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NEWS ARTICLES

Capillary Concrete Hire Three

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Capillary Concrete Hire Three: Rapid sales growth across the US market has forced Capillary Concrete, the global leader in bunker and turf management, to boost its team of representatives serving American clients. Three new hires have significantly increased the company’s ability to support clients across the United States.

Greg Nichols is Capillary Concrete’s new Sales and Installation Manager for the Northeast of America, and also covers Florida. Nichols, originally from upstate New York, graduated from SUNY Canton and has been in the golf course construction industry working with architects, contractors and superintendents specializing in bunker maintenance products since 2007. He is based in Tequestra, Florida.

Capillary Concrete Hire Three

Mark Patterson, Sales and Installation Manager for the Southeast, lives in Alpharetta, Georgia, just north of Atlanta. He is a thirty year veteran of the golf industry, working as a superintendent and a director of golf and grounds at many different clubs. Patterson holds a BS degree in plant and soil sciences from Mississippi State University andhas built several high profile clubs in the southeast including Champions Retreat GC in Augusta where he was director of construction and superintendent.

With more than 24 years in the turf industry, Scott Grego’s love for golf began when he worked for his uncle on Dundee golf course in Michigan as a teen. This led him to his turfgrass management degree at Michigan State. His internship led him to Dominion Country Club in San Antonio and eventually he became superintendant of the golf course. After seven years, he transitioned into the sales industry selling chemicals, fertilizers and equipment, leading to his recent appointment at Capillary Concrete’s Sales and Installation Manager for the Central US.

“Our growth and future projections have provided us the opportunity to hire a leading sales staff to match our leading bunker liner and turfgrass management applications. We are excited to bring the team together to make another huge impact for us in the near future,” said operations manager Travis Chivers.

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Innovation Award Back For 2019

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Innovation Award Back For 2019: SALTEX exhibitors are now able to submit their entries for the 2019 Innovation Award – allowing show visitors the chance to witness a stellar line-up of brand new products and services that are pushing the boundaries in groundscare innovation at the NEC, Birmingham on October 30 and 31.

Since its launch at SALTEX 2017, the Innovation Award has helped to highlight some of the most ground-breaking, innovative products and services within the groundscare industry.

Innovation Award Back For 2019

All of the submitted entries are evaluated by an independent panel of judges before a final shortlist is devised. The finalists are then given an opportunity to impress judges and visitors in a seminar theatre on the first day of SALTEX as representatives from each company take to the stage to deliver product presentations.

Entering the award is an unmissable opportunity for exhibitors as every innovation will be featured on the SALTEX website and in the official show guide. Being shortlisted as a finalist offers even more exposure as they will be given dedicated time to showcase their product or service in front of industry giants, judges and influencers and can draw even more of a crowd to their stand.

The worthy winner will be presented with the coveted award at the exhibition and will receive a dedicated news article in post-show reports.

The winner of the SALTEX 2019 Innovation Award will join previous winners: Rigby Taylor’s Intelligent One autonomous robotic line marker and Fleet Line Markers’ MAQA line marking machine were joint winners of the first ever SALTEX Innovation Award and in 2018 Sherriff Amenity’s ground-breaking new app, PrecisionPro, picked up the top prize.

To enter the SALTEX 2019 Innovation Award, please visit www.iogsaltex.com/innovation-of-the-year-award/

For more information visit www.iogsaltex.com

Follow SALTEX on Twitter @IOG_SALTEX and Facebook – www.facebook.com/IOGSALTEX

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Toro & Reesink Continue IOG Support

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Toro & Reesink Continue IOG Support: The Toro Company and Reesink Turfcare have agreed to continue a year-on-year sponsorship deal with the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) to support the activities of the IOG’s Young Board of Directors (YBD).

The YBD is leading the IOG ‘Get into Grounds’ strategy by encouraging 14 to16-year-olds, school leavers and young people to consider a career in groundsmanship. Most members of the group entered the industry by volunteering at a local sports club and have progressively learnt the skills and gained the experience they need to pursue a rewarding career in groundsmanship.

Toro & Reesink Continue IOG Support

This also includes funding for diversity to create programmes to enhance opportunities for women and BME groups to advance careers in the industry.

The YBD is currently updating its strategy for the next three years, which will include an aim to engage with activities that attract a wider diversity of people into the industry. This ongoing sponsorship will allow the Board to do this.

The YBD is currently made up of 10 directors, who are all aged under 28, and they selflessly give up their own time to support YBD initiatives by, for example, attending and supporting a range of career events.

Commenting on Toro and Reeskink’s ongoing support, YBD current chair, Anthony Facey, said: “Toro have been fantastic support over the last three years and I’m so pleased the company is willing to commit long term to the Board. Without this help the YBD would not be able to achieve its aims and objectives.”

David Cole, managing director at Reesink Turfcare, said: “Our sponsorship of the YBD demonstrates the commitment of Toro and Reesink Turfcare to education and raising awareness of the great careers available in grounds maintenance and management. Furthermore, we are proud to play a small part in supporting the hard work of the Board, and their admirable efforts to reach out to and attract the next generation into the industry. In particular, we are very keen to support their drive to broaden the gender diversity across grounds staff roles.”

Toro & Reesink Continue IOG Support

IOG chief executive, Geoff Webb, added: “We are grateful to the Toro Company and Reesink Turfcare for their support for this crucial area of developing opportunities for young, capable grounds staff. The IOG’s latest independent research has highlighted a lack of women working in sports turf as well as a lack of BME groups.

“Combine these facts with an ageing profile of in situ grounds staff and it is clear that we have to develop new programmes and initiatives to raise awareness of our profession and advance opportunities to make sure we have a vibrant and diverse future workforce.”

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Customers Praise AMS Robots

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Customers Praise AMS Robots: AMS Robotics are the UK distributors of Belrobotics robot technology, they offer automated turf maintenance and ball management solutions for large green spaces such as golf driving ranges and sport facilities.

Golf clubs and sport pitches across the UK have immensely benefitted from the AMS’s robot technology. Clients both old and new have given their feedback on the significant differences and improvements it has made to their outfields and maintenance methods.

Customers Praise AMS Robots

First to give their input is one of AMS’s oldest customers the China Fleet Country Club, Dean Bennett the general manager had this to say;

“China Fleet Country Club installed the range robots over 5 years ago, in this time we have seen significant improvements in the efficiency in ball replenishment and service as well as a reduction in man hours required to collect balls. We have also seen great improvements in the condition of the outfield as heavy machinery isn’t required any longer.”

The positive assessment of the robotic system highlights how successfully it has integrated into their workforce and is the reason it continues to work perfectly for them and their outfield. As one of AMS’s initial customers China Fleet has been utilising the older Belrobotics Classic Line, this includes the robot ball collector BallPicker along with its sister the BigMow robotic mower. For ball washing and transportation back to the dispenser they are utilising AMS’s automated ball wash and return system.

Key benefits for golf facilities employing robot technology is better ball management resulting in time and cost savings. Improved turf health due to the robot’s lightweight design, minimising its impact on the outfield. Thus, eliminating the occurrence of soil compaction caused by traditional heavy ball collecting and mowing equipment.

Steve Tebbutt, the director at Fernie Fields Football Club was second to comment on how robotic mowing has been working for them;

“We have been highly delighted with the system since installation last August. Throughout the season it has performed beyond our expectation as a replacement for a traditional man and machine. The pitch is in much better condition and the support from Automated Managed Services has been absolutely brilliant.”

Fernie Fields were one of the first football pitches to take on the new Big Mow connected line as a mowing alternative and because it has worked so well for them, they are planning on taking on another BigMow for their training pitch.

AMS’s mowing maintenance packages includes either the Belrobotics BigMow or ParcMow robotic mowers and is designed for large green spaces such as sport pitches. The robotic mowers are a lightweight, quiet, cost and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional ride-on mowers. They constantly mow and finely mulch clippings to promote healthy turf, leaving no green waste to collect or remove.

Next to give their evaluation was Colin Jenkins from Grimsby Golf Club. They have had the system installed for several years.

“I am absolutely delighted with my automated range system. It allows my maintenance team to concentrate on the presentation of the range, rather than the messy expensive business of collecting range balls. The outfield is in much better condition than it was when we picked up using a traditional picker.”

The robots have been a great success for Grimbsy Golf Club and has allowed them to focus their efforts on other aspects of running the facility.

In conclusion, it is clear that the feedback regarding the condition of the outfield considerably favours the robots over the traditional man and machine. This coupled with the cost and time savings, means the AMS robotic system look set to continue to be the most efficient and sustainable choice for any forward-thinking modern facility.

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Campey’s New Uni-Scratch

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Campey’s New Uni-Scratch: Campey Turf Care Systems’ latest innovation, the Campey Uni-Scratch, is the ideal solution for those looking for a professional and effective maintenance of natural and synthetic grass surface.

The Campey Uni-Scratch can be used for organic matter removal on natural grass hybrid carpet pitches when carrying out annual renovations.

Campey's New Uni-Scratch

Regularly maintaining synthetic pitches is vital because it prevents infill compaction. When a synthetic surface is regularly used the infill can become lodged and cause uneven hard and soft areas that eventually leads to drainage issues and flattening of the artificial fibres.

To prevent this, the Uni-Scratch has been developed to provide essential maintenance by de-compacting and redistributing the infill. The machine can also be used to evenly distribute the infill in synthetic carpets during installation.

idverde UK who manage a growing portfolio of sports pitches and facilities on behalf of several local authorities, is the first company in the United Kingdom to purchase the Uni-Scratch and operations manager, Steve Tingley, explains why.

Campey's New Uni-Scratch

He said: “We install and maintain a lot of hybrid carpet surfaces and we are always looking at new machines and how they can improve our operation. We bought the Uni-Scratch specifically to speed up and improve our maintenance procedure and it has met the aims we had for it.”

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