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Championship golf validates unmanned turf care

Championship golf validates unmanned turf care

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Championship golf validates unmanned turf care

Championship golf leaves no room for compromise. That’s precisely why Kress chose the inaugural Portugal Invitational to demonstrate how unmanned mowing is becoming a practical solution for the world’s most demanding turf environments.

Championship golf validates unmanned turf care

Championship golf validates unmanned turf care

At the inaugural Portugal Invitational, Kress demonstrated that unmanned mowing is ready to become part of modern grounds maintenance. As an Official Partner, Kress used the tournament to showcase technology being deployed at selected courses elsewhere in the region. The tournament was not where Kress merely advertised unmanned mowing; it was where championship golf validated its maturity.

Across the week, 75 guests, including golf course superintendents, greenkeepers, course managers, owners, and spouses from Europe and North America joined Kress in Algarve. They came not only to experience a world-class tournament, but to examine how unmanned technology can support the teams responsible for achieving exceptional playing conditions.

“Golf is one of the most demanding environments in grounds maintenance, which is why it provides such a meaningful benchmark for our technology,” said Dario Alonso, CEO, Kress South Europe. “In Vilamoura, turf professionals could see that autonomy is no longer a distant concept. It is a working solution.”

From demonstration to daily operation

The Portugal Invitational provided the international stage. Nearby courses provided the operational evidence.

Alongside the Portugal Invitational, Kress deployed two robotic mowers at Old Course Vilamoura, managed by DETAILS, Portugal’s leading golf management company. The adoption of the technology at the Old Course Vilamoura demonstrates how unmanned mowing integrates into the daily management of a prestigious golf environment.

The technology is designed not to replace greenkeeping expertise, but to extend it. By taking responsibility for planned, repetitive mowing, autonomous equipment can help teams direct more time towards the work where specialist knowledge and human judgement matter most—from agronomy and irrigation to course presentation and the player experience.

Visitors were also introduced to the Kress MasterSeries robotic mower and Kress EyePilot 4×4, both engineered for the accuracy, coverage and varied terrain demanded by large and complex sites.

A visit to Quinta do Lago added the perspective of daily course management, with Superintendent Scott McLean giving guests an inside view of the expertise and attention required to maintain one of the Algarve’s most highly regarded golf destinations.

A benchmark beyond golf

Golf has always set the benchmark for professional turf care. If autonomous mowing can meet the expectations of championship golf—where every detail affects play—it becomes relevant to sports facilities, municipalities, universities, resorts and every organisation responsible for maintaining high-quality landscapes.

The Portugal Invitational provided the setting in which Kress demonstrated that unmanned mowing is no longer an emerging concept. It is becoming part of the operational toolkit of organisations responsible for maintaining some of the world’s most demanding landscapes.

The inaugural Portugal Invitational brought together legends of the game at The Els Club Vilamoura, where Zach Johnson claimed the title with a 19-under-par finish. For Kress and the turf professionals attending, the tournament’s significance extended beyond the competition: it demonstrated how unmanned mowing is becoming part of the future of championship course maintenance.

For more information, please visit https://www.kress.com/en-gb/

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Why CBRE Chose AS-Motor Once Again

Why CBRE Chose AS-Motor Once Again

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Why CBRE Chose AS-Motor Once Again

6,000 sites, highly diverse working environments and some of the most demanding vegetation management conditions imaginable. When CBRE, the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment company, renewed its groundcare fleet across the UK, it left the decision to the people who use the machines every day. The outcome was clear: CBRE’s groundcare teams chose AS-Motor. Their decision was based on years of positive experience in daily operation, combined with the machines’ proven performance and reliability in the toughest working conditions.

Why CBRE Chose AS-Motor Once Again

Why CBRE Chose AS-Motor Once Again

With around 140,000 employees worldwide and revenue of approximately USD 35.8 billion in 2025, CBRE is one of the world’s leading real estate services companies. In the UK, the company manages around 6,000 commercial, industrial, technical and public sites. Its services include technical building maintenance and a wide range of property and facilities management services, including the maintenance of outdoor areas and green spaces.

When the time came to renew the groundcare fleet, CBRE deliberately chose to let the people who work with the machines every day make the decision, rather than management or procurement. “We asked the people who use the equipment every day to identify the best machines for the job. Our teams were instructed to assess the equipment solely on its suitability for the work they carry out every day. The outcome was unanimous. Time and again, our teams have chosen AS-Motor because of its proven capability, reliability and performance in demanding environments,” explains Paul Clark, National Grounds and Maintenance Manager, CBRE.

High Grass and Dense Vegetation Instead of Traditional Lawn Care

Many of the green spaces maintained by CBRE have little in common with traditional parks or amenity grass areas. Typical sites include telecommunications facilities, industrial premises and other technical locations. As these areas are generally cut only once a year, CBRE’s groundcare teams regularly face high grass, dense vegetation, brambles and the early stages of scrub encroachment. Conditions also vary considerably from site to site, ranging from steep banks and difficult terrain to large open areas. As a result, both operators and machines are subjected to demanding working conditions.

“Much of the work we undertake isn’t routine amenity grass cutting. We are often working on sites that haven’t been cut for many months. We need machinery that can cope with those conditions day after day while giving our operators the confidence to work safely and efficiently,” says Clark.

It is no coincidence that the teams once again selected AS-Motor. Machines from the southern German manufacturer have been part of CBRE’s fleet for many years, with some units still performing reliably after eight or nine years of service. This long-term positive experience played a key role in the latest fleet renewal.

Specialist Machines for Every Application

The new fleet has been tailored to meet the wide variety of applications encountered by CBRE’s groundcare teams. It includes the AS 940 Sherpa XL and AS 1040 YAK XL ride-on high grass mowers, complemented by pedestrian high grass mowers, flail mowers, mulching mowers and several AS 30 WeedHex brush weeders for mechanical weed control on hard surfaces.

For the first time, CBRE has also introduced the Ovis Evo 1000 RC remote-controlled flail mower. The company expects the machine to deliver significant improvements in both operator safety and productivity, particularly when working on steep slopes and difficult terrain.

“Introducing remote-controlled mowing is a significant step forward for us. This is the first time we’ve incorporated remote-control machines into our fleet, and we’re excited by the improvements they’ll bring in both operator safety and productivity when working on steep slopes and difficult terrain,” says Clark. “The comprehensive machine handover and operator training provided by AriensCo has given our teams the confidence to adopt this new technology safely and effectively from day one.”

Strong Partnerships Drive Success

A project of this scale can only succeed through close collaboration. Alongside selecting the machines, delivery, commissioning and operator training were all essential parts of the rollout. CBRE was supported throughout the project by AS-Motor dealer Lawncare Garden Machinery and AriensCo UK.

“We are delighted to support CBRE not only with the supply of their new AS-Motor fleet but also with the long-term service and aftersales support that will keep the machines performing at their best for years to come. This has been a real team effort involving many people across the UK,” says Barbara Green, Lawncare Garden Machinery.

Sam Lewis, General Manager of AriensCo UK, also sees the decision as a strong endorsement of AS-Motor: “What makes this project particularly rewarding is that the decision was made by the people who use the machines every day. The fact that they evaluated the equipment purely on its capability and once again selected AS-Motor demonstrates the confidence they have in our products under some of the most demanding working conditions.”

With its new groundcare fleet, CBRE is well equipped to continue maintaining around 6,000 sites across the UK safely, efficiently and to the highest professional standards.

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Toro Backs Grassroots Sport with Donation to Haverhill Cricket Club

Toro Backs Grassroots Sport with Donation to Haverhill Cricket Club

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Toro Backs Grassroots Sport with Donation to Haverhill Cricket Club

Haverhill Cricket Club has strengthened its grounds maintenance capabilities thanks to a generous donation from Toro, who selected the club as part of the Toro Donation Programme. The club received a Toro eProStripe pedestrian mower, complete with the Groomer Brush attachment, providing volunteers with professional-grade equipment to help maintain high-quality playing surfaces throughout the season.

Toro Backs Grassroots Sport with Donation to Haverhill Cricket Club

Toro Backs Grassroots Sport with Donation to Haverhill Cricket Club

Founded in 1861, Haverhill Cricket Club has long been a cornerstone of the local community. Today, the club supports two Senior Saturday sides, two Senior Sunday sides, three Junior teams, one Midweek team and two Ladies teams, and regularly hosts league cup finals and Suffolk county fixtures. Its facilities are maintained by a dedicated group of volunteers who work tirelessly to keep the grounds in excellent condition.

Vice Chairman Liam Savage expressed his appreciation for the donation:

“We cannot thank Toro enough for the service provided, and we cannot wait to use the equipment. Haverhill Cricket Club has been a major part of the town for many years — a real community club with a fantastic setup both on and off the field. We’re proud of our facilities and grounds, and this support will help us continue to improve them.”

The handover was attended by Matt Coleman, Sales Manager at Toro, and Andy Brown, Finance Manager at Toro U.K. Limited, who met with Liam Savage, Mick Harding, and Phil Dingley, the club’s grounds team.

Matt Coleman, Sales Manager at Toro, highlighted the importance of supporting grassroots sport:

“Clubs like Haverhill are the heartbeat of their communities. Their volunteers put in an incredible amount of work, and having reliable, professional equipment can make a huge difference. We’re delighted to support them with the eProStripe and Groomer Brush, and we’re confident it will help them maintain the high standards they’re known for.”

Andy Brown, Finance Manager at Toro U.K., added:

“It’s always rewarding to see our products making a real impact at local clubs. The dedication shown by Haverhill’s grounds team is fantastic, and we’re proud to play a small part in helping them continue to deliver excellent playing surfaces for all age groups.”

The donation reinforces Toro’s commitment to supporting community sport and ensuring clubs have access to the tools they need to maintain safe, well-presented facilities for players of all ages.

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The Scandinavian Golf Club makes the switch to Baroness

The Scandinavian Golf Club makes the switch to Baroness

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The Scandinavian Golf Club makes the switch to Baroness

After more than two decades at The Scandinavian Golf Club, Course Manager Russell Anderson knows exactly what is needed from the team and their equipment to maintain renowned high standards across two 18-hole courses. High on their machinery ‘must-haves’ are reliability and consistency which, when the time came to replace their existing mower fleet, prompted the purchase of four LM551B fairway mowers from Baroness.

The Scandinavian Golf Club makes the switch to Baroness

The Scandinavian Golf Club makes the switch to Baroness

As the only golf destination in continental Europe with both courses ranked among the Top 50, expectations at the Danish venue are great and the presentation and playability achieved by Russell and his team of 18 is nothing short of world-class. After years of purchasing equipment in package deals, the club decided it was time to change tact and open the door to all manufacturers – what followed was extensive research and testing for new fairway mowers.

“We invited all major brands to come in and demonstrate some options and we looked at various aspects including cut performance, build quality, operator comfort, maintenance demands and the dealer support” explains Russell. “The liking for the LM551B’s from Baroness was universal, including a big thumbs up from my mechanic which was a big factor in us making our decision to purchase four mowers which were delivered in early April 2026.”

He continues, “Both the build quality and cut quality is superb. We knew this is what Baroness was renowned for, but still, it has been impressive to see this first hand. The LM551B’s cut all the fairways on one course each day and leave an immaculately clean finish after every pass to the admiration of the operators and players alike.”

Ticking the box for cut quality, the investment has also addressed previous issues with downtime and costly repairs. “The simplicity and robustness of the Baroness mowers really stood out, there’s just less to go wrong which means more time in the field and less time costing us money in the workshop.”

“We must also praise the patience and support from Lasse Lindholm at dealers Lindholm Maskiner. The decision took quite a number of months and Lasse never put pressure on us and always took the time to answer any extra questions we had” Russell adds.

In addition to the four mowers, the club also took delivery of a Baroness FS900 sweeper for post-renovation clean-up, which has also quickly left a lasting impression! “This is another fantastic, productive piece of equipment, we’ve been extremely happy with it.”

For Russell, the move to Baroness has delivered exactly what The Scandinavian Golf Club was searching for: premium cut quality, dependable performance, happier mechanics and lower long-term maintenance concerns. “Changing brands always comes with an element of trepidation but opting for the Baroness machines has been a very positive experience for us all round” he concludes.

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Green-Tree supports major rooftop development

Green-Tree supports major rooftop development

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Green-Tree supports major rooftop development

Lumina Village is a major Build-to-Rent regeneration development in Trafford, Manchester, forming part of a wider 120-acre civic quarter regeneration masterplan, delivering approximately 4,000 homes alongside commercial space, infrastructure, and an enhanced public realm.

Green-Tree supports major rooftop development

Green-Tree supports major rooftop development

The Podium phase is a key part of this regeneration and comprises a 440-home Build-to-Rent development, including apartments and townhouses, with extensive podium landscaping, a half-acre rooftop garden for residents, and 5.4 acres of public realm.

ORIGIN GREEN-TECH INVOLVEMENT AND PRODUCTS SUPPLIED

Origin Green-tech supported Wright Landscapes with the supply of 350m³ of Green-tree Intensive Roof Garden substrate for the podium and roof level landscape construction.

The roof and podium structures required a specialist growing medium that would meet strict technical criteria, including:

  1. Reduced load to comply with structural loading limits
  2. Consistent drainage performance for roof build-ups
  3. Long-term plant health and rooting stability
  4. Suitability for intensive and semi-intensive roof planting systems
  5. Compliance with the approved landscape specification and design intent

Wright Landscapes appointed their own independent soil scientist to test and verify the suitability of the Green-tree Intensive Roof Garden substrate supplied for the project. The material was assessed and confirmed to be suitable for intensive roof garden applications, meeting the requirements of the project specification.

This verification process included assessment of the substrate composition against the project specification, focusing on particle structure, organic matter content and overall stability. Drainage and water-retention characteristics were evaluated to ensure performance under roof-garden conditions and to confirm suitability for the proposed planting palette and establishment strategy. Following this process, technical approval was provided prior to supply and installation.

Origin Green-tech supplied a specialist lightweight, intensive roof garden substrate designed for high-level landscape applications where weight-loading constraints, drainage performance, and long-term plant establishment are critical. The material was delivered in dumpy bags and craned directly into position at the podium and roof garden level, in line with site constraints and installation sequencing requirements.

IMPACT AND OUTCOME

The completed roof and podium landscapes at Lumina Village now provide high-quality external amenity space for residents, enhancing biodiversity, visual amenity and the usability of outdoor environments within the development.

The collaboration ensured a specification-compliant, intensive roof-substrate solution, efficient installation at height with controlled logistics, and the successful establishment of conditions for rooftop planting systems.

Joe Jeavons, Group Marketing Manager for Domis Construction, comments, “Completing Lumina Village is a significant achievement for everyone involved in delivering the scheme. As one of Trafford’s most ambitious developments, we are proud to have delivered this project alongside Glenbrook Property and to see it now forming a lasting part of Trafford’s regeneration.

The commitment shown throughout has been exceptional, and the collaboration, technical expertise and reliable supply chain support have all played an important role in the successful delivery of the podium and roof landscape elements.”

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