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MJ Abbott Return To SALTEX After A Year Of Hybrid Pitch Constructions

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MJ Abbott Return to SALTEX after a year of Hybrid Pitch constructions: The past 12-months has seen MJ Abbott complete a number of hybrid pitch re-constructions in the UK and Europe across football and rugby.

2015 saw the introduction of SIS Grass to the turf market and the popularity of the new hybrid surface has continued into this year, with MJ Abbott the principle company to prepare surfaces ready for stitching by the machines in the UK.

MJ Abbott Return To SALTEX After A Year Of Hybrid Pitch Constructions

Newcastle United has installed SIS Grass at St James’ Park with Championship Sides Reading and Birmingham City also installing the system at their respective stadia. Projects were also completed at the training home of Paris Saint Germain, seeing the installation of the HERO hybrid carpet turf system within two training pitches and the match pitch.

Rugby was also on the agenda with Doncaster Knights RFC re-constructing their Castle Park pitch to facilitate the installation of an Eclipse hybrid carpet turf system, provided by County Turf.

Away from team sports, there has also been several golf projects undertaken, including being appointed as the main contractors for Royal Norwich’s £4.5million new course project. The company also worked on the extremely well received multi-million-pound facelift of the West Course at Wentworth for the BMW PGA, which received rave reviews from players and pundits alike.

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James On Course For New Role At Castle Stuart Golf Links

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James On Course For New Role At Castle Stuart Golf Links: The internationally-renowned Castle Stuart Golf Links has appointed James Hutchison as head greenkeeper as it seeks to build on its reputation for sustainable and environmentally-friendly course management.James On Course For New Role At Castle Stuart Golf Links

James, who joined Castle Stuart as a greenkeeper during its construction in 2007, has been deputy course manager since the four-time Scottish Open venue opened in 2009.

He replaces Chris Haspell who is leaving Castle Stuart to take up a new post within the industry. Senior greenkeeper Stuart Hawker is the new deputy head greenkeeper.

During his time at Castle Stuart, James helped create the famous links overlooking the Moray Forth while safeguarding the environment and the rich wildlife it supports.

The course – designed by Mark Parsinen, who also co-designed Kingsbarns Golf Links, and Gil Hanse, creator of the Olympic course in Rio and the new Black Course at the Streamsong Resort in Florida – has won awards for its protection of the landscape and marine areas that make up a Special Area of Conservation and Site of Special Scientific Interest.

James has worked on all four Scottish Opens at Castle Stuart – from 2011-2013 and in 2016 – and has played an integral role in developing the course, regarded as a modern icon at the forefront of discussions on the playability of golf courses that challenge the best players and makes the game engaging, enjoyable and fun for higher handicappers.

A nine-handicap golfer and Scottish shinty international player, he previously spent 12 years at Boat of Garten Golf Club, including six years as deputy course manager.

His first major event at Castle Stuart in his new position will be the Highland Golf Links 54-hole Pro-Am sponsored by Blue Group, a Tartan Tour tournament which will feature a capacity field of 80 teams. The three-day event, which runs from 2-4 October, will also be played at Royal Dornoch Golf Club and The Nairn Golf Club.

James is also expected to be in charge of the Castle Stuart greenkeeping team that will work on a second championship course, which is being planned in partnership with the Arnold Palmer Group.

James said: “This is a huge and exciting challenge for me. It was fantastic to work at Castle Stuart from the construction phase, and being able to do the same on a second course is such a massive opportunity.

“What makes the job so enjoyable is creating and developing a course that works with the environment and provides a visual experience as well as being playable by golfers of all abilities.”

Stuart McColm said: “James has been an integral part of the Castle Stuart team almost since we cut the first turf and the time is right for him to take us into the next phase of our evolution.

“Chris’s departure has left a strong agronomic and environmental platform, one that James and I are passionate about and determined to improve upon, in our pursuit of increased customer satisfaction as well as sustainable environmental stewardship.”

Castle Stuart underlined its environmental credentials this month when it hosted the latest event in the Leading Edge series of conferences. The event brought together a number of course and club managers to look at the challenges and successes of running golf clubs in challenging conditions worldwide.

Held in conjunction with GEO (Golf Environment Organization), the event included contributions from David Roy, a past president of the Club Managers Association of Europe; Paul Armitage, director of Le Golf National, venue for the 2018 Ryder Cup and 2024 Olympic golf tournament; Dr Thom Nikolai, renowned professor of turfgrass agronomy at Michigan State University; Castle Stuart general manager Stuart McColm; David Withers, president and CEO of Jacobsen; and Steve Johnson, Golf Course Superintendent at Almouj Golf Course, The Wave, Muscat.

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Reading FC Have A Pitch Fit For Royals

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Reading Have A Pitch Fit For Royals Thanks To Ground-Breaking SISGrass Technology: The Madejski Stadium becomes first venue with dual-use pitch to experience added durability of SIS Pitches’ advanced hybrid system.

Reading FC have become the first UK sports club with a dual-use pitch to install the revolutionary SISGrass hybrid system – to help the club’s hallowed turf endure almost 250 hours’ playing time.

Global pitch specialists SIS Pitches introduced their advanced hybrid turf technology at the Madejski Stadium this summer as part of a full reconstruction of a pitch that staged over 55 matches last season.

With the Berkshire venue hosting all home first-team fixtures played by Reading and London Irish, the Aviva Premiership Rugby side that have been ground-share tenants for over 16 years, plus a selection of the Royals’ Under-23s and Under-18s games, the playing surface gets a severe workout.

Reading FC Have A Pitch Fit For Royals

So much so there were times last season that Adam Grantham, Reading’s Grounds Manager for 13 years, and his hard-working staff had to prepare for four matches in as many days.

With such little time to recover from wear and tear, the quality of the playing surface inevitably suffered.

To manage such high usage, the Sky Bet Championship club opted for the increased durability of Cumbria-based SIS Pitches’ award-winning SISGrass, a reinforced natural turf system featuring patented fibre injection technology.

Reading have the added bonus of having SISGrass Universal at their disposal. The compact machine, combining speed, mobility and laser precision, specialises in repairing high-use areas such as touchlines, goalmouths and penalty spots.

Main contractor MJ Abbott Ltd were central to the six-week pitch reconstruction project at the ‘Mad Stad’, while Premier Pitches completed the turf finishing process.

Adam said: “The pitch was last reconstructed to this extent way back in 2007 and it reached the end of its shelf life last season, becoming ineffective in areas.

“Balancing all the football and rugby commitments on an ageing pitch was extremely tough at times and there was some criticism over the winter period, so it was good to start afresh in the summer.

“We completely reconstructed the pitch, taking the old hybrid system out and starting from the bottom up, reshaping all the sub-base levels, reinstalling the drainage, the undersoil heating and adding a new irrigation system.

“We have been really pleased with both the high quality of SIS Pitches’ service and the pitch they have installed. With the increased durability of SISGrass, we’re extremely hopeful the end result is a much stronger and healthier pitch all year round that suits our manager Jaap Stam’s style of play.

“By September 9, we’d played five matches on it already but the pitch is holding together really well and I’ve been getting good feedback from the coaching staff and players.”

SISGrass’ laser-guided installation combines a 95% natural grass pitch with 5% of specially-designed PE yarn stitched into the ground, offering unrivalled durability, improved pitch recovery time and increased playing hours.

Phil Blackwell, SIS Pitches’ UK Projects Director, said: “With the Madejski Stadium staging so many fixtures during a season, Reading require the most durable and stable pitch on the market, which we firmly believe our award-winning SISGrass hybrid pitch technology provides.

“The installation process went extremely smoothly and we have no doubts that both Reading and London Irish will experience a higher quality and more durable playing surface this season.

“SISGrass is essential for sporting clubs striving for the highest quality pitch on the market, and an absolute must-have for all dual-use pitches.”

The ground-breaking SISGrass hybrid pitch system has been installed at prestigious venues across the globe, taking pride of place at six of next summer’s World Cup venues, including the iconic Luzhniki Stadium, which will host the Russia 2018 final.

SISGrass has been installed at Premier League duo Newcastle United and AFC Bournemouth, Serie A side Verona and a quartet of Türkish Super Lig clubs.

It also features at Championship clubs Birmingham City, Derby County and Fulham and at the training grounds of FC Barcelona, Chelsea, Swansea City, Hull City, Fulham, Derby County and the National Football Centre at St. George’s Park, home of the English FA.

With offices in the UK, Ireland, Russia, Turkey, Holland, Middle East and Angola, SIS Pitches has many years’ experience in delivering both natural and synthetic turf pitches to some of the greatest names in sport as well as to schools, colleges, universities, sports clubs and local authorities.

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Kubota UK Top of the Class

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Kubota UK Top of the Class: The top educators in the agricultural machinery sector chose Kubota UK to host their annual conference, ensuring they are up to speed with the latest machinery and technology offered by the manufacturer. 

The Association of Lecturers In Agriculture Machinery (ALAM), whose members boast academic staff from top colleges across the country, including Harper Adams and Hartpury College, were treated to a host of lectures and workshops covering Kubota’s global business heritage, its product offering and plans for the future, whilst also getting hands on experience with Kubota machinery and visiting local dealers from Kubota’s network.

Kubota UK Top of the Class

Ian Coleman, Chairman of ALAM and lecturer at Hartpury College, said: “The function of ALAM is to keep up-to-date with the latest technologies and to disseminate current practices and focuses to our members, ensuring that what we teach our students across the country reflects the modern industry. Holding our conference at Kubota UK this year has filled us with confidence that we are up to speed with technological advances, trends for the future and updating our knowledge on Kubota’s product portfolio, from horticulture right the way through to agriculture.

“Technical updates are vital for both ALAM and our students, so another advantage of working with Kubota is that we can look outside of the standard agricultural box into other sectors, giving us a rounded view and ensuring that we have our finger on the pulse of the industry as a whole. The three days were hugely beneficial and demonstrated the clear advantages of networking between colleges, colleagues and manufacturers.”

Keith Miller, Service and Training Manager at Kubota UK, added: “For Kubota, the relationship with all the UK agricultural colleges is really important. We understand that communicating the essential principles of machinery and their operation to the colleges makes a real contribution to the future learning of the students and the sector as a whole, injecting a high number of skilled engineers into the industry.

“It’s for these reasons that we put so much effort into the ALAM conference, with a rigorous itinerary that included getting hands on experience with a number of machine models, including the new Kubota M7001 series, plus visiting two of our leading dealers, Lister Wilder and George Browns, to give insights from their perspective too. We really wanted Ian and the whole ALAM team to get as much out of the three days as possible and the feedback we’ve had has been very positive.”

Dave Roberts, Kubota UK Managing Director, closed by adding: “It has been a great pleasure welcoming ALAM to Kubota UK for the team’s annual conference. There’s a real synergy between our organisations, not only in the agricultural machinery we manufacture, but also in the need for all stakeholders in the industry to work together to ensure that we are all aligned in promoting the best practice for agricultural and horticultural engineering. This is essential in keeping the full and sustainable availability of quality engineers to support the market, which is increasingly complex and diverse.

“We also have a strong affinity with ALAM as we currently have 4 apprentices in our business, and a number of our team, including myself, went through the agricultural machinery education system.”

“The visit has also given us the opportunity to showcase our latest innovations, not only in the agricultural machinery arena, but in our engine technologies. The visit demonstrated how Kubota, with technology such as autonomous tractors, is pioneering for the future.”

To watch video highlights and interviews from the ALAM conference, click here: https://youtu.be/04qphWlefm8

For more information on Kubota’s and its expansive range of solutions for the agriculture, construction and groundcare sectors or to find your nearest dealer, visit www.kubota.co.uk or call 01844 268000.

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GKB Drainmaster Makes Their Day

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GKB Drainmaster Makes Their Day: Phil Day Sports of Worcestershire has added a GKB Machines Drainmaster to their fleet of sports ground construction and maintenance equipment.

Established in the late 1990’s Phil Day’s company has built a firm reputation as a leading sports turf contractor and specialist in the sports amenity sector. Their constant aim, they say, is to offer best value by constantly upgrading specialist equipment and machinery. They see the GKB Drainmaster as having a significant role in the work they carry out for their wide range of customers which includes Premier League football clubs, county cricket, top class rugby and golf clubs and leading independent schools.

GKB Drainmaster Makes Their Day

As every turf professional and greenkeeper knows, surface water and pitches that stay wet for too long will always be an issue along with the cost and downtime for renovation. The GKB Drainmaster offers a complete solution to improving and accelerating the drainage of surface water. Toby Grace, Business Development Manager at Phil Day Sports, had been looking at investing in a secondary drainage system for a while and was impressed by what could be achieved with the Drainmaster. He and his team decided they were going to need one for a number of pending client requirements, including work at West Bromwich Albion F.C., Wasps Rugby and the STRI. Once ordered, after tender at the beginning of 2017, the GKB machine arrived within three weeks and was put to work with immediate results. The Drainmaster excavates two or three trenches four centimetres wide which are positioned perpendicular to the existing underlying drainage. Soil removed is disposed of by means of conveyor belts and can be re-used as dressing soil. The trenches are filled with drainage sand up to the operating depth of 23cm in the same operation while the Drainmaster wheels press the sand into the trenches.

“We have found the Drainmaster does what it says with unique sandslits to the correct width and depth and we have seen excellent results.” Says Toby. “With the way the sand bunker has been developed, you can choose to operate the full length of the pitch in one operation or two across the width. The grass grows on the trenches in a matter of weeks.” The overall effect is strengthening of the grass while the drainage network ensures a higher playing capacity.

“The next real test will be in the winter months and with the changing weather we’ll be carefully monitoring the results.” Toby says. “For now we’re very happy with the quality achieved and the service we have had. GKB as the manufacturer talk to us and we’re providing feedback so it’s a two-way traffic of information that helps us all.”

GKB add that where there is a need to create a more even, well-functioning pitch you can combine the operations of the Drainmaster and their well-known Combinator for the optimum playing surface.

To find out more, visit: www.gkbmachines.com

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