ECHO’s resounding success at SALTEX

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ECHO’s resounding success at SALTEX: ECHO put on a real show at Saltex with their range of commercial products for groundscare and landscaping professionals.

The stand largely featured the ECHO X Series line of products which redefine standards with low weight and high power. Two new products in the series were introduced, the ECHO CS-2511WES rear handle chainsaw and ECHO’s latest and most powerful backpack blower, the PB-8010.

ECHO’s resounding success at SALTEX

“We had  ECHO’s busiest ever Saltex over the two days this year,” says Matt Wilson, AriensCo UK Sales Manager, “with great interest in the X Series and 50v battery products we displayed. Visitors to the stand were knowledgeable and the sales leads were good quality.”

Power to weight ratio is where the emphasis lies in the ECHO CS-2511WES professional chainsaw, the lightest and most compact rear-handle chainsaw in the ECHO range. Handling it at the show, visitors were surprised at its light weight. At just 2.6kg (dry weight), it’s ideal for use over long periods without fatigue and yet, with its premium-grade ECHO two-stroke engine, it packs a powerful output of 1.1kW.

The ECHO PB-8010 backpack blower is built for professionals and offers industry-leading power and performance. The 79.9cc engine produces an air volume of  1818m3/h, an airspeed of 94.5m/sec (211mph) and a blowing force of 44N and yet it weighs just 11.2kg with its ergonomic, lightweight frame.

Also featured on the stand at Saltex were ECHO’s ground-breaking high torque brushcutters, with a 1:2 gear reduction ratio, delivering up to 50% more torque at the cutting head compared to previous models. ECHO offers a two-year professional warranty on their petrol and 50V battery tools.

AriensCo distributes the ECHO products across the UK through a network of authorised dealerships. To find out more about ECHO power tools go online at www.echo-tools.co.uk or call 01844 278800.

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New addition to the SCAG Stand-on mower range

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New addition to the SCAG Stand-on mower range: The V-Ride is a stand-on mower designed for professional use; the compact machine size, ease of manouevering and clear view for the operator have lead to the V-Ride becoming increasingly popular for intricate mowing areas.

The Ride-On SCAG machines, because they are purpose-built for grasscutting, place the operator directly above the cutting deck, and one of the main features on the new V-Ride is that the revised configuration of the stand-on deck follows the same concept, placing the operator nearer the centre of the machine.

New addition to the SCAG Stand-on mower range

The new version of the original V-Ride was announced in 2017 and had revised features that exhibit SCAG’s policy of continuous improvement and response to operator feedback, which combine to make them such a successful machinery manufacturer.

The latest machine in the range addresses the need for gate-access –

the new 2020 V-Ride 32 version.

The V-Ride 32A-16FX:

  • 32” Advantage Deck
  • 16HP Kawasaki FX
  • Electric start
  • Drive wheels: 20 x 6.5 – 10
  • Fuel capacity: 4 gallons
  • New style 2020 V-Ride operator pad
  • All other features as on the 36” V-Ride

The machines are available through the STM dealership network. To find your nearest dealer ring 01789 488450, email info@st-mach.com or look at our website www.st-mach.com

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GKB to showcase reliable products at BTME

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GKB to showcase reliable products at BTME: For the 5th year running, GKB will be attending the BTME 2020 show to showcase their range of machinery. The show will be taking place on 21st – 23rd January at the Harrogate Convention Centre.

Visitors can expect to see the Sandfiller, Sandspreader and Combiseeder on display at the show and will be impressed with the versatility on turf surfaces throughout the season.

GKB to showcase reliable products at BTME

With last year’s show seeing nearly 9,000 visitors from turf managers, golf club owners and industry decision-makers, the BTME 2020 is a great event from networking opportunities to seeing the latest innovation in the turf maintenance industry.

From perfection from the green until the tee and the perfect combination of maintaining and improving drainage systems, to discovering a fast and efficient way to seed or overseed your golf course. GKB Machines will be encompassing everything you need to maintain your golf courses during the year. Like the much loved Sandspreader enabling you to distribute a great variety of materials, GKB is proud to be presenting a range of our impressive, durable maintenance machines at the 2020 show, perfect for your golf course.

Tom Shinkins, Operations Manager, said “BTME is a great opportunity to exhibit our products for the golf sector.”  Tom adds, “The amount of course managers that attend the event for networking and educational needs is growing year on year and it’s vital that we are there at the show.” Visit us on stand Purple 406 to book your demonstrations.

For more on GKB Machines and their impressive range of machinery for natural, hybrid and synthetic turf, visit www.gkbmachines.com or contact us on 01778 348864.

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First European zero-turn mower built in Oxfordshire

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First European zero-turn mower built in Oxfordshire: The first zero-turn mower to be manufactured in Europe has been produced at the AriensCo factory in Great Haseley, Oxfordshire.

The decision by the US-owned company to build in Britain follows industry analysis which showed exceptional growth in demand for zero-turn mowers in the UK and Europe in recent years. Until now, zero-turns have mainly been imported from the US.

First European zero-turn mower built in Oxfordshire

“Sales of zero-turns in Europe have experienced outstanding growth over the past three years,” says Darren Spencer, AriensCo Vice President – EMEA and Asia. “We have experienced this growth in numerous markets and, based upon extensive research with our distribution partners, we expect the progress to continue. The industry analysis points to the many opportunities to be met by producing zero-turns at our Great Haseley plant. We currently sell into ten different countries within Europe and aim to increase our European footprint in 2020.”

Future growth is predicted to accelerate as the benefits of zero-turn mowers are understood by potential customers, namely increased speed of cut, greater versatility and overall productivity. Zero-turn production in the UK is seen to offer significant advantages, allowing for rapid delivery and improved availability throughout the year. There is also the potential for zero-turns to be adapted with features and benefits to meet local market needs. AriensCo says they have made a significant investment in the Oxfordshire factory with the new zero-turn production line, fixtures and tooling. A number of CE zero-turn models will be produced for European markets and close collaboration with the US will be maintained to match up to Ariens’ reputation for manufacturing quality, says the company.  Increased utilisation of the Great Haseley factory has provided operational cost benefits and will generate a number of new jobs for the area.

For more information visit ariens-uk.com or call 01844 278800.

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Farol use new Foley Company Grinders

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Farol use new Foley Company Grinders: Farol Golf and Turf Machinery Limited has purchased a Foley Company Accu-Pro 633 with Accu-Touch 3 Control and an Accu-Pro 661AT bedknife grinder to bolster their essential grinding operation.

Grinding is an integral part of the company’s business and is fundamental to what they offer to the golf and leisure industries. Their current relief grinder, an Accu-Master 650, has proved popular with technicians and was one of the reasons they decided to go with Foley again and continue working with ProSport UK Ltd. www.prosportukltd.com

Farol use new Foley Company Grinders

When it came time to decide on new grinders, after-sales manager for golf and turf, Oliver Longden, consulted with the technicians and appraised the Foley machines against others on the market.

“We had a look around at what else was available, but there was nothing comparable for what we need to do,” Oliver explained. “Our guys are already familiar with the Foley machines, and we’ve had a good history with our Accu-Master. We’ll continue using it alongside the Accu-Pro 633 during the peak grinding season because it still does exactly what we need it to.

“The most significant benefit with the 633 against other manufacturers is being able to relief grind correctly. We can relief grind any units without having to make massive changes to the machine, whereas with other manufacturers you must take a part off or swap something over and it all takes time.  With the Accu-Pro you can switch from 7 to 11 to whatever number of blades, easily and quickly.

“Once it’s set up everything is automated so the guys can get on with stripping down the next unit while it’s working, because you don’t have to keep coming back to it to make adjustments.

“The training function was another big plus for us. We sometimes get new technicians who haven’t used the machine before. It’s a very good feature because it shows them a step by step set-up and how to work it, so anyone can jump on it straight away and get going.”

The Accu-Pro 633 uses Accu-Touch 3 Control to fully automate spin and relief grinding. It features the automatic reel selector and cylinder height stop which automatically locates the reel for a fast and easy spin and relief grind in one quick set-up. Pre-set relief angles are easily identified on the relief angle adjuster, allowing technicians to effortlessly grind the correct angles and achieve proper clearances for each reel type.

The simplicity of operating the Accu-Pro 633 is mirrored in the Accu-Pro 661 AT bedknife grinder and was another important consideration for Oliver.

He said: “The selling point for us is that it’s a very simple and easy machine to use. We needed a machine that all the technicians with varying skill levels could use. Someone who has little experience of grinding can work just as well as someone with 20-years’ experience, and that ensures consistent quality. And again, once it’s set up and going, you can leave it to do the job and get on with other work, and that’s really the beauty of it.”

Farol recognises that when it comes to cutting, it is ultimately the blade’s that do the job. To achieve the best cut possible, they need to be sharp and restored to how they function best, which is by relief grinding them back to the original manufacturer’s own specification.

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