Kubota Invests In New R&D Centre

/in , , /by

Kubota Invests In New R&D Centre: Within the framework of Kubota’s ongoing growth in Europe, Kubota Corporation has announced that it will invest €55 million in a new R&D Centre in Europe. The new site will be located in Crépy-en-Valois, France and will be fully operational in 2020. 

Kubota Corporation continues to make significant investments into its expansion throughout Europe and will now invest in a brand-new R&D Centre that will be the Competence Centre of Engineering for agricultural tractor markets, and the base for Kubota’s research activities for tractors in Europe region.

Kubota Invests In New R&D Centre

By establishing a best in class R&D Centre in Europe, embedding up to date engineering and validation tools, Kubota will develop cutting edge technology for its new models to meet the specific requirements of European farmers while keeping the Group’s DNA: reliability, ease of use and best cost of ownership.

As part of Kubota’s globalisation process, Kubota Corporation intends to boost its product development, in line with its aspirations to adapt to the specific needs of its host markets. The new centre plays a vital role in this process, so Kubota will further develop agricultural machinery that is customised to work efficiently and effectively for local crops, field conditions and work processes.

Kubota, already present in more than 110 countries worldwide, aims to continue growing internationally, and this latest investment will accelerate this expansion and growth. Since Kubota Holding Europe B.V. was launched in 2017, the company has reinforced its corporate identity in Europe,  with employees  synchronising  processes and procedures so that there is a consistent approach to how all our business units work and can provide the best services and products for its dealers and end user customers.

Kubota’s tractor sales continued to grow in Europe during 2017 and its products have received prestigious recognitions and awards in Europe, including the FIMA TECHNICAL NOVELTY Award for the Agri Robo autonomous tractor, and the TRACTOR DE ESPAÑA Award in the ‘Specialty Tractor’ category for the M5101 Narrow Advance Cab model.

For more information, visit: www.kubota.com

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

The most northern RANGER EV in the world?

/in , /by

The most northern RANGER EV in the world?: Known for its remote, unforgiving terrain and polar bears, Svalbard is a Norwegian island situated between mainland Norway and the North Pole – it’s one of the world’s most northernmost inhabited areas and also home to a RANGER EV…

The RANGER EV belongs to Hurtigruten, the biggest travel company in Norway and the largest employer in Svalbard. Owning three hotels on the island, a number of restaurants, a lunch bar, two shops – which sell expedition and safety equipment – and the Polaris dealer, IGP. Hurtigruten Svalbard is also responsible for operating the Culture House.

The most northern RANGER EV in the world?

Kjetil Viklund, General Manager at IGP, said: “We used the RANGER EV a lot for moving things from our storage unit to the shop and vice versa. We also use it as a demonstration unit for our customers. It also is handy when we have special guests to the island who can borrow it as a form on transport.”

The features of the RANGER EV lend themselves to making it a useful machine for the company.

“It has a good loading capacity and is perfect for bringing goods from our storage unit to our shop. It’s very comfortable for the driver and a passenger and gives us shelter from the weather – with average temperatures between minus 9 and minus 16 degrees Celsius cover is appreciated. It’s also very quiet and often it’s easier to use the RANGER rather than a car.”

With the importance of maintaining the biodiversity of the island at the centre of inhabitants minds, the focus on the environment and limiting humans impact is key.

With stunning scenery, a highly diverse and concentration of wildlife and amazing experiences on offer, Svalbard is quickly cementing its place on the tourism map, but with this is the responsibility of ensuring that the environment remains central to operations.

“For me, electric powered vehicles are the future and an environmental focus is very important – as well all know that fossil fuels will not last forever. In my mind, it will take many many years for the market to completely change, but I’m happy that we’ve started.”

Also offering petrol and diesel engines for the RANGER, Polaris celebrated rolling the one-millionth RANGER machine off the production line in 2017 and 2018 marks two decades since the utility vehicle was introduced to the Polaris line-up. Forming a key part of the Polaris product line, the RANGER® is used all over the globe for a variety of tasks.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Pellenc Airion Maintains Tranquility

/in , , /by

Pellenc Airion Maintains Tranquility: John Rippin, head gardener at the stunning Bodnant Estate in North Wales, believes that his battery powered Pellenc Airion hand blower is the perfect machine to avoid disrupting visitors to the estate.  

The Bodnant Estate, a National Trust property, is a strikingly beautiful agricultural estate in North Wales. Set in hilly and wooded countryside in the lower reaches of the Conwy Valley, it commands spectacular views across to Snowdonia. Stone cottages and farm buildings have been restored using traditional materials and techniques, and the Estate supports farming and encourages other rural activities.

Pellenc Airion Maintains Tranquility

With intimate corners, sweeping lawns, grand terraces and verdant woodland, huge crowds are drawn to Bodnant all year round to soak up the beautiful sights. It is for this reason that John is extremely selective about which equipment he uses to maintain the estate.

“Visitors’ enjoyment is our first priority so our machinery is picked as much for noise levels as it is for performance.

“One of the most useful machines in recent years is the leaf blower. Years ago gardeners would endlessly rake leaves from lawns and sweep paths clean with besoms, but we now use a Pellenc Airion model that does a better job and much quicker. There are now hand-held electric models that run off battery packs and make as much noise as a hair dryer.”

As John says, the Pellenc Airion is extremely silent throughout operation with an intensity level of just 79db – perfect for sensitive areas such as Bodnant. Furthermore, the Arion stays perfectly balanced during operation, regardless of the speed – which can be altered depending on the task required. With a 4 speed setting it is possible to manage the blowing power based on the surface to be cleared. Weighing only 2.55 kg it is extremely lightweight and is the only battery powered blower on the market with a powerful thrust of 17.5 newtons.

It is also waterproof to IP54 standards and is protected from dust and moisture.

As with all Pellenc equipment, operators can expect a full day’s work from the lithium-ion battery. With over 10 years of experience and the world’s first manufacturer to introduce this technology in professional hand-held power tools, Pellenc’s range of batteries have gained world-wide market recognition.

The batteries are adaptable to all tools in the Pellenc range and are guaranteed emissions-free, meaning that operators will be contributing to reducing the consumption of fossil fuels while still increasing their productivity – something that John has certainly noticed with his Airion.

“They are great for blowing dust and debris away from patios, paths and drives, blowing grass clippings off a lawn, clearing out gutters and drains, blowing mulch back onto beds and can even be used to get a bonfire blazing.”

Light, odourless, noise-free, with no starting problems and no filling the fuel tank – it’s no wonder more and more people are turning to the innovative technology of Pellenc.

All Pellenc batteries and tools come with a three-year commercial warranty and are distributed in the UK and Ireland exclusively by Etesia UK.

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.etesia.co.uk

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Vredo Delivers Precision In Russia

/in , , /by

Vredo Delivers Precision In Russia: Six Vredo Compact DZ214.075 overseeders have been used in-between matches at the 2018 World Cup in Russia because of their exceptionally high rate of germination.

Precision is seen in a number of different ways at a World Cup, be it Neymar’s left foot in the iconic yellow of Brazil, Harry Kane’s eye for goal or the goal decision system that makes sure every shot over the line counts.

Vredo Delivers Precision In Russia

In-between the moments where the world is watching are the times where Vredo’s precision comes to the fore. Simply put, the machines are being used because they guarantee germination, and this was a deciding factor for Russian dealer Unisaw.

The Dutch manufactured 1.4-meter-wide machines place seed directly into the ground with 7.5cm spacings and use a unique Double V-shaped disc system, is supplied in the UK through Campey Turf Care Systems. The decision to use the machine at the biggest competition in world football was made in co-operation with Russian dealer Unisaw with the reputation of the machine playing a big part.

Having the machines at a World Cup is a source of pride for Vredo export manager, Pieter Teunis Hoogland, who worked closely with Igor Rudakov from Uniclaw to complete the deal.

“The best field managers in the world are familiar with the detailed development of the Vredo Overseeders and they don’t want to take any risks during the World Cup because of the importance of the tournament to Russia and the world,” Pieter said.

“The venues opted to go for certainty and no-nonsense machines, and Vredo is ahead of its game for this target group.”

The pitches at Samara, Saransk, Ekaterinburg, Rostov-on-Don, Volgograd and Kaliningrad are all being overseeded with the Vredo Compact DZ214.075. The surfaces at these stadiums vary between hybrid and natural grass and Vredo’s track record on both surfaces was another factor that made them the perfect option.

Overseeding hybrid fields with a Vredo seeder has proven to be a successful combination for many years. For instance, the hybrid fields of the Gelredome Arnhem, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Borussia München Gladbach etc are effectively overseeded by Vredo Overseeders with perfect play turf.

The precise nature of the machine comes from the V-shaped disks that place the seed directly in the ground at a pre-set depth, which can be adjusted between 5mm and 25mm deep. Once the seed is in direct contact with the soil the slit is closed by the compaction roller, re-establishing a level surface and providing the conditions for maximum germination.

For more information, visit: www.campeyturfcare.com

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Golf Club Looks Forward With Toro

/in , , /by

Golf Club Looks Forward With Toro: Rochester and Cobham Park Golf Club in North Kent, which has taken delivery of eight new Toro machines, credits Toro with leaving “satisfying” results in its wake as it looks to the future and promises to increase their Toro fleet within the next five years.

According to Danny Dalton, acting head greenkeeper, the decision to go with Toro and Reesink Turfcare was an easy one to make. From his experience of using the brand at The London Golf Club, Danny says quite simply: “if you want the best results, you get Toro”.

Golf Club Looks Forward With Toro

“Greenkeeping is a tough job, so whatever you can do to make it easier is a good thing. Toro is easy to work with and its outstanding build quality means maintenance is less time-consuming.

“But the main appeal is the quality of cut it delivers. To do your work and be able to look back at what you’ve done and feel 100 percent happy with it is so satisfying, and ultimately what we’re all in it for.”

Adding even more appeal to choosing Toro was the fact that Reesink Turfcare is an official distributor in the UK. Danny says: “Just like you choose Toro for the best results, it’s wise to choose Reesink for its customer service. We don’t have a bad word to say about the support we receive, in particular that from Richard Wood, our rep, who is excellent to deal with.”

The order, which consists of two Reelmaster 5610 machines, two Reelmaster 3100 with sidewinders, two Greensmaster 3250-D greensmowers, a ProCore 648 aerator and a Workman MDX-D is, says Danny, the start of an ongoing relationship: “The plan is we will order more Toro over the next five years, I am aiming for a ‘red shed’! Not only do we have our members to keep happy, but we have a comprehensive and varied events calendar too, and there’s no doubt Toro and Reesink are the partners we need to make sure the course presents at is consistent best.”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.