Speaker line-up confirmed for GMA Connect

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Speaker line-up confirmed for GMA Connect: The Grounds Management Association (GMA) has announced the expert speaker line-up for its upcoming regional event, GMA Connect, taking place at Durham County Cricket Club on Wednesday 18 June.

Building on the success of GMA Connect in Bristol earlier this month, the Durham event promises another engaging and informative day for grounds professionals. The Bristol event received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with attendees praising the quality and relevance of the seminar programme.

Speaker line-up confirmed for GMA Connect

Speaker line-up confirmed for GMA Connect

One attendee said: “Alex Vickers was superb and had great presentation and interaction skills.” Many cited the seminars as their primary reason for attending, reinforcing the value of these regional gatherings.

GMA Connect is designed to bring the grounds management community together at a local level, offering a full day of expert-led seminars, live demonstrations and networking opportunities.

The Durham programme features a strong line-up of speakers and sessions, including:

  • Mark Hunt, renowned weather expert, presenting Turf Management in the Current Climate, with practical advice on interpreting forecasts and managing the effects of changing weather patterns.
  • Alex Vickers, returning by popular demand, leading Reading Your Soil, an interactive workshop on soil profiles and compaction identification.
  • Vic Demain, Head Groundsman at Durham CCC, hosting What’s in Your Shed?, a behind-the-scenes look at the professional equipment used to maintain elite playing surfaces.
  • A panel discussion on Dealing with Climate Change Challenges at Professional Venues, featuring Vic Demain, Alex Vickers and Aaron Tong from Hull City’s MKM Stadium.
  • Ian Mather-Brewster from the GMA, delivering Carrying Out a Surface Assessment, followed by a joint session with Chris Hunter on Using a Playing Surface Assessment to Upgrade Your Facility.

Commenting at GMA Connect Bristol earlier in May, Victoria Jones, Facilities and Investment Manager at Cricket Wales, said: “GMA Connect has been a great success – there’s been such an opportunity to network across the industry from grounds managers to professionals from the GMA – but also experts from the commercial sector, it’s been great to network with these people. Through networking and educational opportunities, it’s how we improve ground quality and performance.”

GMA Connect Durham is set to be another must-attend event for the grounds management community.

Tickets are free for GMA members, while non-members can attend for £15. Membership provides additional value, including exclusive resources, discounted training, access to the Member Assistance Programme and more.

For more information or to register, visit thegma.org.uk/events

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How Groundtel’s line marking capabilities service 150 schools

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How Groundtel’s line marking capabilities service 150 schools: Groundtel Ltd is a family-run business with a proud reputation for precision, reliability and service. With over 150 schools on its books, the company has become one of the region’s leading grounds maintenance providers.

At the heart of operations is Danny Perkins, Contracts Manager and member of the founding family. Danny is helping steer the business into the next generation of efficiency with robotic line marking machines.

How Groundtel’s line marking capabilities service 150 schools

How Groundtel’s line marking capabilities service 150 schools

“We were already delivering a high standard,” says Danny, “but the TinyLineMarker robots have taken us to a different level. They’ve paid for themselves ten times over.”

Each season, Groundtel’s team prepares a wide range of sports markings across school playing fields. For summer months, this includes 100m, 200m, 300m, and 400m running tracks, complete with relay boxes, rounders and softball pitches, and throwing areas for javelin, discus, and shot putt. In winter, the focus shifts to football pitches, rugby pitches, and training grids, all initially marked and then overmarked throughout the season as required.

The 20-strong grounds team has a significant workload and has a two-person team dedicated solely to line marking. Historically, that meant traditional pedestrian machines, such as push-along markers, a Fast Liner, and plenty of manual setup.

“That’s a lot of tape measures and string lines,” Danny comments. “It was time-consuming and hard to keep up when schools need everything done quickly and precisely. Once we brought in the TinyLineMarker robot, everything changed.”

Groundtel took delivery of its first TinyLineMarker Pro X in 2021, followed by a second robot 12–18 months later. Both are now integral to operations, running daily from late February to July.

“With the robots and some long hours, we have been known to overmark over 100 schools in 7 to 10 days. Before, it would take about four weeks. However, on average, we run the robots for six to eight hours daily.”

Initial marking has seen the most significant impact, with the robots removing the need for traditional set-out methods. “It’s incredibly accurate,” says Danny. “You just load the template on the tablet, and it remembers exactly where to mark, even if the lines have disappeared after cutting. Schools appreciate that kind of consistency.”

The robots’ size and weight were a major consideration. “I looked at Turf Tank, but it was too heavy. I couldn’t lift it in and out of the van alone. The Tiny robot is light, compact, and fits easily in the back of a small van, which makes life a lot easier.” Rough and uneven ground is a common challenge across school fields, particularly in the state sector. “That’s another reason the TinyLineMarker works so well for us. It’s robust and can handle bumpy surfaces where other machines might struggle.”

Groundtel uses IMPACT® Pro paint from Origin Amenity Solutions for both their robotic and two iGO Premier Pedestrian markers. Danny says, “It’s a perfect match.”

“The robot’s set to moderate speed, and the lines are bright, crisp, and clean. And because the paint’s ready-mixed, there’s no faffing around with water. It saves time and hassle, and we get a consistent finish across every pitch.”

In addition to time and paint efficiency, the robots have helped Groundtel reduce labour demand and improve safety and sustainability, which are key concerns for schools.

“The schools prefer the robots,” Danny says. “They’re small, quiet, and there are no fuel emissions. This ticks a lot of environmental boxes. From a health and safety point of view, especially during the school day, it’s a win.”

Behind the technology is a strong support system, which is something Danny values. “The training was excellent, and the support from Origin Amenity Solutions is brilliant. It’s one thing to buy a product, but having ongoing help makes a huge difference. I can ring Simon or Joe and get an answer immediately without waiting for a call-out, although that’s also available. A quick answer on the phone saves me so much wasted time.”

Origin Amenity Solutions is the sole UK distributor of TinyMobileRobots and one of the leading providers of GPS line marking. The company offers one of the most comprehensive line marking ranges in the UK and Ireland, including pedestrian and ride-on machines, ready-to-use paints, and advanced robotic technology. All paints and machines are manufactured within the Origin group, ensuring consistent, high-quality performance backed by nationwide support and product expertise.

For Danny and the team at Groundtel, the move to robotic line marking has exceeded every expectation. “We’ve saved time, reduced labour, improved accuracy and consistency. I wouldn’t go back. The robots are a vital part of how we operate now, and they’ve transformed the service we can offer our schools.”

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Win an unforgettable day at Edgbaston

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Win an unforgettable day at Edgbaston: Join Gary and his expert team on Monday June 30th 2025 as they prepare the Edgbaston playing surfaces for the highly anticipated England vs. India Test Match in this competition with Dennis Mowers.

The prize winner and guest are required to provide their own transportation to and from Edgbaston Stadium. Accommodation will be provided to the prize winner and guest on Sunday June 29th 2025, the evening before the ‘Money Can’t Buy’ experience, to remove on-the-day travel disruption as a risk to enjoyment of the prize.

Win an unforgettable day at Edgbaston

Win an unforgettable day at Edgbaston

The winner and guest will receive a tour of the facilities and overview of operations before assisting the grounds teams to prepare for a Test Match; including but not limited to prepping the nets, working on the outfield and pitch inspections. Throughout the day the winner and guest will have opportunities to shadow and work with the Edgbaston grounds teams and gain insights into all aspects of their work.

You can enter the competition here

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STIHL introduce the MS 400.1

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STIHL introduce the MS 400.1: Setting new standards in the 60cc class, the new MS 400.1 forestry chainsaw offers professionals the best power-to-weight ratio of any professional chainsaw on the market.  

Sitting in between the MS 261 C-M and MS 462 C-M, the new MS 400.1 replaces the existing MS 362 and MS 400.0 models in the lineup. The MS 400.1 has been re-developed from the ground up and is a completely new machine, building on the strengths of the original MS 400 and taking it to the next level.  The MS 400.1 weighs 5.5kg, 300g less than the original MS 400, and has a smaller engine displacement of 62.6cc. Despite this, the MS 400.1 still maintains an impressive power output of 3.9 kW, resulting in the best power-to-weight ratio of any petrol chainsaw available.

STIHL introduce the MS 400.1

STIHL introduce the MS 400.1

A second advantage of the MS 400.1 is the 4.3Nm of torque. When cutting large timber, the saw is less pressure sensitive and less likely to bog down mid-cut. Like all STIHL professional petrol chainsaws, the MS 400.1 uses the latest M-Tronic technology, resulting in easy starting and super-fast acceleration.

As well as technical improvements to the engine, a larger magnesium flywheel and improved muffler help to keep the saw cool during operation. A new larger HD2 filter keeps the saw running in tough conditions and cuts down on maintenance and downtime during the working day.

The geometry of the rear handle has been improved for more comfortable handling, and the end profile has been widened to rest securely on the operator’s leg, resulting in easier plunge cutting. This, combined with the new compact design, makes the MS 400.1 exceptionally easy to handle.

The rib pattern on the underside has been optimised to make cleaning faster. It also helps the saw to glide along the trunk when snedding, preventing bark and twigs from getting caught.

Located on the petrol tank, the new 50% marker gives a quick indication of the total fuel level, helping the operator to keep track of their consumption and fill up efficiently.

STIHL have also improved access to the oil pump control bolt, meaning adjustments can be made with a standard combination tool rather than a specialist screwdriver.

For more information on the MS 400.1, visit www.stihl.co.uk.

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Andy Walker Retires After 49 Years the Howardson Group

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Andy Walker Retires After 49 Years the Howardson Group: After nearly five decades of dedicated service, Andy Walker, Field Support Manager at the Howardson Group, is set to retire, marking the end of an era for one of the industry’s most respected figures.

Andy’s journey began in 1976 when, aged just 16, he walked into the SISIS factory on a whim. When asked if he’d been sent from the job centre, he quickly said yes – even though he hadn’t. As luck would have it, the real candidate’s taxi never turned up, and Andy landed a one-month trial. It didn’t take long for him to “cut the mustard,” and he soon secured a permanent role.

Andy Walker Retires After 49 Years the Howardson Group

Andy Walker Retires After 49 Years the Howardson Group

From humble beginnings on the shop floor, Andy’s ambition quickly became apparent. A chance conversation with a manager at a nearby engineering site led to an opportunity in the design engineering department, where Andy thrived. While working full-time, he also completed a five-year engineering course at Stockport Technology College and was later promoted to department manager.

In 1983, Andy took a new path into sales – a move that would define much of his career. After twelve years, he stepped into the role of Product Evaluation Manager, using his deep technical knowledge to test and refine new equipment before it went to market. By 2009, he had taken on the title of Field Support Manager – a role in which he became a true ambassador for both the Dennis and SISIS brands.

When SISIS was acquired by the Howardson Group in 2011, Andy welcomed the change. “It was the best thing that could have happened,” he said. “Dennis and SISIS complement each other perfectly. It was a natural fit, and we’ve only gone from strength to strength since.”

Andy’s career has taken him across the globe – from the UK’s bowling greens to Premier League football stadiums, and everywhere in between. He’s delivered product demonstrations, led mower seminars, and worked with clients from grassroots clubs to government ministers. He’s visited every continent – highlights include a visit to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and a memorable trip to Alcatraz during a stateside demo tour.

One of his proudest achievements was working closely with Manchester City FC. As a lifelong City fan, being part of that project was a personal and professional highlight. “It was a lot of back and forth, a lot of tweaking and testing, but we got there. They ordered over 20 machines.”

Beyond the travel and product launches, it’s the people that have made the journey worthwhile. “It’s a lovely industry to work in,” Andy reflected. “You meet such a range – from people at local bowling greens to heads of sports facilities all over the world. And I’ve been lucky to work with some great colleagues who’ve become lifelong friends.”

Among those he’s closest to is Ben Lloyd, who Andy’s worked alongside for over 20 years. “I’ve probably spent more time with him than anyone else in recent years. We’ve shared some graft, plenty of laughs – and I’ll leave it at that!”

But when asked who deserves the biggest thank you, Andy’s answer is simple: his wife, Linda. “She’s the one who made it all possible. In the early years, I’d be away for three months of the year. With two young daughters at home, she held everything together. I owe her everything.”

As he steps into retirement, Andy plans to thank Linda properly – starting with a tour of the British coastline in their caravan, followed by road trips through France and Spain. “It’s time for our own adventure,” he says.

Andy leaves behind an incredible legacy – 49 years, countless miles travelled, and a lasting impact on turf care both at home and abroad.

“I never dreaded going to work. That’s the truth of it. I’ve had a blast.”

For further information visit www.howardsongroup.com

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