Kubota’s New Ride-On Mower

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Kubota’s New Ride-On Mower: Kubota UK’s extensive range of market leading and high performance machinery solutions is expanding with the release of a new professional zero turn ride-on mower.

Designed to meet the ever-changing needs of turf professionals, the ZD1211 offers exceptional quality and performance, combined with easy to complete maintenance.

Kubota's New Ride-On Mower

Engineered to create a superior cut every time, the ZD1211 is equipped with a three-blade, 140 mm deep, 1.5m rear discharge deck, and optional mulching kit. This is combined with Kubota’s unique baffling system, a new technology that has been specifically designed and developed in the UK to maximise mulching performance.

The ZD1211’s innovations go further, with its front axle offering two positions, oscillating or rigid. This allows users to achieve their desired cut easier as the machine adapts to the terrain they’re working with. In the oscillating position, the mower will follow the contours of the ground and in the rigid position, the mower will offer a uniformed cut.

The machine’s front axle is also offset, which means the front wheels are aligned with the return stroke of the blades.  This raises the grass where the wheels have travelled over, then cuts the grass to provide an even cut of excellent quality.

Powered by a three-cylinder Kubota 18.5kw diesel engine, the ZD1211 features HST transmission for smooth responses and easy directional change, including making a zero turn. Its 49-litre fuel load capacity, combined with its low fuel consumption, offers great autonomy, cutting down the time expenditures usually necessary for fuelling.

Operator comfort is another key feature of this machine. Adjustable operating levers and a luxury seat with reinforced suspension and elevated backrest ensure greater productivity whilst minimising fatigue.

For added convenience, routine maintenance of all of its critical parts and functions can be carried out with ease due to the accessible engine hood. The front axle also has the ability to be used as a jack to raise the front of the machine for general maintenance of the mower deck. This includes fitting a mulch kit, changing the blades or cleaning the deck, which can all be achieved with a reduced time scale as no tools are required.

Adrian Langmead, Groundcare Business Development Manager for Kubota UK, said: “This latest generation continues the evolution of Kubota’s commercial mowing solutions. As a business, we are constantly looking at ways to enhance our product and service offering to ensure our end-user customers can do their jobs more productively and efficiently. The ZD1211 delivers the power and durability sought after by all turf professionals, with a mower deck that offers even faster and better cutting performance.”

For more information on Kubota and its extensive range of solutions visit www.kubota.co.uk or call 01844 268000.

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New Kubota Distributor

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New Kubota Distributor: Kubota UK Engine Division has gone into a strategic partnership with Machinery OY, who are located in Vantaa, which will see the business represent Kubota’s full range of oil and water cooled diesel and dual fuel engines throughout Finland.

Established in 1911, Machinery OY is Finland’s largest supplier of new machine tools to the engineering and construction industry. In addition to the distribution of Kubota engines, the family run business will also provide full customer support services and spare parts to end users, dealers and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) across a range of industry sectors.

New Kubota Distributor

Daniel Grant, Business Development Manager for Kubota UK’s Engines Division, said: “We are very excited to be working with Machinery OY, a new relationship that brings together two leading players in the industrial engine market. With the ever expanding Kubota Engine portfolio, we recognise the strength and stability of the service offering and aftersales support the new business partnership can provide and believe our product and service expectations will complement their existing premium brands and company ethos.

“With the substantial changes coming into force in 2019 with EU Stage V, it’s vitally important that we utilise the highest levels of expertise and knowledge. The dedicated team at Machinery OY has vast experience with Non Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM) engines, providing an excellent platform for Kubota to grow in sales, technical support and aftersales service throughout Finland.”

Kubota’s latest announcement means that the company has concluded its relationship with Koneskesko in Finland.

Arto Orjo, Sales Manager at Machinery OY, commented: “This is the start of a long and fruitful relationship between Kubota and Machinery OY. There is a lot to learn, develop and expand throughout Finland and we’re very happy to be working with such a well respected engine manufacturer like Kubota to achieve this. Our development programme will provide the necessary product and technical knowledge to offer Finland nothing short of customer service excellence.”

For more information on Kubota’s extensive engine solutions visit www.kubota.co.uk or call 01844 268000.

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Council Makes First Toro Purchase

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Council Makes First Toro Purchase: North East Lincolnshire Council has purchased Toro for the first time, due to to its competitive price in the tender process, and having received recommendations from other local authorities.

Chris Whitfield, assistant fleet manager who co-ordinated the purchase, says: “We were in the market for two cylinder mowers, replacing like-for-like. Recently we’ve been purchasing more flail mowers in response to the longer periods we have between cuts, but these cylinder mowers are intended for roadways, parks and open spaces; areas that require cutting more often, for which a cylinder mower is perfect.

Council Makes First Toro Purchase

“We followed the usual procedure by putting the request onto ‘Yotender’ and the Toro LT3340 cylinder mower met our specification and came in with the most competitive price.”

A good start, but North East Lincolnshire Council had never owned a Toro machine before so Chris needed a bit more to go on: “Jon Wright from Russell Group arranged for us to have the LT3340 on demo for a week. It looked great, performed well and the team confirmed it would be a good choice.”

It was at this point that Chris decided to refer to colleagues from the ‘Yorlincs’ regional fleet forum, a group of fleet managers from over 17 local authorities and councils sharing best practice, advice and experiences.

“I wanted to see if anyone had experience of using Toro and specifically this machine,” says Chris. “Very quickly I had positive reviews. East Riding of Yorkshire Council in particular stood out, they had a regional fleet of 17 Toros, including 12 LT3340 mowers. The fleet has been in use for a couple of years and the team using them gave good feedback – they had no issues, in fact they had nothing but praise for the brand.”

This is certainly feedback with which Reesink Turfcare, the UK distributor of Toro, is familiar. The heavy-duty, four-wheel-drive triple LT3340 mower is one of Toro’s hardest working grounds mowers, with Nigel Lovatt, Reesink regional manager, saying it is a machine councils and contractors appreciate for its durability, strength and performance.

With all that in mind, Chris confirms that there was no reason not to go with Toro!

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Coffee With Terra Spike

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Coffee With Terra Spike: A head greenkeeper based in Buckinghamshire has inspired a challenge among users of the Wiedenmann Terra Spike.

After taking delivery of a new GXi8 HD in December, Gerrards Cross GC’s Adam McColl reckoned the machine was smooth enough to balance a full cup of coffee without spilling while it spiked its way across a tee or green.

Coffee With Terra Spike

Within hours his observation was relayed to others prompting greenkeepers and groundsmen across the country to get involved, posting on twitter when they succeed.

Adam, who heads the team of seven at the south Buckinghamshire Club, said:

“The coffee challenge just seemed possible. Aerators have moved on, modern practices mean the machine stays calm even when going deep.   With the multi ribbed belt drive system and the way the crankshaft is balanced, the GXi 8 always remains stable. If you hit something there is no shock transfer to the tractor or the driver. It elongates the life of both the machine and the tractor. It’s all about smooth.”

Coffee With Terra Spike

Gerrards Cross Golf Club a parkland course with extensive woodland and views across the Misbourne Valley, had some fairly specific criteria for choosing a Wiedenmann aerator.

“We need to stay ahead of golf and not stop play,” continued Adam McColl.  “Previously that wasn’t happening.  At 1.8 m this is 60 cm wider than before so a combination of extra width and greater speed will mean an end to interruptions and lead to more frequent repetitions.  This machine has a specific feature – Advance Tine Control – that ensures we get very clean tine entry and exit even where there’s compaction.”

Another major reason for Adam McColl choosing a Terra Spike, was the improvement it would bring to getting sand into the profile to ultimately benefit drainage.

“At demo we gave the 18th green one pass using 20 mm tines.  In the weeks before our own machine arrived we could see a tangible difference just from that one occasion.  The green still puddled but the water residue shifted a lot quicker.

“The bigger picture however is to get between 180-200 tonnes of sand on the greens across the year.  Assuming it remains dry enough we’ll continue with the 20 mm tines and go for 40 tonnes between now and the end of March plus an additional 40 tonnes at spring renovations when we will probably hollow core.  During summer we switch to lighter 8 mm tines and hope to achieve between 20 – 40 tonnes. Then come autumn it will be back to the 20 mm tines and around 60-80 tonnes.

“Last year we didn’t even get to our target of 140 tonnes but we’re focussed on getting this additional sand to help create drainage channels.”

Eddie Jack, Field Sales Manager at Ernest Doe in North Walsham said: “Adam called it correctly with the smoothness of the machine. He really started something. Looks like I’ll be buying the coffees for the foreseeable future.”

For more information, visit: www.wiedenmann.co.uk

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

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