G860 upgraded at Caley Thistle

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G860 upgraded at Caley Thistle: Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC has said goodbye to its trusty 19-year-old Dennis cylinder mower and welcomed a new G860 as its replacement.

“If you can have a mower that is 19 years old, and it still gives you that kind of cut and presentation – then just imagine what a newer model will do!”

G860 upgraded at Caley Thistle

G860 upgraded at Caley Thistle

Head Groundsman Dale Stephen admits that it did not take much to convince Scot Gardiner, the CEO to buy a new Dennis G860 – he simply had to look at the job his old one was doing. However, it could have been a quite different story and Dale admits that he was somewhat guilty of judging a book by its cover.

“When I first joined, I went into the tractor shed and looked at what machines and equipment I had to work with,” he said.

“There were only a handful of machines and there was this old Dennis G860 in the corner. The old groundsman at the time told me that it would be the best and most reliable mower, but I must admit, looking at how old it was, I thought he was joking.

“How wrong I was. From the first time I cut with it, I was hooked and wanted to use it all the time.”

Up until joining Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Dale had been a greenkeeper for the entirety of his career. He claims that moving over to the football side of grounds management was always part of his plan and was delighted when he was given the opportunity at Caley Thistle five years ago. It did not take him long to adapt and since joining the club, the pitch at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium has frequently been held in high regard.

“People ask me how I produce a pitch like that,” said Dale. “But I think it can be as easy or as difficult as you want to make it. If you do the basics and do them well, then you are giving yourself a good platform to have the best surface you can. The right products and the right equipment will certainly bring out the best of the pitch.”

G860 upgraded at Caley Thistle

G860 upgraded at Caley Thistle

That is where the Dennis G860 cylinder mower comes in. Relied upon at world class stadia and major tournaments, the G860 is one of the most renowned cylinder mowers in the grounds management industry. Lightweight at just 166kg it is incredibly easy to manoeuvre and comfortable to operate. The handlebar console houses the controls for the throttle, parking brake, roller drive and cutting cylinder drive.

The mower features a large diameter front roller with an adjustable scraper which has been designed for a precise height of cut control, giving an excellent finish on every occasion. The Dennis G860 also features an interchangeable cassette system to assist with a wide range of tasks such as including scarifying, verticutting, brushing, spiking, and slitting.

Dale has no doubt that his 19-year-old G860 could have continued cutting and preparing the pitch at the stadium but the perfectionist in him wanted a newer model. “I told the CEO (Scot Gardiner) that if we got a new G860 then it would be a good investment because it will more than likely outlast me!” he said.

Dale’s wish was granted, and it was not long before he was the proud owner of a shiny new Dennis G860.

“The main difference between the new one and the old one is that I have an 8 bladed cylinder now and I have really seen an improvement. The finish is second to none and the sward has really thickened since using it.

“It is nice and light so you can use it anytime of the year without worrying about putting weight on the pitch. In my opinion, it is the ultimate mower for matchday preparation.”

While his new G860 may well be his new go-to machine, Dale revealed that his old Dennis G860 will not be retiring just yet.

“The old G860 is now at the youth training centre, and it’s still going strong. I’m sure it will do just as good a job on those pitches as it has done for me.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter and Instagram @DennisMowers and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK. You can also view the latest Dennis videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers

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Symbio expands technical team

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Symbio expands technical team: Soil biology specialist Symbio has continued the expansion of its technical team with the appointment of Gary McKenna and Richard Sheppard.

Gary is a former golf course manager and Symbio customer who is an active part of the greenkeeping community in Scotland. Educated at Elmwood College, he brings more than two decades of turf management and tournament experience to his new role providing technical support to customers in the North and East of Scotland.

Symbio expands technical team

Symbio expands technical team

Richard returns to the company as a result of his long-held passion for sustainable turfgrass management. A long-term advocate for a biological approach, he began his career in greenkeeping before completing qualifications in turf science and sportsground management and an Open University degree. Richard will be supporting a wide range of customers across Northern England.

Established in 1990 and now part of Origin Amenity Solutions, Symbio provides the correct combination of biology, chemistry and physics for fine grass growth with fewer chemicals and less disease, physical disruption, management time and cost. It was the first company to develop a range of industry-changing products, including Thatch Eater to convert thatch to plant food, mycorrhizal fungi to promote perennial grasses and in some cases more than halve fertiliser use; Liquid Aeration to oxygenate the rootzone, and compost teas to restore life to chemically-damaged and compacted rootzones.

Symbio Business Manager, Kerr Hunter, said: “I am delighted to have Gary and Richard at Origin Amenity Solutions and representing the Symbio brand. They have a wealth of experience and knowledge that benefits our customers and our business. As the use of biologicals and biostimulants grows, it is vital that we have the right people providing advice and support.”

Gary can be contacted on 07976 624241 and by email at gary.mckenna@symbio.co.uk. Follow him on Twitter @GarySymbio.

Richard is available on 07719 088308 and by email at richard.sheppard@symbio.co.uk. Follow him on Twitter @symbioRich.

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Jacobsen celebrates Dmytro Klipalo’s 50 years

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Jacobsen celebrates Dmytro Klipalo’s 50 years: Ransomes Jacobsen has marked Dmytro ‘Mick’ Klipalo’s 50 years of service at the Ipswich Turf Centre of Excellence with an event to commemorate his time at the company.

Dmytro’s family and colleagues gathered at the Ransomes and Jacobsen factory for a surprise celebration, where his outstanding service and contribution was recognised.

Jacobsen celebrates Dmytro Klipalo’s 50 years

Jacobsen celebrates Dmytro Klipalo’s 50 years

Dmytro’s father, Peter, moved to England after the Second World War having chosen England as his new adopted home, and it was in Ipswich where he met his wife, Patricia, and had two children, Dmytro and Marika.

In August 1971, when all mower production was moved to the current site in Ipswich, Dmytro joined Ransomes as an apprentice. After completing his apprenticeship, he worked his way through the ranks to become Quality Systems Engineer before taking on his current role as Quality Manager in October 2020.

His time with Ransomes and Jacobsen has coincided with significant company landmarks such as the London 2012 Olympics and the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National and numerous successful model launches – all of which Dmytro had a hand in preparing machines for.

Speaking about Dmytro’s time at the company, Vice President of Turf Simon Rainger said: “Dmytro is part of the fabric of Ransomes Jacobsen, and we are delighted to mark his 50th year here with this celebration.

“In this industry more than most, experience is vital, and we’re lucky to have a person working with us who knows so much about the factory, the products and the processes. Dmytro’s contribution really has been invaluable to us, and it will continue to be for as long as we have him here.

“I think it’s also important to mention his impact on our workplace socially. He’s always played in our inter-department five-a-side football tournaments and coached our staff team for the annual match against the Ipswich Town Football Club ground staff. He’s always willing to get involved and give up his time, and that’s part of what makes Dmytro so popular with everyone here.”

Dmytro has worked at Ransomes Jacobsen throughout a transformative time. When he began in the early 1970s, a Ford Cortina cost £968, the Ransomes Ajax just over £14, Intel released the world’s first microprocessor, and Texas Instruments released the first ever pocket calculator.

In that time, those different technologies have been amalgamated and have led to pedestrian and ride-on mower technology taking huge steps forward with the introduction of the fully electric Jacobsen Eclipse range and several advancements in engine technology that have led to cleaner running machines.

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Catch up with DLF at SALTEX

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Catch up with DLF at SALTEX: Turf professionals from across the sports and landscaping sectors can look forward to a refresher on ‘all things seed’ with a stop by the DLF stand at SALTEX 2021.

Returning this November to stand J052, the DLF Technical Team will be on hand to discuss their vast portfolio of specialist mixtures from both the Johnsons Sports Seed and Masterline ranges, along with the latest developments in their research and breeding programmes.

Catch up with DLF at SALTEX

Catch up with DLF at SALTEX

For sports turf, 2021 saw the introduction of a number of new formulations and cultivars into the Johnson’s range, most notably Tetragame – from the DLF 4Turf® Tetraploid Perennial Ryegrass stable. With sustainability an increasingly key consideration for turf managers, Tetragame delivers significantly improved disease resistance and sward recovery along with strong germination and establishment at temperatures as low as 4oc. Tetragame features in Johnsons J Outfield, together with J 4Turf and J 4Turf 100 – delivering the strength and durability demanded for winter sport and equestrian use.

With mixtures created for both professional sports and landscaping, the Masterline range continues to offer unrivalled choice to managers of amenity surfaces. The Masterline range incorporates high performance cultivars for reliable results and exceptional value. With a focus on sustainability, PM82 Microclover Sport incorporates unique Microclover to provide enhanced growth and wear tolerance with significantly reduced herbicide, fungicide and fertiliser requirements making PM82 an ideal choice for local authorities and school pitches.

The DLF team will be available across the two days to discuss both the seeds and the science as, behind the scenes, work is ongoing across their worldwide breeding network – particularly in the area of disease resistance. Changing management models of maintenance and plant nutrition combined with shifts in weather patterns are largely believed to be the triggers for an increase in the occurrence of some less commonly seen turf diseases affecting winter sports venues – namely Brown Patch and Grey Leaf Spot. With screening programmes complete and in-field testing not too far away, developments are on the way to ensure that what goes into the bag continues to be at the high standards that the industry demands.

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Price Turfcare welcomes return to SALTEX

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Price Turfcare welcomes return to SALTEX: Price Turfcare, the UK and Ireland distributor of the Ventrac multi-implement, all-terrain compact tractor and Ryan turf maintenance equipment, is returning to SALTEX with a larger stand and more products on display.

Founded by Ransomes Jacobsen’s former sales director, Rupert Price, in January 2017, the company has come a long way in less than five years.

Price Turfcare welcomes return to SALTEX

Price Turfcare welcomes return to SALTEX

“We’ve had a fantastic journey in a short space of time”, he said. “It’s been tough, but we survived the pandemic and are back on the road with demonstrations, roadshows and exhibitions. Getting our products in front of people has proved to be an excellent sales strategy for the business. We have increased sales, year-on-year, with most Ventracs being sold with multiple attachments.

“We exhibited at The Game Fair in July and we generated significant enquiries. Private estates are a key business area for us and we have made significant sales involving multiple implement purchases. Our golf portfolio remains strong as does the landscape contracting sector.

With seven different mowing decks, including the recently introduced flails, blowers, stump grinders, blades, grapples, brushes and much more, it’s no wonder that customers really appreciate the versatility of Ventrac.”

To understand why respected businesses have been impressed by the Ventrac product and to see the latest equipment from Ryan come along and visit stand B124.

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