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Dennis to Exhibit E-Series at GroundsFest

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Dennis to Exhibit E-Series at GroundsFest: Dennis is set to make a significant impact at GroundsFest 2024, showcasing an impressive range of battery-powered products on stand 50 in Hall 2 at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, on September 10 and 11.

This year, Dennis will highlight the revolutionary ES-34R, the innovative Multi Charger Hub, and the versatile ES-22U, all part of the acclaimed E-Series that has taken the industry by storm with its power, battery range, and performance.

Dennis to Exhibit E-Series at GroundsFest

Dennis to Exhibit E-Series at GroundsFest

Since its launch, the Dennis E-Series has stood out from the competition, offering reliable and long-lasting battery-powered mowers that are no-compromise alternatives to traditional petrol machines. These mowers boast ultra-low noise, low vibration, user-friendly operation, and a significantly reduced CO2 footprint, helping users move towards their carbon-neutral goals.

Featured Products at GroundsFest 2024:

Multi Charger Hub

The newly launched Multi Charger Hub is an efficient and easy-to-manoeuvre mobile unit capable of recharging up to eight large E-Series machines sequentially. Designed with convenience in mind, it includes individual cable connections to avoid multiple unused wires, top box storage for charger cables, and under-cabinet storage for spares. The Hub features an intelligent system that cycles through each connected mower, displaying the state of charge (SOC) on a screen, and shuts down each mower at 100% to prevent overcharging. With the ability to charge all connected mowers overnight from 10%-15% to 100%, the Multi Charger Hub is a game-changer.

ES-34R Rotary Mower

The ES-34R is designed for precision and efficiency. It features twin contra-rotating blades with a height-of-cut controlled by an easy-to-use ‘click’ system. The suction and blade speed can be adjusted to meet the most challenging collection conditions. Optional front wheels and a choice between a smooth or weile roller enhance its adaptability. With excellent sight lines and robust performance, the ES-34R ensures superior turf maintenance.

ES-22U Ultra Mower

For those familiar with the Dennis Razor Ultra, the ES-22U is a standout choice for fine turf care. This 560mm (22”) battery mower features an ultra-short wheelbase, making it ideal for undulating surfaces. Equipped with a 7 or 11-bladed cutting cylinder and groomer reel, the ES-22U delivers an ultra-fine finish on bowling greens, golf greens, tees, and cricket pitches. Its precision and adaptability make it a favourite among professionals seeking top-tier turf maintenance.

The E-Series mowers are equipped with a robust LCD keypad screen, providing operators with essential information, including speed, clip rate, service checks, lifetime running reports, and battery status. With an ultra-fast full battery recharge time of just 2-3 hours, the E-Series mowers ensure that downtime is minimised, keeping grounds staff productive and efficient.

GroundsFest 2024 attendees are invited to visit Dennis on stand 50 in Hall 2 to explore these innovative products and learn more about how Dennis is driving the future of sustainable turf maintenance. Don’t miss the opportunity to see firsthand how the E-Series and the new Multi Charger Hub can make a difference to your operations.

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter and Instagram @DennisMowers and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK. You can also view the latest Dennis videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers

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Toro simplifying turf aeration

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Toro simplifying turf aeration: Fife-based Scotscraig Golf Club, the 13th oldest in the world, has recently invested in the Toro ProCore 648s aerator to improve the overall quality of its surface and the playability of the course. The result is a much faster and easier aeration process. 

Led by course manager Darren Mckenna, the team at Scotscraig is always looking for new ways to optimise its golf course that is surrounded by history and that has welcomed some of the sport’s greatest names. 

Toro simplifying turf aeration

Toro simplifying turf aeration

In particular, by purchasing the Toro ProCore 648s through Reesink Turfcare, the golf club wanted to maximise its resources, improving surface quality and playability. 

According to Darren, “This model makes the aeration process much faster and easier. Previous solutions had to be moved by a tractor—which could be hard and even dangerous to manoeuvre in tight areas and on slopes—leaving tyre marks on the green that would last for days. But with the ProCore 648s, it’s a completely different story. I didn’t realise how easy and clean the job was going to be.”

Another game-changer, tells Darren, is the InfoCenter Smart Settings feature, which “makes it a breeze to calibrate the machine with just a few buttons—and you can also recalibrate it throughout the day, allowing you to keep a consistent depth and optimise tine wear.” The on-board computer is very helpful as well, as it calculates “the total area of work and how much material you remove when coring, taking the guesswork out when topdressing.”

Talking about his aeration efforts, Darren explained how his new Toro solution helps him significantly improve the health of the surfaces by accelerating top dressing and increasing air movement within the profile and root depth. 

When commenting on the choice of the brand, Darren said that it was a no-brainer: “Toro is a name you can trust, and it’s the gold standard in this industry.” Even in his experience with other golf clubs, the ProCore 648s “is the go to machine for lightweight aeration and it’s so reliable that you can see people using them for a very long time without issues. So, its longevity makes it a great investment for the long run as well.”

Further proof of Toro’s reputation came when Darren announced the purchase of the ProCore 648s over a year ago. He recalls that “The whole team was incredibly excited about this new addition to the fleet and couldn’t stop talking about it. And when the machine finally arrived, everyone wanted to try it despite the heavy rain.”  

“All in all,” Darren concluded, “we’re very happy with the results provided by the ProCore 648s. It is just an easier and better user experience, and after this success we’re looking to use other Toro solutions in the future to improve the cut quality of our fairways.” 

According to Darren, working with Reesink has helped make the whole process much smoother. From the quick and simple order process to the training once the machine arrived, Reesink offered guidance and professionalism at every step of the journey.  

Learn more about Toro’s technology and how it could benefit your course, by calling distributor Reesink at 01480 226800, emailing info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or visiting reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Foley the Go To Grinders for GTT UK

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Foley the Go To Grinders for GTT UK: At GTT UK, consistency is crucial when it comes to grinding, and to get perfection every time the company uses Foley Company grinders.

GTT UK owner Matt Thompsett had extensive experience as a mechanic in greenkeeping workshops before he started his professional turf and arboricultural machinery service and repair business four years ago. Having begun with other grinders that he felt were time-consuming to set up, always involved some guesswork, and were never completely accurate, he researched the market and found Foley’s UK distributor, ProSport UK.

Foley the Go To Grinders for GTT UK

Foley the Go To Grinders for GTT UK

From there, he found his perfect solution, which was to combine the Foley 633 Accu-Pro Reel Grinder and 672 Bedknife Grinder. Matt explains: “For me, the main thing is the whole repeatability of the package and knowing that everything is going to be exactly the same. It doesn’t matter if you’re working on three or seven units they’re all going to match.

“With the 633 reel grinder, you can leave it, and it will work on its own while you’re doing something else. It is perfect for me because my commercial customers need their machines and they need them out working, so they want quick turn arounds, and they often want them back as quickly as you possibly can.

“And that’s the main thing I found with the Foley 633: you quickly get used to it, so it’s fast to set up. You just set it, tell the computer what you want it to do, and it does it. You know when it’s finished because the blue light on the top comes on, and that’s it; I know that’s a perfect grind, and you set it away again.”

Relief grinding has been an important aspect of getting Matt the perfect finish. Although he wasn’t initially familiar with the process, the 633’s automated system made it easy to do, and he has received positive customer feedback since introducing it.

“I’ve been doing a lot of research into the proper specifications of how cylinder mowers work, how they are supposed to be set up, and also what manufacturer’s state, and that’s where I’ve come across relief grinding,” Matt explains. “You’re taking the cylinder back to exactly how it came out of the factory, and they seem to stay on cut a lot longer, which is one of the main benefits of relief grinding.

“Customers have commented their units stay on cut longer, and the general sharpness is better. They’re also saying it’s not as tricky on the setup, which I think is more to do with the 633 and 672 grinding everything perfectly straight.”

For Matt, getting that perfectly straight grind on the 672 bedknife grinder comes from being able to set it at his own true zero. From there, it’s simply setting his angles, doing a scratch test and knowing that every blade will come out the same.

The ability to produce uniform, factory-precise grinds has not only accelerated turnaround times but also enhanced customer satisfaction through longer-lasting, sharper cuts. This commitment to excellence and continuous improvement underscores GTT UK’s dedication to providing top-tier service to clients, and Foley’s ability to provide the tools to do it.

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SIS Pitches announce Saudi Arabia ambitions

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SIS Pitches announce Saudi Arabia ambitions: The team behind the World Record-breaking Kingdom Arena pitch, SIS Pitches, has shared its ambitious long-term plans to expand into Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.

SIS Pitches, which produces premium hybrid, synthetic and natural pitches for an array of sports, including football, rugby, golf, tennis and cricket, made its first foray in the Middle East in 2011 in Dubai UAE.

SIS Pitches announce Saudi Arabia ambitions

SIS Pitches announce Saudi Arabia ambitions

Recognising a growing appetite for high-level professional sports, and the growing need for cutting edge surfaces, the sports surface specialist established a Saudi Arabia office in July last year. Within weeks, they undertook one of the world’s most ambitious sporting infrastructure projects to complete the Kingdom Arena – the world’s first fully indoor hybrid pitch, famously built in just 21 days – in partnership with Sela.

So far, SIS Pitches has invested more than 1.3M SAR ($370,000) into the region – with Saudi Arabia now firmly established as a country key to the business’s long-term plans.

The company has opened three maintenance depots across the country in Tabuk, Jeddah and Riyadh, all designed to cater to local professional teams, including Neom FC, Al Ahli-FC and Al-Hilal FC. Those will also enable SIS Pitches to undertake major maintenance and pitch care projects in the Kingdom, which have previously included the Italian and Spanish Super Cups at King Fahd Stadium and Al-Awwal Park.

Additionally, two new turf farms have opened in Saudi Arabia and Turkey, joining the already established UAE site, to grow high-resilience turf, guaranteeing efficient costs and turf health to support major projects in the region. This includes high-level pitches and surfaces for a range of sports – from rugby and football to equestrian sports and cricket – as well as commercial landscaping.

The current team, which is 40 people strong, is also expected to grow to 60 people in the next year.

David Ball, Managing Director at SIS Middle East, said: “Over the past five years, Saudi Arabia has clearly established itself as a key destination for some of the world’s biggest athletes. People’s love of sports here is apparent, and there’s been a real appetite for the high-standard facilities to rival those of major European teams.

“The opening of our Saudi Arabia office last year reflects our commitment to establish ourselves in the region, bringing our experience working with some of the most recognisable names in sports to the Kingdom’s professional teams and supporting them as they step onto the international stage. Being local also means we can offer a speedy, domestic solution throughout a full season of sport.

“This is a pivotal moment for sports in the region,” David added. “We’re looking forward to helping the Kingdom make history.”

SISGrass, which offers hybrid playing surfaces using a small percentage of polymer fibre stitched into a natural grass pitch, is part of the SIS Group, a fully international business with offices around the world, including UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Turkey and the Middle East. The product forms part of SIS’s wider portfolio of sports surface solutions, which includes the artificial variant SISGrass Synthetic, made with a choice of monofilament or fibrillated yarns – or a mixture of the two – plus thatch support yarn and surfaces developed specifically for athletics tracks.

For more information on SISTurf, visit: www.sispitches.com/services/synthetic-turf-manufacturing

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Avant Power battery factory in full swing

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Avant Power battery factory in full swing: Battery developer and manufacturer Avant Power, the new subsidiary of loader manufacturer Avant Tecno Oy, has exceeded its strict targets. Double the number of batteries has been manufactured compared to the original plans.

YLÖJÄRVI, FINLAND – Battery manufacturer Avant Power has just completed its five-hundredth high-power battery for an electric loader.

“Our battery production started in February this year, so we have made 500 batteries in about five and a half months,” says Mikko Piepponen, COO of Avant Power.

The battery plant’s manufacturing capacity is even increasing, as a second production line is currently being built next to the first line.

Located next to Avant Tecno’s loader factory, Avant Power has operated at record speed since the very beginning of the subsidiary. The battery manufacturer has developed a completely new product and production simultaneously in only about two years.

The Avant Group decided to start battery manufacturing because there were no batteries perfectly optimized for Avant loaders in the world, and the company had enough creative expertise to conquer this new territory.

Double the pace with dedicated collaboration

Avant Power’s rapid product development and production can be explained by three factors. They are the company’s own top team, excellent subcontractors, and the trust, support, and shoulders of the Avant Group.

“Seamless cooperation with professional, flexible, and responsive subcontractors has made the whole thing possible. We have developed manufacturing methods together with our subcontractors, and they have thrown themselves fully into it, even though they did not know in advance how everything would work out. That spirit of doing things is exactly what we had been looking for. In the end, we managed to manufacture double the number of batteries compared to the original plan,” Piepponen says.

The battery factory’s cooperation with the Avant loader factory has been important.

“The spirit of Avant is that everyone pulls together. Loader design has played a major role, as has the prototype workshop, marketing and sales, and the entire factory. We have all done this together,” Piepponen says.

The COO describes the battery factory’s own team as unique.

“This would not be possible without good team spirit. Even a small team can be very strong when it is competent, flexible and dedicated. Now it’s time for this group to go on well-deserved summer holidays. After that, we will start a second production line, and new products are constantly being developed. We will tell you more about them later,” Piepponen promises.

For more information, please visit www.avant.co.uk

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