Toro and Reesink rewrite the value equation

Toro and Reesink rewrite the value equation

Toro and Reesink rewrite the value equation

For years, the choice seemed straightforward: pay more for genuine parts, or save with aftermarket alternatives. Now, Toro and Reesink are challenging that in a way you might not expect.

Toro and Reesink rewrite the value equation

Toro and Reesink rewrite the value equation

With a renewed focus on pricing across high-wear, high-impact components, Toro is making genuine performance more accessible than ever. The result is a shift in thinking from upfront cost to overall value. If the upfront cost of genuine is on par with aftermarket, then something else will need to differentiate.

A critical component, under pressure

Let’s take the example of bedknives since they are so relevant to the time of year. Late spring and early summer place relentless demands on mowing equipment: faster growth means more frequent cutting, and more contact between cylinder and bedknife. It’s here that performance is won — or lost.

Michael Hampton, Supply Chain Manager at Reesink Turfcare, says: “Bedknives are precision components that directly determine cut quality. When they wear, the impact is immediate: reduced sharpness, inconsistent finish, and increased stress on the turf. That impacts presentation, turf health and playability when the course is at its busiest.”

Closing the gap

While ‘will-fit’ bedknives have traditionally appealed on price, the gap is no longer what it was. Toro has introduced more competitive pricing across its genuine parts range, meaning the difference at point of purchase has significantly reduced — and in some cases, all but disappeared.

“This shift removes the need for compromise,” says Michael. “Turf managers can now access genuine, precision-engineered parts without the cost barrier that has historically influenced decision-making.”

Built for performance, not just fit

The distinction between genuine and aftermarket goes beyond price though. Toro bedknives are designed as part of a complete cutting system, engineered to deliver consistent contact across the full length of the cylinder. And as everyone knows precision matters.

“Even slight inconsistencies in flatness or material quality can lead to uneven cuts, increased friction, and more frequent adjustments,” says Michael. “Over time, that translates into additional labour, faster wear, and reduced efficiency.”

Toro genuine bedknives including the EdgeMax range are built to maintain sharpness longer, reduce maintenance demands, and deliver a cleaner, more consistent finish under pressure.

Value that goes beyond the invoice

With pricing now more competitive, the conversation shifts to what truly defines value. Fewer adjustments, longer lifespan, consistent performance and reduced downtime – all of which is more than just fewer headaches, it’s saving money.

When measured over a full season, these factors make a significant difference not just to cost, but to productivity and results. Add to that fast, reliable availability including 24-hour delivery on performance parts and the advantage becomes even clearer.

As mowing demands increase, so does the need for dependable performance. Having the right parts in place ready to perform under pressure is essential to maintaining standards.

Michael concludes: “Now the decision is no longer about balancing cost versus quality, or accepting ‘you get what you pay for’, it’s about choosing both.”

Customers are advised to speak to their local Toro dealer or Reesink branch to learn about genuine value, ordering bedknives or to visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk for more parts and servicing support.

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Attraxor Delivers Striking Results at Bedford School

Attraxor Delivers Striking Results at Bedford School

Attraxor Delivers Striking Results at Bedford School

When George Mills stepped into the role of Head Groundsman at Bedford School just over a year ago, he brought with him a wealth of experience, a passion for turf excellence, and a sharp eye for smart investment. Now, with the help of Agrovista Amenity and the innovative plant growth regulator Attraxor®, George has been astonished by the transformation on his pitches – particularly the school’s first team rugby pitch.

Attraxor Delivers Striking Results at Bedford School

Attraxor Delivers Striking Results at Bedford School

Coming from a family deeply rooted in the industry, George’s career has seen him lead groundcare operations since the age of 18. His arrival at Bedford School signalled a fresh chapter for the historic site, with George quickly implementing a more efficient, proactive approach to pitch management. Part of that shift involved forging a close working relationship with Agrovista Amenity and Area Sales Manager Charlie Seager.

“Their customer service is second to none,” said George. “Charlie’s support has been brilliant – he’s always there when I need advice, and everything we’ve put down this year has worked well. I’d say he’s as ambitious about turf as I am and that is why we see good results.”

That shared ambition led to a breakthrough this season. Initially cautious due to budget constraints, George trialled Attraxor, supplied by Agrovista Amenity and developed by BASF, on the school’s first team rugby pitch with the primary goal of increasing sward density and improving uniformity by regulating growth evenly and suppressing Poa annua seedhead production. The results, he says, were nothing short of remarkable.

“To be honest, it took a bit of convincing,” George admitted. “Given our limited budget and the size of the site, I was focusing on wetting agents and nutrition. But we agreed to give it a go on just one pitch. We applied it at a relatively low rate – 0.375g, tank-mixed with the fertiliser NovaTec® Solub – and within days, you could see a difference.”

Following the second application in early May, the impact became crystal clear. After a spell of rainfall, the rest of the school’s playing fields began to show Poa seedhead development, while the trial area treated with Attraxor remained visibly cleaner and greener. He went on to apply Attraxor four times overall.

“You could literally see a darker rectangle on the pitch where we’d applied it,” George said. “The difference in seedhead suppression was huge – probably 70 to 80% better compared to untreated areas. I’d never used Attraxor for this purpose before, and the contrast really shocked me.”

Unlike his previous use of the product purely as a time-saving PGR, George now sees Attraxor as a key tool for long-term surface improvement. “It’s not just about slowing growth anymore. At Bedford, we’re using it for the quality benefits – and they’re real.”

In fact, George is already planning to extend the use of Attraxor next season to two historically troublesome pitches on site. “Those pitches have really struggled with Poa ingress since they were built in 2015. I think using a slightly higher rate of Attraxor there could be a game changer.”

For George, the ability to tank mix the product has been another major plus. “It’s ideal for a large site like ours where timing is everything. We just don’t have the luxury of revisiting areas frequently. The fact that we can apply it alongside other inputs really helps us stay efficient.”

Beyond the technical performance, George is quick to praise the support behind the scenes. “You can have the best product in the world, but if you don’t trust the people you’re getting it from or have that backup, it doesn’t matter. For me, the service from Agrovista – and from Charlie – is a huge part of why I choose to work with them.”

With stronger turf, smarter applications, and a clear vision for continual improvement, Bedford School’s grounds are in safe hands and Attraxor is now firmly part of that journey.

For more information about Agrovista UK, visit https://amenity.agrovista.co.uk/

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Kioti UK acquired by SMT GB

Kioti UK acquired by SMT GB

Kioti UK acquired by SMT GB

SMT GB has completed the acquisition of Kioti UK, bringing the distribution and technical support for the compact tractor, utility vehicle (UTV), and zero-turn mower brand onto British soil after 25 years operating in the UK.

Kioti UK acquired by SMT GB

Kioti UK acquired by SMT GB

Previously a subsidiary of the Netherlands-based Pols Group, Kioti UK will now leverage SMT GB’s domestic resources. The move is designed to streamline the supply chain by handling machine preparation and administrative support from within the UK, rather than from overseas.

Kioti UK further benefits from SMT GB’s logistical, financial, and technical strengths as part of the global SMT Group, which employs more than 2,000 people in 30 countries.

Kioti customers will continue to receive equipment, parts, and technical support as usual through the established network of 58 independent dealers in the UK. However, they will start to see the SMT GB name on transactional documentation, such as invoices and warranty claims.

Ryan Hollebone, director of compact equipment at SMT GB, said: “The same Kioti team will support their dealer network exactly as they always have, while gaining the additional resources and stability that come with being part of the wider SMT organisation. Ultimately, SMT is here to help all of our partners grow their businesses.”

Patrick Desmond, general manager of Kioti UK, added: “As we celebrate 25 years of Kioti in the UK, it’s the perfect time for our next chapter. Our customers will still deal with the same team they know and trust, but with the added weight of SMT’s infrastructure behind us.”

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New location and total Toro solution for Maidenhead

New location and total Toro solution for Maidenhead

New location and total Toro solution for Maidenhead

The Maidenhead Golf Club has embarked on the next era of its 130 years by relocating to Ascot. Supporting plans to update and improve the new course, it invested heavily in a Toro machinery five-year rolling lease programme and committed to the future by signing a Toro Total Solutions Agreement with distributor Reesink UK to include a new irrigation system.

New location and total Toro solution for Maidenhead

New location and total Toro solution for Maidenhead

With 36 extra acres and a more demanding layout, the club’s new home has the potential for not only a significantly enhanced golfing experience but realistic ambitions to make a top 100 golf club in the UK.

But first there’s some work to do and that is the responsibility of Course Manager Martin Dearlove.

“The new course layout is fantastic but there is work needed to bring it back up to standard and reinstate its original features,” he says. “That process is well underway. We’ve invested £1 million in fairway drainage, there’s a significant bunker renovation planned, we have a brand new fleet of turfcare equipment from Toro, and installation for a new Toro irrigation system planned to start this summer.

“We’re working with Reesink Turfcare for our machinery and irrigation and the service is spot on. We ordered our machinery in October and the fleet arrived in December just in time to start fresh at the new course in early January. It really couldn’t have gone any better.”

Working with Paul Bell from Reesink Southeast branch, the club has received three Greensmaster Triflex 3420 mowers, a Reelmaster 5610 and Reelmaster 3100, a MultiPro 5800 sprayer, the MDX and HDX Workman utility vehicles, a ProPass 200 topdresser, and for the very first time a ProCore 648s.

All but the ProCore 648s are replacement mowers for a previously ageing fleet, says Martin, and while it is the first time the club has owned a ProCore aerator, it is not the first time Martin has used one.

“I love that machine; we’ve always used it but up until now we’ve hired one when it was time to aerate. However, with the new course clay based and susceptible to waterlogging, we knew we’d need to aerate more often to ensure standards are maintained throughout the year.”

With 16 years of experience working at top British golf clubs and time spent experiencing life on the course in Australia, Martin knew the Toro brand well and when it came time to decide on who to commit to for a lease deal it was “the first choice”. At the same time, he knew he needed to invest in the team to help with the increased workload and he’s expanded the team from eight to 11.

“The next 5 to 10 years will be crucial in setting the foundations for taking the course forward. There’s a lot of work to do but we have the right machinery and manpower to support it.”

The next priority is the irrigation system. The inherited system is 35 years old and doesn’t have the precision, reach or capabilities Martin requires for the site: “The system in place is causing us issues, we need the reliability of a modern irrigation solution. We’ve opted for Toro Lynx Central Control with Infinity sprinklers for the greens, tees, approaches and all the fairways with work starting July.”

With a complete Toro package plus support from Reesink, The Maidenhead Golf Club can begin the next era knowing technology, quality and precision are on its side.

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Origin Amenity enters exclusive partnership with ZymeCo

Origin Amenity enters exclusive partnership with ZymeCo

Origin Amenity enters exclusive partnership with ZymeCo

ZymeCo, the innovators behind a range of novel enzyme technologies, are pleased to have formed an exclusive partnership with Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS) to lead product distribution in the UK and across the EU. In addition to offering ThatchZyme this season, the partnership will grant OAS sole distribution of new enzyme products currently in development, to help turf professionals achieve their agronomic goals.

Origin Amenity enters exclusive partnership with ZymeCo

Origin Amenity enters exclusive partnership with ZymeCo

ThatchZyme is a proven sprayable thatch control that offers a new approach to organic matter control that reduces the reliance on labour intensive and disruptive mechanical operations such as scarification or hollow coring. By targeting the most resistant components of thatch, ThatchZyme’s patented formulation accelerates natural breakdown processes, helping to reduce organic matter accumulations and improve the play performance of fine turf surfaces.

Ideal for golf greens and tees, sports surfaces and sites where disruption needs to be kept to a minimum, ThatchZyme works by harnessing the power of Laccase, a naturally occurring enzyme that breaks down the toughest and most resistant component of thatch – lignin. While soil biology naturally produces this enzyme, modern turf practices, particularly nitrogen inputs, can limit its activity. ThatchZyme supplements this by delivering an effective dose directly into the thatch layer, accelerating its breakdown through natural biological pathways – working in conjunction with existing spray programmes.

In extensive field trials, ThatchZyme demonstrated a 15.8% reduction in organic matter accumulations compared to untreated turf across multiple sites. Treated areas showed stable or reduced thatch levels and a visible reduction in thatch layers within a single season. In controlled studies, it has also shown a 21% increase in root length in creeping bentgrass.

“We’re delighted to start an exciting new partnership between ZymeCo and OAS which focuses on offering innovative, data driven products to the UK and European markets” comments Nutrition & Speciality Products Manager for OAS Jamie Lees. “The first step is to introduce ThatchZyme into the UK turf industry which provides turf managers with a tried and tested solution in organic matter management. We believe ThatchZyme will provide a vital tool in following an integrated approach to reduce thatch accumulation, whilst improving both soil health and playing surfaces, but more importantly backed by extensive research and data.”

Those wishing to learn more about ThatchZyme can do so in a free webinar, taking place on Tuesday 19th May. To register to attend, or for more information, visit originamenity.com/thatchzyme

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