SCH Supplies’ New Apprentices

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SCH Supplies’ New Apprentices: We at SCH Supplies have recently taken on three young apprentices. Our company, based in Holbrook in Suffolk, design and manufacture attachments for small tractors and ride on mowers.

It’s due to a very busy summer and increased orders that we have decided to take on more staff. We feel that it’s only fair to give younger people an opportunity to get their careers started in engineering. The apprentices were recommended to us by WS Training of Ipswich, and will be supervised and mentored by them during the duration of the course. They will receive training in various departments, and will gain skills across the entire manufacturing process, from processing raw materials to assembling the finished products.

SCH Supplies' New Apprentices

Our workshops manufacture a wide variety of machinery, from trailers, leaf suction units, flail mowers and much more.  The apprentices will have hands on experience with both petrol and electric engines, and will benefit from the variety of products that they will work on.

SCH have had huge success with apprentices in the past, with one of our first apprentices still with us over 20 years later. It’s due to this success that we’ve continued to employ local aspiring engineers.

We wish them all the best of luck in the future, and we’re proud that the experience and training gained at SCH will help them throughout their careers.

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Greenkeeper’s Anglo-Portugese Alliance

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Greenkeeper’s Anglo-Portugese Alliance: Henrique Ferreira, a 23-year-old Portuguese national, has been at The London Golf Club for just five months.  During a break from his studies, at agronomy college in his home country, he has been assisting Golf Courses & Estate Manager, Lee Sayers.  Headland Amenity work closely with his employers, Belas Golf Club, as well as The London Golf Club and were very happy to see this young greenkeeper gain valuable course preparation experience in the UK.

Henrique, a greenkeeper at his home course of Belas GC, came to London in April and his experience of using Headland Amenity products helped him fit right in! “Lee and the team included me in all of the daily tasks” he explains “from raking bunkers through to cutting all areas. I have also been involved with feeding, working with Headland Multigreen slow release fertiliser.”

Greenkeeper's Anglo-Portugese Alliance

“The biggest difference I have found between greenkeeping here and at home is the aeration programme – how frequently it is conducted and how it makes such a big difference to the quality of the course. All in all I have learnt a great deal and have to thank the whole greenkeeping and landscaping team at The London Club, for such a great experience.”

For more information, visit: www.headlandamenity.com

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Greenkeeping Award For Gregg Hood

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Greenkeeping Award For Gregg Hood: Trainee greenkeeper Gregg Hood has been crowned SRUC Elmwood’s annual John Deere HNC Student of the Year, after making a career change in is early 40s. Greg won the award, sponsored by John Deere and Scottish turf dealer Double A, for a conscientious and enthusiastic approach to his programme of studies during the 2017/2018 academic year.

Born and bred in Glasgow, Gregg had a successful career as a qualified accountant and then a mortgage broker before making the jump into greenkeeping at the age of 42. “It was one of those life changing decisions that I just had to make,” he says. “I had thought for a couple of years that it was time for a change. I’ve always loved my golf, and thought it was a great environment to work in. I was also interested in how golf courses are put together, how they’re looked after and made to look so good.

Greenkeeping Award For Gregg Hood

“My partner Lisa was very supportive, so I finally left work in June 2017 and applied to the SRUC, having been in contact with Elmwood’s greenkeeping coordinator Mike Clark for a year or so before that. We agreed that the HNC in Golf Course Management would be the best entry level course for me, combined with volunteering on a golf course to get some practical experience.”

That golf course turned out to be St Andrews Links, where Gregg started volunteering two days a week from September 2017, about two weeks after starting the course. “It’s been fantastic, and course manager Kevin Muir and his team couldn’t have been more helpful. Everyone’s been very happy to give me the benefit of their time and knowledge, so it’s been an absolutely brilliant opportunity.

“Going in I was obviously a little apprehensive about my age, but both Mike and Kevin said if you show a good attitude and you’re there to learn, then as long as you can do the work and be a part of the team, there are no issues. I haven’t given it another thought since.

“I’ve never been part of anything like this before, certainly not in accountancy, where there’s always that element of competition, even when you’re working in a team. The only competition on a golf course is to improve your skills and make yourself a better greenkeeper. People at St Andrews Links and the college are really impressive, and all round I’ve found it to be a very encouraging environment to work in – I’m still very excited by it all.

“I’m now a BIGGA member and contracted at St Andrews Links until November 2018, and if a permanent position became available then I’d definitely apply. If not then I might try a warm weather grass course abroad over the winter months. Ultimately I would like to hone my skills and get more experience, including tournaments at other courses.”

Course tutor Paul Miller, who is based at SRUC’s Elmwood campus in Cupar, Fife, adds: “Gregg’s decision to change career was made after a great deal of research, preparation and consideration of all the implications. This thoroughness of preparation soon became evident in his course work, which he produced most conscientiously and to a very high standard right from day one – his commitment to making the most of the learning opportunity was impressive.

“Quickly realising that he would also need to build up his practical skills and his industry networking, Gregg volunteered to work at St Andrews Links, again demonstrating his enthusiasm and willingness to learn in that environment as well as in the classroom. He also applied for and was successful in gaining an R&A Greenkeeping Scholarship through SRUC.

“Having also secured a seasonal position on St Andrews Links, Gregg’s development continues apace. We all look forward to watching his growth in the industry and the contribution that he will make to greenkeeping as his career progresses.”

For more information, visit: www.JohnDeere.co.uk

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Ariens’ New Director of Sales EMEAA

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Ariens’ New Director of Sales EMEAA: Ariens Company  can confirm the appointment of Jackie Williams to the role of Director of Sales EMEAA. She will be coming into the role to succeed John Horn, who will be retiring from the Ariens Company at the end of 2018. Jackie, who will report to Vice President of EMEAA, Darren Spencer, brings a wealth of experience to the company and will assume responsibility for sales and distribution of Ariens products through Ariens subsidiaries located in the U.K. and Norway, and Ariens fifty plus distribution partners worldwide. 

Jackie joins Ariens having built a successful career over twenty-five years in international sales and distribution management.

Ariens' New Director of Sales EMEAA

“We’re very pleased to have Jackie become part of the Ariens Company team,” says Darren Spencer, “she brings vast experience of multi-channel product sales and distribution across all continents, at an exciting time in the development of Ariens’ EMEAA expansion.”

Reporting in turn to Jackie will be Ariens European Sales Manager, Massimo Caner, Matt Wilson, UK Sales Manager and Scandinavia General Manager Frank Brenn. Jackie’s previous role was International Sales Director of Derwent, a division of ACCO UK Ltd, achieving year on year growth in sales and profitability. She holds post-graduate diplomas in Marketing, Export Marketing and Business Studies & Finance, and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Ariens Company is a family owned business that has built a reputation for engineering excellence, manufacturing Ariens products in the US since 1933. The fundamental principle driving the design of every Ariens product remains the same today: building hard-working, reliable tools that are passed on from generation to generation.

Ariens Company Limited manufactures the Countax and Westwood garden tractors. The business also distributes ECHO outdoor power tools and the Ariens lawn, garden and snow products through a network of UK dealers.

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EcoBunker’s North America Arrangements

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EcoBunker’s North America Arrangements: EcoBunker, a global market leader in synthetic bunker edge construction, is making a number of changes to its distribution arrangements in North America.

From June 2016 until this month, EcoBunker marketed in the US exclusively via Binghampton, NY-based IVI Golf, the supplier of the well-known Sandtrapper bunker liner, with the product renamed PermaEdge. That exclusive arrangement has now lapsed, with EcoBunker now selling direct into the US and Canadian markets, and, to give full coverage across North American, is appointing new distributor and agents. The first of these is a new agent, George Fry, formerly superintendent of Kiawah Island’s Ocean course, covering Georgia and the Carolinas. Another appointment, to cover Canada, is Jay Morgan, a specialist in erosion control products, based into Ontario.

EcoBunker's North America Arrangements

“Opportunities exist for individuals and organisations to represent EcoBunker across North American, and we will be delighted to hear from interested parties,” said Richard Allen, EcoBunker’s CEO. “We have learned that the size and complexity of the American market needs widespread representation, and so we plan to build a substantial distribution network.”

Allen continued: “We have always maintained a presence of our own in the US – some of our best projects, such as at the Medalist club in Hobe Sound, Florida, and Secession GC, in Beaufort, South Carolina, have been won and delivered that way. But, as our business grows, and our brand becomes known across the world, it is important for us to have better control over our operations in the world’s largest and most dynamic golf market. From now on, we will operate solely under the EcoBunker brand in all geographies.”

Between 150 and 200 courses globally have now installed the EcoBunker solution.

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