Woods widen their UK options

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Woods widen their UK options: Available in their successful Standard, Heavy Duty and Extreme models, for tractors between 130hp and 300hp, Woods Equipment have now added the new 20ft (6.3m) batwing rotary mowers to their range, specifically targeting grassland management.

Simon Richard the UK Agent for the Woods range comments, “these new 20:50, 20:60, and 20:70 models are available for immediate delivery and are ideal for groundcare contractors golf courses and also airports, confirming the Woods reputation for both quality and performance. They offer the Woods market leading 6 year warranty on all the gearboxes, including the ‘twin triple lipped ’seals.

Woods widen their UK options

Woods widen their UK options

The 33cm deep deck, quick release blades, clean deck system, all contribute to spending less time on the machine and more time cutting. We will have a range of Woods Mowers on display at this year’s Grassland and Muck show in May.”

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S&B groundsman passes away

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S&B groundsman passes away: The name Peter Dury will probably mean little to the current generation of Southport & Birkdale’s players or supporters.

Yet between 1961 and 1965 Dury, who died last month, built a reputation as the finest groundsman in the club’s history.

Moreover in a working life spanning half a century Dury carved out an impressive career in the sports and landscape industry as an inventor, pioneer of performance standards and a high-quality manager of playing facilities.

In 1961 S&B were still reeling from the sudden death of their groundsman Bert Ball
the previous June. The committee took the bold step to appoint 26-year-old Dury, who had previously been employed by the Derby Parks Department.

As a youngster Peter had been on Nottinghamshire’s ground staff and had even appeared in some second XI matches. He was also a qualified coach but it was as a groundsman that he made an immediate impact at Trafalgar Road.

County cricketers spoke of the excellence of Dury’s wickets and S&B’s historian, the late Ken Porter, wrote of him: “His keen love of the game, motivated by his sense of industry, ensured that the wicket and outfield reached a standard never previously attained. He never spared himself in ensuring that only the best was good enough”.

Dury also played some cricket on the pitches he had prepared.

He was a useful spin bowler and gifted batsman, although his groundsman’s duties largely restricted his appearances to Sunday games.

Nevertheless he scored a century against Crawfords in June 1964 before going out during the tea interval to prepare the wicket for the second innings of the match.

In 1964 Dury was one of only eight men in the country to be awarded the National Diploma of the National Association of Groundsmen.

This was the first of a myriad of awards which he was to earn in the years that followed.

He left S&B in 1965 to take up a more lucrative appointment as site supervisor for the Parks Department of Nuneaton Council and from there his career really took off.

Dury was recognised as a specialist in synthetic turf pitch and playground surfaces, and equally as a leading expert in natural turf pitch construction across the world. His talents were recognised in 2002 when he received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from the University of Essex.

In addition he received a life-time achievement award from the Institute of Groundsmanship the following year, when he also received the National Playing Fields Association President’s award.

He received the ECB Award for services to cricket in 2010 and two years later Peter was presented with an MBE for services to groundsmanship.

In 2018 Peter became the only person ever to receive a second lifetime’s achievement award from the Institute of Groundsmanship.

John McPartlin, who first met Peter when just 12 years old, recalls: “He was a lovely man and patiently put up with a few of us haunting the ground every day in the school holidays, following him around and asking him questions.

“At 11am we would all go and have a cup of tea with Peter and sitting around the old battered table he shared his sandwiches and cricketing knowledge, and without realising it, we would all be drawn into the hinterland of knowledge and tradition which makes cricket such a wonderful game.”

Peter is survived by his wife, Brenda and three sons.

His funeral will take place at 1pm on February 10 at Wilford Hill, Crematorium, Nottingham.

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New Gator is the most comfortable ever

New Gator is the most comfortable ever.

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New Gator is the most comfortable ever: John Deere’s new premium XUV 865R Gator is the most comfortable model ever produced in the company’s popular cross-over utility vehicle range.

This 23hp diesel-powered model combines the established high performance of the XUV 865M with a wide range of additional operator friendly features, including a luxurious cab environment.

New Gator is the most comfortable ever

New Gator is the most comfortable ever

Standard specification includes a continuously variable transmission with on-demand four-wheel drive, power steering, fully independent suspension and an attachment-ready electrical system. The quiet, fully equipped cab provides comfortable car-style seating for up to three people when driving off-road, as well as easy-opening door handles, a fully opening windscreen and a proven, extremely efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.

In addition, the cab features an attractive tan-coloured interior that has been ergonomically redesigned, with the easy-to-use automotive-style controls now conveniently located in the centre of the dash. The streamlined roof moves water to the outside edges, and both the high-level front and rear lights are set below the roof line for better protection.

The R trim specification also provides the fully enclosed cab with a wide range of extra standard features, including an adjustable 40/60 bench seat, tiltable steering wheel, sun visors, a windshield wiper and washer plus electrical wiring for attachments, as well as high- and low-beam LED headlights.

The XUV 865R Gator is powered by an 854cc three-cylinder, liquid-cooled OHV diesel engine producing 23hp at 3600rpm, with a top speed of 31mph (50kph) in high range. The true 4WD system has an auto-locking front differential and dash-mounted electronic rocker switch for easy operation.

New Gator is the most comfortable ever

New Gator is the most comfortable ever

To complement the robust frame, the vehicle is equipped with four-wheel independent suspension. This has been designed to provide a smooth ride and optimum load carrying ability over challenging terrain, without compromising ride quality or vehicle stability.

The versatile deluxe cargo box is made of a durable composite material that eliminates rust and dents and reduces noise. There is an automotive style tailgate handle and the rear lights are available with optional protectors. The cargo box can be easily converted to a flat-bed and has a load capacity of 454kg, while towing capacity is 900kg and total payload is 680kg.

For extra versatility the new John Deere XUV 865R Gator utility vehicle can be fitted with a wide range of attachments from snow blades to winches, and features a large 42-litre fuel tank for longer running between fill-ups.

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New Turf Rewards for 2020.

New Turf Rewards for 2020

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New Turf Rewards for 2020: ICL and Syngenta are pleased to announce some exciting updates to the Turf Rewards loyalty scheme for 2020.

Turf Rewards provides the opportunity for customers to earn points from purchases that can then be exchanged against a fantastic selection of agronomic or turf related items and learning opportunities.

New Turf Rewards for 2020.

New Turf Rewards for 2020.

With an extensive range of items already on offer, new rewards for 2020 include:

  • £350 F R Jones voucher- F R Jones specialise in horticultural and arboricultural equipment, supplies and service. They are stockists of leading landscaping and forestry brands including Stihl and Husqvarna.
  • £150 Sports Metals voucher – Sports Metals are home of the extracut-brush, and provide a bespoke range of products specifically designed to help your turf management.
  • Turfgrass Management book – Written by A J Turgeon and J E Kaminski, this book has been designed as a basic text for beginning students of turfgrass science and management.

New qualifying products for 2020 includes the Sportsmaster fertilizer range and new pack sizes of Ryder turf pigment (5 litre) and Primo Maxx II growth regulator (20 litre). Making it even easier to build your points balance.

Customers simply log their purchases of qualifying ICL and Syngenta products from any authorised distributor on the Turf Rewards website and points are automatically added to their account.

Turf Rewards continues to grow year-on-year and an increasing number of greenkeepers and turf managers are signing up to the loyalty scheme.

Greig Easton, Head Greenkeeper at Hayling Golf Club in Hampshire, recently praised the initiative after claiming a Davis Weather Station, a TDR 350 Moisture Meter, £900 in Machine Mart Vouchers, a Prism Gauge and Macroscope, a DJI Mavic Air Drone and a SS-2 Drop Spreader.

“The Turf Rewards scheme has been greatly beneficial to the team and myself at Hayling,” he said. “It has allowed us to purchase a range of tools which make our work more efficient and professional. The Weather Station and Moisture Meter have made recording data and improving our irrigation efficiency far easier. Hand and power tools purchased with the Machine Mart Vouchers have allowed us to gain all the necessary equipment we needed for machinery maintenance and fabrication. The drone has proved a great addition for planning and recording course improvement projects and for producing professional looking presentations for our membership.”

Trevor Wilkin, Grounds Manager at Blackburn Rovers FC, has recently claimed an SR-2000 Spreader and the Team Scout Sprayer, and claims that the loyalty scheme has helped his budget go that much further.

“Being able to claim both the Team ScoutSprayer and SR-2000 Spreader through Turf Rewards has been great for us as a club as they have allowed me to apply the products I use perfectly at the same time as saving my budget – meaning it goes further. The sprayer has meant I no longer need to use heavy machinery to apply liquid products which allows me flexibility on timing of applications.”

If you would to find out more about Turf Rewards visit www.turfrewards.com or contact the Turf Rewards team directly by emailing info@turfrewards.com

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

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Pellenc is ‘top of the game’ for Peter O’Brien.

Pellenc is ‘top of the game’

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Pellenc is ‘top of the game’ for Peter O’Brien: Peter O’Brien Landscaping & Sons, one of Ireland’s leading landscape and sports ground companies, has invested in a large fleet of Pellenc battery powered equipment.

Peter O’Brien Landscaping & Sons, founded in 1963, is a family run business, which has rapidly grown over recent years. The company, which specialises in design, construction and maintenance, has gained widespread plaudits for its quality of work and recently scooped the prestigious Landscape Contractor of the Year and Sports Turf Contractor of the Year awards for 2019.

Pellenc is ‘top of the game’ for Peter O’Brien.

Pellenc is ‘top of the game’ for Peter O’Brien.

With over 100 members of staff and a huge arsenal of green space management equipment at its disposal, Andy Jones, Maintenance Supervisor for Peter O’Brien’s, believes that the company has a responsibility to manage the impact the tools are having on the environment.

“We are always conscious at looking at our carbon footprint,” he says. “It is massive for us – particularly as we look towards the future. There is no point in us creating beautiful wildflower meadows and putting in pollinator plants when we are using petrol and diesel machinery – it just seems to defeat the purpose.”

The company soon embarked on an extensive search to identify a new fleet of battery powered equipment, and as Andy explains, no stone was left unturned in their quest.

“Electric machinery is a huge trend nowadays and we felt it was imperative to purchase the very best we could find on the marketplace. We conducted a huge amount of research over a three-month period. We carefully read product specifications, spoke to end users and attended SALTEX in order to pinpoint the leading manufacturers.

“We soon concluded that the Pellenc products are quite simply at the very top of the game.”

Pellenc products have recently become more accessible in the Republic of Ireland after Camsaw Ltd, a County Laois based business, was announced as the country’s exclusive distributor for Pellenc. Camsaw work with a widespread network of dealers to extend the reach of Pellenc, and it was one of these dealers – Leinster Turf Equipment, that Andy first contacted.

“We spoke to Leinster Turf Equipment about the Pellenc products and they conducted a demonstration at one of our sites in Dublin.  It turned out to be our first purchase with Leinster and it must be said that it is a great company to work with. The staff are very friendly and helpful, and, in my opinion, it gives you faith in the products and service even more when you are dealing with a professional company.”

After being hugely impressed with the demonstration, the decision was made to purchase a large fleet of Pellenc battery powered equipment which included a range of Rasion Basic pushmowers, Excelion 2000 brushcutters, Helion 2 Compact hedge trimmers, Helion Telescopic hedge trimmers, Airion 2 hand blowers and Selion polesaws – all powered by 1500 ultra-lithium batteries.

“We spread the Pellenc products between residential sites and the city centre in Dublin and then we have another fleet on two big commercial sites,” Andy continues.

“Ultimately, the feedback from everyone within the company is that we should have done this sooner. From the weight of the product, the finish of the product, the lack of noise pollution and the most important thing, and this is where Pellenc blew everyone else out of the water, is the battery times. We can easily get a full day’s work out of these products and we don’t have to worry about the hassle of charging them while on a job.

“The Pellenc products have also increased productivity – particularly in the city centre and the residential areas. Before we had these products, it used to be a case of the staff members sitting in the yard until 8am before they could get into these highly populated areas. However, now we can get to the sites at 7am and we are not waking people up or disturbing anyone. This has been a huge benefit.

“The quality of the work is outstanding, and it reflects what we, as a company are about, in offering a service of the highest standard.

“This has been our first taster of green technology, and it has been so good that we are rolling this out even further next year. The conversation has been had with the directors and very soon all of the vans will be kitted out with Pellenc equipment.”

Pellenc products are exclusively distributed in the Republic of Ireland by Camsaw Limited.

For further information, please visit www.pellencuk.com

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