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NEWS ARTICLES

Arb 130 arrives right on time

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Arb 130 arrives right on time: After making the switch from graphic design to tree surgery in his mid-twenties, Tim Hill then went on to found Twentyeight Trees… when he turned 28!

Now two years later and with an ever-growing order book, the time was right to invest in a woodchipper and it was a GreenMech Arborist 130 that fitted the bill. Having previously hired chippers when required, Tim is quickly noticing both the practical and economical benefits of owning his own.

Arb 130 arrives right on time

Arb 130 arrives right on time

Twentyeight Trees undertake a variety of tree and hedge maintenance projects in and around Wiltshire. “Over the last 18 months, we were hiring in chippers on average three times a week which is not only expensive but comes with the stress of looking after and safely storing a machine that’s not your own.” With the majority of Tim’s work being domestic in nature, he knew that when it came to buying a chipper, a small machine that could easily navigate residential streets and restricted access properties and gardens was what he needed.

“I looked at a few different makes and models but there were a few reasons the GreenMech machine came out on top. Simple things like the fact the Arb 130 is fitted with a handbrake, which makes manoeuvring the chipper on sloped driveways or paths much easier, and the foldable discharge chute which makes storage of it nice and easy. Another positive, again simple, is the fact it has a bonnet – not all chippers do! With outdoor working, in particular the weather and risk of debris, it gives the engine valuable protection as well as making the chipper better visually.”

Tim took delivery of the Arb 130 from GA Groundcare at the beginning of April. “Ashley at GA Groundcare was knowledgeable and helpful throughout the process, making me feel confident and comfortable during what has been such a worrying time for a lot of companies. By following the AA guidelines, my team and I have been able to continue working and, with many people at home, our workload has rocketed.” Tim concludes, “We’re thankful we purchased the Arb 130 when we did and it has certainly been put through its paces these last few weeks, processing brash and timber of all shapes and sizes. It’s been spot on.”

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INFINICUT® & TMSystem™ the perfect match

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INFINICUT® & TMSystem™ the perfect match: Having played the sport from the age of 10, in 2012 Dean Gibbons combined his passion for bowls with his interest in turf maintenance, becoming Greenkeeper at Wantage Bowling Club.

At just 28, Dean brings youthful enthusiasm to improve standards whilst exploring new, greener alternatives for the club. On Dean’s recommendation, the club purchased a 22” INFINICUT® FX and a selection of TMSystem™ cassettes last year, meaning he can now mow, aerate and verti-cut the green, all with one battery-powered unit.

INFINICUT® & TMSystem™ the perfect match

INFINICUT® & TMSystem™ the perfect match

“I’d always had an interest in gardening at home so used that to assist the former greenkeeper at the bowls club, where I gained knowledge and invaluable hands-on experience. After taking over and familiarising myself with the programme, I then began to look at new machinery to make the tasks easier.” Over the last few years Dean has gradually taken on all of the maintenance work, meaning the club no longer require the service of external contractors – the savings from which went towards purchasing the INFINICUT® in July 2019.

“I’d had my eye on the INFINICUT® for a few years. The fact it is battery powered makes it greener, cleaner and quieter to operate and in addition, the versatile range of cassette options available meant we only needed to fund, and subsequently store, a single machine. When they introduced the Fixed Head model it offered all of the above benefits, wrapped up in a more affordable package for us.”

During a regular season, Dean and his team of volunteers would mow the green up to four times a week, adding that the “simplicity of use and well-balanced manoeuvrability of the INFINICUT® has taken the strain off the maintenance.” Their TMSystem™ cassettes – the SarelRoller and UltraGroomer – are then passed over the green on a bi-weekly basis. Preventing surface sealing, the SarelRoller helps to improve filtration rates and gaseous exchange into the upper rootzone, while the 80+ tungsten carbide tipped blades of the UltraGroomer minimise puffiness and effectively remove thatch and lateral growth.

“The multi-functionality of the INFINICUT® is excellent – the flexibility I have to conduct those three tasks, exactly when we need to means our green is now in better shape than ever. Not only that, but the quality and cleanliness of cut has helped to boost overall plant health, helping me to fulfil my organic approach to greenkeeping.” Enjoying the fruits of his labour, Dean remains a keen player and hopes that the quality of the bowling surface may encourage new, and perhaps younger, players to the club.

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Symbio appoints new business development manager

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Symbio appoints new business development manager: Jeremy Hughes has been appointed by Symbio as its new International Business Development Manager.

He has taken the reins from Martin Ward in providing advisory services, product support and training to the company’s growing number of distributorships serving an expanding customer base in overseas markets. Jeremy also provides direct support to a number of golf resorts and football clubs in Europe and the Nordics.

Symbio appoints new business development manager

Symbio appoints new business development manager

Jeremy has been with the Surrey-based company for five years as Technical Sales Manager for the Midlands, north west England and west Wales. He was previously Course Manager at the Vale of Llangollen Golf Club where he adopted and advocated a biological approach to turf management.

Jeremy says that interest in the company’s products has never been greater. “Over the past 30 years, we’ve worked with customers to restore a healthy balance to their soil. As the market-leader, we’ve experienced year-on-year growth in recent years, spurred on by wider access to education, the withdrawal of active ingredients in chemical applications, and greater environmental awareness.

A growing understanding of soil biology is resulting in an increasing number of sports turf managers changing their approach to problem solving and the improvement of their playing surfaces, whether that’s thatch reduction, grass species conversion, disease prevention, maintaining firmer, drier greens, or increasing the holding capacity of sand-based sports pitches. Club owners are increasing seeking advice at the construction stage, starting as they mean to go on in ensuring soil and turf health is optimised from the outset. We continue to improve and develop the company and our product range, building on our excellent results and customer satisfaction.”

Jeremy can be contacted on Tel: 07554 668423 and by email at jeremy@symbio.co.uk.

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New Doosan excavator excels in Spain

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New Doosan excavator excels in Spain: Excavaciones Rafael Gómez, based at Cos in Cantabria in Spain, has purchased a new Doosan DX235LCR-5 reduced radius excavator. The machine was supplied by Adal Exclusivas Generales, the local Authorised Dealer for the Doosan range in the area.

Excavaciones Rafael Gómez works mainly in the forestry sector but also in public works, earthmoving and constructing breakwaters. The company regularly carries out work for a large local forestry company that supplies wood to pulp, mining and sawmill companies from fast-growing woodland stands, including eucalyptus and pine along the Cantabrian coast. Excavaciones Rafael Gómez also works locally for various official departments of the Cantabrian government as well as contracts in neighbouring communities such as Asturias or the Basque Country, and even in Castilla León.

New Doosan excavator excels in Spain

New Doosan excavator excels in Spain

“My company is specialized in the forestry sector, in land preparation, cleaning, clearing and access to forest plantations. Once the trees in the mountains are cut down, their remains must be cleared out, with the debris stacked for removal or for crushing,” says owner, Rafael Gómez Rivero.

He added: “In the mountains, a machine cannot fail on you – it is not the same as when you work in the centre of a city. I need a reliable machine and what made me opt for Doosan was, first, the service; I have the dealer, Adal Exclusivas Generales, right next to me – they provide excellent service, they are real specialists. They offer a complete management, advice and service solution. The second reason, of course, was the performance of the DX235LCR-5 and its reduced fuel consumption.”

The 24 tonne Doosan DX235LCR-5 reduced radius excavator offers superior digging performance together with flexibility, convenience and low operating costs in a compact design with a minimum swing radius of 2310 mm. The DX235LCR-5 meets the growing demand for reduced radius machines for work in confined areas.

Increased Power and Fuel Efficiency

The DX235LCR-5 is powered by the well-proven 6-cylinder, turbocharged Doosan DL06P water-cooled diesel engine which offers convenience and lower costs by meeting emission regulations without the need for a diesel particulate filter (DPF), through the use of cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and selective catalyst reduction (SCR) after-treatment technologies. The DL06P engine provides an output of 180 kW (242 HP) at 1900 rpm, an increase of 9% in engine power.

As well as the DL06P engine, which is one of the most reliable and fuel efficient ever produced by Doosan, innovative and exclusive features have been introduced providing an overall 8% increase in fuel efficiency compared to the DX235LCR-3.

According to Rafael Gómez Rivero, he chose this specific model because of its short turning radius, which makes it a perfect excavator for working in tight places. He has used other machines that did not allow him to travel or work as easily. The Doosan DX235LCR-5 excavator does much more in confined spaces, and with the dozer blade, the operator can also do the work of a small bulldozer. The articulated arm on the DX235LCR-5 allows the boom and bucket to be brought very close to the machine, which is a key feature for the forestry sector and also provides the digging force to work in stony ground.

Rafael Gómez Rivero added: “In the Doosan DX235LCR-5 excavator, I would highlight the turning force it has – the turning torque and turning force are very high. It means that travelling on slopes with a loaded bucket and turning the stones on the breakwaters with a bucket are no problem for this model. There is a lot of strength and stability in the tracks – it climbs all kinds of terrain without problem.

“Colleagues and friends who are using Doosan machines have recommended them to me for their reliability. They have Doosan machines in this area that have worked for over 20,000 hours with no problems. And that is essential for me and for other contractors in the sector. Avoiding downtime is very important, since it translates into productivity and profit.

“I have been working with machines for over 40 years, so I know them very well and I can say that the Doosan DX235LCR-5 excavator has a very good quality/price ratio. The hydraulic system that comes standard with this model is very appropriate for this class of machine – the smoothness of the movements is much better than that in machines from other brands. It is faster and more comfortable to operate with a system that allows attachments to be operated from the joystick or a two-way pedal.”

For more on Doosan construction equipment, please visit the website: www.eu.doosanequipment.com

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Fleet paint VE Day rainbow

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Fleet paint VE Day rainbow: About 4 weeks ago, we were asked by Julie Wills, the Head Teacher of Upton Upon Severn Primary School, if we could paint a large rainbow on their playing field in support of all the Key Workers. We of course said “Yes, it’ll be a pleasure!”.  So my colleague, Chris Bridges, and I set about creating a beautiful rainbow on their playing field.

The end result was amazing and was reported by BBC Hereford & Worcester and appeared on BBC Midlands Today TV at tea time.

Fleet paint VE Day rainbow

Fleet paint VE Day rainbow

A couple of weeks later, Malvern Community Hospital asked if we could paint another outside the reception of the Hospital, on grass. So again Chris and I set about creating a smaller rainbow outside the Hospital. This is still bringing smiles to the faces of staff as they enter and leave the hospital.

Whilst being interviewed by Justyn Surrall of BBC Hereford & Worcester after the second rainbow, Justyn jokingly said to me “maybe we’ll have a competition to see who can do the biggest rainbow”. This stuck in my mind for a couple of weeks. I then called Malvern Rugby Club to check they would be ok with us (Fleet) painting a rainbow, the full length of the 1st XV PITCH from try line to try line …. 100 metres in length! The Club were extremely excited about the whole idea.

This rainbow needed to be different to the other two, which it certainly would be due to its size! My colleague Chris reminded me about VE DAY on the 08th May, so with this is mind, we thought we’d make it a tribute to all the Key Workers as well as remembering VE DAY.  The end result has been particularly well received. It has made the National News channels, as well as Regional News. It has appeared as far afield as New Zealand on their National News as well as many countries across Europe. As well as being 100 metres from one end to the other, below the net arc of the rainbow, we painted the VE DAY logo set on top of a Union Jack Flag. Our MAQA GNSS system was used to plot the Flag, our BeamRider Laser System was used for the VE DAY logo and it was back to basics using a tape measure and straight edges to do the lettering etc. The 7 & 5 on the VE DAY logo were 6 metres in height, the VE DAY letters were 4 metres high and the rest of the text at about 1.3 metres. Each colour of the rainbow was 2.5 metres in width. If you walked around  the red arc of the rainbow, the distance would be around 157 metres!  It took about 2.5/3 days for Chris, Ali S, Adam and myself to get this “small project“ painted in ( plus I roped in my son for half a day and Ali M who flew the drone for videos and pics was roped in for a few hours as well! All socially distancing of course) A massive thanks and pat on the back to everyone involved.

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