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NEWS ARTICLES

STIHL’s New Battery Production Line

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STIHL’s New Battery Production Line: The STIHL Group is setting up an in-house production line for battery products at its headquarters in Germany. In doing so, the company is underpinning its efforts to manufacture top-of-the-line technology, even for battery products. Backpack batteries for professional applications will be produced at a highly automated high-tech manufacturing facility in Waiblingen-Hohenacker. As a result, the company is once again demonstrating its innovative strength in the field of environmentally friendly tools for forestry and agriculture, as well as for landscape maintenance and private garden owners.

“Entering into battery pack manufacturing is the logical continuation of the STIHL battery strategy,” Dr. Bertram Kandziora, Chairman of the Executive Board of STIHL, says, explaining the move. “In just 10 years, we have expanded our range of battery products from a hedge trimmer to three product lines featuring a wide selection of different tools.” STIHL launched its line of battery products for professional and high-end private use in 2009. In 2016, the company opened a competence center for battery and electronics development at its headquarters in Waiblingen by expanding its development center. Today, more than 300 employees work at the center of competence. “We have been able to fill many vacant positions in recent months, especially in the fields of batteries, electronics, connected products and IT. This is essential to further growth in this promising segment,” Dr. Kandziora says. Increasingly powerful batteries have made the products popular among more than just private users. The quieter, emissions-free products offer many advantages, especially for municipal customers.

STIHL New Battery Production Line

The battery production line was built with in-house expertise within the space of just 18 months. The first trial run at the new building in Waiblingen commenced in September. The first batteries produced in-house are slated to hit the market in fall 2019. Most batteries will be destined for European dealers.

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Tributes Groundsman George Hay

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Tributes Groundsman George Hay: Tributes have been paid to a fixture of Clydebank’s sporting community who will be laid to rest at the ground that became a family home.

George Hay died on December 30 at the age of 69, just one year older than Drumchapel Amateurs. He lived his entire life across the street from the Glenhead Park grounds in Duntocher where he and his dad before him were groundsmen.

He is held in such high regard, a strip signed by the team and his family will be put in the coffin with him and his ashes will be taken on a tour of the grounds. “Gentle giant” George will be buried next to the Drumchapel Amateurs’ founder, Douglas Smith, behind one of the goals.

For the team’s next home game, they will be led out by the son of one of George’s nephews who plays for one of their youth clubs.

A minute silence was marked at the weekend when the team played St Patrick’s FP in Dumbarton.

Drumchapel Amateurs chairman Charlie Devlin told the Post: “His family asked for one of our strips for the kids and club to sign – anything they have asked us to do, we are happy to do.

“He has always been there. George was a big bit of the Drumchapel Amateurs family.”

George had struggled with diabetes for a number of years and one leg had to be amputated and there was a danger to the other. He later suffered a heart attack and had been in declining health.

A JustGiving page set up to support the family has raised more than £500 in George’s memory.

Speaking ahead of the funeral on Friday, his family acknowledged his health challenges, and in the eulogy will share the larger-than-life personality of the Duntocher fixture.

Born on November 20, 1949, George grew up with siblings James, Margaret and the late Charles.

He maintained a lasting interest in history, particularly the Second World War – assuming he turned up for school to learn it.

His family recount: “George’s teachers might not have been aware of his occasional unauthorised absences thanks to his lifelong pal Jimmy Murray.

George went to work at the local creamery, then as a machine operator in Singers and Adaapt and ultimately the groundsman and kit master for the Drumchapel Amateurs when his dad passed away in 1984.

His family said: “George was a real home bird, he wasn’t one for going out much. Even in his teens he preferred going to the football than the dancing.

“George was a well known face at the club where he was liked and respected by everyone he came into contact with be that the chairman, the players, the supporters, even the opposing teams. In fact many have been in contact with the club to pass on their condolences in the last week.

“It wasn’t just the grounds and the kit George looked after, he’d do odd jobs around the club too.

“When Dougie, the founder of the club, asked him to make a new trophy room, George asked Kenny to help him. Dougie gave George the plans of how he wanted it to look, we’ll just say that’s not how it turned out, George made a few alterations along the way.”

George was close to all his nieces and nephews and took each to London to see the sights as they turned 13.

He was more housebound after the loss of his leg, watching the History channel, documentaries or comedy, and, of course, football.

“But the most important ‘F’ to George was his family, his brothers, sister, nieces, nephews and lifelong friends. He’d have done anything for them and given them the world if he could.

“They in turn just adore him and always will. How long will George Hay be loved? As long as the stars are above you.

“We thank George for being one in a million and for sharing his life with us all.”

The funeral for George Hay will be held on January 11 at 9.30am at Dalnottar Crematorium. The procession will leave Glenhead Social Club at 9.10am and all are welcome to the club after the service.

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Inquiry Into Japanese Knotweed Impact

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Inquiry Into Japanese Knotweed Impact: The Science and Technology Committee are holding an oral evidence session in early 2019, specifically to explore the science behind the effects of Japanese Knotweed on the built environment. To inform that session, written submissions were invited and the Amenity Forum has made a response.

The Amenity Forum welcomed the inquiry. Whilst there has been research and studies on the topic, it is felt more is needed if we are to fully understand the impact and implications. There has been a number of studies observing specific sites where structural damage has been caused but it is felt that more scientific studies are very much required. The Forum also feels that more economic analysis is needed and indeed is vital to establish the financial implications now and in the future. This would assist Government greatly in establishing both its strategy and future plans to combat the issue. It is undoubtedly the case that the presence of Japanese knotweed rhizome within a construction, if left unchecked, can produce significant damage especially within masonry and hard surfaces.Inquiry Into Japanese Knotweed Impact

The Forum also states that what has already emerged, in looking at the range of controls, is the importance of chemical products including those with the active ingredient, glyphosate. Whatever approach has been trialled, chemical treatment remains extremely important and provides the most effective approach in any integrated plan for knotweed management. They go on to say knotweed management is a long term plan and cannot be seen as a quick fix. Clearly it can be controlled by treatments but the point at which such a treatment plan is complete remains uncertain. There would appear to be a need for more research and examination of the rhizome that remains following professional treatment. Establishing the facts relating to the viability of that material when disturbed is key to establishing protocols for sites that have been subjected to a treatment programme.

Professor John Moverley, Chairman of the Amenity Forum, very much welcomed the focus on this topic and emphasised the need to use professionally trained operatives in managing the problem. He said ‘’What is vital is that knotweed control needs to be undertaken properly and by professionally qualified operators and organisations who fully subscribe to the standards and best practice laid down. The Amenity Forum is currently developing an overarching assurance standard for the sector and we would urge all employing any operators to ensure that they can deliver to such a standard and, in so doing, fully support the work and objectives of the Amenity Forum. Bad practice and unqualified operators can make the situation far worse and sadly there is evidence of such practices existing. The need for assured practice and the need for users such as local authorities to adopt these is vital’’

The Amenity Forum is holding a series of half day Updating Events across the UK over the coming months. These are free to attend and will update those attending on current issues and concerns. There will be time for questions and essential networking. For more information on the location and timings of these events, please contact admin@amenityforum.net. Whilst free to attend, it is important that you register in advance.

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Stock Up On Pest Control For Warmer Winter Months

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Stock Up On Pest Control For Warmer Winter Months: It is becoming clear that the planet is becoming warmer and warmer each year, and particularly in 2018 gardens have experienced the full force of Mother Nature. From the Beast from the East in March bringing endless amounts of snow to the scorching hot summer in July, the growth of grass, plants and trees may have taken a hit. But as we coast into winter, we have been experiencing increasingly mild temperatures for this time of year – with a number of pests staying put in the garden instead of hibernating away as they would usually.

Because of this warmer winter weather, it is creating the perfect breeding ground for slugs to still attack and wreak havoc in your garden, even in the winter. This is why it is important to stock up and take control with pest solutions now in preparation for the uncertain weather temperatures ahead.

Stock Up On Pest Control For Warmer Winter Months

The slug killer, Nemaslug by BASF, offers a biological solution to pest control and can protect your vegetables, fruit, flowers, shrubs and trees from a variety of pests – even in December. To use, all you do is mix the product with water and apply from a watering can with a coarse rose over the soil area. The temperature of the soil you are treating should be nothing lower than 5 degrees Celsius, which for December this would usually pose an issue, but for the climatic weather, it is not been a problem this year. Also, there is no need to keep children or pets away from treated areas and the whole programme is entirely biological.

Individual slugs are capable of breeding throughout the year but do so typically in times of favourable conditions, warm and wet weather, and it would seem even in December and January. If you were to leave the slugs be until the spring season, which is when pest control typically begins, you would find foliar damage which would be severe enough to cause significant plant loss on a vast number of susceptible crops very early in the season.

Nemaslug orders can be placed online, with an entire season’s worth being sent out as and when needed. This means that you can tackle the slugs in the garden now but also be prepared for the spring and summer months ahead – allowing you to concentrate on planting and growing in your garden, safe in the knowledge that your pest control is taken care of.

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Barenbrug At BTME 2019

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Barenbrug At BTME 2019: Barenbrug, the UK’s biggest and most innovative grass seed producer, will be showcasing its range of industry-leading products and cultivars at BTME 2019. Barenbrug’s new stand will be located in the Green Hall; Stand 330.
 
The Barenbrug Sport range will feature #1 varieties Barolympic perennial ryegrass, Barlineus Chewings fescue and Charles browntop bentgrass in popular products such as ULTRAFINE, MEDAL, FESCUE and ALL BENT.

Barenbrug At BTME 2019

Two brand new cultivars make their debut in the Sport Range. Barrisse strong creeping red fescue is introduced into FAIRWAY and Baromario is a component of a new ground-breaking perennial ryegrass blend MULTI SPORT.

MULTI SPORT is a four-way mix of 100% UK seed production, supporting British farmers and offering a more sustainable product choice for the UK turf industry. Baromario (and the other cultivars in MULTI SPORT) are highly-ranked in BSPB/STRI Turfgrass Seed as both winter sports and lawn ryegrasses, allowing this blend to be adopted in areas with high traffic and variable heights of cut.

Visitors to the stand will also get the chance to learn about Yellow Jacket Water Manager, a game-changing seed enhancement product that improves germination and seedling survival in tough environments. The patented surfactant technology is the result of extensive research by Barenbrug and Aquatrols and has been independently tested by the STRI.

In addition to Sport, the Essential Range of landscape products has been improved following a hugely successful market introduction in 2018. Products within the range have been enhanced further by Barenbrug-bred innovations such as RPR and Mowsaver technology.

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