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Koro FTM At Cricket Demo Day

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Koro FTM At Cricket Demo Day: Campey Turf Care Systems in association with their Cambridgeshire dealer, Scamblers, held a successful demonstration day at Clare College, Cambridge, to show what the Koro FIELD TOP-MAKER can do on a cricket square.

The Imants machine was originally used to strip the organic matter off of football pitches and has gone on to be used in rugby, golf and tennis with cricket becoming the latest adopter of the technology.

Koro FTM At Cricket Demo Day

Cambridge United use the Clare College site for training and because of this head groundsman, Robbie Nightingale knows the difference removing the organic matter can make to a football pitch and was keen to test it out on his cricket square.

“There is a lot of good quality cricket played in the county and there is an opening for a few Colleges or clubs to pitch in together to get a Koro FTM,” he explained. “Using the machine in different sports to what it was originally used for is something that’s a growing trend and you read and see a lot about people using it, so we thought we’d have a look and see what it’s about.

“Because it’s a demonstration day and the first time we used the machine we wanted to start at 3mm and go down very gradually so we could take out whatever we wanted to. Going to 3mm is ideal for us because we wouldn’t have been able to do that with the machinery that we have so it’s been a fantastic opportunity for us, and others, to see it on our own square.

30 turf professionals from 28 different cricket clubs, football clubs and colleges from the Cambridgeshire region attended the event which also included a demonstration of the Air2G2 GT Air Inject.

Campey product specialist, Simon Holland, ran the practical side of the event and has seen an increased number of cricket groundsmen enquire about using the Koro FTM on their squares.

Koro FTM At Cricket Demo Day

“Koro-ing has become more popular within cricket at all levels of the game,” he said. “I’m going to Edgbaston Cricket Ground to Koro a wicket there that has SIS Grass reinforcement, so that’ll be an interesting project to work on because it’ll be the first time it’s been done on a cricket pitch that’s reinforced.

“But although today is mainly cricket we do have people from other sports attending because they want to see the Koro FTM working. I think there’s a growing interest from the cricket side because it isn’t something they’ve adopted fully yet, but they can see the benefits of using it.

“The idea is to level the pitch, particularly the saddles, and pull 90% of the organic matter out so they’ve got a blank canvass to work with.”

For more information, visit: www.campeyturfcare.com

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Whisper Twister Perfect For Coxmoor

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Whisper Twister Perfect For Coxmoor: Coxmoor Golf Club, an accredited England Golf Championship venue, is in its fourth year of a major ten year redevelopment, working closely with architects, Creative Golf Design. The progressive Nottinghamshire club has an innovative programme of bunker and tee improvements to future proof the course which are already elevating its stature. 

Running alongside is a ten year woodlands plan in partnership with The Sherwood Forest Trust and the Forestry Commission.  The goal is to restore the Sutton-in-Ashfield club to its natural heathland habitat with a better understanding of woodland management.  Over 1500 trees have been thinned out making way for the best indigenous species, the focus on selecting trees across a spectrum of life cycle stages. By necessity, Course Manager, Ben Cumberland and his greenkeeping team of seven, adopt very effective solutions for removing leaf debris.

Whisper Twister Perfect For Coxmoor

Central to their operation is a previously under-used John Deere 3730 tractor, which now supports a Wiedenmann Whisper Twister blower on the front and a variety of equipment on the back.

“When I joined Coxmoor, the 3730 tractor was a couple of years old with its three point front linkage kit untouched and no obvious plans to put it to use. With front linkage in place it made sense to attach a blower which could stay on for two to three months at a time,” explained Ben Cumberland.  “James Robson from dealer Henton and Chatell got on the case and brought the Whisper Twister for demo and we kept it.

“It’s fortunate the John Deere has low ground pressure and Galaxy flotation tyres so it can be over the greens for most of the year, leaving no imprint whatsoever. The Whisper Twister balances on a low pressure wheel so together they are perfect for fine turf. When it’s dry, the blower goes round the greens that need it in the morning to tidy them. We drive right up to a bunker, point the nozzle, rotate if required and the leaves are taken out easily. Because the driver’s view is to the front, you see everything; no awkward neck twisting trying to look behind,” continued Ben Cumberland.

Whisper Twister Perfect For Coxmoor

“Only in the depths of winter will we go over the greens and blow leaves by hand. But for other parts of the course when it is damp and the leaves are dormant and bedded into the grass, we will pair the blower with the Wiedenmann Terra Rake.  The scarifying tines on the rake go through the longer grass, teasing the leaves out from the bottom; the leaves are blown out and then we rake them up.

“Having the blower to the front is so versatile; the set up gives scope to do more and more. We will put another machine on the back and tidy as we go, especially with aeration work on the greens, or with the slitter, the sorrel roller, the brush… even down to blowing tees before we spray them with the sprayer attached. We often do two jobs in one. Kill two birds with the one stone if you like.”

For more information, visit: www.wiedenmann.com

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idverde Brings Mixto To SALTEX

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idverde Brings Mixto To SALTEX: idverde will be at this year’s SALTEX exhibition and visitors to the show will have a unique opportunity to get their feet on the Mixto hybrid turf system.

idverde, the UK’s exclusive supplier and installer of Mixto, is excited to bring the innovative sports surface to the exhibition, with a stand featuring a mini Mixto football pitch so that visitors can try it out for themselves.

idverde Brings Mixto To SALTEX

Mixto is a reinforced natural hybrid surface, consisting of a synthetic and a natural grass component. The added strength from the artificial turf improves the durability of the pitch, with playing time increased to around three times that of natural turf, and with no noticeable change in surface performance to players.

The Mixto hybrid turf system has recently been installed at Peterborough United FC (“The Posh”), where it has received excellent feedback from the grounds team for its quality and durability. The hybrid sports surface has also been chosen by some of the biggest and best international clubs, including Real Madrid and A.C. Milan, as well as 2018 World Cup semi-final venue, Zenit Arena in St Petersburg.

Steve Tingley, Operations Manager for idverde Sports Services said:

“We’re delighted to be bringing Mixto to SALTEX 2018.  The show offers an unmissable opportunity for pitch care professionals to come and try Mixto for themselves and see the benefits that this versatile and durable sports surface can offer.

“We look forward to welcoming visitors for  a kick about in our demonstration area at plots 1 and 3 in the show’s outdoor zone.”

SALTEX 2018 takes place at the NEC, Birmingham on 31 October and 01 November 2018. Find idverde and Mixto in the outdoor demo area (plots 1 and 3) and with Rigby Taylor on stand G060.

For further information on Mixto and idverde’s sports surfaces installation services please visit www.idverde.co.uk/mixto

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Compact Spider Mower To Launch At SALTEX

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Compact Spider Mower To Launch At SALTEX: The name Spider is synonymous in the sector for innovative, industry-leading machinery that tackles even the most challenging terrain.

Designed and built at high-tech premises in the Czech Republic by the team at Dvorak, Spider slope mowers are the only remote-controlled, robotic mowers in the world that offer zero-turn capability to cut grass on slopes up to 55 degrees. Now, the Spider team from the Czech Republic and the UK distributor T H WHITE Machinery Imports are excited to unveil a brand-new slope mower, launching at SALTEX at the end of October on stand H190.

Compact Spider Mower To Launch At SALTEX

The new Spider X Line is their smallest commercial machine to date, offering a compact profile with huge performance. The X Line includes all the benefits of a larger Spider slope mower in a 1m2 sized machine, enabling users to get the very best performance while being able to transport the mower easily on a trailer or in the back of van. With an integrated winch, until now only seen on the larger Spider mowers, the X Line is capable of mowing slopes up to 55° – that’s 17° more than the worlds steepest ski slope, Harikari in Austria – which boasts an eyewatering 38° pitch!

With an incline as steep as that, there is naturally great concern in mowing grass with an operator using a ride-on or pedestrian mower, or strimmer. This is where the Spider X Line will excel, remote-controlled from a distance to ensure complete operator safety. The remote control also removes the operator from the working area of the mower, away from noise and vibration, meaning there is no limit on safe use considering HAVs, WBVs and Noise. Not only that, the X Line can mow at speeds of up to 6 km/h with a 65cm mulch cutting deck, meaning you can cut more grass in less time. The unique wheel stowage design enables the incorporation of a specially designed terrain-following mowing deck, giving you a consistent, high quality cut on the most uneven turf.

In fact, the X Line has a cutting capacity equivalent to 3 operatives with brush cutters, meaning that not only is the job completed faster and more efficiently, but it also allows for operatives to be redeployed to other tasks while one person controls the Spider.

Unique to Spider is the ‘Dancing Step’ drive system, which enables the X Line to move with zero turn capability. This is supremely useful when mowing around obstacles or when coming up against boundaries, saving time on each turn compared to other robotic mowers.

Finally, in addition to its powerful Honda GXV390 10.2hp petrol engine, the X Line boasts a lightweight chassis and four-wheel drive, giving it exceptional traction with gentle treatment of turf even in wet or soft conditions and eliminating erosion on slopes.

In addition to exceptional performance on slopes and inclines, Spider mowers are proven to excel in other unsafe or challenging environments across the UK, including airports, motorway and railway verges, lakes and riverbanks, around reservoirs, powerplants and solar farms, orchards and vineyards and in military facilities. Machinery Imports Director, Tim Lane, is looking forward to showcasing the new X Line at SALTEX ahead of it’s release to the market in 2019. “This is an exciting time for Spider and Machinery Imports, and we are pleased to launch a new commercial mower to the industry for 2019. The X Line is a true all-round robotic mower, offering features that are unrivalled in the market at the moment and the ability to outperform its competitors on sloping and even ground. We’re looking forward to demonstrating the X Line in the New Year to interested customers and working with our extensive dealer network to promote this innovative machine.”

As part of the Machinery Imports stand at SALTEX this year, the Spider X Line will be proudly displayed for visitors to find out more about it and see the innovation for themselves. We welcome all visitors to the event to see us at stand H190 to learn more.

Specifications:

• Honda GXV390 petrol engine, 10.2-gross HP.
• Hydrostatic transmission
• Ground speed up to 6kph/3.7mph with productivity equivalent to 3 operatives with brushcutters
• Skid steering ‘Dancing Step’ zero-turn drive system
• 65cm / 25.6 inch cutting width with mulching deck
• 4-12cm / 1.6-4.7 inch cutting height range
• 1-2 litre per hour fuel consumption
• 55° / 143% climbing ability with integrated winch
• 95 x 105 x 65cm dimensions

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John Deere Dealership Changes

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John Deere Dealership Changes: John Deere dealer Winchester Garden Machinery Ltd has decided to relinquish its professional golf & turf business at the end of October 2018, while retaining Deere’s full homeowner equipment franchise. Neighbouring dealers Farol Ltd and Hunt Forest Group will share WGM’s existing professional sales area of responsibility, with Farol’s Midhurst outlet covering West Sussex and Surrey and Hunt Forest Group at Chilbolton taking on Hampshire.

Winchester Garden Machinery has been supplying and maintaining garden and commercial grass care machinery since 1969. It will continue to trade as a main John Deere homeowner dealer, specialising in walk-behind mowers and lawn tractors, from its three domestic machinery sales locations at Winchester and Liss in Hampshire and Sunningdale in Surrey. The business also includes a Forest & Arb Sales division, which was introduced in the early 2000s.

John Deere Dealership Changes

“After over 20 years of supplying and supporting the professional golf & turf sector, Winchester Garden Machinery Ltd has taken the decision to relinquish the franchise for this side of John Deere’s business,” says WGM dealer principal Andrew Hoskings, the company’s owner and co-founder with industry stalwart Robin Nettle, who sadly died of cancer earlier this year. “This decision has not been taken lightly, and with the growth in other sectors of our business – domestic, forestry and commercial – we will continue to be strong trading partners with John Deere on homeowner equipment.

“We will continue to support John Deere’s professional machinery with warranty within the valid dates and undertake service work as required. Winchester Garden machinery is very proud of its association with John Deere and of our reputation as one of the UK’s largest specialist dealers of lawn and garden machinery, and we look forward to the future with confidence.”

Farol will now manage a total of six John Deere agricultural and turf dealerships from the Midlands down through London to the south coast of England.

“Being awarded the new area of responsibility for John Deere’s golf and turf product range in West Sussex is an incredibly exciting prospect for Farol Midhurst,” says managing director Matthew Vellacott. “We will look to continue and build on the high standards of service established by Winchester Garden Machinery, and aim to grow the business with the additional benefits of resources and specialisms that come from being part of a larger group.

“Since Farol’s debut in the professional golf and turf machinery business eight years ago, we have seen exceptional business and market share growth. This now contributes over £20 million to the group’s turnover, which makes Farol one of the largest professional groundscare machinery dealerships in the UK.

“We believe that our industry leading machine technology and aftersales departments have been key to this success, and we now look forward to demonstrating this support to our new customers in the south of the country. This latest addition to the group will undoubtedly take our golf and turf business from strength to strength.”

R Hunt Ltd and New Forest Farm Machinery Ltd recently signed an agreement to merge their two businesses under the new name Hunt Forest Group from January 1, 2019. R Hunt has been a John Deere agricultural equipment dealer since 1971 and currently runs four outlets covering Wiltshire, Hampshire, Berkshire, Surrey and the Isle of Wight. New Forest Farm Machinery trades from two outlets in Hampshire and Somerset and has been a John Deere agricultural dealer since 1979, and a professional turf dealer since 1986.

“This new area of responsibility sees our business expand its professional turf coverage and capability into Winchester and East Hampshire by adding the John Deere turf franchise to our existing Chilbolton facility,” says Hunt Forest Group managing director Tim Hunt. “We will be providing full sales, service and parts support for all John Deere professional turf products from Chilbolton, alongside our other outlets at Blashford, Sparkford, Tilshead and Isle of Wight, from November 2018.

“Following the recent news regarding the creation of Hunt Forest Group, we are able to quickly leverage the experience and staff within our new organisation. We are pleased to say we have immediate coverage for the new professional turf area of responsibility in Hampshire, with knowledgeable staff who will already be very familiar to many customers. We are very excited about the opportunity this brings and look forward to our customers and Hunt Forest Group growing together.”

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

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

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