GMA’s Awards to be hosted at Headingly

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GMA’s Awards to be hosted at Headingly: The Grounds Management Association have today announced that its annual Industry Awards will return on Wednesday 29th November 2023, with this year’s event being hosted at Headingly Stadium in Leeds for the first time in its12-year history. 

The GMA awards ceremony celebrates excellence within the groundscare industry, recognising the outstanding performance of volunteers and professionals working across the sector.

GMA’s Awards to be hosted at Headingly

GMA’s Awards to be hosted at Headingly

Having previously taken place in Birmingham’s NEC in tandem with the delivery of SALTEX, Europe’s largest tradeshow, this year’s ceremony will operate as a standalone event and be hosted at Headingly Stadium in Leeds.

Geoff Webb, CEO of Grounds Management Association said:

‘We are thrilled to announce the return of our Industry Awards this November, especially given that the event will be hosted at Headingly Stadium for the first time.’

‘The GMA Industry Awards is the highlight of our year as we bring the industry together to shine a spotlight on the exceptional achievements of volunteers and professionals. The decision to move away from SALTEX and host a standalone event was made following industry feedback and allows for the focus of the evening to be celebrating and raising awareness of the skills and hard work grounds workers deliver all year round. With Headingly Stadium home to all-season sports, this felt a natural fit for the event this year and we look forward to welcoming the sector to such an impressive venue this November.’

To discuss sponsorship opportunities, contact Grounds Management Association Sales Manager Jill Rodham at jrodham@thegma.org.uk or on 07754552405.

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World’s first Line IQ from EGO

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World’s first Line IQ from EGO: EGO has revolutionised its range of cordless grass trimmers once more, with the introduction of world-first Line IQ™ Technology to its newest model.

Removing the hassle and complexity of feeding the line, the tool automatically feeds the correct amount of line to provide a 40cm cutting diameter. By sensing when the cutting swathe is reduced, Line IQ™ feeds out line to ensure maximum cutting efficiency, without users having to manually bump and feed the line. The innovative system is aided by EGO’s PowerloadTM technology which enables users to replace the line by simply threading it through the head eyelets and pushing a button.

World's first Line IQ from EGO

World’s first Line IQ from EGO

Adding to the tool’s useability, adjustable handles and a telescopic shaft allow it to be suited perfectly to the user by easily adapting to their height. Designed to tackle all trimming tasks around the garden with ease, two pre-set speeds make the grass trimmer suitable for everyday work and those tougher jobs.

Alongside the latest technical developments and innovations, the brand-new grass trimmer is powered by EGO’s 56V Arc Lithium battery technology. Delivering industry-leading levels of reliable cordless power, EGO’s batteries can be used interchangeably across all EGO products for even greater convenience.

EGO Power+ products come with extended domestic warranties up to five years when registered within 30 days of purchase.

The ST1610E-T kit, including tool, a 4.0Ah battery and a standard charger, retails at £429. Standalone tool is available for £279.

Discover the full range at www.egopowerplus.co.uk

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Bowls England Supports GroundsFest

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Bowls England Supports GroundsFest: Bowls England, the national governing body for lawn bowls, is supporting GroundsFest and will be running a dedicated education programme at the event which will be held at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire on 20 – 21 September.

In a dedicated theatre on the event floor, the Bowls England education programme, sponsored by Dennis and SISIS, will run on both days of GroundsFest. The programme will combine insightful seminars and practical tips while Bowls England’s Expert Advisor Alan Lewis, will take to the stage to discuss a wide range of key topics.

Bowls England Supports GroundsFest

Bowls England Supports GroundsFest

Alan will be on hand to share his advice on end of season renovations to ensure that greens receive the required treatment. He will also be discussing best practice including tips on cutting, brushing, scarifying, spraying, verticutting, aerating and watering. Furthermore, there will be essential information about grant funding support, and choosing the correct grass seed.

A machinery workshop will give delegates an opportunity to see several turf maintenance techniques in action and will allow them to gain some hands-on experience with a variety of equipment.

Later in the day attendees will receive a tour of GroundsFest giving them the chance to speak to leading manufacturers and industry experts. The education programme will conclude with a ‘Turf Clinic’ question and answer session, where delegates will get the chance to ask some of their own questions to Alan.

Commenting on Bowls England’s decision to have a presence at GroundsFest, Jon Cockcroft, Chief Executive, said: “Bowling Greens truly are the beating heart of our sport.

“We are committed to helping clubs create the best possible environment for its participants to enjoy a superb bowling experience and are keen to work with industry specialists to educate clubs and provide them with the relevant information to achieve this.”

For more information, please visit www.groundsfest.com

You can also follow GroundsFest on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @GroundsFest for much more news, reviews and insightful views.

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Countrywide Grounds Maintenance’s additional robot

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Countrywide Grounds Maintenance’s additional robot: Origin Amenity Solutions has recently delivered their latest GPS guided robotic line marking machine, the TinyLineMarker (TLM) Pro X, to long-standing customer Countrywide Grounds Maintenance (CW) in Devon.

Steven Hurley is the Regional Manager for CW Devon. one of 46 Nationwide Franchisees to provide complete grounds maintenance services for education facilities, housing associations, facilities management companies and estates.

Countrywide Grounds Maintenance's additional robot

Countrywide Grounds Maintenance’s additional robot

In early March 2023 Steven procured his second robot from Origin Amenity Solutions. He comments, “We carry out the line marking requirements for approximately 80 schools, colleges, and sports fields. There is planned acquisition of further schools this year so we need to be in a position to meet the additional requirements these will bring. After initial marking we carry out weekly over-marking so I anticipate both of our robots will be in use full time.”

TinyLineMarker robots are marketed and distributed exclusively in the UK by Origin Amenity Solutions which brings together four leading industry names – Headland Amenity, Rigby Taylor, TurfKeeper.com and Symbio.

Packed with a range of brand-new innovative features, the TLM Pro X is an exciting new GPS robot designed to make line marking projects as streamlined and effortless as possible.

Steven continues, “Our first robot is the Pro which has been brilliant. After five years it is still going strong, but it was time to add to the fleet.  We need to be able to offer high quality

line marking to all our customers in a timely fashion. The additional robot will ensure we can do that. Our original robot is a good robust machine, but I am very impressed with the new and improved Pro X. It is efficient and easy to use. The design and light weight of the machine makes it so convenient and easy to handle and transport. It has bigger wheels that are better at handling on rough or uneven ground which is ideal and well suited for the soft ground conditions we often have here in The Southwest.”

Steven is particularly impressed with one of the new key features, the multi-select tool. This tool gives users the ability to queue up multiple pitches to be marked out in a specific order of their choosing, and the robot will then mark out the designated areas. “This feature will be invaluable; it will save me so much time.”

When marking out multiple pitches, it is likely that any robot will run out of paint, which is where another of the new features comes in to play. The TLM Pro X features a simple yet revolutionary low paint alert system, ensuring no time is wasted. When the robot is running low on paint, an automatic alert is sent to the user’s hand-held tablet notifying them of the paint levels. This is a much-welcomed feature which avoids time being wasted marking out a field with no paint in the tank!

Not only does this feature notify the user of low paint levels, but the robot will also send an alert if there is a clog preventing the robot from line marking. A simple yet time saving feature which many TLM Pro X users are finding invaluable.

The Origin Amenity Solutions team offer onsite training, maintenance and general advice. “The robot is simply to set up and use but I like having the peace of mind that service is just a phone call away and my queries are always handled quickly and professionally.” Steven adds.

The TLM Pro X also boosts many more improvements, including general upgrades to the hardware and software for a largely improved experience on what was already a solid offering from the existing range of robots. The electronics within the robot have been enhanced, allowing for more reliable and powerful line marking in a range of project areas, and the external design has been enhanced, with the addition of buttons to activate pump and nozzle, enabling users to prime, clean and test without using the tablet.

Thanks to the design upgrade, the robot offers faster deployment and maintenance has been streamlined too, making all round care as minimal as possible to ensure users can focus on their line marking projects.

Steven sums up by saying, “I’m really delighted with the new robot. Its many new features are going to be invaluable to us and having a second machine mean we can service many more customers.”

Free demonstrations are being offered across the UK.  To book or enquire visit https://tinymobilerobots.com/tinymobilerobots-uk/

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GreenMech dealer re-shuffle

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GreenMech dealer re-shuffle: A reshuffle of the GreenMech dealer network has seen the introduction of a number of new sales, service and parts partners in important areas across the country.

Full distribution arrangements have been reached with Ross McTurk Engineering, Silvestria and Griffin Machinery Solutions, while MKM Agriculture will now be providing all-important after-sales support to customers in Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire and Hunts Engineering covering customer support across Oxfordshire.

GreenMech dealer re-shuffle

GreenMech dealer re-shuffle

Ross McTurk Engineering have an extensive background in engineering and maintenance, working with customers across the agricultural and arborist sectors, and recognised as specialists in professional woodchipper service and repairs. From their depot at Felixkirk Airfield near Thirsk, they will be offering sales and support across the GreenMech portfolio to those operating in and around Yorkshire, County Durham and the area south of the Tyne in Tyne and Wear.

Picking up the baton for Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales is Silvestria – owned and operated by an experienced tree surgeon. Years spent in the field have given Silvestria an unbeatable understanding of the demands facing those in the arb market, which can now be utilised to deliver expert advice and guidance on the full GreenMech range. Together with sales, Silvestria will also be offering tailored servicing and parts support.

Completing the trio of new full-line dealerships is Griffin Machinery Solutions (GMS). Already proudly representing a number of well-recognised franchises including Kioti and Avant, GMS will now be adding GreenMech woodchippers to the list of machinery available for hire, sales, service and repair to their extensive customer base across Hertfordshire, Essex, Middlesex and the area north of the Thames in Greater London.

Bolstering their support offering further, GreenMech have also announced the appointment of two new supporting dealers. Bedfordshire’s MKM Agriculture will be providing parts and servicing to those in the surrounding counties of Northants and Buckinghamshire, while Hunts Engineering will be looking after customers in Oxfordshire from their depot in South Warwickshire.

“As a brand, we pride ourselves on offering not just quality products, but industry-leading after-sales support to our customers both old and new” comments GreenMech Sales Director Martin Lucas. “In this reshuffle, we are delighted to welcome a wealth of knowledge and experience into the network, that will ensure we can continue to deliver the top level of service that people have come to expect when they purchase a GreenMech product.”

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