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Makita’s third generation of accessories

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Makita’s third generation of accessories: Makita UK has launched a new and improved collection of belts and pouches to its extensive and popular range of accessories.

The newly designed range makes it even easier for tradespeople to safely and easily store and transport their tools and accessories. The collection includes belts, braces, pouches, holders, bags, cases, gear and equipment, and offers users the durability and reliability needed for everyday use.

Makita's third generation of accessories

Makita’s third generation of accessories

It is important for tradespeople to have easy access to their tools wherever they are on site to ensure they are equipped for the job in hand. Makita’s new and improved range of belts, bags and pouches means users can safely and securely transport tools to and from the van and around the work area. Each product in the range has been designed for longevity and durability, as well as ease of use and comfort.

With over 40 products in the range, Makita has a solution to suit every task; the pouches and holsters are available in a range of designs, depending on the end use. Each has the benefit of Anti-Slip Technology, which is used on all friction points and pocket edges, to tightly grip tools, stopping them from sliding around and keeping them securely in place to help prevent accidental falls. This is also ideal for those working in awkward positions where they need both hands free. Due to its rigidity, Anti-Slip Technology also helps to extend the lifespan of the item by allowing it to retain its shape. All belts and pouches are inclusive of 3L Technology, a unique three layer combination of polyesters and foam, to provide additional cushioning and improve user comfort.

For ease of use, Makita’s innovative Strap Belt System allows users to effortlessly connect Makita belts or shoulder straps to pouches, holders, bags and cases for trouble free carrying. The belt loop holders (which are compatible with all Makita work belts) can also be used to hang anything with a carabiner – their light weight, flexibility and strength make them suitable for carrying a wide range of products.

In addition, a heavy load support system has been incorporated into products such as the Ultimate Padded Braces, which works by distributing the weight between the waist and shoulders to reduce hip and lower back pain – thereby reducing fatigue on these areas and allowing users to continue to work in comfort for longer.

To store tools easily, almost all of Makita’s bags, pouches and holders include elastic loops that can be used to organise tools and essential items, keeping them secure during transportation. In addition, the innovative Tool Loops System, which is available in the new tool cases, allows the user to store numerous tools without having to make any adjustments. The system can hold a wide variety of tools thanks to a combination of loop sizes, with a single or twin row formation to maximise capacity. Makita’s new tool cases also give users the flexibility to customise the internal compartments using the new Rail Guide System – the perfect combination of plastic side rails and light separating walls.

Lyndsey Bailey, Assistant Product Manager at Makita said: “To complete the range, Makita has also launched a range of handy additional accessories – including smartphone holders, flasks, a work vest with adjustable pockets, knee pads, a guide rail protective holder, lunch bags and a thermal mug. Makita has designed each product with its end use in mind and has introduced a number of new technologies and innovative features to guarantee suitability. These fantastic new products offer users increased comfort, ease of use, flexibility and reliability.”

To find out more about Makita and its products visit: www.makitauk.com

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Local Derby business acquires intellectual property of Internet Gardener

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Local Derby business acquires intellectual property of Internet Gardener: ARB & Grounds, a garden machinery business in Derby has recently acquired the intellectual property of The Internet Gardener Ltd meaning they now own the website www.internet gardener.co.uk.

The site had been running since 2006 by a family owned business before going into liquidation at the end of 2019. The online retailer used to sell garden furniture online from various retailers bringing in over 6 million in turnover in 2019. Nottingham based entrepreneur Elliott Davidson, 25, who owns ARB & Grounds Equipment Ltd has already been making local headlines with his recent acquisition of Y Frame Discounts Ltd and is now working on this new venture. Elliott is also the founder and director of Contrast; an eCommerce digital marketing agency in Nottingham’s Creative Quarter.

Local Derby business acquires intellectual property of Internet Gardener

Local Derby business acquires intellectual property of Internet Gardener

The young entrepreneur has road-mapped plans to bring the site back up and running and also ensure he brings the revenue levels back in his two year business plan for Internet Gardener. Not only will Elliott be looking to build relationships with past suppliers, but also looking to expand the product range to include garden machinery and equipment.

The gardening sector is now more popular than ever before. Official statistics showed that 45% of Britons coped with lockdown by gardening as many were spending more time at home. Sales in gardening products and equipment has also seen a rise, according to the HTA study, companies are seeing a rise in consumers purchasing horticultural goods online, it is estimated that the sector is worth 7.5 billion each year.

Elliott comments; “I can’t wait to start building the site back up again and getting it back to its full former glory. I know that other similar UK businesses are doing over 20 million in the sector so there is plenty of room to grow this business further. This was an opportunity I couldn’t miss and I have major plans for Internet Gardener. Being an owner of an eCommerce digital marketing agency and also another seven figure eCommerce business has its perks, as I am able to take all of these past learnings, both successes and failures to help maximise our chances of moving forward.”

Elliott is also preparing to document his journey and as such is launching a behind the scenes video series of scaling an eCommerce company from £0 to £1 million in ARR (Annual run rate) within 12 months. This series is going to be called “Building a Business”.

“Launching this video series means we are able to empathise with our clients more and publicly put our skills to the test! We’ll be able to look at problems differently that are out of scope to help our clients succeed; this is what will help us stand out as an eCommerce agency. I have also launched an online community called “Insider”, so if you are an eCommerce founder, operator or marketer you can apply to join here, where you will be able to further develop your eCommerce skills, network and business”.

For more information or to keep up to date you can visit www.contrast.digital.

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Thieves target Kirkstall Cricket Club

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Thieves target Kirkstall Cricket Club: Thieves have stolen more than £20,000 worth of equipment from Kirkstall Educational Cricket Club (KECC).

The club, off Queenswood Drive, was targeted by thieves between 5pm Friday and Sunday lunch time.

Greenkeeper retires after 47 years

Greenkeeper retires after 47 years

Items take included a Lloyd’s Paladin, a Groundsman Spiker, plus three rotary mowers, a strimmer and a Sisis Auto Rotorake.

KECC’s groundsman David Hodgson said on social media:

“We are a small community cricket club providing for not just cricket but for the community in many other areas including youth group, music venue, a community hire venue. In a period of about five years we have been victims of similar break ins some 18 times. As if it hadn’t been hard enough this year.”

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A new deal for Newquay Golf Club

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A new deal for Newquay Golf Club: Dan Kendle, head greenkeeper at Newquay Golf Club, says it is great being back at work after lockdown with his full team, on a busy golf course, with the added bonus of using several new John Deere course maintenance machines supplied by local dealer Masons Kings at St Columb.

Newquay’s scenic seaside location on the Cornish coast overlooks the world famous surfing venue of Fistral Beach, with the golf links guarded by pot bunkers and fringed with marram grass dunes – so when the wind is up, as it often is, it’s a course to be reckoned with.

A new deal for Newquay Golf Club

A new deal for Newquay Golf Club

Dan managed the course on his own during lockdown before the club opened again for play in May, mainly cutting grass and doing a bit of spraying to keep the course as tidy as the pandemic restrictions allowed. Since the rest of the greenkeeping team returned to work, he reckons they were just about on top of everything again by early September.

“And we needed to be, as we’ve been getting twice as many visitors compared to a normal year, as well as picking up new members,” says Dan. “On some days the club’s taken double the usual amount of green fees, which seems crazy but the demand has been there from the off.”

The first of the club’s new John Deere machines, a 2500E hybrid electric triplex greens mower, was delivered in September last year, with the remaining machines arriving this spring and summer. These included a second 2500E plus a 7700A PrecisionCut fairway mower and a new 4049R compact tractor plus front loader.

The compact replaced a 30 year old John Deere 1550 utility tractor, and the club had bought a number of Gator utility vehicles from Masons Kings before, but this was Newquay’s first John Deere fleet deal. The mowers have been bought on a five-year John Deere Financial operating lease, while the tractor is on hire purchase, and all service and maintenance operations are carried out on-site.

“Our previous mowers were coming to the end of their lease period, and for this new deal we were looking at new options, particularly in terms of dealer support,” says Dan Kendle. “Masons Kings is a very local dealership with a good reputation for reliable service and back-up, so it made sense for us to speak to them and have some machines in on demonstration.

“Everyone in the team had a go on the new machines, and we were all impressed with their operator comfort and user-friendly features. The quality of cut in particular sealed the deal for me, and I like the password protected TechControl system on the 7700A, which allows me to set the mower to get the same consistent results whoever is operating, in all conditions.

“The hybrid electric 2500Es also come into their own when cutting the practice putting green and the greens closest to the houses that surround three sides of the course. Their quiet operation keeps the neighbours happy while also reducing fuel consumption and the chance of any hydraulic leaks.

“As with all new machines, there were a few issues during the initial set-up but they were all sorted out very quickly by John Deere and Masons Kings, which was important. We’ve continued to receive great support and back-up from the dealership’s salesman David Barnes and technician Gavin Hearne, even during lockdown, so we’re very pleased all round as it shows we made the right decision.”

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Agrovista Amenity – The Winning Formula

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Agrovista Amenity – The Winning Formula: Steve Lloyd, Golf Course Manager at The Worcestershire Golf Club, admits to ‘sticking’ to what he knows works best and it is for this reason that he relies on a range of products from Agrovista Amenity.

The Worcestershire Golf Club is proud to be the oldest club in Worcestershire and one of the oldest in England – the 16th oldest to be precise. Nestled in the picturesque Malvern Hills, which provides a stunning backdrop, the 18-hole parkland course offers challenging play for golfers at every skill level.

Agrovista Amenity – The Winning Formula

Agrovista Amenity – The Winning Formula

Steve has been the Golf Course Manager for six years and oversees a greenkeeping team consisting of five full-time members of staff, a mechanic, and a summer casual. He claims that the robust and highly skilled team plays an integral role in the well-groomed fairways and meticulous greens.

Ever the perfectionist, Steve insists on only using products of the highest quality and once he finds the products he’s looking for, he rarely looks elsewhere.

“I’ve been working with Agrovista Amenity for the past three years, ever since Ray Hunt (Amenity Specialist for Agrovista Amenity) began coming to see me,” he said.

“Through Ray I had the opportunity to find out more about the company and products and it was very impressive. I carried out some trials and thought that it was a good fit.

“I don’t tend to chop and change products and once I’ve found ones that suit the course then I continue to use them.”

One of the first products Steve started using from Agrovista Amenity, and one which he particularly singled out for praise, is Humimax – a liquid humate product derived from a naturally occurring source. It operates both in the soil and the grass plant, and the micronised formulation is highly efficient for foliar absorption, making it especially useful for tank-mixing – which is exactly what Steve does.

Steve mixes Humimax with Biomass Sugar – a product which stimulates growth of both leaf and root. It is a unique natural formulation of sugars, macro nutrients and trace elements, approved as a biostimulant within the UK and used on many high-profile golf greens and sports pitches throughout Europe.

As part of the tank-mix, he applies Humimax at a rate of 10 L/ha and Biomass Sugar at 20 L/ha and he explains how this formula has made a difference to the greens.

“We apply this tank-mix once a month consistently throughout the growing season and we’ve found that it’s given us a fantastic colour, but more importantly, good plant health. In fact, we’ve actually been able to reduce our nitrogen input by approximately 20%.

“We find that this mix works particularly well when applying it about 15 days after a feed – it keeps a good density to the sward without getting any flushes of growth. It’s a perfect formula for summer and the last application will normally go down at the end of September. From then onwards we switch over to our winter nutritional programme.”

Steve is about to enter his second winter with Agrovista Amenity’s Bullet Phosphite after being impressed with his first taste of the product last year. Bullet Phosphite is a super-concentrated form (37%) of stabilised phosphite (PO3) derived from a blend of ammonium and potassium phosphate which is taken up quickly and mobilised around the whole plant.

This unique product provides protection for new and existing growth by assisting the plant in periods of stress, thereby increasing metabolic responses to pathogens. It is also a potent stimulator of plant root growth and unlike a lot of other phosphites, this formulation contains zero aluminium phosphite.

Agrovista Amenity – The Winning Formula

Agrovista Amenity – The Winning Formula

“With the reduction in chemicals and fungicides, Bullet Phosphite has become a major tool in our armoury, because it helps us with our integrated pest management programme aimed at minimising the risk of disease during the winter period,” said Steve. “We apply it at a rate of 20 L/ha and combine it with a turf hardener and a little bit of seaweed – just to strengthen things up in the colder months.

“Fundamentally, since we’ve been using this product as part of our IPM programme, we have seen very little disease and along with our other cultural practices, it has helped us to keep the greens as clean as possible.”

As well as reporting good results from the products, Steve also reserved praise for the customer service he receives.

“The customer service is fantastic – right through from dealing with Ray, where we will discuss our nutritional and maintenance programmes, to receiving orders ahead of schedule.

“In fact, the ordering process is one of the best I’ve seen, which gives me peace of mind when I’m ordering products that I know I will get them delivered on the specified dates.”

For more information, visit www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity.

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