Ventrac Dealer Network Grows Apace Across The UK

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Ventrac Dealer Network Grows Apace Across The UK: The Ventrac dealer network continues to grow in the UK with the appointment of two new dealers – Frank Nicol Farm & Garden Machinery Ltd and Cheshire Turf Machinery.

Ventrac Dealer Network Grows Apace Across The UK

Rupert Price, Managing Director of Price Turfcare, the UK and Ireland distributor of the Ventrac 4500 compact tractor, has been busy building his dealer base since taking over the franchise in January 2017.

“We’re seeing a lot of sales momentum now following six months of extremely hard work travelling the length and breadth of the UK demonstrating the machines and attachments,” he said. “I’ve also been busy signing reputable dealers who I know will be dedicated to selling the product and, more importantly, providing exceptional back-up and support. Frank Nicol and Cheshire Turf Machinery certainly fulfil those criteria.”

The family-run business, Frank Nicol Farm & Garden Machinery was founded in 1987 in Dingwall, Ross-Shire and has grown consistently over the past 30 years, becoming a significant distributor of groundscare equipment in the highlands of Scotland.

David Nicol, Sales & Service Director said

“My father always said that so many things are just built to be sold and not to last. His view is that if you cannot service it then you should not sell it. That’s why we have taken Ventrac. It’s a very well made piece of equipment, yet easy to work on. It’s also very versatile because of the numerous attachments that can be mounted on it. We’re looking forward to getting out there and showing potential customers just what it can do.”

Cheshire Turf Machinery Ltd was established in 1996 by Steve Halley, Mark Woodward and Peter McGreevy, to supply and service professional groundscare equipment. It grew quickly and as a result of continued sales growth in the golf sector. In 2013 Cheshire Turf Machinery became agents for the Toro Groundscare range of machinery (council and sports field mowers), which enabled the business to enter a market sector which they had not previously explored.

“We are extremely pleased to be joining the Ventrac dealer network and working with Rupert Price and his team to promote the product,” Steve Halley said. “It complements our Toro brand and is a niche machine that suits both the golf and municipal contractor sectors. I’ve been in this business for many years now and I’m really impressed with the all-round attributes of this machine; it’d certainly one of a kind and is very good for multiple applications.”

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Quadraplay Perfect For Groundsman

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Quadraplay perfect for multi-tasking groundsman: Kevin Sturmey – chairman, chief executive AND head groundsman of Taunton Town FC, believes that the multi-functional SISIS Quadraplay single pass maintenance system has been a ‘god-send’ in helping him to maintain the pitch at the Viridor Stadium.

Quadraplay perfect for multi-tasking groundsman

As a former Taunton Town Reserves player and previous club sponsor – Kevin Sturmey is Taunton Town through and through. When Kevin was appointed chief executive in late 2010, after being elected Chairman at the AGM in July 2010, he was determined to get his beloved club back on track and was willing do everything he could to help The Peacock’s rise through the English football leagues.

What started as a part-time CEO role soon became a full-time commitment and with the club experiencing financial difficulties for a number of years, Kevin took it upon himself to voluntarily become the head groundsman.

Seven years later, and while Kevin is paid for 27 hours a week in his role as chief executive, he is still undertaking all three positions with a working week consisting of over 80 hours.

Also renowned for being a multi-tasker is Kevin’s new SISIS Quadraplay, which was recommended to him by two Premier League groundsmen. Having been nominated for four successive Groundsman of the Year awards, winning the National Step 3 & 4 award in 2014 and runner-up in 2015, and twice being awarded the Southern League Groundsman of the Year, Kevin has had ample opportunity to rub shoulders with, and seek advice, from many of the country’s top groundsmen.

“The SISIS Quadraplay was actually recommended to me by Dougie Robertson (head groundsman at West Ham Utd FC) and Darren Baldwin (head of playing surfaces & estates at Tottenham Hotspur) who have been to the Viridor Stadium each year of the awards to assess the pitch. Year after year they would ask me if we have had any changes to the equipment and year after year it would be the same answer – which was no. They both spoke highly of the Quadraplay and felt that it would be perfect for us at Taunton. “We have never really had a lot of money to invest in equipment, so the small amount we do have occasionally we have to invest wisely.”

The SISIS Quadraplay multiple-purpose, single-pass maintenance incorporates a mounted frame for up to four implements such as grooming rakes, spikers, slitters, rollers and brushes. The implements can be fitted to the mainframe in any order and can be independently adjusted to achieve the desired effect. Compact, robust, versatile and with the ability to carry out up to four operations simultaneously – the Quadraplay makes life a lot easier for many groundsmen as Kevin explains.

“If you have got a very small time window, being able to brush, role, slit, and rake – all in one pass, is a god send. It’s the best investment we have ever made.

“The first time I had it on trial, someone actually said to me afterwards that it looked like I had cut it and that’s the beauty of it. In the winter you won’t need to cut when the grass is not really growing – however with the Quadraplay you are grooming it and also getting some air into it – so it is doing everything you need it to do all in one pass.

“Everybody expects to see stripes these days because they see them on TV but anybody can stripe a pitch – it is what underneath that counts and that is why the Quadraplay is vital. When the weather is bad, that is the real test, and it successfully helps me prepare a good pitch no matter what the conditions.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact SISIS on 01332 824 777 or visit www.sisis.com

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Real Deal For September

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Real Deal For September

10% off Toro cylinders this September: With Reesink Turfcare offering ten percent off all genuine Toro cylinders, bought this September, now’s the time to stock up and ensure a good supply and the best possible cylinder cut at the best possible price.

REAL DEAL FOR SEPTEMBER

According to agronomists, cylinder mowing is the best option for grass, delivering the cleanest of cuts and healthiest of swards. This is because the blades spin vertically creating a scissoring action against the bottom blade to cut the grass leaves.

With the workings of a cylinder mower so intricate, it would be unwise to upset the equilibrium by putting anything other than genuine parts in your Toro. Fitting an inferior ‘will-fit’ part against a genuine Toro cylinder removes the guarantee of a consistently accurate cut right down to 2.5mm with no risk of turf damage. And as Michael Hampton, Reesink’s Turfcare parts manager, says: “It’s just not worth the risk.

“Cylinders are intrinsic to achieving a superior after-cut appearance and it’s critical to replace your cylinders at the right time with the right parts for the best quality of cut all the time.”

Toro cylinders balance perfectly with genuine Toro bedknives, reducing the need for constant cylinder grinding and allowing for more efficient mowing operation. They also produce the cleanest cut, which promotes a healthier turf and results in the best after-cut appearance possible.

Available in 5, 7, 8, 11 and 14-blade configurations to fit all cylinder mowers, including the Greensmaster and Reelmaster ranges, customers can take advantage of the cylinder promotion through their local genuine Toro parts dealer or service centre. Or contact distributor Reesink Turfcare’s Toro parts department on 01480 226800, email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk.

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Polaris Responds To Emergency Call

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Polaris responds to emergency call: A new emergency police vehicle capable of mobilising officers quickly in some of West Norfolk’s most hard to reach places has been launched in Hunstanton.

Polaris responds to emergency call

The Polaris Ranger 570 All-Terrain Vehicle, supplied by Linstead Farm and Garden Machinery, will be based at Hunstanton beach to help search for missing people or assist officers in emergency situations. It is the first time this type of vehicle has been used by Norfolk Constabulary and whilst it will mainly patrol Hunstanton beach, it can also be used on rural land and territory.

Temporary Inspector John Bane, who has taken delivery of the Polaris, complete with police livery, said: “This vehicle will enable us to respond quickly and effectively to incidents taking place on the beach.

“In the cases of a missing person, it provides us with the opportunity to cover lots of the beach in a short space of time where a police vehicle or an officer on foot cannot.

“The vehicle will also be used to patrol the beach and will support the Sandi Starfish initiative which helps reunite families if a child is lost. The vehicle has been designed to catch the eye of a missing child who can then flag it down if they see it and get the assistance they need.”

Temporary Inspector Bane added: “The vehicle has the potential to be deployed to other areas, such as woodland and farmland, to assist in other missing person enquiries or pre-planned operations, therefore enhancing our ability to respond to incidents in rural locations.”

Norfolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Lorne Green, said: “Norfolk has a wonderful variety of attractions for families to visit during the long summer holidays not least the long sandy stretches of Hunstanton Beach. While we want this summer to be one to remember for all the right reasons there is always a possibility a child can get separated from their family. We hope the introduction of the Polaris ATV will help reassure families officers will be able to respond quickly to provide any assistance where needed.

“Rural crime remains one of my top priorities and it is also reassuring to hear the ATV can be deployed to incidents in areas of the countryside where local patrol cars may find it difficult to access.”

Officers were looking to name the Polaris Ranger 570 to help make it more recognisable to children and asked the public to help by voting for their favourite name. There were three names to choose from: Nelson, Rocky and Sunny and the name finally chosen was Nelson.

For more information, visit: www.polaris-britain.com

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Yeovil Golf Club Invests In Two Toro Machines For Quality

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Yeovil Golf Club invests in two Toro machines for quality: Toro has impressed again at Yeovil Golf Club, where the quality of a TriFlex 3400 and Reelmaster 5610-D has shone through at the 27-hole parkland course. 

Yeovil Golf Club Invests In Two Toro Machines For Quality

While Yeovil has praised the heavy-duty 5610-D fairway mower for its comfort and “ease of use”, the 3400 greens mower is the real favourite with course manager James Leitch hailing it as “superior to all other machines.”

“Having been in the industry for over 25 years I’ve experienced my fair share of mowers, but the TriFlex 3400’s quality of cut is superior to all other machines. Its DPA units leave such a beautiful finish that you’d think it was the result of a pedestrian mower,” James enthuses.

He continues: “On top of all that the 3400’s ease of use is great too: it’s fast to transport, easy to service and changing units is simple thanks to the tool-free quick change feature.”

Both machines have impressed with their high build quality, and James chose them for this very reason: “With Toro you are guaranteed quality, and with known quality comes a higher residual value. The new machines have already proved their worth and will make great long-term investments for the club too I’m sure.”

With every Toro machine purchased, Elliot Wellman from Toro dealer Devon Garden Machinery has been “reliable and helpful”. James says: “We’ve worked with Devon Garden Machinery for years and the back-up service is excellent. Elliot is a brilliant guy and it’s reassuring to know that he’ll get hold of any Toro spare parts quickly should we need them.”

Investing in Toro machinery paid dividends earlier this year when a flood hit Yeovil on the weekend of the Dorset County Championship: “A thunderstorm flooded the course with two inches of rain on the Friday of the competition – we thought we’d have to cancel the event entirely. The next day, the water had drained away completely and there was no trace of the flood!

“I put it down to the maintenance me and the wider greenkeeping team did with our Toro machines in the lead-up to the championship. Regular aeration with the ProCore 648 and top-dressing with the ProPass 200 meant we didn’t have to call off the event!”

Come rain or shine, Toro continues to prove itself a worthy investment for Dorset-based Yeovil Golf Club. From playing an instrumental part in helping the course recover from a flood, to the positive first impressions of the club’s new machines, it’s clear that James can always rely on Toro’s “quality” machinery.

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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