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NEWS ARTICLES

50 Year Milestone For Johnston Gilpin

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50 Year Milestone For Johnston Gilpin: 2018 marked a special milestone for the Johnston Gilpin & Co Ltd John Deere agricultural and turf equipment dealership based near Lisburn in Northern Ireland, as it celebrated 50 years in business.

In honour of the occasion the dealership team organised a two-day exhibition in November at the nearby Eikon Centre, showcasing current John Deere tractors and machinery, as well as some historic – and iconic – favourites. Over 4000 existing and potential John Deere customers came to support this popular business and view the latest equipment on offer from the manufacturer.

50 Year Milestone For Johnston Gilpin

Johnston Gilpin & Co Ltd dates back to 1968 when it was started by Donn McConnell on Waterloo Road, close to the location of the current dealership at Lisnoe Road. Donn’s son Randal McConnell is now managing director of the business, while Randal’s brother Neale runs the domestic groundscare division at another site just a few miles away.

“It was a superb event and we are very pleased with how it all went,” said Randal. “To see so many people come and support us was really encouraging and there were a few deals initiated that we will be following up!”

Company founder Donn McConnell also attended the show, along with a number of VIPs including John Deere Limited’s divisional sales manager Chris Meacock. “My father is still involved in the business and comes in every day,” Randal added. “He has taken a back seat over the last 10 years but still keeps an eye on things. He turned 80 this year, so it has been a big year for us all round.”

Tractors of all shapes and sizes were a dominant part of the John Deere display at the anniversary event, alongside self-propelled forage harvesters, combines and a special new airless radial tyre.

“We had almost the full current agricultural tractor range from John Deere on display, right up to the monster 9RX four-track machine,” said Randal. “We also launched the new 9900i self-propelled forage harvester in Northern Ireland. Among the other machines on display were combines, drills, compact tractors and the new X Tweel Turf puncture proof tyres from Michelin, as featured on John Deere’s ZTrak 900 Series commercial zero-turn rotary mower range.”

The turfcare department also showed a full line of commercial, domestic, golf and turf machinery as well as large displays from the dealership’s other suppliers. In addition, the E-Zone featured demonstrations of electric powered wheel loaders from Kramer, Mean Green Mowers and Cramer hand tools.

John Deere’s oldest tractor, the 100 year old Waterloo Boy, made an appearance, lent by local man Graham Crymble. Another of the vintage and classic tractors on display was a 1951 John Deere Model B that belongs to the McConnell family and was restored around 15 years ago.

“This has been an important milestone for us as a company to reach,” said Randal. “For us to be trading successfully and indeed expanding in today’s volatile business climate is a magnificent achievement. We see this special anniversary event as a show of strength, a sign of our professionalism and the culmination of my father’s hard work and dedication to the John Deere brand over the last 50 years.

“We are very proud as a family and as a company to be one of the oldest John Deere dealers in the UK and the oldest in Ireland. This show was probably the largest single indoor dealer exhibition of its kind in the country and was an indication of our enthusiasm to grow the business even further and become the pre-eminent John Deere dealer for Northern Ireland.”

For more information, visit: www.JohnDeere.co.uk

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ECHO’s New 58V Battery Chainsaw

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ECHO’s New 58V Battery Chainsaw: ECHO has launched an all-new 58V battery chainsaw to their growing range of lithium ion outdoor power equipment. The CS-58V4AH has the cutting performance of its petrol counterparts, with the additional benefits of battery power.  Low noise and low vibration are immediately evident in this effortless yet powerful product. It makes little noise when running, while the lack of vibration compared to a petrol model greatly reduces stress and fatigue for the user. What also makes a real difference to the working environment is the fact that with battery power you have no emissions, no fuel filling with two-stroke and there is no need to store petrol.

The CS-58V4AH is easy to use. With battery power you just charge up and go! The chainsaw uses a 4Ah battery which gives you plenty of run time for logging and felling small trees, and the quick charger will have it rapidly charged to reduce downtime. The lithium ion battery also fits other 58V battery products in the range so you can run a trimmer, hedge trimmer, lawn mower and power blower using the same battery. Additional batteries can be purchased as a back-up for when you need to get on with bigger jobs without interruption.

ECHO's New 58V Battery Chainsaw

Using the chainsaw you’ll find the 0.043 gauge cutting bar gives a sharp and smooth cut and the automatic oiler gives the chain optimum oiling for longer life. There is easy side access to the chain tensioner to allow quick chain adjustment, and the oil tank is translucent for easy level checks. The power comes from the long-lasting brushless motor which requires minimal maintenance due to non-wearing parts, which means you save on servicing costs as well as petrol bills.

For the home owner and semi-professional it’s hard to see why you wouldn’t choose the benefits of the CS-58V4AH. The chainsaw comes with a two-year domestic or one-year professional warranty and the 58V battery carries a two-year warranty for added peace of mind.

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Apex Tools At BTME

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Apex Tools At BTME: In the industry compaction on greens has always been a problem and there have been many machines and technologies developed over the years to try and combat this. Using compressed air is not a new idea but the Apex GeoInjector allows maximum aeration and decompaction with minimal disruption. We don’t just scratch the surface, the solution is deeper than that! 

The process is completed in one motion with just a single probe. We penetrate the soil beyond the root zone to a depth of one metre and then inject 100psi of high pressured, compressed air into the ground. Whilst the probe is inserted into the ground, a natural underground void is created and then back filled with Terramol to the surface, creating a permanent drainage soakaway.

Apex Tools At BTME

Terramol is a harmless organic natural clay based product that gives soil a loose structure allowing air and moisture into the root system, whilst helping to maintain moisture.

The process is completed with minimal disruption to the greens surface and in most cases can be played on, on completion of the injection. An “average” size green of approximately 300 m2 takes us as little as five hours to complete. Decompaction without disruption. Aeration without aggravation!

Recent injection projects include: football pitches, golf greens, race courses, local parks and public spaces.

Come and see us at stand 276

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IOG Recommend 2.5% Pay Rise

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IOG Recommend 2.5% Pay Rise: The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) is recommending a 2.5 per cent increase in grounds staff’s national minimum salary bands for 2019.

The IOG say the recommendations have been made against a backdrop of economic uncertainty over the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, which is likely to impact growth; GDP growth is expected to be low in the medium term, with 1.6% the forecasted figure for 2019, and it is not expected to rise above this level until after 2023.

IOG Recommend 2.5% Pay Rise

The suggested rise sits between CPIH (Consumer Price Inflation including owner-occupier’s housing costs) inflation of 2.2% and the 2.9% increase in the voluntary living wage. As a result, it should take account of any increase in the cost of living and should ensure that grounds staff pay rates remain competitive.

The IOG recommended national basic salary bands for 2019 are:

  • Grounds manager – £34,782-£55,431
  • Head groundsperson – £30,517-£41,885
  • Deputy head groundsperson/sole charge – £24,967-£31865
  • Groundsperson (skilled) – £23,348-£29,785
  • Groundsperson – £18,706-£23,863
  • Junior groundsperson – £15,905 (Age 17)
  • Junior groundsperson – £13,208 (Age 16).

These bands reflect minimum recommended basic salary payment and are based on a 37.5-hour week. Bonuses, overtime and subsistence payments have not been included and are therefore additional.

Importantly, the bottom of the scale for groundsperson (£18,250 for 2018) is already above the current UK-wide living wage rate. The recommended minimum pay rate for a groundsperson in London should be set at £21,000 (Outer) and £22,500 (Inner) to ensure everyone receives at least a living wage.

The IOG also encourages all employers to become accredited living wage employers and to make this explicit in their recruitment and employment offers.

In addition, a 5% increase to at least £575 per annum (compared to £550 in last year’s recommendations) should be paid to everyone – not just to junior posts as in the past – for the successful completion of IOG qualifications. This, says the IOG, will encourage an ongoing focus on training and professional development.

Given the current climate of economic and political uncertainty and on-going fiscal restraint, the IOG says it is of critical importance to job satisfaction levels that employers ensure they are meeting their obligations in ensuring fair payment for overtime worked and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. This should be done in partnership with employees with agreements reached about the balance between overtime pay, time off in lieu and flexible working.

In addition to this survey, IOG chief executive Geoff Webb says the IOG will be commissioning a separate body of research to look at salary scales in elite, global sports stadia.

“While the IOG’s suggested salary scales have progressively improved over the last decade, it is recognised that the roles and salaries of those working at sports stadia across the UK require further review and analysis,” he comments. “This will be undertaken within separate, ongoing IOG Industry Research and the results will be presented at SALTEX 2019.”

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Strong Foundations For Somaliland’s Future

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Strong Foundations For Somaliland’s Future: When UK sporting equipment company Harrod Sport read about the plight of the Somaliland team, it wanted to get involved and help…

Wembley, Paris St Germain’s Parc des Princes, the Stade de France and Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu stadium all have them. So do most Premier League clubs. And now, so will the Somaliland national stadium in Hargeysa.

Strong Foundations For Somaliland’s Future

What do they have, you might well ask? Well, all of these famous grounds and clubs have their goals and posts supplied by Harrod Sport – one of the UK’s top manufacturers of sporting equipment, who’ve been making top-quality kit since 1954. And when the company read about the plight of the Somaliland team on BBC Sport, they simply couldn’t stand by and do nothing.

Kate Pasque, Harrod Sport’s sales and marketing executive, said, “We couldn’t not get involved with something we believed would help Somaliland and the future of football there.”

Somaliland is a member of CONIFA and has long struggled for recognition as a team in its own right. The region is an independent state, but is not recognised as such by any other country; Somalia still declares Somaliland as an autonomous region. The BBC Sport article highlighted the difficulties faced by those assisting the football teams in the area; working in a region where poverty is rife and people get by on an average wage of $347 a year.

Football is trying to change all of that, and news that the Somaliland national set-up is due to receive – free of charge – Harrod 3G Stadium Goals, along with a Harrod 3G Hanging Net Support system, a bottom-hinged net support and box net is incredibly exciting for those aiming to improve things for the local footballers. Ilyas Mohamed, founder and president of the Somaliland Football Association explains: “This donation means a lot to the development of football in Somaliland. Since the Somaliland Football Association was formed, we have sparked and spearheaded the modernisation of football in Somaliland. This donation will help us make hosting international matches in Somaliland a reality. The goals currently installed at the national stadium in Hargeysa or elsewhere in the country do not fit international requirements.”

It’s a remarkably generous gesture from the company, who have recently set up The Ron Harrod Foundation. The foundation provides funding for sportspeople under 25 to help them continue to compete in their chosen sport, and while it’s currently only available to those based in Norfolk and Suffolk, the company aim to to expand over the years to assist multiple young athletes across the UK.

And while The Ron Harrod Foundation might be focused on UK-based talent, worldwide causes such as the Somaliland team are also where the company can see its help having true on-the-ground effects.

Kate Pasque explains. “The quote in the BBC Sport article, ‘We think every young person should have the opportunity to play football’ really rung true with us at Harrod Sport. We had no intention of stretching our funding pot further this year, especially halfway across the world! However, reading that one in 11 children in Somaliland do not survive to their fifth birthday made us all at the company want to help in any way we could to give hope to the children for their future and their future in football. Providing equipment to a pitch that children will strive to play on, and, in turn, inspiring hope, is everything The Ron Harrod Foundation represents.

“At Harrod Sport, we are hopeful that with the addition of our Stadium Goals, we can contribute to the tireless work of everyone involved with the Somaliland national team and CONIFA and, in a small way, help Somaliland go on to represent themselves at an international level, bringing happiness to the country.”

Ilyas Mohamed has no doubt this is the case. “The association is very grateful to The Ron Harrod Foundation. It’s a wonderful and generous donation. We are excited about the future and cannot wait to host Somaliland’s first international match on home soil.

“With these goals we hope to continue inspiring a nation, a new generation to use football as a way to communicate and connect with the rest of the world.”

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