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GKB SP100 improves accuracy and efficiency

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GKB SP100 improves accuracy and efficiency: The Course Manager at Longniddry Golf Club in East Lothian has praised the versatility delivered by their new GKB SP100 topdresser, following its delivery in September 2022.

Replacing an older, heavier unit that was difficult to manoeuvre around the 18-hole links/parkland hybrid course, the SP100 mounts onto their existing ProGator for fast, accurate and efficient dressing of the greens, tees and approaches.

David Drummond joined as Longniddry Course Manager in May 2022, and after a quick assessment of the machinery in the shed, the GKB Sandspreader was one of the first investments to support him and his team of five. “Our previous topdresser was showing signs of age and as a bigger unit that needed a heavy tractor, it wasn’t really suited to our current requirements. With this is mind, I spoke to local dealer Thomas Sherriff & Co about a vehicle-mounted unit” explains David. “Because we only have one utility vehicle, whatever we went for needed to be easily demountable and while I’d not had first-hand experience of the GKB machine before, we looked at it and were instantly impressed.”

“It’s a great set-up, very robust and the controls are all nice and simple. One particular feature we really like is the ability to adjust the distance of the spinning discs on the SP100 which gives us more control over the amount of dressing we apply.”

Offering a range of adjustable parameters, the SP100 is the smallest unit in the GKB Sandspreader range but doesn’t compromise when it comes to capacity – offering a 1m3 hopper which David says has significantly improved the efficiency of the operation. “The hopper is really easy to load using our compact tractor and can hold a good amount of material which results in fewer re-loads, saving all-important labour time.”

David continues, “The SP100 was out on the very first day it was delivered and has so far carried out operations on the greens, tees and approaches and moving forwards it’ll be critical to our ongoing maintenance programme.” He explains that the SP100 will be in use for spring renovations in February and following this it’ll be out at least once a month until October – possibly even conducting some work on the fairways.

“We’ve been really pleased with both the machine and the service and support we’ve received from Sherriff’s throughout and after the purchase process. The team and I now look forward to putting it through its paces in the very busy season ahead.”

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Henton and Chattell changes

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Henton and Chattell changes: Nottingham based turf and ground care machinery distributor, Henton & Chattell, is to stop selling John Deere machinery in Spring 2023. The company has successfully sold John Deere machinery for two decades in the Midlands.  

Peter Chaloner, Managing Director of Henton & Chattell, explained: “We have certainly enjoyed working with the John Deere team and thank them for their support and professionalism. We will continue to work closely with our customers as we develop our professional turf business with other brands. The turf and ground care sector continues to be an important focus for the business and rest assured, we will continue to look after our existing customers in the future.”

Henton and Chattell changes

Henton and Chattell changes

Henton & Chattell has always prided itself in delivering the highest levels of service for its loyal turf and ground care customers in the Midlands. The company has one of the largest after-sales and service teams dedicated to ground care machinery in the Midlands and potentially the largest parts stock holdings for turf and garden machinery, covering over 70,000 different parts lines.

Peter Chaloner stated: “H&C is looking to grow its turf and ground care business. We’ve seen good levels of success in this sector, and we are confident of future growth. Service is the key for professional and trade customers alike. We very much value our family culture at H&C, our strength is our people and I believe this shows through consistently within every aspect of our business. Commitment and dedication to go the extra mile, to help our customers makes all the difference.”

Henton & Chattell today operates from its head office in Nottingham, and has recently made a substantial investment in a 40,000 sq. ft. warehouse to facilitate its growth plans. In the near future, an additional site is planned, which will be dedicated to its turf and ground care business. Peter Chaloner explained that the new depot will be a ‘one-stop-shop’ for professional customers, offering parts, service, training and even demonstrations on their purpose-built site.

Henton & Chattell is a family owned and managed business established in 1931. A market leader in the Midlands for ground care machinery and the UK’s largest independent garden machinery and parts distributor.  The company employs over 85 colleagues and has an annual turnover of over £35m.

For further information about the company please visit www.hcuk.co

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STIHL enhances care and clean kit range

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STIHL enhances care and clean kit range: STIHL has extended its range of care and clean kits with the launch of the MS and MS PLUS, suitable for all petrol, cordless and electric STIHL chainsaws.

Both MS and MS PLUS care and clean kits feature the new VarioClean Eco, a universal cleaning agent made from natural raw materials, which are compatible with all chainsaw surfaces such as polymer, metal, rubber and aluminium.

STIHL enhances care and clean kit range

STIHL enhances care and clean kit range

The ECO-Cert certified cleaning agent is suitable for removing oil, resin, and grease from all parts of the chainsaw, including HD2 air filters. Users simply spray on VarioClean Eco to the relevant chainsaw area and leave for five minutes before wiping it down with a damp cloth or brush.

In addition, both kits also boast a wooden handled cleaning brush, which features plastic bristles and a metal blade. This ensures the brush is suitable for removing dirt from the guide bar groove, cleaning the oil bores, loosening stubborn dirt from the sprocket cover, as well as loosening dust build up on cylinder fins.

The MS Plus care and clean kit features a wash bag that can be used as a microfibre cloth or alternatively a cleaning glove, which offers more effective cleaning of HD2 filters. Once the HD2 filter has been sprayed with VarioClean Eco and left for five minutes, simply put the filter in the wash bag and wash at 600C as users would their PPE.

The launch of the MS and MS Plus care and clean kits follows STIHL’s recent launch of service kits for petrol handheld tools that enable professional and domestic owners to carry out simple routine engine maintenance themselves, increasing their tool’s reliability and longevity.

For more information on STIHL’s new MS and MS PLUS care and clean kits, please visit www.stihl.co.uk.

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Yamaha and Tuckwells announce new East Sussex branch

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Yamaha and Tuckwells announce new East Sussex branch: Yamaha Motor UK has furthered its partnership with Tuckwells by adding the full Yamaha range to the Framfield branch in East Sussex.

Tuckwells has been appointed to provide customers with a greater opportunity to view the extensive range of Yamaha products available in the region.

Yamaha and Tuckwells announce new East Sussex branch

Yamaha and Tuckwells announce new East Sussex branch

Tuckwells was established in 1954 and now has over 300 staff. Their network of dealerships has three dedicated Yamaha showrooms providing the full Yamaha utility and leisure range including ATVs, Side-by-Side vehicles, the electric UMX, and the brand’s golf cars.

Dan Palmer, Power Products Manager for Yamaha said:

“The partnership between Yamaha and Tuckwells has been established to best serve our customer experience. By working with experienced dealers in strategic locations, Yamaha is able to supply the ATV, Side-by-Side, Electric Utility, and golf car range throughout the UK and provide the best aftersales service to both agriculture and leisure users.”

Tuckwells’ dealerships have dedicated Yamaha demonstration models and team members ready to help customers find the right machine. Tuckwells Sales Manager, James Gibbon said:

“Tuckwells has over twenty years’ experience of selling Yamaha products and this expansion cements our Yamaha partnership. Our experienced sales staff span turf and amenity, agriculture, and golf, so the Yamaha product range is a perfect fit for our customers who expect a premium brand product and a proactive sales service.”

By stocking the full Yamaha range across its area, Tuckwells plans to expand further into fruit, vineyard and equine sectors.

“The Yamaha range is so well suited to the diversity of customer we have here in the Sussex region and we can see an ever increasing demand for Yamaha power products in the future,” concluded Mr Gibbon.

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Lantra farming safety training front and centre

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Lantra farming safety training front and centre: A father of three, who is a teacher at a Special School in Ballymena, has praised Lantra training and says it has helped young people to forge careers and futures in land-based industries.

Ciaran McCaughan, who lives beside his family’s farm in Co Antrim with his wife Rioghach and children Niamh, Cathair and Riona, has spoken to us about his experiences with Lantra, on receiving major awards, and on giving students the knowledge and skills they need to progress in the world of work.

Lantra farming safety training front and centre

Lantra farming safety training front and centre

In addition to being a teacher at Castle Tower School, delivering Lantra training to his students, Ciaran is a part time farmer, raising Angus Heifer calves through to beef.  In the school environment Ciaran delivers a variety of Lantra training courses to students, including ATV, leaf blowers, mowers and the Level 2 Award in Land Based Activities qualification.

Ciaran recently hit the headlines after winning the ‘Unsung Hero’ category in the prestigious Farming Life Awards in October. The Farming Life Awards recognise excellence in agriculture, talent, and innovation in the sector.  His accolade was awarded in recognition of his work with the young people at Castle Towers School, and for his dedication to training young people who wish to enter the industry.

He said: “Lantra has helped make an immense improvement to the practical and purposeful learning within Castle Tower School. It has provided a framework to help post-16 students gain a recognised qualification and gain a wide range of skills over their three years, including leaf blower, ATV, ride on mower and hedge trimming training.

“There is a job for everyone in this industry, and training is vital for people to realise their dreams and aspirations, whatever they are.

“Lantra is helping to qualify our students and help them gain meaningful employment when they leave school.  The students are much more motivated and enthused, especially with the practical aspects of the courses. This motivation means that the students are much more focussed as they are enjoying all the various tasks.

“Completing a practical ‘land based/agricultural’ qualification is much more appealing to the ‘practical – hands on Learner’. Lantra qualifications are viewed by my students as fun, worthwhile and full of real-life activities for real life work.

“The training also helps with literacy and numeracy tasks (which some students previously wouldn’t have done or felt they couldn’t do) to complete the course, alongside the practical tasks. I have found the training courses and qualification to be a huge motivator to students who were disengaged from the mainstream learning activities in school.

“I wanted to teach ‘Farm Safety’ and teach pupils how to look after themselves and others – there are too many injuries and deaths from quads, tractors, and machinery accidents. I hope, in the delivery of this qualification, I am doing a small part to both motivate and protect the workforce of tomorrow.

“Lantra has given me the opportunity to teach the students that there are only two ways to carry out a job, the RIGHT way, and the WRONG way.  My focus with Lantra is to teach students the ‘RIGHT way’ to use machinery and work with livestock. In class, and while working on the farm, my focus is on safety, and I always encourage the students to take their time and carry out tasks correctly, with the minimum risk to themselves and others.

“Hopefully the training the students undertake will stay with them the rest of their lives, and give them the correct basis for using machinery, helping to prevent accidents or injuries in the future.”

Ciaran continued, “I would love to see many more Special Schools and Mainstream Secondary Schools throughout NI, and potentially to rest of the UK, introduce Lantra qualifications and training into their curriculums.  Lantra is an excellent ‘vehicle’ for students to gain recognised and worthwhile qualifications which can help them start their future ‘work life’”.

Lantra has recently launched a free Children on Farms e-learning safety course which has proved very popular since it became live during the October half term holidays.

The course covers a wide range of areas including children on the farm and the law, children and tractors, children and ATVs and children and falls.  Others concerns, such as children safety around equipment, harmful substances, and the importance of having a farm safety checklist are also covered in the course.

On completion of the free course, participants can download their Children on Farms (E-Learning) certificate.

For further information on this course please log on to https://www.lantra.co.uk/course/children-farms-e-learning-1

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And the winners are…

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And the winners are…: The three winners of the Amenity Forum Sprayer Operator of the Year Awards, sponsored by ICL and Syngenta, have been announced.

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

And the winners are…

And the winners are…

ASOOTY is sponsored by ICL and Syngenta and managed by Amenity Forum, in association with BASIS.

From a record number of high-calibre entrants this year, the competition has now been whittled down to three great finalists – Darren McLaughlan, Course Manager at Trump Turnberry Golf Club; Keith Scruton, Course Manager at Darwen Golf Club; and Kiel Barrett, Head Groundsman at Leeds United FC.

Darren is now into his 26th year in the industry and followed in his uncle’s footsteps who was a greenkeeper. Commenting on his award, Darren said: “I’ve been spraying for as long as I can remember, and I look at this award first and foremost as personal development. This is a huge part in the way I like to manage myself and my team. If you are standing still, then you are going backwards so to have this award; and even to be nominated for me is progression.”

A summer job at a local golf club ignited Keith’s passion for greenkeeping and he has since been in the industry for 32 years. “The benefit of having this award is that it will act as an accreditation of good practice and that’s something I’ve tried to achieve with spraying over the years,” he said. “Hopefully this award shows that even a small club can implement good practice and do the right things without having as many resources as the bigger clubs.”

Kiel learned his trade at Headingley Carnegie stadium, home of Leeds Rhinos, before being appointed as the Head Groundsman of Leeds United FC in 2012. He has been at the club ever since and has worked wonders with the Elland Road pitch.

The overall winner will be announced at the BTME Welcome Celebration which will be taking place om 24th January 2023.

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

For more news and insightful views, you can follow ICL on Twitter @ICL_Turf

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New location and bespoke stand

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New location and bespoke stand: Price Turfcare, the UK and Ireland distributor of the Ventrac multi-implement, all-terrain compact tractor, returns to BTME with a new location and a bespoke stand for this year’s event.

For the past three events, we have occupied a space at the top of the stairway leading to Hall 3, but for this year’s event we have moved to Hall 1, where you will find us on a new, bespoke stand with an impressive display of the new Ventrac 4520 compact tractor and attachments.

New location and bespoke stand

New location and bespoke stand

For some visitors it will be the first opportunity to see the new machine. It’s not a radical change, but there’s a whole series of improvements ‘under the bonnet’ resulting in 30% more available power, giving the best mix of machine performance, operator experience and durability.

At its core, the 4520 is a compact tractor, but it is very different to what most greenkeepers are used to seeing. The purpose of a tractor is to perform tasks more efficiently than manual tasks. The Ventrac 4520 plays on these advantages, then takes it to the next level. When coupled with the extensive line of over 25 Ventrac attachments, this tractor is a versatile machine for a variety of professional users.

The 4520 retains all the features of its predecessor, including its 30-degree slope climbing ability, but has been enhanced with an all-new hydraulic system featuring larger bore piping, more powerful auxiliary hydraulics and more resilient hoses and fittings resulting in faster and stronger operation. That means 30% more available power, improving performance and productivity while providing the operator with a quieter working platform.

Ventrac has become the number one choice for versatility in the greenkeeping sector. Combining a blend of peak power and agility with front-mounted attachments for superior visibility, a pivoting frame for manoeuvrability, and excellent weight distribution for balance and stability, the new 4520 elevates the Ventrac experience to a whole new level.

To understand why the industry has embraced the Ventrac product come along and visit stand 122 in Hall 1.

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Smart and versatile controllers at BTME

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Smart and versatile controllers at BTME: At BTME 2023 (Stand 132), Rain Bird Landscape and Sports Turf irrigation will be displaying a number of new products including the new RC2 Smart Irrigation controller and the modular ESP-LXME 2 traditionally wired models.

Used in conjunction with and accessed through the Rain Bird Mobile App, the RC2 enables users to manage remotely residential and light commercial installations. Contractors and site managers have full WiFi control of irrigation scheduling for multiple sites and zones. Through alerts, users can monitor and manage all irrigation events and warnings in real-time, ensuring the landscape will receive only the water it needs while potentially saving up to 50% in water.

Smart and versatile controllers at BTME

Smart and versatile controllers at BTME

Compatible with Rain Bird’s IQ4 Cloud irrigation management system, the ESP-LXME 2 traditionally wired modular models focus on water conservation, flexibility and simplicity in use. The controller allows the user to customise irrigation station capacity from 12 to 48 stations. 40 independent irrigation programs can be set with up to10 starts per program. Water management features include FloManager which manages demand to maximise use of water and shorten total watering times. The  PRO model offers extra flow sensing capability including FloWatch which protects against high and low water flow conditions.

The IQ4 Platform provides state of the art irrigation monitoring, programmming and control features. The software includes the Dry Run capability to visualise irrigation programming and demonstrate graphically what to expect from the system before it happens.

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Carrier and Verti-Drain® combo keeps Warrenpoint GC

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Carrier and Verti-Drain® combo keeps Warrenpoint GC: For the first time in four years, the players at Warrenpoint Golf Club are going into the winter on main greens, thanks to an extensive aeration programme introduced by Head Greenkeeper Matt Purcell.

It’s also no coincidence that this year, Matt purchased a Redexim Carrier and Verti-Drain® 1513 allowing the team to effectively aerate all 18 greens in as little as a day – keeping them bone dry and proving themselves as fit for year-round play.

Carrier and Verti-Drain® combo keeps Warrenpoint GC

Carrier and Verti-Drain® combo keeps Warrenpoint GC

Warrenpoint is ranked as one of the top parkland courses in Northern Ireland, situated in the heart of County Down and surrounded by the Mourne Mountains on one side and Carlingford Lough on the other. Matt heads-up a maintenance team of five and, on joining the club in late 2021, took some soil samples on the greens which highlighted the need for some ‘TLC’. “Like a lot of golf clubs in Ireland, we were previously relying on contractors to come in and aerate, but my experience from working in clubs in England means I appreciate the multiple benefits that can be brought about with regular aeration every five to six weeks.”

“After speaking to the board, we invited Ian Lauder from Redexim and local dealer Cyril Johnston in with the Redexim Carrier and Verti-Drain®, which I had trialled at a previous club. I was no-less impressed seeing it the second time around! The great thing is that the implement can be used with the Carrier or swapped onto a tractor giving you complete flexibility, and a power unit that can then conduct other operations on the greens and tees” Matt explains.

Since the combination was purchased and delivered in March this year, Matt and the team have aerated all greens once a month, along with the tees twice and specific problem areas on some of the fairways. “This set-up is just brilliant. It is faster and wider than other comparable models meaning we can complete most of our greens in four or five passes, and all 18 greens in a day. The tyres are much better as well being slick, which means we can go anywhere with it and not have to plot a specific route around the course.”

The Redexim Carrier is powered by a 31hp engine and hydrostatic transmission which lends itself to high output and ease of operation. It can work with a variety of implements such as seeders, verti-cutters and in this instance the Verti-Drain® 1513 – a lightweight 1.3m model, working with 15o of heave and to a maximum depth of 6” making it ideal for use on sensitive turf areas.

Matt adds, “Time is of the essence with everything we do on the course. Not only do we need to be aerating when the conditions suit, but when we do the operation, we want to be round as quickly as possible so that the members can play golf. With this combination, we can now do both – delivering huge improvements to playability and course condition that hasn’t gone unnoticed by the players and the club.”

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Trilo S4 and BL960 prove the perfect pair

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Trilo S4 and BL960 prove the perfect pair: A Trilo S4 is proving that multi-functional machinery doesn’t have to mean compromised performance for the team at Calcot Park Golf Club.

Assisting Course Manager Tom Jennings with various maintenance tasks including scarification and cut and collect of the sites biodiversity areas, the S4 is currently tasked with keeping on top of leaf collection with assistance from their new Trilo BL960.

Trilo S4 and BL960 prove the perfect pair

Trilo S4 and BL960 prove the perfect pair

The undulating 18-hole parkland course designed by Harry Colt resides within an exclusive private estate in Berkshire, providing the picture-perfect backdrop for players of all abilities. Pre-empting the amount of time and resources that would be required to keep on top of leaf clearance, an S4 was one of the first investments Tom made when he joined Calcot Park four years ago. “With such a huge number of trees, investing in equipment to collect leaves as quickly and efficiently as possible was a priority. As soon as we saw the Trilo S4 it was a no brainer.”

“We purchased the whole package, including flail and scarifier heads which converts the machine into one we can use year-round. The board don’t want to spend money on a machine that spends most of the year sat in the shed, or that doesn’t do a good job of what it is supposed to do – the S4 ticks all of the boxes.” Over the year, the team are utilising the S4 for cutting the eco grass areas and scarifying the roughs, along with vacuuming scarified material and other debris from the fairways. “With all the attachments, its versatile, but conducts every operation really well.”

“In the autumn, the amount of labour this machine saves us is brilliant. Where before the team would have to get into ditches and clear leaves manually, now we can use the S4’s wander hose to suck up the leaves in a matter of minutes.” To complement the S4, the club have recently purchased a BL960 blower from Trilo, delivered by local dealer Lister Wilder. “The blower we had on our fleet ran on unleaded and with fuel costs going up, we worked out it was costing us £50 per day to run. I had used a BL960 at my previous club and it’s bulletproof so bearing this in mind, along with the savings we could make by running it straight off the PTO shaft and tractor, it was an easy decision.”

The BL960 arrived in September 2022, just in-time for a busy autumn and winter season. “This blower is so powerful – it moves material quicker and leaves a much cleaner finish than our previous machine. To clear the fairways previously would have taken ten passes or more… with the BL960 the job is complete in two so not only are we getting better results, it takes fewer resources and is done in less time. I, the team and the club couldn’t be happier with our investment.”

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