Turf News is the perfect place for professionals working within the UK’s vibrant turf industry – keeping you up-to-date with topical news, latest market developments and much more across all areas of the industry.
NEWS ARTICLES

GroundsFest’s festival plans announced

/in , /by

GroundsFest’s festival plans announced: Organisers of GroundsFest have revealed more details about the festival which is taking place at the event.

The festival, which starts at 5pm on the first day of the event (20 September), will feature live music and street food stalls and will allow exhibitors and visitors to unwind, have fun and continue to network.

GroundsFest’s festival plans announced

GroundsFest’s festival plans announced

The live music line-up is being headlined by Supersonic Queen – the UK’s most authentic Queen tribute band. Performing regularly in UK and International theatres and festivals, Supersonic Queen have been touring for over a decade and are known for their uniquely dynamic recreation of Queen’s iconic live performances.

DJ Mikey B is a first choice DJ for many high-profile events throughout Birmingham, Bristol and London and has entertained at various professional football clubs.

Dem, a solo singer/guitarist, will also be taking to the stage as well as some other well-known local bands and artists including Jazzcat, Kitty Bella and Toby Marriott.

There will be a fabulous array of street food stalls with various options such as wood fired pizza, Greek gyros, hog roast, a noodle bar, tacos, curry, crepes, ice cream, donuts, and many more. A range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks will be available.

The festival finishes at 10pm and FREE shuttle buses will be running regularly throughout the evening to take attendees back to their accommodation in the nearby towns of Coventry, Warwick, and Leamington Spa. The shuttle buses will also be available the morning after on 21 September for attendees to return to GroundsFest.

Commenting on the festival at GroundsFest, Marketing Director Chris Bennett, said:

“At GroundsFest we want to keep exhibitors and visitors together for a longer period of time. Attendees will be coming to the event to do business, to network, and to learn, and that is why the festival will start once GroundsFest finishes. The festival will be held in a separate area to all the exhibitor stands meaning that no machinery or equipment will be accessible while the festival is on.

“The whole reason we decided to include the festival within GroundsFest was because of the research we conducted. An overwhelming number of people within the industry felt that a trade show would benefit from something which would allow more networking opportunities.

With some great live music and a selection of good food, we’re hoping that the festival will bring the industry together for a memorable evening.”

Event Director Christopher Bassett answers more festival questions here.

For more information, please visit www.groundsfest.com

You can also follow GroundsFest on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @GroundsFest for much more news, reviews and insightful views.  

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

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Agrimetal blows Peebles away

/in , /by

Agrimetal blows Peebles away: For Peebles Golf Club, a Harry Colt design course in the Scottish borders, maintaining a clean appearance is the utmost priority, but it’s not always an easy task being a parkland course. That is, until the AgriMetal leaf blower arrived on the scene.

Steven Borthwick, head greenkeeper at Peebles Golf Club for the past ten years, says: “Course presentation is a big thing for us, as a parkland course we get strong growth and have a lot of trees, more so than a links course. We bought the blower to disperse grass clippings when cutting semi-rough areas and get rid of the leaves come Autumn.”

Agrimetal blows Peebles away

Agrimetal blows Peebles away

Previously relying on manual backpack blowers, clearing the course of debris was tying up two greenstaff for an entire day. With the Agrimetal B50 Blower from distributor Reesink Scotland, Steven’s team can do the same job in just a fraction of the time.

Steven says: “We have a 50hp tractor and adding the B50 blower means we can go round and blow areas we’re cutting, even if we’re cutting in damp weather. It’s got a great wind speed and has sped up the process so much, we can then go out and get on with other tasks that need doing. It’s made the job so much more efficient.”

It’s the large diameter aluminium impeller on the B50 that gives it the high wind velocity that is able to maximise performance, and the large roller on which it rides allows it to complete work in even the toughest of conditions ­- all without leaving a mark.

But the speed at which the blower can clear debris isn’t the only thing that has impressed Steven. “It’s a low decibel machine as well. A lot of blowers can be really noisy which isn’t ideal on a golf course, but this one is not nearly as loud as other makes we’ve used,” he says.

Quick and easy is the resounding takeaway from the club’s new machine, something that starts with Reesink according to Steven. “It only took a couple of weeks from when we ordered the machine for it to be delivered. We have mostly Toro equipment at the club so we’ve used Reesink before and know Neil MacKenzie well. They provide good backup and Reesink is an all-round good company to deal with.”

Steven finishes by saying: “It’s important that we keep on top of maintenance to ensure the best course appearance and that process is made that much easier with AgriMetal in our artillery. We’re getting a lot of compliments about the condition of the course.”

To learn more about how an Agrimetal machine can keep your course looking pristine, visit the website reesinkturfcare.co.uk, call 01480 226800 or email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Ariens & AS-Motor commercial mowers on show at GroundsFest

/in , /by

Ariens & AS-Motor commercial mowers on show at GroundsFest: Ariens and AS-Motor are joining forces under the AriensCo umbrella at the inaugural Groundsfest 2023 at Stonleigh Park in Warwickshire.

From 20-21 September, visitors will have the opportunity to see the battery version of the Ariens Arrow – the Arrow E and other highlights from the AS-Motor and Ariens product portfolio live.

Ariens & AS-Motor commercial mowers on show at GroundsFest

Ariens & AS-Motor commercial mowers on show at GroundsFest

 

“An outdoor fair with demonstrations and the possibility to test machines, an interesting indoor area with lectures and the whole thing combined with a real festival character, live music and good food. This concept of the GroundsFest has convinced us. We are therefore very pleased to be part of it and to be able to present our innovations and products to the visitors,” said Brad Stiles, Vice President Sales AriensCo EMEAA, full of anticipation for the event.

On show for the first time at a UK show will be the battery version of the Ariens Arrow E stand-on mower. The new Arrow E combines the advantages of a stand-on mower with those of the latest battery technology. Professional users benefit from lower operating costs, improved profitability and the ability to service future jobs in noise and emission-sensitive zones.

As a special highlight, visitors can view the AS 940 Sherpa 4WD RC, which is considered the most powerful high grass mower in its class. It is also the world’s first ride-on mower that can be operated both manually and remotely. The team also has the AS 1000 Ovis RC remote-controlled tracked flail mower on show.  True to the motto “Simply steep mowing”, the extremely slope-compatible mower convinces with highest mowing performance and easy handling and maintenance.

Visit us at stands OSA 811 and OSA 890 to find out about our products and try them for yourself.

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

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

ET Lander cruises through the streets of London

/in , /by

ET Lander cruises through the streets of London: According to Jo Desborough, Head Gardener for The Bedford Estates, the Etesia ET Lander is a luxury electric utility vehicle which can be driven from site to site through the busy streets of London without worrying about the battery life.

The Bedford Estates has owned, developed and cared for much of Bloomsbury, London since 1669. The Estate comprises some 200 properties containing over 825,000 square feet of office and educational accommodation, some 100,000 square feet of retail space, over 1,000 hotel bedrooms and more than 550 flats.

ET Lander cruises through the streets of London

ET Lander cruises through the streets of London

It also includes two public garden squares, Russell Square and Bloomsbury Square and several private garden areas. These include Bedford Square, the only intact Georgian garden square in London.

The location of these gardens was a reason for choosing the ET Lander according to Jo.

“We chose the Etesia ET Lander because it’s a vehicle that’s easier to drive on the roads.

We have to go between our gardens and in order to do that, there are busy London roads in between, so having a cab that’s fully enclosed helps us with the traffic. It’s more comfortable to ride in and the features that it offers are perfect for what we need.”

100% electric, spacious, well-equipped and user-friendly, the ET Lander is built on a robust chassis and has an array of options including a three-way tipper bed with dual control from the fully fitted two-seater cab or by remote control when outside the vehicle. With a length of just 3.72 meters, the ET Lander is very compact. Thanks to the power steering, the short turning radius of 4.40 meters and 360 ° visibility, it goes anywhere. The autonomy of the vehicle lasts for a full working day – without noise pollution, can transport loads of up to 940kgs and can also tow up to 750kgs.

The latest models are fully N1 homologation compliant meaning that the ET Landers are fully road legal along with being able to be used off road. They also feature lithium-ion batteries which ensures that the range of the ET Lander extends to 100km and have a charger system compatible with a standard type 2EV car charger.

The battery-life on the ET Lander certainly doesn’t concern Jo and she also revealed that the team wouldn’t be without it.

“We’ve had the ET Lander since January, so we’ve been running it around our gardens for the last six months or so. The battery life has been really good, and we hardly ever have to charge it, so that’s very impressive. We use it to do lots of short journeys and you might expect that the batteries would run out maybe slightly quicker, but in fact, we find that they last several weeks for us.

“We often use the ET Lander for collecting our tonne bags to pick up and bring back to our main head office where we have our green waste storage, and also for taking all our equipment over to the gardens.

“Using the ET Lander has made life a lot easier going between the gardens and driving on the roads. It’s very comfortable in the cab, very manoeuvrable and easy to drive. It also has windscreen wipers and having a radio is the icing on the cake.

“It has a very luxury feel to it and it feels more like driving a car rather than garden equipment.”

Bloombury Estates purchased the ET Lander through Etesia dealer RT Machinery and Jo was quick to praise the service she has received to date.

“RT Machinery were very helpful throughout the whole process. Scott Reynolds (Area Sales Manager) came and delivered the ET Lander and ran through all of the directions and showed us how to use it, which was clear and comprehensive.

“They also come and do our servicing, which they do on a regular basis. They get the equipment back to us as soon as they can and generally provide a really good service and are always available when we need them.”

You can view a video of the ET Lander with The Bedford Estates by visiting https://youtu.be/cbxnh6nF9p8

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit the dedicated Etesia ET Lander website www.etlander.co.uk

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

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

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Turf Tank Two launches at GroundsFest

/in , /by

Turf Tank Two launches at GroundsFest: Turf Tank, the global leader in robotic line marking, is set to unveil the industry defining Turf Tank Two at the inaugural GroundsFest at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.

From 21st to 22nd September on stand OSA191, visitors can experience the next step in GPS line marking as the company that built the world’s first robotic line marker continues to innovate.

Turf Tank Two launches at GroundsFest

Turf Tank Two launches at GroundsFest

Performance and accuracy are the hallmarks of Turf Tank, and a combination of refinements, including two motor drives for better momentum and new wheels for improved grip and traction, have led to faster marking times with the Turf Tank Two.

Enhanced Sprayer Module

While the speed and accuracy of marking are paramount to efficiency, so is the usability of the Turf Tank Two. Several sprayer module upgrades have made fine-tuning simple with the twist of a knob, including disc height, width and a disc ruler for a better overview.

Tighter tolerances ensure sharper and crisp lines between 5-15cm, with the rack-and-pinion system letting you go from minimum to maximum in a single turn. The height of the sprayer discs can be easily adjusted in increments of 5mm, allowing you to approximate the correct sprayer height. Fine-grained adjustments can be made via a turning knob to get the height precisely as you want and get consistent results every mark.

To make maintenance more manageable, the module is now an independent part. It can be removed by loosening two screws, allowing easy access to specific parts, while one-hand solenoid removal has also been made possible for quicker working.

Quick Control

A new front panel provides quick pause/resume options, LED indicators to show the robot status and a start/stop sprayer button. A LED indicator on the battery has been fitted for a quick status check – if it’s plugged in or not – and batteries can now be hot-swapped without needing to shut down the robot.

Ergonomic Improvements

Numerous ergonomic improvements have been made to make working with the Turf Tank Two quicker and easier.

A tilted pump cover allows up to 20 litres of paint to be slid into the robot rather than being lifted in and out of the top. The newly designed compartment increases efficiency by ensuring the suction rod can use all the paint, and battery access has also been simplified, with only one movement needed to slide it in place.

Additionally, handles are now on the front and back to make lifting in and out of vans and buggies easier.

New Powers in the Palm of Your Hand

New in-app guides are introduced to walk you through most features, and the new Wizard guides you through the cleaning and priming process of the paint system. To quickly troubleshoot any calibration errors, a new augmented reality guided calibration routine lets you take a picture of lines and automatically fix any calibration errors.

All of these features also work in Offline Mode, which means you have the full functionality of the Turf Tank Two in cases where an internet connection can’t be established.

Remote Support

The new software also builds on Turf Tank’s leading customer service through remote access. Turf Tank staff can assist in setting up fields, diagnose problems and provide support instantly wherever you are. A new built-in help centre is also available to answer frequently asked questions and get you marking within minutes of encountering an issue.

Turf Tank’s product specialists will be on stand to answer any questions and demonstrate the advancements made with the Turf Tank Two.

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

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.