Campey Award-winning Dealers

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Campey Turf Care Award-winning Dealers for 2018: Campey Turf Care Systems has announced their award-winning dealers for 2018 with George Browns named as Dealership of the Year.

The Bedfordshire company are joined by Finish dealer, NH Koneet, who was awarded Most Improved Dealer whilst German company Rasenwelt won European Dealer of the Year 2018.

George Browns has been selling Campey products from their six depots since 2002 and now offer the entire range from Dakota and Imants through to Raycam and Vredo. For Browns, Campey products lend themselves to the hire market as much as they do retail sales, making them very popular with customers who recognise the impact they can have.

Jon Ryan, a member of the professional grass machinery sales team, collected the award on behalf of George Brown’s at BTME 2019 and appreciated the work of everyone at the dealership had been recognised.

“We were delighted to be named the Campey UK Dealer of the Year,” he said. “It recognises the work of everyone in our six depots and the combined efforts of the sales and hire side of the business who have come together to make a successful team.

“We started with Dakota TopDressers in 2002 following on with Vredo Seeders, Imants, Koro  and Raycam. To be honest there aren’t many Campeyô products that we haven’t sold which says a lot about their products and us a dealership.

“It’s a balance between us and Campey as we go out and offer the products to our customers but Campey themselves bring enquires to us and that’s the bond between the dealership and the manufacturer, we also see that in their product support and knowledge.

“Campeyô offers a wide range of machines like the Koro FTM, Air2G2, ShockWave, and the Raycam SPEEDRESSER. All of the ranges are popular with our customers because they’ve come from an innovative and forward-thinking company that have seen the challenges faced by turf professionals and made a point of providing a solution.

“Because of that they are now a company that sets the trend of the industry rather than following it.”

Managing director of NH Koneet, Teemu Hakkinen, hopes the successful relationship with Campey will continue as new customers in Finland continue to adopt the exclusive range of machines.

“It is an honour to receive this award. It reflects the successful relationship we have had with Campeys over many years and this is down to them supplying quality products with an excellent back-up service from a very reliable company, with excellent personnel in the field and at head office. ”

Rasenwelt’s impressive performance in 2018 also saw them named the European Dealer of the Year with the award received by Sales manager Armin Langenmair and his team.

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Second Toro Signing At Trentham

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Second Signing For Toro At Trentham: North Staffordshire’s  Trentham GC  has opted for Toro yet again, signing a second five-year agreement plan with UK distributor Reesink Turfcare. 

Within six years the club has gone from owning no Toro equipment to being a Toro ‘Total Solutions’ customer boasting a full fleet of Toro machines and Toro Lynx central control system irrigation with 170 Infinity series greens, approaches and surrounds sprinklers. 

Course manager, Ed Stant, says: “The difference using Toro has brought to the club has been huge. The grass is healthier, the surfaces are more aesthetically pleasing and playability is improved.” 

Now, with the club’s 125th anniversary coming up, the new machines couldn’t have arrived at a better time, says Ed: “The club has got events and functions planned this year for the anniversary. There’s definitely added pressure but it’s also a big motivator for the team.”

With this milestone event coming up, it was imperative the club had the best possible equipment in place to keep the 135-acre course in peak condition, and as the first five-year plan drew to a close and it came to signing a new agreement, “there wasn’t a need to look anywhere else,” says Ed. 

In fact, the machines have been such a perfect fit for the club, they are replacing them like for like: “Toro has done everything we needed it to for the last five years, so there was no reason to change that. The machinery is durable and lasts incredibly well and the irrigation system really proved its worth last summer! It paid dividends and the members have all seen the benefits.” 

In particular Ed and the team have been impressed with the Groundsmaster 4500-D: “The GM4500-D is a real beast of a machine. We have a lot of tree roots in our semi roughs which means you need a robust mower with a lot of power. It’s done the job with no problems and after five years of tough work it still hasn’t let up.”  

The traditional and beautifully kept course at Trentham attracts many keen golfers and this year will be home to the prestigious Reid Trophy, for the best in amateur under 14s golf. With the pressure on from members and visitors, Ed says he has total confidence in Toro to fulfil the course’s needs. 

“I’ve always wanted Toro at the club because simply put they are the best. The machines, the service and the communication from our local dealer Oakleys Groundcare and from Reesink Turfcare have all been great.”

He concludes: “At the end of the day, with Toro irrigation and machines for the course, I know we have the best possible equipment in place for the job.” 

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Hearts Install New Hybrid Pitch

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Hearts Install New Hybrid Pitch: Leading Scottish football club Heart of Midlothian Football Club has upgraded its famed Tynecastle Park in Edinburgh with a new state-of-the-art hybrid pitch thanks to Aggregate Industries’ drainage stone, sand and rootzone.

Having used a natural grass pitch and without a full pitch replacement in over 20 years, Heart of Midlothian Football Club wanted to significantly invest in a state-of-the-art pitch that would give the first team the best playing surface possible.

Hearts Install New Hybrid Pitch

Keen to invest in a robust pitch that will serve players and fans alike for years to come, Heart of Midlothian Football Club opted for the installation of a new £1m hybrid pitch combining natural grass with synthetic reinforcing fibres. The pitch includes a comprehensive piped drainage system, stone layer, base sand and rootzone layer, along with an entirely new irrigation system and upgraded undersoil heating system.

Working with main contractor Carrick Sports Construction and surface specialists STRI, Aggregate Industries was tasked with supplying high-quality drainage stone, sand and rootzone on an incredibly tight schedule. One of the main challenges included working within a restrictive traffic management plan and driving through narrow roads due to residential, commercial and school buildings surrounding the site.

An investment of this level demands the highest level of performance, hence the Aggregate Industries team at Levenseat Quarry in West Lothian suggested the use of a bespoke mix of solutions. This included ProPitch Root Zone, a blend of quality screened topsoil and the firm’s ProPitch 25 medium-fine silica sand, to produce a high quality growing medium as well as the best aggregates for drainage.

During a four-week construction programme which commenced on 10 May 2018, Aggregate Industries delivered 1,800 tonnes of ProPitch Rootzone to create a 100mm top layer, 1,800 tonnes of ProPitch 25 to create a 100mm middle layer and 1,500 tonnes of 2-6mm aggregate to create a 100mm bottom layer for drainage.

With precise planning and working collaboratively with all project partners, Aggregate Industries was able to achieve consistent and punctual deliveries throughout the project, helping Heart of Midlothian Football Club create the most precision-managed pitch in the world – on-time and to budget, while receiving glowing customer feedback in the process.

Hearts Install New Hybrid Pitch

Stewart Aird, Managing Director at Carrick Sports Construction, comments: “We were delighted to work with Aggregate Industries on this project as the team’s technical knowledge coupled with high-quality materials proved second to none. I’d also like to thank them for their excellent delivery service – the tight timeframe meant there was no room for delay and our suppliers had to deliver on time while observing a restrictive traffic management plan – and Aggregate Industries managed this well.”

Duncan McCool, sales manager at Aggregate Industries, said: “As one of the most high-profile pitch construction projects in Scotland, using the best quality materials is essential to creating a hybrid pitch that will truly stand the test of time. We are delighted that our bespoke mix of drainage aggregates, sand and rootzone, as well as precisely scheduled deliveries, were able to meet the unique specifications of this ambitious scheme.”

For further information, please call Levenseat Sands on 01525 237911 or email scotlandsales@aggregate.com

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STIHL Launches BR 800 C-E Blower

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STIHL Launches BR 800 C-E Blower: STIHL’s new BR 800 C-E is the latest addition to its range of innovative and high-performance blowers, ideal for professional landscapers and local authorities.

Producing a high-performance blowing force of 41N, the 80cc STIHL 4-MIX® engine runs on a fuel-oil mix just like a 2-stroke model and offers the benefits without the compromises of 4-stroke power. The STIHL 4-MIX® engine provides fast acceleration, more power, added torque, and lower noise during operation to complete jobs quickly and more easily. In addition, the engine offers reduced emissions and increased fuel efficiency.

STIHL Launches BR 800 C-E Blower

To make getting up and running even easier, the BR 800 C-E is designed with a convenient starting system featured on the side of the machine, allowing users to start the blower while wearing it. The simplified starting system also features an automatic choke reset and a switch position on the control handle that is always ‘ON’, ensuring that the professional user can start the BR 800 C-E with ease.

Thanks to its intuitive design, the BR 800 C-E has an excellent power-to-weight ratio and comes complete with an ergonomic backpack carrying system including S-shaped shoulder straps for maximum comfort when wearing. Additionally, the BR 800 C-E incorporates STIHL’s anti vibration technology that reduces feedback from the machine’s engine, allowing professionals to comfortably use the tool for extended periods of time.

Professionals can also rapidly adjust the position of the carrying handle and the blower tube without the need of tools, ensuring that the BR 800 E-C can be easily customised to suit the needs of the user.

When it comes to essential maintenance, the BR 800 C-E is designed to be easier than ever to service. As well as allowing for speedy valve clearance adjustment, the service cover of the BR 800 E-C also provides access to the diagnostic socket, which can be connected to the STIHL diagnostic system.

The ergonomic carrying handle on the BR 800 C-E is located above the centre of gravity, increasing the control and balance that the operator has when lifting and transporting the machine. Additionally, the blower tube of the BR 800 C-E can be placed in a mount, making the machine more compact when transporting. To make storage even easier, the BR 800 C-E comes with a slot in the backplate allowing professionals to hang the machine up when storing.

For more information on STIHL’s new BR 800 C-E blower, please visit www.stihl.co.uk.

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Etesia Hydro 80 A Great Performer

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Etesia Hydro 80 A Great Performer: Inverallan Landscapes managing director, John Maxwell, has reported a number of benefits from using the Etesia Hydro 80 MKHP ride-on mower.

Established in 1998, Inverallan Landscapes is a family run business based in Stirling. Over the past 21 years the company has specialised in grounds maintenance contracting and has a large client base which includes sites such as business parks, office developments, tourist attractions, churches, nursing homes, hotels, car dealerships and residential developments.

Etesia Hydro 80 A Great Performer

Furthermore, its sister company Inverallan Garden Services, solely focusses on domestic gardens within a 30 mile radius.

The company also boasts ISO 14001-2015 Environmental Management and ISO 9001-2015 Quality Management Systems certifications.

Inverallan Landscapes has seen incredible growth over recent years and now has an impressive fleet of machinery which offers a solution for every grounds maintenance requirement.

John is quite particular when it comes to selecting machinery, insisting on using only equipment of the highest standard. Therefore, when he needed a new ride-on mower he was careful to ensure that it ticked all of the necessary boxes.

“I wanted a ride-on mower that was compact, light and offered excellent performance,” he said.

“We have limited space in our work vans so the machine needed to fit into the back of them, which proved to be a difficult search. We also had to consider that there are some considerably tight and awkward green spaces which we need to attend to.”

Measuring less than 1 metre wide, the Etesia Hydro 80 is easily transported in any vehicle whether it be a van or a trailer. Its compact size means that this impressive machine can pass through most gateways and its tight turning circle makes it ideal for small or awkward areas. It mows close to walls and fences and is highly manoeuvrable. Also, with its large-sized front wheels, the Etesia Hydro 80 easily overcomes all obstacles such as pavement kerbs.

It has been designed to cut and collect both long and short grass, without clogging. Add to that its compact dimensions, ease of use, hydrostatic drive and powerful 15hp twin-cylinder Kawasaki engine, and you have a highly efficient machine offering the kind of output that would easily replace three walk-behind mowers.

The Hydro 80 has been robustly built and requires minimal maintenance. Operators have access to the engine and all working parts and the hydrostatic transmission system is maintenance free. The specially coated 60 mm tubular chassis is also designed for strength and long-life.

“We have had the Etesia Hydro 80 for three seasons now and it is used mostly every day between four different vans. It is nice and light as opposed to some of our other larger equipment too. Up here the ground can be very wet and soft at times so the Hydro 80 is the ideal machine to get on and get these areas cut. We have the flexibility to mulch or pick-up the grass which is beneficial too.

“It is also brilliant when attending to large grass areas because as opposed to having two or three operators using push mowers, we can just have one person covering the whole area with the Hydro 80.

“Overall the Etesia Hydro 80 has been a great machine for us.”

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.etesia.co.uk.

You can also follow Etesia on Twitter @EtesiaUK for much more news, reviews and insightful views.

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Etesia UK on Twitter @EtesiaUK and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/EtesiaUK. You can also view the latest Etesia videos by visiting www.youtube.com/EtesiaUK.

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