Kubota LX 351 a real workhorse

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Kubota LX 351 a real workhorse: Lifting, mowing and manoeuvring within confined areas are proving no problem for an estate in the heart of Lincolnshire following the delivery of a Kubota LX 351 – which the owner describes as the ‘Swiss Army Knife’ of compact tractors.

Complete with a range of attachments, the LX 351 was installed by Irelands Farm Machinery in Spring 2022 and has gone on to be fundamental to the expanding orchard operation, making light work of the year-round estate management and reducing the reliance on external contractors.

Kubota LX 351 a real workhorse

Kubota LX 351 a real workhorse

The 400-acre family-run estate comprises arable land, run by a tenant farmer, with 34 acres of woodland a further 6 acres of grassland in the final stages of being converted into a fully-operational orchard – with close to 1000 apple trees planted come the end of February 2023. A spokesperson for the estate said, “Our tractor is at the centre of everything we do here, so when it came to looking for a new one, we spent extensive time researching and comparing the options available. We had used Kubota machinery on hire previously and were impressed with the quality and engineering, but still looked at the specification of comparable brands.”

They continue, “Our wish list was for a 35hp tractor, powerful but small enough to navigate around the estate and capable of being equipped with attachments for mowing, towing, hedge cutting and lifting and moving pallets to where they are needed. We also wanted a cab and air-con for comfort and safety as we work all year-round.” Ticking every box, with a competitive price tag and excellent back-up support from the team at Irelands, the LX 351 complete with mixed service tyres, front-end loader and counterweight, front forks, log grapple, 60” mid-mounted mower deck and 2-tonne Kubota tipping trailer was installed in April last year.

“It’s proven itself to be a real workhorse, from lifting pallets on and off delivery vehicles, assisting with pruning trees, felling and planting jobs throughout the winter and spring and assisting with the apple harvest in September and October. Attachments are easy to switch with the ‘quick attach’ mechanism and all of the controls and features are designed for comfort, making for a very pleasant operator experience. The cut quality with the mid-mounted deck has also been superb, navigating around the newly planted saplings where the gap is no more than 4m.”

The LX 351 has also enabled the team to conduct more operations in-house, saving money otherwise spent on bringing in contractors, to the point where the estate are now considering offering contracting services themselves to those in the surrounding area. “This investment will pay for itself in no time and there’s been nothing we have asked of it to date, that it hasn’t been able to deliver.” They conclude, “The whole experience has been so positive that we would not hesitate to consider further equipment from the Kubota brand in the future, as and when the need arises.”

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Two new starters for Agrovista Amenity

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Two new starters for Agrovista Amenity: Agrovista Amenity has announced the appointment of Stewart Carbray and Sam Sweetzer who will join the company’s renowned team of Amenity Specialists.

Stewart joins Agrovista Amenity from Bothwell Castle Golf Club where he worked for twenty-three years after initially joining as an apprentice. During this time, he worked his way up to the position of Head Greenkeeper, and after six years in this position he felt the time was right to embark on a new opportunity.

Two new starters for Agrovista Amenity

Two new starters for Agrovista Amenity

“I achieved what I set out to do at Bothwell Castle and I saw so many improvements at the course. I wanted to stay within the industry and always had an interest in the other side of the business, so the Agrovista opportunity was just too big to ignore.”

Stewart, who will be covering the areas of west and central Scotland and further down into Dumfries and Galloway borders, believes he has the perfect mentor at Agrovista Amenity.

“Ramsay MacGregor, my line manager, is the guy everyone goes to for technical advice and problem solving. I want to learn from him and pick up the reigns and become trusted and recognised just like him.

“Ultimately, I’m looking forward to working in a great team and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”

Sam Sweetzer also comes from a greenkeeping background, and his last role was at The Buckinghamshire Golf Club as the Deputy Course Manager. Throughout his career he has relied on several products from Agrovista Amenity and is looking forward to learning more about the science behind them.

“There is a huge amount of pressure and demand on greenkeepers at the moment and I’m looking forward to finding solutions for them,” he said. “In the past we have always worked with Agrovista Amenity because they have such an extensive portfolio from various manufacturers. There are also specialist products that only Agrovista Amenity can sell such as Compo Expert and BASF products.

Two new starters for Agrovista Amenity

Two new starters for Agrovista Amenity

“In the last few weeks, I have already learnt a lot about all these products. The technology that goes into these products is fascinating and I think it is important to always keep moving forward with the times.”

Sam will be focusing on the areas of Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire and is relishing the opportunity of building relationships with a wide variety of customers.

“I’m really looking forward to getting out on the road and meeting lots of different people, from many different sites and furthering my knowledge on various sports turf surfaces. My background might be in golf, but a lot of my clients will be working in colleges, schools, cricket, rugby and football.

“It’s an exciting prospect that people will be coming to me for advice. Having been in their shoes is important because it will help me build good long-term relationships with them, and that is what it is all about.”

For more information about Agrovista UK, visit www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity

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Envu embraces 2023

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Envu embraces 2023: Only a matter of months since Envu was created following the divestment of Bayer Environmental Sciences, the company is establishing a clear direction and growing from strength to strength.  The most recent appointments include Phil Logan, as National Account Manager UK & Ireland, and Paul Fisher promoted as Head of Sales UK & Ireland.

Commenting on the expanding team, Alan Morris, Managing Director (UK) & Head of North Europe at Envu explains that “people are everything to our business and everything to our customers.  We’ve been lucky to invest and bring in new people, so as Envu develops we bring in new ideas, and new thinking which benefits our customers”.

Envu embraces 2023

Envu embraces 2023

In addition to a progressive, innovative team, a key to Envu’s success in the amenity and turf sector is industry knowledge, with the ability to understand turf issues.  This is a key strength for newly appointed Phil Logan and after gaining a first-class honours degree in Turfgrass Science and Management from UCLAN, he has worked in greenkeeping at some iconic golf courses including The West Course, Wentworth and The Old Course, St Andrews,  as a Trials Manager and within various technical & sales roles.  Adding to the extensive industry experience and expertise, Phil is a fully qualified BASIS adviser which ensures excellent technical advice for Envu customers.

Complementing the team further, Paul Fisher’s promotion to Head of Sales UK and Ireland brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise from within the Environmental Science industry.  Paul has over 20 years of experience, both from the service provider and supply chain sectors giving a unique perspective.  Paul’s key emphasis is to help customers experience the level of support that is expected from a market leader such as Envu, as well as working to deliver solutions that help customers overcome their challenges.  Paul says, “I’m extremely excited about the opportunities within Envu, and being part of a market leading business with one of the strongest product portfolios.  And we have the freedom to bring more innovation to the market for the professional.”

Confirming this company position and the direction of Envu, Alan Morris, explains “Envu is looking for acquisition opportunities across all business units, and we have pending registrations with forthcoming product launches through our divested pipeline from Bayer.  It is an exciting time for Envu and as we grow, we remain committed to keeping our customers at the centre of everything we do”.

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Pols appointed as new INFINICUT® distributor

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Pols appointed as new INFINICUT® distributor: Pols, leading distributors for a number of green technology manufacturers in The Netherlands, have been announced as a new dealer partner for INFINICUT® as they continue to expand their global network.

Based in Zuidland, Pols have worked with a number of leading franchises over their 70-year history, with INFINICUT® the latest on an illustrious list to benefit from their outstanding sales and service to customers across the Benelux.

Pols appointed as new INFINICUT® distributor

Pols appointed as new INFINICUT® distributor

Appointed in November, Pols represent brands including Kioti, Ransomes and Cushman and have a team of more than 70 employees working closely with customers from a cross-range of industries from golf courses, parks and public space managers. The INFINICUT® range, with its precise cut quality and lithium power technology, is a great fit for Pols who pride themselves on being leaders in supplying environmentally-friendly solutions for turf management.

Commenting on their appointment, Pols Turfcare Sales Manager Cees Wolters said, “As specialists in sports turf, the INFINICUT® is a great addition to our portfolio. In the first few months of our partnership, we have already started supplying SMARTCut™ cassettes on our Jacobsen Eclipse lithium green mowers – which can now be found in the Johan Cruijff ArenA, ADO Den Haag’s Bingoal Stadium and on the new natural grass of ‘Het Kasteel’, home of Sparta. The quality of these cutting units has taken performance to the next level, so we can’t wait to be able to supply these and the complete INFINICUT® and TMSystem™ ranges to customers across our area.”

“Pols are a long-established, well-respected family business with a fantastic reputation for service and supplying leading green technologies across all areas of their business” adds Vinny Tarbox, INFINICUT® Sales Manager. “They have an enviable sales record in The Netherlands and have recently expanded into Belgium with new office and service facilities, making it an easy decision for us to partner with them to work in both of these vital markets.”

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LNER Community Stadium embrace GroundWOW

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LNER Community Stadium embrace GroundWOW: GroundWOW have delivered their latest signing to LNER Community Stadium in York. The onsite delivery and set up of the GroundWOW® SFX MAX™ is the start of an exciting revenue opportunity for York Stadium Management, with teams York City FC and York Knights RLFC reinventing their revenue model by converting under-utilised ground into advertising inventory.

The GroundWOW team worked with York Stadium Management to train their grounds and operations team on the hardware and software, so that the stadium can make the most of the new technology and take full ownership of unlocking the value of their surfaces.

LNER Community Stadium embrace GroundWOW

LNER Community Stadium embrace GroundWOW

Pete Kitchen, Stadium Manager at LNER Community Stadium said about the delivery and initial training session; “After a brief session inside while GroundWOW talked my team through the technology, we went pitch side to create the first autonomous prints ever seen at the LNER Community Stadium. The install crew oversaw the first one before my guys took over the controls to deliver their own….and they looked brilliant.”

He continued, “We first visited GroundWOW at their very cool HQ in Manchester and we were instantly sold on the technology. Taking delivery of our own system today is an exciting moment and really only the start of our partnership with them. My team were engaged from the first minute with the training and to be able to operate it themselves so quickly speaks volumes for how intuitive GroundWOW have made the user experience.”

About the possible revenue generating opportunities and creative capabilities, Kitchen said; “Our minds are already racing with the commercial possibilities that GroundWOW instantly opens up, especially so when you consider our dual mandate across rugby and football and our host venue status for major events beginning with Rugby League’s Summer Bash in May”.

GroundWOW’s Chief Commercial Officer, David Pritchard, said “The LNER Community stadium is an incredible venue and partnering there with the team from York Stadium Management is an amazing prospect. Not only is it the home stadium of York Knights and York City F.C, it is a community facility built on innovation and ambition, characteristics of our own DNA at GroundWOW. It’s a real thrill to see our technology deployed at such a modern, pristine venue and we are looking forward to working with such a forward-thinking team across different sports as they bring major commercial opportunities to life”.

GroundWOW unlocks the value in sports stadia by turning any surface into advertising real estate easily and quickly. The world’s first autonomous full colour stadium ground printer with integrated end-to-end inventory management software platform hosted in the cloud is bringing the whole sponsorship and advertising process in-house. As market leaders, GroundWOW help stadia and venues to monetise, unlock and maximise the value in surfaces by connecting brands to land with an affordable monthly subscription.

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