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Groundsmen & greenkeepers numbers decline

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Groundsmen & greenkeepers numbers decline: Groundsmen and greenkeepers, painters and decorators, plumbers, heating and ventilating engineers are just a few of the trades that the UK relies on, but a new report has revealed a decline in the number of workers in these trades. 

The trade trends report 2021 released by Skills Training Group has analysed 16 years worth of data from the Office for National Statistics to assess the state of the UK workforce.

Groundsmen & greenkeepers numbers decline

Groundsmen & greenkeepers numbers decline

In the report, it revealed multiple key trades on the decline, groundsmen and greenkeepers fell by 25.85 per cent between 2004 and 2020 from 32,500 to 24,100, while plumbers and heating and ventilating engineers fell by 4.19% (157,400 to 150,800) and painters and decorators by 17.80% (138,200 – 113,600).

Steel erectors took the largest hit of all trades analysed, between 2004 and 2020 workers in the trade fell by 47.93 per cent from 12,100 workers to 6,300.

Using the data, the team at Skills Training Group were able to forecast ahead to reveal what the future may look like for these trades if the average decline continues.

By 2049, the picture for groundsmen and greenkeepers looks completely different, projecting a decrease of more than 69%:

Skilled trades Oct 2004-Sep 2005 Oct 2049-Sep 2050 (est) Year-on-year average change Potential decrease over 46 years
Profession All persons in trade All persons in trade All persons in trade All persons in trade
Groundsmen and greenkeepers 32,500 9826.935089 -0.029 -69.76%

Commenting on the research and why young people may be the key to turning the tide for these industries, Mark McShane, managing director at Skills Training Group said:

“For many industries, young people entering the workforce early in their careers means they can learn the craft and make it a long term career – with many being business owners by the time they are 30. But, in order to encourage young people to make these choices, businesses in the industry need to engage with young people, sharing their success stories to encourage a new workforce.

“While many young people may enter into a skilled trade through college and apprenticeships, a missed opportunity may be those that have opted to continue studying for A-Levels. For these students, the general direction is to head off to university, so it’s no surprise that many may not have even considered a career in specific trades – this is where recruitment outside of the usual routes can prove fruitful.

“Communication and marketing needs to be a big part of each of the different industry’s goals – young people will better engage with clear and smart communication. To attract and recruit new talent to the industry, its image needs to adapt as well. Companies and industries that make noise, engage with social media and shout about what makes their trades great will see the tide change in the amount of people wanting a job.”

It’s not all bad for every trade, the data also shows that between 2004 and 2020 some trades thrived.

Roofers, roof tilers and slaters increased by 14.06 per cent, gardeners and landscape gardeners (23.9%) and farmers (28.64%).

Read the full report and insights from it here – https://www.skillstg.co.uk/blog/the-trade-trends-report-2021/

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Rain Bird offers HDF Series

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Rain Bird offers HDF Series: The use of reclaimed water or other lower quality water sources is becoming more common in irrigation projects and to ensure that systems work effectively, whatever the source,  Rain Bird now offers the HDF Series of automatic self-cleaning disc filtration equipment.

The company’s filtration products including pump suction screens, centrifugal sand separators and hydraulic suction screen filters are already available. These offer different levels of filtration and modes of operation. However, using water from canals, ponds, rivers, wells, reservoirs or waste water sources for irrigation requires a more thorough approach to filtration. It is essential that contaminants which originate from organic and inorganic matter, such as algae, sand, silt, suspended solids and microbiological growth, are filtered out. This will prevent nozzles, rotors, valves and other equipment being blocked or even damaged, resulting in efficient flow rates and optimised water usage.

Rain Bird offers HDF Series

Rain Bird offers HDF Series

Within an irrigation circuit, the HDF Series will act as a primary filter for the water source and is located after the pump. Having then passed through backflow and master valve stations, the filtered uncontaminated water is then distributed via any secondary filters to the chosen nozzles, rotors or in-line drip irrigation. The Rain Bird irrigation controller is highly flexible and allows filtration and cleaning cycles to take place without any interruption to flow to the system.

The HDF Series is specifically designed to be used within irrigation systems where manual cleaning would be difficult, time consuming or unwieldy. Three different units provide varying levels of filtration efficiency and capacity. For flexibility, they can operate with or without electricity and include control units that run on 220V AC or 12V DC. The units are manufactured from tough engineered plastics and materials  resistant to rust and corrosion from chemicals or water.

Units are pre-assembled  and wired for easy installation. All HDF units feature a patented anti-clogging device that generates a helical centrifuge effect moving a high percentage of particles that are suspended in water away from the disk. This ensures optimal performance resulting in water savings, reduced backwash frequency and minimum maintenance requirements.

Choosing the correct HDF Series unit is based on establishing the quality and dirtiness of the water source, determining the required filtration grade and then calculating the number of filters required. The filter cartridge is made up of a number of stacked discs. Water passes through small grooves between the discs which are compressed and impurities are trapped and projected away through the cyclone effect.

During back flushing, water is projected through the discs evacuating the contaminant particles through the drainage manifold. The filtration process restarts when the discs recompress. The systems automatically measure the pressure over the filters to determine when back washing and cleaning are required.

HDF 1×2, HDF 2 and HDF 4 designations refer to the size of the filters and the on-board valves. The HDF 4 is a scalable multi-filter unit with standard filtration of 100, 130 and 400 microns with custom options available. Users can add a number of filters to the specification in order to reach the desired flow rates for the application. Up to twelve, 4-inch filters can be used to achieve maximum flow rates of 575 m³ per hour. The elements inside the filter provide depth filtration across the diameter, not just at the circumference and the helical action inside ensures highly efficient cleaning.

The HDF 2 is also multi-filter and scalable, using up to eight 2-inch filters for a maximum throughput of 192m³ per hour. The single HDF 1 with a single two inch filter is designed for low flow applications and has a maximum throughput of 24 m³ per hour. Its compact design makes it ideal for fitting into tight spaces.

Rain Bird can support all customers in the selection of the optimum HDF Series automatic self-cleaning disc filtration equipment for any application. www.rainbird.eu

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A lighter utility vehicle

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A lighter utility vehicle: Hardest working. Smoothest riding. The Polaris Ranger is one of the bestselling utility side-by-sides across the globe, and has earned its reputation as the ultimate utility vehicle with over one million vehicles built and counting.

To showcase the versatility of the Ranger, Polaris has embarked on a journey across Europe, Middle East and Africa to discover and film how customers are using the Polaris Ranger in their day-to-day lives. The initiative, called Ranger Stories, is set to demonstrate the many ways in which the RANGER line-up is servicing customer lives worldwide.

A lighter utility vehicle

A lighter utility vehicle

Episode 8 – MW Agri Ltd., Hertfordshire, UK

Heavy machinery and specialist equipment are a must for agricultural and grounds maintenance work, but what happens when a utility vehicle is needed for lighter duties? Longstanding agricultural business, MW Agri Ltd., found a solution in the Polaris Ranger.

Working across a large part of Hertfordshire in the UK, MW Agri Ltd. covers a wide range of agricultural duties, public and private grass management and maintenance tasks. Beautiful landscapes surround this South East region, a number of which are maintained by the team at MW Agri Ltd.

Originally purchasing a Polaris Ranger 900 five years ago, MW Agri has since owned a Polaris Ranger XP 1000 and more recently, bought a 2021 Ranger 1000 from local Polaris dealer Taylors Tools to help out across their many duties.

For the eighth episode of RANGER Stories, Polaris joins MW Agri Owner and Managing Director, Malcolm Weaver, to see exactly what aspects of the Polaris Ranger make it so versatile for ground management. Homologated for road use in the UK, and with the addition of the larger alloy wheels for increased road speed, the Ranger 1000 is perfect for transporting the team across different locations; especially as time management plays such an important role in this line of work. The Ranger 1000 boasts class-leading 1,134kg towing capacity and smooth low-speed drivability, which allows the team to tow all kinds of heavy fencing equipment and implements, and paired with its 30.5cm of ground clearance, the team can access all areas for every client.

Reliability also played a large part when choosing the Polaris Ranger; it’s essential that the company’s equipment doesn’t fail on a job for its clients. The Polaris Ranger 1000 is built to last with a heavy-duty steel front bumper, full body skid plate, longer-lasting sealed suspension bushings and the new Pro-PVTi clutching system which has been engineered with large internal wear components to deliver enhanced drivability, reliability and control.

Malcolm Weaver said, “…the Ranger, with its light footprint and maneuverability, comes into its own taking equipment and materials to remote locations even when the conditions are boggy. With its two-wheel drive and all-wheel-drive options the Ranger gets us through the toughest of conditions. The Ranger also has Turf Mode, which is absolutely essential and one of the main reasons why we bought it which is ideal when working on delicate areas.”

There are no days off when it comes to the upkeep of land, so MW Agri have made full use of the Polaris Engineered accessories for the Ranger 1000, including a full cab kit with a windscreen, full doors, roof and rear panel, as well as an in-cab heater to stay warm on colder winter days. Not only that, they have also added a Polaris fitted winch which comes with a number of benefits when working in woodland – such as retrieving fallen limbs or for some extra pulling power when removing dead branches – as well as tensioning fencing wire.

With its versatility to suit a vast array of jobs, Malcolm and the team at MW Agri rely on the Polaris Ranger as an essential part of their workforce, day-in, day-out.

Catch the eighth episode of RANGER Stories in the UK on the Polaris Off-Road International YouTube channel here.

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Velvit to sponsor Exeter Chiefs

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Velvit to sponsor Exeter Chiefs: South West premium turf care specialists, Velvit, have entered into a sponsorship deal with Premiership Rugby Club the Exeter Chiefs.

Velvit, who are based in South Somerset, have been supplying fertiliser to the Exeter Chiefs through local distributer Tim Wakeham of Wakeham Groundcare for seven years, watching the club go from success to success in that time.

Velvit to sponsor Exeter Chiefs

Velvit to sponsor Exeter Chiefs

James Whittick, Sales & Marketing Director at Velvit explained “We have been supplying Exeter Chiefs for a number of years and have been following their impressive trajectory in that time. We are aware that the live sports industry has been widely affected by the COVID restrictions, and in light of the Chiefs being a local club who have done so much for the region we were proud to be in a position to be able to offer sponsorship for the upcoming season.”

Through the sponsorship deal, Velvit are sponsoring up-and-coming player Alfie Petch who has already had an impressive run of appearances with the England age-graded teams. A Cornish boy by birth, Alfie signed a three-year contract with the Chiefs at the start of the 2018/2019 season and made his debut in November of that year.

Max Sandford who leads the grounds team at Sandy Park said “The overall partnership is vital to ensuring we keep the playing surfaces in the best possible condition and we would like to thank Greenbest for their support they have shown over the last few years!”

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Reesink’s rising star

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Reesink’s rising star: The award-winning turfcare machinery and equipment distributor Reesink UK has launched a new division dedicated solely to electric utility vehicles. Named Reesink e-Vehicles, it introduces to the UK another award-winning brand – STAR EV and its extensive and compelling range of lithium and sealed battery-powered utility vehicles.

Responding to market demands associated to environmental concerns spans all industries and is an area Reesink was very much focussed on in 2020 with the launch of the Toro Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 mower and the industry’s first all-electric compact tractor, the Farmtrac FT25G.

Reesink's rising star

Reesink’s rising star

David Cole, managing director of Reesink UK, says: “We’re focused on introducing battery-powered machinery options to the UK turfcare market. Such products have been extremely well-received and this is the direction of travel for environmentally friendly technology at the moment, one we recognise will only gain more traction.

“The globe is focussed on reducing fuel consumption and heading towards electric transportation as the next transitional step. There simply has to be the choice to buy electric and we identified a gap in our offering for a comprehensive range of electric utility vehicles to complement the Toro Workman GTXe we have just rolled out here in the UK.”

Perfect for golf clubs, sports stadiums and training grounds, leisure resorts and landscapers, the STAR EV range of 28 lithium and sealed battery-powered utility vehicles includes golf buggies and small, medium and large capacity electric UTVs for carrying materials, and people carriers for 4–22 people.

David continues: “Wherever you are and whatever sector you’re in, the ability to work more quietly, earlier and for longer will be an advantage. Specifically, golf course and golf resorts with guest rooms or neighbouring residential areas or urban sports stadiums and training grounds will notice a big difference by switching to electric power.

“This has a direct advantage to sales and customer service, for example, the addition of this range means that through Reesink, not only can cutting start earlier to bring forward tee times with no dispute from neighbours, but other maintenance operations requiring transport of staff or materials can get around the course earlier too.”

When it came to finding a partner who could deliver the electric solution Reesink was looking for, it was a conversation with STAR EV at BTME in 2020 that lead the company to where it is today.

David continues: “I first came into contact with STAR EV at BTME and our discussions continued from there. It didn’t take long for it to become transparent that the brand delivered everything we were looking for. It’s a brand that delivers strong technology, innovation, breadth of range, value proposition and importantly – peak performance.

“Specifically though, we were looking for an electric range with rapid charge, a good mileage per charge, an extensive warranty – up to six years on batteries – along with the usual no more emissions and no more pollution stance. It’s no surprise that STAR EV is an award-winning company in the USA and we’re excited to partner with them.”

Jane Zhang, CEO and owner of STAR EV Corporation, says: “STAR EV Corporation is delighted to be partnering with Reesink, under their new EV division, with an exclusive agreement for the UK and Ireland. Reesink has many strong and proven business relationships across a wide variety of sectors and the company’s history and knowledge of turf and recreational outdoor products makes them the perfect partner to represent STAR. STAR looks forward to Reesink delivering to its customer base a fantastic range of ever evolving, and world-renowned electrical vehicles, growing both our brands.”

Electric-powered technology is a fundamental part of the transport and equipment future. Already growing rapidly, with customers keen to switch, the market will want choice, and that’s exactly what Reesink e-Vehicles plans to deliver. There will be a new team developed around the new division, plus a new website and branding, but for now further information can be requested by contacting Reesink e-Vehicles on 01480 226800 or via your usual Reesink contact with demonstrations available now.

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