Sprayer Operator winner announced

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Sprayer Operator winner announced: The Amenity Sprayer Operator of the Year Award (ASOY) recognises and rewards top sprayer operators across the amenity industry. It aims to further improve standards, by identifying the best practice of individuals to enhance results – and share their experiences across the industry.

Presented for the second time at BTME Harrogate, the ASOY Awards are organised by the Amenity Forum, and generously sponsored by ICL and Syngenta, and supported by BASIS.

Sprayer Operator winner announced

As well as being the overall top operator, Paul Gater was the winner of the Sports Turf Using Tractor Mounted & Hand Held Equipment Category.

The other category winner recognised by the Awards was Ian Millward of Millward Forestry who won the Landscape and Industrial Using Hand Held & Tractor Mounted Equipment Category.

Commenting on Paul’s success, from a record entry in the fifth annual ASOY Awards, Professor John Moverley OBE, Chairman of the Amenity Forum, said: ‘‘The Amenity Forum is the voluntary initiative for this important and essential sector. We promote best practice and these awards are a demonstration of the high professional standards in our sector and identify those individuals who go above and beyond in their work.

Our congratulations go all those who were shortlisted, the category winners and especially our overall winner this year – an excellent ambassador for the sector. Thanks also to our sponsors who make all this possible.”

ICL Business Development Manager, Mark Pyrah, added:

“ICL remains committed to supporting the Amenity Forum and both sponsoring and championing the ‘Amenity Sprayer Operator of the Year’ award. We would like to acknowledge all those candidates that put themselves forward and for recognising the fact that accurate application remains key to good product performance.

ICL UK along with Syngenta UK looks forward to continuing to support the ‘Amenity Sprayer Operator Awards’ going forward and would encourage any individual responsible for spray application to consider putting themselves forward in 2020 and championing good practice in the art of application.”

Syngenta Technical Manager and application specialist, Glenn Kirby, highlighted the skills and experience of sprayer operators is paramount in achieving the best results possible from every application.

“All of the Awards entrants have demonstrated the essential techniques for safe and responsible spray application. Sharing their ideas and advice can help all operators to become more efficient and effective.” All entrants to the Amenity Sprayer Operator of the Year Awards will be entered into the chance to win a place at the new Syngenta Application Academy.
Stephen Jacob, BASIS CEO commented:

“The Awards highlight the exceptional skills, knowledge and experience of the operators and provide a demonstration of best practice for effective results and, above all, that pesticides are used in a safe and sustainable manner in amenity situations”

OVERALL WINNER
SPRAYER OPERATOR OF THE YEAR 2019

PAUL GATER, CALDY GOLF CLUB

CATEGORY WINNERS AND RUNNERS UP
SPRAYER OPERATOR OF THE YEAR 2019

LANDSCAPE AND INDUSTRIAL
USING HAND HELD & TRACTOR MOUNTED EQUIPMENT

Winner Ian Millward, Millward Forestry

Runner Up Daniel Lewis, Manchester City

SPORTS TURF
USING TRACTOR MOUNTED & HAND HELD EQUIPMENT

Winner Paul Gater, Caldy Golf Club

Runner Up Jason Garlick, JMG Amenity

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Engcon launch safety campaign

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Engcon launch safety campaign: The amount of workplace accidents and fatalities that occur in connection with excavators makes for disappointing and distressing reading.

Engcon wants to lead the excavation industry towards zero accidents, a “zero vision” – with smart technology on all excavators.

Engcon launch safety campaign

“Dig Smart. Dig Safe” is a part of Engcon’s “Non Accident Generation” initiative that focuses on setting a new product safety standard and is designed to create a safer workplace.

Official European statistics show that more than 3000 people die each year in workplace accidents in Europe and for the industry, the number of accidents is alarming.

“Safety is often seen as a low priority in the contracting and construction sector. Unfortunately, no matter what market we are looking at these same industries are often identified as having the most workplace injuries. Some of the most common causes of accidents are due to machinery but also from tools that drop off equipment. This is unacceptable since the accidents can lead to absence from work through personal injury or in the worst cases a fatality, all of which could have been avoided”. According to Stig Engström, founder and owner of Engcon:

“An excavator often operates in a tight space or on construction sites with many people. Without the proper safety equipment employed on the machine, you can inadvertently drop gear or back over someone. Slipping and tripping accidents are also common when the driver steps out of or into the excavator”, he says.

“A zero vision can drive the industry in the right direction”
Engcon’s founder Stig Engström has taken on the fight to increase safety standards in the workplace, working hard to reduce the number of accidents in the industry to zero.

Engcon has developed the market’s safest automatic quick mounting system, warning with both sound and light alerts to prevent an excavator functioning in the event of an incorrectly coupled bucket or other tools.

In addition, a driver must set the bucket down on the ground in order to release it at a given pressure. The automatic coupling of oil, electricity and central lubrication also means that the driver can safely remain in the cab and change tools. A tiltrotator means fewer machine movements, which in itself reduces the risk of someone being hit.

“Engcon has technology that can assume parts of the operator’s responsibility when it comes to connecting tools to an excavator correctly. This smart technology makes sure it is done right. With a zero vision in combination with Engcon’s smart technology, we can help drive the industry in the right direction so that the safety issue is prioritised”, explains Stig Engström.

Fight for change – for safety to be at the top of the work agenda
Despite the fact that Engcon is at the forefront in safety, much remains to be done to achieve a zero vision and Stig Engström believes that some type of regulatory change is required along with all parties taking responsibility for safety in the workplace.

“Suppliers must develop safer products, dealers must buy them and customers must demand that they are installed and offer contracts to those that use them. We want to ensure workplace safety. The technology should prevent accidents even if the driver makes a mistake. Every accident is one too many and the goal must be to eliminate them completely” says Stig Engström.

With the safety campaign ”Dig smart. Dig Safe.” Engcon wants to raise awareness and intensify the discussion around safety in the workplace.

“We are told that the issue is taboo and that we risk criticism. I’m just saying: let the criticism come. We stand up for increased safety. We have always done that and will continue to do so. It’s time to move from discussion to action. I want all interested parties in 2020 to start taking responsibility and hope that our initiatives can be the starting point” concludes Stig Engström.

Interested in “Non Accident Generation” and “Dig Smart. Dig Safe”, you can read more here: https://engcon.com/en_gb/owning-an-engcon/safety.html

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New Bayer launch at BTME

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New Bayer launch at BTME: Bayer has launched a new unique patent protected biological nematode control to help greenkeepers and groundsmen to maintain quality playing surfaces.

Harmonix Tri-Nema brings together the latest nematode technology to effectively tackle leatherjackets and chafer grubs.

New Bayer launch at BTME

Neil Pettican, Bayer head of sales, says the unique solution targets the damaging pests during two critical periods of the greenkeeping season. The treatment contains three specifically selected nematode species, which each use a different method to control turf pests.

“Additionally, they become more aggressive as they try to out compete each other to become the dominant species, increasing the effectiveness of the application and its capability to control the pests.

“Over recent years, chafer grub and leatherjacket populations have been on the rise, resulting in significant damage to turf playing surfaces. But Harmonix Tri-Nema provides one solution with three different modes of activity.

“Collectively the three species provide more effective distribution through the soil profile, leading to more consistent results,” he says.

“With regulatory changes putting pressure on chemical solutions, alternative options will be fundamental in maintaining high quality turf. However, this nematode control solution will slot into an integrated approach, while helping reduce pesticide applications and therefore resistance.”

Pest activity

Neil explains that both chafer grubs and leatherjackets have different peak seasons, due to their lifecycles, so it’s important to monitor for activity carefully to ensure infestations are identified and treated at the right timing, before significant damage is done.

“Chafer grubs emerge from their eggs in the summer months, so treatment for this pest is recommended between May and August.

However, to achieve successful control over leatherjackets, the best application window is between late August and November, whilst the leatherjackets are still at a juvenile stage, ,” he says.

Application method

He adds that it is important to consider application conditions as well as recommended timings.

“Our research for both chafer grub and leatherjacket control shows that for heavy infestations the best results are seen when 250,000 nematodes/m2 are applied to the affected area, with a follow up treatment two weeks later. This maximises the ability for the nematodes to penetrate, attach and infect newly hatched eggs.

“For areas that are not severely infested, one application at the normal rate of 500,000 nematodes per m2 would be sufficient.”

Neil adds that it’s also important to apply nematodes in moist conditions, and in low light so ideally this should be early in the morning or the evening when soil temperatures are above 12⁰C.

“With limited chemical options available for controlling these pests, this new biological solution provides an alternative tool for greenkeepers that fits within an integrated approach.

“It helps avoid turf damage from pests during peak seasons, improving turf consistency and playability,” he concludes.

For more information, head to stand 338 in the green hall at BTME and speak to the Turf Solutions Team or email turfsolutions@bayer.com.

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World’s widest Sarel Roller at BTME

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World’s widest Sarel Roller at BTME: GreenTek will be displaying their 5.4m wide Multi-Sarel at the BTME show in Harrogate.

In recent years, golf courses have been working hard to raise the turf quality of their fairways.  This follows a similar pattern to the great advances in greens care equipment, and consequently turf quality, that have been made on golf greens since the 1980’s and 90’s.

World’s widest Sarel Roller at BTME

Many greenkeepers will remember the launch of the Vertidrain, followed by various greens rollers, the Greens Groomer zig-zag brush and the Sweep N Fill rotary brushes which superseded drag mats, plus the universally popular Thatch-Away greenscare cassette system.

Now, in the face of extreme weather in recent years, golfers are looking for improved turf quality on fairways.  Having suffered from both drought and prolonged rain, many courses have struggled to maintain acceptable playing conditions, and are consequently looking at implementing some of the techniques previously reserved for greens, on their fairways.

Cultural practices such as brushing to disperse dew and worm casts, grooming to reduce thatch, rolling to improve trueness, and sarel rolling to improve percolation and reduce run-off, are all now viable treatments for fairways.

GreenTek are once again leading the way, with ultra-wide versions of the type of equipment that was formally only found on greens.

World’s widest Sarel Roller at BTME

Their Multi-Brush, Multi-Roller, and Multi-Sarel all have massive 5.4m working widths, and the new Fairway Groomer, also on display at BTME, is 3.6m wide.  Working on lightweight compact tractors or utility vehicles this equipment is suitable for high frequency use to maintain pristine fairways on a weekly basis.

Visit the GreenTek team in Red Hall South, Stand 200 to see this equipment in the flesh!

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BASF choose BTME for new launch

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BASF choose BTME for new launch: BASF will launch Attraxor®, a new plant growth regulator (PGR) at BTME in Harrogate on January 21st, 2020. The product is new to the UK market and features the powerful active Prohexadione calcium.

Attraxor reduces the longitudinal shoot growth of grass which lessens the frequency of mowing and the volume of clippings created. Dr Manuel Daumann, Technical Manager Ornamentals, Turf & Beneficial Nematodes for BASF explains: “At the recommended dose rate, one application of Attraxor will give a reduction in fresh weight of grass cuttings of up to 70% and a lowering in grass height of up to 40% for up to four weeks after application. Attraxor also enhances turf root formation and acts, due to its unique effects on seed head production, as a Poa annua management tool.”

BASF choose BTME for new launch

Poa annua, also known as annual meadow grass or bluegrass, negatively impacts turf quality and sward density. In sporting situations, such as a golf putting green, it can also affect the roll of the ball. “Attraxor works by reducing the seed head production and regenerative potential of Poa annua. In doing so it supplants Poa annua, strengthens turf and increases sward density which helps reduce the risk of fungal infections such as Anthracnose,” explains Dr Daumann.

BASF is expanding its portfolio of products in the amenity market and Attraxor is the first product being introduced in 2020. Anthony O’Hare, UK Country Manager for professional & specialty solutions says: “We are excited to launch Attraxor in the UK. It is a unique product that will help manage turf in a number of sporting applications such as golf, football, tennis and horse racing. However, we also see applications for it to be used in parks and other public areas.”

BTME will feature more than 150 exhibiting companies and will be held at the Harrogate Convention Centre from 21st January to 23rd January. It will showcase the latest innovations and technology in the golf and sports surface maintenance industry offering an expected 9000 total visitors a chance to discover new products and gain valuable industry insight.

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