Transitioning from tanks to tractors with John Deere

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Transitioning from tanks to tractors with John Deere: From frontline tank repairs to supporting farmers at harvest, Chris Giles has carved out a career in the civilian world by transferring his military engineering skills to John Deere’s dealership network.

After serving in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), Chris was unsure of his next step until he attended an open day about the John Deere Military Hiring Programme.

Transitioning from tanks to tractors with John Deere

Transitioning from tanks to tractors with John Deere

Today he is a Technical Communicator and Certified Dealer Instructor at the Tallis Amos Group Leominster depot, and his journey is about to come full circle as he prepares to explain military personnel have the ideal skillset to resettle,

Chris will be one of the speakers at a John Deere Military Hiring Programme webinar taking place on 3 December at 7pm.

“In terms of the kit, going from tanks to tractors is a completely different world,” says Chris. “The hydraulics, for example are completely different.

“But there wasn’t much of a transition when coming to the John Deere brand, as the level of high readiness is the same. The kit needs to be fixed and out the door as soon as possible, much like in the army.

“While the machinery is different, the basics of the work are the same. You’re looking to apply that pre-existing training and knowledge to a different kind of machine.”

Chris joined REME as a vehicle mechanic in 2012, working extensively on tank engines and transmissions before moving into several front-line units from 2015. Stationed in Hereford, he was deployed around the world repairing everything from quads to heavy armour.

He attended the John Deere open event for military technicians at Langar shortly before the pandemic and met a John Deere employee who had also served as part of REME. After putting him in contact with the right people, Chris made the decision to pursue a career at John Deere.

After completing his training and work experience at the Tallis Amos Group Leominster depot, Chris began employment as a technician but has since progressed to a Technical Communicator and Certified Dealer Instructor role. He explains that at first he worked in the workshop diagnosing issues, servicing and repairing crucial kit like combines and tractors, but now he helps technicians from the office and across different depots in the dealership network and trains the new staff who are coming through.

“As a Technical Communicator, if the technicians go out to a job and struggle to diagnose it or need extra information, then they’ll get in touch with me as I have access to the information or people that are needed, and then I’ll pass that information back to the technicians,” he says.

“As a Certified Dealer Instructor, I deal with the new technicians that are coming through and doing their training, including the level one and two training that the Military Hiring Programme applicants will receive, which is all online. I mainly teach electrics, hydraulics, and the service advisor side.”

Open to servicemen and women who are looking for new careers after they leave the armed forces, attendees of the online event on 3 December will have the opportunity to listen to Chris and others who have been through the John Deere Military Hiring Programme.

John Deere’s ground-breaking resettlement programme for military service personnel offers new career opportunities working on some of the world’s most advanced agricultural and professional groundscare machinery.

Members of the armed forces have been identified as ideal candidates for their unique skill sets and the experience they bring to technician roles within UK and Ireland dealerships. Many have already worked with some of the systems and products John Deere use on their agricultural and turf machinery, making the transition straightforward.

Those who enrol onto the programme are put into contact with an individual from the John Deere network who has resettled previously. They guide them through the next steps which includes free training courses before finding employment with a John Deere dealer.

Interested service members and ex-service members can find out more and apply to the John Deere Military Hiring Programme by visiting www.deere.com/JDMHP.

The online event is free but pre-registration is required at https://jdmhp.eventbrite.co.uk/

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Makita releases its new cordless chainsaw

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Makita releases its new cordless chainsaw: Makita has released its new professional cordless UC030G 40VMax 500mm Brushless XGT® Chainsaw, designed for demanding cutting tasks where reliability, durability and high performance are essential.

Built to deliver petrol-like power, equal to or greater than that of a 50cc-class chainsaw, it features fast chain speeds and practical safety enhancements, making it suitable for professional forestry work.

Makita releases its new cordless chainsaw

Makita releases its new cordless chainsaw

With efficient brushless motor technology, three chain speed modes and a maximum cutting speed of 29.0 m/s, the new UC030G offers outstanding control and the power needed to take on tough hardwoods such as oak and ash. The chainsaw is available as part of the UC030GE101 kit which features the BL4080H 8.0Ah XGT® tabless battery and the DC40RA XGT® battery charger, or as the body only (UC030GZ).

Since the tool runs without petrol, it minimises professionals’ contact with petrol fumes and significantly cuts noise and vibration levels. Additionally, thanks to its brushless motor, the tool provides more power and longer runtime compared to a brushed motor. With fewer components inside the motor, there is also a reduced risk of wear, which could otherwise result in costly repairs.

Additionally, the UC030G is designed to work safer. For example, when the tool locks as a result of excessive load, removing the load will allow the motor to restart immediately if the trigger is held down, enabling the user to continue to make the same cut without the need to retrigger and lift the saw.

Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita UK commented: “The new UC030G offers an ideal solution for landscaping professionals. To maximise the tool’s power, it is recommended that the tool is used alongside the BL4080H 8.0Ah XGT® – the largest capacity tabless battery offered by Makita. As a result of its increased capacity and high output, the battery enables more efficient energy transfer to improve the tool’s performance.”

To find out more information about the UC030G 40VMax 500mm Brushless XGT® Chainsaw, visit: www.makita.com.

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New Regional Specialists Join Turf Tank

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New Regional Specialists Join Turf Tank: Svenstrup, Denmark, October 31st: Turf Tank – the leading provider of autonomous robots for pitch marking – has expanded its UK team with two key regional appointments to support its growing customer base across the country.

The company has welcomed Cameron Brooke as Field Service & Support Specialist for the North, and Atwa Somobwana as Regional Sales Manager for Central England – two roles designed to bring fast and localised support to customers.

New Regional Specialists Join Turf Tank

New Regional Specialists Join Turf Tank

“Having people on the ground across the regions means our customers get help from someone who understands their conditions, their challenges, and their pitches,” said Mike Thomsen, Operations Manager at Turf Tank.

Cameron Brooke joins Turf Tank with over a decade of engineering experience, including international roles in Vietnam, Australia, and across Europe. Based in the North, Cameron will focus on customer onboarding, training, and service.

“I’ve always loved the outdoors and staying active, so being part of a company connected to sport feels like a natural fit,” said Brooke.
Atwa Somobwana, based in Central England, brings more than ten years of experience in sales and business development, previously working with BMI Group and MSX International. His focus will be demonstrations, new partnerships, and regional growth.

“What drew me to Turf Tank is its blend of sports and technology. I’m passionate about how automation and AI can improve efficiency in real world settings, and Turf Tank is a perfect example of that.” said Somobwana.

Atwa attended SALTEX on 12-13 November in Birmingham, Europe’s premier grounds management show, where Turf Tank showcased their line marking robots to an ever increasing number of groundscare professionals.

Turf Tank’s line marking robots are used across the UK, from Premier League stadiums to grassroots clubs and local schools. The robots eliminate the physical effort traditionally involved in pitch marking, allowing one person to paint e.g. a full-sized football or rugby pitch in around 25 minutes, freeing up staff for other tasks.

The expansion of Turf Tank’s UK team ensures customers benefit from dedicated regional expertise and rapid response times for support and service needs.

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New fleet delivery and irrigation update

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New fleet delivery and irrigation update: Coventry Hearsall Golf Club has been a Toro machinery customer for 13 years and a Toro Total Solutions customer for seven. As the club takes on another machinery renewal agreement with Reesink Turfcare, it provides an update on what it’s like to be exclusively Toro.

The machinery deal is on a five-year rolling contract and although the set up was inherited by Course Manager Chris Low when he joined midway through tenure three years ago, it wasn’t one he had plans on changing.

New fleet delivery and irrigation update

New fleet delivery and irrigation update

“I’ve worked with Toro before and being with the same brand for machinery and irrigation makes everything really easy,” says Chris. “The main components of quality, reliability, and performance are applicable to both and having one point of contact, good back up and support and the power of competitive finance in addition means it’s a hard deal to beat.”

The latest fleet deal comprises greens, tees and fairway mowers and utility vehicles, and the biggest change to the fleet set up is bringing in walk-behind mowers – the Toro Greensmaster Flex 1021 – for greens, tees, collars and run-offs. This is, says Chris, a “conscious decision to move away from ride-on mowers for these areas. We think the level of control and precision they will bring to these smaller areas will elevate their aesthetic.”

Work starts on a bunker programme as soon as the architect’s approval is in and some of the machinery choices reflect these changes to the course. “We’ll be creating shorter mowing areas and the machinery investment and selection had this in mind,” Chris continues. “It was felt the Greensmaster TriFlex 3420 and Reelmaster 3575 in particular would work well in these new areas.”

As the first club in the country to upgrade to Toro Lynx central control system and a combination of Infinity, T5 and T7 sprinklers using Reesink Hydro-Scapes’ fixed term finance for irrigation, Coventry Hearsall has been enjoying hassle-free, precise watering application ever since.

“In terms of maintenance all we’ve had to do is replace one decoder in seven years, that’s it,” Chris explains. “It’s been so easy to scale – we’ve doubled the coverage on the approaches and have more run-off areas. We wanted the capacity to expand as needed and the set-up has allowed us to do that. It was undoubtedly the right choice.”

Chris finished by saying it would be wrong to underestimate the power of a Toro Total Solution: “Regular investment in the machinery and an irrigation system that allows for consistent year-round coverage does not go unnoticed by the members. They are happy and membership is full.”

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