try to remember that it’s ok to adapt your physical activity to how you’re feeling.

You can also try other self-care activities, like sitting outdoors, listening to your favourite music, doing breathing exercises and practising mindfulness.

Remember, if you’re feeling low, stressed or overwhelmed, text SHOUT to 85258 to start a conversation with a trained volunteer. Shout is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.