Toro launches TCO calculator

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Toro launches TCO calculator: Toro, a global leader in innovative solutions for the outdoor environment, has announced the launch of an online tool to help tackle misconceptions around the costs of switching from petrol-powered tools to cordless, battery alternatives.

The Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) calculator has been designed to provide business owners with a free, online tool to discover the financial benefits of making the switch to electric.

Toro launches TCO calculator

Toro launches TCO calculator

Anthony Nadalin, director of marketing at The Toro Company, said: “Most companies now realise that cordless equipment offers significant environmental benefits without sacrificing performance. However, some misconceptions remain around pricing. Our TCO calculator demonstrates the financial return on investment that businesses can achieve by switching from engine power to battery power.”

The TCO calculator makes it easy to input data for both petrol- and battery-powered machines. This includes purchase price, operating hours per year, maintenance costs, fuel and energy costs, plus any grants or rebates. The results are published as key metrics including operational cost savings per month and year, as well as how many months it takes to break even on electric equipment compared to the petrol or diesel equivalent.

Offering a free TCO calculator is the latest element in Toro’s ‘Lead the Charge’ campaign to help more companies embrace all-electric outdoor power equipment (OPE). Toro’s Revolution Series delivers like-for-like performance with its petrol or diesel equivalents. Easy to maintain and cost-effective to run, Toro’s battery-powered machines can also lower the total cost of ownership and contribute to greater business efficiency.

“For Toro, part of Lead the Charge is tackling these latest misconceptions around battery power,” added Anthony. “The calculator offers quick and easy results whether you are a local municipality with a fleet of OPE, a groundskeeping team or an independent landscaping professional. In all instances it demonstrates the potential savings, enabling you to make truly informed decisions and build the business case for going electric.”

Toro’s Revolution Series products are true commercial-grade equipment designed for professional use. With all-day runtime offered by its proprietary HyperCell® and Flex-Force battery systems, these machines deliver the same superior performance as their diesel and petrol equivalents. The environmental benefits are well understood, with up to 3x reduction in noise and no engine exhaust emissions. This means they are welcomed virtually everywhere and at any time of the day, giving operators the freedom to work extended hours.

To discover the savings you could make with Toro’s Revolution Series, use the online calculator at https://sites.toro.com/leadthecharge/tco.html

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Inveraray Castle wins Historic Houses Garden award

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Inveraray Castle wins Historic Houses Garden award: This prestigious national award, presented annually since 1984, is designed to recognise the importance of some of the country’s most spectacular gardens with outstanding horticultural and public appeal. The award is voted for by members of the public who judge the gardens based on a variety of factors that contribute to their enjoyment. The announcement was made at the Historic Houses National AGM in London on Tuesday 12 November 2024.

Inveraray Castle is an eighteenth century turreted castle, seat of the Clan Campbell and home to the Dukes of Argyll. The gardens at Inveraray are home to the Duke and Duchess who have spent joyous times with family and friends over the years. They enjoy the changing of the seasons and the ability to present and share the gardens with their 85,000 guests who come to visit the castle every year.

Inveraray Castle wins Historic Houses Garden award

Inveraray Castle wins Historic Houses Garden award

The gardens have reflected the times, and each Duke has taken a keen interest in ensuring that the legacy evolves throughout the years with many different species of plantation and horticulture. The garden covers sixteen acres, of which around two acres are formal lawns and flowerbeds, the remainder being park and woodland. Extending to 180 hectares, they form one of the most important designed landscapes in Scotland.

The climate in Argyll, with its yearly average rainfall of 230cms, is ideally suited to rhododendrons and azaleas, which flower in the gardens from April to June. Conifers also grow well in the acidic soil of a high rainfall area, as can be seen by the fine specimens such as cedrus deodars, sequoiadendron wellingtonia, cryptomeria japonica, and taxus baccata. The borders on each side of the central path are known as the ‘Flag-Borders’, the paths having been laid out in the shape of Scotland’s National flag, the St. Andrew’s Cross. These borders, outstanding in the spring with beautiful Prunus ‘Ukon’ and Prunus subhirtella, are underplanted with an interesting mixture of rhododendrons, eucrypyias, various shrubs and herbaceous plants, giving interest all year round.

Ben Cowell, Director General of Historic Houses, said: “Inveraray Castle is a must-see destination for so many tourists to Scotland. We are thrilled that members and supporters have chosen to make it the 2024 Garden of the Year, and hope it encourages many more visitors to seek it out in 2025. They won’t be disappointed – the beautiful gardens are the perfect setting for Inveraray’s distinctive towers and turrets.”

Orlando Rock, Chairman, Christie’s UK, said: “I am thrilled to congratulate Inveraray Castle on being awarded the Historic Houses Garden of the Year Award. The stunning gardens, spanning 16 acres of formal lawns, flowerbeds, parkland, and woodland, are a true reflection of the timeless beauty of Inverary and the dedication of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll and their amazing gardening team. For generations, the Campbells have shaped the evolving legacy of this remarkable landscape, offering a serene and ever-changing sanctuary where family, friends, and nature come together in perfect harmony. This well-deserved recognition celebrates not only the beauty of Inverary and its gardens, but the enduring passion and vision that has shaped them over the years.”

Helen Gallagher Buchana, Visitor Experiences Manager at Inveraray Castle, said: “We are delighted that the gardens team have received this prestigious award. They work with great passion, loyalty, and dedication in all elements, creating the beautiful colours, tranquil environment, and space for our visitors to enjoy relaxation.”

Belcombe Court, in Bradford-on-Avon, is the Judges’ Choice this year. When owner Paul Weiland purchased the estate back in 1992, the gardens were in a state of disrepair. Over the next 30 years, Paul restored the gardens to its former glory with many contemporary additions that impressed judges.

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C J Ashby Forestry bowled over by Aspen Fuel

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C J Ashby Forestry bowled over by Aspen Fuel: Working in proud partnership with J S Wright & Sons, C J Ashby Forestry are contract felling and harvesting the willow which goes into making around 75% of the world’s cricket bats.

Powering the operation for the last 15 years is Aspen Fuel, which owner Colin Ashby says provides the clean, convenience they look for across their suite of two and four-stroke equipment.

C J Ashby Forestry bowled over by Aspen Fuel

C J Ashby Forestry bowled over by Aspen Fuel

Colin is the fourth generation of the family to take the helm and leads a team of 17 operatives nationwide looking after all stages of the willow production – from procuring and planting the trees, through to harvesting and hauling. “Our journey with Aspen began 15 years ago when we started experiencing a number of issues with our petrol-powered chainsaws” he explains. “I was working on a farm at the time, and the farmer suggested the source of the problem was the fuel. Later that day I picked up a copy of a forestry magazine and started reading about Aspen Fuel and the rest, as they say, is history!”

“We purchased a few cans to give it a try and we’ve been using it ever since – starting with Aspen-2 initially in our handheld tools and then moving onto the Aspen-4 for our larger bits of equipment such as the mechanical arbor.”

“It’s easy to store, cleaner to use and provides a healthier environment for the operator to work in.” He explains, “Very often, we’re working in densely populated woodland and/or in very close proximity to our equipment. As soon as we started using Aspen Fuel, all of the headaches and sore throats you just became accustomed to stopped, immediately.”

Virtually free from sulphur, benzene and solvents, Aspen alkylate petrol is much less harmful that pump unleaded. By removing these ingredients, operators can breathe clean air, contributing to a healthier and cleaner working environment. The omission of ethanol also makes Aspen better for engine health, providing maximum performance while simultaneously extending equipment life and reliability.

“Chainsaws which may have lasted 12 months previously, now give us three years of reliable performance. Across the board, I’d say since we switched to Aspen our hand tools are lasting twice as long and our maintenance and repair bills have halved” Colin adds.

The team also enjoy the convenience angle that comes with being an Aspen customer. “We can order what we need easily, and it’s delivered to our site in a mixture of cans and drums just a couple of days later. It eliminates trips to the forecourt and makes it easy to ensure that each team has the necessary quantity and type of fuel on board. Aspen-2 being pre-mixed also takes away the need to mix on-site, reducing spillages and giving us peace of mind that we’re getting the right mix every time.”

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GMA expands pitch advisory service

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GMA expands pitch advisory service: The Grounds Management Association (GMA) is thrilled to announce the expansion of its highly successful Pitch Advisory Service into Wales, marking a significant milestone in grassroots sports development.

This exciting expansion, backed by the Cymru Football Foundation (CFF) with funding from the Football Association of Wales (FAW), aims to elevate the quality of grass football pitches across Wales by providing local clubs with essential guidance and resources needed to maintain top-level playing surfaces.

GMA expands pitch advisory service

GMA expands pitch advisory service

Craig Bellamy, Head Coach of the Cymru Men’s National Team said: “The Pitch Advisory Service Wales will make a huge positive difference to football clubs across Wales – it’s a great tool to tackle an ongoing issue across the country and hopefully we’ll start to see grass pitches improving and less games being called off as a result.”

Building on a decade of success in England, where the Pitch Advisory Service has transformed grassroots sports, the GMA is set to bring its expertise to Welsh football clubs. Since its launch in 2014, the service has supported over 12,500 clubs, helping to assess almost 50,000 playing surfaces across football, cricket, rugby league, and rugby union.

Now, Welsh clubs will benefit from the same proven model, supported by the GMA’s dedicated pitch advisors Daniel Bradley (Key Account Manager – North Wales) and John Sullivan (Regional Pitch Advisor – South Wales).

Jason Booth, Chief Operating Officer at the GMA said: “Over the past ten years, the GMA’s Pitch Advisory Service has demonstrated just how critical quality pitch maintenance is to the success of grassroots sports. We’ve helped countless clubs across England to reduce match postponements and enhance the overall playing experience. By expanding into Wales, we’re excited to bring these same benefits to Welsh clubs and communities. Grassroots sport is the heartbeat of many communities, and we’re eager to support even more grounds teams and volunteers in creating the best possible playing surfaces for everyone, therefore increasing participation in sport across the nation.”

Currently, only 21% of grass pitches in Wales are rated as “good” against the GMA’s Grounds Management Framework, but with the launch of the Pitch Advisory Service in Wales, the GMA aims to raise that standard. The initiative will work in tandem with the CFF’s Equipment Fund – a grant scheme that supports grassroots football clubs that re-opens on Monday 18th November – offering Welsh clubs not only financial support for equipment but also expert guidance on maintaining their pitches to the highest standards.

With the guidance of the Pitch Advisory Service Wales, local clubs will be better equipped to maintain playing surfaces that are both resilient and sustainable, ensuring more people than ever can enjoy the game.

Aled Lewis, Director at the Cymru Football Foundation said: “We are thrilled to be launching our partnership with the Grounds Management Association to support the improvement of grass pitches across the country. We recognise the current and future challenges in delivering quality grass pitch surfaces and we are confident this partnership will provide valuable support to our football family in addressing these challenges.”

As the GMA celebrates a decade of grassroots pitch improvement in England, its expansion into Wales marks an exciting new chapter for the Pitch Advisory Service. Clubs across Wales are encouraged to reach out for support by visiting: Pitch Advisory Service Wales.

Clubs can also explore the free resources available through the GMA’s Grounds Management Toolkit, which offers essential maintenance guidance for volunteers: resources.thegma.org.uk.

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Dr Simon Watson Joins ICL

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Dr Simon Watson Joins ICL: ICL is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Simon Watson as Senior Scientist within its AmegA Sciences business unit. Simon brings extensive experience from his previous role as Senior Agronomist at The R&A, where he was part of the Sustainable Agronomy team, leading the sustainable certification programme and working closely with golf courses across the UK.

Simon’s career in the turf industry began as an agronomist at the STRI, with a broad portfolio that includes roles at Syngenta in technical services for the Turf, Landscape, and Ornamental sectors. His time at Syngenta saw him rise to Head of Technical Services for the Asia Pacific region, based in Singapore, and he also has experience as an independent arable agronomist.

Dr Simon Watson Joins ICL

Dr Simon Watson Joins ICL

In his new role, Simon joins AmegA Sciences, a unit dedicated to the development of cutting-edge biostimulants, and water and nutrient use efficiency technologies for ICL. Mike Finney, Business Manager at AmegA Sciences, commented, “We are delighted to welcome Simon to our R&D team. His extensive technical expertise will be invaluable as we continue to lead the way in developing innovative solutions for the turf and ornamental markets. With an exciting pipeline of technologies in the works, Simon will play a key role in ensuring that our products deliver on performance, with claims backed by rigorous research.”

Simon Watson expressed his enthusiasm for the new role, stating, “The opportunity to contribute to the development of biostimulants and technologies for water and nutrient use efficiency is something I find truly exciting. I look forward to working with the teams at AmegA Sciences and across the broader ICL business to develop innovative solutions that meet the needs of our industry.”

In his position, Simon will collaborate with global ICL technical teams, independent research stations, and universities to drive innovation and product development. Outside of his professional life, Simon enjoys spending time outdoors with his family. He is an avid football fan and supporter of Aston Villa, often attending matches with his son.

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

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

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