GGM Groundscare announces new jobs

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GGM Groundscare announces new jobs: Award winning specialist tractor and grounds maintenance machinery dealer GGM Groundscare has announced it has expanding its team with the appointment of two new service engineers both recruited during the lockdown and created positions for three NEW apprenticeships , in a bid to support continued business growth and offer job opportunities in both Colne and Haydock.

The group employs 39 staff across two sites, and as the nation has suffered the impact of the Coronavirus crisis, Managing Director Chris Gibson wanted to continue his commitment to customer support and offer jobs opportunities in line with its long-term business growth strategy.

GGM Groundscare announces new jobs

GGM Groundscare announces new jobs

Andy Crabtree and Chris Sumner, [pictured]  have both joined the business as field service engineers based at the Haydock depot to support the increasing level of business from the site and both bring a wealth of valuable experience to the company.

GGM Groundscare are also currently recruiting for three new apprentices to help three young local people into a new career. This follows the Government’s announcement of an “apprentice bonus scheme”, when from August to January, any firm that hires a new young apprentice aged 16 to 24 will receive a £2,000 grant, while those that hire new apprentices aged 25 and over will be paid £1,500.

Last year, the company become an accredited Living Wage Employer and is committed to ensuring all its staff receive the training and development they need to develop their skills so they can progress through the business.

Managing Director Chris Gibson explains more:

“While many businesses have struggled hugely over the lockdown period, at GGM  we’ve managed to maintain a steady flow of business, thanks to the hard work of our dedicated team, particularly for our customers in local authority grounds, sports clubs and hospitals. We decided to recruit for these roles to help the local job market, as well as to facilitate business growth. It’s particularly important to us to support the next generation and we welcome the government’s new apprentice scheme.”

GGM has always had a key focus on employee engagement, corporate social responsibility and customer service and holds the ISO9001 quality standard and is rated as a Gold service dealer by tractor manufacturer Kubota, a standard which it has held for a number of years. It has also committed to a second year’s sponsorship of Greenfingers, a charity which builds therapeutic gardens for children’s hospices. Earlier this month, Chris, and members of the GGM team completed a socially distanced fundraising bike ride and walk to raise over £4000 for Greenfingers as well as supporting local charities St John’s Hospice Lancaster and Pendleside Hospice in Burnley.

The company has spent time over the lockdown period enhancing its customer offering in preparation for life to return to some form of normality. Over the last few months when others have been quiet, GGM have produced a number of new initiatives including a comprehensive new brochure featuring its extensive hire offering, and a new service agreement package providing customers with a tailor made service solution as well so showcasing some of its golf and fine turf customers in a new case study brochure.

Chris Gibson concluded:

“We feel very fortunate that our business has continued to grow over this testing period and we’re thrilled to be able to offer these new opportunities to local people, as well as helping our customers provide services as they get back to business”.

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Dealer network ‘under construction’

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Dealer network ‘under construction’: Due to the continued expansion of sales and operations, a network of established dealers is being constructed for the distribution of the INFINICUT® and TMSystem™ ranges. To that end, several well-known industry names have signed up to offer sales and support on the cutting-edge collections.

Since the beginning of the year, a number of dealerships have come on board including Turner Groundscare and Balmers GM in the North of England, and Scamblers and P Tuckwells covering the Central and Eastern regions. On their appointment, Gareth Baker, General Manager of Turner Groundscare said, “We’re absolutely delighted to be able to supply the INFINICUT® range of battery powered mowers. They’re an exciting product that are in high demand, offering both accuracy and precision in their build and performance. We have found that our turf professionals love the flexibility of the changeable cassettes and impressive battery life.  Add all of this to their ‘green credentials’ and quiet operation and it’s easy to see why they are fast becoming the cylinder mower of choice by the top, innovative sporting venues.”

Dealer network ‘under construction’

Dealer network ‘under construction’

With the aim of achieving coverage across the United Kingdom, Sales Manager Vinny Tarbox says the job of building the network is not finished yet. “It is testament to the quality of the product and its reputation in the market that we have signed up the sales outlets we have in such a short period of time, and we are delighted to have some well-respected and well-established partners working together with us. But we’re not stopping there! We will be making further appointments in the not too distant future which will help us to bring our ranges to even more venues around the country.”

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MP to join up with BIGGA CEO

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MP to join up with BIGGA CEO: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association will welcome the co-chairperson of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Golf, Craig Tracey MP, to its Continue to Learn Extra webinar series on Tuesday 21 July.

All Party Groups comprise members of all political parties and support specific interests. In the case of the Golf Group, members work to a deliberately broad but simple remit, “to support the game of golf”.

MP to join up with BIGGA CEO

MP to join up with BIGGA CEO

Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, the MP for North Warwickshire has worked closely with BIGGA and the governing bodies of golf. Taking advice from the industry, he was actively involved in advising the Government on behalf of the golf industry, helping produce guidance upon the reopening of golf.

BIGGA has been heavily involved in that discussion, offering help and advice at every stage on behalf of the greenkeeping industry. BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton will speak to Craig about everything that took place during the coronavirus crisis and will discuss the challenges ahead for the golf industry.

BIGGA’s Continue to Learn Extra webinar series was introduced at the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. Webinars are hosted on the BIGGA website and available to watch live by anyone interested in the golf industry.

BIGGA’s Jim Croxton said: “The coronavirus crisis has been an incredibly trying time for everyone associated with the sports and amenity industries. By presenting a unified front across the entire golf industry and supported by Craig Tracey MP and his team, we were able to highlight the positive benefits of playing golf and show how the sport could be played and golf courses maintained in a safe manner. This allowed the industry to reopen ahead of many others and I am looking forward to recapping with Craig everything that took place and discussing his vision for the future of the sport.

“Continue to Learn Extra’s live webinars are open to anyone with an interest in the topics discussed and I hope that you’re able to join us for what stands to be a fascinating conversation.”

Head to the What’s On section for more information about the webinar.

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SALTEX 2021 integral to industry’s recovery

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SALTEX 2021 integral to industry’s recovery: SALTEX and Events Director, Luke Perry, believes that SALTEX 2021 will provide a huge opportunity for the grounds management industry to regroup, reunite and celebrate. 

Luke Perry was appointed by the Grounds Management Association as SALTEX and Events Director just six weeks before the 2019 event.

SALTEX 2021 integral to industry’s recovery

SALTEX 2021 integral to industry’s recovery

“I was blown away by the exhibition,” he said. “I’ve been involved with so many trade events and I have never seen such an opening to a show. Before the doors had opened the queue was stretching down to the NEC atrium and it really hit home just how passionate people are about SALTEX. It was inspiring.”

Luke’s words are high praise indeed from someone who has worked on some of the UK’s most prestigious exhibitions. He has been immersed in the events industry for over 20 years and has worked across a diverse portfolio of shows which include the likes of BBC Countryfile Live, The British International Motor Show, Autosport International and several specialist events in the hospitality industry.

Enthused by his first taste of SALTEX, Luke was straight to work on preparations for the show’s 75th anniversary, spearheading the team of organisers in co-ordinating the strategy and making sure the event delivers on all fronts. “Putting on a two-day show is an enormous amount of work – it really is a 365-day project, but I wouldn’t have been in the events industry for so long if I didn’t love what I do,” he said.

Luke is looking forward to making his mark on SALTEX’s 75th anniversary but will have to wait a little longer than originally planned, following the announcement that the show has been postponed from November 2020 to Spring 2021.

“It was an incredibly difficult decision to make, but absolutely the correct one,” he said. “I think the feedback and support from the industry certainly is testament to this.

“We’ve had a fantastic response from exhibitors with many claiming that it will provide them with enough time to recover and plan effectively. In fact, many have suggested that Spring is actually a better time of year and that echoes the same feedback we have had from visitors. With such an unprecedented year ahead, we’re planning more than ever behind the scenes to make sure it hits the right mark.”

Luke candidly admits that show preparations are somewhat different to the usual event planning he is accustomed to. Naturally, there is still uncertainty and questions arising as to how large gatherings and exhibitions will be delivered.

“The honest answer is that we do not have all the answers yet, but we do have time on our side,” he said. “Our main priority is to put the safety of everyone connected with SALTEX above all else – and this is one of the reasons why the show was postponed.

“Nonetheless, we are working around the clock and planning for every eventuality. Part of this planning involves ensuring that we can deliver a show in which people can assemble and interact with a real awareness of the need to maintain safe practices. Should guidelines or restrictions still be necessary in March, we are working hard to ensure the show remains a brilliant and valuable experience for exhibitors and visitors. All we can do is take it step-by-step and ensure that we are prepared for each part of the journey.”

“After an extended period of isolation, there will be a real appetite for SALTEX. All signs are pointing towards an incredibly busy and vibrant show and we’re planning to deliver exactly that.”

SALTEX 2019 saw a record-breaking attendance of 9,104. The show also received a huge number of first-time attendees, an increase in younger visitors and the international audience grew significantly. Once again, SALTEX proved to be the industry’s showcase event in the UK, but Luke has his sights set even higher.

“I think we’ve got a great standing; a great pedigree and a history of success. Britain is a global leader in grounds management – SALTEX reflects that and has the opportunity to be the biggest and best in the world.

“As the GMA is a member organisation, it’s extremely close to the ground (excuse the pun) to the issues that matter most across the sector, at all levels. We’ve spent a lot of time listening to the industry and, in response, have quickly developed and issued essential Covid-19 resources. After this difficult period, I believe that SALTEX will play an integral role to helping the industry network, collaborate and continue to support one another more than ever before.”

SALTEX will take place on 3 and 4 March 2021 at the NEC, Birmingham.

For more information visit www.gmasaltex.co.uk

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

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Aspen fuel fills the tanks

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Aspen fuel fills the tanks: Thirteen years into not using petrol from the pump, Nick Rose – Owner of Redwood Tree Services Ltd – says making the switch to Aspen Alkylate Fuel has filled more than just his tanks.

The efficiency and cleaner performance of his 2 and 4-stroke equipment has led to huge financial savings through significant improvements in performance and reduction in costly repairs.

Aspen fuel fills the tanks

Aspen fuel fills the tanks

The seven operatives of the Surrey-based tree surgeons undertake a wide variety of domestic and commercial projects utilising a large fleet of petrol driven equipment – including in excess of 30 chainsaws. “I first discovered Aspen Fuel when I attended the Arb Show at Cirencester” explains Nick. “We were a relatively small firm at the time, conducting a lot of hedge work and domestic jobs, and I found I was experiencing a lot of headaches and side effects of working in such close proximity of 2-stroke engines. This was all but eradicated, overnight, after we trialled the Aspen product.”

Aspen Alkylate Petrol is virtually free from sulphur, benzene and solvents, making it 99% cleaner than regular petrol when comparing the level of hazardous hydrocarbons. With these ingredients removed, the odour and infamous ‘blue haze’ produced is minimal, reducing the impact the machinery makes on both the operator and the environment. “The health benefits were apparent immediately, but we quickly also began to discover how much better Aspen was for the health of our machinery.”

“Our chainsaws and other equipment are in use tirelessly, but the fact that Aspen burns so much cleaner and is free from ethanol means we very rarely experience reliability issues when it comes to engine performance – Carburettor’s, gaskets, spark plugs even, which I’ve seen destroyed in a matter of weeks or months in chainsaws running on pump fuel just aren’t an issue when you’re using Aspen.”

The savings for Nick extend beyond that of costly replacement parts, he has also noticed a reduction in his overall fuel usage. “It takes us roughly six months to go through a 200L barrel of Aspen, which is great value when you consider the vast improvements in the efficiency of our equipment. Having the fuel on site is another major benefit and gives us further savings in the form of time, by not having to go to the petrol station every week. All around, it just makes complete sense.”

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