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NEWS ARTICLES

AriensCo putting dealers in pole position

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AriensCo putting dealers in pole position: AriensCo, an industry leader in outdoor power equipment, will hold its annual dealer meeting at the legendary home of British motor racing, Silverstone on 8th September. The day will be led by the senior management team including Jochen Schneider, Executive Vice President of EMEAA and Darren Spencer, Vice President for EMEAA with all on-programme dealers for Ariens, Countax and Westwood invited.

The meeting’s theme is Pole Position and will showcase AriensCo’s new products, people and support which will put AriensCo and its dealers in pole position for the new season, and future seasons to come.

AriensCo putting dealers in pole position

AriensCo putting dealers in pole position

The annual event will give dealers the chance to learn about the exciting news for 2023 including AriensCo’s ever expanding range of petrol and battery powered zero-turns and a new commercial brand, joining the AriensCo family.

The meeting will also give dealers the chance to discover new systems that will help market their dealerships and encourage growth and Ariens Academy – a programme to educate and train dealers on its products.

This will be the first in-person dealer meeting since 2019 where, due to Covid-19 restrictions, AriensCo had to hold virtual meetings and smaller roadshows. However, despite Covid-19, AriensCo didn’t take its foot off the pedal. In fact, AriensCo continued to invest in all areas of operations, fuelling impressive growth in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.

Darren Spencer, Vice President for EMEAA is excited to finally meet dealers face to face, “While our virtual meetings and roadshow helped us through tough times, I can’t wait to see all of our dealers again in person. We’ve been working hard to deliver on new products, partnerships and systems that are going to put us and our dealers in pole position now, and in the future.”

If you’re interested in becoming an AriensCo dealer or you’d like more information, please contact: marketingdepartment@ariensco.com

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Cannon Hall takes on Ranger Diesel

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Cannon Hall takes on Ranger Diesel: A year on from receiving their first Ranger EV as a birthday gift to dad Roger, Farmers Robert and Dave at Cannon Hall Farm are still utilising the Polaris Ranger around the 125-acre farm, now with their latest Ranger Diesel model.

Featuring on Channel 5’s Friday on the Farm and Summer on the Farm, the team have been extremely busy with the upkeep of their popular and ever-developing farm. The Ranger Diesel is on hand to help, delivered to Cannon Hall Farm back in January this year.

Cannon Hall takes on Ranger Diesel

Cannon Hall takes on Ranger Diesel

Farmer Robert said: “We loved the EV around here – it was our first time with a Polaris vehicle and really showed us the quality of the brand. This year, having the Diesel has been another great experience – it’s so usable, it’s so flexible and it’s more than capable. We’ll often use the Ranger for extended periods and having the confidence in the diesel engine has been great, not to mention it’s fantastic when carrying heavy loads in the bed.”

The Ranger Diesel is proving itself to be the ultimate agricultural workhorse, being put to hard work from the get-go at Cannon Hall Farm. With its large cargo bed with 435kg capacity, the team at Cannon Hall Farm use it to transport animal food and supplies. This is a no mean feat with Cannon Hall Farm being home to hundreds of animals and reptiles, all with tailored, high-quality care.

Over the 125 acres of the farm, there’s a number of less-accessible areas that can’t be easily accessed by traditional 4×4 vehicles – this is where the Ranger Diesel comes into its own with the highest ground clearance in its class of 33cm, plus added features like electronic power steering to allow the team – including dad Roger – to ride around the farm all day without fatigue.

“The Ranger Diesel is really well made and the whole vehicle inspires confidence when driving, not just off road but also when travelling on the roads from field to field,” Farmer Rob continued. “It’s the most robust off road vehicle we’ve ever had at the farm!”

Not only proving to be an excellent helping hand for daily farm life, Dave and Rob have recently come up with a more unique way to use the cargo bed.

“The Ranger Diesel is handy for lots of different things but our favourite is as a bar on wheels, when we have events, concerts, etc. We’ve discovered that we can use the Ranger to store all the cold drinks and move them around, the waterproof bed is perfect for the job. Plus, when we run out, it’s only a quick drive back to refill – no more of those pesky wheelbarrows running back and forth!”

Farmer David said: “The Ranger Diesel has been a real game changer for us here at Cannon Hall Farm, we certainly put it through its paces and it has never let us down yet. It’s a well built machine that we know we can rely on, and its versatility is something we now couldn’t live without.”

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Acelepryn authoristation granted

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Acelepryn authoristation granted: An Emergency Authorisation (EA) for the use of the Syngenta insecticide Acelepryn to target leatherjackets has been granted for the 2022 season. 

This season, the leatherjacket authorisation permits use of Acelepryn up to 18 November 2022 – with an extended opportunity to cover the key periods of adult crane fly egg laying and target early stages of larval activity in the soil.

Acelepryn authoristation granted

Acelepryn authoristation granted

Subject to specific conditions, areas permitted for Acelepryn use now cover affected areas of golf course greens, tees and fairways, horse racecourses and gallops, airfields and first-class cricket outfields under exceptional circumstances.

For the first time, golf and cricket venues hosting internationally important or first class competitions can apply for specific permission to treat extended areas of fairways and outfields, where there is a danger of cancellation or relocation of events as a result of pest damage. Special dispensation may be granted to the sports’ governing bodies, in consultation with ICL.

Leatherjackets cause extensive damage to turf through feeding on roots, which can be severe in areas, along with affecting playing surface smoothness on golf greens. Surface stability where larvae have chewed through turf roots is of grave concern for racecourses.

Furthermore, extreme damage can occur in all turf surfaces when badgers, birds and other foragers root through turf in search of the larvae. The EA permits application in situations where there is an acknowledged instance of economic damage, or risk of bird strike on airfields, and where the product has been recommended by a BASIS qualified agronomist.

The Acelepryn EA was applied for and held by ICL. Users will be required to submit online stewardship records of areas treated, linked from the ICL website.

“Over recent seasons the damage by soil pests has been of increasing concern and over an extended period,” reported Syngenta Technical Manager, Sean Loakes. “Obtaining this EA enables turf managers to develop a more effective integrated turf management programme to tackle the severe effects of these pests.”

Further trials are underway on golf courses and fine turf surfaces to refine the application timing, along with aeration practices and the potential to use Acelepryn in conjunction with effectively targeted nematode treatments.

Sean advocates the best results have been achieved with applications one month after the peak flight of adult crane fly and egg laying, for the product to be in the soil zone to target early feeding larvae. “The on-line Pest Tracker reporting system provides a picture of pest activity across the UK and Ireland, to better aid application timing,” he reported.

“Keep surfaces irrigated where possible prior to application, to attract pest larvae to towards the surface,” advised Sean. “It’s important to ensure the soil profile is not hydrophobic at the time of application. Apply at higher water volumes, above 600 l/ha, using the white O8 XC Nozzle to help the spray reach the soil surface.”

New research has also shown adapting aeration timing and intensity could also influence leatherjacket larvae movement and the efficacy of controls.

ICL Technical Manager, Henry Bechelet, and Syngenta specialist, Glenn Kirby, have provided a full insight into new developments and practical implications of leatherjacket ITM control programmes in their latest September episode of the On the Horizon podcast.

An on-line turf pest ID guide, to aid the identification of adult stages of key soil pests and target application timing, is now available on the Syngenta Turf website.

For further information on best use guidelines where chafer grubs and leatherjackets have caused economically damaging effects contact an ICL Area Manager or BASIS agronomist:

 

ICL Area Managers for Acelepryn enquiries:
Scotland

Jamie Lees

jamie.lees@icl-group.com

07500 992464

 North/East

Craig Lalley

craig.lalley@icl-group.com

07824 528252
Midlands/West

Emma Kilby

emma.kilby@icl-group.com

07748 111965

 South East/East London

Andrew Pledger

andrew.pledger@icl-group.com

07387 056659
South Central

Martyn Parrish

martyn.parrish@icl-group.com

07900 666691

 South England / Wales

Nick Martin

nick.martin@icl-group.com

07900 666691
South

Matt Nutter

matthew.nutter@icl-group.com

07810 656240

 North West

Phil Collinson

phil.collinson@icl-group.com

07824 473699
North West

Rob Ainscough

rob.ainscough@icl-group.com

07823 894581

 South West

Liam Rowlands

liam.rowlands@icl-group.com

07824 473699
Northern Ireland

Colman Warde

colman.warde@icl-group.com

+353-87-7799527

 Northern Ireland

Fergal Greenan

fergal.greenan@icl-group.com

+353-86-054 2566

 

Alternatively contact Syngenta UK Technical Manager:
Sean Loakes

sean.loakes@syngenta.com

07831 161912

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STIHL to exhibit at APF

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STIHL to exhibit at APF: STIHL will be showcasing an array of new forestry products at this year’s APF Exhibition, the UK’s largest dedicated forestry and arboriculture event, offering professional users more options than ever before to tackle the toughest jobs.

Taking centre stage will be STIHL’s new MSA 220 T and MSA 220 TC-O, the manufacturers most powerful and durable cordless top handled chainsaws to date, designed for tree care professionals to remove larger branches or perform crown maintenance with ease. When used with the recommended AP 300 S battery, both new chainsaws deliver 2.1 kW of electrical power, providing up to 29 minutes of working time and plenty of power for cutting larger sized branches when doing crown reductions or tree removal tasks.

STIHL to exhibit at APF

STIHL to exhibit at APF

Visitors to the stand will also be able to see up close the new MSA 300, the most powerful cordless chainsaw in STIHL’s AP System. Recommended with a 16” Light 04 guide bar and .325” RS Pro chain for fast cutting, the chainsaw is suitable for felling, cross-cutting, snedding and processing, offering forestry professionals and arborists plenty of power for taking on larger felling and processing tasks.

Other new products launched this year that will be showcased include the Rapid HEXA cutting system for the MS 362 C-M through to the MS 661 C-M.  It consists of a patented hexagonal file and a full chisel chain with a unique V shaped side plate, resulting in a chain that cuts up to 10% faster than standard RS chain, is easier to sharpen, and stays sharper for longer. In addition, STIHL’s new ADVANCE ProCOM headset will also be on stand, which utilises Bluetooth mesh technology to link up to 16 headsets automatically, allowing users to listen and communicate effectively as a team, as well as a high attenuation value of 31 for extremely high noise protection.

STIHL’s extensive professional battery range will also be on display, including the new AP 500 S, the most powerful AP battery in the STIHL range and the first to feature laminate technology helping to double the service life up to 2,400 charge cycles, as well as the new AL 301-4 multi-charger that can charge up to four AP and AP batteries at one time.

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

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Trencher Hire praised by charity

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Trencher Hire praised by charity: A vital new conservation project called the Horstmann Trust has been launched in the unlikely location of South Wales to help preserve some of the world’s most endangered species of vultures, many of which are found in Europe, Africa and Asia.

The charity’s CEO Adam Bloch is a passionate conservationist, who is clearly concerned not just about the plight of vultures, but the ever-increasing number of animals joining the endangered species list across the globe, as their habitat is destroyed by man and the effects of climate change become ever more evident.

Trencher Hire praised by charity

Trencher Hire praised by charity

Trencher Hire UK has played a small but important role in the installation of welded steel fences within the site. Trencher Hire UK supplied a Vermeer RTX-250 on a week-long contract, but Adam said the machine was so efficient and easy to operate that the work was completed in just three days.

He commented: “We dug slots to a depth of 900mm to make sure that animals couldn’t dig under the welded steel fencing we were installing. The trencher made short work of this and backfilling was quick and easy. If we had tried to do the work with a digger, it would have created a whole lot of mess and incurred a lot of time making good afterwards.

“Trencher Hire were really helpful and I couldn’t fault the service. They turned-up at the allotted time, explained how to use the machine and the unit itself was excellent.”

The work of the Horstmann Trust is to develop an ongoing breeding programme with the primary focus on hooded, Egyptian and bearded vultures, as well as the Andean Condor. Adam commented: “There are 23 species of vultures around the world, with the majority facing rapidly falling populations and some facing extinction. We are creating a strong, genetically diverse captive population with some of our birds going on to be released back into the wild, whilst others will be given to other conservation organisations working together in these breeding programmes.

“We have to look to the future and our programme has to be a very long-term one. Many of the vulture species lay just a single egg each breeding season, so producing young can be slow. Condors can live up to 80 years in captivity and don’t reach sexual maturity until they are at least 6-8 years old but, in some cases, can be much longer!”

He is supported in his work by Holly Cale, who is Curator and Head of Research, along with a small number of staff and volunteers.

If you would like to make a donation to support the work of the Horstmann Trust you can contact Adam via email: adam@horstmanntrust.org.

To find out how Trencher Hire UK call help, contact us on: 0121 751 9319, or email: team@trencherhire.com or visit our website: www.trencherhire.com

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