ECHO cuts a competitive edge

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ECHO cuts a competitive edge: ECHO is expanding its X Series range with best-in-class products and newly revised pricing for the 2020 season. This follows a year of exceptional growth in the commercial outdoor power tool sector.

“The X-Series is ECHO’s representation of best-in-class professional products and the company has found commercial users are attracted by the performance and quality of the machines, together with the industry-leading warranty support.” Says Matt Wilson, ECHO UK Sales Manager.

ECHO cuts a competitive edge

ECHO cuts a competitive edge

As part of the expansion, ECHO is also revising prices on its key commercial products, widening the access of commercial product to a larger market. The combination offers great potential for the professional user and contributes to ECHO’s growing competitive edge. Consider ECHO’s reputation for commercial product that is built to the highest possible standards in Japan and tested in the harshest environments. That sits well with the promise of balanced, ergonomic design for manoeuvrability and precision.

All of this is reflected in many of the commercial products which are even more competitive under the new pricing structure. In the brushcutter range, take for example the SRM-420TESU. With its 41.5cc engine, it’s ideal for contractors looking for a machine with plenty of power. ECHO hedgecutters have enjoyed a long, durable and economic reputation. This can be seen to further advantage in the HCR-165ES and HCR-185S low vibration models with rotational handles and the HCA-265ES-HD and HCA-2620ES-HD long reach articulating hedge cutters.

ECHO commercial chainsaws speak for themselves amongst professional users and the CS-501SX, CS-370ES and industry-leading CS-2511TES are competitively priced. The same applies to the professional 50V battery range of tools, the PAS-2620ES multi-tool, the extension pole and hedgecutter attachments.

The products mentioned, indeed the whole ECHO range, all carry an industry-leading 5-year domestic or 2-year professional warranty which adds further to weighing up ECHO with what’s in the market. Visit an authorised ECHO dealer and they are able to demonstrate the products so you really know what you’re getting, which by all accounts is a good deal more.

You can also visit www.echo-tools.co.uk or call 01844 278800 for more information.

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Ganton goes green with Deere

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Ganton goes green with Deere: One of the world’s top 80 courses, Ganton Golf Club in the Vale of Pickering ranks among the very best of Britain’s inland courses.

It has played host to many amateur and professional tournaments, including the Walker Cup in 2003 – so joining Royal Birkdale, The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers at Muirfield and Royal Lytham & St Annes as one of only four venues to have also staged the Curtis Cup and Ryder Cup matches.

Ganton goes green with Deere

Ganton goes green with Deere

Ganton will also be hosting an England v France International Match in May this year, and is scheduled to host the English Men’s Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship for the Brabazon Trophy and also the R&A Womens and Girls Home Internationals in 2021. The sandy, gently undulating site was once a North Sea inlet, so it has all the characteristics of both a links and a heathland course. Another striking feature is over 100 bunkers, some huge in size.

Head greenkeeper Andrew West says he has always had a vision of opening up more areas of the course to give it more of a links feel, and he is now beginning to achieve this more effectively since the club invested in a new set of John Deere hybrid electric E-Cut mowers. These were supplied by dealer F G Adamson & Son on a five-year finance lease deal with annual repayments from John Deere Financial.

“We’ve got some very challenging undulations here and around two hectares of aprons and collars altogether, which really can’t be managed with triples,” Andrew explains. “But with quite a low height of cut required at 7mm on these areas during the playing season, this was proving difficult to achieve with our previous five-gang mowers and we were always struggling to hold the cuts.

“However, I always felt we could do this job better and in a reasonable time frame with the right machine, so we spoke to our course consultant Gordon Irvine and he really influenced our thinking. Both he and the STRI’s head of agronomy Alistair Beggs encouraged us to consider following Royal Birkdale’s example, noting improvements to the course presentation and finish and complimenting the contribution John Deere’s 8000AE PrecisionCut fairway mower had made there.”

Following an extensive review and evaluation of the different manufacturers’ machines, the club opted for a John Deere package deal from Adamsons and the new hybrid mower fleet now includes two 8000AEs as well as two 2500E triplex and three 220E walk-behind greens mowers. These were joined by a 4049R compact tractor with front loader, two HPX diesel and two TE electric Gator utility vehicles, as well as a Charterhouse Verti-Drain 7416 aerator and top dresser.

“The whole team was involved in the process and John Deere scored the best in our view,” says Andrew. “In addition to all the course demonstrations that Adamsons organised, we visited Royal Birkdale and spoke to friends and other contacts in the industry, to see what they thought.

“The club rightly expects us to be accountable for our decisions, and to see improvements as a result of the investment in any new machinery. Reliable dealer service and parts support has to be there too, and knowing this was behind the deal also made our final decision easier.”

Another important element of the deal for Andrew and his team was the effort made by John Deere and Adamsons to deliver the quality of finish the club was looking for, as well as provide full training to the greens and workshop staff.

“Machine optimisation was the key focus, working closely and extensively with the club to identify the right machines and set them up exactly the way they wanted them by trying out different specifications and configurations,” says John Deere territory manager Marcus Morris. “Together with the dealership, we try our hardest to do what the customer needs and deliver on our promises.”

“The finance deal really helped a lot too,” says Andrew West. “Ganton has traditionally bought all its equipment outright, but this has probably held the club back from adopting the latest technology, and we’re really keeping up with the times now. For any club it’s amazing what John Deere Financial can do – this deal helped us to buy a JCB digger and the Verti-Drain. It was an extremely cost-effective way of purchasing our new equipment.

“I’m also convinced we’re saving money using the new E-Cut hybrid electric mowers, which provide both fuel savings and reduced noise levels. Overall, you can have the best agronomic advice in the world, but if you haven’t got the right equipment with the latest technology, it doesn’t necessarily work. Having started the process, I believe there’s a good future for John Deere at this club.”

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Company sets golden charity goal

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Company sets golden charity goal: A company which helps JCB customers to buy their machines has set itself a golden charity goal in celebration of 50 years in business.

JCB Finance – one of the biggest lenders to the UK’s construction and agricultural industry – is marking its milestone ‘birthday’ today (February 12th) with a pledge to raise £50,000 for children’s charity the NSPCC.

Company sets golden charity goal

Company sets golden charity goal

The money will be raised by a series of fundraising activities throughout 2020 – and to kick-start the campaign, JCB Finance is donating a JCB 8008 micro excavator to be auctioned online, with all proceeds going to the charity.

Set up on February 12th, 1970 under the name JCB Credit, JCB Finance has expanded massively from its humble beginnings, with JCB Chairman Lord Bamford as one of its original Directors. Today, JCB Finance provides hire purchase and leasing options for UK business customers and supports the JCB UK dealer network, facilitating the purchase of more than 250,000 new and used JCB machines over the past 50 years.

JCB Finance Managing Director Paul Jennings – who has worked for the firm for 41 years – said: “As we turn 50, we want to say a special thank you to our customers and dealers for their trust in allowing us to handle billions of pounds over the years on their behalf. Some businesses have dealt with us for three generations, which reinforces our belief that our efforts are trusted as knowledgeable partners.

“There have been radical changes to the way business is done over the past half century but the core mission of JCB Finance has remained the same: to support JCB customers with fantastic finance options with speed, efficiency and fairness.

“Throughout our history, we’ve made sure that we keep the personal touch and even with today’s digital world, we are committed to having ‘boots on the ground’. Customers can choose how we serve them, whether direct, on-line, via the JCB dealer network or our team of Specialist Managers in the field.”

Last year, JCB Finance celebrated another milestone when, for the first time in its history, the amount being lent to fund the purchase of machines broke through the £1 billion barrier. The company also won the coveted International Asset Finance Network award European Captive Finance Lessor 2019.

JCB Finance’s auction for the JCB 8008 Micro Excavator goes live for pre-registration from Wednesday, 12th February and bids can be placed online from Thursday, 12th March. Visit www.jcb-finance.co.uk to pre-register and make your bid. The winning bidder will be announced on Thursday 23rd April.

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Relief fund for Ciara victims

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Relief fund for Ciara victims: Storm damaged pitches and facilities could be back in use sooner than expected thanks to a new emergency flood relief fund from Sport England.

The effects of Storm Ciara are still being fully assessed but, in an attempt to rectify the damage as soon as possible, local authorities and community sports organisations are being invited to apply for a grant of up to £5,000 to pay for emergency repairs.

Relief fund for Ciara victims

Relief fund for Ciara victims

Gale force winds and torrential rain have left pitches, pavilions and floodlights in a state of disrepair, with Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire among the worst-hit areas.

The grants, which will come from the Community Asset Fund, can be provided in as little as three weeks. But chief executive, Tim Hollingsworth, has highlighted where attentions should be focused.

“When flooding happens, the priority must be making sure people are safe, they can get back into their homes and vital public services are back up and running,” he said.

“But we know from the floods in 2013 and 2015 that flood water can cause significant damage to sports pitches and pavilions, changing and social facilities.

“We’re making emergency funding available now so when the time is right sports organisations can pay for rebuilds and repairs quickly.

“We want to ensure that the sports facilities in local communities that help keep people physically active are not forgotten in the floods so they are ready to use as soon as people want them.”

The grants could typically be used to restore grass pitches, to repair and decontaminate flood or wind-damaged clubhouses, replace damaged electrical systems or dredge blocked drains.

The Community Asset Fund was designed to help communities quickly respond to emergencies or unexpected events that stop people from being active.

From damaged sports club roofs to areas hit by flood damage, our team aims to provide quick responses to those most badly affected.

Yorkshire Sport Foundation chief executive officer Nigel Harrison said his organisation is working with local authorities, national governing bodies and partner organisations in the west and south of the county to assess the full extent of the damage.

“The impact is far reaching and covers large parts of the area,” he said. “We welcome Sport England’s early intervention, and we look forward to working with them to help get the affected clubs and facilities up and running again as soon as possible.”

Organisations that need assistance with their application should contact the Funding line.

While guidance on dealing with both the aftermath of flooding and mitigating damage can be found on the sustainability page.

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