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IOG Advises Pay Rise

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IOG Advises Pay Rise: The leading membership organisation for those involved in the management of sports pitches, landscape and amenity facilities in the UK, the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG), is recommending a 2.5 per cent increase in grounds staff’s national minimum salary bands for 2018. 

But the IOG also advises that a 2.5 per cent increase would, in real terms, equate to an increase of just 0.1 per cent when the projected Consumer Price Index (CPIH) is accounted for.

IOG Advises Pay Rise

However, the IOG says the increase would:

Maintain a sustainable pay structure for all grounds staff
Account for inflationary pressures, and
Ensure grounds staff pay is in line with overall market trends. Most pay awards in the private and leisure sectors are predicted to be two to three per cent in 2018.

Based on independent, industry-wide research, the IOG recommendations also suggest a two per cent extension to the top of each pay band, to allow for greater professional development and to reward experience.

The IOG recommended national basic salary bands for 2018 are:

Grounds manager
£34,909-£54,079

Heads groundsperson
£29,773-£40,863

Deputy head groundsperson/sole charge
£24,358-£31,088

Groundsperson (skilled)
£22,779-£29,059

Groundsperson
£18,250-£23,281

Junior groundsperson
£15,517 (Age 17)

Junior groundsperson
£12,886 (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.

The IOG also recommends that employers ensure they meet their obligations in terms of maintaining a healthy work-life balance and ensure fair payment for overtime worked – by agreement about the balance between overtime pay, time off in lieu or flexible working.

Regional pay allowances continue to be incorporated into the salary bands and the IOG recommends that higher cost areas of the country should make salary awards at the upper levels of the bands. Regional differences are:

Inner London
£3,751

Outer London
£2,240

Fringe areas
£670-£1,345.

It is expected that the recommended minimum pay rate for a groundsperson in London should be £20,000 – though there is an expectation that most in this category would already be paid above that, in line with previous recommendations.

In addition, £550 per annum should be paid to those in junior groundsperson and groundsperson bands for the successful completion of IOG qualifications such as NVQ Levels 1 and 2, to encourage recruitment and ensure an ongoing focus on training and professional development. With low productivity forecast over the medium term, it is desirable to further incentivise the acquisition of skills, the IOG adds.

The recommendations have been made against a backdrop of economic uncertainty caused by Brexit and a revised (downwards) expectation for GDP growth in 2018 (from 1.7 per cent to 1.4 per cent). Poor productivity is a key factor in economic growth and, while this is notoriously difficult to measure in the leisure industry, it is likely to be a continued depressor of growth.

For the year to October 2017, the CPIH (Consumer Price Inflation – including owner-occupier housing costs) recorded inflation at 2.8 per cent, while the Retail Price Index forecasts 3.6 per cent. In addition, interest rates rose from 0.25 per cent to 0.5 per cent in November 2017 and the National Living Wage, for people over 25 years old, also increased to £7.50 per hour in April 2017. It will rise again by 4.4 per cent, to £7.83, in April 2018.

Average earnings have been lower in the public sector than in the private sector since 2015 – provisional estimates for average earnings put public pay growth at 1.8 per cent compared to 2.3 per cent in the private sector – but in September the government announced the end of the one per cent pay freeze for average public sector pay awards. This year government will consider recommendations of the Pay Review Bodies to inform pay awards.

The research was carried out independently by Myriad Research (www.myriadresearch.co.uk) using a number of data sources for analysis.

While the IOG salary survey reflects the diversity of the industry, the IOG is aiming to undertake a more in-depth analysis of pay scales in elite stadia management, to compare and contrast with global salaries for iconic sports venues. This new level of research will be part of the industry-wide research that the IOG will be undertaking this year.

For more information, visit: www.iog.org

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Felixstowe Ferry Opts For Toro

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Felixstowe Ferry Opts For Toro: Suffolk-based Felixstowe Ferry Golf Club has once again opted for Toro as it scales up its fairway aeration programme. The Toro ProCore SR72 has been purchased through UK distributor Reesink Turfcare alongside a TYM T603 tractor to pull it.

The SR72 aerator joins the smaller Toro ProCore SR48, as course manager Glenn Rayfield explains: “We were already operating a SR48 aerator on smaller areas of approaches and fairways. After hosting the Ladies National County Finals, we decided to embark on a fairway aeration programme to keep the standard of the course up, and the SR72 is ideal for that.”

Felixstowe Ferry Opts For Toro

With a working width of 72 inches, the SR72 is a good choice for large scale aeration. This tough machine is able to puncture up to 40cm of the most compacted soil, while being light enough to work on greens and fairways. Depth control is made while the machine is in operation by using the hydraulic top link from the tractor. This one-of-a-kind feature means the operator can apply the ideal tine position for every soil type and condition without leaving the tractor’s seat.

Purchased to tow the SR72 is the 60hp T603 tractor, which enables the club to scale up its tractor tasks, bringing the power to do all the jobs the club previously couldn’t. Glenn explains: “We chose the T603 because it can handle large volume equipment and the club didn’t have another tractor like it.

“Aeration is just one of many tasks it will be performing around the club. With it we can also tow flail mowers, hedge trimmers and larger trailers for construction. Plus it is installed with a front bucket which is used for loading and moving tasks.”

Both machines are a hit with Felixstowe’s greenkeeping team: “The guys were fully onboard with the choices as they played a large part in the selection process. After trying a range of machines, their feedback cemented the order,” Glenn says.

Another factor in the decision was Glenn’s previous experience with Toro and Reesink, having most recently purchased two Toro Triflex 3400 mowers in 2016: “Reesink distributes reliable equipment and is all about customer service. The two Toro mowers we purchased from them in 2016 are superb and they provide cut perfection!”

He continues: “Whenever I’ve had a query, Reesink has been on the case straightway. Over the years I’ve secured a friendship with our local representative Julian Copping, who provides good service, knowledge and can’t help enough.”

It all means exciting times are ahead for one of the oldest and finest links courses in the country, as the addition of the Toro ProCore SR72 and TYM T603 allows all sorts of new tasks for the greenstaff to keep the course in excellent condition.

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Banner Maxx II Set To Launch

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Banner Maxx II Set To Launch: Banner Maxx II is a new formulation of the tried and tested fungicide, which has been created in order to deliver even faster uptake into the plant and tackle disease infection inside the leaf – before it is able to damage turf plant health.

Set to be launched at BTME 2018, the high-performance formulation delivers over 130% faster uptake of the active into the leaf, compared to original Banner Maxx.

Banner Maxx II Set To Launch

The enhanced formulation has assured the renowned fast-acting product’s continued availability for golf courses and all amenity turf situations. It maintains the full range of Syngenta turf fungicides, to give protection throughout the year and enable an effective disease resistance strategy.

BTME visitors can get to see how new Banner Maxx II can be integrated into a strategic fungicide plan for their own individual situation – and pick up a Syngenta Fungicide Planner wall poster – on Syngenta stand B52.

Syngenta Turf Technical Manager, Marcela Munoz, highlighted the new Maxx formulation has been designed specifically for turf to offer exceptional plant safety. Manufactured to nanotechnology particle size, the active can quickly enter the leaf and move to new growth.

“Once safely in the leaf, the active targets disease pathogen cell membranes and stops development of early mycelial growth,” she advised. “It is well proven on a broad-range of turf diseases, including Anthracnose, Dollar Spot, and Brown Patch, as well as Microdochium Patch.”

Marcela outlined R&D trials at Colne Valley Golf Club in Essex demonstrated results with Banner Maxx II were unaffected by simulated heavy rainfall just 15 minutes after application. The trial showed the treatment prevented the development of Microdochium Patch (Fusarium) outbreak at less than 0.5%, compared to over nine per cent on untreated turf.

Daniel Lightfoot, Syngenta UK Turf Business Manager, advocated the fast uptake makes Banner Maxx II especially effective to take advantage of spraying opportunities during wet weather conditions highly conducive to disease, and means it is unaffected by irrigation scheduling.

“It’s rapidly taken up even in relatively cool conditions, making it well suited to strategic planned treatments in early spring or late autumn, as well as right through the growing season to counter specific threats,” he reported.

“The investment to reformulate Banner Maxx II to meet increasingly stringent regulatory demands is another example of Syngenta support for turf mangers, in seeking to ensure they have a full range of fungicides available to maintain turf health and quality.”

For more information, visit: www.syngenta.com

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Pitch Renovation At Reading FC

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Pitch Renovation At Reading FC: The Madejski Stadium has been home to Championship club Reading FC since its construction in 1999. With the playing surface having undergone significant wear and tear over recent seasons, especially given its dual function as the home ground for London Irish RFC, Reading commissioned a full reconstruction during the summer of 2017, in preparation for a renewed promotion challenge in the 2017/18 season.

The challenge

With the new Championship season just around the corner, Reading FC had just a five-week period to remove the existing pitch, replace both the lower and upper rootzones, and then relay the grass playing surface before completing the installation of the SISGRASS hybrid pitch system. All of the work needed to be undertaken and completed in time for Reading’s first home game of the season on 8 August.

Pitch Renovation At Reading FC

Given the pitch is used by both Reading FC and long-term tenants, London Irish RFC, the playing surface is not afforded the regular ‘off-weekends’ that other non-ground sharing clubs benefit from; while the stresses and strains of hosting regular rugby fixtures further test the durability of the pitch. As such, the club identified the need for a long-lasting hybrid solution which could withstand the intensity and variety of multi-sport use, without sacrificing the playability associated with a grass pitch.

The new pitch is a 95% natural and 5% synthetic fibre surface that is able to deliver longer playing hours with fast recovery times, making it ideal for the playing demands at Madejski Stadium.

With a view to starting work as quickly as possible, Reading FC appointed specialist sports surface contractors, M J Abbott Ltd. Given the tight timescales, and having worked together before on a series of projects, M J Abbott turned to Tarmac’s Topsport team to supply the drainage gravel, lower rootzone sand and upper rootzone for the project.

The solution

As the pitch playing surface was to be completely replaced, the first task was to remove the existing playing surface, followed by the rootzones and both the sub-pitch irrigation system and heating pipe system, ahead of the sand being delivered.

“Timing was absolutely critical to the success of this project,” said Richard Goddings, Technical Sales Manager – South, for Tarmac’s Topsport division. “Given the club’s first game of the season was at home, the deadlines were completely set in stone, with no room for error.

“Sourcing the large volume of high specification material required to undertake the work was the first challenge to overcome. We were able to source 3,000 tonnes of sand from our Sevenoaks quarry, which was no mean feat given the distance between Kent and Reading. As the pitch would retain its sub-surface pitch heating system, it was essential that the sand was laid quickly so that the irrigation and heating pipes could be re-installed ahead of the upper rootzone. Our team surpassed this brief by delivering the sand, to specification, two days ahead of schedule.”

Richard continues: “As soon as the sand was in, we were then able to deliver 1,800 tonnes of Topsport Kingsley rootzone, designed to meet strict horticultural and playing performance criteria, in less than a week. The rootzone was placed out on the Friday and laid by the Sunday. It was then levelled off, graded with a laser-guided bulldozer, and then seeded.

“The rootzone is a carefully balanced combination of high quality sand blended with organic materials, which encourages the free passage of air and water to facilitate strong and natural root growth. The 20 per cent organic content of the rootzone helps to improve moisture retention, leading to a higher quality playing surface which is noticeably softer than other hybrid systems, giving the feel of a true grass pitch. The improved percolation and water retention means that water can freely flow through the composition during wet weather, yet improves water retention in drier periods.

“To complete the installation, the hybrid element of the pitch was installed using patented technology to inject fibres into the playing surface. The artificial fibres ensure the pitch maintains consistency and stability by holding the rootzone together.

“We have a great relationship with M J Abbott who contacted us about the project, knowing that we could meet the tight timescales that were required.  Opting for a hybrid pitch with an 80:20 rootzone has resulted in a stronger and healthier playing surface which should withstand the inevitable wear and tear that comes with being the home ground for Reading FC and London Irish RFC.”

Nathan George, Contracts Manager at M J Abbott, comments: “The Topsport team’s efficient supply of high specification lower rootzone sand and upper rootzone was integral to this project’s success, given the looming championship season and physically demanding use of the pitch. The quality of the material supplied by Topsport meant there were no issues with stones or grit damaging our equipment when stitching in the fibres to create the SISGRASS playing surface. Thanks to our established working relationship, the project went smoothly and we were able to deliver a pitch, on time and to the Club’s satisfaction.”

For more information on Tarmac’s range of Topsport artificial sports surface solutions, please visit www.topsport.co.uk.

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Drain Today And Play Tomorrow!

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Install Primary and Secondary Drainage with a Shelton Supertrencher: Shelton’s award winning Supertrencher+ trenchers are designed to install primary and secondary drainage systems on any amenity grass with minimal ground disturbance making them ideal for the busy sportsturf market, as minimal recovery time is required before the turf is back in play. In fact it is even possible to drain today and play tomorrow!

The initial concept of the Supertrencher came about 8 years ago after the team received a number of enquiries from customers asking for a trenching machine with improved performance in wet conditions. After much discussion and design work, the Supertrencher +625 launched in 2009; a trencher which is capable of installing the majority of drainage systems and remains a bestseller today. It was shortly followed by the Supertrencher +760 the largest trencher in the range and then the 2 smaller machines the 560 and 450. O’Carroll Sportsturf Contractors in County Offaly in Ireland  are one of Sheltons longest standing customers and have been running Shelton Supertrencher 625’s for over 15 years.

Brian O’Carroll said: “We diversified our landscaping business into the sportsturf market over 15 years ago and we did a lot of research into finding a machine which would perform to our requirements. We have now had four Supertrencher 625’s in the fleet which we use  in conjunction with a Shelton 6 Tonne Fast Flow. I’ve operated other trenchers when I worked for a sportsturf drainage contractor in Australia and I think the finish you get with a Shelton machine is second to none. They are always trying to improve their machinery for the benefit of the operators and welcome feedback, even if it’s making little tweaks to improve such as the fact you can change the cutters through a removable section of hood which makes it much easier and quicker, as you are standing up. We have a policy of continuously investing in our machinery and using Shelton trenchers alongside flotation tyres means we get a really good clean finish with minimal disturbance and ultimately that’s what greenkeepers are looking for.”

There are 4 trenchers in the Supertrencher range; the 450, 560, 625 and the 760, each number relating to the maximum depth of the trench the machine can install, so the Supertrencher+760 will accurately dig trenches up to 760mm in depth and up to 155mm wide and the whole range can be fitted with laser guiding capability.

How the Supertrencher+ works

The Supertrencher+’s digging wheel, in line with the centre of the tractor, excavates soil from the trench which is thrown into a large aperture at the front of the machine, and then elevated via two conveyors into a trailer or dumper running alongside, leaving a clean trench which is ready for laying piping or any other service required. The Supertrencher+’s conveyor mounting point is hinged so that it can be turned through 90° to lay alongside the body of the machine for transport. Moving the conveyor to the transport position opens up a massive inspection port should the need arise to look inside the housing. Conveyor height and depth of trench are adjusted hydraulically.

The 2 speed gearbox driving the digging wheel enables the operator to better match the digging speed of the wheel to the soil conditions, slow for wet soils and fast for hard dry soils. The offset of this gearbox enables the machine to run down the centre of the tractor whilst still maintaining minimum PTO operating angles, so reducing the wear on the universal joints.

For more information on the Supertrencher call in to see Shelton Drainage on stand B11 will the BTME on 23-25 January.

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