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NEWS ARTICLES

Tributes Paid To Simon Tullett

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Tributes Paid To Simon Tullett: It’s sad to report that Simon Tullett, founder of STM Co Ltd of Warwickshire – a supplier of SCAG equipment, and a well-known member of the industry, died in hospital recently.

He had health problems for a couple of years and was awaiting heart surgery, but sadly succumbed to kidney failure.

Simon’s family have thanked the hospital where Simon was patient after it helped with arrangements for a wedding blessing to take place at his bedside for the marriage of his daughter Olivia so that he could give her away. It is a testament to the man that, despite his weak condition, he still managed to come out with “and I’m not having her back, either”.

Simon had always been involved in the outdoor machinery industry and spent a number years in Sales with Tony Turner at Turner International, then worked for Agria before taking the decision to set up on his own.

A successful trial venture with SCAG machinery led to a thirty year association, still thriving today under the ownership of the Dominic Mason, who originally came to the company as a young lad working on Saturday mornings, subsequently to be trained by Simon in Sales.

He made a mark in the industry and is greatly respected for the company he developed and his involvement in the groundcare industry.

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STIHL To Showcase New Chainsaws

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STIHL To Showcase New Chainsaws: STIHL will be exhibiting its latest developments in professional chainsaws and forestry equipment at this year’s APF Exhibition, where visitors will have the opportunity to see the products in action at the manufacturers demo area based on the woodland demo circuit.

In addition to its own demo area, STIHL will have a large range of of high performance tools for professionals on display within the main arena on the static circuit, including the latest MSA 161 T cordless top-handled chainsaw and the lightweight MS 462 C-M petrol chainsaw.  STIHL will also be giving visitors a look at the new MS 500i – the world’s first lightweight petrol chainsaw with electronically controlled fuel injection.

STIHL To Showcase New Chainsaws

Rounding off its offering, professionals will also be able to discover more about STIHL’s range of PPE including the new VENT & X-VENT helmets and range of breathable and weather resistant ADVANCE chainsaw clothing.

Ahead of this year’s Stihl TIMBERSPORTS® World Championship at The Echo Arena in Liverpool in October, guests will be able to see the extreme sport in action as some of Europe’s top lumberjacks will take to the TIMBERSPORTS® Roadshow stage to compete in the six events.

Simon Hewitt, Head of Marketing at STIHL GB, said: “It’s a pleasure to be present at APF this year, and the exhibition is a great opportunity to showcase our ever expanding range of high quality tools for professionals.  Having a demo area on site is the perfect way to demonstrate the capability of our products, and we look forward to welcoming visitors to find out more about STIHL.”

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Las Brisas Invests In The Future

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Las Brisas Invests In The Future: Real Club de Golf Las Brisas, based in Marbella in Spain is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2018, as well as its first full golf course maintenance equipment fleet deal with John Deere and local dealer Agronimer.

Arranged through David Fernandez, the head of Agronimer’s golf division, the new fleet has been acquired in a five-year John Deere Financial agreement worth one million euros, and is supported by full PowerGard maintenance cover. Machinery includes tees, fairway, greens and rough mowers, both compact and larger utility tractors, Gator utility vehicles, sprayers and bunker rakes. The latest E-Cut hybrid electric models now make up 100 per cent of the club’s ride-on greens and fairway mower fleet.

Las Brisas Invests In The Future

Originally created by Robert Trent Jones Sr and more recently redesigned by Kyle Phillips, the 18-hole course is currently ranked #6 in Spain and #37 in continental Europe’s top 100 courses for 2018. It is notable for its raised greens, numerous bunkers and water hazards, as well as the botanical garden style landscaping that features many rare species of plants and trees from all over the world.

Las Brisas general manager Paul Muñoz and course manager Rafael González-Carrascosa head up a team of 24 greenkeeping and workshop staff. They have overseen an ambitious five-year multi-million euro project to redesign and renovate the course, which was necessary because the original design had begun to show its age.

“We felt that a complete remodelling of the golf course was required, but we needed to get the members to agree the necessary investment,” says Paul Muñoz. “A first phase was approved to renovate some aspects of the front nine back in 2012, and it was then that the project gained credibility and members felt that further investment was necessary.

“The final phase of works on the back nine holes was completed in 2015 but then had to be redone after severe flooding in 2016 caused widespread damage, and the course had to be closed for three months. However, once the membership saw what could be achieved they very quickly moved to have the whole course upgraded, and the final three holes were finished last summer.

“Everything has been addressed, from improving the grasses, bunkers, tees and greens to the drainage and irrigation system, as well as relocating several holes to create a better flow of play – even down to redesigning and rerouting the cart paths to make the initial visitor experience more pleasant.

“As a disciple of Robert Trent Jones Sr, Kyle Phillips fully understands his design philosophy, so he was the natural choice of architect for the new design, which is now cleaner, more open and natural. He has maintained the essence of the old course, but brought it more up to date, so it’s a better experience for the golfer. When you play the course now it feels like it’s been here for years, and you realise what a great job he’s done.”

Rafael González-Carrascosa adds: “This new agreement with John Deere and Agronimer includes not only the purchase of all the equipment necessary to keep our course in perfect condition, but also continuous training programmes for the operators and mechanics, customised parts management and tournament support when required.

“One of the key factors in choosing John Deere was that we only had to deal with one supplier, one brand and one dealer offering the right finance deal, so it made things easier all round. The John Deere range is comprehensive and offers good quality engineering as well as reliable dealer service and support.

“We’re very happy with the hybrid electric mowers, particularly the 8000E fairway machines, which were chosen for their quality of cut and light weight. The Gators and tractors are really good machines too, so we’re confident we’ve made an excellent choice. Most importantly, the members are really happy with the improvements we’ve made and the way the course now plays.”

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

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Tournament Opportunity For Members

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Tournament Opportunity For Members: BIGGA members have been invited to become part of the championship support team for the Evian Championship 2018.

An incredible opportunity to gain experience preparing the course for one of golf’s major championships, BIGGA members who are invited to join the team for the duration of the event will receive return air fares, accommodation, subsistence and uniform.

Tournament Opportunity For Members

The Evian Championship is the fifth and final major of the 2018 LPGA Tour and greenkeepers will be required to be on site from 2-16 September.

The successful applicants will work alongside the club’s greenstaff and other volunteers from across Europe.

The Evian Course is situated in Evian les Bains, bordered by Lake Geneva on one side and the Alps on the other.

If you are interested in this rare opportunity email Peter Wisbey at pwisbey@btinternet.com

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Kubota Helps Young People

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Kubota Helps Young People: Kubota UK has joined forces with PACCAR Scout Camp, a charity funded organisation dedicated to helping young people achieve their physical, intellectual and social potential.

PACCAR Scout Camp, located in Buckinghamshire, provides a fun and exciting camping experience for youth organisations, including Scouts, Guides and school groups. Visitors have the opportunity to experience an assortment of activities, from abseiling and archery, to climbing, high ropes and bushcraft.

The Japanese manufacturer is working in partnership with PACCAR Scout Camp as part of its on-going initiative to support charities that are focused not only on improving the prosperous life of humans, but also protecting the environment.

Karen Tipping, Kubota UK’s Marketing Manager, said: “We are delighted to support the PACCAR Scout Camp.  The work and commitment of its 120 volunteers to give children of all ages the opportunities to experience the great outdoors is fantastic.

“For many of the camp’s 50,000 visitors a year, it can be the first time they will have ever experienced the outdoors like they can at PACCAR Scout Camp.  It’s an adventurous experience that’s not only fun and entertaining, but it can help build self esteem, confidence and team building skills.

“These values are important to Kubota and we are extremely proud of our manufacturing excellence and our commitment to the environment, highlighted by our ‘For Earth, For Life’ brand statement. Being partnered with PACCAR scout group is excellent and we are so pleased that we can aid them with the brilliant work they do’’

 To help the camp’s volunteers get around the 67-acre site, Kubota has donated its rugged and robust RTV-X900 utility vehicle.

 Cliffe Brooke, Operations Manager at PACCAR Scout Camp, commented: “On behalf of everyone at PACCAR, we would like to thank Kubota and our local dealer George Browns for their support. We are a charity organisation, and like all charities, we need funding to be able to survive. With Kubota donating us the RTV-X900, it means we can focus our funds on what’s most important – continually improving our site and facilities to make the experience our visitors have when they come here, even better.

“The machine will make a huge difference operationally, making life much easier for our volunteers, from ferrying equipment around for activities, to woodland management and general maintenance. It will also allow us to access areas of the 67-acre site that we previously couldn’t.

“The Kubota brand is synonymous with quality and reliability, we’ve had a Kubota compact tractor now for over ten years and it never lets us down. We are really looking forward to putting the RTV-X900 through its paces now and seeing what it can do. It will be an integral piece of machinery that will be used every single day so we are delighted to receive Kubota’s support.”

For more information on Kubota UK call 01844 268000 or visit www.kubota.co.uk.

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