Enville’s new fleet finance deal

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Enville’s new fleet finance deal: Founded in 1935 and considered one of the finest examples of heathland golf in the UK, Enville Golf Club near Stourbridge features the 18-hole Highgate and Lodge courses, with the former being used by the R&A in recent years for Regional Open Qualifying tournaments.

It has also recently been announced that Enville will host the R&A Girls’ U16 Amateur Championship for the first time, for three years from April 2021.

Enville's new fleet finance deal

Enville’s new fleet finance deal

Enville’s course manager Andy Wood, who has been at the club for nearly three years, was previously at Robin Hood, Cosby and The Belfry Golf Clubs, so he knows his local dealer Farol Ltd well and has been using John Deere course maintenance equipment for over 20 years.

His avowed ambition is to produce two of the best courses in the Midlands for Enville’s members, guests and visitors, and in so doing to try to get the club as high as possible up the list of the top 100 golf clubs in England. The club has also invited five top golf course architects to tender for a master plan to take the course to the next level over the next five to 10 years. As part of this process, Andy has overseen a policy change to reduce the club’s reliance on capital purchases of new machinery with no real structured plan in place, other than a rolling programme with kit coming off operating leases needing replacement each year.

“I just felt that this was not a very sensible approach, for budgeting purposes in particular,” says Andy. “The club could be spending £50,000 one year and £100,000 the next, and this did not suit budgeting over a longer period. We therefore agreed a new budget for the next five to 10 years, combining a shorter operating lease for new mowers with a longer finance lease arrangement for the likes of tractors, which have a longer life expectancy, so that the club’s capital spend would be significantly reduced.”

All the main manufacturers were invited to tender for the demonstration and supply of individual machines for year one, including tractors, utility vehicles, leaf collectors and aerators, followed in year two by the cutting equipment. Each range was tested to see what fitted the courses’ and Andy’s needs best, followed by an assessment of service back-up and support, including product warranties, once the decisions on the choice of kit had been made.

“John Deere and Farol, with dealer salesman Jacob Shellis leading the way, ticked all the boxes,” says Andy. “Things like cut quality should be a given at this level. More important is that should any problems or issues arise, they get dealt with straight away and we’re not left stranded with broken down machines and unnecessary downtime.

“For me, it’s always been about building a good, sound relationship and trust in the supplier, its products and the dealer, and that people deliver on their promises, especially through the tender process. Farol has always supported me very well on the service side with warranty claims, tournament support, training programmes and the like. The John Deere Financial package was very favourable too, with competitive rates.

“With this new deal we’ve managed to rationalise the fleet and every bit of kit does the job I need it to. We’ve gone down from 122 machines and auxiliary pieces of equipment when I first came to 94, and we’ve saved on a lot of labour, time and repair costs. Among other things this has enabled us to invest £40,000 in a new machinery shed and a new seed and fertiliser store, so we’ve now got enough room to keep all the main kit and supplies secure and under cover.

“Being a heathland course built on very sandy soils, we’re fortunate in that we can stay open all year round and work on the course at any time of the year,” Andy adds. “This makes life a bit easier in the winter, but it also means that we require a good irrigation system in the spring and summer months, something the club also invested in last year.

“One of the most encouraging things has been our record income in 2019 from green fees, which is a great sign that things are moving in the right direction. Enville’s always had a good reputation, but hopefully the machinery, agronomic and other changes we’ve been making to the course over the last couple of years have contributed to this increase.”

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GKB Infiller creates a presence

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GKB Infiller creates a presence: Defined as fast, efficient and professional, Sports Surface Solutions UK are the first in the UK to have a GKB Infiller and are still impressed with the robust machine 6 months on. 

Tom Shinkins, Operations Manager at GKB, said “This is a product we have been developing over a number of years with our own contracting side and other experienced contractors in the Netherlands.” He continues, “It is great to be able to bring a product to the UK market in this way.”

GKB Infiller creates a presence

GKB Infiller creates a presence

Installing pitches for over 25 years and always pushing for the latest innovations in both turf maintenance and technologies, the GKB Infiller was the only choice to match market leaders to the most reliable synthetic turf maintenance machine.

Sports Surface Solutions UK praised the well-built machine for its versatility. Nick Wells, Managing Director, said “The GKB Infiller can be used to apply multiple different types of infill material.” Thanks to GKB’s impressive innovation, this machine has the ability to efficiently apply several types of infill material like sand, SBR rubber, TPE rubber and cork in two directions. Nick went on to add, “These features really stood out to me, It’s a natural infill machine.”

A unique feature of this machine is that the driver’s seat is rotatable. This allows you to fill the carpet full of sand before driving over it.

Every project that is completed is always on time and to specification. Sports Surface Solutions UK pride themselves on installing a performance critical surface, with the highest level of workmanship, Nick stated that the GKB Infiller will be used to infill synthetic pitches that they install.

To determine how much infill material is distributed, the precision control valve can be set from 0 to 100mm. Not only this but it is manually adjustable as well as hydraulically operated.

Thanks to the flap in the front of the bunker, which can be opened from 0 to 100mm, you have the possibility to regulate the amount of sand that is distributed. All whilst there are specially designed agitators in the bunker to break up rubber crumb infill and guarantee an even spreading pattern.

“The ease of operation and speed in which this allows pitches to be infilled with sand and other infill products is very specialised,” Tom added.

Also provided with aluminium extensions to enlarge the bunker capacity of the bunker mounted on top of the chassis. The bunker is increased by these extensions from 1.06m3 to 3m3.

Nick Wells praised GKB Machines on the customer service received. He said, “One thing I really value in the GKB brand is that they are true specialists in machinery.” Engaged with the development of innovative maintenance machines for sports pitches since 1985, GKB Machines continues to strive to develop the very best machines.

Having worked with GKB Machines predecessor the only choice for Nick was a GKB engineered machine when production started.

Every GKB Machine must satisfy the high-quality requirements that they impose. A sustainable, reliable and robust machine is the foundation for your operation.

GKB Machines place a high value on the final user of the machine and Sports Surface Solutions UK have the most comprehensive machinery in the UK. The GKB Infiller was the perfect match, encompassing sturdiness with effortless ground management.

Sports Surface Solutions UK do not sub-contract any aspect of their work to ensure a one stop contractor for all your specialist surface needs.

For more on GKB Machines and their reliable and robust range of machinery for natural, hybrid and synthetic turf, please visit www.gkbmachines.com or contact Tom Shinkins on 07495 883617 to enquire about booking a demo of the GKB Infiller.

To find out more about Sports Surface Solutions UK please visit www.sportssurfacesolutions.com

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Emission free weed control

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Emission free weed control: The 100% electric AllTrec Tool Carrier from Campey Turf Care Systems has made weed control CO2-emissions free.

Weed control is an essential task in almost every groundsman, greenkeeper, contractor and landscapers schedule, and the AllTrec with Air E-Variator or Weed Brush has made it quicker, easier and emissions-free.

Emission free weed control

Emission free weed control

The E-Variator is one of four attachments currently available for the AllTrec Carrier and it has been specifically designed for weed management on large paved and semi-paved surfaces. It works both preventively and repressively, saving up to 70% of its own energy through re-use – better known as the patented advanced air recycling system.

The unique variable airflow function (ADS) enables the machine to work in corners and around obstacles in just one pass, with operators able to fully control the attachment using the digital control screen. LPG tanks used for the E-Variator Weed Burner can be mounted to the back of the AllTrec, with a connection available for the automatic tank heater to prevent them from freezing. The closed burner system with heat recovery has gas reduction of no less than 60% and an automatic temperature regulation of 380°C.

Weeds can also be removed using the 70cm Weed Brush, which is electrically powered with three brush speeds and controlled using the onboard joystick. It can be hydraulically adjusted to any angle and used for a full day without any worry of batteries running out. All batteries come with a three-year warranty and have a lifetime of + – 2500 charge discharge cycles. The 48VDC battery uses LifePO4 technology with a capacity of 20kwh or an optional 30kwh, with onboard charging taking 4-8 hours.

The power produced from the battery means the AllTrec can also be operated using the mower or hedge cutter attachments. The hedge cutting attachment has a 75cm working width with electric motors directly powering the blades which have speeds from 2000-3000rpm. The deck is controlled using a joystick and is easy to manoeuvre for a comfortable and effective days work. The mowing deck comes in optional cutting widths of 130cm or 180cm with a variable height of cut from 30-110mm, making it perfect for use on regularly maintained grass or overgrown vegetation. When cutting with the four-blade 180cm deck, the battery will typically last for 6-8 hours and 7-9 hours using the three-blade 130cm deck.

A large-action radius and highly efficient attachments combined with low operation and maintenance costs make the AllTrec perfect for use in urban environments, sports complexes, holiday resorts and parks by contractors, local authorities and landscapers.

For more information on making your weed control operation 100% electric and emissions free, contact Campey at info@campeyturfcare.com.

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Först starts a revolution

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Först starts a revolution: Först has done it again. They have taken the world’s most popular sub 750kg petrol wood chipper and turned it into something of a revolution for arboriculture.

The new Först TT6 has arrived in style, weighing in at just 745kg, boasting a 270-degree turntable and delivering a fully emission compliant 37 horsepower. It’s perfect for city contractors and any arborists looking for outstanding performance, unrivalled manoeuvrability and convenience.

Först starts a revolution

Först starts a revolution

Take a look at the TT6 and you’ll immediately see true innovation in this showstopper. It’s built even tougher and stronger than its predecessors. Incorporating the chipping chamber and engine from the perennial favourite Först ST6P it is designed sleek and sharp to look good behind any vehicle. It’s amazingly compact measuring just 2800mm in transport position and 2250mm when turned 90 degrees, adding another dimension to what the Först line up brings. There’s a wide hopper right down to the FörstGrip feed which in turn gives an exceptional grip on timber. The Först flywheel system is outstanding at clearing chip and green material and what’s more the chipper is quick and easy to service and maintain.   The TT6 is clearly the product of intelligent, cutting edge engineering from Först’s in-house engineering team and its introduction follows months of rigorous testing to guarantee a strong, robust product. So needed with such a weight-sensitive product. On that score, it’s also backed by an uncompromising 3-year warranty. The TT6 is sold directly to you from Först, the manufacturer, serving customers from UK locations: the factory in Andover, Hampshire, Doncaster, South Yorkshire and through Först partners in Glasgow. Först provides a service network of its own people and approved service partners across the UK, which means service support for your Först chipper is never far away.

For more information visit www.forst-woodchippers.com or call +44 1264 721790

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New warranties on TYM range

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New warranties on TYM range: Reesink Turfcare is offering customers even more in 2020 with a new three-year ‘bumper to bumper’ warranty package on all new TYM tractors.

Reesink, the UK distributor of TYM, has long been known for offering more when it comes to its service, after-sales support, parts and warranties and 2020 starts as it means to go on with the brand extending its warranties on all TYM tractors to three years.

New warranties on TYM range

New warranties on TYM range

Reesink’s TYM sales manager, Steven Haynes, says: “We’re here to offer peace of mind to our customers that when they buy a tractor from us, we cover it for any unforeseen circumstances for three years or until 2,000 hours whichever comes first. These warranties demonstrate our confidence in the product and our dedication to offering our customers more.”

It makes good business sense to ensure your tractor investment is cared for against any unforeseen expensive repair costs, and Reesink is offering protection on the whole tractor at no extra cost.

Compact tractors are ever popular in the turfcare industry due to their multi-functional capabilities, which make them the perfect addition for a busy golf club or sports stadium and TYM tractors in particular are powerful and versatile enough to tackle a wide range of jobs. From transporting and loading materials, hedge cutting, mowing, scarifying, aerating and various other specialist works including drainage, the wide range which extends from 19 to 100hp offers a solution for every turfcare need.

All TYM tractors benefit from powerful, liquid-cooled diesel engines, hydrostatic power-steering for effortless manoeuvrability and a tight turning circle, and a heavy-duty, four-wheel-drive front axle for greater traction where needed.

Plus, most can be upgraded with optional heated and air-conditioned cabs for maximum operator comfort. But models without cabs boast a handy feature as well – the ROPS roll bar can be folded down for compact, convenient storage under a low roof. They can also be fitted with an array of attachments such as front-end loaders and backhoes, and the warranty on TYM accessories such as loaders and mid mount mowers remains unchanged at 12 months from point of sale.

And now there’s even more reason to invest in a TYM tractor, as Steven concludes: “Having a comprehensive warranty like this allows customers to safeguard their investment and means machines keep their value.”

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