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NEWS ARTICLES

Facing the future

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Facing the future: To say we live in challenging times is somewhat of an understatement. The impact is being felt everywhere and in so many directions. The Amenity Forum Conference & Exhibition has long been regarded as a must attend event for those involved in or with an interest in amenity management. This year its significance is even greater.

The event being held on 21st October at the Pirelli Stadium at Burton on Trent has a range of specialist speakers set to cover the key issues of the day including important policy updates and how they are to impact. There will also be leading practitioners giving their views and much more. The exhibition area also provides valuable networking opportunities.

Facing the future

Facing the future

John Moverley, Independent Chairman of the Forum said ‘’ throughout the years, the amenity sector has shown its ability to innovate and respond and I have no doubt that this will continue. What happens in amenity management impacts upon all of us every day, no more emphasised that in recent COVID times. Our conference this year is a major opportunity to update and should not be missed’’

To secure your place, contact Kate at Admin@amenityforum.net .  At a price of £95 per delegate, thanks to our supporters, it provides excellent value. The full programme can be found at https://amenityforum.co.uk/conference/the-amenity-forum-conference-2021/

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New GreenMech website

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New GreenMech website: Leading woodchipper manufacturer GreenMech have recently launched their revamped website. The site has been designed with user experience at the forefront, offering straightforward navigation of the chipper range as well as providing comprehensive, technical guides on the products and services GreenMech offer along with general industry advice.

The website has a clean, uncluttered design, improved functionality and streamlined content ensuring that the salient points for each machine are easy to find – whether you are an experienced chipper operator or you’re looking for your first machine. A first in the market, the site features a brand-new ‘product filter’ allowing visitors to specify their requirements by type, preferred fuel, capacity and/or towing limits to narrow the range down to a number of options that fit the bill.

New GreenMech website

New GreenMech website

Along with the new product search features, GreenMech have added more downloadable content – product datasheets, operator manuals and servicing & technical videos which can be easily viewed and saved. It also features ‘the voice of the customer’, providing visitors with first-hand thoughts and feedback on machines from across the range. For their dealers, they have improved the breadth and depth of resources available which will make the support and marketing of the products easier than ever before.

Commenting on the new site GreenMech Digital Design & Marketing Coordinator Carl Haffield said, “The previous website served its purpose but lacked some important content. In line with our continued business developments, it was the right time to develop our online presence. The new site is fully mobile/tablet friendly and contains innovative features to suit the modern arborist. We’re confident this new site will allow our visitors to have a very informative experience and will grow with us as we continue to expand our market offering.”

www.greenmech.co.uk

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Year-round aeration for Duddingston GC

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Year-round aeration for Duddingston GC: Head Greenkeeper, John Guthrie at Edinburgh’s Duddingston Golf Club favours the little and often approach to aeration. Maintaining healthy surfaces is key for the parkland club which nestles below Edinburgh’s iconic Arthur’s Seat and has a history dating over 125 years.

The purchase of a Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi8 HD deep aerator in May, from Scottish dealer, Fairways GM at Kinross, was essential to his strategy, and five months’ hence, he continues to be really pleased.

Year-round aeration for Duddingston GC

Year-round aeration for Duddingston GC

“It’s making a big difference; I knew the GXi8 would be good, but I didn’t factor quite as quick or as neat. Easily all 18 greens can be done before 1.00 pm, so about a hectare’s worth in total. In the past, aeration tied up three people. we would have had someone following on with a roller and another person tidying up behind. The Wiedenmann is so clean, you don’t always have to roll at the back if you set it up properly. Two of the team can be free to do other tasks; resource wise, that is a significant benefit.

“Since May, we’ve taken a discrete approach, tining down on the greens to 100- 150 mm and tees to 200 mm, all with 12 mm tines, experimenting with heave at 5° occasionally. From November, we switch to 20 mm tines and might go 250 mm on the greens if conditions allow, possibly again with a little amount of heave. The fairways, too, will get the full depth and the bigger tine.

“A good machine deserves its praise.  H&S on the machine is first rate. It really is smooth, and the operator doesn’t leave the cab feeling they’ve had a full body work out.  Also, smoothness means the Terra Spike is surprisingly quiet, not too noisy for members playing nearby, but mostly we can be done before they get anywhere close.

“Hopefully, we’re out all 12 months a year, weather permitting, and target a few choice areas with extra runs when there’s time available.”

Membership at Duddingston GC has increased over lock down but tee times have remained constant for John and his team of five. “There’s nothing for it but to keep doing your best and the whole team has done really well, even now new members are still joining.

Bob Marshall, Area Sales Manager at Fairways GM said:

“The GXi8 was absolutely the right fit for John and his team.  It paired well with their existing Kubota L4240 tractor and for his site it’s got access-all-areas status.”

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New appointments for INFINICUT®

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New appointments for INFINICUT®: To support their ongoing growth, INFINICUT® have been busy making appointments as they expand both their internal sales team and external, nationwide dealer network.

Taking up the role of Territory Sales Manager for Scotland and the North of England is Bobby McDougall – a third generation greenkeeper and well-known name, having gained years of valuable experience on both sides of the industry fence. Also, now part of the INFINICUT® network are Hunt Forest Group, taking on the sales, service and support for the range across the South.

New appointments for INFINICUT®

New appointments for INFINICUT®

Bobby began greenkeeping in 1997 where he worked underneath John Coleman at Abbeydale Golf Club. After taking up a role in sales with Aitkens in 2009, he then moved more into the construction side, taking up a position with Souter Sports and then later joining dealership Fairways GM. In addition to the North, Bobby’s new role at INFINICUT® will also see him looking after Sweden, Norway and Southeast Asia.

“Having previously worked alongside John, we have remained in touch and I have naturally always followed the developments of both the INFINICUT® and TMSystem™ ranges. When the opportunity arose to come on board, it was an invitation I couldn’t turn down” explains Bobby, who joined the team in July 2021. “It’s fantastic to be part of such an innovative, forward-thinking company with products that are always improving and set the standards for the industry.”

In another appointment, Hunt Forest Group are the latest name to be added to the growing dealer network, strengthening coverage across Hampshire, Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire. Formed in 2019 following a merger between two prominent John Deere dealerships, Hunt Forest offer a broad selection of franchises to meet the requirements of both agricultural and amenity customers.

New appointments for INFINICUT®

New appointments for INFINICUT®

Commenting on the news, Turf & Construction Sales Director Ed Smales said, “We are delighted to be working with INFINICUT® – it is a unique product that is well-built and has an excellent reputation in the market. The range is a fantastic fit alongside the JD brand and the rest of our existing portfolio, meaning we can now offer even more quality solutions to new and existing customers to satisfy their maintenance needs.”

Oliver Hall, INFINICUT® Territory Sales Manager added, “Hunt Forest have a great reputation for sales and aftercare and across their depots will have factory trained technicians and a plethora of parts on the shelf to support customers in their area. We are very much looking forward to working with Ed and the team to further raise the INFINICUT® profile and offer a more localised service across this key territory.”

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Foamstream introduces hybrid at SALTEX

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Foamstream introduces hybrid at SALTEX: Weedingtech is proud to present the Foamstream M600H, their first hybrid unit for herbicide-free weed, moss, and algae control.

Featuring a battery-powered generator, the hybrid combines the efficiency of electric power with industry-leading hyper-efficient boilers. Foamstream is an ecologically safe, simple, patented process that works by killing unwanted vegetation using heat delivered by near-boiling water, insulated by a biodegradable foam made from natural plant oils and sugars.

Foamstream introduces hybrid at SALTEX

Foamstream introduces hybrid at SALTEX

The M600H takes the concept into an extra dimension with the introduction of a battery unit to further reduce noise emissions, making it their quietest machine to date. It delivers a flow rate of 7 litres per minute, which means it is particularly well suited to smaller-scale jobs and harder to reach areas in inner-city and rural environments. Organisations looking to introduce more environmentally friendly alternatives to the use of glyphosate in their weed control operations can combine the benefits of Foamstream application in busy areas with reduced noise at only 55db. This makes it ideal for municipalities, green space contractors, utility companies, educational establishments among others. The M600H is suitable for mounting on a wide range of municipal vehicles, including a large variety of UTVs.

Also on show at Saltex is the Foamstream L12 machine. Operator driven, relying on the operator to run it, it has a rapid start-up time of 30-60 seconds with unlimited trigger time and is very easy to use. Its diesel and petrol dual-fuel source powers its 12 litres per minute flow rate, matching that of the Foamstream M1200 system. The robust design is frame-mounted with four fork-lift points and can be used on a variety of different vehicles. The L12 includes additional functionality for street cleaning and a new rinse-mode feature provides the operator with an option to use the machine with just water and no foam at high or low pressure.

Foamstream is highly efficient which means fewer treatment cycles are required throughout the year, proving it to be more cost-effective, needing less labour. No ongoing operator certification, training or specialist PPE is required. What’s more, the process is safe around people, animals, water, and delicate environments. Foamstream is also multi-functional and while it is used to control vegetation, it can also be used across departments as a cleaning solution for gum removal, power washing, and sanitisation. Foamstream will be found on Stand E072 at Saltex +44 (0) 203 909 0050.

info@weedingtech.com

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