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NEWS ARTICLES

STIHL Expands Viking Range

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STIHL Expands Viking Range: STIHL has expanded its range of high-performance VIKING mowers with the introduction of the MB 655 RS rear roller mower, perfect for landscapers and lawn care professionals.

Designed with ease of use in mind, the powerful Briggs and Stratton engine is simple to start thanks to the auto-choke mechanism, meaning the recoil starter rope only needs to be pulled once.

STIHL Expands Viking Range

For further comfort, the latest offering from STIHL includes a single speed driven rear metal roller with robust drive mechanism for increased service life and minimal strain. The intuitive mono-comfort handlebar, with super soft grip, is adjustable to three different heights allowing users to find the most suitable setting.

Offering full flexibility, the desired cutting height can be precisely adjusted thanks to a sprung-loaded lever on the left-hand side of the housing, whilst the Blade Brake Clutch stops the blade when the mower is stationary. Meanwhile, the high-lift blades combined with the aerodynamic housing produce a strong air current that efficiently blows the grass cutting into the grass catcher box, even in wet conditions.

Thanks to the optimised design shape and air guide, the 70l box can be 100% filled, while the innovative two-part design ensures easy opening and emptying. Additionally, to reduce time between emptying, the catcher box features an integral level indicator to show when its full.

As well as being easy to use, STIHL has taken careful considerations when it comes to storage and maintenance, providing professionals with a durable and convenient solution. The body design for example allows for easy access and maintenance of working parts, such as drive cables, pulleys and the drive belt.

Designed with a foldable handlebar, the VIKING MB 655 RS lawn mower is easy to transport and convenient to store. The new petrol mower utilises large wheels with high quality ball bearings for easy running, while the tread pattern provides better traction, as well as allowing for easy cleaning. Additionally, the bumper strips offer additional protection when mowing next to walls and edges, and can be easily exchanged or replaced if they become marked or damaged to maintain a professional appearance at all times.

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Rugby Players Suffer 3G Burns

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Rugby Players Suffer 3G Burns: The Scarlets have seen their training plans hindered ahead of Saturday’s Guinness PRO14 final against Leinster as a number of their players are nursing nasty burns and blisters after the semi-final victory over Glasgow on Scotstoun’s artificial surface.

Head coach Wayne Pivac has revealed he had to cancel training yesterday and a number of his players won’t be risked today because of the wounds they suffered during the 28-13 victory.

“There are a lot of bad burns,” said Pivac.

“No-one trained yesterday in terms of any rugby work on the field and there will be some who won’t train today which is unfortunate, but we will have a full training session on Thursday.

“It’s things that won’t stop them playing, but it’s not ideal.”

Pivac added: “We would always do a bit of a flush (training run) on a Monday, especially after a Friday game; but the main thing is to make the burns heals up. To run around and knock the skin off again is not the ideal situation.”

It is not the first time that artificial surfaces have come under the spotlight.

Pontypridd’s Sardis Road surface was investigated last season after Merthyr players complained of burns and cuts.

Pivac himself has also raised concerns about injuries suffered by his players at the Arms Park.

Asked to comment specifically on the Scotstoun pitch, he said: “It was very bad on the weekend. It was very dry.

“I am not sure what other teams have had, we had got a lot of burns, a lot of bad grazing and blisters. It was very firm.

“These things will heal up, but it is just frustrating at the early part of the week.

“It is what it is, you have got to play on them and you have got to accept, it but I am not a fan.”

Both Wales international Steff Evans and Kiwi full-back Johnny McNicholl spoke to the media at today’s press conference at Parc y Scarlets and both had nasty cuts and grazes to their arms and legs.

McNicholl said: “I have got a dozen of them. It has not been a couple of nice nights sticking to the sheets.

“It is not a nice pitch to play on.

“Under foot it is good when you are doing footwork. As soon as you hit the deck it affects your joints as well.

“I would prefer not to play on them. I remember going down on the deck for the ball and I got this massive grass burn on my backside.

“It was like a carpet burn. I said to the trainer straight after with a few swear words that I felt this pitch should be illegal.

“I don’t like playing on them because they are high risk for injury.

“I could not train yesterday because of the burns and my feet were numb.

“This is the only surface I have played on so I can’t judge anyone.

“I think they would be pretty similar especially on a dry day. It heats up and it is like carpet.

“You are not meant to slide and I did a few times. It was horrible.”

Evans added: “Obviously we didn’t train yesterday because a lot of players had burns and it is going to be tough one today again.

“These are going to be stuck with me for a while, it is a tough field that 4G.

“It was just really dry.

“It wasn’t soft, it was a hard ground, compared to the Arms Park and Saracens it was totally different.

“The weather didn’t help, it was like playing on carpet, it was shocking.

“It’s blisters with a bit of pus coming out. You are waking up in bed and the sheets are stuck to your leg about seven times a night. It is not great, you have just got to crack on.

“But you can’t concentrate on the burns, there is something more important to look forward to this weekend.”

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N & J Tree Services Choose Först

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N & J Tree Services Choose Först: N & J Tree Services has expanded its fleet of Först woodchippers with the purchase of two XR8’s, after noticing the high-quality standards offered by the manufacturers’ range of robust machinery.

Recognised as a leading specialist arboricultural company, N & J Tree Services provides professional tree care services for motorways, councils and general arboriculture. The business, which now employs 30 staff, has grown year on year since being established in 2000 due to its role as an efficient solutions provider for a vast number of clients across the UK.

N & J Tree Services Choose Först

Nigel Owen, Managing Director at N & J Tree Services, said: “We have been working with Först since they first entered the market. Having seen the performance of many woodchippers over the years, it soon became apparent that the performance and robust nature of Först machines really made them stand out against other competitors.”

N & J Tree Services currently has seven machines on its fleet, comprising of two ST6P’s, three ST8’s and two newly added XR8 Traxion machines. The XR8 8” x 10” capacity woodchipper is designed with a tough and robust scissor-action parallel leg system, allowing for exceptional versatility to overcome difficult obstacles with strength, speed and stability.

Nigel continued: “Having Först machines on our fleet has been hugely beneficial to the business. Along with high-quality machinery, Först has supplied us with exceptional support to ensure that our woodchippers are kept safe and utilised to maximum capacity. If an issue appears, Först are able to fix the problem quickly, effectively and efficiently. Doing so has minimised our down time, meaning less time and money is spent fixing and purchasing machinery and more time is spent being out onsite getting the job done.

“The machines have kept us going for many years and pose remarkable capability in supporting us in our day-to-day work. We feel extremely confident every time we purchase a new Först machine because of the 3-year standard warranty each wood chipper comes with, providing us with the support and reassurance we need when making such investments into the business.

“It’s inevitable that Först will continue to offer nothing but high standards in both its products and services, and it is for this reason that we are more than likely to continue our strong working relationship purchasing from Först in the future as we go on to expand our business.”

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Kubota’s New Field Service Manager

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Kubota’s New Field Service Manager: Kubota UK has announced the appointment of Martin Tyler as its Field Service Manager. This is a new management role created within the organisation to offer more support to its extensive independent dealer network and end-user customers.

Martin will take full responsibility and control of all Kubota UK field service activities. This will include field product quality reporting, Kubota’s Customer Satisfaction Survey, Dealer Service Excellence, the development of service business activities and the resolution of any customer or dealer warranty enquiries.

Kubota's New Field Service Manager

Keith Miller, Service & Training Manager at Kubota UK, said: “At Kubota, we are constantly investing in new and innovative ways in which we can enhance the service we provide to both our dealer network and end-user customers. The creation of this new role will provide a more focused approach to Kubota UK’s service provision, and is yet another example of our continued commitment to provide service excellence.”

Bringing more than 20 years industry experience to his new role, Martin joined Kubota in 2014 as a Regional Service Manager for the East of England, before being promoted to Service Supervisor for Agricultural Tractors. Previous to this, Martin spent the majority of his career at a New Holland dealer. He started as an apprentice and quickly rose through the ranks of Senior Service Technician, Warranty Administrator and finally to Service Manager.

Martin commented: “Our dealer network plays a pivotal role in sustaining our position as a first-class machinery provider, so ensuring we can provide them the highest levels of service and support is paramount.

“The creation of this new role will enable Kubota to enhance its close working relationships with its dealers. It will ensure they have dedicated support and access to all the necessary tools and advice needed, to enhance their business operations. This in turn will lead to better service levels provided to our end-user customers.”

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

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Balmers Join GKB Dealer Network

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Balmers Join GKB Dealer Network: Balmers GM Ltd. has joined the growing GKB Machines’ network of groundcare dealers. One of the largest new and used groundcare businesses of its kind in the North of England, Balmers has been in business in Burnley for in excess of thirty years, offering sales, spares, service and hire and covering Lancashire down to North Manchester and across to West Yorkshire. Balmers were in talks with GKB’s Tom Shinkins in mid 2017 which led to initial demonstrations to customers of a GKB Sandfiller and Top Dresser. The result was Balmers becoming a GKB dealer.

“We like the quality build of the machines, no frills performance and they do what it says on the tin,” says Balmers’ Andrew Meeks. “We like the way the Sandfiller combines in one operation scarifying, removal and sand filling. It means the operation can be carried out by one person and that’s a saving on time and costs.”

Balmers Join GKB Dealer Network

The principle is based on the GKB Combinator with a slitting rotor utilising carbine scarifying blades that create wind to lift the removed material. Dried sand is instantly applied from the hopper and the area is immediately available for use. The GKB Top Dressers come in four different designs which range from 1m3 to 4m3 with a choice of trailed or turf truck mounted versions. They are ideal for evenly distributing materials such as sand and mulch, with variable spread widths and depths. The GKB SP100 is suitable for assembling on a turf truck such as the ProGator, Truckster or Workman for example. Electro-hydraulic controls are easily fitted and run directly off the hydraulics of the truck.

Balmers’ reputation in the commercial sector speaks for itself with its customer base of local councils and national contractors serving golf, football and cricket clubs. The partnering with GKB adds a new strength with the availability of the GKB Machines’ range of natural and synthetic sports turf solutions.

For more information, visit: www.gkbmachines.com

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