Kubota partnership benefits charity grounds

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Kubota partnership benefits charity grounds: The great outdoors brings together disabled and non-disabled children and adults to develop life skills and fulfil their potential at Thomley, a special place in rural Oxfordshire.

Founded in 1997 by parents of children with autism and other complex needs and registered as charity in 2001, Thomley’s eight-acre site near Thame delivers a programme of activities throughout the year from sports and outdoor play to creative pursuits and life skills.

Kubota partnership benefits charity grounds

Kubota partnership benefits charity grounds

In the grounds there’s a football pitch, playground equipment designed for the needs of disabled users, and one kilometre cycle track suitable for bicycles, tricycles and go karts. A new sensory garden has been created, and there are plans for a woodland area.

Kubota has a long term partnership with Thomley, and has recently installed its latest G261 ride-on rotary mower to help the three-man maintenance team keep this green and pleasant space pristine.

“Grounds maintenance is just one of our tasks, so having the Kubota mower makes a big difference,” explains David Francis, who heads up the team. “It takes about 10 hours to cut the whole grassed area, and there are different requirements according to its use.”

The football pitch, mini football and golf course fairways require the high level of presentation offered by the three-blade rotary deck, he points out.

“I tend to cut those areas first and then it’s a quick job to raise the deck and top some of the longer areas. We also like to cut paths through long grass for the children to enjoy exploring, or produce a tidy area for camping, so the choice of cut heights is very useful.”

David adds that the compact size of the G261 is handy to work in restricted areas around play equipment and other obstacles in the grounds. It also makes for easy secure storage in a container.

Revised and updated for improved transmission of power and smoother grass flow, the mower replaces the previous G series used at Thomley, and he comments:

“We can see that the mower has been improved with features such as the single joystick to control the cutting deck and collector and new pto clutch and we’re looking forward to getting to know it this spring. Our Kubota mowers have always been really reliable, and it’s so straightforward to do the daily checks. You can’t fault it.”

“We have supported the Thomley Hall Centre for several years now,” says Kubota Tractor Business Unit marketing manager Rob Edwards. “Thomley was identified though the employee forum several years ago as a deserving community organisation to support, and

continues to be a key partner in the programme of Kubota community support activities undertaken in the surrounding area to our Thame head office. We are very pleased to continue our association with the loan of the very latest G261 ride on mower.”

Operations manager Joe Kitchen, who co-ordinates the activities, running of the site and the work of staff and volunteers adds:

“We’re so happy to have our new Kubota mower. It’s a great resource and we take a lot of pleasure from how lovely the grounds look when they have been cut.”

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Sentosa GC’s partnership with Toro

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Sentosa GC’s partnership with Toro: Singapore’s world-renowned Sentosa Golf Club has announced a 10-year partnership with The Toro Company and local Toro distributor, Jebsen & Jessen. The formal agreement includes a complete fleet of Toro® golf course maintenance equipment and irrigation products, as well as landscaping tools, training, and on-site service and support.

This announcement marks the latest development in a long-standing relationship between Sentosa Golf Club and Toro. The club has utilized Toro’s proven technology for more than two decades, including support during globally televised events like the SMBC Singapore Open and HSBC Women’s World Championship.

Sentosa GC's partnership with Toro

Sentosa GC’s partnership with Toro

As part of the agreement, Toro will provide a total package of equipment and irrigation solutions to support all areas of maintenance at the club. The package includes a range of hybrid and electric equipment, as well as battery-powered landscape tools — all focused on reducing engine exhaust emissions and promoting overall sustainability.

Sentosa Golf Club also has 36 holes of Toro irrigation, including Toro INFINITY® Sprinklers and a Lynx® System including satellite technology, in addition to Toro Turf Guard® wireless soil monitoring to provide in-field data. The Lynx system provides precision water management with features designed to help reduce water usage.

Toro’s hybrid and electric equipment and water-saving irrigation systems align with the club’s dedication to sustainability. Named ‘World’s Best Eco-Friendly Golf Facility’ for the second consecutive year in 2021, Sentosa Golf Club is recognized worldwide for its commitment to the environment. The club pledged to become the world’s first carbon-neutral golf club by 2022 through initiatives to manage its carbon, water and waste footprint.

“We’re looking forward to bringing our fleet into the future with Toro and Jebsen & Jessen,” said Andrew Johnston, General Manager and Director of Agronomy at Sentosa Golf Club. “It’s important to us to work with partners who not only share our commitment to the environment, but also support our mission to consistently deliver a world-class playing experience. We treat every day like a tournament day, and we know we can expect that level of excellence from Toro.”

Beyond a new fleet of irrigation and course maintenance equipment, the partnership agreement includes support from the technical service team at Jebsen & Jessen and regional support from The Toro Company. An on-site Toro service manager will be based at the club, establishing a state-of-the-art workshop that will serve as a model for Toro.

Toro also plans to base a centre of excellence at Sentosa Golf Club to support and educate regional clients and staff on the latest products, technology and service developments. With this initiative, Toro joins The R&A and the Asian Tour in making Sentosa a key base in the region. Both The R&A and the Asian Tour have offices at the club.

The partnership agreement with Sentosa Golf Club comes as Toro begins its 108th year in the golf industry, bringing more than a century of expertise and innovative solutions to the partnership. “This is an historic opportunity for The Toro Company to partner with one of the most respected clubs in Asia and support their mission of carbon neutrality,” said Richard Olson, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Toro Company. “I’ve witnessed Sentosa Golf Club’s passion for the environment first-hand, and it’s an exciting time to work them on implementing the latest Toro innovations and technology.”

“Sustainability is not a new concept for The Toro Company,” Olson continued. “It’s deeply rooted in our purpose to provide customers with real solutions that are both environmentally responsible and operationally sustainable.”

“As the first industrial conglomerate in Southeast Asia to achieve full carbon neutrality, we take great pride in the fact that we share a common mission with Sentosa and Toro in reducing our impact on the environment,” added Philipp Hoffmann, Regional Director of Jebsen & Jessen Technology Turf & Irrigation. “We look forward to supporting the club as they provide world-class golfing experiences, as well as in their sustainability efforts.”

For more information about Toro’s complete portfolio of golf course maintenance equipment and irrigation products, please visit www.toro.com.

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Mastenbroek enjoys a resurgence

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Mastenbroek enjoys a resurgence: The UK’s leading designer of drainage trenchers has reported an unexpected resurgence of interest in its specialist sports field machine.

Last month, Mastenbroek received its first order for one of its 10/12D trenchers in over a decade.

Mastenbroek enjoys a resurgence

Mastenbroek enjoys a resurgence

The machine, which has recently been upgraded to feature the latest low-emission engine and improved operator controls, has been bought by AgriPower.

Established in 1964 as an agricultural drainage contractor, AgriPower entered the sports turf industry in 1978. The company has won several large contracts in the last six months, creating the need for a new machine.

The 2022 10/12D will work alongside AgriPower’s other Mastenbroek machines: a 30/20, 20/15 and CT12.

“We have never retired the 10/12D,” says Mastenbroek’s commercial director, Christopher Pett. “It’s always been available, but for some unknown reason, we haven’t sold one since 2009. That changed late last year when Graham Longdin at AgriPower contacted us. Since then, it’s been a bit like the saying about London buses and, following Graham’s order, we sold another 10/12D and received four other enquiries about it!”

AgriPower, which is based in Buckinghamshire but operates across the country, secured several large contracts at the back end of 2021, including work at the Webb Ellis Fields for Rugby school, several other public schools, local authorities and golf courses.

“We have enjoyed a buoyant period recently, with a significant number of organisations wanting to install new sports fields or improve the drainage of existing playing fields and golf courses, which is great news for us,” says Mr Longdin, director at AgriPower.

“With the new contracts coming on top of a very successful recent trading period, we’ve decided to update our front line machines to remain ahead of the game.

“The Mastenbroek 10/12D was the ideal choice. We could use a spinning disc type trencher behind a tractor, which would be fine on graded pitch work, but when faced with undulating ground, deep or wide trenching, the disc trenchers cannot cope, and fail to give the required accuracy. The 10/12D handles this type of terrain effortlessly.

“The 10/12D offers exceptional comfort for the driver, and its controls make it easy to oversee tracking and chain speed. It offers an attractive cost of ownership, especially as it now features the latest stage five emission engines.”

For further information about the 10/12D and the wider Mastenbroek range, please visit www.mastenbroek.com, email info@mastenbroek.com or call +44 1205 311 313.

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