SALTEX Announce Innovation Hub

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SALTEX Announce Innovation Hub: In a new addition for 2018, visitors to SALTEX will be able to experience the very latest groundscare ingenuity in the Innovation Hub, a new area on the show floor which is purely dedicated to innovation and new concepts in grounds management.

SALTEX plays host to the most technologically-advanced equipment showcase with hundreds of exhibitors pushing the boundaries with new products and services. Within this fast-paced and evolving industry, manufacturers are more forward-thinking than ever before to ensure their products match their client’s needs and with over 8,000 SALTEX visitors, these new technologies are certainly under the spotlight.

SALTEX Announce Innovation Hub

According to the SALTEX 2017 visitor survey, an incredible 97 per cent claimed that their main reason for attending the exhibition was to see the latest innovations. Taking this feedback on-board, SALTEX event organisers have decided to host, for the very first time, a dedicated Innovation Hub.

Visitors can expect to watch interviews with industry experts and those at the forefront of new groundscare innovations and listen to research and trial work findings. Furthermore, a number of key speakers will take to the stage to discuss and explore current groundscare trends such as cordless/environmentally friendly equipment, robotics, GPS control machinery, pesticide alternatives, pitch lighting (including watering systems and oxygen) and pitch monitoring systems.

In this exciting new feature, delegates will be able to engage in conversation regarding key topics or seek advice while using the opportunity to network with the industry’s most innovative business leaders and exporters – making the Innovation Hub a must visit area for all attendees.

The Innovation Hub will also play host to the SALTEX 2018 Innovation Award ceremony. Entries to the second ever SALTEX Innovation Award are now open and visitors can again expect to see the latest and very best in new grounds care technology.

Making its debut at last year’s show, the Innovation Award attracted a number of high-quality entries from across the globe spanning a wide variety of products, services and equipment.

The independent panel of judges, who based their decisions on a number of factors including what the entry offers the industry and how it makes life easier for the person using it, were unanimous in selecting four stand-out entries – and by all accounts 2017 was the year for new line marking technologies.

The standard was incredibly high resulting in a tie for first place. Rigby Taylor’s Intelligent One autonomous robotic line marker and Fleet Line Markers’ MAQA line marking machine were announced as joint winners of the first ever SALTEX Innovation Award.

Second place went to Oregon’s Gator Speedload, which judges said was a quick and simple device which negated the need to dismantle the head each time to re-load/wrap new strimmer cord. Third place went to the Etesia Hydro 80 MKHP4 E-Connect, due to its ability to set up multiple users and record data – allowing organisations or clubs to monitor the amount of use and user’s ability.

Due to the popularity of last year’s Innovation Award, SALTEX 2018 is expected to attract even more entries and all will be revealed in the lead-up to the show. Additionally, by referring to the show guide, SALTEX visitors will be able to follow an Innovation Trail enabling them to see every single entry on the show floor.

SALTEX takes place at the NEC, Birmingham on October 31 and November 1.

Visitors can register to attend SALTEX for FREE via the website – www.iogsaltex.com

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Places For People Benefit From Pellenc

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Places For People Benefit From Pellenc: Places for People, one of the UK’s largest property management companies, have seen several significant benefits since purchasing a large of battery powered equipment from Pellenc.

Places for People has over 50 years’ experience in delivering and maintaining large-scale, multi-phased, mixed-tenure developments and regeneration projects. Their ethos is to create sustainable communities which people are proud to call home and that applies to every aspect – whether it be housing, green spaces or communal areas.

Places For People Benefit From Pellenc

Places for People Landscapes responsible for the maintenance of properties and grounds from Newcastle in the North to Portsmouth in the South, Lowestoft in the East to Taunton in the West. The Landscapes team employ approximately 240 members of staff and the work is split equally between grounds maintenance and cleaning.

For the grounds maintenance side of the business, the landscapes team recently purchased a fleet of Pellenc battery powered equipment which included a range of Excelion 2000 brushcutters, Helion 2 Compact hedge trimmers, Helion Telescopic hedge trimmers, Airion 2 hand blowers, Selion polesaws powered by 1100 ultra-lithium batteries.

Gary Slater (North East), Julian Chapman (South) and Paul Hodgson (North West) are the three regional operations managers for Places for People Landscapes and they explained their reasons for choosing the Pelllenc equipment.

“I think there was probably three main driving factors in us choosing the Pellenc equipment,” says Julian. “There were the environmental benefits, the health and safety benefits, and the reduction in servicing and fuel costs.”

The exclusive Pellenc technology allows for a drastic reduction in the production of greenhouse gases and noise pollution. It is also comfortable for users, meets new sustainable development demands and offers excellent economic profitability. With a record capacity of up to one day’s use on a single charge, these quality products are a perfect fit for Places for People – according to Gary.

Places For People Benefit From Pellenc

“I think for what we do – grounds, estate and garden maintenance, the Pellenc equipment is a great replacement for the petrol equipment. There are so many benefits to using battery powered products from an environmental and well-being point of view and it makes sense to move in that direction rather than stand still. In using the Pellenc equipment we are eliminating so many issues – there are no fumes which is great for our staff, we no longer have to carry fuel in our vans or be concerned with fuel leaks or spill kits and the equipment is extremely quiet. The kit is also nice and lightweight which is a huge benefit for manual handling,” he said.

“Then of course there is the enhanced productivity,” added Gary. “Firstly, we are saving time on not having to fill up the fuel cans and there are no problems or delays with having to start machinery – it folds away quickly and easily too. Also, the quietness of the equipment is great for some of our noise sensitive sites – so there is no stopping and starting and theoretically it means that our guys could start earlier on some sites. The rain doesn’t stop us either because the equipment is IP54 rated. In fact we’ve had them out in torrential rain and never had any problems.”

Commenting on the notable reduction in servicing costs, Paul said: “The traditional service and maintenance costs associated with petrol based products are far more than what you pay for the Pellenc equipment over a similar period of time. There is no doubt about it – running costs are substantially lower and it is something we have worked out very carefully, additionally we see minimal repair or servicing costs coming in and we don’t have any fuel costs. Yes, we use a bit of electricity to charge the battery but it has no impact at all.”

Places For People Benefit From Pellenc

Since the Pellenc group was created in 1973, the company has based its development on a policy of constant innovation. The group’s ability to be able to anticipate changes in its markets has led to the registering of 1081 patents – winning numerous awards for the excellence of its products. While the products do indeed contribute towards protecting the environment, these innovative tools also do not compromise on power.

“I would say they are equal in performance to their petrol counterparts,” said Paul. “I’ve trialled the hedge cutters myself and they are just as good as petrol driven ones. Admittedly, some of our operatives were sceptical as to whether they would last a day but in actual fact they tend to last a day and a half before they need a charge.

“What I like about Pellenc, is the investment that they are making in the battery technology. It is new, it is the future, and I think everyone has to embrace it – the manufacturers, the importers, the dealers and the end user.”

All Pellenc batteries and tools come with a three-year commercial warranty and are distributed in the UK and Ireland exclusively by Etesia UK.

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.etesia.co.uk.

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An Update From Scott MacCallum

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We have just come from a tumultuous six weeks of sport – with the World Cup, Wimbledon and The Open Championship at Carnoustie and you know what – the fact that the groundsmen and greenkeepers didn’t create one headline between them makes my heart sing.

When it comes to turf maintenance and the media – no news is good news.

An Update From Scott MacCallum

But to a large degree that’s sad. Why shouldn’t the great work carried on by turf professionals in Russia, West London and the east coast of Scotland be acclaimed? It’s only when something goes pear shaped that turf professionals are named and shamed.

Had Harry Kane slipped on a loose bit of turf and missed one of his penalties; or Novak Djokovic missed a potential Championship winning point because of a dodgy bounce; or Tiger Woods saw one of his better drives land in a divot and cost him that elusive 15th Major, we would have known the names of every Head Groundsman or Course Manager involved.

Like a good referee – although I do believe the arrival of the celebrity referee is changing this – it has all gone well if no-one has noticed you.

I do know that that situation suits many turf professionals. In a previous guise I wanted to run a campaign to encourage golf club members to get to know their Course Manager, but it didn’t fly. Greenkeepers, and assume most groundsmen, don’t like their heads above the parapet.

What I would say, however, is that no matter how strong your agronomy knowledge the ability to communicate is just as important.

I remember something a friend of mine, who was Chairman of Green at Muirfield Village, in Ohio, told me. He said that their course, which plays host to Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament every year and hosted the 1987 Ryder Cup, was always in perfect condition. He also told me that their Superintendent’s degree was in politics, not agronomy.

So, face up to your biggest critic. If you can’t talk round someone who is bound to have much less subject knowledge than you maybe your next training course should be in communications not soil science.