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ICL launch LockStar residual herbicide

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ICL launch LockStar residual herbicide: ICL has announced the launch of LockStar – a new residual, pre-emergent total herbicide for vegetation management in the UK.

LockStar arrives at a time when public green spaces, amenity areas and transportation infrastructure are all coming under increasing pressure from reduced budgets, weed infestations and a reduction in chemical solutions available on the market. This new herbicide will keep areas such as these weed-free, functional and visually pleasing.

ICL launch LockStar residual herbicide

Developed for use on natural surfaces not intended to bear vegetation, permeable surfaces overlying soil and railway ballast, LockStar controls a broad spectrum of weeds and has an innovative, long-lasting formula which allows for professional and safe weed control. The formula contains diflufenican and iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium – which is the first new weed control active ingredient to be released in the UK for many years.

When applied before germination LockStar creates a dual barrier at the soil surface ensuring that soil is kept weed-free for up to four months. To control weeds that are already present, LockStar should be tank-mixed with glyphosate or a fatty acid.

Plants can become resistant to active ingredients within products with the same mode of action, which is why LockStar features these two different active ingredients. Affecting plants in multiple ways, they give increased longevity compared to products with a single mode of action – useful for users undertaking a resistance management programme.

LockStar, available in a 500g pack, uses the latest generation of water dispersible granules, which means the product quickly dissolves in water and remains stable in the spray tank for a minimum of 24 hours.

Compared to conventional weed management programmes, LockStar keeps surfaces clean and weed-free for longer, as well as reducing the number of applications and amounts of herbicide required.

LockStar should be applied at a rate of 500g/ha between February and June, with just a single application per season.

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

For more news and insightful views, you can follow ICL on Twitter @ICL_Turf

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STRI and Surface Performance form testing alliance

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STRI and Surface Performance form testing alliance: STRI Group has struck an alliance with international turf testing house Surface Performance Ltd.

The global sports solutions provider has engaged with Surface Performance to work together providing sports surface design and testing services for artificial sports surfaces.

 

This collaboration is uniquely placed to combine the highest standard of international and regional expertise to improve artificial sports surfaces at all levels of facility to clients across the globe.

STRI and Surface Performance have worked extensively with major sports governing bodies and organisations. STRI delivered pitch consultancy for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Wimbledon Championships and UEFA, while Surface Performance provides accredited testing and certification for FIFA, World Rugby, FA and ITF standards.

The agreement will support the delivery of range of innovative testing products and data-driven services, including STRI’s new sports surface performance tracker – TurfSync.

Celebrating its 90th birthday this year, STRI has reinforced its position as market leader in the sports surface industry. Significant investments have been made, including the development of research facilities in Australia and Qatar and the launch of design and consultancy hubs in China, Hong Kong and the Middle East.

Established in 2012, Surface Performance have grown to be one of the market leaders in synthetic sports facilities testing, with their head office and laboratory located in London, UK.

STRI head of business development, Andrew Brooker, said: “The agreement ensures our respective businesses can provide a well-rounded service to our existing and future clients. We are pleased to be working with Surface Performance to be able to deliver both services to the global sports surface market.”

Surface Performance director, Callum Reid, said: “This is an exciting opportunity for our team to work alongside STRI throughout the UK and globally. With more and more venues now offering both natural turf and synthetic fields, having the two companies working in parallel makes complete commercial sense.”

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Allett’s electric avenue at SALTEX

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Allett’s electric avenue at SALTEX: Allett Mowers will be showing the latest battery powered mowers in the range on their stand K009 at Saltex and in the Eco Village.

The Uplift 86E is the new 82V li-ion battery powered stadium rotary mower, designed for debris collection after matches and built on the experience gained with previous models. It features twin contra rotating blades for a high lift cut and vacuum for increased efficiency, while a full width rear roller produces perfect stripes. The cutting width is 86cm (34”) and there is a single point, robust and effortless height of cut adjustment between 20mm – 50mm. A wide grass chute allows unimpeded grass collection and the moulded deck is constructed to optimize the airflow. The Uplift 86E power source is an 82V battery system which features four quick change battery docking stations and the mower can use any number of batteries from one to four. Batteries can be charged in 1.5 hours and they are interchangeable with the C34E in the Allett range. The batteries connect to a phone app via Bluetooth enabling the operator to check battery life, battery temperature and even the batteries’ location. There are three brushless motors for maximum efficiency and reliability, two powering the blades and one powering the rear roller. Using batteries as its power source the Uplift 86E is extremely quiet in operation with exceptionally low vibration for maximum user comfort and productivity.

Allett’s electric avenue at SALTEX

The Allett C34E on display is a large area walk-behind electric cylinder mower. Utilising the latest Lithium-ion battery technology it’s designed for quiet operation in sports stadiums, training grounds and for prestige lawns. One of the Allett range of eco-friendly professional mowers, it has all the power to run a series of interchangeable cartridges to verticut, rake, aerate and brush as well as mow with strong striping and an impeccable cut. Operation is easy with variable speed control of the cylinder and roller. The mower features extremely low Hand-Arm vibrations. Touch button control gives instant half speed reduction for controlled turning and manoeuvring around objects. Using battery power, there is no petrol with its associated storage and management issues. The C34E batteries are interchangeable with the Allett Uplift 86E eco-friendly battery powered mower.

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Toro brings improvement for Hamilton

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Toro brings improvement for Hamilton: Based on a recommendation, Hamilton Golf Club in Lanarkshire, Scotland, opted for Toro for its irrigation refit.

And based on its subsequent performance course manager Bruce Cruickshank credited the Lynx central control system and Infinity sprinklers for being “years ahead of the competition” and delivering “a definite improvement to the course” which has helped increase membership.

Toro brings improvement for Hamilton

Bruce explains the journey to this point: “Our irrigation system, like many clubs across the UK, was originally installed in the late 70s so was overdue an update. We started the process by speaking to irrigation consultants about specific issues we were having with an excess of wet areas on the course. We weren’t sure if they were caused by ineffective irrigation or drainage and they were able to recommend an irrigation upgrade to solve that.”

It was bringing in Applied Irrigation to install the new system who recommended Toro as the best system to solve the problem, comments Bruce: “We were advised to go with Toro by Callum Oliphant from Applied Irrigation. He vouched for Toro as the best system on the market and as far as we’re concerned, he’s right!”

Not only was the process completed smoothly, but the new system also proved vital for keeping the greens to a high standard during the heatwave last summer, as Bruce explains.

“Using the computer to adjust the sprinkler water percentage was very useful during that time and we would have really struggled without Toro irrigation,” he says. “The incredible results we’ve seen really are a testament to the quality of the product. And praise must of course go to Applied Irrigation for the expert installation, Reesink Turfcare for the great back up provided, and to the club captain Michael Reilly for his work and support.”

Since having Toro irrigation on board, Bruce and the members at the club have seen “a definite improvement to the course” which can only certify the club’s first investment in Toro as a success.

“The Toro Lynx controller and Infinity sprinklers have taken updating to another level – they’re years ahead of the competition in terms of the technology and quality they offer,” says Bruce. “The control system is just fantastic and it’s so easy to use, being able to control so much on my phone is really useful. With the sprinklers, I particularly like that the spray height can be adjusted to deal effectively with windy conditions, plus being top accessible makes maintenance far easier.

“From start to finish, this process has been a joy to see carried out.”

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Relationships renewed at Glasgow Golf Club

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Relationships renewed at Glasgow Golf Club: Founded as a members club in 1787, Glasgow Golf Club is proud of its heritage as the ninth oldest golf club in the world. The club jointly operates its heritage parkland course at Killermont on the outskirts of the city and its championship Gailes Links Course on the Firth of Clyde at Irvine in Ayrshire.

Between them, course managers Brian Dickson at Glasgow Gailes and Stuart Taylor at Killermont have nearly 70 years of experience leading their respective greenkeeping teams. They have recently re-established their working relationship with local John Deere dealer Nairn Brown Ltd of Busby by investing in a John Deere Financial deal for new course maintenance equipment worth more than £1 million in total, spread over five years.

Relationships renewed at Glasgow Golf Club

The finance package, a mix of mostly contract hire plus some finance lease, includes John Deere’s PowerGard Maintenance and Protection Plus service and repair plans, which provide comprehensive, budgeted cover for the full five-year period.

A total of 19 John Deere machines plus a Tru-Turf greens roller were initially delivered this summer, with the greater number going into Glasgow Gailes. These include E-Cut hybrid electric triplex greens mowers plus PrecisionCut walk-behind greens mowers and fairway mowers, tees & surrounds and TerrainCut rotary rough mowers, two ProGator utility vehicles equipped with amenity turf sprayers (one featuring a Rogers covered spray boom), XUV Gators and 4R Series compact tractors.

“We’re constantly arranging demonstrations of various manufacturers’ machines to see what’s available on the market and keep up with the latest technology,” says Stuart Taylor. “John Deere has made a lot of changes and adaptations in recent years to make jobs more efficient, such as the A Model mowers’ TechControl display, rear roller power brushes on the reels and different size cutting heads to suit ground conditions and undulations better.

“The 2653B utility triplex mower, which we use with 30in heads for cutting round bunker edges in particular, has had some big changes to make it easier to operate, including the SpeedLink quick adjust cutting units for really fast height of cut changes. The quality of cut is very consistent and the mowers hold their cut without needing to make lots of adjustments.

“Greasing the mowers with groomers fitted used to be quite awkward, but John Deere has made the machines easier to service now. The sprayer is also easier to attach and detach as well as to operate, using the automatic rate controller.

Relationships renewed at Glasgow Golf Club

“As the customer we need to look at the bottom line very closely, and we found the John Deere Financial package very straightforward as well as competitive. It provided an excellent paper trail, and everything was laid out clearly with nothing hidden away – this made a big difference. John Deere may not make everything we need, but we’ve been able to mix and match and get the best deal for the club.

“We already knew Nairn Brown is first class at providing prompt service and repairs when necessary, and John Deere’s overnight parts delivery is second to none. When you’re dealing with a big contract like this one, it’s also important to build the right relationship – you need to be flexible, accommodating and to work together. Build in the right machines and backup service, and the whole package just looked to be the best and most attractive option.”

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