Charity chipping raises over £40,000

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Charity chipping raises over £40,000: The Jensen team at Machinery Imports were delighted to return for the third year to Wiltshire College and University Centre in February, supporting a fundraising activity that has reached over £40,000 since December!

Delivered each year at the Lackham campus, Wiltshire College and Jensen join forces with Dorothy House to chip over 3,500 unwanted Christmas trees collected throughout January from the Wiltshire and Swindon area.

Charity chipping raises over £40,000

Charity chipping raises over £40,000

Dorothy House is a charity which provides end of life care and support for patients with terminal illnesses across Wiltshire and North East Somerset.

In January, their volunteers collected more than 3,500 Christmas trees, delivering trees to the Lackham campus where a Jensen A540 woodchipper, loaned free of charge from local Jensen dealer T H WHITE Groundcare, was on hand to reduce them ready for upcycling.

The session was delivered by Bill Johnston, business manager for Jensen in the UK, partnered by Stuart Fry, area sales manager at T H WHITE Groundcare, who not only managed the chipping of the trees but also demonstrated and taught safe industry practice to students and apprentices on Lackham’s Horticulture and Landcaping courses.

The tracked A540 was the perfect woodchipper for the task, with a hugely powerful feed roller grip, wide infeed hopper and 8-inch chipping capacity – making light work of the bulky trees and reducing them into a fine chip quickly and efficiently at a rate of 18m3/h. The chippings were then loaded onto trailers ready for use on woodland trail paths throughout the campus, making sure they found a second life and avoiding waste.

The A540 Spider is considered by many to be the ‘ultimate tracked woodchipper’. Its independently controlled hydraulic tracks make it agile, compact and manoeuvrable on flat, sloping and awkward terrain, whilst retaining superb stability and exceptional ground clearance.

“Each year we are delighted to return and support this excellent fundraising initiative in partnership with Dorothy House and the team at Lackham” commented Bill.

“Not only do we help transform unwanted trees into something useful, we provide the students with valuable, practical experience in woodchipper use and safety, and help Dorothy House with their campaign which is always hugely successful and of great benefit in our wider community.”

Fran D’Argenio, Marketing Officer at the college, added, “Lackham’s Horticulture and Landscape Gardening apprentices and students benefited hugely from the workshop, chipping some 3,500 Christmas trees. The learners gained real hands-on experience and invaluable industry knowledge, as well as participating in a great effort for charity which raised over £40,000.”

Find out more about the Jensen A540 and the wider range of towed, tracked and PTO woodchippers available from Jensen at www.jensenchippers.co.uk

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Johnsons fungicide savings at Norwich

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Johnsons fungicide savings at Norwich: After switching over to Johnsons Sports Seed four years ago, the grounds team at Norwich City Football Club haven’t looked back.

The combination of Johnsons J Pitch, and J Premier Pitch, have been used at the Carrow Road stadium and across the surfaces at the club’s training ground. While delivering improved disease resistance and great wear tolerance, it’s the speed of establishment that has really impressed Grounds Manager Gary Kemp.

Johnsons fungicide savings at Norwich

Johnsons fungicide savings at Norwich

“One of the main issues we have is the very short turnover period between the end of the season and the start of the next” explains Gary, who heads up a team of nine grounds staff. “With concerts and other events we often have just a few weeks to complete our renovations.” With the advice of his DLF Seeds Regional Technical Manager Craig Spooner and external contractors, this is now possible. “As our window of opportunity reduced, we trialled various seed mixtures and found that Johnsons delivered the quickest and strongest germination and establishment.”

Now solely using the Johnsons J Premier Pitch and J Pitch mixtures, Gary has been very happy with the results across the two facilities. “Year on year it helps us deliver our renovations on time, giving great wear tolerance and great colour which is particularly important for our stadium pitch. This last year has also been one of the best years we’ve had in terms of disease occurrence, despite the peaks and troughs we had with temperatures and rainfall. We think we’ve saved close to £10,000 in fungicide applications this year, and this is only going to become more important, with changes in legislation, moving forward.”

“With Johnsons, you know that there’s a huge amount of research and development going on behind the scenes to develop mixtures that help us out with everyday problems, such as disease resistance, the ever-challenging issues with the weather and shade issues in stadia. The results we’ve achieved with their mixtures are proof that we can withstand those factors and it puts us in the best position to cope with whatever is thrown at us moving forward.”

J Pitch and J Premier Pitch deliver deep rooting, rapid growth – ready to mow in under five weeks. Their hard-wearing nature makes them ideal for football & rugby pitches, training grounds and hybrid surfaces.

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Spring spraying tips

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Spring spraying tips: With Spring soon upon us, now is the time that equipment is being prepared for the busy period ahead.

Along with the usual maintenance and service schedules, you will probably already have in place, I want to focus your mind on sprayers to help ensure they are in top condition before use, and which in turn will help reduce downtime during the season and keep you within the law.

Spring spraying tips

Spring spraying tips

The Sustainable Use Directive (SUD) is a legal requirement and must be met by everyone using and applying professional pesticides. This includes completing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan, operator training and qualifications and the testing of all pesticide application equipment. I am sure you are aware of the requirements but the SUD, which came to force in 2012, brought in mandatory testing from 2016 of all machines over 5 years old.

When the Directive was introduced, sprayers over 3 metres wide had to have a re-test every 5 years. From November this year they must be tested at least every 3 years. It is important to remember this move to more frequent testing to ensure you do not get caught out. Along with boom sprayers there is the need for boat mounted equipment, weed wipers and seed treating equipment, as well as other types, to be tested by the relevant dates – see the decision tree to check when your equipment needs testing.

Equipment that does not require a National Sprayer Testing Scheme (NSTS) test are knapsack, handheld and pedestrian sprayers. The minimum obligation here is that they are inspected on a regular basis, repairs are made as necessary and that a record should be kept of the checks carried out – a checklist is available from the NSTS website. Having said this, several knapsack sprayers are NSTS tested, especially where they are used in areas with high public access.

The National Action Plan (NAP) is currently under its 5-year review and it has widely been expressed there is a need to show far more determination within the new document. Because the plan covers all areas of pesticide use, we do not know what changes will be made but I believe IPM will feature heavily, with protecting the environment and watercourses at the forefront. Protecting British waterways is becoming increasingly important and with regular monitoring of water quality already being carried out we need to ensure that pesticides are applied safely and accurately to help avoid any exceedances, which in turn will help ensure that we retain the pesticides currently available.

We always advocate best practice and would always recommend annual testing of sprayers. We have an operator check sheet available on the NSTS website to download and use, both during the spraying season and in preparation for an NSTS test. Included in the 50 checks carried out on each machine is the condition of hoses, leaks and drips and the accuracy of gauges and nozzles, to name a few. Over application must be avoided; not only does it risk crop damage to the area being sprayed but it is expensive. With some tank mixes costing in the region of £1,000 each, if nozzles are worn by 10% the maths are easy to see.

The NSTS test, which is carried out by qualified examiners, not only gives peace of mind that you are operating your sprayer within the law but also that safe and accurate applications are being made, potentially saving you money from over application, and reducing downtime on the few ideal spray days available.

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Q&A with Tim Yates

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Q&A with Tim Yates: Q&A with Tim Yates, Business Development Manager- Groundcare, Kubota UK 

After 20 years at Kubota, how are you finding your new role? 

The groundcare sector is well known for being friendly one. Since moving into the Business Development Manager role at Kubota’s groundcare division in December, I have enjoyed a warm welcome from our dealer network, many of whom I have known for the last few decades.

Q&A with Tim Yates

Q&A with Tim Yates

I’ve spent that last 20 years at Kubota and, over this time period, I’ve occupied many different roles within the company. Thanks to this, when moving into my new position, I already had a really solid understanding of the UK business and our customer base, alongside the connections and tools often required to make swift decisions and keep business processes fluid. I also possessed an understanding of the Kubota business as a global entity, having worked closely with our European and Japanese colleagues over the years.

These experiences have enabled my transition to be a smooth one. I have taken on my new responsibilities whilst continuing to work closely with the rest of the wider team at Kubota and engage with our dealer network. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for our groundcare division.

Can you tell us about Kubota’s latest updates to its groundcare range? 

From a product perspective our main focus at the moment is to ensure that our line up meets the Stage V emissions regulations which impact products over 19kw. Being the largest manufacturer in the world of industrial diesel engines under 100hp, Kubota are particularly well placed to meet these new regulations and adopt the compliant engines into our groundcare product portfolio.

We’re also currently placing an emphasis on customer and machine support. As part of a push around these areas, we’ve launched Kubota Care. This is a fully Kubota-backed extended warranty option, meaning that customers can now fully cover their machines against unforeseen expensive repair costs for 5 years. This can help to ensure that a customer’s machine is maintained to the highest possible standards and serviced by Kubota-trained service engineers. The entire warranty can be wrapped up as part of a maintenance agreement and by utilising it – alongside the Kubota Finance options we offer – customers can get more value for their money than ever before.

Are there any machines in particular that are proving popular at the moment? Why do you think this is? 

The zero-turn mower market is one that grows each year. These machines make the task of grass cutting quicker, more efficient and more enjoyable. Our ZD1211 model falls under this range of machinery. Designed to offer faster, improved cutting performance, whilst ensuring that user ease and comfort are still front of mind, this machine is proving popular with our customers.

Each year, more and more people are seeing the benefit of cutting around obstacles in on swift pass, therefore we expect this market to continue to grow moving forward.

What do Kubota customers typically look for when it comes to groundcare machinery? How does Kubota look to deliver on this?

Typically, customers are looking for high quality machinery that delivers on reliability, efficiency and cost.

Having operated within the UK market since the 70’s, Kubota brings decades of experience and expert knowledge to the table. We support our customers through their buying decisions and then provide a high standard of after care.

Put simply, over the years, our products have spoken for themselves. That’s how we have the reputation we have today; as a reliable company that provides sound products and caters to its customers. The important role that our strong dealer network plays in this cannot be overstated. They ensure that our customers’ expectations are not only met but exceeded.

Our end goal is always to align our services and products to our customers’ needs; whether that’s today or in the future.

What are your plans for Kubota’s groundcare division moving forward? 

Kubota is an engineering company at heart, so from a product design point of view we know that the machines of tomorrow are being designed today and we always try to be at the fore-front of this.

On the UK business front, we will look to further focus on the aftersales market, with the Kubota Care extended warranty packages, maintenance agreements, leasing and other finance options from Kubota Finance.

Do you think that client demand is likely to change and how? 

Customers will always demand more. After all, everyone wants to develop their business in order to outpace their competitors. This is true of every sector, whether it is groundcare, manufacturing or even retail. In the groundcare space, having the right machinery can play a big part in standing out from the crowd and delivering on productivity and efficiency goals.

Although we can’t be certain about what customers will be demanding from their groundcare machinery in the future, Kubota needs to be one step ahead of the curve. As such, we continually investing in innovations – such as electric technologies – in order to be better than ‘the best’ and keep our customers happy.

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Hunter the choice at Arthur Miller Stadium

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Hunter the choice at Arthur Miller Stadium: Daniel Connor, groundsman at the Arthur Miller Stadium in Leeds, has reported excellent results since a new Hunter Industries irrigation system from KAR UK was installed.

The Arthur Miller Stadium is home to Stanningley Sports & Rugby Club and is used as a training base for the Leeds Rhinos first-team. It also plays host to Rhinos’ Academy teams from under 6’s up to under 19’s.

Hunter the choice at Arthur Miller Stadium

Hunter the choice at Arthur Miller Stadium

Overseeing the maintenance of the full-sized pitch and three smaller pitches is Daniel Connor, who says that the playing surfaces have significantly improved since the new irrigation system was installed.

“We used to connect our old system up to the mains and used to do four runs which took six hours just to get a bit of water on the pitch,” said Daniel. “In the heat of the summer you just could never get enough water on it no matter how hard you tried with the old irrigation system. The pitch literally used to dry out in hot weather and from May until July it used to turn into a dust bowl. It was rock solid to play on and we lost grass coverage straight down the middle.”

“I looked around to see what was on the market and I also got a number of quotes,” continued Daniel. “We had a lot of options but we were most impressed with KAR UK who came to visit us. They came across incredibly professional and knowledgeable and we concluded that the Hunter System from KAR UK was our preferred choice.”

As a result, KAR UK – the UK and Ireland distributor of Hunter Industries irrigation equipment, supplied a variety of G885 and I-40 rotary sprinklers, PGV valves, an ACC2 controller with Wi-Fi and a Roam remote.

The I-40 is a tough commercial rotor that delivers water with accuracy and efficiency at distances up to 23.2 m. Featuring diverse three-port nozzle options, a non-strippable drive, and a thick rubber cover built to prevent injury; it’s no wonder this rotor is found in more stadiums than any other in the world. With the strength of stainless steel, the I-40 is built to last in the harshest sports, public park, and commercial environments.

Working in harmony with the I-40’s, the G885 rotary sprinklers boast one of the highest torque outputs on the market and its patented gear drive will push through anything that gets in its way. With such a powerful core, an array of efficient nozzles, and true full circle and part circle capabilities, the G885 is relied on by turf managers throughout the globe. Throw in the convenient serviceability of Total Top Service (TTS) and Decoder-In Head (DIH) technology, and you don’t just have the most powerful choice in rotors, you’ve got the most intelligent choice as well.

Hunter the choice at Arthur Miller Stadium

Hunter the choice at Arthur Miller Stadium

Daniel also benefits from the use of the ACC2 controller which is ideal for delivering advanced water management to meet the demands of large-scale commercial projects and the Roam remote – which eliminates the need to go back and forth to the sprinkler controller.

“Since we have had the new system installed the difference in the pitch has been phenomenal,” he said. “It has also made my life so much easier. The controls are incredibly effective and simple to use and we can now water at night which has been a huge benefit. From a maintenance point of view, it is very straight forward. It’s a simple screw and you can get right into the head without having to dig them out.

“It really does offer top performance. The rotors go 360°, head-to-head and we can now get water onto the middle of the pitch – which is something we previously struggled with.

“Ultimately, I’m over the moon with the system. We’ve been able to maintain grass coverage and we have a consistently good playing surface.”

Hunter Industries is distributed in the UK by KAR UK. For more information, please visit www.karuk.com or www.hunterindustries.com.

You can also follow KAR UK on Twitter @KARUK_LTD for much more news, reviews and insightful views.

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