Acacia Groundcare Equipment Rental puts its trust in Etesia

Acacia Groundcare Equipment Rental puts its trust in Etesia

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Acacia Groundcare Equipment Rental puts its trust in Etesia

When you’re hiring out professional groundcare machinery, reliability isn’t just desirable it’s essential. That is why Acacia Groundcare Equipment Rental has relied on Etesia machinery for more than 20 years, with the manufacturer’s proven range continuing to play a key role in its extensive hire fleet.

Acacia Groundcare Equipment Rental puts its trust in Etesia

Acacia Groundcare Equipment Rental puts its trust in Etesia

From commercial contractors and local authorities to equestrian businesses, environmental organisations and private landowners, Acacia supplies equipment to customers tackling everything from routine grass cutting to heavy-duty vegetation clearance. According to Operations Manager Mark Tavener, quality is the number one priority when investing in new hire equipment.

“Hire is our bread and butter and it’s essential that the machinery we hire is reliable and of a high quality, said Mark. ” It’s got to be robust enough to stand the vigour of the different types of customers using the machinery.”

Mark brings almost 40 years of experience in the grounds maintenance industry, having started his career working in parks before progressing into management with several major grounds maintenance companies. Having joined Acacia around 18 months ago, he was already well acquainted with both the company and the Etesia brand.

“When I was a contract manager, I often used Acacia for groundcare equipment,” he explained. “I’ve also used Etesia machines throughout my career. It goes right back to working for Horsham District Council in the late ’80s and ’90s, and wherever I’ve worked since, Etesia has always been a machine that’s been used.”

That long-standing familiarity is reflected in Acacia’s relationship with Etesia, which stretches back to the company’s beginnings two decades ago.

One of the standout performers in the hire fleet is the Etesia AK-88, a compact ride-on brush cutter that continues to generate repeat business.

“We hire out a lot of the AK-88’s and we get a great deal of positive feedback,” said Mark. “It’s become a recognisable machine for tackling rough grass, brambles and overgrown areas, and we get repeat bookings because customers know how reliable it is.”

Its compact size is one of its biggest strengths.

“The width is really important because it allows the machine to get through gateways and into areas where people need it. It’s a very low-slung, compact machine and that’s what makes it so popular.”

The AK-88 is hired by a broad range of customers, including landscape contractors, local authorities, environmental organisations, estate managers and private customers maintaining paddocks and overgrown land.

Alongside the AK-88 sits the Etesia AH75, a pedestrian brush cutter designed for customers who need the same impressive cutting ability on smaller or more confined sites.

“The AH75 has its own niche. If someone’s only got a smaller area or a site where a ride-on would be too big, it’s the perfect machine. We have regular customers who specifically ask for it because it suits the work they’re doing.”

Mark has first-hand experience of its capabilities from before joining Acacia.

“We hired one when I was in my previous role to clear out a dry canal bed that was full of reeds and heavy vegetation. For that type of job, the AH75 was actually better suited than a ride-on machine.”

Another established member of Acacia’s Etesia fleet is the Hydro 80, a compact ride-on mower that has enjoyed renewed popularity over the past year. According to Mark customers particularly appreciate its ability to perform in a range of conditions.

“Its compact size makes it ideal for housing estates and tighter sites, and we’ve had good feedback about how well it collects, even when the grass is a little damp. The Hydro 80 seems to cope considerably better than some rival machines.”

For Mark, Etesia’s continued success comes down to more than just dependable products.

“I’ve always thought Etesia are an innovative company,” he said. “I think they’re a good, solid company.”

With a relationship spanning more than two decades, Acacia sees Etesia remaining an important part of its future fleet.

“We’re very happy with Etesia and I can’t see any reason why that would change. We’ll certainly continue using the machines and we’re always interested to see any new products and technology they bring out in the future.”

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

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Etesia UK on X @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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Bernhard Academy Announces November and December Technical Training Programme

Bernhard Academy Announces November and December Technical Training Programme

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Bernhard Academy Announces November and December Technical Training Programme

Practical, industry-focused courses designed to build confidence, improve machine performance and develop essential turfcare mechanical skills

Bernhard Academy Announces November and December Technical Training Programme

Bernhard Academy Announces November and December Technical Training Programme

The Bernhard Academy has announced its upcoming programme of technical training courses for November and December 2026, offering turfcare professionals the opportunity to develop practical maintenance skills, enhance equipment performance and strengthen their understanding of turfcare machinery.

Delivered by industry experts, the courses combine hands-on learning with proven best practice, helping organisations maximise the performance, reliability and longevity of their equipment.

Cutting Unit Set Up and Sharpening Techniques

This one-day practical workshop focuses on the principles of cutting unit maintenance, correct set up procedures and sharpening techniques. Delegates will gain a deeper understanding of cutting unit performance and learn how precision maintenance can improve turf quality and machine efficiency.

Course Dates:

  • 3 November 2026 – Haverhill, Suffolk.
  • 10 November 2026 – Moortown Golf Club, Leeds.
  • 24 November 2026 – Loch Lomond Golf Club, Dumbartonshire.

Basic Machinery Maintenance

Designed for those looking to strengthen their maintenance knowledge, this one-day course covers the fundamentals of machinery care, preventative maintenance practices and essential inspection routines that support machine reliability and operational efficiency.

Course Dates:

  • 11 November 2026 – Moortown Golf Club, Leeds.
  • 25 November 2026 – Loch Lomond Golf Club, Dumbartonshire.

Fundamentals of Turfcare Mechanics – Level 1

This comprehensive three-day programme provides a strong foundation in turfcare machinery and maintenance principles. Covering key mechanical systems, operational understanding and essential workshop practices, the course is ideal for those looking to build technical confidence and establish core mechanical skills.

Course Dates:

  • 8-10 December 2026 (Three-Day Course) – Moortown Golf Club, Leeds.

As machinery technology continues to evolve and maintenance standards become increasingly important, technical training remains a key investment for turfcare operations seeking to improve equipment performance, reduce downtime and maintain consistently high-quality playing surfaces.

Sami Strutt, Education Director at Bernhard Academy, commented: “Well-maintained machinery is fundamental to producing high-quality playing surfaces. Our technical training programme is designed to equip turfcare professionals with the practical skills, knowledge and confidence needed to optimise machine performance, improve efficiency and support long-term success.”

The Bernhard Academy’s training courses are designed to provide practical, real-world knowledge that can be applied immediately in the workplace, supporting both personal development and operational excellence.

Places on all courses are limited. To secure your place today and take the next step in developing your technical expertise visit www.bernhardacademy.co.uk.

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Visit Mansfield Sand at SALTEX 2026

Visit Mansfield Sand at SALTEX 2026

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Visit Mansfield Sand at SALTEX 2026

Visitors to the Mansfield Sand stand (E010) at SALTEX 2026, taking place on 11 and 12 November at the NEC, Birmingham, will have the opportunity to explore a comprehensive range of sand-based products designed to enhance the health and performance of sports pitches.

Visit Mansfield Sand at SALTEX 2026

Visit Mansfield Sand at SALTEX 2026

With over 180 years of expertise, Mansfield Sand has been at the forefront of developing premium silica sand-based products. The company offers a wide array of innovative solutions for sports, landscaping, and equestrian applications, including stadium and training ground facilities, championship golf courses, and world-class show jumping arenas.

At SALTEX, Mansfield Sand’s industry experts will be available to discuss how their products can transform your sports turf projects. Key products on display will include:

Reinforced Rootzone

Mansfield Sand’s Reinforced Rootzones are engineered to maximize the use of natural turf surfaces while meeting the high standards required by today’s sports industry. The reinforcement technology used in these products provides enhanced stability and durability, ensuring that sand-dominated rootzones remain free-draining and consistent across the entire surface.

The range includes:

Fibre Reinforced Rootzone – reinforced with polypropylene fibres for added strength.

Fibrelastic Rootzone – combines polypropylene fibres with flexible Elastane fibres to enhance surface resilience.

Fibresand – ideal for maintaining surface integrity when grass cover is reduced due to heavy usage or winter wear.

Sand Soil Rootzones

Mansfield Sand is dedicated to helping turf managers achieve the ideal surface condition week after week. Their Sand Soil Rootzones are crafted from high-quality materials, ensuring exceptional results whether used for renovation or construction. The Mansil 40 Silica Sand blended with screened topsoil creates an optimal rootzone foundation.

Sand Compost Rootzones

For projects requiring a rootzone rich in organic content, Mansfield Sand offers a range of premium sand compost blends. These products are designed to retain nutrients and enhance drought resistance, promoting healthier, more resilient turf.

Top Dressing

Tailored for the fine turf market, Mansfield Sand’s Soil Top Dressing combines their superior silica sands with top-quality soils. The mixture is sterilised and screened to create a smooth, stone-free dressing that is easy to apply. Custom dressing blends and soil amendments are also available to meet specific turf management needs.

Mansil Silica Sand Sports Range

Mansfield Sand’s Mansil range of silica sands, sourced from their Two Oaks Quarry in Mansfield, is essential for constructing and maintaining a variety of sports surfaces, from winter sports pitches and golf courses to bowling greens and other amenity turf areas.

For more information, visit www.mansfield-sand.co.uk, follow them on Twitter at @MansfieldSand, or connect on Facebook at Mansfield Sand Sport Surfaces.

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STIHL ALLPRO battery system in use at the University of Oxford

STIHL ALLPRO battery system in use at the University of Oxford

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STIHL ALLPRO battery system in use at the University of Oxford

Designed to making working with battery tools even more convenient and cost-effective, STIHL’s ALLPRO battery system offers fully charged tools within minutes, as well as increased capacity and multiple efficiency benefits. Here, the gardeners at Worcester College, University of Oxford, put the new battery system to the test.

STIHL ALLPRO battery system in use at the University of Oxford

STIHL ALLPRO battery system in use at the University of Oxford

The approximately 11-hectare grounds of Worcester College include picturesque medieval cottages as well as extensive green spaces, some of which are open to the public. Maintaining the diverse grounds, ranging from sports pitches and manicured lawns to intricate topiary sculptures, is the responsibility of a nine-person gardening team led by Simon Bagnall, Head of the Gardens and Grounds Department.

On such a vast site, it is particularly important to spend as little time as possible recharging batteries and transporting them to the work site. With that, ahead of the system’s official market launch, the Worcester College grounds team tested batteries from STIHL’s new ALLPRO Performance Series.

STIHL ALLPRO battery technology for professionals 

STIHL ALLPRO batteries are setting new standards in energy management for gardening, forestry, and municipal professionals. Designed for use in the toughest conditions, ALLPRO batteries can be recharged to 80 percent in less than ten minutes, using the AL 1802 MO High-Speed Charger. This represents a time saving of around 40% compared to the AP 300 S from the previous generation STIHL AP battery system. This means that the grounds team in Oxford can recharge their batteries during a short tea break.

STIHL ALLPRO for a range of professional applications

During the ALLPRO test phase, the gardeners at Worcester College used a range of professional equipment across various applications.

STIHL MSA 260 C-O Battery-Powered Chainsaw 

Gardener Mike Skelton used the new MSA 260 C-O Battery Chainsaw with an ALLPRO AP 200 P battery, designed to achieve a high performance with low weight.

Mike says of his experience: “I’m felling a tree with a trunk as thick as a leg, made of very dense wood and you can really feel that the motor has plenty of torque when making crosscuts. At the same time, the chainsaw is wonderfully manoeuvrable when limbing. It’s pleasantly light, as well as simple and comfortable to use.”

STIHL FSA 200 R Battery-Powered Brushcutter  

Gardener Taissa Csaky, who once studied at Worcester College herself, worked with the STIHL FSA 200 R Brushcutter and ALLPRO AP 300 P battery. Taissa is tasked with cutting three meadows, including a vast flower meadow, where preserving biodiversity is key.

Taissa describes her experience: “The brushcutter’s power can be controlled very precisely, so I can apply it particularly intensively where it’s needed. I have the batteries where I need them – one in the machine, one on my belt and two more in reserve. With these four batteries and an on-site charging option, I’m able to work through the whole day.”

STIHL BRA 600 Battery-Powered Backpack Blower

Taissa’s colleague, Jacob Fielding-Bishop worked with STIHL’s BRA 600 Backpack Blower as part of the test.

Jacob, comments: “I collect leaves using the BRA 600, which is powered by two units of the top-of-the-range model in the ALLPRO series, the AP 300 P battery. The consistent power it delivers is truly amazing. The system is ideal for clearing large areas and for difficult tasks, such as dislodging wet leaves from the ground.”

Once the batteries were flat, Jacob took a quick tea break to recharge, using the new AL 1802-MO High-Speed Charger. A short while later, he was able to get back to work. He confirms: “They’re already 80 percent charged after less than ten minutes.”

STIHL HSA 140 T Battery-Powered Hedge Trimmer

Finally, team leader Simon Bagnall, picked up the HSA 140 T Hedge Trimmer, along with AP 100 P battery – the lightest battery model in the ALLPRO Performance range. The head gardener used the tool to trim a yew hedge.

Simon comments: “The machine, together with the plug-in battery, is well balanced and extremely manoeuvrable, making it perfect for these hedges where we want to achieve a really precise cut.”

STIHL mobile charging solutions 

The gardeners at Worcester College also gained experience with STIHL’s mobile charging solutions. The new STIHL AL 1802 MO High-Speed Charger offers great efficiency, ensuring rapid charging on the go. With a charging power of 1,800 W, the solution can charge an ALLPRO AP 300 P battery to 80 percent in less than ten minutes.

By combining the AL 1802 MO High-Speed Charger with the PS 2000 Portable Power Supply on the loading area of their van, the professional gardeners were able to charge their tools’ batteries quickly and as needed, meaning that they needed to prepare and carry fewer units to keep working throughout the day. Until now, the gardening team has been charging their batteries slowly overnight using the wall-mounted charging station in the workshop.

Simon estimates: “In a team of four, we use about ten batteries in a single working day.” He continues: “With the energy from the power station and the fast charger, we can charge six batteries on the go. This allows us to work more flexibly and efficiently, and we need fewer batteries. Because of their higher energy capacity and the ability to charge on the go, we don’t have to take a carload of charged batteries with us in the morning. All in all, this reduces the total cost of ownership.”

Summing up the STIHL ALLPRO experience  

Head Gardener Simon Bagnall sums up the ALLPRO experience: “We’ve worked really well with the test units, got a lot done, and the new batteries have supported us perfectly.”

He adds: “A real bonus is how quickly the batteries charge, so we can get lots of jobs done without long interruptions, swap the battery quickly and get straight back to work. Quick battery swaps and fast charging on the go – that has made a huge difference to our work.”

STIHL at 100 

ALLPRO arrives as STIHL celebrates its 100th anniversary. Since 1926, STIHL has defined the global standard for battery and petrol-powered forestry, landscaping, and residential gardening equipment for professional and domestic users.

About Worcester College at the University of Oxford 

The historic Worcester College at the University of Oxford offers a wide range of academic research and teaching, which has continued to evolve since its foundation in 1714. Today, the college is one of the most popular among prospective students in Oxford.

For the full case study, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfsQMKD9sQc

For more information on STIHL products, visit www.stihl.co.uk or contact your nearest STIHL Approved Dealer.

Find out more about STIHL’s historic milestone, here: https://100.stihl.com

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ELiTE equipment for an elite golf club

ELiTE equipment for an elite golf club

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ELiTE equipment for an elite golf club

Wildwood Machinery and Ransomes Jacobsen team up to supply Ferndown Golf Club in Dorset with a state-of-the-art, lithium-powered mower.

ELiTE equipment for an elite golf club

ELiTE equipment for an elite golf club

Sometimes a product is just too good to ignore. While Ferndown Golf Club’s Course Manager, Danny Murray, wasn’t actively looking for a new greens mower, he is always looking for ways to improve the playing experience for his members and guests.

As Danny himself says, “There’s a lot of innovation in the turfcare market right now, and sometimes you feel as though you could be updating your equipment every few weeks. Mostly, of course, these are marginal upgrades. We weren’t actually in the market for a new greens mower, but I kept hearing good things about the Jacobsen Eclipse 360 ELiTE, and when James Bastian of Wildwood Machinery called me, I wanted to know more.”

As a Jacobsen dealership, Wildwood was delighted to recommend, and then demonstrate, deliver and support the Eclipse 360 ELiTE mower. As Ransomes Jacobsen’s Southern England Regional Sales Manager, Ben Rumsey says, “Wildwood has a rapidly-growing reputation as a supplier of state-of-the-art turfcare equipment to prestigious golf clubs and elite football clubs in Hampshire, Surrey and London. The quality of service and support they are offering customers is a perfect match for the Jacobsen brand.”

Powered by a 250Ah lithium battery, the Eclipse 360 ELiTE is capable of covering 143,000 square feet – the equivalent of 50+ typical golf greens on a single charge – so there is no issue with capacity and durability. The real game-changer however, is the adjustable frequency of clip, which lets the team dial in a finer cut-quality, effectively delivering a double-cut in a single pass.

“That facility,” according to James Bastian, “has added a whole foot of speed to Ferndown’s already immaculate putting greens.”

Danny Murray says the elevated speeds they are achieving on the stimpmeter meet elite-level requirements, adding to Ferndown’s reputation, the playing experience for their members, and their capacity to host tournaments.

“The real stand-out benefit of the Jacobsen Eclipse 360 ELiTE is the quality of the cut,” says Danny, “with the added benefit that the greens require less rolling to maintain their speed.” “As an electric machine it also meets our sustainability objectives, and is near to silent which is a big benefit for a Club such as Ferndown where we want to nurture our relationships with neighbours.”

“With our own association with East Horton Golf Club, we know how challenging this summer has been for all turfcare professionals,” says Wildwood’s Managing Director, James Bastian. “It’s been great to see just how well the Jacobsen Eclipse 360 ELiTE has worked for Danny at Ferndown. We’re delighted to be working closely in partnership with Ransomes Jacobsen to introduce their innovative technology across the South of England.”Ferndown Golf Club:

  • Ferndown’s Old Course – opened in 1913 – is ranked 93rd in Golf Monthly’s Top 100 UK & Ireland list (2025/26).
  • The Club has hosted events including the Hennessy Cognac Cup, the European Ladies’ Championship, and the Women’s British Open.

Jacobsen Eclipse 360 ELiTE – highlights:

  • Powered by a 250Ah lithium battery using Samsung SDI cells, with a 5-year battery warranty and 2-year machine warranty.
  • Zero hydraulic oil, filters, or exhaust emissions — no maintenance downside to going electric.
  • Frequency of cut is electronically adjustable from 0.91mm to 6.35mm, with consistent results regardless of operator input.
  • 15-blade Jacobsen reels means more cuts per foot of travel, producing a finer, smoother cut quality.
  • The lighter roller reduces compaction and stress on the surface, protecting greens during high-stress summer periods.

Eclipse 3WD kit — improves traction and spreads the machine’s weight more evenly, reducing wheel marking and scuffing

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