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Prevent fires with Securion from Pellenc

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Prevent fires with Securion from Pellenc: The central risk with lithium-ion batteries is fire. They might be unlikely to catch fire – but they can, through faults inside the battery, or from external damage.

With this in mind Pellenc, distributed in the UK by Etesia UK has launched the Securion storage option.

Prevent fires with Securion from Pellenc

Prevent fires with Securion from Pellenc

When they do catch fire, the consequences can be serious. The batteries are most at risk when being stored and charged, and therefore extra thought on safety features should be explored.

Lithium-ion batteries have raised increasing interest due to their high potential for providing efficient energy storage and environmental sustainability. It is no wonder that the batteries are now used in a wide range of groundscare tools and machinery.

Naturally, increasing attention is being paid to the safety performance of the batteries which has been intensified due to several reported fires. It appears that the majority of problems arise when the batteries are being charged and stored overnight. In fact, even the best batteries can suffer from knocks and drops resulting in potential damage to cells. This damage rarely comes to light until they are charged.

Securion from Pellenc is one solution which is already proving to be an extremely popular choice with councils, large contractors, schools, colleges, universities, golf clubs, and several other sports clubs.

Pellenc is considered a pioneer in the lithium-ion battery industry and Securion offers a convincing solution for the storage, charging, provision, and safety of lithium-ion batteries.

This unique charging and storage F90 rated cabinet was developed by Pellenc with one of the leading German manufacturers of security cabinets, which holds patents on key security functions.

Securion has been designed to protect employees, buildings and equipment from fire, heat and toxic fumes and smoke gases.

Prevent fires with Securion from Pellenc

Prevent fires with Securion from Pellenc

In the event of a fire, the doors inside or outside the Securion cabinet close automatically. This not only ensures security overnight and at the weekend, but it also protects employees or customers who are present.

In an emergency, those affected have enough time to get to safety and to alert rescue services. Fire, vapours, and fumes remain mostly inside the cabinet and can even be extracted directly via the standard ventilation connection. This gives the fire services control and allows the cabinet to be opened backdraft-safely at any time after it has been triggered – regardless of whether the source of the fire is inside the cabinet or outside the building.

While the batteries are being safely stored, they can also be charged, and, thanks to extensive internal electrification, the Securion also offers TÜV-tested fire protection for charging devices and batteries from other manufacturers.

Depending on which Securion model you choose, the cabinets can hold up to 40 lithium-ion batteries.

Pellenc is distributed exclusively in the UK by Etesia UK.

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.etesia.co.uk/pellenc

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

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Newark GC note improvements in reliability

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Newark GC note improvements in reliability: Newark Golf Club are one of a growing list of UK courses discovering the many benefits that Aspen Fuel brings to the operation of their petrol-powered equipment.

It’s been three years since Course Manager Alex Clarricoates made the switch to Aspen 2 and Aspen 4 for a selection of their machinery and hand tools – including seasonal equipment which now starts first time, every time, even after significant periods in storage.

Newark GC note improvements in reliability

Newark GC note improvements in reliability

“We were familiar with Aspen and decided to give it a try during COVID, when we started to encounter difficulties in accessing pump fuel” explains Alex, who has been at the 18-hole parkland course for 15 years. “It’s not until you incorporate it into the day to day operations that you really begin to appreciate the improvements that an ethanol-free alkylate fuel can have for both the operators and the equipment. The biggest benefit for me is the shelf-life of Aspen, which has seen us get equipment out of the shed which has been dormant for a year and starts again with no trouble at all.”

Together with damaging plastic and rubber components, ethanol binds moisture which then acidifies, causing the issues commonly experienced with ‘gummy deposits’, reliability issues and reduced storage life. Being free from ethanol as well as benzene, sulphur and many other harmful substances, Aspen Alkylate petrol offers a clean alternative for both 2 and 4-stroke engines – available in a range of pack sizes and bulk ordering available, which includes safe and convenient delivery to site.

“We use roughly 400 litres of the 4-stroke Aspen, and 200 litres of the 2-stroke each year, both delivered in 200 litre barrels and stored exactly where we need it. Another benefit we’ve found is the Aspen 2 being pre-mixed which has eliminated issues we’ve experienced in the past where incorrect fuel to oil ratios have resulted in faults with some of our 2-stroke engines.”

Along with reduction in service time and the associated costs, Alex notes that improvements have also been observed to the operator working environment. “The cleaner burn results in a big reduction in noxious fumes so, when you’re working with a chainsaw in dense woodland for example, you’ll notice that come the end of the day you don’t have headaches.” These qualities have also been well received by the club. “Like a lot of venues we’re looking at sustainability and ways of reducing the impact we make on our surroundings. Aspen Alkylate powering our petrol equipment is a great step forward in us being more environmentally friendly.”

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ShockWave delivers excellent surfaces at Repton School

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ShockWave delivers excellent surfaces at Repton School: Repton School in the heart of the Derbyshire countryside has an educational history spanning over 1000 years. Although outstanding on so many levels the school encourages pupils to adopt a healthy balance between their studies and sporting activities.

Parents and pupils seek out Repton because they know the school invests both in terms of pre-eminent coaches and world-class facilities to realise ability and sporting ambition.

ShockWave delivers excellent surfaces at Repton School

ShockWave delivers excellent surfaces at Repton School

Sports facilities at Repton School are of a superb standard and significant investments in recent years give pupils and the wider community access to state-of-the-art facilities including two floodlit water-based Astroturf hockey pitches and a sand-based Astroturf.

Alongside the 25m indoor swimming pool, fully equipped gym and fitness suite, are two multi-purpose indoor sports hall and tennis courts run activities such as tennis, netball, squash, and of course football, rugby, cricket and athletics.

It is these sports surfaces that Andy Butler, Head of Grounds and Gardens, is responsible for, covering an area of 66 acres at Repton and a further 44 acres at the preparatory school.

Already an experienced groundsman at Repton for 14 years, Andy took over 18 months ago as the man in charge. His priority was to review and re-structure the working days of the entire grounds team.

“We have a very experienced, and enthusiastic team of gardeners and grounds staff all willing to look at ways to improve our maintenance practices.” Explained Andy “Although in the past we have relied on outside contractors, our current objective is to bring as much as we can in-house and use our expertise to its full potential.

“When I considered how much equipment we already had available in the sheds, it was obvious that we could utilise them much more effectively with better organisation. I consulted all our suppliers regarding the timings of applying fertilisers, seeds, spraying, researching the available weather data and soil analysis, and organised a timetable for a new structured, planned approach to our grounds maintenance.”

Andy cited an example of the Imants ShockWave decompactor, supplied through Campey Turf Care Product Specialist Simon Holland.

“We have had the Imants ShockWave on-site now for over six years, using it intermittently for areas with excessive compaction or standing water issues. Now, in the new system, we schedule the ShockWave treatment for all turf pitches over the Autumn period when the conditions are perfect for this process, neither too cold nor too dry.”

The minimal surface disturbance of the ShockWave, results in no disruption or cancelled games following treatment and all of Repton School training sessions went ahead as planned. The timing allowed the turf to then lay dormant over the cold winter spell, while creating the perfect soil and root structure to encourage excellent turf growth in the Spring. This in turn created natural turf sports surfaces that were strong and resistant to the amount of wear and tear played out throughout the sporting fixtures.

Andy continued “Other practices such as spreading, seeding, fertilising, all follow a strict but not rigid pattern, as the weather plays a huge part in any professional groundsman’s day.

“We plan a complete renovation of our sports turf surfaces at Easter, using the Vredo Seeder and Dakota spreader to top dress after renovating, and the turf is back in full swing after three weeks.”

“There is no doubt that this approach has led to a huge improvement in our productivity without compromising on standards or requirements, and I would recommend that any establishment that is able to bring some if not all of their routine practices back under their own control, would benefit.”

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Celebrations to mark GreenMech at 30

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Celebrations to mark GreenMech at 30: With a rich history of supplying world-class woodchippers, 2023 sees the team at GreenMech proudly celebrating 30 years in business.

Over the course of the last three decades, innovation in manufacturing and a focus on service and support has cemented the GreenMech portfolio at the heart of operations for a wide array of end users from arborists and landscapers to local authorities, golf course managers and more. With their strongest product line-up to date, GreenMech look set to enter the next chapter with solutions that continue to set the industry standard in the UK and beyond.

Celebrations to mark GreenMech at 30

Celebrations to mark GreenMech at 30

While much may have changed in terms of products and features, GreenMech have called The Mill Industrial Park in Warwickshire their home since the company was founded in 1993 by, now Chairman, Tony Turner. From here, over 14,000 products have been designed and manufactured, with more than half of the total product exported to customers globally – as far as Iberia, Scandinavia, Fiji and New Zealand to mention just a few. Success around central Europe has also seen the establishment of GreenMech France and GreenMech Germany, to facilitate tailored sales and support in these markets.

The current range spans more than 15 units, with chipping capacities from 100mm up to 220mm. Alongside innovations such as GreenMech’s revolutionary disc-blade chipping system, turntable technology and their SAFE-Trak and SURE-Trak systems for unparalleled embankment safety, one of the biggest introductions in recent years was the launch of the EVO Series in 2019. Produced in direct response to industry demands for more aggressive torque, more powerful bite and more throughput, the EVO range encapsulates both road tow and tracked variants at 6” and 8” capacities.

Jonathan Turner, son of Tony and current GreenMech Managing Director said, “We are incredibly proud of our achievements but are even more positive and excited about our future. We look forward to supporting our existing customers while continuing to develop industry-leading new products, designed to perform without compromise.”

The team will be commemorating the occasion with colleagues, customers and friends at events across the calendar, starting with their attendance at The Arb Show, at Westonbirt in May. GreenMech at 30 also forms part of wider celebrations for Turner R&D Ltd, for whom 2023 marks 60 years of trading.

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UK Loggers Championships to be held at SAGE

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UK Loggers Championships to be held at SAGE: There’s yet another reason to make a date to visit SAGE, the UK’s biggest outdoor trade show in the sports and grounds maintenance industry, as it has just been announced that the UK Loggers National Championships will be held at the event.

The competition, which showcases the expertise and superb skills of the best loggers from around the country, will be hosted on the 19th and 20th of July 2023, at the stunning Three Counties showground in Malvern, Worcestershire.

UK Loggers Championships to be held at SAGE

UK Loggers Championships to be held at SAGE

The UK Loggers National Championship is a fierce test of precision and skill determining an overall precision chainsaw champion – with the best among the competitors going on to represent their country at the World Logging Championship next year. Consisting of five disciplines, the championship tests every facet of logging – from cross cutting, to felling, limbing, a chain change and a relay race.

Back for its third year, SAGE is the ideal place to host this contest, as it’s set to be the biggest yet.

Richard Siddons from UK Loggers said: “When we learnt more about SAGE and how it’s all about providing interactive, hands-on experiences and demonstrations, it was clear this would be the ideal place to hold the UK Loggers National Championships.

“Not only is there a huge amount of outside space available for us to hold the contest, we’ll also be surrounded by people who will appreciate the skill and experience of those taking part in the competition.

“We plan to put on a great show for those watching, who will also hopefully learn a little more about the many different aspects of precision chainsaw competing. And, of course, the champion will also be crowned, as well as the best few chosen to represent the UK next year at a global level.”

SAGE will also be an excellent event to network with others in the industry, as well as mingling with experts who will be providing demonstrations and interesting talks. Visitors will be able to view the latest equipment, share the newest techniques and truly ‘try before you buy’ – with the outside space meaning the sky really is the limit!

Companies are invited to be a part of the action and sponsor the UK Loggers National Championships, with only very limited places available. As part of the sponsorship package, brands will have a presence on the SAGE website and social platforms, printed banners, a big-screen ad, tannoid announcements and video footage of your demo. To enquire about these options, or to book exhibition space, please contact Vicky Panniers vp@sportsandgrounds.co.uk.

Find out more about the green measures at SAGE 2023 here https://sportsandgrounds.events/sustainability/

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

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