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ROBOCUT To Launch At SALTEX

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ROBOCUT To Launch At SALTEX: McConnel ROBOCUT’s have earned a reputation for performing in the toughest working environments. Now the company are set to expand the ROBOCUT range with the launch of the ROBOCUT RC28, a mower developed for fine turf applications where a light footprint and minimal surface disturbance is paramount.

The ROBOCUT RC28 has been specifically designed for the amenities, landscape, and ground-care sectors.

ROBOCUT To Launch At SALTEX

Designed, developed and manufactured by vegetation control specialists McConnel, the all-new Robocut RC28 is now entering full production. Designed to allow remote controlled mowing of level land and suitable for tackling slopes of up to 55 degrees, the Robocut RC28 key features include:

  • Fuelled up and ready to mow, weighs under 500kg
  • Bi-directional 1.10m mulching deck delivers high quality cut
  • Safe working on slopes of up to 55 degrees
  • Automatic tracking for straight mowing on lateral slopes
  • Full proportional remote control at distances of up to 150m
  • Electric track motors and deck raise / lower eliminates hydraulics
  • Operates at speeds of up to 7.0kph
  • Mowing heights of 30 to 180mm
  • GPS Enabled and Autosteer ready

Powered by a 28hp / 21kW fuel-injected Vanguard petrol engine, the Robocut RC28 is the latest addition to the established McConnel Robocut family. Purpose designed for maintenance mowing, the Robocut RC28 is new from the ground up, light weight and high productivity listing among key design aims.

The new ROBOCUT RC28 will be officially launched at Saltex 2019 and can be seen on stand A095.  McConnel larger RC56 and RC75 ROBOCUT models will also be on display.

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New Exhibitors At Turf Maintenance Live

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New Exhibitors At Turf Maintenance Live: Two new companies, Agria UK and Price Turfcare, are exhibiting at Turf Maintenance Live in October, joining the established group that includes Ernest Doe & Sons, GKB Machines, Husqvarna UK, Iseki UK, Martin Lishman, Rigby Taylor, Wessex International and Wiedenmann UK.

Registration is now open for this annual showcase from the leading manufacturers and distributors of turf maintenance equipment, which is being held at the Woollam Playing Fields, Harpenden Rd in St. Albans on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 October.

New Exhibitors At Turf Maintenance Live

Entrance to the event, now in its fifth year, is free but pre-registration is essential with BIGGA and IOG members able claim CPD points for their attendance.

Visitors interested in attending the event and seeing the latest innovations and equipment in action can register by completing a registration form online at: https://www.turfmaintenancelive.com/ or email register@turfmaintenancelive.com .

Explaining why he made the decision to join the Turf Maintenance Live team this year, Rupert Price of Price Turfcare said,

“We have been distributing the Ventrac 4500 compact tractor and its range of attachments for just two and half years and, in that short time, it has been extremely well received by the UK groundscare industry. What we have learned is that prospective customers have to see the machine, up close and personal, to fully appreciate its versatility and that’s why we’ve come on board. We’re hoping that we can demonstrate its capabilities to as many people as possible at St. Albans in October.”

Jason Bristow of Agri UK added,

“Like Price Turfcare, we are new to the UK market and this is the obvious event to demonstrate the range of equipment that we have to offer groundscare sector. Unlike SALTEX, which we will be attending later in October, the visitors here can see the equipment in a working environment and gain a comprehensive understanding of their features and benefits. We’re looking forward to seeing as many prospective buyers as possible across the two days.”

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RTC A Hit At St Mirren

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RTC A Hit At St Mirren: To keep on top of the maintenance of a newly-laid 4G astro surface at their Ralston Training Complex, St Mirren FC have purchased an RTC unit from Charterhouse Turf Machinery.

For the facility’s sole Groundsman, Alan Michie, it has improved both the efficiency and speed of regular surface brushing.

RTC A Hit At St Mirren

Forming part of the 3.7 hectare site, the artificial pitch is home to first team and academy training throughout the week, and matches at the weekend. “Just before the 4G pitch was open for play in September, I was very pleased to find a new RTC brush unit from Charterhouse land at my door” explains Alan, who has been running the training ground for the last two and a half years. “We had previously used a tractor and brush combination which wasn’t the most practical – timely to set up and, being in one of the wettest areas in the country, often meant I was unable to get out at all.”

“The Chairman and Head Groundsman at the stadium had been in talks with Ian Lauder of Charterhouse and decided the versatility and simplicity of the RTC was a perfect fit to keep on top of the regular maintenance. Ian came in to do some training with me, but it’s so simple to use, it’s fantastic. If I’m struggling for time, the guy who looks after our youth department will go out and brush for me. He finds it therapeutic!”

The convenience of a self-contained unit means Alan can easily keep up with the regular maintenance on the high-wear surface, brushing on average five or six times a week. The RTC brushes fold to allow storage and access through gaps as narrow as 90cm, although when deployed, the unit will cover an impressive 200cm in one-pass. “I can also use the tow bar on the back to take other tools out with me that I use for work on the natural grass pitches. It pulls a small trailer no problem.”

Proving itself to be a real multi-purpose machine, Alan adds, “it does a fantastic job of levelling off the pitch, spreading the rubber well to prevent compaction. The ongoing maintenance of the unit is also very simple. For me, it’s crucial that the maintenance is simple, but effective. For this, the RTC is ideal.”

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New Toro Fleet At Bradford GC

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New Toro Fleet At Bradford GC: If success is a fresh pair of eyes, then The Bradford Golf Club in West Yorkshire has well and truly succeeded since the arrival of its first Toro fleet.

Darrell Crowley re-joined the club as course manager in 2018, and one of his first big decisions was to choose the supplier from which he would source his new fleet, as part of the club’s commitment to continually investing in the course.

New Toro Fleet At Bradford GC

Having seen the difference and improvements that the previous Toro fleets had made since his return, it was an easy task. Darrell comments: “There have been Toro machines, among other brands, at the club since the millennium, but it wasn’t until 2006 that the first package deal arrived. I had recently started as an assistant greenkeeper at the time and the club wanted to move away from updating individual machines to getting a bulk amount of new kit from one brand to see what difference that made, and if that approach further improved the course.”

And while Darrell could see the immediate improvements the switch to a Toro fleet deal with Reesink Turfcare made to the overall quality and condition of the course, it’s coming back to the club now as course manager and seeing the long-term benefit that this has made when it really hit home for Darrell.

“The course is looking better than ever. It goes without saying each individual machine makes a difference, but of course only to its particular area such as the greens or tees, so to get a fleet of new machines to cover all areas of the course, well the collective improvement is simply striking.

“The board has been working tirelessly for the last twenty years to keep the club in the modern era, keep up with the latest machinery advancements and make it more self-sufficient, the first Toro fleet deal was a big part of that. It’s been so successful and made such a positive improvement to the course since that we have continued our relationship with Toro, and this is now our third lease agreement.”

And it’s an impressive fleet of Toro machines that have been brought on board. The fleet consists of like-for-like renewals of the Greensmaster TriFlex 3400, Groundsmaster 3500-D, and Workman HDX, plus three new additions in the Groundsmaster 4500-D, Reelmaster 5010-H and Multi Pro WM sprayer, which are already making a strong impression.

“The Multi Pro WM sprayer and RM5010-H are definitely my new favourites,” says Darrell. “The Multi Pro WM’s information centre gives us more accuracy and the hybrid drive system on the RM5010-H is really beneficial for fuel savings.

“The demonstration process for these two was great as well. Russell Groundcare were able to get us the machines we wanted quickly and then gave us the time to really test them out. They then worked closely with us to help supply the package once we were set on the machines for the fleet. The whole process from start to finish was seamless.”

Named 2018 West Yorkshire Golf Club of the Year by Your Golfer Magazine, the club is a popular destination for golfers and keeping the course up to standard has proved even more vital in recent years with the club undergoing a large development project. But the Toro fleet has been more than up for the job says Darrell.

“In recent years we have restructured several holes and undergone tree removal to help return the course back to its traditional moorland roots, this has been coupled with a major refurbishment of the clubhouse.”

With Darrell, the team and the board all having seen the benefits Toro has brought to The Bradford Golf Club, it’s likely Toro will continue to have a place at the club.

“What Toro provides is reliability, high quality of cut and high quality of build, all at a competitive price. I don’t think other brands can really offer the same, and if the quality is there, there’s no need for me to look elsewhere,” says Darrell.

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Syn-Pro Thrives At Beaumont

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Syn-Pro Thrives At Beaumont: A range of Syn-Pro equipment by SISIS is helping to keep the synthetic surfaces in impeccable condition at De Montfort University at Beaumont Park, according to head groundsman Cameron Flitten.

With the emergence of synthetic surfaces becoming more common over the years in a wide range of sports, the SISIS brand has continued to go from strength to strength with its impressive Syn-Pro portfolio. Today synthetic surfaces are playing such a large role in a groundsman’s overall responsibilities, many have turned to the reliable and efficient Syn-Pro range and Cameron is no exception.

Syn-Pro Thrives At Beaumont

Originally from New Zealand, Cameron’s career in sports turf started with an apprenticeship on a golf course before landing a role working on the cricket squares at Loughborough University and then progressing to being in charge of the rugby and football pitches.

Three years ago, he became the head groundsman for De Montfort University, which coincided with the university agreeing to lease the vast playing fields at Beaumont Park. The site received a multi-million pound investment and transformed the facilities into some of the best in the county. Along with seven other members of staff, Cameron maintains the wide array of sports surfaces at Beaumont Park which now includes two recently built all-weather 3G synthetic pitches.

To maintain these two pitches, Cameron chooses to use the Litamina 1200 and a combination of the Flexicomb fitted with straight and zigzag brushes.

The Litamina 1200 is a compact sweeper for efficient collection for unwanted debris from sand filled or rubber crumb synthetic surfaces. With its spiral design brush helping to stand up the pile and improve collection, and a large capacity mesh hopper collecting debris but allowing infill to be returned to the surface, the Litamina 1200 is ideal for helping to keep surfaces free of contamination and harmful debris.

Designed primarily for use on synthetic surfaces, the Flexicomb ensures even distribution of infill materials and lifts the pile. The adjustable setting ensures the effect of a rake, but with the softness of a brush, reducing the risk of damage to the fibres. The bristle sections are replaceable and the Flexicomb is designed for a long working life with minimal maintenance. For greater results, Cameron attaches either the zigzag or straight brush to the Flexicomb which helps to even out the rubber crumb.

“We use the Flexicomb with the zigzag or straight brush three times a week, especially now with the high usage the pitches get. It helps to de-compact all of the rubber, levels it all off and stands all of the grass fibres back up.

“The Litamina is an essential piece of equipment and this is used at least once a month, sometimes more if there are a lot of leaves on the surface. It is perfect for removing all of the rubbish and debris from the surface.

“These two pieces of equipment are all I need for my synthetic surface maintenance and you can always rely on them to do a brilliant job. I like that they are solidly built but I also like the simplicity of them. You can tell that SISIS have thought a lot about the groundsmen using them because they are easy to set-up and are generally very user-friendly. They also never break down either.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact SISIS on 01332 824 777 or visit www.synprobysisis.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow SISIS on Twitter & Instagram @SISISMachinery and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/SISISMachinery. You can also view the latest SISIS videos by visiting www.youtube.com/SISISMachinery

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