Tag Archive for: Award

Award for John Deere mowers

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Award for new John Deere mowers: After a successful launch in 2019, John Deere’s 2700 and 2750 PrecisionCut and E-Cut hybrid electric triplex mowers have been honoured as a 2020 AE50 Award winner by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE).

Each year the AE50 awards highlight the industry’s most innovative designs in product engineering, as chosen by a panel of international engineering experts. The development of these new John Deere cylinder mowers was based on customer needs and challenges – most importantly, the struggle to find quality labour and tight operating budgets.

Award for new John Deere mowers

Award for new John Deere mowers

With this in mind, the mowers are equipped with the proven, advanced TechControl system, which is passcode protected and allows course managers, technicians and other trusted supervisors to input commands that control nearly everything regarding the operator’s performance. This includes frequency of clip, turn speed, clean-up pass speed and how fast the cutting units raise and lower.

The engines on all models are electronically controlled and include an Eco mode that automatically reduces engine speed when mowing, saving up to 30 per cent in fuel and reducing sound levels by up to 3dB(A). The lightweight, open platform design, with a low centre of gravity, ensures excellent stability and traction performance. The mowers offer a 62in (157cm) mowing width and speeds of up to 6mph (9.7kph) for increased productivity.

“Our customers are battling a variety of challenges, from labour to budgets. The 2700 and 2750 triplex mowers have been designed to directly tackle these concerns and take the stress out of mowing,” says John Deere Golf product manager Brad Aldridge. “From the innovative TechControl system to the open platform design and excellent cut quality, these machines deliver a precise, uniform cut, regardless of who’s driving – now every operator can be your best operator.”

ASABE is an international scientific and educational organisation dedicated to the advancement of engineering applicable to agricultural, food and biological systems. Each year the Society announces and presents the AE50 awards at the ASABE Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference held in Louisville, Kentucky in February.

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Allett Awarded Queen’s Award

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Allett Awarded Queen’s Award: Today, Allett Limited welcomed the Lord-Lieutenant, Mr Ian Dudson, the Queen’s representative in Staffordshire to meet the staff and present a commemorative vase and ‘Grant of Appointment’ deed for the Queen’s award for Enterprise.

In April 2019 Allett, the Staffordshire based specialist cylinder mower manufacturer won the coveted Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade 2019 in recognition of its growth in exports and contribution to the British economy.

Allett Awarded Queen's Award

Allett Awarded Queen’s Award

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are for outstanding achievement by UK businesses in the categories of:

  • Innovation
  • International trade
  • Sustainable development
  • Promoting opportunity through social mobility

Allett won this award after the company had demonstrated exceptional and year-on-year growth in export sales over a five year period  and had made a minimum of £100,000 in export sales in the first year of entry.

The Russia World Cup was an important factor in Allett’s overseas sales success however the Company has also seen a huge rise in sales to other countries such as America where sales into the top baseball and football clubs has been a strong and growing market.

Export Manager Dave Allett played a major role in partnership with Allett’s Russian distributors, Moscow based Unisaw, before the world’s biggest football tournament to supply host stadiums, training grounds and contractors with a range of Allett machinery.

Dave Allett and James Till (Allett Director) were invited to attend a Royal Reception at Buckingham Palace last summer.

“We’re very honoured to receive the Queen’s Award,” says Austin Jarrett, Allett’s Managing Director, “This prestigious award recognises our achievements and team efforts in bringing innovative developments in our mowing systems to meet challenges in overseas markets with large potential. Because of increased export sales the business no longer subject to the seasonality of sales cycles in the UK. Our mowers and turf maintenance systems are used throughout the world where they maintain sports surfaces and lawns to the highest standards. The groundsmen in the UK are acknowledged to be the best in the world and these customers demand the highest standards from their equipment suppliers,” says Jarrett. “This relentless demand from our UK customers over the years have driven our engineering team to improve and develop our mowing systems which subsequently help to produce near-perfect sports surfaces and garden lawns. Allett have benefitted from this and we are confident that we can deliver higher standards to the stadiums and lawns using our systems in the rest of the world. Every one of our machines proudly bears a Union Flag decal, and this really helps us in our export markets where the UK is revered for their lawns.

We will be hosting Pitch Maintenance training seminars in China this year,” adds Jarrett, “to help set standards and expectations for the playing surfaces in this huge country which is growing rapidly as a footballing nation. Allett is more than just a machine. We’re strengthening our technical support and embarking on a plan of new product development to concentrate on a wider range of grass and sports turf maintenance products.”

As part of the Award ceremony at Regal House, Allett’s manufacturing facility, Allett held a celebration on the 14th February 2020 to celebrate their success. The Lord-Lieutenant of Staffordshire was on hand to present the Directors with a ‘Grant of Appointment’ (an official certificate) and a commemorative crystal trophy. After an informative factory tour, the Lord-Lieutenant took the opportunity to talk with Allett employees over lunch. It was a special day for every member of Allett Mowers staff  who are extremely proud to have achieved the award and play their part in producing the machines used in some of the world’s most prestigious sporting venues.

Lord Lieutenant said;

“It was a privilege and delight to present a Queen’s Award for Enterprise today to Allett lawnmowers. Another Staffordshire manufacturing company leading the world in product design, performance, quality and reliability which has driven outstanding continuous growth in overseas sales over the last six years to achieve this well deserved prestigious recognition.

Great to be able to meet the entire workforce to offer congratulations and continued success.”

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Michael Davie wins BIGGA award

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Michael Davie wins BIGGA award: Greenkeeper Michael Davie – who set up a mental health support group to help his fellow professionals in the turf industry – has picked up the top award at the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association’s annual convention.

Davie, the course manager at Hazel Grove Golf Club, in Stockport, has tirelessly supported many BIGGA members and other greenkeepers, having overcome periods of depression in his own life.

In recognition of the incredible effort he has put in to supporting his fellow greenkeepers, Michael was awarded with the Outstanding Contribution of the Year Award, sponsored by Jacobsen.

After receiving the award, Michael Davie said: “I’m exceptionally humbled to receive this. It’s totally unexpected and really amazing.

“I’m retiring from greenkeeping in a few months and I hope the extra time that gives me will allow me to develop the mental health side of things.

“I’m looking into how I can try and help as many people as possible, so this is just the start!”

Michael established the ‘Greenkeepers mental health support group’ on Facebook so his peers could come together to support each other.

Michael also hosts a regular meet-up in Manchester, where greenkeepers discuss issues and provide a helping hand.

The UK’s best and brightest greenkeepers were recognised at a dazzling awards ceremony hosted by the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association at the opening night of BTME 2020.

BTME is the UK’s leading exhibition for those in the golf greenkeeping and sportsturf industries, with more than 5,000 BIGGA members, industry leaders and influencers expected through the doors of the Harrogate Convention Centre for the duration of the three-event.

The traditional curtain-raiser of the exhibition is the BIGGA Welcome Celebration, sponsored by Campey Turf Care Systems and hosted by television presenter Naga Munchetty.

A number of awards were handed out to BIGGA members who have done extraordinary things throughout their careers.

The Outstanding Contribution award is one of three BIGGA Awards given out to members during the event.

The other two are the Championship Greenkeeping Performance of the Year – sponsored by Rigby Taylor – and the Greenkeeping Project of the Year sponsored by Baroness and Kubota.

Grant Peters and the team at Parkstone Golf Club in Poole were winners of the Championship Greenkeeping Performance of the Year Award after successfully hosting the Ladies’ European Amateur Championship, in July, which was won by Berkhamsted’s Alice Hewson.

Also nominated in the same category were Craig Haldane’s Gleneagles team for the hosting the 2019 Solheim Cup, and Graham Brumpton and the team at Ipswich Golf Club, which staged the English Ladies’ Open Amateur Championship at Purdis Heath last summer.

The Greenkeeping Project of the Year Award was won by Darren Anderson MG and the team at Cheshire’s Bromborough Golf Club.

The team replaced a 46-year-old irrigation system, alongside rebuilding greenside bunkers. Completing the work in-house, it is estimated that the greenkeepers saved the club around £150,000.

Also nominated in the same category were Master Greenkeeper Andrew Kerr’s team at Surrey’s Surbiton Golf Club and Robert George’s team at Essex’s Thorndon Park Golf Club.

For the first time, a new set of prizes were introduced at the BIGGA Welcome Celebration.

The BIGGA Excellence in Communication Awards sponsored by Campey Turf Care Systems seek to recognise those BIGGA members who have embraced communication as a vital tool available to the modern greenkeeper.

Awards for the best use of social media and work in the community will be handed on the second day BTME on the Campey Turf Care stand, but at the BIGGA Welcome Celebration, the winner of the Innovation and Thought Leadership Award was unveiled.

The award is given to the BIGGA member who had written the most thought-provoking article for BIGGA’s monthly magazine, Greenkeeper International, with Ryun Holden, of Switzerland’s Golf Club Wylihof, claiming the inaugural prize for his feature discussing the importance of conveying a positive message from the greenkeeping team to golfers at their club.

Ryun received a £750 cash prize and all-expenses paid trip to Florida, where he will visit the Campey Air2g2 factory, Daytona International Speedway, TPC Sawgrass and TIAA Bank Field, the home of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.

BIGGA chief executive Jim Croxton said: “I take immense pride in the BIGGA Welcome Celebration as it is the opportunity for our association to recognise the unbelievable hard work and dedication that BIGGA members all over the world demonstrate every day of their working lives.

“As we saw once again through the story of Michael Davie, it can become all too easy to get caught up in all the negativity that surrounds the golf industry.

“Yet there are many passionate and hardworking greenkeepers who have dedicated their careers to ensuring this great industry has a strong and vibrant future.

“BIGGA is nothing if not a community where members can come together to support each other through the bad times and the good.

“Thank-you to all our sponsors and to everyone who came along to support this brilliant event.”

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Alaves groundsman nets award

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Alaves groundsman nets award: John Stewart, from Laurieston, has been named the best groundsman in Spanish football in the year 2019 for his work on Deportivo Alaves’ Mendizorrotza Stadium pitch.

The 49-year-old was presented with his award and trophy at the annual La Liga greenkeeper’s dinner in Madrid last week, becoming the latest local sport and horticulture award winner after Falkirk’s Jim.

He told The Falkirk Herald: “It’s fantastic to receive an award from people who know what they’re talking about and what you are going through.

“The preparation to a pitch is what’s key. We can cut it six times and line it two or three before a match – but there is a lot of pressure.

“You are dealing with a living thing and aspects outwith your control like the weather can affect it.

“It was a lovely surprise to receive the award and it’s surreal too. I was interviewed about it on the pitch on Saturday standing beside Roberto Carlos. You do get up close to a lot of big names.”

John’s Spanish story began a lot further away though – on the greens and fairways of the golf course in America but he switched to football some ten years ago while in Spain. He took up the head green keeping role at Real Sociedad, later moving to Alaves, near his home in Vitoria which he shares with wife Maria and their two children.

Before moving away, John and his brothers Colin and Tom, were members of Wallacestone Pipe Band. Their father, also Tom – a retired local police officer – said the “whole family are immensely proud of what John has achieved”.

Back home John also worked six months on the Falkirk Tryst course. While in America tutoring piping and working on the greens he befriended US Open winner Payne Stewart, playing the pipes at his memorial service and also at the funeral of Seve Ballesteros.

Piping continues to be a passion and John added: “Just after the game with Real Madrid on Saturday I had to dash away and play at a whisky tasting. It was quite a contrast.”

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JCB engineer scoops apprentice award

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JCB engineer scoops apprentice award: A JCB Design Engineer is the toast of the UK today after winning a national apprentice award.

Louise Meredith, 21, scooped the title of Higher or Degree Apprentice of the Year at the finals of the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) Awards in London last night (Wednesday, November 27th) just weeks after winning the regional final.

JCB engineer scoops apprentice award

It was a night of success for JCB apprentices as Quality Engineer Tom Lomas, 21, from Cheadle, was also highly commended at the same ceremony in the National Advanced Apprentice of the Year category just weeks after he was named Regional Advanced Apprentice of the Year. Tom works JCB Earthmovers, in Cheadle.

Louise, a Design Engineer in the Loadall division at JCB World Headquarters, in Rocester, said: “I’m passionate about apprenticeships and undertaking a degree / higher apprenticeship has been a fantastic way to start my career, so to win this national award is just amazing. I still can’t believe I’ve been recognised in this way.”

JCB Director of Learning and Development Max Jeffery said: “We are immensely proud of the outstanding achievements of these award winners who have excelled in their studies at JCB. To be recognised at national level is testament to their hard work and commitment.  The company now has more than 400 young people on its apprenticeship, undergraduate and graduate training programmes, as we continue to invest in the next generation of engineering and business professionals.”

Louise and Tom are part of a group JCB apprentices who are proving they are in a class of their own when it comes to winning awards.  JCB World HQ Business Degree Apprentice Elena Newbrook, 20, of Nantwich, Cheshire has won the Regional Make UK Business Apprentice of the Year: Rising Star award and Morgan Smith, 21, of Handforth, Cheshire has scooped Regional Make UK Engineering Apprentice of the Year: Final Year. Degree Apprentice Morgan is a Hydraulics Design Engineer at JCB Heavy Products, Uttoxeter.  Elena and Morgan will now represent the region in the National Make UK Awards on January 29th, 2020.

In addition, two JCB apprentices were highly commended on the Make UK awards shortlist. In the Midlands awards Engineering Degree Apprentice Chris Owen, 19, of Newcastle-under-Lyme who specialises in Electrical Engineering, and Olivia Pearch, 19, of Derby who is a Business Degree Apprentice at JCB Power Systems were honoured.

Applications for JCB’s 2020 apprenticeship and graduate training programmes open in December. Visit www.jcb.com/about/careers for details.

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