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NEWS ARTICLES

Adapted vehicle restores Cornishman’s independence

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Adapted vehicle restores Cornishman’s independence: An adapted John Deere Gator has enhanced the mobility and independence of a St Austell resident with an enthusiasm for outdoor life. 

Regional agricultural and turf machinery dealer, Masons Kings, worked in collaboration with Adaptacar to restore Paul Clemes’ ability to doing what he loves best.

Adapted all-terrain vehicle restores Cornishman’s independence

Adapted all-terrain vehicle restores Cornishman’s independence

Mobility challenges have made it difficult for Paul, who is paralysed from the chest down, to access certain areas, so he approached Masons Kings for help.

A John Deere XUV865M Gator was adapted to meet Paul’s specific needs with modifications providing increased accessibility and usability, enabling him to operate the vehicle safely and navigate varied terrain.

The modifications that were made include Adaptacar’s left hand push/pull driving controls and quick release steering wheel aid, a winch to lift Paul’s powerchair into the vehicle, a Perspex screen on the front and rear cage, a person lift, a four-point harness and single folding ramps for the powerchair when using the winch.

“This adapted John Deere machine will change parts of my life,” said Paul. “I now have the freedom to go where I want, and it shows that there are solutions for people with disabilities. Just because you’re disabled, you’re not isolated.

“We were committed to delivering a solution that would make a real difference for Paul,” said David Barnes, Commercial Sales Consultant at Masons King. “It has been a privilege to provide Paul with a vehicle that regains independency.”

Masons Kings is a leading agricultural and turf dealership operating across Devon and Cornwall, providing specialist service and support for 40 years.

A video interview with Paul and David can be watched online.

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Carr’s Billington Expands Dealer Territory

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Carr’s Billington Expands Dealer Territory: T H WHITE Machinery Imports is pleased to announce that Carr’s Billington, a trusted supplier of groundcare and agricultural equipment, is expanding its dealer territory to cover Northern England and Southwest Scotland.

This strategic expansion enhances access to premium groundcare solutions, including Ferris commercial mowers, Spider remote-controlled slope mowers and Ohashi compact tracked chippers for customers in these regions.

Carr’s Billington Expands Dealer Territory

Carr’s Billington Expands Dealer Territory

The inclusion of Ferris mowers, known for their innovative suspension technology and superior comfort, will enhance productivity for commercial users tackling demanding terrains. Spider’s world-renowned remote-controlled slope mowers provide a safe and efficient solution for maintaining steep and hazardous landscapes. Meanwhile, Ohashi’s compact tracked chippers offer powerful, high-performance solutions for forestry, landscaping and local authority applications.

“We are thrilled to expand our dealer territory for these premium groundcare brands,” said Amanda Smith, Branch Manager at Carr’s Billington, Byers Green, Spennymoor. “At Carr’s Billington, we pride ourselves on delivering high-quality products and expert service to our customers. With Ferris, Spider and Ohashi, we can offer even more solutions to meet the diverse needs of professionals working in groundcare, forestry and landscaping across Northern England and Southwest Scotland.”

“We are excited to support Carr’s Billington in expanding its dealer area for Ferris, Spider and Ohashi brands,” said Douglas Jeffrey, Area Sales Manager at T H WHITE Machinery Imports. “Their expertise and strong local presence ensure that more customers will have access to industry-leading groundcare equipment, backed by exceptional service and support.”

Carr’s Billington’s expanded coverage area will provide enhanced sales, service, and support to new and existing customers, reinforcing its mission to deliver top-tier products and customer satisfaction. Customers in Northern England and Scotland can now benefit from Carr’s Billington’s extensive knowledge and high-quality service for these premium groundcare brands.

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Mowing steep slopes even more comfortably

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Mowing steep slopes even more comfortably: The remote-controlled AS 1000 Ovis RC is in use on steep slopes throughout Europe. The tracked flail mower with maximum mowing performance and extreme slope capability has become an integral part of the AS-Motor product portfolio.

Series production of the next development stage of the mower started at the beginning of February: the AS 1000 Ovis Evo RC offers extended RC functions and even more user comfort.

Mowing steep slopes even more comfortably

Mowing steep slopes even more comfortably

Electric cutting height adjustment from a distance

The cutting height of the AS 1000 Ovis Evo RC can be conveniently adjusted between 40 and 110 mm by remote control. Two electric servomotors move the mowing deck to the desired height.  The advantage of being able to raise the flail mower remotely is particularly useful for uneven ground or dense vegetation. This also makes it easier to drive over edges or cross roads and ditches. When approaching steep slopes directly from the front, the angle of the slope can also be better adjusted. The mechanical cutting height indicator is simple and robust. The set height can be read off in five stages via a scale on the device. The transport and service position is reached in the usual way via the hand spindle. The mowing deck continues to be mounted on a surfing bearing and thus adapts optimally to uneven ground in difficult terrain with its large pendulum path.

Remote-controlled blade clutch

The electromechanical blade clutch on the new AS 1000 Ovis Evo RC can also be operated remotely. An electric actuator switches the blade clutch. This allows the user to conveniently stop the blades with the remote control or restart the engine when crossing paths or obstacles. The developers at AS-Motor have deliberately opted for a mechanical function of the clutch itself. This is characterised by a significantly higher durability compared to purely electric variants.

Brake and hydrostatic bypass

On the new AS 1000 Ovis Evo RC, two easily accessible levers enable the mechanical unlocking of the hydrostats and the release of the brake. This makes it much easier to free the machine if it gets stuck. The mower can be towed slowly and with free-running chains. The bypass for the brake and hydrostats can be operated easily, quickly and without tools.

Technical simplicity is retained

The remote control of the new AS 1000 Ovis Evo RC differs from the basic model only by three additional toggle switches. This means that the machine can still be controlled intuitively. One of the most important objectives in the development of the basic model AS 1000 Ovis RC was technical simplicity right from the start. This also applies to the new AS 1000 Ovis Evo RC. It is also characterised by the particular simplicity of its design, easy handling and uncomplicated maintenance. Too many electrical components in a single machine can lead to complexity, which is also consistently dispensed with in the expansion model.

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Terrain Aeration’s deep penetration to relieve waterlogging

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Terrain Aeration’s deep penetration to relieve waterlogging: Over many years, major house-building companies have called on Terrain Aeration to decompact back gardens and community areas of new-build developments.

During the building, the unavoidable combination of diggers, dumper trucks, bulldozers, concrete mixer lorries and parked vehicles take their toll on the soil, flattening the air out of it. Eventually, the areas that become the gardens and shared grass areas can become overly compacted. They may already have a sub-soil layer of rubble, old bricks and general landfill waste contributing to the problem. The result is waterlogging and panning requiring very deep aeration as a cure.

Terrain Aeration’s deep penetration to relieve waterlogging

Terrain Aeration’s deep penetration to relieve waterlogging

Terrain Aeration’s Terralift system reaches a depth of one metre using a JCB hammer and probe to break through the compaction. At this depth, compressed air is released, creating multiple fissures in the soil. This fracturing is done working to a grid system with two-metre spacing between each injection of air. As can be seen in the picture, there can be a massive amount of water trapped beneath the surface, causing the waterlogging in the garden. The spouts of water give a clear indication of the need to penetrate far deeper than normal turf aeration. As the probe exits, dried seaweed is injected which expands and contracts, keeping the interlinking fissures open and ensuring maximum drainage to the area.

Terrain Aeration has provided the solution to this for some of the UK’s biggest builders, including Taylor-Wimpey, Barratt, and Persimmon. The Terralift machine has proven itself over the last 30 years in aerating and decompacting soils. It is the ideal way of getting oxygen back into the soil structure, is non-invasive and leaves no mess. Once a garden has been aerated using Terrain Aeration’s machinery, nature will be able to help with the rejuvenation of the soil structure – so this treatment would not be required again. Different types of machine have been built to enable access to the gardens through single gates and garages.

Terrain Aeration works nationwide, providing deep aeration relief for waterlogging and flooding for house builders, sports grounds, amenity areas, golf courses and public spaces.

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Lingfield Park Racecourse Benefits from Avant 860i

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Lingfield Park Racecourse Benefits from Avant 860i: Lingfield Park Racecourse has recently experienced the remarkable versatility of the Avant 860i loader after winning a six-month loan at the Grounds Management Association (GMA) Awards.

The Avant loader was awarded to the racecourse after they were named the Professional Racecourse Grounds Team of the Year, a category sponsored by Avant Tecno UK.

Lingfield Park Racecourse Benefits from Avant 860i

Lingfield Park Racecourse Benefits from Avant 860i

Jon Harris, Estate Manager at Lingfield Park, and his team are responsible for ensuring the vast grounds remain in pristine condition all year round. Its diverse facilities include a turf and all-weather racecourse, an 18-hole golf course, and a hotel with extensive gardens. With a dedicated team of 20, Jon’s job covers everything outside the buildings on the estate, from the racecourse to the golf course and hotel gardens.

“The Avant 860i has made an incredible difference to how we work here,” Jon explains. “It’s a fantastic machine, capable of handling almost any task we throw at it. The ability to use a single machine for a wide variety of jobs has been a huge benefit, allowing us to be more efficient and freeing up time for other tasks across the estate.”

The Avant 860i is the flagship model in the Avant 800 series and has proven to be an invaluable asset at Lingfield Park. Powered by a 57-hp engine, the Avant 860i boasts an impressive 3.5m lift height and a lift capacity of 1,900kg, making it perfect for heavy-duty lifting and clearing tasks. Its powerful auxiliary hydraulics (80 L/min) and robust design allow it to handle tough jobs with ease, such as lifting stone pallets, clearing scrubland, and handling a wide range of attachments. Despite its impressive power, the Avant 860i’s compact size allows it to operate in tight spaces and sensitive areas without causing damage to the ground.

“The sheer power and lift capacity of the Avant 860i is impressive,” Jon says. “We’ve used it for a variety of tasks, from moving heavy materials to clearing scrubland, and it handles everything effortlessly. The ability to swap attachments quickly has been a massive time-saver. We’ve been able to go from a flail mower to pallet forks in just a matter of minutes. This is something you can’t do with a tractor, which might take 20 to 30 minutes to change attachments.”

Some of the key attachments Jon and his team have used during their six-month loan include the Pallet Forks, HD Bucket, Bucket Broom, Flail Mower, and the Fence Post Mower.

“The flail mower attachment has been a real standout for us,” Jon says. “It’s incredibly robust and has cleared scrubland down to nothing, allowing new grass to grow through. The results have been impressive. The team has also found the Bucket Broom invaluable for cleaning up tarmac and other hard surfaces around the estate.”

Jon values the machine’s versatility and how it can handle multiple tasks with one operator. “We’ve found the Avant to be really effective in situations where we need a single operator to handle multiple jobs. It has freed up our team to focus on other work, while still getting a variety of tasks completed.”

Another standout feature of the Avant 860i is its ability to access all parts of Lingfield Park, thanks to its compact size and turf tyres. “The turf tyres on the Avant make it so easy to get anywhere on site without leaving ruts or causing damage to the surfaces,” Jon explains.

“This is particularly important here at Lingfield Park, as we manage such a large estate with various types of terrain. The Avant is perfect for navigating all of it, whether it’s the racecourse or the golf course.”

Jon’s enthusiasm for the Avant 860i is clear, and he and his team are already looking forward to having one on-site permanently. “The Avant 860i is going to be missed by all of us when our loan period ends,” Jon says. “We’re incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have used it. For any estate manager, particularly those managing large, diverse sites like ours, the Avant is a must-have.”

Lingfield Park’s experience with the Avant 860i loader has been overwhelmingly positive, and the team is eager to continue reaping the benefits of such a versatile and powerful machine. For Jon and his team, the Avant 860i has proven to be an invaluable tool for maintaining the expansive and varied estate at Lingfield Park Racecourse.

For more information, please visit www.avanttecno.com/uk

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