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GXi8 HD a difference at Banchory GC

December 4, 2019/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Val Graham

GXi8 HD a difference at Banchory GC: Three years ago, an Aberdeenshire golf club with a keen focus on ecological, environmental and sustainable best practice, chose a Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi8 HD deep aerator. It was the first purchase made by the then newly appointed course manager at Banchory GC, Richard Mullen. “Aeration needed to […]

Sodexo turn to Husqvarna

December 3, 2019/in Machinery, Press Release/by Chris Grayson

Sodexo turn to Husqvarna: Global food services and facilities management company, Sodexo, has steadily increased its use of Husqvarna battery products in order to work towards a greener future for the company. Today David Ramsay, Plant Manager at Sodexo Horticultural Services, shares his experience with battery products and explains how it’s positively impacting the work […]

GXi8 HD a difference at Banchory GC

December 4, 2019/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Val Graham

Sodexo turn to Husqvarna

December 3, 2019/in Machinery, Press Release/by Chris Grayson

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

GXi8 HD a difference at Banchory GC

December 4, 2019/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Val Graham

GXi8 HD a difference at Banchory GC: Three years ago, an Aberdeenshire golf club with a keen focus on ecological, environmental and sustainable best practice, chose a Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi8 HD deep aerator. It was the first purchase made by the then newly appointed course manager at Banchory GC, Richard Mullen.

“Aeration needed to be done quickly without compromising standards. The GXi8 meant we could reduce operator time, reduce fuel and importantly use just one machine,” said Richard Mullen.

Banchory GC sits on the banks of the River Dee, in the heart of Royal Deeside. In the last year the club has received huge plaudits for its biodiversity initiatives in creating both an excellent golfing surface and a welcoming habitat for nature.

“We didn’t start off as a GEO certified golf course when the aerator arrived and we certainly weren’t sustainable. Now three years down the line we’re getting better. The fungicide usage has been reduced by half and we haven’t used any insecticides at all in that time,” he continued.

“We’re like a links course inland. We share many characteristics of a links course. We’ve sandy soil and the terrain has been naturally formed. It’s maybe not the largest of courses but the GXi8 goes everywhere; wall-to-wall if you like, fairways, greens, tees, approaches; it misses nothing.

“On any modern course, golfers hate the sight of holes. Frequently it’s so clean our golfers are unaware we’ve actually been out. If your golfers aren’t noticing holes then that’s a huge bonus. Instantly you’ve got more options. “

Wiedenmann’s GXi8 HD offers a patented Advanced Tine Control (ATC) system. ATC controls the entry point of the tine into the turf. All moving parts of the system like springs and heave linkages are positioned behind covers at the front of the machine away from the workings and ‘dirt area’. Wear and tear is reduced and the covers help quieten the machine. The centre of gravity being closer to the tractor makes it exceptionally stable. The tines on the GXi are nearer to the front roller ensuring a uniform job as the spiking action is exceptionally precise and accurate. Constant hole-spacing is maintained even at high fast forward speed so when following the contours of the ground the quality of work does not falter.

“In a year the GXi8 can be out about 50 times but all the while helping the soil biology of our site. It’s not uncommon for us to give the greens two passes, using 14mm solids, one at 5mm with 75mm centres and then 200mm deep with 10% heave at 50mm centres. Any oxygen can then be used by plants roots and soil microbes during respiration while carbon dioxide is released allowing nutrient uptake”

Richard, working with just two other colleagues, has made huge strides which have been welcomed by the local community. Already in 2019 Banchory has been a finalist in the 2019 Golf Environment and 2019 inspiring Aberdeenshire Awards.

“With a small team you appreciate the versatility and the ease of use of the GXi8. There’s nothing time consuming about the machine at all. You can be doing fairways with 20mm tines then later in the session be on greens with 8 mm tines. Switching tines is super-fast. Indeed if we had a different type of deep aerator I don’t think we would get half the things done that we achieve at the moment. It makes that big a difference to us.” concluded Richard Mullen.

Local dealer Fairways GM supplied the club with their Wiedenmann aerator. Banchory GC also has a Wiedenmann Super 500 and Whisper Twister in its fleet.

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Sodexo turn to Husqvarna

December 3, 2019/in Machinery, Press Release/by Chris Grayson

Sodexo turn to Husqvarna: Global food services and facilities management company, Sodexo, has steadily increased its use of Husqvarna battery products in order to work towards a greener future for the company.

Today David Ramsay, Plant Manager at Sodexo Horticultural Services, shares his experience with battery products and explains how it’s positively impacting the work of the company.

Sodexo delivers a wide range of services and is committed to sourcing responsibly and providing services that reduce carbon emissions. Over the past five years the company has steadily increased the use of battery-powered products supplied by Husqvarna and now has a policy to use battery-powered products where possible.

David Ramsay has overseen the adoption of professional battery products and, after trials with several manufacturers, decided upon Husqvarna. Discussing Sodexo’s adoption of battery power products he explained: “Husqvarna battery products are playing a major role in helping us reduce the impact our services have on the environment by reducing the amount of petrol and diesel we use. The change towards battery-powered products has taken some time, but we are happy that we have been able to make the move.”

He continued: “The battery-powered products we are using are performing beyond what we were expecting – they are just as powerful as their petrol-fuelled equivalents. Each product is comfortable, lightweight and easy to use for our landscapers, which has increased staff productivity as they are able to use the products for longer periods.”

“Tools such as Husqvarna battery powered hedge trimmers are particularly popular with staff because of their light weight and flexibility. Using a hedge trimmer is often very taxing on the arms of the operator so it’s great for us to have a professional option which is lightweight and easy to use but is still packed with power.”

World leader in outdoor solutions, Husqvarna, ticked many boxes as a supplier for Sodexo. The company was adamant that whoever it partnered with was committed to battery-powered products long-term, to support it towards becoming a greener business.

Husqvarna’s battery-powered equipment means Sodexo’s grounds team are able to work without having to worry about harmful fumes, carbon emissions, and fuel consumption. Equipment provides comfortable working situations and low disturbance for others when compared to petrol-driven equivalents.

David added: “The use of battery products has changed the way our staff work. Many of our jobs are in locations such as office blocks, cemeteries, schools and housing estates with workers using blowers, hedge trimmers and brushcutters to complete tasks” said David.

“The low noise of battery in comparison to petrol means we no longer cause a disturbance to people in these areas, allowing us to work more quietly and efficiently without stoppages. This is of benefit to everyone as it means we can successfully complete jobs quicker, with minimal noise, in sensitive areas.”

One battery fits all with Husqvarna battery-powered products. Sodexo’s team can simply switch the same battery between grass trimmers, leaf blowers, chainsaws and hedge trimmers, increasing flexibility and variety when working. These operational aspects have been a favoured benefit as it allows landscapers to work more efficiently with plenty of variety.

Every Husqvarna product in its battery range is easy to use, lightweight and designed for comfort.
Naturally low vibration levels on battery machinery relieves stress, sparing workers’ arms and hands to enable comfort during long shifts and reduces the risk of injury.

David explained: “At Sodexo, safety is paramount. These battery-powered machines produce less vibration, meaning comfortable operation day-to-day for our teams. We’re very excited to be working with Husqvarna and by supplying its battery-powered products we’ve already seen positive results. We’re looking forward to what the future has to offer”.

To learn more about Husqvarna battery products visit: https://www.husqvarna.com/uk/

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

GXi8 HD a difference at Banchory GC

Sodexo turn to Husqvarna

GXi8 HD a difference at Banchory GC

Sodexo turn to Husqvarna

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

GXi8 HD a difference at Banchory GC

Sodexo turn to Husqvarna

Sodexo turn to Husqvarna: Global food services and facilities management company, Sodexo, has steadily increased its use of Husqvarna battery products in order to work towards a greener future for the company.

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