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ROBOCUT To Launch At SALTEX

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ROBOCUT To Launch At SALTEX: McConnel ROBOCUT’s have earned a reputation for performing in the toughest working environments. Now the company are set to expand the ROBOCUT range with the launch of the ROBOCUT RC28, a mower developed for fine turf applications where a light footprint and minimal surface disturbance is paramount.

The ROBOCUT RC28 has been specifically designed for the amenities, landscape, and ground-care sectors.

ROBOCUT To Launch At SALTEX

Designed, developed and manufactured by vegetation control specialists McConnel, the all-new Robocut RC28 is now entering full production. Designed to allow remote controlled mowing of level land and suitable for tackling slopes of up to 55 degrees, the Robocut RC28 key features include:

  • Fuelled up and ready to mow, weighs under 500kg
  • Bi-directional 1.10m mulching deck delivers high quality cut
  • Safe working on slopes of up to 55 degrees
  • Automatic tracking for straight mowing on lateral slopes
  • Full proportional remote control at distances of up to 150m
  • Electric track motors and deck raise / lower eliminates hydraulics
  • Operates at speeds of up to 7.0kph
  • Mowing heights of 30 to 180mm
  • GPS Enabled and Autosteer ready

Powered by a 28hp / 21kW fuel-injected Vanguard petrol engine, the Robocut RC28 is the latest addition to the established McConnel Robocut family. Purpose designed for maintenance mowing, the Robocut RC28 is new from the ground up, light weight and high productivity listing among key design aims.

The new ROBOCUT RC28 will be officially launched at Saltex 2019 and can be seen on stand A095.  McConnel larger RC56 and RC75 ROBOCUT models will also be on display.

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Le Golf National’s Short Game Area

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Le Golf National’s Short Game Area: Not content to rest on its laurels after the stunning success of last year’s Ryder Cup, the team at Le Golf National is continuing to invest in its facilities, building a substantial new training area for short game practice.

Located between the sixteenth green of the Albatros course and the club’s driving range, the new short game area housed a large grandstand during the Ryder Cup. “When the stand came down after the event, all the grass in the area was dead, so it was clear we needed to do something with the ground,” said Lucas Pierré, golf courses and estates manager at Le Golf National. “At the same time, we decided to rebuild all our training areas using better materials. They are really important for us and get a great deal of use, both from our paying golf customers and from our coaches running clinics for local schoolchildren.”

Le Golf National's Short Game Area

“The area between the sixteenth green and the driving range was ideal for this use, as it was already covered by our irrigation system,” said Pierré. “The new short game area was designed in house, jointly by me, by Alejandro Reyes [LGN’s former superintendent, now an agronomic consultant] and by our head golf teacher. We saved as much of the USGA rootzone as possible – it is quite large, with 3,000 sq m of green space, 4,000 sq m of surrounds and 1,000 sq m of sand, in two big bunkers.

“We already have Capillary Concrete on the Albatros course, and we are used to working with their French distributor, Stan Chapus of Greenmix,  so we know that the system works, and we decided on EcoBunker to create the bunker edging. Together they make an advanced system – not cheap, but they work well together. We can keep the sand on the bunker faces; it doesn’t wash down every time there is a big rain.’”

The new area will open in September for use by the local childrens’ golf schools, and be in use when the French Open returns to Le Golf National in October.

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Energy Purchase More Gators

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Energy Purchase More Gators: Leading event equipment supply company Energy Generator Hire Limited, based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, has recently added a record beating 51 John Deere Gator 4×4 utility vehicles to its UK hire fleet, which now numbers in excess of 170 units.

Supplied by Farol Limited of Milton Common near Thame in Oxfordshire and supported by John Deere Financial, the purchase of the XUV 855D two-seater models was already the largest single order for Gators in the UK, before they were joined shortly afterwards by another 12 S4 four-seater versions to keep up with customer demand.

Energy Purchase More Gators

Energy Generator Hire was established in 2004 with just one generator by owner and managing director Tom Carr, who identified a market opportunity to offer a one stop shop, full turnkey service to the events industry.

The company now specialises in short, medium and long term hire of power and generation equipment to various industry sectors, including events, construction, motor racing and, in the near future, the equestrian market. Energy will also be venturing into the electric vehicles sector in line with its sustainability and environmental policies.

“I was always intrigued by the events industry, and initially concentrated on temporary power supply services,” says Tom. “On visiting customer venues more frequently, we soon realised that all-terrain vehicles were also in great demand, and so expansion of The Energy Group began naturally from there.”

Energy bought its first John Deere Gator in 2015, initially for use at the company’s premises, but it wasn’t long before enquiries for the vehicle started flooding in. Due to Energy’s longstanding relationship with Farol area sales manager John Bennetts and John Deere Financial, the Gator fleet has increased rapidly due to a mix of repeat custom and new business.

“When you delve into a new aspect of any business, market and product research are key,” says Tom. “We studied all types of machine in the ATV market, and after gaining feedback from our clients, particularly festival organisers, it was John Deere who stood out as the number one choice.

“The new Gators were ordered with full specification to ensure they meet all our customers’ needs, delivering a premium product to stand alongside our first-rate service. They are fast becoming the industry standard and are more often than not requested by the end user due to their reliability and durability.

“We’ve found that the John Deere Gator can handle all kinds of terrain with ease, and due to their high specification they can also be used safely and efficiently 24 hours a day by our ever-expanding client base, both indoors if required as well as outdoors. In addition, all of our hire vehicles are Trackered and barcoded, not only for security but also to ensure fleet management and logistics are streamlined.

“This is vital, considering that the company’s entire machinery fleet now numbers more than 500 units. Add to this the fully comprehensive and strict maintenance schedule entrusted to Farol, and we can offer complete peace of mind to our clients countrywide.”

John Deere Financial area sales manager Christophe Verteneuil says: “This deal was the perfect example of consulting with a valued client to ensure the best available package was structured to suit both our lending criteria and the customer’s needs.

“Primarily, to manage a transaction of this scale, we arranged a credit line after gaining an understanding of Tom’s business challenges and opportunities. Flexibility was key, from identifying the most suitable financial product to being adaptable with regards to the payment schedule, which we were able to match to the seasonal cashflow of the business.”

Tom Carr adds: “Residual value is also very important when undertaking an investment of this magnitude. John Deere Gators, when serviced and maintained correctly, hold their market value well and this is extremely beneficial when renewing our fleet.”

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New Exhibitors At Turf Maintenance Live

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New Exhibitors At Turf Maintenance Live: Two new companies, Agria UK and Price Turfcare, are exhibiting at Turf Maintenance Live in October, joining the established group that includes Ernest Doe & Sons, GKB Machines, Husqvarna UK, Iseki UK, Martin Lishman, Rigby Taylor, Wessex International and Wiedenmann UK.

Registration is now open for this annual showcase from the leading manufacturers and distributors of turf maintenance equipment, which is being held at the Woollam Playing Fields, Harpenden Rd in St. Albans on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 October.

New Exhibitors At Turf Maintenance Live

Entrance to the event, now in its fifth year, is free but pre-registration is essential with BIGGA and IOG members able claim CPD points for their attendance.

Visitors interested in attending the event and seeing the latest innovations and equipment in action can register by completing a registration form online at: https://www.turfmaintenancelive.com/ or email register@turfmaintenancelive.com .

Explaining why he made the decision to join the Turf Maintenance Live team this year, Rupert Price of Price Turfcare said,

“We have been distributing the Ventrac 4500 compact tractor and its range of attachments for just two and half years and, in that short time, it has been extremely well received by the UK groundscare industry. What we have learned is that prospective customers have to see the machine, up close and personal, to fully appreciate its versatility and that’s why we’ve come on board. We’re hoping that we can demonstrate its capabilities to as many people as possible at St. Albans in October.”

Jason Bristow of Agri UK added,

“Like Price Turfcare, we are new to the UK market and this is the obvious event to demonstrate the range of equipment that we have to offer groundscare sector. Unlike SALTEX, which we will be attending later in October, the visitors here can see the equipment in a working environment and gain a comprehensive understanding of their features and benefits. We’re looking forward to seeing as many prospective buyers as possible across the two days.”

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JCB Diggers In Full Production

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JCB Diggers In Full Production: JCB has made manufacturing history by going into full production with the construction industry’s first fully electric mini excavator – with more than 50 machines already delivered.

The 19C-1E models – JCB’s first-ever electric diggers – are now coming off the assembly line at JCB Compact Products in Cheadle, Staffordshire, with orders rolling in from customers from across Europe and North America.

JCB Diggers In Full Production

The machine is a staggering five times quieter than its diesel counterpart and can be fully charged in under two hours. The model is expected to be a big hit with companies working inside buildings and in emissions and noise-sensitive inner-city areas. Fully charged, the 19C-1E can put in a typical full day’s shift for a mini excavator.

The 19C-1E will also offer customers great cost-of-ownership benefits, with research highlighting that over the first five years, charging costs will be 50 per cent cheaper for customers who would otherwise be using red diesel. Servicing costs are also expected to be up to 70 per cent lower compared to the diesel model.

JCB Chief Innovation Officer Tim Burnhope said: “In urban environments in particular, contractors are understandably very keen to operate zero emissions equipment whenever possible, including outdoors. I’m delighted that the model is now in full production after successful feedback from customers in many key markets during the evaluation stage.”

JCB Compact Products’ MD Robert Winter said: “This is a historic moment for JCB and for JCB Compact Products. We are delighted to go into full production with the industry’s first fully electric mini excavator. The machine has a very promising future ahead of it.”

Using leading automotive battery technology, the zero emissions and low noise 19C-1E delivers all of the performance of a conventional diesel-powered 1.9-tonne mini excavator. The machine comes with JCB’s LiveLink telematics as standard.

The machine is perfect for working indoors or outdoors, in factories, tunnels or basements, for digging foundations, or on utility projects.

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