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NEWS ARTICLES

Building for growth

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Building for growth: The  Blackburn based dealership Stuart Taylor Internationl have completed the construction of a new purpose built premises, two miles from their existing site.

For the company Sarah Taylor said, “since launch in two thousand and three the business has outgrown the existing building, resulting in the requrement for more space and all staff will be based on the new site”.

Building for growth

Building for growth

Tommy Taylor added, “we have enjoyed an excellent last two years trading accros our broad groundcare and agricultural equipment product range and we are confident the new build will now support further growth and expansion into new markets”

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A decade of MM seed for Rugby School

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A decade of MM seed for Rugby School: James Mead, Grounds Manager at the world-famous Rugby School in Warwickshire, has revealed why he has used MM50 grass seed for the last ten years.

Rugby School, founded in 1567, is one of the oldest public schools in England, and is renowned worldwide for being the place where the game of rugby was born and developed. In fact, visitors travel from far and wide to visit the school’s small museum and to see where the legendary student William Webb Ellis, took a football in his arms and ran with it.

A decade of MM seed for Rugby School

A decade of MM seed for Rugby School

It is fitting that a school of such status also boasts a fabulous sporting reputation and James Mead and his experienced team work hard to keep the facilities in pristine condition.

James believes that a grass seed is one of the most integral components in producing a high-quality sports pitch and it is for this reason that he chooses to use MM50.

“I initially heard of MM50 through seminars and various events, and I’ve now been using it for just over ten years,” he said. “The quality of the grass and the cleanliness of the mix is very important – we don’t want any rogue grasses or agricultural left in the mix. MM50 is a very clean mixture.”

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.

“We use MM50 on our cricket squares, wickets, cricket outfields and we also use MM60 on the first team rugby pitch,” said James. “We overseed as much as we can depending on weather, and it gives us great coverage, great density, and a good fineness of leaf. Very rarely do we get disease and it gives us first-class colour. Playability wise it is excellent and it is ideal for the run of a ball. MM50 just ticks all the boxes that we are looking for.”

Both MM50 and MM60 (an ideal mixture for winter sports pitches) are treated with Headstart® GOLD – a revolutionary grass seed treatment that ensures rapid germination. It benefits from minerals such as Phosphorus, Sulphur, Copper and Molybdenum which all help to stimulate root formation, development and growth ensuring that the seedling grass plant develops a strong root system during the critical start-up phase.

“The speed of the germination certainly takes the pressure off the initial seeding,” said James. “We tend not to put fertiliser down with the MM50 straight away, instead we let the seed come through first. The initial protection to the plant from the mix is ideal.

“The quality of MM50 has never diminished and if anything, it keeps improving. It is a very trustworthy product. Seeding takes a lot of time and effort, and you want the best results for your hard work.”

James also praised the support he receives from both MM and Agrovista Amenity (distributor of MM).

“I have a very good relationship with Matt Gresty from MM seed and also with Mark Allen from Agrovista Amenity – who is able to provide various products of great benefit to us.”

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

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Toro’s sidewinder tech

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Toro’s sidewinder tech: Ratho Park Golf Club in Edinburgh, Scotland, has a long history with Toro and has recently acquired one of the brand’s bestsellers: the Reelmaster 3100-D cylinder mower featuring its innovative Sidewinder technology.

Craig McCrorie, head greenkeeper for over three years, and his team of five have been busy this year rebuilding 12 greens on the 18-hole tree-lined parkland course with plans to remodel the bunkers in the next few years, so the need for a machine to make the work easier, faster and with better results became a priority. The Reelmaster 3100-D was, thus, selected for the job.

Toro's sidewinder tech

Toro’s sidewinder tech

“The Sidewinder technology is brilliant,” Craig comments. “The fact that all three cutting units can move 12 inches right or left from the centre position for a full 24 inches of travel allows you to cut the grass exactly how you want it even when in tricky positions. Not having to put so much weight on the bunkers as we drive around them is perfect as we still get that close cut, but the tyres are kept back from the edges.”

The ride-on mower is also being used on the semi roughs, as Craig comments: “We’re cutting those to around 20mm in height and it hasn’t posed a problem for the Reelmaster. It goes through it like butter. It’s a huge step up – a night and day difference – between this and the mower we were using before. Toro really is unique in the technology it delivers.”

Toro’s renowned Dual Precision Adjustment (DPA) cutting units feature a one-click dial for quick adjustment of the bedknife in exact increments for a clean and consistent cut of each blade of grass, which helps keep the sward green and healthy. That, paired with a patented three-wheel drive system that provides an impressive traction in both hilly and wet conditions, with minimal wheel slip that’s gentle on the turf, makes the Reelmaster 3100-D a great addition to any golf club.

Not only can it get under and around trees and other hard-to-reach places while bringing precise control to delicate jobs such as trimming around bunkers, water features, tee boxes and greens edges on the golf course but it also means that more junior members of staff can perform expert edging, as well as trimming neatly and closely around sensitive areas while keeping the mower’s wheels a safe distance away.

“The quality of these machines is unbeatable: the finish, the usability, the longevity, it’s a whole package,” Craig continues. “Everyone agrees. Using them is saving us a huge amount of time as we don’t have to go through the hassle of setting them up. Plus, we’ve had far fewer breakdowns. The frequency of breakdowns of our previous machine is what put us off buying them again. But with Toro, we’ve had a break down this week for the first time since we bought them from distributor Reesink two years ago.

“They were minor issues and solved quickly by Reesink as they were still under warranty. The chances of Toro machines breaking down are very slim – it does happen, obviously, but it’s not common – that’s the difference. And that puts us at ease since downtime is not an option.

“Toro just seems to work on our golf course,” Craig concludes. “Especially the Sidewinder. Its performance has exceeded expectations and we hope to benefit from more of Toro’s technology in the future.”

To talk to someone about Toro technology and how the Toro range could suit your course, call 01480 226800.

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Mansfield Sand is fab for Forest

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Mansfield Sand is fab for Forest: Ewan Hunter, Grounds Manager at Nottingham Forest FC, has praised the products and service he receives from Mansfield Sand.

After starting his career as a greenkeeper, Ewan Hunter moved into football grounds management and has remained in the sector for over 20 years. His first job in football was at Rushden & Diamonds FC before starting at Nottingham Forest FC in 2005. Having been at the club ever since, Ewan’s work has been recognised through numerous groundsman awards, and he can now add the title ‘Premier League Groundsman’ to his CV after Forest recently achieved promotion to the top tier.

Mansfield Sand is fab for Forest

Mansfield Sand is fab for Forest

Ever the professional, Ewan remains focussed.

“Our work won’t change with us being in the Premier League,” he said. “We will continue to do our job the same way we always have. Obviously, we want to improve standards all the time, and there are future projects, which include new first-team pitches for the training ground, and eventually we will have a new stadium pitch. Yes, the technology we utilise might be better and more modern, but our work will remain the same.”

Ewan oversees a team of seven members of staff that work across the stadium pitch and the training ground. All the pitches across the two sites are of the same construction as Ewan explains.

“All of the pitches we have here are Fibresand, and we use a variety of Mansfield Sand’s products. I’ve been working with Mansfield Sand since my days at Rushden and Diamonds, so well over 20 years.”

Mansfield Sand is a company with history and pedigree – in fact, its origins can be traced as far back to 1840. It has been a long-standing pioneer in the development and production of premium sand-based products and boasts the most up-to-date and advanced equipment currently in the industry.

From winter sports pitches, golf courses, bowling greens and all amenity turf areas – Mansfield Sand has a solution for all.

Ewan continued to offer an insight into how he uses Mansfield Sand’s products.

“Most of the products we use from Mansfield Sand are renovation products. We will strip the pitches, Koro them off and then top dress with Mansfield’s MM40. If we are adding fibre to the pitch then we will use their Fibresand, and that is mixed into the rootzone by the contractor.

“Through the season, we will use their top dressing and a little bit of rootzone, mainly to level out the goal mouths that get a lot of wear.

“Rootzone is very important and is integral to a healthy pitch.”

Furthermore, two pitches at the training ground are currently being reconstructed using 5000 tonnes of gravel, 6902 tonnes of MM40 sand and 4089 tonnes of 85/15 sand soil rootzone, all of which are sourced directly from Mansfield Sand’s Two Oaks Quarry.

The work is being carried out by Ewan’s reliable contractors MJ Abbot and Premier Pitches, who order the products directly from Mansfield Sand. Ewan may not necessarily be involved in the ordering process anymore, but he still maintains a good relationship with the company.

“The customer service from Mansfield Sand is perfect, and Sharon Morris (Sales Manager) is brilliant. She is a life-long Forest fan, and she comes to watch the games. I talk to her pretty much after every home game and she will wander down from the stands after the match to have a chat. She is always on the other end of the phone if we need her, and she always goes out of her way for us.”

For more information visit www.mansfield-sand.co.uk

You can also follow the company on Twitter – @MansfieldSand and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MansfieldSandSportSurfaces/

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GKB SP100 top of the topdressers

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GKB SP100 top of the topdressers: To support their rapid and continued growth, Garsons Group Ltd have been investing in equipment to help them deliver contracting and maintenance services to the full spectrum of sports surfaces.

One machine that joined the fleet and has now become their ‘go-to’ for topdressing is the GKB Sandspreader – and while perhaps it wasn’t quite ‘love’ at first sight, Director Gareth Davies says it was definitely ‘the perfect fit’ at first sight after spotting the SP100 at BTME!

GKB SP100 top of the topdressers

GKB SP100 top of the topdressers

“Straight away, I could tell that SP100 was a great size machine that would suit the variety of work we do” explains Gareth, who has spent 25 years working in the groundcare industry and established Garsons as a limited company three years ago. “We’re conducting renovations, reconstructions and ongoing maintenance for winter sports pitches, cricket and golf courses so need something with a large enough hopper capacity to be efficient, but not too big that access to certain sites may become compromised. The Sandspreader ticks all the boxes.”

Gareth opted for the mounted SP100 model and, since its delivery in the spring of 2021 from local dealer Ernest Does, he estimates they’ve applied in the region of 4000 tonnes of sand with it. “The hopper is the main benefit for us. The SP100 holds 1m3 of material at a time meaning we can apply over 100 tonnes in a day which is critical when the team are working to tight deadlines. It’s also really easy to use and adjust for lighter or heavier applications when needed. We use it primarily for football and rugby, but this year we used it on a cricket square for the first time and it did a brilliant job.”

The GKB SP100 is the smallest unit in the Sandspreader range, with larger models offering up to a 4m3 hopper capacity. The material is transported from the hopper to the adjustable metering valve via an internal conveyor belt, before being efficiently and evenly distributed via the double disc hydraulic spinners. As well as trailed and mounted formats, GKB also offer the SPM model, which features a side material handler for the convenient filling of bunkers or trenches.

“Another big thing for us, has been the support and customer service from GKB, which has been excellent throughout. Tom Shinkins is always on hand for advice and, when we needed some additional parts recently, he was able to get them to us in under 24 hours which is the kind of back-up we need as we drive our business forward.”

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