DLF Seeds announces facilities investment

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DLF Seeds announces facilities investment: DLF Seeds, the worlds-leading grass seed breeder is to invest £3.5M in new state-of-the-art mixing and distribution facilities at its main seed processing site at Inkberrow in Worcestershire.

This comes on the back of a £3M investment at its Scottish site at Broxburn, near Edinburgh in 2015, which automated and revolutionised the handling of forage grass and clover mixtures into the agricultural market.

DLF Seeds announces facilities investment

DLF Seeds announces facilities investment

“This investment will transform our current production facilities and bring much needed additional capacity and efficiency to cope with the future market demands in the amenity, consumer, environmental stewardship, cover crop and wildflower markets,” says Tim Kerridge, Managing Director for DLF Seeds.

“We have already seen increased demand for our products, especially for environmental stewardship, cover crops and wildflowers, in response to the UK government’s focus on habitat creation and carbon capture. In the amenity and consumer sector we have also experienced sustained growth and continue to see opportunities in these markets, as the economy recovers from Covid and embraces the sustainability agenda.”

The investment encompasses a new fully automated mixing plant for amenity and consumer products, whilst freeing up existing mixing capacity to triple the throughput of environmental stewardship, cover crops and wildflowers.

“This is a very exciting time for our industry where we must invest to ensure our customers can continue to receive the highest levels of service and the quickest delivery times for their orders,” Mr Kerridge continues. “Covid and Brexit have presented many challenges over the past two years, but this investment will ensure we are well placed to serve our customers in the decades to come.”

Work, which has already started, is expected to be completed by spring 2023.

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Milestone in sustainable golf development

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Milestone in sustainable golf development: Second edition of the international voluntary sustainability standard for golf developments demonstrates golf’s continuing proactive leadership and progress in the construction industry.

Developed through close collaboration, both within and outside the golf industry, the release of this latest edition of the Sustainable Golf Development Standard represents another major step forward in golf’s journey to becoming a leader in sustainable sport, land use and development.

Milestone in sustainable golf development

Milestone in sustainable golf development

Available to all new developments from September 2021, this simplified new edition raises the bar on sustainability expectations and focuses on the most relevant issues and challenges in the current climate. Renewed emphasis is placed on areas such as increased transparency, carbon impacts, flexible construction timelines, circular economy and the impacts of agronomic decision-making.

Facilitated by GEO Foundation (GEO), six months of open public consultation and dedicated work by the international expert working group for sustainable golf development has led to the release of the second edition of this credible, accessible and relevant voluntary standard for any golf development. The milestone document provides a tighter framework, which can guide the process of delivering any new golf developments and renovations, from site selection through to opening day – delivering positive social and environmental value throughout.

Sam Thomas, Director of Golf Development for GEO, the international organization dedicated to helping advance sustainability in and through golf said: “The process of working with public comments and the international expert group’s knowledge was a great insight into what we’ve seen change in the sustainability space over the past five years. There were invaluable inputs shared into the ways in which everyone felt that golf developments, done in the right way, can continue to make real positive contributions to their environment, climate and community. Going forward, we are excited to adopt this 2nd edition of the standard at all new golf development sites seeking to gain GEO Certified Development status and, over the next five years, see how we can all push on to deliver even greater positive impacts.”

The seven members of the International Expert Working Group, which helped shape this latest edition, included representatives from the Society of Australian Golf Course Architects; American Society of Golf Course Architects; The European Institutes of Golf Course Architects; Golf course builders – through Landscapes Unlimited; Australian National University, Former European Commission representatives and Wetlands International.

Richard Holland, Director, Operations and Network Development, Wetlands International commented: “Congratulations to all involved in this significant milestone for the golf development industry. The 2nd edition builds on the solid foundations of the original standard and raises the bar for new sustainable golf developments. These voluntary standards can also provide valuable guidance for policymakers and regulators in their responsibilities to deliver the best possible outcomes for the environment and local communities.”

The revision of the standard was carried out in line with ISEAL Alliance’s Code of Good Practice for Standard Setting. GEO has been part of the ISEAL Alliance since 2015 and the rigour and credibility of that code are central to the revision of the voluntary sustainability standard. These same codes of good practice are followed by other well-known sustainability bodies including Fairtrade, The Rainforest Alliance and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

Tom Mackenzie, Director at Mackenzie & Ebert and Past President of European Institute of Golf Course Architects stated: “It is great to see the release of the 2nd edition of this standard. It now better represents the current sustainability issues we face as designers and I was very pleased to be able to represent the European Institute of Golf Course Architects (EIGCA) on the expert working group. Along with EIGCA’s Raising the Standard of Sustainable Golf Course Design educational programme, which was created with GEO, this renewed sustainability standard represents another meaningful point of connection with GEO for our members.”  

The document and further explanation can be viewed here along with information on the OnCourse Developments programme, which provides practical support to assist all types of golf developments and the GEO Certified Developments mark, which provides credible recognition to new projects.

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Unveiling of RoviMo at Manchester City

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Unveiling of RoviMo at Manchester City: The GGM Group have hosted the prestigious UK unveiling of a ground-breaking Cylinder Cassette Mower for Professional Sports Turf.

The event, which was held at Manchester City FC Training Ground, showcased the RoviMo robotic mower for sports turf, saving potentially thousands of man hours in the maintenance of sports fields and stadiums.

Unveiling of RoviMo at Manchester City

Unveiling of RoviMo at Manchester City

The day was attended by several Premier League football clubs and highlighted a real game changer for the maintenance of professional sports turf and a glimpse of the future as guests which included Groundsman from a number of other premier league football clubs, turf advisors and professionals had the opportunity to see the machine in action and speak to the manufacturer first-hand.

The RoviMo is the world’s first intelligent electric vehicle capable of mowing patterns autonomously according to the guidelines of national football associations, UEFA, or FIFA, precisely and over the shortest distance, horizontally, vertically and with chessboard pattern, at the touch of a button. Supervision of the mowing process by an employee is not necessary.

Operated simply and efficiently remotely via an app, RoviMo® can also be used for mowing other large green areas, and will be developed to be utilised by golf courses. RoviMo® is a multifunctional equipment carrier, which will be able to carry out other work processes such as maintenance of artificial turf, line marking and various other labour-intensive tasks.

GGM Group Sales Andy Melville explains more:

“The event was a huge success, and we were thrilled to unveil the RoviMo to some of the UK’s leading football clubs at such a superb venue, where our guests were given a real glimpse of the future. RoviMo is the future of turfcare and it adds state of art technology to our portfolio, allowing us to offer customers the next generation of intelligent mowers.

“We are thrilled to have been involved from the early stages of development of these new innovative machines; they are the perfect addition to our product range as we continue to grow in the sports ground sectors”.

RoviMo is currently in its final stages of development and the event provided an opportunity for industry professionals to see the pre-production prototype first hand and meet the manufacturers in person, as well as having a two-way dialogue on the many ways in which it will benefit the industry.

Daniel Lewis from Manchester City said:

“The event was a great success and the new machine certainly lived up to expectations. The quality of the cut and the neat finish are essential boxes that needed to be ticked, and the RoviMo did just that.

“The fact that the attendees from other clubs were willing to offer comments freely on future development of the machine demonstrated that the interest is there. The machine could benefit the industry by saving on the continuous labour of grass cutting, allowing staff to get on with the more intricate demands of the job.”

The GGM Group announced they have signed a distribution agreement with Swiss manufacturer Ronovatec back in January this year.

The GGM Group, based in Colne, Lancashire, has a rich heritage and proactively seeks new solutions on an ongoing basis. The new deal with Ronovatec marries perfectly with its strong values of professionalism, innovation, and providing progressive solutions that support its commitment to work towards carbon neutrality.

Andy Melville continued:

“Over recent years there has been a trend for turfcare professionals to increase their green credentials and RoviMo not only offers this but achieves reduced cost and increased efficiency simultaneously. A fully charged RoviMo will mow circa 16’000 m2 in 5-6 hours depending on pattern and terrain, all without employee supervision of the mowing process and saving many man hours. In addition, RoviMo® is fully electric, CO2-free, and autonomous with low noise pollution and is therefore ecologically sustainable and economically unbeatable. It’s a win-win for the customer and the future of sports turf maintenance has never looked more exciting”.

A video of the event can be viewed on the GGM Groundscare YouTube channel or by using:

https://youtu.be/Xo48htmG_pA

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Newquay GC welcomes Terra Float Air

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Newquay GC welcomes Terra Float Air: The unique setting of Newquay Golf Club makes it an iconic coastal landmark. With Cornwall’s glorious surfing destination, Fistral Beach as backdrop, it sits high atop the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

For Dan Kendle, Course Manager, at the Harry Colt-designed links, summer has been as hectic as anything he can remember.

Newquay GC welcomes Terra Float Air

Newquay GC welcomes Terra Float Air

“There’s certainly not been much down time,” he admits. “It’s been mental for the last 18 months. The town has been so busy; actually, sometimes too busy, for infrastructure to cope.

“In the past, the club has never had vast numbers of groups of visiting golfers, just a steady membership made up of locals. However, tourist golfers are loving it. There have been days when there hasn’t been a single tee time available from seven in the morning through to six at night. We imposed a cut off at 7.00 pm for people as we literally can’t fit any more.”

Extra funds have meant Dan Kendle has bought a Wiedenmann Terra Float Air pneumatic seeder, delivered in September, something on his wish list for the last 6½ years since taking up post.

“We’ve never really had a proper overseeder, just a basic one. I considered two or three contenders, spoke to David Barnes at dealers, Mason Kings and narrowed it to the Wiedenmann. I chatted to other links managers who had bought the Air, including Paul Larsen at Royal St George’s. He couldn’t say enough good words about his… that was good enough for me … I had the demo and it backed up all I’d heard.”

The Terra Float Air combines three units in one. A base unit aerates and prepares a seed bed to a max depth of 30 mm by way of fine slits or spikes. Then the top-mounted pneumatic air seeder accurately distributes the seed either pre or post top dressing. Finally, a brush and roller combination gives a desired finish incorporating the materials and leaving the surface smooth. Thanks to finitely accurate electronic static calibration, quantities as low as 1.0 g / m² can be achieved.

Having had his Air less than a month, Dan, and his team of four full timers, have decided to try a few schemes to see what works best.

“In the past, we really only overseeded greens twice a year and annually some fairways.  This involved putting a blunt tine in the greens and the seeds via a broadcast spreader, but this is a different league. Going forward, we will start off overseeding greens probably every six weeks just lightly and see where that takes us. We’ll keep pushing the fescue low, maybe 4-5 grammes per square metre on greens and surrounds.  Tees will be two or three times a year while Fairways once or twice a year, up at about 8 – 10 grammes. Then we’ll review. We’ll be using Limagrain’s MM Coastal mix fescue, something also relatively new for us.

“It’s easy to get the Air on the tractor. The stored electronic memory feature is one of the brilliant details. Once you input your programme you don’t have to touch it again.

“Even before it had arrived word had got out that Air was on its way and a few nearby course managers have already asked if we will be hiring it out. We also own a Wiedenmann GXI8 HD deep aerator and the Terra Float Air are both very similar as they are totally reliable, and we can use them in every area of our course.”

David Barnes, at Mason Kings, Wiedenmann UK dealers for Cornwall, said: “The Air also has an assured performance on undulations with good forward speed and leaves a very clean surface.   The beauty of the Wiedenmann is that it respects that seed is a very precious and expensive commodity and meters it so precisely there is no wastage. These days that is a big saving and brings peace of mind to a club or a contractor. With a much busier course, Dan and team can be out in a matter of minutes when opportunity allows.”

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#SeeYouAtSALTEX

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#SeeYouAtSALTEX: The Grounds Management Association (GMA), show organisers of SALTEX, launches social media campaign #SeeYouAtSALTEX and is encouraging everyone attending the show to participate.

#SeeYouAtSALTEX is the new 2021 event campaign, and the GMA is encouraging everyone attending the show to get involved through social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

How to get involved

  1. Post a photo

Simply post a photo on social media supported by the hashtag – #SeeYouAtSALTEX. This could be of yourself (selfies welcome), your workplace, or a project that you are particularly proud of.

  1. Post a video
#SeeYouAtSALTEX

#SeeYouAtSALTEX

Alternatively, you may want to post a video (approximately 20 seconds) in which you introduce yourself and say exactly why you are looking forward to SALTEX this year. Don’t forget to sign off the video by saying ‘See You At SALTEX’.

SALTEX, founded in 1938, will be taking place at the NEC on 3 and 4 November 2021. The show is set to be the most vibrant and celebrated event in its long history.

“Together we have witnessed some dark times due to the Covid-19 pandemic and we hope that SALTEX 2021 will be a welcome antidote when it opens its doors in November,” said GMA CEO Geoff Webb.

Following a difficult year for the sector, SALTEX is set to play an integral role in helping the industry to recover; allowing visitors and exhibitors to network, collaborate and support one another more than ever before. The event will be an occasion for the entire industry to reunite.

“We’ve been through this together and we are coming out of this together,” continued Geoff. “It is time to celebrate resilience, unity, people, companies, and all things grounds. It is time to see old faces, new ones and it is time to say See You At SALTEX for all our buyers, suppliers, educators, and members. We cannot wait to unite everyone at our event.”

The prizes

There are some great prizes up for grabs from a range of SALTEX 2021 exhibitors including Root Start Plus™ – a biostimulant-based fertiliser from Advanced Grass Solutions; two knapsack sprayers from Hozelock Exel; a Remote Rain Gauge from Metos UK and a STIHL GHE 105 Electric Shredder from Spaldings Groundcare.

Following a photo or video submission, tagging #SeeYouAtSALTEX, the lucky winners will be selected at random on the first day of the show (3 November).

“SALTEX 2021 is an ideal opportunity to meet in person fellow grounds management professionals to discuss various topics and look at new innovations, both of which we haven’t been able to do for some time,” said Geoff.

“We cannot wait to welcome you to the show’s 75th anniversary – it will certainly be one to remember.”

COVID Safety Measures

The safety of all our exhibitors, partners, visitors, contractors, and staff is our highest priority. Please ensure you read our COVID safety measures and following guidelines for entry to the show. Read full information and guidance here.

Visitors can register to attend SALTEX via the website. Visitors will receive a confirmation email with their badge to print and take along to the show, to gain free entry.

For more information visit www.gmasaltex.co.uk

Follow SALTEX on Twitter @GMA_SALTEX and Facebook – www.facebook.com/GMASALTEX

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