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His Majesty The King gets glimpse of the future

February 25, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

His Majesty The King gets glimpse of the future: His Majesty The King was today given a glimpse into the future of JCB hydrogen power as he toured the company’s World Headquarters as part of its 80th birthday celebrations. As JCB prepares to mark the historic milestone, the company is developing an internal combustion engine […]

York Racecourse looks to the future with GroundTech

February 25, 2025/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Admin

York Racecourse looks to the future with GroundTech: The award-winning grounds team at York Racecourse have gained two new recruits, in the form of an Echo TM-1050 and Echo TM-2050 robotic mower from GroundTech. In the few shorts weeks since their delivery, the pair have been well received by Head Groundsman Adrian Kay as well […]

His Majesty The King gets glimpse of the future

February 25, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

York Racecourse looks to the future with GroundTech

February 25, 2025/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Admin

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

His Majesty The King gets glimpse of the future

February 25, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

His Majesty The King gets glimpse of the future: His Majesty The King was today given a glimpse into the future of JCB hydrogen power as he toured the company’s World Headquarters as part of its 80^th birthday celebrations.

As JCB prepares to mark the historic milestone, the company is developing an internal combustion engine which is powered by hydrogen, a zero-carbon fuel of the future.

His Majesty The King gets glimpse of the future

Today His Majesty was given an insight into JCB’s hydrogen technology by Chairman Anthony Bamford during a tour of the company’s Innovation Centre at Rocester, where he was shown one of the first JCB diggers to be powered by hydrogen – and how the machine can be refuelled simply and efficiently in a matter of minutes.

The visit also helped to mark another milestone for JCB – the production of the one millionth JCB backhoe loader digger, an invention which replaced men with shovels, pickaxes and hods and mechanised the labour-intensive process of digging holes and earthmoving around the world.

Lord Bamford said: “It is a real honour for us all that that The King has visited JCB to help us celebrate 80 years in business. It was also a great pleasure to show The King the progress we are making with hydrogen powered machines. Today was an occasion that will live long in the memories of everyone who was present.”

The King was welcomed on arrival by Lord and Lady Bamford, George Bamford and JCB CEO Graeme Macdonald before going on a tour of the backhoe loader production line where he helped fit a wheel to a JCB digger.

On a tour of the production line, His Majesty met apprentices Matthew Walker-Stack, 19, of Rugeley, Freddie McCool, 19, of Lichfield, and Eleanor Pitt, of Derby, who is only the second ever female welding apprentice to join the company.

The King spoke to Richard Williams, of Stramshall, near Uttoxeter, General Manager of the Backhoe Loader Business Unit, who has worked at JCB for 38 years. He followed in his father Brian’s footsteps, who completed 33 years’ service as a JCB Production Foreman. Also introduced to The King were Richard’s wife Sarah, who has worked for JCB for almost 35 years and his son Josh, a paint plant operative and his daughter Kaitlan, who works in Production Support.

The visit concluded in the main reception of JCB’s World HQ where The King was shown the one millionth JCB backhoe loader digger which recently rolled off the company’s Rocester production line.

His Majesty was greeted by warm applause from more than 60 guests in the reception, who included members of two families who have a combined service to JCB approaching 1,000 years. Bill Boot first clocked on at JCB in 1949 and 27 members of his family have gone on to work at the company and nine current Boot family employees, including Bill’s great-grandson Leigh, were there to welcome The King today. Ken Harrison, now aged 100, one of the last surviving members of the 1953 team which produced the first JCB backhoe loaders was also in attendance with family members. Ken and his relatives have amassed more than 350 years’ service to JCB.

Also among the guests in the main reception were long-serving and retired employees and former JCB Academy students, including Rhys Bradbury, 29, of Derby. As a 15-year-old student Rhys had reported on the official opening of the Academy by the then Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall for the school’s newsletter.

Rhys, who is now JCB’s Regional Sales Manager for Central Europe, Austria and Switzerland, said: “It was fantastic to be involved in today’s visit and a great start to JCB’s 80^th anniversary year.”

Also there was JCB-sponsored athlete Adam Burgess sporting his Olympic silver medal, which he secured in Paris last year in the slalom canoe event.

His Majesty unveiled a plaque to mark his visit and as he stepped outside to leave, he was met by the cheers of thousands of flag-waving World HQ JCB employees who lined the route of his departure.

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York Racecourse looks to the future with GroundTech

February 25, 2025/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Admin

York Racecourse looks to the future with GroundTech: The award-winning grounds team at York Racecourse have gained two new recruits, in the form of an Echo TM-1050 and Echo TM-2050 robotic mower from GroundTech.

In the few shorts weeks since their delivery, the pair have been well received by Head Groundsman Adrian Kay as well as visitors to site who have commented that the enclosures and other perimeter areas have never presented better at this time of year.

York Racecourse looks to the future with GroundTech

With a busy race season from May to October, and a calendar compromising of weddings and corporate functions, the maintenance is a year-round operation for Adrian and his team of seven. Like many in the sector, York Racecourse have found recruitment to be a challenge, particularly since the pandemic. They’ve decided to turn to technology to provide a helping hand. “We recognise that people don’t want to be working 60-70 hours per week, or at unsociable hours, much of which was attributable to the time it takes to mow our expanses of lawn. By investing in this pair of robotic mowers, I can redeploy my skilled team to other maintenance tasks, ensuring we can maintain presentation levels” Adrian explains.

Following advice from Echo’s Sam Daybell, they opted for the Echo TM-1050 and TM-2050. “We worked really well together, assessing the size and specification of the prospective areas to find the right fit. The TM-1050 is primarily used on our premium grass car parking areas, and the TM-2050 on the enclosures, parade rings and a number of medium and high spec lawns.”

“We’re already benefiting from all the well-documented advantages that robotics brings – mowing through the night and at weekends, in all manner of weather conditions.” Adrian continues, “It’s also meant that we’ve been able to retain presentation over a difficult, wet winter with the light footprint of the robots. This has not gone unnoticed by visitors to the course.”

“Considering the wider benefits, it means less need to turn to our petrol or diesel mowers which is a big plus from an environmental sustainability standpoint. In 2023 we launched ‘Green Knavesmire 300’ demonstrating our commitment to reaching Net Zero by 2040, with these new editions from GroundTech playing their part in this wider goal.”

Together with the expert support from the team at GroundTech and Echo, Adrian is enjoying exploring the full functionality of the software, allowing him to monitor the robots 24/7. “I’m not sure I should admit this in print, but I find I’m on the app at four in the morning, making sure everything is going according to plan!” he laughs. “But it is very useful, being able to see things like the battery life etc. Every day we’re taking the opportunity to learn more about them and really bed them into our routine before the season kicks off in May.”

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

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Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

His Majesty The King gets glimpse of the future

York Racecourse looks to the future with GroundTech

His Majesty The King gets glimpse of the future

York Racecourse looks to the future with GroundTech

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

His Majesty The King gets glimpse of the future

His Majesty The King gets glimpse of the future: His Majesty The King was today given a glimpse into the future of JCB hydrogen power as he toured the company’s World Headquarters as part of its 80^th birthday celebrations.

York Racecourse looks to the future with GroundTech

York Racecourse looks to the future with GroundTech: The award-winning grounds team at York Racecourse have gained two new recruits, in the form of an Echo TM-1050 and Echo TM-2050 robotic mower from GroundTech.

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