JCB leads the way

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JCB leads the way: JCB has developed the construction industry’s first ever hydrogen powered excavator as it continues to lead the sector on zero and low carbon technologies, the company announced today.

The 20-tonne 220X excavator powered by a hydrogen fuel cell has been undergoing rigorous testing at JCB’s quarry proving grounds for more than 12 months. The exciting development means JCB is the first construction equipment company in the world to unveil a working prototype of an excavator powered by hydrogen.

JCB leads the way

JCB leads the way

JCB Chairman Lord Bamford said: “The development of the first hydrogen fuelled excavator is very exciting as we strive towards a zero carbon world. In the coming months, JCB will continue to develop and refine this technology with advanced testing of our prototype machine and we will continue to be at the forefront of technologies designed to build a zero carbon future.”

Lord Bamford’s son Jo Bamford spent 14 years at JCB before moving into the hydrogen sector, setting up Ryse Hydrogen and then buying Northern Ireland bus giant Wrightbus. He has won contracts to supply the world’s first hydrogen double-decker to cities such as London and Aberdeen.

Jo added: “I truly believe hydrogen is the UK’s best opportunity to build a world-leading industry which creates UK jobs, cuts emissions and is the envy of the globe.”

Power for JCB’s prototype excavator is generated by reacting hydrogen with oxygen in a fuel cell to create the energy needed to run electric motors. The only emission from the exhaust is water.

The development comes after JCB made manufacturing history last year by going into full production with the construction industry’s first fully electric mini excavator, the 19C-1E. JCB has also extended electric technology to its innovative Teletruk telescopic forklift range with the launch of an electric model, the JCB 30-19E.

Through constant innovation and design improvements, JCB has also been leading the way on clean diesel technology to meet Stage V EU emissions regulations and has almost eradicated the most harmful emissions from its latest range of diesel engines. Nitrous Oxide (NOx) is down 97%, soot particulates down by 98% and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions down by almost half.

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The true cost of cutting costs?

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The true cost of cutting costs?: When a machine is operating at optimum performance and being utilised in the correct conditions, professional groundskeepers or operators can expect to see healthy and pristine looking turf. But performance could be hampered if a mower isn’t properly maintained and that includes the choice of replacement parts.

Currently, we’re in the thick of the core mowing season, and it’s likely that replacement parts will be required to maintain that optimum experience and result.

The true cost of cutting costs?

The true cost of cutting costs?

Here, Franck Pillittieri at The Toro Company, shares some reasons why it’s essential to consider true lifetime value and not just a low price point when it comes to purchasing replacement parts.

“We know that for many in our industry, as in many others, there is a need to try and reduce cost when it comes to maintenance work on equipment. In the current climate especially there is likely to be more pressure than ever to cut costs in the short term – but what is the true cost when the price is lower?

“As a premium manufacturer, our parts are not the lowest price on the market. We offer our customers the Toro Genuine Parts solution for a Genuine performance. Below are the top reasons we recommend buying discerningly when replacing parts in your mower.”

Quality fit

Our Toro Genuine Parts are custom designed for each machine, so when one needs replacing it makes sense to fit a like for like piece. Cost demands though, could lead people to consider a cheaper alternative. However, not only could the lower cost part not fit correctly, but it could also compromise the machine going forward, increasing wear and general run down of the machine.

Durability

Whilst a cheaper price may seem like a great saving at the time, it is likely to prove a false economy in the long run if the part isn’t built to last. Not only may you have to incur the expense of replacing non-genuine parts more often, you also may experience longer downtime for your machine, impacting your productivity.

Safety

With any replacement product that is not designed for the machine there is a risk to the safety of the user and the lifetime of the machine. Often, cheaper replacement parts come from manufacturers who focus more on cost than safety. We, at The Toro Company, place the safety of the users and the performance of the machine at the top of our priorities.

Machine damage

When parts are purchased from a Toro-approved channel partner, the consumer can trust that the channel partner is committed to the care of the machine. We cannot expect this to be true for unrelated suppliers that may offer the cheapest parts on the market. Cheap parts could damage to the machine, resulting in a cost that could counteract any potential savings. Downtime for repairs can also result in lost income. For example, belts and filters go into the core of the equipment, and there is a risk of causing a break down or technical issue by using non-genuine parts.

Time efficiency

If certain parts of the mower are replaced with non-genuine replacements there is a possible impact on the time it takes to complete a job. For example, all Toro blades are engineered for our specific machines to increase efficiency. A replacement blade could be less effective and require more frequent cutting, again incurring more overall costs and decreasing efficiency.

Poor results

There is also the possibility with cheaper parts that you could achieve a poorer cut with your mower. When using cheaper tines, for example, you may damage the turf and have a reduced result.

“At The Toro Company, we offer a high-standard after-service experience in collaboration with our channel partners. This includes 24-48 hour delivery, meaning less downtime for your machine, knowledgeable service technicians if you need help installing parts or require information on your mower, a 90-day warranty for peace of mind, and a guarantee that we are investing in innovation to benefit customers now and in the future.

“So, whilst we appreciate the current situation that many of our customers are in, we encourage everyone to consider the longer-term view for the best outcome for their machines.”

For more information please visit www.toro.com/en.

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La Grande Mare gets relief with Foley

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La Grande Mare gets relief with Foley: For La Grande Mare course manager, Rick Hamilton, relief grinding is what it’s all about when it comes to reel maintenance, so when he had his pick of grinders, he opted for the Foley Company Accu-Pro 633 with Accu-Touch 3 Control (ATC).

Rick first used a Foley grinder 30-years ago while working in Asia, and over the three decades that followed has used several manufacturers while a consultant. However, he has remained impressed by the principles Foley has stuck to and how they have developed their machines to make them user friendly and deliver consistent results.

La Grande Mare gets relief with Foley

La Grande Mare gets relief with Foley

“The main reason I stayed with Foley was to do with the principles of relief grinding. They have such excellent relief grinders, and although other manufacturers have good machines, but they don’t relief grind at the same level, and for me, that’s what it is all about,” he explained. Foley has always kept to the principles of that, and it’s something I believe is essential in maintaining a good quality reel and delivering and retaining the sharpest cut ; you have to relief grind.

“Because it’s an important part of maintaining the reel I wanted to make sure we could always grind when we needed to, and that’s what made the ATC so important. We don’t have a full-time mechanic, and I want all my guys to get involved. I’m a fully qualified engineer and greenkeeper, so I’ve done a lot of the maintenance work since I’ve joined here and I’m teaching the team. Having machines like this that are automated means once they’ve all been trained up, everything is programmed in and is easy for them to step in and grind.

“You get the same finish and quality every time because the machine is programmed to do that. The inputs are all the same, and the results will be the same, and we want consistency.”

The ATC system provides a step by step tutorial for new technicians, while more experienced operators can use the system straight away to tell the machine what they’re working on and it’ll do the rest. Automatic placement features, the Accu-Reel Selector and Cylinder Height Stop, automatically locate the reel for a fast and easy spin and relief grind in one set-up and work with the pre-set relief angles to provide hands-free relief grinding.

To get Rick and his team set up on the machine, Ian Robson from Foley Company’s UK distributor, ProSportUK Ltd, went to Guernsey to install the grinder and provide training for Rick’s team. Following the session, the entire team could use the grinder, with the results showing on the course.

La Grande Mare gets relief with Foley

La Grande Mare gets relief with Foley

“Ian from ProSportUK was amazing, the guy really knows his stuff, and the training was excellent,” Rick said. “My staff picked it up really quickly, and they were extremely impressed with the result, and they actually enjoyed grinding and doing the job, which is particularly important. Some guys who aren’t so mechanically inclined tend to shy away, and one of my guys who isn’t so mechanically minded found it very straight forward and easy to operate.

Now, they understand the machine, and they can see the result on the greens when they go out and see the mower cutting. Even to that point, when they came back in with the mower and re-checked the cut and reset all the settings, they couldn’t believe how good it was and how long the quality of the cut lasted.”

To experience the difference of the Accu-Pro 633 or other Foley Company models, contact ProSportUK Ltd at prosportukltd@gmail.com. 

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Fleet of ISEKI’s for Blundells

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Fleet of ISEKI’s for Blundells: ISEKI UK & Ireland, distributors of ISEKI compact tractors and mowers alongside their local dealer MST based in Tiverton, recently sold a fleet of ISEKI machinery into Blundell’s School in Devon.

Amongst all the other tasks you need to get to grips with when starting a new job, Graham Cox at Blundell’s School in Tiverton was also tasked with upgrading the groundcare fleet of machinery, with the aim of it being more economical and cost efficient.  So, following on from what his Estate Bursar Ian Barnes, Deputy Head Groundsperson Richard Hutchings and the grounds team had started, Graham began looking into what was on the market.  Having contacted a number of local dealers ISEKI and MST came up trumps!

Fleet of ISEKI's for Blundells

Fleet of ISEKI’s for Blundells

Graham explains further; “we knew our two previous 36hp tractors needed an increase in power to 50hp in order to run the specialist sports turf equipment around the site. The schools overall strategy is to significantly improve its sports pitches and gardens and it fully supports the development of the team and the equipment necessary to do that.  MST brought out the ISEKI TG6495 IQ on demo for us to try, it was perfect for the jobs we require.  The dual-clutch transmission offers excellent control for when we are aerating, allowing accurate work to be carried out easily no matter who operates the machine.  The drive function is great when towing implements around the site or on the roads allowing us to travel quickly from one job to the next.

“The TG6495 IQ tractor’s are extremely comfortable, especially with the air con cab, which when you are maintaining 110 acres of grassland by verti-draining or mowing this is vital for my staff to avoid fatigue.  In the peak of the season the tractor and operator will be out over 20 hours a week just mowing so the renowned reliability of the ISEKI built tractor along with the ease of use was imperative.  They certainly have a great reputation and I can easily see why.

“We had loader brackets fitted to both TG6495 IQ tractor’s with one loader supplied so the machines are as flexible as possible in their uses here at Blundell’s. The gardeners use the tractor’s with loader for moving bulk material around the site, whilst we use them for grounds maintenance with implements attached.

“As part of the package we also required new ride on mowers for the gardens and fine turf areas.  After trying a variety of manufacturers we found the ISEKI SXG323 to be the quietest, most productive and comfortable.  The 48” deck was a better size and more manoeuvrable than the previous mower we had, allowing a very clean finish even in the smallest of areas.  With a number of large gardens and fine lawns on site the SXG323 collector mower is used extensively to take Blundells to a new level in presentation.  The large 550litre capacity collector with high tip allows us to get around a large number of areas before emptying.  Plus the SXG323 does truly cut and collect leaving a excellent and clean finish every time even in wet conditions which is great for my team to be as productive as possible with less downtime due to the weather.

“The deal also included a TXGS24 23hp tractor which is used on the astroturf pitches and running the SISIS Quadraplay on sports pitches.  It has a surprisingly high lift capacity for its size at 540kg plus it can take a front loader,  back hoe and centre mounted mowing deck if required but we didn’t need this for us.  It is lightweight and manoeuvrable ensuring we can maintain the pitches to the highest standard whilst creating minimal damage to the turf with the tractor.

“Scott Struthers at MST was responsive and very easy to deal with, we had a large range of demos and competitor quotes but MST made the decision simple; quality products at a financially viable cost plus the excellent service and back up provided, they offered the full package.

We have been very lucky, the school has supported the grounds department to enable us to produce top quality playing surfaces and grounds maintenance across the site with the best equipment.  The purchase will pay off for years to come with continued improvement of presentation at the school plus the renowned quality and longevity of the ISEKI equipment.”

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Chart Hills announce renovation project

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Chart Hills announce renovation project: Ramac Holdings Ltd, the new owners of Chart Hills Golf Club, today announced the commencement of major redevelopment works across the picturesque Kent facility.

Since the company acquired Chart Hills in December 2019, the in-house team, led by James Cornish and Anthony Tarchetti, have been working tirelessly on a strategy that will see the extensive redevelopment and improvement of the entire 250 acre property.

Chart Hills announce renovation project

Chart Hills announce renovation project

From mid-to-late July the golf course will officially be closed to allow green staff and industry-leading contractors to work seamlessly to complete work on all 18-holes with the renovated Nick Faldo Design course ready for play at the start of the 2021 golf season or sooner if growing conditions are favourable.

The first steps taken to elevate the visual and playing aspects of the course include extensive irrigation and sand-capping to the fairways with over 20,000 tonnes of sand. Once seeded, grown and manicured, the new fairways will enable members, guests and visitors to enjoy improved playing surfaces year-round.

During this period, Chart Hills will also be making large-scale changes to the remainder of the facility including a purpose-built driving range, upgraded short game area, additional practice putting green and a refurbished clubhouse.

“It is extremely exciting to see this project get underway”, said Anthony Tarchetti.

“The investment that we are making is significant. It is going to take time, but we are confident that the end result will cement Chart Hills’ place among the very best golfing destinations in the South East.”

In order to ensure the most efficient return to regular golf for members and guests, it was decided that all 18-holes should remain closed until the point of completion, shaving an entire year off the original projected completion date. Initial work is underway on the front nine holes with the back nine set to be completed by winter to allow for a significant period of growth prior to the scheduled reopening.

Ramac Holdings Ltd are also the owners of Prince’s Golf Club in Sandwich Bay, Kent. Over recent months and years, the company has proven itself to be more than capable of maximising the potential of a golfing venue having made significant renovations at Prince’s which have been lauded by many. So much so, that the club has recently re-entered the UK & Ireland top 100 lists in Golf World, National Club Golfer and on top100golfcourses.com.

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