Makita tools power the Eden Project

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Makita tools power the Eden Project: Makita UK has exclusively supplied the Eden Project with a range of its cordless outdoor power equipment to assist with the maintenance and redevelopment work at the famous site.

By adopting Makita’s battery-powered machinery, Eden Project is able to reduce emissions and ensure the maintenance team can work safely and efficiently – even when visitors are on site.

Makita tools power the Eden Project

Makita tools power the Eden Project

The Eden Project near St Austell in Cornwall is an educational charity and visitor attraction dedicated to showcasing the power of nature and inspiring visitors to think more sustainably. The site is famous for its bubble-like Mediterranean Biome and Rainforest Biome that house a wide range of plant life that all require regular care and maintenance to thrive.

As well as the Biomes, the Eden Project Living Landscapes team are responsible for maintaining the over 20 acres of outdoor gardens and over 140 acres of nursery grounds, parking areas, woodlands and wildflower fields. In order to do this, the team require a range of reliable, durable and high-power machines that can tackle any task, as well as allow the flexibility to move around the large site with ease.

Robin Lock, Head of Living Landscapes at the Eden Project explains: “At the Eden Project we are dedicated to using sustainable methods which is why we wanted to update our tool kit with more environmentally friendly alternatives. With Makita’s expertise in battery-power and its wide range of high-quality garden machinery and construction tools, we are able to complete day-to-day maintenance tasks in a safer, quieter and more efficient way.

“With battery-powered machines there is no need for the team to transport petrol around site and no emissions are produced, which is key. What’s more, the machines also produce lower vibration levels so the team can comfortably and safely use the machines daily and for extended periods. With no fuel or power leads to worry about, the machines can also be used when visitors are on site – and the low noise levels mean disruption is kept to a minimum.”

For example, Makita’s DUH601RT LXT 18V Hedge Trimmer is used to ensure the 100s of metres of hedge at the Eden Project remain neatly trimmed back. With such a large area to cover, the DUH601RT is ideal as the team require a lightweight, low vibration machine that is safe to use for extended periods of time. The DUH601RT features a five-position rotating rear handle so operators can easily adjust the angle of the machine to make the work easier and safer.

What’s more, the DUH601RT includes Makita’s triple-edged asymmetric blade design. The back tooth is square, which means it can easily hold the material and the front tooth is at an angle to ensure that it can easily slice through and create an efficient and clean cut. In addition, both top and bottom blades have sharpened edges and the whole system is double reciprocating to reduce vibration. The curved blade profile also reduces friction resistance so less energy is lost through heat production and run time is increased.

In addition, the DUB363 LXT Twin 18V Blower is ideal for keeping pathways clear of leaves and debris to ensure visitor safety. As there are no trailing cables, the team can use the DUB363 across the whole site – even in the Biomes. It is powered by two 18V LXT batteries, so operators can experience high air volume and speed, as well as long run times for maximum efficiency. The DUB363 is also compatible with Makita’s PDC01 and PDC1200 backpack batteries which offer extended run times for larger tasks, such as clearing pathways throughout the Rainforest Biome.

Mark Earles, Business Development Manager for garden machinery at Makita said: “We are delighted to be working with Eden Project to assist the team with everyday maintenance and larger redevelopment work at this prestigious site. With over 270 models in our LXT range alone, the team have a huge selection of our battery powered tools and equipment to hand, to tackle any task with the simple switch of a battery.

“Our partnership with Eden Project is also a great opportunity for us to get feedback on how our machines perform in unique environments like the Rainforest Biome – and we are excited to be able to utilise this as part of future product development to ensure that the Makita products can perform at their optimum, regardless of the conditions.”

To find out more about how Makita’s machines have transformed groundscare at Eden Project, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kucXboNDi_M

To find out more about Makita and its range of cordless machines visit: www.makitauk.com

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STIHL’s updated S3 safety boots

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STIHL’s updated S3 safety boots: STIHL has launched an updated set of breathable and comfortable safety boots, designed to support and protect wearers when undertaking gardening and landscaping jobs. 

Enhancing its current footwear range, STIHL has manufactured the updated steel toe capped S3 safety boots to comply with the safety standard of footwear EN ISO 20345:2011, with additional features such as anti-static protection, puncture protection, oil, fuel and water resistance, energy absorption in the heel and mid heel penetration resistance.

STIHL's updated S3 safety boots

STIHL’s updated S3 safety boots

For optimal comfort and protection, these light-weight safety boots boast additional ankle support, a replaceable insole and steel cap protection that can resist a 200-joule impact, assuring the user’s safety while wearing the boots and operating gardening and landscaping equipment.

The S3 boots are made with durability in mind, featuring breathable fabric and quick drying textile lining with a padded collar, making them the ultimate gardening footwear for any weather. With an excellent grip on uneven soils and a rough profile sole, any outdoor job can be completed with ease while maintaining a stable and secure grip.

Available in UK sizes 5.5 – 13, the S3 safety boots have an updated design with reflective material and strips on both sides, enabling greater visibility when working. These boots are not suitable for chainsaw use.

For more information on STIHL’s extensive range of footwear, please visit www.stihl.co.uk

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JCB hydrogen engines gets £100 injection

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JCB hydrogen engines gets £100 injection: JCB is investing £100 million on a project to produce super-efficient hydrogen engines, the company announced today.

A team of 100 engineers is already working on the exciting development with the recruitment of up to 50 more engineers under way as JCB targets the end of 2022 for the first machines to be available for sale to customers.

JCB hydrogen engines gets £100 injection

JCB hydrogen engines gets £100 injection

The wraps have already come off a prototype hydrogen powered JCB backhoe loader and a second JCB machine – a Loadall telescopic handler – was today unveiled at a central London event attended by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. JCB is world market leader for both backhoe loaders and telescopic handlers.

JCB’s hydrogen technology will be next on show in the Green Zone at COP26 in Glasgow as world leaders debate measures to drastically reduce greenhouse emissions. JCB’s emergence as a leader in zero-emission hydrogen technology comes as governments around the world unveil strategies to develop the infrastructure needed to support the use of hydrogen to drive down CO2 emissions.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Great British manufacturers like JCB are developing innovative solutions to slash greenhouse emissions and advance the UK’s green industrial revolution.  It was fantastic to see JCB’s super-efficient hydrogen engines, which could overhaul UK manufacturing, help us to rapidly reach our climate targets and ramp up the UK’s hydrogen economy – an exciting area that will be essential to tackling climate change, creating new jobs and attracting investment.”

JCB Chairman Lord Bamford said: “Our sort of machinery will need to be powered by something other than fossil fuels. We make machines which are powered by diesel so we have to find a solution and we are doing something about it now.  We are investing in hydrogen as we don’t see electric being the all-round solution, particularly not for our industry because it can only be used to power smaller machines. It does mean we will carry on making engines, but they will be super-efficient, affordable, high-tech hydrogen motors with zero CO2 emissions, which can be brought to market quickly using our existing supply base. These will be our industry’s first hydrogen engines, developed in Great Britain by British engineers. Hydrogen motors have the potential to help the UK reach CO2 emissions targets more quickly.”
JCB has manufactured engines since 2004, producing them at plants in Derbyshire and in Delhi, India. This year JCB will celebrate a major milestone: the production of its 750,000th engine.

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Mansfield Sand relied on at Wollaton Park

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Mansfield Sand relied on at Wollaton Park: From bunkers to greens, Martin Scothern – Head Greenkeeper at Wollaton Park Golf Club has long relied on a range of products from Mansfield Sand.

Wollaton Park Golf Club in Nottingham is widely regarded as one of the finest parkland courses in the East Midlands. A traditional members’ club, the course is set in 140 acres of the 516-acre Wollaton Park and is overlooked by the magnificent 16th century Wollaton Hall.

Mansfield Sand relied on at Wollaton Park

Mansfield Sand relied on at Wollaton Park

Designed by Tom Williamson and opened in 1927, it has been sensibly upgraded over the years to provide a challenging and enjoyable test for golfers at all levels.

The course has a reputation for play on full greens year-round and this is testament to the work of Head Greenkeeper Martin Scothern, who has been working at Wollaton Park since 1989. After leaving school he went straight into greenkeeping which was no surprise considering he used to work on his local golf course during the school holidays.

Martin’s use of Mansfield Sand stretches back to long before he started working at Wollaton Park, as he explains.

“Mansfield Sand has been used at every club I’ve ever worked at, so I was always aware of the company,” he said.

For the past 32 years Martin has been using Mansfield’s MM35 Golf pure silica sand for top dressing his greens which brings a number of benefits such as improved recovery, firmness, smoothness and an improved rootzone.

“We normally like to topdress every 4-6 weeks just to give the greens a light dusting,” he said. “I like my sand delivered at 6.30am in the morning when we are topdressing and without fail the Mansfield Sand delivery drivers are always on time. They will tip it off, we will apply it to the 20 greens, and it is job done. However, we will always make sure that we have a bit left over for any bunkers that need topping up throughout the season.”

As Martin says, MM35 Golf also makes for a great bunker sand as it has fantastic playing characteristics as well as being aesthetically attractive. In fact, Martin and the team are currently working on a long-term project to reconstruct all the bunkers and MM35 will be used in combination with rubber crumb and astro-turf.  “We have always used Mansfield Sand for the bunkers and will continue to do,” he said.

Bunkers and topdressing aside, Martin used a Fibre Reinforced Rootzone from Mansfield Sand to build a new short game academy green back in 2019. This natural sports turf sand dominated rootzone product is reinforced with polypropylene fibres. This is achieved by mixing the Mansil 40 silica sand, a screened topsoil and polypropylene fibres to create a completely homogeneous blend to be used as the upper rootzone. Consolidated to a typical 100mm depth the fibre reinforced rootzone can then be fertilised and seeded to produce the final grass surface.

With Mansil 40 in mind, Martin revealed that he will be trialling this product on his fairways in the not-too-distant future.

“We are going to start some work on three fairways that get a little bit wet in certain areas,” he said. “We’ve got some old pits underneath the golf course and the subsidence has caused some issues over the years. Therefore, we are looking for a coarser sand such as the Mansil 40 to brush in with some hollow coring and vertidraining. My hope is that by doing this regularly, it will help them to be more playable through winter.”

Martin will be joined by Sharon Morris, Golf and Football Sales Manager for Mansfield Sand, for the fairway trials, and he admitted that he would not be without her.

“I can call her up at 9:30pm and say Sharon, I forgot to call you today, I need some sand in the morning! I know that the sand will be there the very next morning. It is first-class customer service,” he said.

For more information visit www.mansfield-sand.co.uk

You can also follow the company on Twitter – @MansfieldSand and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MansfieldSandSportSurfaces/

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FairWays Foundation nears $300,000 in grants

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FairWays Foundation nears $300,000 in grants: As it enters its second grant cycle, the global foundation has now awarded over $272,000 / £200,500 worth of funds since launch.

Having received a 50% increase in grant applications over year one, The FairWays Foundation has awarded over $166,000 / £122,400 worth of funds in its second grant cycle.

FairWays Foundation nears $300,000 in grants

FairWays Foundation nears $300,000 in grants

The funds have been awarded to a varied cross-section of environmental projects in both the USA and UK.

The funds are available as a result of Aquatrols committing to transferring a percentage of sales to The FairWays Foundation. In the USA, Aquatrols customers are also able to donate points earned through the Approach points redemption platform, if they so wish. This has been seen as another way for the green industry to support conservation and environmental efforts.

Successful grant projects range from butterfly and bird garden rehabilitation, riparian restoration and establishing pollinator wildflower patches to assistance for turf acreage verification, a wash pad bioswale and general ecology improvements on course.

To view more information about all the projects that are being supported this year, click here.

Matt Foster, CEO & President of Aquatrols and President of The FairWays Foundation said “I could not be prouder of the efforts from the team at The Fairways Foundation. In 2 years, we will have awarded just under $300k to industry operators dedicated to making a difference in their community. That is no small commitment. We also understand making a difference locally takes tremendous grit from a local champion. It might be a green keeper or parks manager or a program volunteer. Regardless, without their will these projects would never move forward. Our message to those individuals out there with a will for a healthier environment is The Fairways Foundation can help with the way to get there. Please apply.”

The FairWays Foundation is now looking for ambassadors to help reach those who wish to champion environmental projects but are unable to proceed due to lack of resources. Find out how you can get involved here.

The 2022 funding cycle opens in April 2022. Find out how to apply.

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