Industry Award For Edgbaston

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Industry Award For Edgbaston: Warwickshire head groundsman Gary Barwell and his team at Edgbaston have been awarded two of the biggest grounds industry accolades by the Institute of Groundsmanship.

The groundstaff, who received global recognition for their work in the summer on England’s Test match against India and throughout the 2018 domestic season, were named Professional Cricket Grounds Team of the Year at the IOG Awards at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole.

Barwell was also presented with the awards’ marquee accolade of Groundsman of the Year, which represents groundstaff across a variety of sports and industries.

 He said: “My team have worked incredibly hard in the most challenging conditions over the last 12 months and are always striving to produce the very best pitch, outfield and practice facilities for all cricket at Edgbaston, whether it’s for a Test match watched by millions of people around the world or a friendly match.

“There are some exceptionally talented people working across grounds care in cricket and we are regularly in touch to discuss new ideas and best practice across our profession. For our team to be recognised with these awards by our industry peers is a great honour.”

The IOG was originally founded in 1934 and aims to be the leading professional organisation for grounds management .

“Having this year suffered extreme weather conditions, with the winter’s ‘Beast from the East’ through to this summer’s unprecedented record heatwave, the climate has tested groundsmen to their limits,” said IOG chief executive Geoff Webb.

“It has not been easy, yet we have seen how fantastic our profession is and this year’s awards had a fantastic array of nominees, who have all achieved very high standards.”

The glittering awards ceremony is the tenth to be staged by the IOG and the Edgbaston groundstaff were also recognised at the 2013 event as winner of Professional Cricket Grounds Team of the Year.

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Students Boosted By EGO

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Students Boosted By EGO: EGO, the cordless outdoor power tool specialist, has helped horticulture students put theory into practice at Bridgwater and Taunton College in Somerset.

Sixty students from the college’s horticulture, green keeping, sports turf, countryside management and arboriculture courses attended. Apprentices and employers, who are undertaking the exciting new Apprenticeship Standard, were also invited in to take part in this special training day.

Students Boosted By EGO

Designed to raise awareness of battery-powered cordless technology, the day included a theory session in the morning, followed by a practical session in the afternoon. Attendees were able to test the tools at the Cannington Golf Centre where they performed a variety of gardening work. This included trimming hedges down during opening hours, which would otherwise be limited due to the noise of petrol tools.

“Air pollution, noise pollution and sustainability are all clearly huge issues in today’s society. More and more, we can see how petrol-based equipment does not combat these problems, and in fact adds to them,” said Peter Melrose, President (EMEA) at EGO.

“That’s why initiatives like this where we can educate young people entering the trade is so important. With the cordless technology from EGO, we deliver the same power as an equivalent petrol tool, but with less fumes, that’s much quieter and much more sustainable for the planet.”

Cary Rawlings, Assessor/Trainer at Bridgwater & Taunton College, said “I initially met the EGO team at Saltex 2017. We were thrilled to develop this relationship so that our students get to hear about the latest innovations and technology.”

The training day proved a hit with all parties. Jacob Camplin, a Level 2 Greenkeeping Apprentice, said “Today was very enjoyable. I learnt about the benefits of battery-operated equipment over petrol.”

Attendees were all provided with EGO’s new FAQ document, giving detailed insight on battery technology and how it compares to petrol. The opportunity to understand how servicing and maintenance works with these tools was also a key part of the module, which included EGO’s mowers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws, leaf blowers and line trimmers.

Melrose concludes: “It was great to partner with the Bridgwater and Taunton College and the day was a great success. It’s fantastic to see students gain exposure to a credible alternative to petrol, and we hope to hold another similar event again soon.”

To find out more about studying land based courses or undertaking an apprenticeship with Bridgwater & Taunton College, please call 01278 441234. Or for more about EGO, please visit https://egopowerplus.co.uk

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Allett’s Electric Evolution

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Allett’s Electric Evolution: Allett powers into the new age of electric mowers with the C34 Evolution, large area, walk behind cylinder mower launched at Saltex 2018. The latest Lithium Ion system battery technology in the C34 Evolution drives the future of mowing systems for sports stadiums, training grounds and prestige lawns, without compromise and with all the attributes of the Allett heritage. The battery system will power the 86cm mower, without a reducing performance, for over six thousand square metres (1.5 acres) per charge and changing batteries takes less than thirty seconds. While the battery drive and chassis design are brand new, the C34 Evolution is fully compatible with Allett’s turf maintenance system. There’s plenty of power to drive interchangeable cartridges to scarify, rake, aerate, brush and verti-cut and it takes less than one hour to recharge batteries.

Electric power for the professional brings a whole range of benefits. Primarily there’s no noise, no emissions at the point of use, less maintenance and easier controls. Couple this with no fuel management and storage requirements, no pull start and a lower lifetime cost of ownership and it’s easy to see why the Allett C34 Evolution has its place in groundcare, turf management and sports stadiums; particularly when they are enclosed. Hand Arm Vibration (HAV) is also much reduced, allowing longer operating times. There is variable speed control and touch button control to give half speed reduction for turning and manoeuvring. Built-in back-lapping gives the ability to keep blades sharp for cleaner cutting and quiet operation.

Allett’s Electric Evolution

Strong striping and an impeccable cut are hallmarks of all Allett mowers and the C34 Evolution can be relied upon to deliver the same. Extensive user tests produced exceptional results and any concerns about battery power and their life were swept away. Customers of traditional engine driven products were surprised at how powerful the electric C34 really is, and without compromise compared with petrol. Four convenient batteries clip out of the machine to be separately charged. The mower will run with 1, 2, 3 or 4 batteries if required at full performance, but proportionately reduced running time. This and the fact the batteries can be recharged in the duration of a lunch break is enough to tell you the mower won’t run out of charge before the work is done.

The next consideration then is cost. Using Lithium Ion technology in the C34 Evolution, with the latest brushless motors and controllers, gives extended discharge times. The cost of a complete charge is only 0.40p and maintenance is kept at a minimum. The bonus is the batteries from this mower can also be used to power other equipment such as brushcutters, chainsaws, blowers and long-reach hedgecutters.

For more information, visit: www.allett.co.uk

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Allett Launch Uplift 86

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Allett Launch Uplift 86: Allett Mowers has launched the new Uplift 86 stadium rotary mower.

The new mower is built on the experience of the previous model, coupled with the feedback of groundsmen. This is an altogether solidly built, tougher machine with its stainless steel fabricated cutter deck and three piece, full width, steel roller.

Allett Launch Uplift 86

Allett has created an 86cm/34” solid and dependable stadium rotary mower in the Uplift 86. Twin, 18” contra rotating blades produce a high lift cut and vacuum for increased efficiency, making it the ideal mower for debris collection after matches. The 90 litre grass bag capacity means fewer trips to empty cuttings.

As you would expect with Allett, the rear roller produces the most perfect stripes. The cutting height is micro adjustable between 1.5 and 7.5cm (0.5in – 2.3in) and among the new features is an HOC front locking kit and lower handle stiffening.

The Uplift 86 features a five speed heavy-duty gearbox, with cast aluminium housing and steel gears, which allows the operator to select a comfortable forward speed with greater control in small, intricate areas.

Higher speed selection, up to 6.7km/h (4.2mph), quickly covers large areas for increased efficiency. There is a separate bail bar for the roller drive and blades which allows the operator three modes of selection: roller drive only, blades only or roller drive and blades. The blades are driven by the belt drive and there is a safety blade brake. The handle bars are adjustable for operator comfort.

Reliability and durability are inbuilt in the Uplift 86 with new chain self tensioning, bearing protection on the toothed pulley and solid front tyres running on bronze bushes, which are greasable for maintenance. A 223cc Briggs & Stratton 950E vertical crankshaft OHV engine featuring ‘Ready/Start’ drives the Uplift 86.

An optional accessory of an Uplift 86B fixed strip brush is also available with soft, medium or hard bristle.

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SALTEX Success For Hayter & Toro

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SALTEX Success For Hayter & Toro: Hayter, makers of high-quality mowers, and Toro, a global leader in turf and landscape maintenance equipment, saw another hugely successful year at SALTEX 2018.

Following a fantastic response at the Show in 2017, the popular lawn care brands have returned to SALTEX to showcase new and exciting products for 2019, including the Toro® Grandstand® stand-on mower and the Harrier 48 and 56 Pro models by Hayter.

SALTEX Success For Hayter & Toro

Revealed to the public for the very first time were Hayter’s new Harrier 48 and 56 Pro – both welcome additions to the Harrier rear-roller mower range, renowned for its turf striping. The new designs also feature an all-new cast aluminium cutter deck and the innovative Crank-Safe Blade Brake Clutch (BBC) system, which combines the ease of use of a  BBC and the proven reassurance of the Friction Disc system, providing the customer with a lifetime warranty against crankshaft bending through impact.

Another exclusive reveal at this year’s Show were Toro’s two new Grandstand mowers, available in either 91cm (36”) and 122cm (48”) cutting widths. The Grandstand combines the speed and comfort of a zero-turn mower with the benefits of a professional walk-behind, being the perfect productive solution to cover maximum area in minimal time, always with a flawless result.

Hayter and Toro wish to thank those visiting their stand during SALTEX, and look forward to another exciting year ahead.

For more information, please visit www.hayter.co.uk or www.toro.com/en-gb.

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