New Campey TopDrain For CLS

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New Campey TopDrain For CLS: Leading specialist sports contractors, CLS Sports, a division of Cleveland Land Services, has added an Imants (KORO®) TopDrain 1000 from Campey Turf Care Systems to their fleet to meet increased customer demand.

For 15 years CLS Sports has been at the forefront of sports turf contracting using their expertise and knowledge, in conjunction with the most innovative machines available, to service the sports turf industry.

New Campey TopDrain For CLS

During that time drainage has, and will continue to be, one of the most vital aspects of sports turf maintenance. Keeping surfaces playable throughout the more challenging times of the season is paramount for team or club.

Introducing a secondary drainage system that compliments existing primary drainage is an effective way to prevent fixtures being postponed. Water can drain quicker into the primary lateral drains, making surfaces more suitable for the demands of modern sport and increasingly wetter weather.

The TopDrain 1000 provides a complete one-pass surface drainage system. It is a unique multifunctional machine that trenches, removes spoil, injects sand and re-compacts all in one operation. Designed for sports fields and golf course fairways, the TopDrain 1000 benefits include; material and labour savings, faster processing times and less surface contamination than conventional methods.

For Cleveland Land Services Contracts Director, Stephen Miller, this is the second TopDrain in the fleet so they are already familiar with the advantages it brings, but the benefits of adding a second smaller machine has strengthened the service they offer.

“Top draining is an option that’s been popular for some time and is continuing to grow,” Stephen said. “It’s been specified on a number of schemes this year and it’s something that when we design projects internally we’d recommend because it offers a high-level secondary drainage system.

New Campey TopDrain For CLS

“So, the combined growth in demand and proven results is the reason why we have purchased a second machine. We have plenty of TopDrain work for our current model to do, but also a requirement for the new smaller 1000 model for other projects which were as important but didn’t need the tractor capacity.

“The 1000 model trenches out at 250mm deep and 40mm wide and at one-meter centres, whereas our existing machine works at the same depth and width but at half meter centres.

“Our current TopDrain needs a 135hp tractor whereas the TopDrain 1000 only requires 105hp thereby increasing its versatility on site as the same tractors we use to install the primary drainage systems can be used to install the secondary system.”

For more information, visit: www.campeyturfcare.com

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Koro FTM At Cricket Demo Day

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Koro FTM At Cricket Demo Day: Campey Turf Care Systems in association with their Cambridgeshire dealer, Scamblers, held a successful demonstration day at Clare College, Cambridge, to show what the Koro FIELD TOP-MAKER can do on a cricket square.

The Imants machine was originally used to strip the organic matter off of football pitches and has gone on to be used in rugby, golf and tennis with cricket becoming the latest adopter of the technology.

Koro FTM At Cricket Demo Day

Cambridge United use the Clare College site for training and because of this head groundsman, Robbie Nightingale knows the difference removing the organic matter can make to a football pitch and was keen to test it out on his cricket square.

“There is a lot of good quality cricket played in the county and there is an opening for a few Colleges or clubs to pitch in together to get a Koro FTM,” he explained. “Using the machine in different sports to what it was originally used for is something that’s a growing trend and you read and see a lot about people using it, so we thought we’d have a look and see what it’s about.

“Because it’s a demonstration day and the first time we used the machine we wanted to start at 3mm and go down very gradually so we could take out whatever we wanted to. Going to 3mm is ideal for us because we wouldn’t have been able to do that with the machinery that we have so it’s been a fantastic opportunity for us, and others, to see it on our own square.

30 turf professionals from 28 different cricket clubs, football clubs and colleges from the Cambridgeshire region attended the event which also included a demonstration of the Air2G2 GT Air Inject.

Campey product specialist, Simon Holland, ran the practical side of the event and has seen an increased number of cricket groundsmen enquire about using the Koro FTM on their squares.

Koro FTM At Cricket Demo Day

“Koro-ing has become more popular within cricket at all levels of the game,” he said. “I’m going to Edgbaston Cricket Ground to Koro a wicket there that has SIS Grass reinforcement, so that’ll be an interesting project to work on because it’ll be the first time it’s been done on a cricket pitch that’s reinforced.

“But although today is mainly cricket we do have people from other sports attending because they want to see the Koro FTM working. I think there’s a growing interest from the cricket side because it isn’t something they’ve adopted fully yet, but they can see the benefits of using it.

“The idea is to level the pitch, particularly the saddles, and pull 90% of the organic matter out so they’ve got a blank canvass to work with.”

For more information, visit: www.campeyturfcare.com

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Whisper Twister Perfect For Coxmoor

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Whisper Twister Perfect For Coxmoor: Coxmoor Golf Club, an accredited England Golf Championship venue, is in its fourth year of a major ten year redevelopment, working closely with architects, Creative Golf Design. The progressive Nottinghamshire club has an innovative programme of bunker and tee improvements to future proof the course which are already elevating its stature. 

Running alongside is a ten year woodlands plan in partnership with The Sherwood Forest Trust and the Forestry Commission.  The goal is to restore the Sutton-in-Ashfield club to its natural heathland habitat with a better understanding of woodland management.  Over 1500 trees have been thinned out making way for the best indigenous species, the focus on selecting trees across a spectrum of life cycle stages. By necessity, Course Manager, Ben Cumberland and his greenkeeping team of seven, adopt very effective solutions for removing leaf debris.

Whisper Twister Perfect For Coxmoor

Central to their operation is a previously under-used John Deere 3730 tractor, which now supports a Wiedenmann Whisper Twister blower on the front and a variety of equipment on the back.

“When I joined Coxmoor, the 3730 tractor was a couple of years old with its three point front linkage kit untouched and no obvious plans to put it to use. With front linkage in place it made sense to attach a blower which could stay on for two to three months at a time,” explained Ben Cumberland.  “James Robson from dealer Henton and Chatell got on the case and brought the Whisper Twister for demo and we kept it.

“It’s fortunate the John Deere has low ground pressure and Galaxy flotation tyres so it can be over the greens for most of the year, leaving no imprint whatsoever. The Whisper Twister balances on a low pressure wheel so together they are perfect for fine turf. When it’s dry, the blower goes round the greens that need it in the morning to tidy them. We drive right up to a bunker, point the nozzle, rotate if required and the leaves are taken out easily. Because the driver’s view is to the front, you see everything; no awkward neck twisting trying to look behind,” continued Ben Cumberland.

Whisper Twister Perfect For Coxmoor

“Only in the depths of winter will we go over the greens and blow leaves by hand. But for other parts of the course when it is damp and the leaves are dormant and bedded into the grass, we will pair the blower with the Wiedenmann Terra Rake.  The scarifying tines on the rake go through the longer grass, teasing the leaves out from the bottom; the leaves are blown out and then we rake them up.

“Having the blower to the front is so versatile; the set up gives scope to do more and more. We will put another machine on the back and tidy as we go, especially with aeration work on the greens, or with the slitter, the sorrel roller, the brush… even down to blowing tees before we spray them with the sprayer attached. We often do two jobs in one. Kill two birds with the one stone if you like.”

For more information, visit: www.wiedenmann.com

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idverde Brings Mixto To SALTEX

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idverde Brings Mixto To SALTEX: idverde will be at this year’s SALTEX exhibition and visitors to the show will have a unique opportunity to get their feet on the Mixto hybrid turf system.

idverde, the UK’s exclusive supplier and installer of Mixto, is excited to bring the innovative sports surface to the exhibition, with a stand featuring a mini Mixto football pitch so that visitors can try it out for themselves.

idverde Brings Mixto To SALTEX

Mixto is a reinforced natural hybrid surface, consisting of a synthetic and a natural grass component. The added strength from the artificial turf improves the durability of the pitch, with playing time increased to around three times that of natural turf, and with no noticeable change in surface performance to players.

The Mixto hybrid turf system has recently been installed at Peterborough United FC (“The Posh”), where it has received excellent feedback from the grounds team for its quality and durability. The hybrid sports surface has also been chosen by some of the biggest and best international clubs, including Real Madrid and A.C. Milan, as well as 2018 World Cup semi-final venue, Zenit Arena in St Petersburg.

Steve Tingley, Operations Manager for idverde Sports Services said:

“We’re delighted to be bringing Mixto to SALTEX 2018.  The show offers an unmissable opportunity for pitch care professionals to come and try Mixto for themselves and see the benefits that this versatile and durable sports surface can offer.

“We look forward to welcoming visitors for  a kick about in our demonstration area at plots 1 and 3 in the show’s outdoor zone.”

SALTEX 2018 takes place at the NEC, Birmingham on 31 October and 01 November 2018. Find idverde and Mixto in the outdoor demo area (plots 1 and 3) and with Rigby Taylor on stand G060.

For further information on Mixto and idverde’s sports surfaces installation services please visit www.idverde.co.uk/mixto

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John Deere Dealership Changes

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John Deere Dealership Changes: John Deere dealer Winchester Garden Machinery Ltd has decided to relinquish its professional golf & turf business at the end of October 2018, while retaining Deere’s full homeowner equipment franchise. Neighbouring dealers Farol Ltd and Hunt Forest Group will share WGM’s existing professional sales area of responsibility, with Farol’s Midhurst outlet covering West Sussex and Surrey and Hunt Forest Group at Chilbolton taking on Hampshire.

Winchester Garden Machinery has been supplying and maintaining garden and commercial grass care machinery since 1969. It will continue to trade as a main John Deere homeowner dealer, specialising in walk-behind mowers and lawn tractors, from its three domestic machinery sales locations at Winchester and Liss in Hampshire and Sunningdale in Surrey. The business also includes a Forest & Arb Sales division, which was introduced in the early 2000s.

John Deere Dealership Changes

“After over 20 years of supplying and supporting the professional golf & turf sector, Winchester Garden Machinery Ltd has taken the decision to relinquish the franchise for this side of John Deere’s business,” says WGM dealer principal Andrew Hoskings, the company’s owner and co-founder with industry stalwart Robin Nettle, who sadly died of cancer earlier this year. “This decision has not been taken lightly, and with the growth in other sectors of our business – domestic, forestry and commercial – we will continue to be strong trading partners with John Deere on homeowner equipment.

“We will continue to support John Deere’s professional machinery with warranty within the valid dates and undertake service work as required. Winchester Garden machinery is very proud of its association with John Deere and of our reputation as one of the UK’s largest specialist dealers of lawn and garden machinery, and we look forward to the future with confidence.”

Farol will now manage a total of six John Deere agricultural and turf dealerships from the Midlands down through London to the south coast of England.

“Being awarded the new area of responsibility for John Deere’s golf and turf product range in West Sussex is an incredibly exciting prospect for Farol Midhurst,” says managing director Matthew Vellacott. “We will look to continue and build on the high standards of service established by Winchester Garden Machinery, and aim to grow the business with the additional benefits of resources and specialisms that come from being part of a larger group.

“Since Farol’s debut in the professional golf and turf machinery business eight years ago, we have seen exceptional business and market share growth. This now contributes over £20 million to the group’s turnover, which makes Farol one of the largest professional groundscare machinery dealerships in the UK.

“We believe that our industry leading machine technology and aftersales departments have been key to this success, and we now look forward to demonstrating this support to our new customers in the south of the country. This latest addition to the group will undoubtedly take our golf and turf business from strength to strength.”

R Hunt Ltd and New Forest Farm Machinery Ltd recently signed an agreement to merge their two businesses under the new name Hunt Forest Group from January 1, 2019. R Hunt has been a John Deere agricultural equipment dealer since 1971 and currently runs four outlets covering Wiltshire, Hampshire, Berkshire, Surrey and the Isle of Wight. New Forest Farm Machinery trades from two outlets in Hampshire and Somerset and has been a John Deere agricultural dealer since 1979, and a professional turf dealer since 1986.

“This new area of responsibility sees our business expand its professional turf coverage and capability into Winchester and East Hampshire by adding the John Deere turf franchise to our existing Chilbolton facility,” says Hunt Forest Group managing director Tim Hunt. “We will be providing full sales, service and parts support for all John Deere professional turf products from Chilbolton, alongside our other outlets at Blashford, Sparkford, Tilshead and Isle of Wight, from November 2018.

“Following the recent news regarding the creation of Hunt Forest Group, we are able to quickly leverage the experience and staff within our new organisation. We are pleased to say we have immediate coverage for the new professional turf area of responsibility in Hampshire, with knowledgeable staff who will already be very familiar to many customers. We are very excited about the opportunity this brings and look forward to our customers and Hunt Forest Group growing together.”

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

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