Bobcat Dealer AMS Bobcat Celebrates 25th Anniversary

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Bobcat Dealer AMS Bobcat Celebrates 25th Anniversary: Scunthorpe-based AMS Bobcat Limited, the Authorised Bobcat Dealer for Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire in the UK, is celebrating the company’s 25th anniversary this year. 

Established in 1992, AMS Bobcat took its name from the initials of the surnames of its three founders, George Aitkenhead, Alex Murray and Peter Sowerby.

Initially set up as a hire, service and sales company for compact machinery, AMS Bobcat began business mainly hiring skid-steer loaders and mini-excavators to the steel works based in Scunthorpe.

AMS placed its first order with Bobcat in 1993 for 35 skid-steer loaders and attachments.  Soon after the order, AMS was appointed the Bobcat Dealer for Lincolnshire, East Yorkshire and North Norfolk and has remained in this role ever since.  The company is one of the longest standing Bobcat dealers in the UK.

UKs first S450_AMS_Rodmell

Over the intervening years, AMS has sold in excess of 3500 new Bobcat units into a wide range of industries, including construction, agriculture, shipping, plant hire, mining, landscaping and demolition.

Managing Director, Steve McIntosh, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating our 25th anniversary this year.  As a Bobcat dealer for almost all of that period, there have been many memorable moments from appearing live from our stand at the Muck99 show on Channel 4’s Big Breakfast programme to several firsts including the sale of the UK’s first Bobcat 17 m telehandler in Hull Docks and the first of the very latest Bobcat S450 skid-steer loaders in the UK farming industry.“

Paul Hyslop, Bobcat District Manager (UK North & Nordics), commented:  “On behalf of Doosan Bobcat EMEA, I would like to congratulate AMS for achieving this notable milestone.  AMS is a very professional company which is easy to do business with.  With an excellent track record as a Bobcat dealer, AMS has never waivered over the last 25 years from offering the very best in customer service to match our market-leading Bobcat range.“

Prominent in Rental

With 25 years’ experience in the plant hire industry, AMS has built up a state-of-the-art rental fleet of Bobcat machinery and attachments comprising 65 skid-steer loaders, 35 compact excavators and 10 telescopic handlers.  Steve McIntosh added: “The company maintains a team of experts who are on hand to offer customers advice they might need regarding the best machinery for their project.  The high quality of the products is only matched by the high quality of the customer service and AMS takes great pride in tailoring our service to meet the specific needs of each of our customers.”

Steve (1997 – present) is one of several staff AMS has been lucky enough to have at the company for more than 20 years.  The others include founder, George Aitkenhead, who is still Chairman/Owner today, together with Hire Manager, Pauline Chafer (1995 – present); Service Manager, Kevin Barrowcliffe (1997 – present) and Service Engineers, Dave Borrell (1995 – present) and Allwyn Dalton (1997 – present).

With this level of experience, it is not surprising that AMS offers an excellent level of expertise and knowledge of the Bobcat range and the other products it offers, whether it be new and used equipment sales, parts supply, service repairs or long and short term rental.

Steve McIntosh added: “Having started with five staff members, AMS now employs 25 people including Service, Parts, Hire and Sales Managers; six service engineers, three HGV drivers, three plant operators as well as reception and accounts staff.  In acknowledgement of our high level of customer service, we have been accredited since 2003 to the highest industry standards ISO 9001, ISO14001 and OHSAS18001.”

AMS is responsible for sales and service of Bobcat skid-steer, compact tracked and all wheel steer loaders, compact excavators, telehandlers and attachments throughout Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire.

AMS also offers a full selection of genuine Bobcat accessories and parts to support both new and existing Bobcat customers in its area.  Customers benefit from AMS’s well-established on-site service network, covering everything from emergency repairs to routine maintenance.  The company offers flexible service agreements including 24 hours a day coverage, depending on the requirements of the customer.

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Wiedenmann UK’s Trading Division Adds Two Mounted Maredo Machines

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Wiedenmann UK’s Trading Division Adds Two Mounted Maredo Machines: GroundPro, a trading division of Wiedenmann UK, has partnered with Maredo BV to offer two tractor-mounted machines to the British and Irish market.

The MT200 Flex-Verticutter and MT210 VibeSpike-Aerator will be premiered at Saltex on Nov 1 & 2. Both outstanding machines attach to tractors 25 hp and up and provide rapid responses to difficulties that may occur in the vital area lying just beneath the turf surface.

Wiedenmann UK’s Trading Division Adds Two Mounted Maredo Machines

Controlling thatch in the top layer is key; too much organic matter can be a problem. The MT200 Flex-Verticutter is a scarifier which removes thatch both cleanly and incredibly quickly. Three independent floating heads mean that any undulating surfaces pose no challenge thanks to an easy turn ‘A’ frame and pivot point.  Each head is a fraction over 63 cm wide so they combine to offer a span of 1.9 m, all working to a depth of 25 mm. Choose full depth to remove a lot of organic matter or let the blades just touch the top layer for a light grooming.

The MT210 VibeSpike-Aerator relieves compaction and allows air to permeate especially when time is at a premium.  Unlike traditional spiking, the vibration action is built in to the three separate floating heads. All six spike sections per head are mounted on a camshaft. When the PTO is engaged the spike sections start to vibrate. The vibrations shatter the compacted top layer leaving clean slit holes at the surface. Depth adjustment is tool-free, the adjustable support front roller and rear solid roller work in tandem to offer penetration from 20 mm to 55 mm.

David Rae, managing director of both GroundPro and Wiedenmann UK said:

“These are really strong offerings by Maredo, available shortly via our dealer network across the UK and Ireland.   Both are accurate and efficient with great build quality.  The new machines share the same frame so only additional heads are required to switch tasks. The triple heads tackle contours in their stride. Most of all these are built for speed suiting professionals working against the clock or with finite weather windows.”

GroundPro established its name by offering the range of Pro-Cast capacious bulk blue and green top dressers, famous for their sturdy tanks yet nimble manoeuvrability.  For more details call 0141 814 3366,  or follow on Twitter @GroundPro. See us on stand A080 at Saltex, NEC, Birmingham, Nov 1 &2.

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Line Marking Actuator Arm Patent Granted

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Line Marking Actuator Arm Patent Granted: The line marking industry has evolved dramatically over the last 20 years. Advancements in technology have revolutionised the way lines are marked on sports pitches.

Line Marking Actuator Arm Patent Granted

Moving from simple wheel-wheel to machines to ride on markers, spray machines, laser guided systems and now GNSS marking. Fleet (Line Markers) Ltd are proud to be industry leaders at the forefront of innovation and development.

A new age dawned when the BeamRider was released to the market. Laser guided marking with an arm design that creates laser straight lines every time. From the BeamRider mechanics the MAQA line marking machine was born which combines GNSS technology to reduce initial marking time by 75%

Fleet are proud to announce that a patent for using the actuator arm has been granted, MD Iain McGuffie had these words.

“Some things are worth waiting for. Our patent no. EP3045998, which protects the actuator arm concept used in the BeamRider and the MAQA line marking systems, has finally been granted. The original patent was applied for in 2006 and has now been granted by the European Patent Office, and it is now active”

The MAQA Marker is already successfully in use across the UK. These users are now benefiting from the speed and saving of a GNSS system.  Another exciting feature is the management system; this allows the customer to see their usage of the MAQA Marker. Simply logging on to the system provides the user with data on the number of fields marked, their location, speed of walking, time taken to mark the fields.

The combination of Fleet machines is where things can get really exciting! An e-ROK and a MAQA Marker will mark faster than an autonomous vehicle. MAQA Marker on an e-ROK is the ultimate productivity tool, cutting marking time by almost 90%. The e-ROK can also accommodate the Kombi, Kombi Orange , Kombi refurb’ and the BeamRider systems.

Mike Lewis of Highground Maintenance explains how the machine is saving time, money and resources.

“I can initial mark a full sized football pitch in 20 minutes, on my own! Last week I initial marked over 25miles of lines, the previous year that took two men four weeks. The results have left us speechless”

Fleet are the only British company that manufacture Satellite Guided Line Marking Machines, writes the software as well as make the paints.

To find out more, visit: www.flmuk.com

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New Renewal Agreement Sees The Roehampton Club Stay With Toro

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New Renewal Agreement Sees The Roehampton Club Stay With Toro: Multi-sports venue trusts in Toro for golf, tennis and croquet surfaces.

New Renewal Agreement Sees The Roehampton Club Stay With Toro

Constant evolution is what sees Roehampton Club remain one of the best multi-sports Clubs in the UK. Every year for the last three years, there has been a major development at this attractive Club in South West London. As it embarks on its next, which is a £3.5m investment on refurbishing its outdoor pool and adding new studios to the gym, one thing that remains the same is the club’s relationship with Toro machinery, recently confirmed again with the signing of yet another five-year exclusivity agreement.

Roehampton Club has a rich and illustrious history with its origins in polo and croquet rather than the four core sports of golf, tennis, squash and health and fitness it is known for today. Then as it is now though, Roehampton is at the heart of London sporting society.

The priority for course and grounds manager, Peter Bradburn, who heads up a team of 20 is to maintain the high standards on the golf course, tennis courts, croquet lawn and gardens. With its Toro fleet set to grow by up to 75 percent under the new agreement to include machines suitable for all three surfaces, the Club has once again chosen Toro, after conducting a thorough market testing exercise.

“I’ve been involved in the building of golf courses all around Europe,” Peter says. “And although the country – most recently Cyprus (Elea Estate Faldo design), Turkey (Maxx Royal Montgomerie design) and Italy (Palazzo Arzaga Nicklaus design) – changes, Toro has always been a constant. In fact, many projects I have worked on were intentionally undertaken because they involved working with Toro as you can rely on the quality of Toro’s equipment, aftercare and service.

“This agreement encompasses all the turf-based facilities we have here, the management of which requires a multi-disciplined approach”.

Included in the first order under the new agreement comes the Groundsmaster 4700-D and the Greensmaster 3250-D for the 18-hole parkland golf course, which in 2015 was accepted by the World of Leading Golf for the quality of the course. The reason behind choosing the GM4700-D is the greater width of cut it offers. Peter says: “We’ve changed how we manage the roughs by opting for a machine that can deliver a wide cut each time. This improves our timings working around the course, meaning we get things done more quickly.”

Improvements have also been made to the way the fairways are managed. Groomers have been added to the new GM3250-D, which Peter and the team have found enables a better quality of cut in damp conditions. “We can cut in all weathers using this machine”, he says. “And being able to get straight out on the course in the morning regardless of the dew, and start cutting, improves the day’s productivity.”

Being the course and grounds manager of a multi-sports venue involves, says Peter, “wearing many hats!” There are four croquet lawns at the club, all at international standard and reputed to be the best in the UK. Hosting the Croquet World Cup and International Open Championships each year and regular internal and external tournaments, it is essential all four lawns live up to expectations. Peter explains: “Cutting on the croquet lawns is low at 3mm to create a billiards table finish. The Toro Greensmaster 1600 pedestrian mowers fitted with 11-blades deliver a 3mm cut without losing the velvety finish our players like.”

For the 30 tennis courts, of which ten are grass, Peter has brought in Toro’s Greensmaster 1000 pedestrian mowers. “Tennis is a very different surface to manage to golf and croquet. A good, consistent bounce is required and to achieve that the courts must have a high clay content and the grass plant must be well established with a dense root mass to stabilise the ground similar to that used for the cricket field, otherwise the wear caused by play traffic would disintegrate the surface very quickly. The GM1000 mowers offer a precise but gentle cut, ideal for this surface.”

Rubbing shoulders with the other ‘greats’ in the area: The Hurlingham Club, Queens Club and the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Roehampton Club is set apart by being the only one to offer golf for its members. It is ranked one of the best sports clubs in the country and Peter and the club’s greenkeepers who skilfully maintain all grass surfaces with Toro machinery take great pride in that.

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Kubota Announces New Groundcare Dealer Appointment

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Kubota Announces New Groundcare Dealer Appointment: Kubota has further strengthened its extensive UK dealer network with the appointment of Hunts Engineering Ltd as a Kubota tractor and groundcare machinery dealer for Shipston On Stour, as well as covering Coventry, Evesham and Stratford. 

Kubota Announces New Groundcare Dealer Appointment

Hunts Engineering Ltd will initially stock Kubota’s GR1600 II and GR1600ID range of ride-on mowers ready for the start of the grass cutting season, as well as an RTV X900 utility vehicle and compact tractors. Although the working relationship is still very much in its infancy, there is a great confidence that this new dealer partnership will grow the Kubota market share of all groundcare products across the region.

Peter Hunt, Managing Director at Hunts Engineering Ltd, started out as an agricultural engineer before establishing the business with Julie Hunt in 2007. Having been an agricultural engineer for so long, Hunts Engineering Ltd boasts a purpose built workshop with a team of engineers to ensure that servicing and parts are at the heart of the company.

Peter commented: “We are very excited to be working in partnership with such a prestigious company as Kubota. In addition to the great machines they manufacture, it was their commitment to aftersales care that we were really impressed with.

“Service and aftersales care is a big focal point for us and has been the driving force behind the success of our business. It’s great to be working with a company that shares these same values and I’m looking forward to what the future has in store.”

Adrian Langmead, Groundcare Business Development Manager, added: “Our dealer network is the lifeblood of our business and we are thrilled to be working alongside Hunts Engineering Ltd who share the same passion for excellent customer service as we do. I’m sure this is the beginning of what will become a very fruitful working relationship.”

For more information on Kubota and its service solutions for the groundcare and agriculture sectors visit www.kubota.co.uk or call 01844 268000.

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