ECHO makes leaf clearing a breeze

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ECHO makes leaf clearing a breeze: Take a lightweight carbon fibre frame and build in a 79.9cc two-stroke engine producing an air volume of 1818m3/h, airspeed of 94.5m/sec and a blowing force of 44N.

Add a cruise-control throttle, ventilated backpack pad, an anti-vibration system and heavy-duty straps and you have the PB-8010, ECHO’s largest and most powerful backpack blower. Delivering an excellent power-to-weight ratio, the PB-8010 weighs just 11.2kg with an output of 4.2kW. Part of ECHO’s X Series range of ‘best in class’ products, the PB-8010 is one of a series of ECHO power blowers designed to make easy the job of clearing stubborn autumn leaves and garden debris.

ECHO makes leaf clearing a breeze

ECHO makes leaf clearing a breeze

For those seeking a hand-held blower look no further than the ECHO PB-2620 which is ECHO’s most powerful two-stroke blower and one of the highest powered in its class. It’s also packed with features designed to increase the productivity of the professional user, with its 25.4cc pro-grade engine and improved power-to-weight ratio compared to previous models. Rotational control design reduces the gyro effect on the wrist for user comfort and reduced fatigue. Grouped controls are easy to reach and include ‘Cruise Control’ allowing the operator to lock the throttle on a variety of settings. The PB-2620 is also part of ECHO’s X Series, the range of ‘best in class, products that are industry-leading in terms of performance and durability. ECHO says each model has specific features designed to help professionals perform their jobs more efficiently.

What could be easier than ECHO’s ES-250ES Shred ‘N’ Vac® when faced with piles of leaves to be disposed of?  Powered by a 25.4cc two-stroke engine and featuring Easy Start for almost effortless starting, the Shred ‘N’ Vac® clears leaves and other garden debris quickly and efficiently. It also shreds the material, reducing its volume 12:1 ready for the compost heap. The ES-250ES can also be converted into a blower.

If you’re looking for an eco-friendly zero emissions blower then the ECHO DPB-600 will suit you. It is a lightweight, battery-powered blower and ideal for anyone wanting an easy-to-use product, with low noise, low vibration, low running costs and zero emissions at the point of use. It features a 50V system using the latest Lithium-ion technology. This produces high-density energy, compared to traditional heavier, less powerful battery technology. A professional-grade maintenance-free brushless motor ensures long-lasting performance and the blower comes with a 4Ah battery which offers extended run-times. The rapid charger ensures the 4Ah battery is boosted to 80% capacity in just 48 minutes – meaning you experience less downtime. These blowers and more are part of a complete range of ECHO power blowers designed to meet the needs of the operator. Each comes with a two-year professional or five-year domestic warranty, and a 2-year warranty on batteries, showing ECHO’s own confidence in their machines. Find out more from your local authorised ECHO dealer. You can also visit echo-tools.co.uk or call 01844 278800 for more information.

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A spotlight on Siân Workman

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From Agrovista Amenity

A spotlight on Siân Workman: Siân had not initially envisioned herself in a marketing role. As a child she dreamt of being a veterinarian and an affinity for nature and animals led her to embark on a Zoology and Conservation degree at university. A notoriously difficult industry to land a career in, Siân had to reassess her career path. Little did she know that a fulfilling opportunity was around the corner – one which would allow her natural skills to flourish.

“While it may seem unrelated having a Zoology and Conservation degree and be working in the amenity sector, it has actually been very beneficial,” said Siân. “Just having that background and interest in science and biology translates for a greater understanding of my role.

A spotlight on Siân Workman

A spotlight on Siân Workman

“My degree underpins my natural scientific interests, being fascinated by biology and the chemistry behind a lot of the products we encounter. I’m always talking to the technical team to try and understand how everything works better.”

This inquisitive interest in biology has resulted in an oasis of plants being grown around her desk.

At the time, Siân was undertaking various roles at a local sports centre and when the opportunity arose to join Agrovista Amenity, she did not think twice about applying for an interview. This was, in part, fuelled by her love for Welsh rugby.

“I am a big Welsh rugby fan and I had heard that some people within the company had been involved with the Principality Stadium pitch – which is what my dad calls The Cathedral! There was a lot going on at the time and they were starting to do the synthetic threading into the natural pitches. It just so happened that we were talking a lot about that process in my circles and amongst our family. It sounded like a good company to work for, so I applied and fortunately was offered the role.

“Yes, it was different to what I originally set out to do, but it turned out that I really enjoyed doing something with so much variety. I felt that I was good at the role so I invested all my efforts into doing the best job I could.”

Siân quickly discovered that the company culture and its values would enable her to thrive. It was the perfect fit and with the support of the company she set about obtaining some esteemed qualifications – something which she pinpoints as a proud moment in her career history.

“From the moment I walked in, I could tell that they were incredibly supportive and would work with you to help progress your career. They want their staff to learn and develop and, for me, being science-based, it suits the way I work – I am always eager to learn.

“I’ve received fantastic on-the-job learning; I’ve completed a number of online seminars, learnt basic HTML, completed a CSS course and I also achieved all of my Google qualifications.  I’m particularly proud of my Google qualifications because they were very intense and trying to juggle those with my workload wasn’t easy.”

Siân uses these qualifications to the company’s advantage. She manages e-commerce activity for the amenity side of the business including pay-per-click campaigns, online adverts, integral analytics and gets involved in various projects that are related to e-commerce.

“My role involves disseminating content from the technical team to our product pages, social channels and other marketing literature and keeping in mind the audiences and restrictions of those. My interests and science background helps me fully understand what I am trying to communicate better.

“It’s also about recognising any trends or issues in the marketplace and catching them early. The technical team play a big part in this respect and can predict when certain products will be of interest. This corresponds with what I am seeing through the online statistics or searches, and what customers are saying on reviews or comments on social media.

“We ping ideas back and forth in our marketing meetings and I’ll present them with monthly reports. If we notice a drop in something, then we will investigate the reasons behind it. We make a good team and it helps us to produce marketing that is transparent, valid for the relevant platform and relatable to online content.”

The importance of teamwork and collaboration is an essential ingredient of any business, and furthermore, Siân believes that Agrovista Amenity boasts an environment which promotes an atmosphere that fosters friendship and loyalty.

“There was a friendly atmosphere as soon as I arrived, and now some of my closest friends are people I’ve met here. Everyone is extremely easy to work with and I would struggle to leave for anywhere else.”

Perhaps it is this environment which has enabled Siân to thrive – in her five years at Agrovista Amenity she has received two promotions. She has found purpose, fulfilment, and happiness in her role. Outside of work, Siân has a keen interest in strength and fitness for gymnastic discipline and she still has a love for animals – as she explains.

“I have a snake and a Snow Bengal cat at home which resembles a leopard, so he needs a lot of exercise. He comes out on walks with us and we get horrendous looks from neighbours – which my partner is absolutely mortified about!”

Let’s just hope Agrovista never has a bring-your-pets-to-work day.

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BIGGA teams up with new online conference

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BIGGA teams up with new online conference: This autumn BIGGA is proud to partner with the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association in an online conference to satisfy members’ ongoing education needs during the coronavirus pandemic.

Known as Conference Comes to You, the programme will deliver 30 distinct seminars scheduled – one a day – over 30 weekdays starting 2 November 2020. There will be a one-week break for Thanksgiving in the US from 23 to 27 November.

BIGGA teams up with new online conference

BIGGA teams up with new online conference

Using a tailored Zoom platform, the two-hour seminars will be presented live each day at 1pm EST by some of the leading researchers, scientists and experts in their field. All seminars will carry GCSAA education points and BIGGA CPD credits.

As official partners with the Carolinas GCSA in this effort, BIGGA members will receive designated member pricing for every seminar using the promotional code UK2020.  This will give a discount from $70 US to $40 US.

In addition to first-class education, members will also be able to share in $30,000 US worth of cash giveaways. A total of 82 prizes, ranging from £100 US to $2,500 US, will be drawn live on the Carolinas GCSA Facebook page at 1pm EST on 21 December. Each seminar taken qualifies you for one entry, so the more seminars taken, the more chances to win. Entries must be validated by watching a series of brief messages from industry partners.

Our association benefits from your participation. A portion of each registration fee paid for by a BIGGA member will come back to BIGGA. So the more seminars you take, the more our association ‘wins’.

Registration and complete conference information will be available beginning on Friday 25 September via www.ConferenceComestoYou.org

To date, more than three dozen chapters across the United States have become official Conference Comes to You partners.

Carolinas GCSA president, Brian Stiehler, CGCS, MG from Highlands Country Club in North Carolina said: “This platform benefits everyone involved and the more people who participate, the more benefit there will be for everyone. We see many visitors from across the country and overseas at our traditional conference and show each year. So, in these extraordinary times, when we can’t be face to face, it made sense for our conference to go ‘see’ them.”

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West Cornwall invests in efficient Toro

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West Cornwall invests in efficient Toro: West Cornwall Golf Club, the oldest club in its county, has invested in Toro machinery to ensure maximum efficiency, in a move spearheaded by the club’s new course manager.

With a small team of four greenkeepers, West Cornwall Golf Club knows the importance of having machinery that can get jobs done quickly without sacrificing on quality. Which is why course manager Lawrie Tremlett championed investing in Toro when he joined the club.

West Cornwall invests in efficient Toro

West Cornwall invests in efficient Toro

He explains: “I joined West Cornwall four months ago with an aim to help progress the course and make it the best it could be. When I looked at the areas we could improve upon I realised we were relying on hand mowers for larger tasks.

“It was taking half our team two and half days a week to cut the aprons using hand mowers and a trail-behind rough mower, that just wasn’t efficient and didn’t leave much time for other tasks, so we began looking into purchasing new equipment.”

With support from the club, Lawrie contacted Devon Garden Machinery to arrange a demonstration of models from Toro’s range of ride-on mowers.

“I’ve always thought Toro provided superior cut to other brands,” says Lawrie. “So it was exciting  to get Toro machines onto the course to see how they fared. We opted for the Greensmaster TriFlex 3400, which followed the contours of the course beautifully, the Reelmaster 3100-D which worked well on the banks and was very versatile, and the Groundsmaster 3400 which was not only powerful but cut very well in the wet.

“All of the machines impressed us, so it was an easy decision to add them to our fleet. Since we’ve had them, they’ve been incredibly reliable and we can see a big difference already. The quality of the course has improved and we’ve had brilliant feedback from our members.”

Club secretary, Gareth Evans, adds: “We haven’t had Toro machinery at the club for nearly ten years, however taking into account the cost, overall package and the quality, it was clear Toro was the best choice. The service from Devon Garden Machinery and Reesink has been fantastic, and we’re excited to see the course continue to improve.”

With Toro machines helping the team to be more efficient than ever, Lawrie is now looking to the future: “It’s fantastic to see how the course has improved with the addition of just three new Toro machines, but I’m not done yet. This partnership is just the first step as we work to continue improving the course.”

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First of many for Drayton Park

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First of many for Drayton Park: Drayton Park Golf Club a course for all abilities designed and set out by James Braid, a five-time winner of the British Open Golf Championship, has recently added the GKB Sandspreader to maintain their picturesque grounds.

With impeccable standards and a policy of continuous improvement, the GKB Sandspreader was the obvious choice for course manager Dale Housden.

First of many for Drayton Park

First of many for Drayton Park

Having heard about the reliable and robust SP100 from a fellow course manager and after multiple recommendations, Dale knew he had to get his hands on one. With multiple reasons for sand filling and top dressing, the GKB Sandspreader can distribute a wide variety of materials in desired quantities all with hassle-free application. Using his machine for top dressing turf surfaces, Dale explains, “In 2001 our greens were re-laid to USGA standards and with continued improvements its essential we have a fleet of machines to keep the grounds in standard. The SP100 was the perfect addition.”

Ranging from 1m3 to 4m3, there are several hopper capacity options in four different designs. The shape and design of the sand hoppers ensure efficient operation and a clear view along the machine. Dale adds, “Even with a slightly larger hopper capacity, the weight distribution is seriously impressive.” The GKB Sandspreader can also be delivered with four pivoting balloon tires for the perfect distribution of the weight on the grounds.

Removing the necessity of complicated and intricate use, the GKB Sandpsreader offers effortless and simple control. “A top dresser is generally a simple machine to use, yet I have used a variety of brands before this GKB machine that seem to complicate controls. The GKB Sandspreader is simplistic yet effective,” praises Dale.

Impressed with GKB Machines for their fantastic customer service, Dale continues “Being a new customer to GKB I am thoroughly impressed with the sales, installation support and aftercare thus far.” With a team of nearly 200 people in Holland looking after sports fields and landscaping maintenance, GKB pulls experience directly from the field when developing machines. Dale resumes, “The fact that GKB design from hands-on experience with the end-users as their priority is thoroughly refreshing.”

Dale is excited to grow the relationship with GKB and is looking to purchase a GKB Sandfiller very soon.

For more on GKB Machines and their reliable and robust range of machinery for natural, hybrid and synthetic turf, please visit www.gkbmachines.com or contact Tom Shinkins on 07495 883617.

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