Today the option of remote controlled mowing for hard-to-reach or hazardous terrain is well established. Back at the start of the millennium this was certainly not the case. Professionals faced with steep inclines simply had to do their best with conventional technology, or at worst employ dangerous practices to ensure hillsides weren’t neglected.
That all changed 15 years ago thanks to the vision of Lubomir Dvorak founder of DVORAK – svahove sekacky s.r.o., the Czech company who created Spider mowers. It was Lubomir’s invention of the first remote controlled mowers designed to cope with steep slopes and uneven terrain, that introduced a new, and more importantly safer way of working to groundscare professionals.
“In the beginning it wasn’t as easy to open minds to the idea of the Spider as you might think”, comments Lubomir. “Ideas of how mowing should be done were very entrenched. However, once they saw the manoeuvrability of the mower and ease of remote operation, the benefits became clear”.
Since the start of production in 2004 Spider have chosen Kawasaki Engines to power their professional grade mowers, the ILD01 and ILD02. This year Kawasaki Engines celebrate their own milestone of 60 years of engine production, and their collaboration with Spider remains one of which they are particularly proud.
“We have huge respect for what Lubomir and his team have developed. Not only did they create a pioneering product, but their continual commitment to technical innovation, state-of-the-art design and high quality components means that they have remained at the forefront of their market and deservedly developed a reputation for one of the most innovative groundscare companies in the world” comments Jack Ford, Senior Product Manager at Kawasaki Engines Europe.
Lubomir is equally complimentary about the power solution provided by Kawasaki’s FS541V and FS691V currently fitted in the ILD01 and ILD02 respectively. “Kawasaki’s FS engines are built for durability and reliable performance day in, day out. This is important for the demanding environments that our Spider mowers are expected to work in”, says Lubomir.
