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NEWS ARTICLES

GMA launches industry survey

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GMA launches industry survey: The Grounds Management Association (GMA), in partnership with the National Governing Bodies of sport, is pleased to launch its industry survey aimed at grounds staff and volunteers.

This survey is a crucial tool in understanding the impact of economic and environmental factors on you and the grounds management industry.

GMA launches industry survey

GMA launches industry survey

To ensure the survey is relevant and tailored to individual roles, it is divided into two versions: one for professional (paid) staff and another for volunteers.

Click Here For PROFESSIONALS – Click Here For VOLUNTEERS

In appreciation of the time and effort spent on completing the survey, all participants will be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 Amazon gift voucher.

All responses will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. No individual responses will be disclosed, and the data will be used exclusively by GMA staff and research contractors for industry analysis purposes.

The survey will close on Friday 16 August 2024.

The GMA encourages all grounds staff and volunteers to participate and share their insights to help shape the future of the industry.

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Kubota unveils new Z4-541

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Kubota unveils new Z4-541: Expanding Kubota’s existing zero-turn mower range and tailored for the pro-consumer market, the Z4-541 is a 54-inch petrol model which boasts a larger chassis, exceeding the dimensions of the current Z1 and Z2 models.

Operation and efficiency

The introduction of the Z4-541 broadens the existing zero-turn lineup, building upon a larger chassis while maintaining maneuverability comparable to smaller models.

Kubota unveils new Z4-541

Kubota unveils new Z4-541

The 360-degree turning capability enables effortless navigation around obstacles, while the machines’ low centre of gravity and wide-profile drive wheels ensure exceptional stability and balance, making the machine suitable for tasks on uneven terrain.

The Z4-541’s robust 54” steel fabricated deck comes as a 3-blade side discharge, with enhanced performance and cut quality, and featuring quick-dial height adjustment and K-lift deck operation for easy raising and lowering of the deck. Regardless of whether the machine is fitted with the side discharge or mulching kit, rest assured it will cover expansive areas, delivering a professional finish.

This specific model also features an optional OCDC (Operator Controlled Discharge Chute) kit, enabling operators to temporarily shut the side discharge, perfect for maintaining clean pathways and protecting parked vehicles from debris.

Performance

The Z4-541 is equipped with a petrol Kawasaki V FS730-V engine producing 24hp/17.9kw. The design of V twin engines allows the machine to run quieter and smoother with fewer vibrations than most traditional single-cylinder engines. A rear “wrap around” bumper gives added protection and comes as standard, along with a rear towing hitch, ideal for small light trailers.

Tailored for expansive areas, the versatility of this machine makes it well-suited for tackling large residential gardens or demanding commercial landscapes and green spaces – excelling in diverse settings and guaranteeing maximum efficiency with every operation.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

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Danny Negus Courts Success with MM50

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Danny Negus Courts Success with MM50: Danny Negus has been spearheading the grounds maintenance efforts at Devonshire Park in Eastbourne since 2016.

His journey to becoming Grounds Manager reflects a dedication to his craft that spans three decades, starting as a Greenkeeper in 1994 and transitioning into Groundsmanship in 2006 and steadily climbing the ranks.

Danny Negus Courts Success with MM50

Danny Negus Courts Success with MM50

“Every year is filled with challenges,” Danny reflects. ” Eastbourne Borough Council owns and operates Devonshire Park, so as a local authority, financial constraints are a reality. But with this monumental year ahead, it’s an exciting challenge—a chance to showcase our capabilities.”

Devonshire Park, a historic venue marking its 150th anniversary alongside the 50th year of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Rothesay International Eastbourne tournament, holds a special place in the world of tennis.

For Danny, one of the first significant changes upon assuming his role in 2016 was switching his grass seed to MM50.

“One of the first things I did when I took my role here in 2016 was that I gave MM50 one year of trial,” Danny explains. “Because of the success we had with it, we have used the seed ever since. Even when we had a golf course that came under my remit, we used MM and that is because I believe in the MM products.”

MM is one of the most respected brands in the UK amenity industry, with over 40 years of experience and knowledge. The extensive product portfolio is second to none with performance proven mixtures that are used at many leading venues in the UK and Europe.

MM50, in particular, is one of the UK’s biggest selling grass mixtures. The hard-wearing ryegrass mix is very fine leaved, has high shoot density, is tolerant to close mowing down to 4-5mm and produces a great colour all year round. It also has quick recovery from damage and play.

At Devonshire Park, where nearly all maintenance operations are liquid-based, the compatibility of MM50 with their approach is evident. “We are about 95% liquid only and rely on granulars solely during our renovation period,” Danny elaborates. “I find that the MM50 responds fantastically to what we do, just real good synergy between the plant and the nutrition delivery—it works.”

Danny emphasises the importance of creating a surface that not only meets the demands of the sport but also aligns with the venue’s aesthetic standards. “One of the biggest challenges you always have is to create a surface that is fit for the sport that is being played,” he notes.

“The main characteristic of MM50 is that it actually does both. It creates an exceptional performance surface while responding in such a way that, for the sake of the venue and the event, it looks as it should. There is no reason whatsoever to change from MM50.”

Reflecting on his partnership with MM, Danny highlights the invaluable support provided by Matt Gresty, MM and Designer Sales and Brand Manager for DLF UK. “Matt is brilliant,” Danny praises. “We have way too many nerd-offs together! He has the right outlook and a great understanding of the pressures of delivering a global event and the environmental pressures. He is an exceptional part of why you would choose MM Seed—he is Mr. MM in my view.”

With MM50 as his trusted ally, Danny continues to elevate the grounds at Devonshire Park, ensuring world-class tennis courts, especially as the venue embarks on its monumental year ahead. The proven performance and reliability of MM50 will undoubtedly play a crucial role in meeting the heightened expectations during this significant milestone, reaffirming Danny’s commitment to excellence in sports turf management.

For further information, please contact MM Sports Seed on 01386 791102 or visit the company’s website www.mm-seeds.co.uk.

You can also follow the company on Twitter: @MM_Seed.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

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Exciting Lineup for Avant at APF 2024

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Exciting Lineup for Avant at APF 2024: Avant Tecno UK is thrilled to announce its participation at APF 2024, the UK’s largest trade show for forestry, woodland, arboriculture, firewood, fencing, trees, and timber industries.

Taking place on September 19th, 20th, and 21st at the Ragley Estate in Warwickshire, APF 2024 promises to be an unmissable opportunity for industry professionals to discover the latest advancements in machinery and equipment.

Exciting Lineup for Avant at APF 2024

Exciting Lineup for Avant at APF 2024

Explore Avant’s Cutting-Edge Machinery and Attachments

Visitors to the Avant Tecno stand can look forward to an impressive array of compact loaders and innovative attachments designed to enhance productivity and efficiency for forestry, woodland, tree care, and farming operations. The stand will feature a variety of static models and live demonstrations, showcasing the versatility and power of Avant loaders.

Static Models on Display:

  • Avant 225 L Cab: A compact and versatile loader perfect for small-scale operations.
  • Avant 423: Known for its agility and performance in tight spaces.
  • Avant 530 GT Cab: Offers superior comfort and control for extended use.
  • Avant 635, 640, 650: Mid-range loaders balancing power and manoeuvrability.
  • Avant 760i GT Cab: High-performance loader designed for demanding tasks.
  • Avant 755i: Exceptional lifting capacity and efficiency.
  • Avant e513: A revolutionary electric model with zero emissions.
  • Avant 860i GT Cab: The pinnacle of power and versatility in the Avant lineup.

Static Attachments:

  • Mowers: Ideal for maintaining grassy areas.
  • Pallet Forks: Essential for material handling.
  • Log Grab: Perfect for handling logs safely and efficiently.
  • Branch Cutter, Stump Grinder, Tree Shear, Forestry Mulcher: Various tools for tree care and maintenance.
  • Root Grapple, Levelling Bucket, Timber Grab: Enhancing ground preparation and material handling.

Live Demonstrations: See the Machines in Action

One of the highlights will be the live demonstrations, where visitors can witness the exceptional capabilities of Avant loaders and attachments in real-world scenarios.

Products on Demonstration:

  • Avant 650: Demonstrating its power and versatility in various tasks.
  • Avant e527: Showcasing the benefits of electric power in demanding environments.
  • Avant 860i: Highlighting its unmatched lifting capacity and performance.
  • Leguan 135 Neo, 190, 225: Innovative access platforms for elevated work.

Attachments on Demonstration:

  • Fast Charger: Rapidly powers up electric models for continuous operation.
  • Backhoe Remote: Enhances digging capabilities with remote control functionality.
  • Pallet Forks, Rotator: Efficient material handling and rotation.
  • Log Cutter Splitter, Log Grab, Timber Grab: Streamlining log processing and handling.
  • Root Grapple, Front Rake: Ideal for ground preparation and cleanup.
  • Pressure Washer: Ensures equipment cleanliness and maintenance.
  • Grabbing Tool, Chipper: Versatile tools for various forestry tasks.

Transform Your Operations with Avant

Avant loaders are designed to improve operations across forestry, woodland, tree care, and farming industries. Their compact design, powerful hydraulics, and wide range of attachments make them indispensable tools for any operation. Whether you need to manoeuvre through tight spaces, handle heavy loads, or switch between tasks quickly, Avant has a solution tailored to your needs.

Join Avant at APF 2024

Avant invites you to join them at the APF Exhibition 2024 to explore how their loaders and attachments can transform your operations. Visit the stand to see the cutting-edge equipment up close, witness live demonstrations, and speak with experts about the best solutions for your needs. Discover why Avant Tecno is the trusted choice for professionals in forestry, woodland, tree care, and farming.

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

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

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Atlas Turf bermudas solve problems

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Atlas Turf bermudas solve problems: The Erbil Hills course in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan region, is the first grass golf course in the country. Designed by architect Cynthia Dye of Dye Designs Group, and managed by IMG, it was largely constructed during the Covid-19 pandemic and will open later this year.

The autonomous Kurdistan Region is currently experiencing some of the fastest economic growth in the world and Erbil, as its capital, is at the heart of that. “Erbil Hills came about because the developers saw what we had done at Dreamland in Baku, Azerbaijan and wanted something similar,” says Cynthia Dye. “The two projects have a lot in common, though they aren’t affiliated.”

Atlas Turf bermudas solve problems

Atlas Turf bermudas solve problems

The Erbil area has a hot summer Mediterranean climate, with mild winters and temperatures often above 40C (104F) in the summer months. There is almost no rain between June and September, but winters are fairly wet. As such, choosing the grasses for the golf course was a tricky problem for architect Dye and her team. “The client wanted the course to be green grass wall-to-wall,” she says. “In Baku, we were able to grow cool season grasses everywhere, but that was obviously not going to work in Erbil. I have a friend who was construction manager for the Ashgabat course in Turkmenistan, which has a similar climate to Erbil and they used Atlas Turf’s Latitude 36 bermudagrass there, with great success.”

Dye therefore specified Latitude 36 for fairways and close roughs. “The contractor was in favor of a different bermudagrass, which would have come from Turkey, but I was not keen, because I wasn’t certain of the quality we would get, whereas I know that Atlas is always reliable,” she says. “With Latitude 36, I knew that we would get through the winters well and that we would have good color in the spring and fall seasons, which are going to be the key golfing months in Erbil. It starts to go off in November and is just greening up now. This gap should close as the grass matures. They will paint it while dormant, but the color will be great in the prime golfing months.”

For outer roughs, Dye specified North Shore SLT seeded bermudagrass, also from Atlas Turf and its partner Pure Seed. “I wanted the roughs to be a different color and texture for definition and, given the client’s desire for wall-to-wall grass, it was obvious that the rough areas were going to be large – there are 22 hectares (54 acres) of outer rough,” she says. “Choosing a seeded bermuda was important for budgetary reasons – if we had tried to use stolons across the entire course it would have been too expensive. But at the same time, it was important that whatever grass we planted was drought tolerant. We have well water, but we don’t have an infinite amount, and putting a lot of irrigation on areas that aren’t in play very much just isn’t feasible.”
For greens, Dye specified Pure Distinction creeping bentgrass, developed by Pure-Seed Testing. “I knew that I wanted bentgrass greens and I have used Pure Distinction quite a bit, including in Baku. I really like it,” she says.

“Obviously, given the climate, if we were going to have cool season greens, we needed a grass with good heat tolerance that also coped well with drought. With Pure Distinction, I am very confident that the greens will be excellent year-round.”

Erbil Hills should open its first nine holes in the near future, with the second nine following fairly shortly.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

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