Turf Tank Two launches at GroundsFest

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Turf Tank Two launches at GroundsFest: Turf Tank, the global leader in robotic line marking, is set to unveil the industry defining Turf Tank Two at the inaugural GroundsFest at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.

From 21st to 22nd September on stand OSA191, visitors can experience the next step in GPS line marking as the company that built the world’s first robotic line marker continues to innovate.

Turf Tank Two launches at GroundsFest

Turf Tank Two launches at GroundsFest

Performance and accuracy are the hallmarks of Turf Tank, and a combination of refinements, including two motor drives for better momentum and new wheels for improved grip and traction, have led to faster marking times with the Turf Tank Two.

Enhanced Sprayer Module

While the speed and accuracy of marking are paramount to efficiency, so is the usability of the Turf Tank Two. Several sprayer module upgrades have made fine-tuning simple with the twist of a knob, including disc height, width and a disc ruler for a better overview.

Tighter tolerances ensure sharper and crisp lines between 5-15cm, with the rack-and-pinion system letting you go from minimum to maximum in a single turn. The height of the sprayer discs can be easily adjusted in increments of 5mm, allowing you to approximate the correct sprayer height. Fine-grained adjustments can be made via a turning knob to get the height precisely as you want and get consistent results every mark.

To make maintenance more manageable, the module is now an independent part. It can be removed by loosening two screws, allowing easy access to specific parts, while one-hand solenoid removal has also been made possible for quicker working.

Quick Control

A new front panel provides quick pause/resume options, LED indicators to show the robot status and a start/stop sprayer button. A LED indicator on the battery has been fitted for a quick status check – if it’s plugged in or not – and batteries can now be hot-swapped without needing to shut down the robot.

Ergonomic Improvements

Numerous ergonomic improvements have been made to make working with the Turf Tank Two quicker and easier.

A tilted pump cover allows up to 20 litres of paint to be slid into the robot rather than being lifted in and out of the top. The newly designed compartment increases efficiency by ensuring the suction rod can use all the paint, and battery access has also been simplified, with only one movement needed to slide it in place.

Additionally, handles are now on the front and back to make lifting in and out of vans and buggies easier.

New Powers in the Palm of Your Hand

New in-app guides are introduced to walk you through most features, and the new Wizard guides you through the cleaning and priming process of the paint system. To quickly troubleshoot any calibration errors, a new augmented reality guided calibration routine lets you take a picture of lines and automatically fix any calibration errors.

All of these features also work in Offline Mode, which means you have the full functionality of the Turf Tank Two in cases where an internet connection can’t be established.

Remote Support

The new software also builds on Turf Tank’s leading customer service through remote access. Turf Tank staff can assist in setting up fields, diagnose problems and provide support instantly wherever you are. A new built-in help centre is also available to answer frequently asked questions and get you marking within minutes of encountering an issue.

Turf Tank’s product specialists will be on stand to answer any questions and demonstrate the advancements made with the Turf Tank Two.

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A leading line-up of machinery from Overton UK

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A leading line-up of machinery from Overton UK: The electric Mean Green mowers are all UKCA Certified and available in a variety of models including the FURY 32” & 36” and Vanquish 52” & 60” Stand-On mowers, the RIVAL 52” & 60” and EVO 74” Zero Turn mowers.

With up to 7-hours of mowing time on a single charge, the machines will equal any petrol or diesel powered alternative for performance and with the benefits of zero emissions, low noise, low HAV’s, low WBV’s these mowers are the ideal choice for the environment and for operator experience.  The complete range of mowers require minimal servicing and the charger uses a standard 3-pin plug and 13amp socket.

A leading line-up of machinery from Overton UK

A leading line-up of machinery from Overton UK

The Mean Green mowers are now in their second-generation following over 12 years of rigorous testing and development.  Overton UK have been distributing the Mean Green Mower range into the UK market for over 7-years and with the battery-powered market for commercial mowers still relatively new, the importance of showcasing these machines capabilities in a ‘live’ format has been extremely important.

A hot topic is, battery end-of-life regarding the environmental impact of battery waste, this is an area that Mean Green have catered for as their Lithium-Ion individual cells are serviceable preventing them being sent to landfill sites as sealed batteries are, this in turn eliminates any environmental impacts of disposal.  In the 7 years that Overton UK have been importing this range of machines, they have yet to replace a battery cell.  Mean Green Mowers are so confident in these batteries that they are backed up with a 5-year warranty.

The Multi-Use electric RINO® implement carrier is powered by a 48V Lithium-ion battery pack, available as a 22.5kWh or 30kWh system.  The RINO® has zero emissions, low running and maintenance costs, low noise and up to 6-hours* (22.5kWh) and 8 hours* (30kWh) mowing time.  The standard RINO® charger provided with the machine has a 13amp plug to connect to most sockets.

The RINO® front mounted implements are quickly and easily interchangeable and provide a clear and complete view of the working area.  The front mounted implements include a 120cm or 150cm Y-Blade flail mower, 120cm or 150cm 3-Blade rotary fine cut mower, WeedRipping arm, 120cm sweeper brush with or without collection, sickle mower and a 130cm or 160cm hydraulic angling snow ploughs.

The compact electric CaRINO has a 11kWh Lithium battery and is available in three models a 105cm Y-Blade flail deck, 120cm finishing deck and 95cm rough cut deck.

Also on the stand will be our range of vacuums and the popular NIMOS WeedRipper.

For more information or demonstration contact Overton (UK) on:  01522 690011 or email us at sales@overtonukltd.com or visit us at Grounds Fest on Stand No OSA230 to see and test these mowers.

*Depending on terrain, operator performance and grass conditions.

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SALTEX reveals first round of speakers

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SALTEX reveals first round of speakers: SALTEX can announce the first round of headlining speakers at this year’s Learning LIVE and details on the themed stages, which are new for 2023.

SALTEX is known for the quality, range and breadth of professional development opportunities it provides through its industry-leading, established Learning LIVE programme. This year, over 20 presenters will speak across three stages in two days. It is the largest free live learning event for the sector with many visitors citing it as a key reason to attend the show.

SALTEX reveals first round of speakers

SALTEX reveals first round of speakers

Sarah Cunningham, director of commercial and events at the GMA, says: “Learning LIVE is a well-respected, highly anticipated highlight at SALTEX, known to be a fantastic way to boost knowledge in a wide range of topics. Here we provide a snapshot of some of the headlining speakers and sessions available. It’s exciting and there is so much more to come!”

This year, the Main Stage will continue as it always has done to highlight the latest hot topics and issues, bringing visitors into the big conversations of the moment.

Day one of the show sees Lee Guerriero, pitch and technology specialist at UEFA, discuss UEFA’s 2024-2027 pitch strategy and on day two Tony Hanson and his fellow panellists from the Environment Agency and Anglian Water will cover future water restrictions for golf greens and sports turf.

Lee Guerriero explains: “Attending events like SALTEX is important to maintain an understanding of the latest developments in a rapidly evolving industry. With challenges facing grounds keepers as a result of heavy fixture schedules, climate change and the need to work in a sustainable way, it is important that all stakeholders from grassroots sports to the elite game come to events such as SALTEX.

“The Learning LIVE sessions in particular allow for an exchange of best practice and an open dialogue across sports so that the quality of the pitches continues to improve as expectation levels and demands around pitch quality also continue to grow.”

New for 2023 are themed stages and reflecting the need to place sustainability and environmental issues at the heart of the grounds maintenance sector’s thinking, the Eco Stage will do just that. SALTEX is proud to introduce Dr Eric O’Donnell from SportsLabs to talk about recycling solutions for synthetic turf and a session from the Football Foundation on its pilot on the future of sustainable synthetic turf.

The Spotlight Stage brings to the fore the crowd-pullers into an ask the experts-style forum. Dr John Dempsey will bring his insights to the 2020-2023 independent turfgrass research update and non-pesticidal disease management sessions, while Aled Lewis will highlight Welsh FA’s Pitch Improvement Funding Strategy.

Dr John Dempsey, independent turfgrass research, says: “The reason I like to present at events such as SALTEX is that I love sharing the results of not only my research but also the latest data available on relevant turfgrass subjects and it gives me the opportunity to meet many turfgrass professionals.

“Hopefully attendees will find the presentations of value and take away something that will be able to incorporate into their maintenance programs be it golf, football or playing fields.”

Sarah continues: “We have curated what we believe to be a well-rounded, industry representative programme of CPD-accredited seminars, which we will be able to share in full with visitors in due course.”

Until then, register now to boost your knowledge and guarantee entry to Europe’s largest and leading sports turf, amenities, and landscaping trade exhibition at Birmingham NEC on 1-2 November 2023 at: https://bit.ly/456l0dA

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STIHL to exhibit at GroundsFest

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STIHL to exhibit at GroundsFest: STIHL will be showcasing its full AP System range of professional battery tools at the first GroundsFest 2023 exhibition, highlighting how cordless tools can meet the varying needs of landscapers and groundscare teams.

Visitors to the STIHL stand will be able to see the new PS 3000, STIHL’s first portable 230V power supply, providing users with a quiet, low maintenance and emission-free alternative to petrol-powered generators. Weighing only 19.8kg and boasting a 3.6kW power output, the new PS 3000 offers a high power-to-weight ratio and is one of the most powerful portable power supply units in its weight class.

STIHL to exhibit at GroundsFest

STIHL to exhibit at GroundsFest

Other new tools available for professional users to get their hands on at the exhibition will be the BGA 300 backpack blower, HSA 100 cordless hedge trimmer, and the updated MSA 220 C-B chainsaw.

The BGA 300, STIHL’s first cordless backpack blower for professional users, offers high performance and a significantly less disruptive sound thanks to its innovative STIHL Noise Reduction System (NRS). Thanks to the STIHL NRS, the BGA 300 produces fewer high pitch frequencies often associated with cordless blowers, meaning operation is much more pleasant and less intrusive for bystanders.

In addition, The HSA 100 boasts a 60cm double-sided, double-edged cutting blade, which offers improved cutting performance due to the large cutter spacing of the blades, whereas the updated MSA 220 C-B is a robust and powerful cordless chainsaw, ideal for felling small trees, pruning and cutting to length.

STIHL will also be showcasing a range of petrol-powered tools on its demo plot, allowing professional users to see a direct comparison between battery and petrol performance.

For more information, please visit https://groundsfest.com

Stand OSA 30, Stoneleigh Park (20-21 September)

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Calderdale Council keeps line marking on track

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Calderdale Council keeps line marking on track: Resource management, time and consistency were all factors that needed tackling at Calderdale Council, and the Turf Tank One has addressed them all.

Senior Technical Officer Samantha Ward had retirements in her line marking team, which meant losing over 60 years of experience. Temporarily, Samantha utilised members of the gardening group to mark out the running tracks and football, rugby and rounders pitches needed in the borough, but she was always looking for a solution.

Calderdale Council keeps line marking on track

Calderdale Council keeps line marking on track

“I thought there must be a better way to utilise resources that didn’t involve additional recruitment and the time it takes to provide full training,” Samantha explained.

“Our line marking team were impressed by the time that Turf Tank would save and the way you could plot the pitches. We knew from there that our gardeners could focus more on their traditional jobs whilst people like me who are technically minded could work with the Turf Tank robot.”

Redistributing resources had an immediate positive impact on the team, with timesaving and line accuracy next in line. Savile Park is one of the Council’s busiest pitches, with athletics, football and rounders all hosted at the site. Previously it took staff an entire day to line a 400m running track, whereas now it takes less than two hours.

” Savile Park, is a multiple-game site, and it’s much easier to mark out now. Once we set a template on the Turf Tank, we can pretty much set up each sport, football, running tracks, rugby, and rounders, and let it go.

” Every time it goes out, it’s in the right space, and it’s accurate.

“Our time is precious, and the running track we’ve marked out today now takes just under two hours with one person and the Turf Tank, so we have pretty much smashed the time in terms of the full day. Because of that, the Turf Tank has recovered a lot of time for our staff to do other things on the sports pitches and around the borough.

“We have also saved time with initial marking of football pitches, probably a week and a half every time we mark out, which is invaluable time.” .”

A video with Calderdale Council can be found here

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