Energy Purchase More Gators

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Energy Purchase More Gators: Leading event equipment supply company Energy Generator Hire Limited, based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, has recently added a record beating 51 John Deere Gator 4×4 utility vehicles to its UK hire fleet, which now numbers in excess of 170 units.

Supplied by Farol Limited of Milton Common near Thame in Oxfordshire and supported by John Deere Financial, the purchase of the XUV 855D two-seater models was already the largest single order for Gators in the UK, before they were joined shortly afterwards by another 12 S4 four-seater versions to keep up with customer demand.

Energy Purchase More Gators

Energy Generator Hire was established in 2004 with just one generator by owner and managing director Tom Carr, who identified a market opportunity to offer a one stop shop, full turnkey service to the events industry.

The company now specialises in short, medium and long term hire of power and generation equipment to various industry sectors, including events, construction, motor racing and, in the near future, the equestrian market. Energy will also be venturing into the electric vehicles sector in line with its sustainability and environmental policies.

“I was always intrigued by the events industry, and initially concentrated on temporary power supply services,” says Tom. “On visiting customer venues more frequently, we soon realised that all-terrain vehicles were also in great demand, and so expansion of The Energy Group began naturally from there.”

Energy bought its first John Deere Gator in 2015, initially for use at the company’s premises, but it wasn’t long before enquiries for the vehicle started flooding in. Due to Energy’s longstanding relationship with Farol area sales manager John Bennetts and John Deere Financial, the Gator fleet has increased rapidly due to a mix of repeat custom and new business.

“When you delve into a new aspect of any business, market and product research are key,” says Tom. “We studied all types of machine in the ATV market, and after gaining feedback from our clients, particularly festival organisers, it was John Deere who stood out as the number one choice.

“The new Gators were ordered with full specification to ensure they meet all our customers’ needs, delivering a premium product to stand alongside our first-rate service. They are fast becoming the industry standard and are more often than not requested by the end user due to their reliability and durability.

“We’ve found that the John Deere Gator can handle all kinds of terrain with ease, and due to their high specification they can also be used safely and efficiently 24 hours a day by our ever-expanding client base, both indoors if required as well as outdoors. In addition, all of our hire vehicles are Trackered and barcoded, not only for security but also to ensure fleet management and logistics are streamlined.

“This is vital, considering that the company’s entire machinery fleet now numbers more than 500 units. Add to this the fully comprehensive and strict maintenance schedule entrusted to Farol, and we can offer complete peace of mind to our clients countrywide.”

John Deere Financial area sales manager Christophe Verteneuil says: “This deal was the perfect example of consulting with a valued client to ensure the best available package was structured to suit both our lending criteria and the customer’s needs.

“Primarily, to manage a transaction of this scale, we arranged a credit line after gaining an understanding of Tom’s business challenges and opportunities. Flexibility was key, from identifying the most suitable financial product to being adaptable with regards to the payment schedule, which we were able to match to the seasonal cashflow of the business.”

Tom Carr adds: “Residual value is also very important when undertaking an investment of this magnitude. John Deere Gators, when serviced and maintained correctly, hold their market value well and this is extremely beneficial when renewing our fleet.”

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New Exhibitors At Turf Maintenance Live

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New Exhibitors At Turf Maintenance Live: Two new companies, Agria UK and Price Turfcare, are exhibiting at Turf Maintenance Live in October, joining the established group that includes Ernest Doe & Sons, GKB Machines, Husqvarna UK, Iseki UK, Martin Lishman, Rigby Taylor, Wessex International and Wiedenmann UK.

Registration is now open for this annual showcase from the leading manufacturers and distributors of turf maintenance equipment, which is being held at the Woollam Playing Fields, Harpenden Rd in St. Albans on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 October.

New Exhibitors At Turf Maintenance Live

Entrance to the event, now in its fifth year, is free but pre-registration is essential with BIGGA and IOG members able claim CPD points for their attendance.

Visitors interested in attending the event and seeing the latest innovations and equipment in action can register by completing a registration form online at: https://www.turfmaintenancelive.com/ or email register@turfmaintenancelive.com .

Explaining why he made the decision to join the Turf Maintenance Live team this year, Rupert Price of Price Turfcare said,

“We have been distributing the Ventrac 4500 compact tractor and its range of attachments for just two and half years and, in that short time, it has been extremely well received by the UK groundscare industry. What we have learned is that prospective customers have to see the machine, up close and personal, to fully appreciate its versatility and that’s why we’ve come on board. We’re hoping that we can demonstrate its capabilities to as many people as possible at St. Albans in October.”

Jason Bristow of Agri UK added,

“Like Price Turfcare, we are new to the UK market and this is the obvious event to demonstrate the range of equipment that we have to offer groundscare sector. Unlike SALTEX, which we will be attending later in October, the visitors here can see the equipment in a working environment and gain a comprehensive understanding of their features and benefits. We’re looking forward to seeing as many prospective buyers as possible across the two days.”

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JCB Diggers In Full Production

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JCB Diggers In Full Production: JCB has made manufacturing history by going into full production with the construction industry’s first fully electric mini excavator – with more than 50 machines already delivered.

The 19C-1E models – JCB’s first-ever electric diggers – are now coming off the assembly line at JCB Compact Products in Cheadle, Staffordshire, with orders rolling in from customers from across Europe and North America.

JCB Diggers In Full Production

The machine is a staggering five times quieter than its diesel counterpart and can be fully charged in under two hours. The model is expected to be a big hit with companies working inside buildings and in emissions and noise-sensitive inner-city areas. Fully charged, the 19C-1E can put in a typical full day’s shift for a mini excavator.

The 19C-1E will also offer customers great cost-of-ownership benefits, with research highlighting that over the first five years, charging costs will be 50 per cent cheaper for customers who would otherwise be using red diesel. Servicing costs are also expected to be up to 70 per cent lower compared to the diesel model.

JCB Chief Innovation Officer Tim Burnhope said: “In urban environments in particular, contractors are understandably very keen to operate zero emissions equipment whenever possible, including outdoors. I’m delighted that the model is now in full production after successful feedback from customers in many key markets during the evaluation stage.”

JCB Compact Products’ MD Robert Winter said: “This is a historic moment for JCB and for JCB Compact Products. We are delighted to go into full production with the industry’s first fully electric mini excavator. The machine has a very promising future ahead of it.”

Using leading automotive battery technology, the zero emissions and low noise 19C-1E delivers all of the performance of a conventional diesel-powered 1.9-tonne mini excavator. The machine comes with JCB’s LiveLink telematics as standard.

The machine is perfect for working indoors or outdoors, in factories, tunnels or basements, for digging foundations, or on utility projects.

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RTC A Hit At St Mirren

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RTC A Hit At St Mirren: To keep on top of the maintenance of a newly-laid 4G astro surface at their Ralston Training Complex, St Mirren FC have purchased an RTC unit from Charterhouse Turf Machinery.

For the facility’s sole Groundsman, Alan Michie, it has improved both the efficiency and speed of regular surface brushing.

RTC A Hit At St Mirren

Forming part of the 3.7 hectare site, the artificial pitch is home to first team and academy training throughout the week, and matches at the weekend. “Just before the 4G pitch was open for play in September, I was very pleased to find a new RTC brush unit from Charterhouse land at my door” explains Alan, who has been running the training ground for the last two and a half years. “We had previously used a tractor and brush combination which wasn’t the most practical – timely to set up and, being in one of the wettest areas in the country, often meant I was unable to get out at all.”

“The Chairman and Head Groundsman at the stadium had been in talks with Ian Lauder of Charterhouse and decided the versatility and simplicity of the RTC was a perfect fit to keep on top of the regular maintenance. Ian came in to do some training with me, but it’s so simple to use, it’s fantastic. If I’m struggling for time, the guy who looks after our youth department will go out and brush for me. He finds it therapeutic!”

The convenience of a self-contained unit means Alan can easily keep up with the regular maintenance on the high-wear surface, brushing on average five or six times a week. The RTC brushes fold to allow storage and access through gaps as narrow as 90cm, although when deployed, the unit will cover an impressive 200cm in one-pass. “I can also use the tow bar on the back to take other tools out with me that I use for work on the natural grass pitches. It pulls a small trailer no problem.”

Proving itself to be a real multi-purpose machine, Alan adds, “it does a fantastic job of levelling off the pitch, spreading the rubber well to prevent compaction. The ongoing maintenance of the unit is also very simple. For me, it’s crucial that the maintenance is simple, but effective. For this, the RTC is ideal.”

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John Ledwidge Talks Groundsmanship

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John Ledwidge Talks Groundsmanship: John Ledwidge always wanted to work on a football pitch. But rather than dreaming about becoming a star striker, he a wrote a letter to his local club, Coventry City, to ask about gaining work experience as a groundsman when he was just 13.

The 28-year-old is now head of sports turf and grounds at Leicester City Football Club (LCFC) and says there is a lot more to being a groundsman than he first thought. “It’s often stereotyped as men in flat caps and ride-on mowers, which is completely off the mark,” he says.

John Ledwidge Talks Groundsmanship

“In reality, we’re scientists, horticulturalists and project managers all rolled into one. You nurture the pitch like it’s your baby. It becomes an obsession to have everything from the markers to the pH balance of the soil pitch perfect.”

Mr Ledwidge left school at 16, against the advice of a careers advisor, and started working full time at Coventry City, having volunteered at the grounds for the previous three years. He later moved to LCFC and decided he wanted to be a groundsman at a Premier League club by the time he was 30. That happened for him when LCFC were promoted from the Championship when he was 24.

‘It becomes an obsession’

“The standout moment of my career, and that of the entire club, was winning the Premier League in 2016. We stood together at the sidelines and watched the team lift the trophy from what we felt was the best seat in the house. Of course, this meant that Leicester City were in the Champions League the following year too.

“We had to act as the players in pre-match rehearsals and lined up in the tunnel and walked out to the iconic music. It was a dream for anyone who loves the game.”

Before a 3pm kick-off, Mr Ledwidge arrives at the grounds at 6.30am for pitch preparation. He works with a team of 14 others, and hopes to take on more people next season through the club’s apprenticeship scheme.

The first task of that day is to brush the pitch to remove the dew that settled on it overnight. Grounds staff monitor moisture levels every day. Afterwards, the grass is cut to 22mm with a pedestrian mower for a high-quality, even surface.

“Accuracy is more important than ever with this year’s introduction of video assistant referees (VAR) and marking perfect white lines is integral for the calibration,” he says. “This is a big part of goal line technology too. High standards are key with almost 10 million people watching worldwide.”

Every groundsperson stays fit by walking about 35,000 steps a day ahead of a match and 25,000 on a regular day.

“Once the referee test is complete, we’ll give the pitch a final water to give the ball the speed and slickness required for a Premier League game. Finally, before kick-off, I relay test results and conditions to coaching team and sports scientists, so the players know what to expect.”

He is not just based in Leicester. A surprising amount of time is spent travelling the world, he says. “Grounds staff and volunteers have a great network with international clubs, so we’ll visit one another to share knowledge and help boost the quality of professional and grassroots grounds. This month, we’re going to Thailand to help educate local communities in turf care and management at a grassroots level.”

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