SALTEX – back in style

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SALTEX – back in style: After a year’s absence, SALTEX roars back into life and celebrates a very memorable 75th anniversary.

Put back a year due to the pandemic, the buzz was certainly back on the show floor as SALTEX 2021 reunited the industry and brought together almost 7,500 attendees across two days.

SALTEX - back in style

SALTEX – back in style

It was apparent among exhibitors and visitors that Europe’s largest annual turf management event was exactly what the grounds management industry needed.

The annual exhibition organised by the Grounds Management Association (GMA), offered visitors a fantastic opportunity to witness the largest product and service showcase in grounds management, including many new innovations being unveiled for the first ever time at this year’s vibrant show.

New and inspiring technology was celebrated through the SALTEX Innovation Awards; a prestigious hallmark for products showcasing the future of groundscare. From robotics to battery-powered mowers, tractors to utility vehicles, grow lights to chain saws, the entries included a wide variety of high-quality products, services and equipment.

Judged by an independent panel of industry experts, the following innovations at this year’s awards ceremony took the glory.

Innovations continued to flourish throughout the event and the ever-popular Eco Village attracted a large amount of footfall. Visitors were able to see cutting-edge sustainable technology in action by GroundWOW, Dennis Mowers, Allett Mowers, Campey Turf Care Systems, Overton UK, Toro and Avant UK.

Every person who registered for SALTEX was in with a chance of winning the battery-powered E6 compact loader from Avant UK on loan for a period of six months, and after being selected by random on the first day of the show, Richard Mason from Sedbergh School was handed the keys to his new prize.

Elsewhere on the show floor, Learning LIVE, SALTEX’s all-encompassing education programme featured over 30 sessions and a number of high-profile speakers who tackled a number of key issues such as the future workforce, climate change and mental health.

Other show features on the GMA Hub, including Pathology and Soil Science Live, Ask The Expert and the Job Clinic, offered invaluable free advice and career progression opportunities.

Many exhibitors reported that a substantial number of visitors were high-quality buyers with serious intent. Commenting on the vast number of business leads he received, Rupert Price, managing director of UK importer Price Turfcare, said: “At the end of the first day at the show, we were returning to the hotel and reflecting on the high level of business and number of visitors that we had seen. Honestly, we were sceptical about the possible visitor numbers prior to the show but were very pleased with the footfall across the stand and the number of demonstration requests received.”

Echoing Rupert was Caroline Shaw, European marketing manager at Trimax Mowing Systems: “SALTEX is about is all about getting people together,” she said. “It is a great opportunity for us to network with our dealers, existing customers and new potential customers. SALTEX is a great place for us to entertain, which is always really important.”

The overwhelming consensus was that SALTEX 2021 successfully re-united every corner of the grounds care industry and demonstrated to newcomers just how great the sector is.

“I have been coming to SALTEX for many, many years and I never get bored of it – it is a great opportunity to see what is out there in the industry,” said Ted Mitchell, national facilities development manager at the Rugby Football Union (RFU). “This year has been great, and particularly because we have gone through a restructure at the RFU, and we have new members of the team. SALTEX has really opened their eyes to the sector and the wider industry.”

Geoff Webb, Grounds Management Association (GMA) CEO, reflected on what may well have been the most meaningful SALTEX yet. “On behalf of all of us at the GMA we really want to extend our thanks to all our exhibitors and visitors that have showed their support for SALTEX this year. It has been a turbulent period for us all and we are delighted that we got the opportunity to celebrate the 75th edition with so many of you.

“I believe SALTEX 2021 has brought hope for the future and has showcased what our industry is capable of overcoming.”

For more information visit www.gmasaltex.co.uk

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INFINICUT® gives Warrington Wolves the advantage

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INFINICUT® gives Warrington Wolves the advantage: When Niall Hazlehurst joined Warrington Wolves as Head of Grounds in February 2021, a quick trip into the equipment shed flagged the urgent need for an update to the club’s mower fleet.

Recognising the number of elite sporting venues using mowers from INFINICUT®, Niall put forward a case that if the club wanted to be the best, they needed to invest in the best equipment! Convinced by both the superior cut quality and environmental credentials, the club purchased two 34” INFINICUT® FX mowers, along with an SM34 Rotary, earlier this year.

INFINICUT® gives Warrington Wolves the advantage

INFINICUT® gives Warrington Wolves the advantage

“Having used INFINICUT® mowers in the past, it was fantastic to be able to explain just how many benefits they could bring to the quality of the pitch and the environment as a whole” explains Niall. “Like a lot of clubs, we’re looking at ways of being greener so the fact we can reduce emissions and cost by switching to battery power was a big plus. However, the mowers also need to deliver on the agronomic front. The number of adjustable parameters on the INFINICUT’s and the millimetre precision you get when setting the height of cut has taken our pitch presentation from nil to the best it’s ever been!”

Two 34” fixed head units are the primary mowers for pre-match cut but, in addition, the club decided to invest in the SM34 Rotary mower – delivered by dealers Turner Groundcare in August. The SM34 follows the same design philosophy as the rest of the INFINICUT® range, offering best in class performance with an emphasis on a modern, clean power source. It takes its mode of traction from the INFINICUT® reel mower, renowned for its durability, paired with a deck designed to facilitate optimal airflow.

“Now that we’re out of season, we’re using our SM34 in rotation with the 34” FX units to help to stand the plant up and thicken the sward. In season, it is used for the clean-up cut and thanks to the phenomenal suction, it doesn’t miss anything!” Niall continues, “In addition, if the weather is really poor on prep day and we’re at all concerned about dropping clippings, we will use the Rotary as this gives us an excellent quality of cut and finish. Having that versatility at our disposal is fantastic.”

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Vandals churn up grass pitches

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Vandals churn up grass pitches: An amateur football club’s pitches have been vandalised by “idiots on motorbikes”.

Read the full article from the Bolton News here

Vandals churn up grass pitches

Vandals churn up grass pitches

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Control the future today

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Control the future today: Poa annua, also known as annual meadow grass, is a notorious problem for UK turf managers and greenkeepers who are looking to create perfect conditions for sporting or leisure activities. This is, in part, due to it being a grass, rather than a broadleaf weed, which means that it can be difficult to find the right chemical to control it, whilst not damaging the turfgrass. If Poa is not successfully treated, seedheads will emerge, and the problem will increase for the following year as it rapidly proliferates.

BASF offers highly innovative turf management solutions for amenity and sports turf sectors, and it has an effective solution for Poa management.

Control the future today

Control the future today

Attraxor® is a plant growth regulator that contains prohexadione calcium, a new active ingredient for turf care in the UK that reduces turf height by up to 30% and clippings by up to 70% following one application. By reducing longitudinal turf growth, Attraxor® reduces the frequency of mowing, increases sward density and root formation, and greens up the turf.

Attraxor® produces a consistent effect for up to four weeks after application, so there is no need to adjust the dose rate, regardless of the cutting height. It is effective on all cool season grass species, such as Agrostis spp., Festuca spp., Lolium perenne, Holcus lanatus and Poa pratensis.

Ideally applied early in the year, Attraxor® limits the spread of Poa annua by reducing seedhead production by up to 38% and physiologically weakening but not killing the plant. Using an innovative formulation for fast leaf absorption, the product provides almost instant results, as it is activated once diluted in water at low pH. Contrary to other plant growth regulators that need to be activated by the plant enzymes, Attraxor® can be used earlier or later in the season during cooler weather (optimal temperature between 7-20 oC).

Attraxor® can be tank mixed with liquid fertilisers, adjuvants, biostimulants and crop protection products.

For further information about Attraxor® and BASF’s turf management solutions, please visit agriculture.basf.com

BASF experts are available for interviews, features and expert comment on pest control management.

For media enquiries, contact Fay Clarkson at fay@honestcommunications.co.uk

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Kubota maintains standards for staycation boom

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Kubota maintains standards for staycation boom: Dubbed the ‘year of the staycation’, the last 12 months have seen families embrace the delights of camping and caravanning with many becoming hooked by the simple pleasures of alfresco holidays. And that means campsites have never been more in demand.

The Camping and Caravanning Club is expecting similar levels of demand next year and its Kingsbury Water Park campsite, near Tamworth in the West Midlands is one that has remained busy even into winter.

Kubota maintains standards for staycation boom

Kubota maintains standards for staycation boom

Earlier this year, the club invested in a new Kubota ZD1211 for the site to help keep the 162 pitches pristine.

“We’ve used mower collectors in the past, but were keen to try a mulching mower to avoid the costs of disposing of clippings,” explains site manager Rob Lawler, one of a team of six charged with taking care of the site and its visitors.

“I was also impressed with the output of the mower when I tried it. We have a range of duties here on site, so we can’t spend all day cutting. Using the ZD1211 with its 1.52m (60in) deck I can get the mowing done and move on to something else; we can also easily keep on top of the growth by cutting regularly as it’s so productive.”

With the site set in leafy glades, it offers a verdant oasis for holidaymakers, so cut quality is important to give that lawn-like appearance, Rob points out.

“We do need a high standard of presentation, so I set the deck at the lowest cut height and it gives an excellent finish. The mulching kit chops the clippings so finely there is hardly any residue, and what there is goes back into the turf to encourage healthy growth. A colleague who uses a collector mower came to look at ours and couldn’t believe how clean the result is!”

He adds that the enclosed 140mm deep deck also contains any stones or debris that may be in the grass, avoiding risk of damage to nearby vehicles.

With its twin HST levers, the ZD1211 turns neatly within its own length, negotiating obstacles such as electric pillars and working round hard standings with ease.

“The levers do take a bit of getting used to,” Rob admits. “It’s a bit like being a pilot! But it’s a very comfortable machine to drive with a great suspension seat and you feel very stable and secure.”

He also praises the deck lift system which gives easy access for maintenance and cleaning, and says that the mower has proved very reliable.

“We get excellent back-up from dealer Hughie Willett, but know from experience how well built these machines are. Our old G21 which has been on the site for more than 15 years is still going strong and comes in handy for clearing leaves or tackling long growth.”

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