Innovation on Tour – The AriensCo Roadshow

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Innovation on Tour – The AriensCo Roadshow: The AriensCo Roadshow 2025 came to a successful close last weekend. Since the end of July, our sales teams have been on the move across Germany, France and the United Kingdom – meeting dealers and end users directly at their locations.

With up to seven stops in each country, visitors had the chance to get up close with the latest innovations from AS-Motor and Ariens, and more importantly, try them out for themselves.

Innovation on Tour – The AriensCo Roadshow

Innovation on Tour – The AriensCo Roadshow

Bringing innovation to Life

The roadshow was all about bringing our products to life. Each stop featured live demonstrations, expert conversations, and personal consultations that allowed for real hands-on experiences. The focus was not only on showcasing product features, but also on discussing everyday challenges, technical details, and service and spare parts needs with dealers, service professionals, and local authorities.

More Than Just a Demo – Real Conversations with Professionals

“Our roadshow was about more than just product demonstrations; it was about meaningful dialogue with the people who use our equipment every day,” said Sam Lewis, General Manager of AriensCo UK. “Performance data is one thing – but the real test is putting the machine into the hands of the user. That’s when you truly see what it can do.”

Two key innovations took center stage, both unveiled earlier this year at demopark:

AS 990 Tahr RC

This new remote-controlled rotary mower proved its capability on steep slopes, where it delivers faster mowing without the need to turn around after each pass. The open-sided sickle mower cuts cleanly in both directions, while the proven cross blade system from the AS 940 Sherpa ensures exceptional cutting power. It easily handles grass and brush up to 1.5 meters high, using two powerful pendulum blades and an overhead cutter bar for high-speed shredding.

Ariens Summit Pro Zero-Turn Series

The new zero-turn models for professionals showed why they are the new stars of the Ariens lineup. With speeds up to 24 km/h, cutting widths of up to 183 cm, and area coverage of nearly 30,000 m² per hour, the Summit Pro 300 and 500 are built for intensive professional use. Durable mower decks, Parker hydrostats, and premium Kawasaki engines reinforce the machines’ robust and reliable design.

Positive Feedback Across the Board

Across all three countries, the response to the roadshow was overwhelmingly positive. Visitors appreciated the chance to experience the equipment first-hand, while dealers took advantage of the opportunity to deepen their product knowledge. For AriensCo, the roadshow also provided valuable insights from direct conversations with customers and users.

“Roadshows help build trust and provide a genuine product experience,” Sam Lewis concluded. “They’ll continue to play an increasingly important role alongside trade shows and conventional demos in how we connect with our customers.”

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POGO Reaches 100 Million Samples

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POGO Reaches 100 Million Samples: On August 8th, Scott Ellis, Golf Course Superintendent at Wellshire Golf Course in Denver, CO, recorded the 100,000,000th POGO sample. A milestone for Scott, Wellshire, and the entire POGO community.

Wellshire is a Donald Ross designed public course approaching its 100th anniversary. As one of the few public-access Ross courses in the U.S., and the only one west of the Mississippi, it carries a rich legacy while serving a high-volume, modern golf audience. With more than 10,000 rounds each month, precision turf management isn’t optional; it’s essential.

POGO Reaches 100 Million Samples

POGO Reaches 100 Million Samples

Scott has relied on POGO since 2021 to gain deeper, actionable insights across his property. Beyond moisture measurements, he uses POGO’s data-rich sampling and GPS integration to map the entire course including pins, irrigation infrastructure, utilities, hydrants, and more. One of the biggest advantages for his operation is how intuitive the platform is for the whole crew. Even team members with limited turf background can open the app, see exactly what needs attention and where, and take action immediately. That clarity has streamlined communication, improved consistency, and helped ensure nothing is missed.

On a busy public course like Wellshire, water stewardship and playability go hand in hand. With POGO’s data guiding daily decisions, Scott can optimize irrigation, eliminate unnecessary watering, reduce wilting risk, and keep greens performing under heavy play.

When asked how it felt to be the one who took the 100 millionth sample, Scott summed it up simply: “Great!” He added, “I tell everyone, if you’re not using POGO, I feel like you’re a little behind the curve.”

POGO’s journey began with its very first recorded sample on April 4, 2015, at Sherbrooke Golf and Country Club in Florida. Since then, millions of samples from turf professionals worldwide have built a powerful foundation for smarter, more sustainable turf care, helping teams like Scott’s turn data into decisions every day.

To mark the occasion, we created a special plaque for Scott Ellis as a thank-you for his dedication and for trusting POGO as part of his turf program. Reaching 100 million samples is a shared achievement made possible by superintendents, sports turf managers, and crews who put POGO’s insights to work.

Congratulations, Scott! Here’s to the next 100 million.

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Norfolk Arborist thrives with reliable stump grinding solutions

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Norfolk Arborist thrives with reliable stump grinding solutions: The Norfolk Arborist has gone from strength to strength since its formation in 2017, providing expert residential and commercial tree maintenance services throughout East Anglia. On the journey alongside owner Michael Lomax since day one is an FSI B22, which continues to handle every stump removal job with effective, reliable results week in, week out.

With a large portfolio of domestic clients and commercial contracts including the Ministry of Defence and several large landowners throughout Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Northamptonshire, no two weeks are ever the same for Michael and his team. One thing the team can always rely on is the performance of their FSI B22, which has been their go-to solution for stump removal in restricted-access, residential settings for the last eight years.

Norfolk Arborist thrives with reliable stump grinding solutions

Norfolk Arborist thrives with reliable stump grinding solutions

“It’s incredibly versatile and easy to use, making it a popular choice with the team” Michael explains. “Being self-propelled means we can send one van, equipped with a chipper and the FSI B22 stump grinder, and the team will have everything they need to get the job done. We must have clocked up close to 1000 hours with this machine and, with the exception of the regular wear and tear replacements, we’ve had next to no issues.”

He emphasises, “The reliability of this machine has been extraordinary. We must have made our money back on it ten-fold over the years!”

The robust performance of FSI is not limited to the smaller jobs however. For larger domestic and commercial projects Michael turns to his local FSI Partner Stag Machinery, where he readily hires the powerful yet highly manoeuvrable FSI D30. “There’s not a lot the FSI D30 can’t do! We can tackle up to 120 two-foot stumps in a day, making it very productive and highly efficient. Not only that but the lighter footprint of this machine compared to others in this category means we can still transport the unit over residential lawns, patios and other sensitive areas if needed without risk of causing damage.”

Like many, Michael not only values the reliable performance of his equipment, but the back-up support and service received from their local FSI dealer. “Will at Stag has been brilliant, delivering a personal service and a quick response if we need anything. We like the fact the depot is local, and the ability to hire the FSI D30 as and when we need it means we can run our business and service the various needs of our clients, without the headache of managing and maintaining a really large fleet of our own.”

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Mansfield Sand at SALTEX 2025

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Mansfield Sand at SALTEX 2025: Visitors to the Mansfield Sand stand (F010) at SALTEX 2025, taking place on 12 and 13 November at the NEC, Birmingham, will have the opportunity to explore a comprehensive range of sand-based products designed to enhance the health and performance of sports pitches.

With over 180 years of expertise, Mansfield Sand has been at the forefront of developing premium silica sand-based products. The company offers a wide array of innovative solutions for sports, landscaping, and equestrian applications, including stadium and training ground facilities, championship golf courses, and world-class show jumping arenas.

Mansfield Sand at SALTEX 2025

Mansfield Sand at SALTEX 2025

At SALTEX, Mansfield Sand’s industry experts will be available to discuss how their products can transform your sports turf projects. Key products on display will include:

Reinforced Rootzone

Mansfield Sand’s Reinforced Rootzones are engineered to maximize the use of natural turf surfaces while meeting the high standards required by today’s sports industry. The reinforcement technology used in these products provides enhanced stability and durability, ensuring that sand-dominated rootzones remain free-draining and consistent across the entire surface.

The range includes:

Fibre Reinforced Rootzone – reinforced with polypropylene fibres for added strength.

Fibrelastic Rootzone – combines polypropylene fibres with flexible Elastane fibres to enhance surface resilience.

Fibresand – ideal for maintaining surface integrity when grass cover is reduced due to heavy usage or winter wear.

Sand Soil Rootzones

Mansfield Sand is dedicated to helping turf managers achieve the ideal surface condition week after week. Their Sand Soil Rootzones are crafted from high-quality materials, ensuring exceptional results whether used for renovation or construction. The Mansil 40 Silica Sand blended with screened topsoil creates an optimal rootzone foundation.

Sand Compost Rootzones

For projects requiring a rootzone rich in organic content, Mansfield Sand offers a range of premium sand compost blends. These products are designed to retain nutrients and enhance drought resistance, promoting healthier, more resilient turf.

Top Dressing

Tailored for the fine turf market, Mansfield Sand’s Soil Top Dressing combines their superior silica sands with top-quality soils. The mixture is sterilised and screened to create a smooth, stone-free dressing that is easy to apply. Custom dressing blends and soil amendments are also available to meet specific turf management needs.

Mansil Silica Sand Sports Range

Mansfield Sand’s Mansil range of silica sands, sourced from their Two Oaks Quarry in Mansfield, is essential for constructing and maintaining a variety of sports surfaces, from winter sports pitches and golf courses to bowling greens and other amenity turf areas.

For more information, visit www.mansfield-sand.co.uk, follow them on X at @MansfieldSand, or connect on Facebook and Instagram at Mansfield Sand Sport Surfaces.

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