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Net World Sports Supply Canadian League

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Net World Sports Supply Canadian League: The Canadian Premier League has announced international sports equipment retailer, Net World Sports as one of their official partners. Supplying all seven clubs with training, matchday and ground equipment, Net World Sports has signed a three-year partnership with the new league which will see the UK based ecommerce company provide football equipment to teams until 2021.

As Official Suppliers of the league Net World Sports has shipped more than 1,700 items of football equipment to Canada, including full size 24 x 8 FORZA Alu110 Freestanding Stadium Box Football Goals and revolutionary FORZA Alu110 360˚ Football Goal Wheels that were designed and tested in conjunction with Manchester United’s ground team.

Net World Sports Supply Canadian League

As well as FORZA Alu110 Football Goals, the teams have enjoyed a plethora of smaller training goals too, including the FORZA POD Aluminium Folding Goal which is perfect for matchday prepping away from home ground and the FORZA Alu Mini Target Goal to encourage pinpoint accuracy.

As part of the three-year partnership negotiated by Canadian Soccer Business (CSB) on behalf of the CPL, Net World Sports will receive first right of refusal on supplying equipment to the league and seven clubs, access to media assets, direct promotion through Canadian Premier League’s Centre Circle app and product reviews and endorsements by players.

Alex Lovén, Founder & CEO of Net World Sports comments: “We’re immensely excited to finally be able to announce our three-year partnership with the Canadian Premier League. As an Official Equipment Supplier, the partnership will offer us a great opportunity to showcase our fantastic range of quality football products to thousands of fans of the beautiful game and truly cements our position as global players within the industry.

“A partnership of this scale has been a long time coming for Net World Sports and marks a huge milestone within our company’s history. It’s completely new territory for us, but we’re all about doing the unconventional, taking risks and following our gut instincts. As soon as we were approached by Canadian Soccer Business about the possibilities of entering into a partnership, we instantly knew it was something we wanted to be a part of. This is just the start of a monumental legacy in Canada’s football history and it’s great that we’re able to share this landmark occasion with the Canadian Premier League.”

Net World Sports Supply Canadian League

Net World Sports’ partnership deal with the Canadian Premier League could not have come at a better time for the UK’s number one football goal supplier who is celebrating 10 years of business this year with the introduction of a number of ground-breaking new products across their full sporting range, including football, cricket, tennis, golf and rugby.  Since the start of 2019 alone, Net World Sports has launched six new international websites in three new territories with more currently in the works.

Founded in 2009 by Alex Lovén, Net World Sports offers a range of professional quality flagship football products at affordable prices. The only company to deliver football goals across the world within two days, Net World Sports has been manufacturing their own range of FORZA Football Goals since 2013. In the five years since, the range has grown to now include the hugely popular FORZA Pro Locking Goals, the sturdy Steel42 and premium Alu60 and Alu110 aluminium training and match goals that are FA accredited.

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Wentworth’s New John Deere Partnership

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Wentworth’s New John Deere Partnership: Wentworth Club and John Deere Limited have announced a new, exclusive partnership for the supply of golf course maintenance equipment to the world famous West, East and Edinburgh Championship Courses at Virginia Water in Surrey, from spring 2019.

Wentworth Club has been the host venue since 1984 for the PGA Championship tournament, which is regarded as the flagship event on the European Tour. The 2019 BMW PGA Championship is being held on the West Course from September 19 to 22, with John Deere and its supplying dealer Farol Ltd providing additional technical and equipment support.

Wentworth's New John Deere Partnership

The new course maintenance fleet consists of over 140 machines including mowers for tees, surrounds and approaches, fairways, greens and rough, as well as compact and utility tractors, Gator utility vehicles and the latest state of the art GPS PrecisionSprayers.

“We are delighted to welcome the John Deere company to Wentworth as our exclusive partner in the supply of greenkeeping and grounds machinery through its regional dealer Farol,” said Wentworth Director of Golf & Greenkeeping Kenny Mackay.

“This agreement represents a significant investment to ensure our fleet is always at the leading edge of technology and innovation.”

John Deere has been a leader in GPS technology in the agricultural industry for many years and is now developing systems specifically for golf course maintenance use, with Wentworth Club being an early adopter. The new advanced technology sprayer delivers great environmental benefits by applying inputs far more accurately and only to predetermined target areas. This significantly reduces overall chemical usage and can potentially cut spray costs by up to 15 per cent.

Using AutoTrac, the sprayer steers itself automatically to an accuracy of 2.5cm using RTK (real-time kinetic) satellite guidance. It also features individual nozzle control and Wireless Data Transfer, which enables spray records and application maps to be sent from the machine to the John Deere Operations Centre website or mobile app, where they can be remotely accessed at any time.

The new machinery fleet has been purchased on a planned replacement cycle in line with Wentworth Club policy, using a John Deere Financial operating lease specifically tailored to reduce the lifelong cost of ownership.

“The world of course management and greenkeeping is changing fast and John Deere is at the forefront of these developments,” said Carlos Aragones, John Deere’s Turf & Golf Sales & Marketing Manager for Europe, CIS, North Africa and the Near & Middle East.

“John Deere equipment helps to maintain many of the world’s greatest golf courses, and we are honoured to now include Wentworth Club in that prestigious company. We look forward to building a long and productive partnership with the Wentworth team, and to the Club becoming one of our leading strategic partners in the golf industry across Europe and beyond.”

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Battery Power Vs Petrol Power

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Battery Power Vs Petrol Power: There was a time when it seemed petrol powered outdoor tools would always reign supreme. Battery powered tools were regarded by professionals and serious gardeners as no competition. They couldn’t match the power and uninterrupted operation of their two-stroke counterparts.

That time has passed. Today’s Lithium-ion batteries have revolutionised the way we work with battery powered tools. Now they can produce the power to equal petrol equipment while producing zero emissions at the point of work. Noise levels are also greatly reduced and the benefits don’t stop there. Vibration is minimised. The lower maintenance costs of battery powered motors lead to substantial long-term savings. Safety is improved by removing the need for fuel filling and on-site storage. There’s no tugging away with recoil starts, with batteries you just charge and go. Instant full power at the push of a button. In many cases one battery will fit a range of tools, interchangeable between a hedgetrimmer, brushcutter, power blower, chainsaw and even a lawn mower.

Battery Power Vs Petrol Power

The traditional argument in favour of petrol and two-stroke, apart from the question of power, was the uninterrupted operation. Batteries quickly ran down and took many hours to recharge. With petrol you just fill up and go. Batteries had a limited life and needed regular, costly replacement. To some extent, operators using outdoor power tools all day long may argue the need to remain with petrol two-stroke for the time being. Professionals arborists need to know their chainsaws are going to work for them all day. Groundcare maintenance contractors and landscapers rely on their petrol brushcutters, power blowers and hedgetrimmers to take the punishment the job demands and maintain productivity. But time is running out for fossil fuels, with legislation and Health and Safety putting the squeeze on the use of petrol power. So it’s good to know there’s an alternative.

Lithium-ion is highly efficient and brings longer battery life, quicker charging times and low self-discharge to the table. The power you need is there instantly, consistently and almost silently. Batteries do need charging but charge times have become greatly reduced using rapid chargers and most people will have a spare battery on charge in readiness. On the subject of replacement, that is easily weighed up against petrol and two-stroke engines needing regular servicing, with associated costs. Today’s brushless electric motor is maintenance-free, producing greener, cleaner energy. Emissions are managed by energy efficient motor controls for speed, power delivery and battery temperature, with the added benefits of improved performance and longer battery life. Using a rapid charger, quick charging also reduces downtime so more jobs can be completed in a day; and there is of course the option of using 4Ah batteries for longer run time.

Battery Power Vs Petrol Power

As professionals know, regular use of handheld petrol-powered tools carries the risk of Hand-arm Vibration (HAV), also known as vibration white finger. This painful condition can be avoided using low vibration tools, which is another benefit of battery powered tools, many of them operating well below the daily 2.5m/s² A(8) Exposure Action Value (EAV) limit.* Other considerations that make battery power a safer option are the fact the operator is not working with and storing flammable liquid. Much reduced noise levels are not only good for the environment in which the work is taking place, the operator is not exposed to high noise levels associated with two-stroke petrol powered machinery.

Taking the arguments in favour of battery power, with the benefits to the environment, the operator, and those in the vicinity, it’s easy to see why many professionals are turning to ‘charge and go’. All the power you need with low emissions, low noise, low vibrations, greater safety and reduced costs. Battery vs petrol? The ultimate choice remains in the hands of the operator and what best suits their needs and working environment.

To find out about ECHO’s range of petrol and battery powered outdoor power tools, speak to your local authorised ECHO dealer, visit www.echo-tools.co.uk or call 0800 597 7777 for more information.

*Daily exposure to vibration is measured by the formula known as an A(8) value. For hand-arm vibration (HAV), the daily ELV is 5 m/s2 A(8) and the daily EAV is 2.5 m/s2 A(8).

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STIHL’s New Cordless Chainsaw

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STIHL’s New Cordless Chainsaw: Ideal for forestry and agricultural work, STIHL has launched the new MSA 220 C-B, the most powerful cordless chainsaw in the STIHL range.

Designed with a high chain speed, the powerful MSA 220 C-B makes quick work of any task and guarantees consistently high-quality cutting performance, regardless of the battery charge level. The new PRO cordless chainsaw is ideally suited for felling, thinning work, construction and wood carving.

STIHL Launch New Cordless Chainsaw

The new MSA 220 C-B comes as standard with the STIHL exclusive 3/8″ Picco Super 3 (PS3) full chisel saw chain with a guide bar length of 35cm/14”. This chain has a high cutting performance and a low kick-back.

As part of STIHL’s PRO cordless range, the MSA 220 C-B is powered by a 36 V Lithium-Ion battery. The new AP 300 S battery is recommended to ensure the best possible cutting performance, and is also compatible with all other tools within the STIHL PRO Cordless system.

The sturdy MSA 220 C-B is suitable for use in any type of weather and also enables cutting work in confined areas, making it the ideal tool for professionals working in horticulture and perfect for use when wood carving. The quiet-running and easy to operate chainsaw is a high quality alternative for many tasks including agriculture, forestry and contract work that does not compromise on performance.

The details at a glance

  • Powerful with a high chain speed

The STIHL MSA 220 C-B starts with ease, accelerates quickly and always maintains a high cutting performance, regardless of the battery charge level. Responsible for this is the electronically controlled brushless electric motor. This EC motor is extremely efficient and works almost wear-free. In addition, the STIHL AP 300 S battery, which is also new, has 25 percent more capacity compared to the AP 300 and can run for up to 45 minutes with one charge. Thanks to the high chain speed of 24 m/s, the work can be carried out quickly even when delimbing smaller sized timber.

  • Strong cutting full chisel saw chain

The MSA 220 C-B is fitted with a full chisel saw chain as standard: the STIHL exclusive 3/8″ Picco Super 3 has a powerful cutting performance, low vibrations and a low kickback. It ensures excellent cutting quality with low feedback. Its high cutting performance increases energy efficiency. This pays off in up to 30 percent more cuts per battery charge compared to a semi-chisel chain. In addition, its wider kerf simplifies work when using a felling wedge.

  • Ergonomic and comfortable

The raised and printed felling line enables precise targeting and exact work when felling small trees. Thanks to the compact design and the soft rubber handle, the tool fits comfortably and securely in the hand. Other practical features include the quick chain tensioner, which enables the chain to be retightened without tools, and the semi-transparent oil tank, which allows the user to keep an eye on the oil level at all times.

  • Modular battery system

The new AP 300 S 36 V Lithium-Ion battery is compatible with all tools within the STIHL PRO cordless system. In addition to the new chainsaw, this includes more than 25 other tools for a wide variety of applications, as well as batteries with different energy supplies and chargers.

For more information on STIHL’s range of cordless tools, please visit www.stihl.co.uk.

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Innovative Leadership In Sustainability Reporting By Golf

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Innovative Leadership In Sustainability Reporting By Golf: GEO Foundation, supported by multiple partners and stakeholders, has announced the development of a new and ground-breaking framework for golf’s social and environmental reporting – this news was shared in front of an audience of global sustainability systems, government agencies, non-government organisations, corporations and other institutions.

The announcement represents a significant watershed in how the sport can quantifiably and consistently track and demonstrate its progress and value.

Innovative Leadership In Sustainability Reporting By Golf

The Independent Chair of the project’s Strategic Advisory Group is Paul Druckman, former CEO of the International Integrated Reporting Council. Druckman said: “Golf is a large and influential sport, comprising over 34,000 grassroots facilities in over 200 countries, hundreds of professional tournaments and with a significant supply chain. It also has powerful media and reach, and can inspire hundreds of thousands of fans.

“Golf is not unique amongst business to increasingly recognise the need to consistently measure and communicate with credibility its environmental and social impact. Through this work, golf is also gearing up to show how the sport delivers against global priorities, principally the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals’’.

Jonathan Smith, Executive Director of GEO Foundation, the international not-for-profit dedicated to helping advance sustainability in and through golf, added: “The goal is to enable golf to accurately monitor, measure and communicate real impacts, and to connect that locally, nationally and internationally. It has been a complex but enjoyable challenge – studying, collaborating, developing a deep understanding of the priority metrics, mapping audiences and building user-centric software to simplify data gathering at scale.

The project began a year ago after discussion hosted by the Vidauban Foundation and the response from golf associations, as well as externally, has been tremendous. We’d particularly like to thank strategic partners: The R&A, Vidauban Foundation, Toro Foundation, and the ISEAL Innovations Fund, plus over 150 scientists, association leaders and grassroots golf course and club managers – who contributed to the various consultations.”

The framework is designed to help golf more consistently quantify and communicate its ‘net impact’ across golf’s ‘Sustainability Agenda’. As such it covers the material environmental and social issues across three main themes: fostering nature, conserving resources and supporting communities.

To ensure credibility and connectivity, the framework aligns closely with mainstream sustainability goals and reporting systems and is underpinned by the core principles of inclusiveness, materiality, reliability and context. It will be available in the coming months.

With both golf’s voluntary standards and the new metrics fully integrated into OnCourse, the software solution used to engage golf facilities, tournaments and associations; the next phase is to work closely with partners to roll-out, engage and drive active participation. OnCourse is currently used in 76 countries around the world and is available in nine languages.

“We look forward to working with many partners across golf to roll-out the framework and the software, empowering them, their golf facilities and their tournaments to drive individual performance and at the same time pool real data and stories from thousands of sources. This will support the strengthening advocacy and policies of a growing number of international and national associations,” Smith added.

Initial support for the project

Patrick Mallet, Director of Innovations, ISEAL Alliance: “Anyone who’s serious about sustainability knows that the ability to measure performance and impacts is key.  What we like about GEO’s approach is that here we have an example of a sector that is seeking to become more transparent, and shortening the distance between commitments, actions and communicable outcomes.  Building a framework and associated software for issues as complex as these, and for small and medium-sized enterprises like sports clubs is no mean feat and we congratulate everyone involved for their commitment and their creativity.”

Steve Isaac, Director of Sustainability, The R&A: “The R&A has long advocated the value of golf building a robust database of key performance indicators to measure and report on golf’s sustainability performance locally, nationally and internationally. Our support of the GEO Foundation and this project, in particular, should help golf understand its current performance, identify priority areas for improvement, enhance the sport’s image and help the sport become more resilient to the many environmentally and socially driven challenges we face related to the changing climate, regulation or resource constraints. We are extremely pleased to see this initial milestone achieved and look forward to further collaboration with GEO and our affiliates around the world to engage grassroots clubs in the gathering, analysis and communication of data back across the sport of golf and to external audiences.”

Antony Scanlon, Chief Executive of the International Golf Federation: “This is a really exciting project and one that we can see is at the forefront of the Olympic sustainability movement. It is good to see golf sharing knowledge and experiences with other sports and throughout the Olympic family, as we all work together to make sport as sustainable as possible.”

Judson McNeil, President, Toro Foundation, Toro Giving and Community Relations at The Toro Company: “Every sector’s use of critical natural resources such as water is under scrutiny. We have to be able to account for every drop and show how we are maximising efficiency. That can only happen with data, which is expertly analysed. That is why the Toro Company has supported GEO Foundation in their endeavours over many years and why we will continue to lend our support and expertise in the future.”

Julie Duffus, Olympic Movement Sustainability Manager, International Olympic Committee: “This framework is excellent news for golf, the Olympic Movement and global sustainability. As the leader of the Olympic Movement, the IOC looks forward to engaging further on this exciting initiative and supporting its implementation. We hope that GEO’s leadership will inspire others to adopt such a systematic and holistic approach to sustainability.”

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