Tag Archive for: Celebrates

Agronomic Services celebrates success with Hull KR

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Agronomic Services celebrates success with Hull KR: David Snowden (MD) and Angus McRae (Sales Manager) of Agronomic Services Ltd, were thrilled to have the pleasure of visiting Sewell Group Craven Park, the home of Hull KR, to get a closer look at their recently won Challenge Cup. The invite was extended by Anthony Brockwell (Head Groundsman) and Phil Stow (Operations and Facilities Manager).

The Challenge Cup was first contested in 1897 and is regarded as the oldest, and most prestigious, trophy in world rugby. Hull KR’s triumph was a proud moment for both the club and the city. After establishing a successful relationship over the past 7 years, David and Angus were honoured to behold the cup and participate in the success of the club winning this esteemed historical award.

Agronomic Services celebrates success with Hull KR

Agronomic Services celebrates success with Hull KR

During the celebrations, there was a chance to reflect on the dedication to behind-the-scenes work that keeps Hull KR playing on a pitch capable of withstanding the intense physical demands of elite rugby league.

Through close collaboration between Anthony and Agronomic Services, using a combination of Floratine and Agronomics products, the grounds team continue to produce excellent playing services in both their training facilities and stadium.

Hull KR’s next challenge will be preparing the pitch prior to welcoming Cold Play who will perform at Craven Park in August. The pitch, which will be under cover for eleven days, will then receive a full recovery package.

Agronomic Services Ltd would like to reiterate their huge congratulations to everyone involved at Hull KR for their unforgettable win.

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Reesink celebrates excellence with dealer awards

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Reesink celebrates excellence with dealer awards: Reesink UK has once again recognised its outstanding dealer network with the 2024 Aftermarket Dealer Awards, celebrating exceptional standards in customer support, service, skills, and parts.

Alastair Black, Technical Support and Training Manager at Reesink UK, explains how the relationship between Reesink and its dealers is central to everything it does and how the awards are essential in recognising that: “Dealers are often the first and most regular point of contact for customers, so their service reflects directly on us as a distributor.

Reesink celebrates excellence with dealer awards

Reesink celebrates excellence with dealer awards

“The Aftermarket Dealer Awards highlight the importance of that role and recognise the hard work, commitment and customer-first mentality that keeps our standards high across the UK.”

The awards cover five categories: Excellence in Service, Parts and Skills, alongside overall Aftermarket Dealer of Excellence and Improved Performance recognitions.

This year, Reesink Scotland took home the Gold Award for both Aftermarket Dealer of Excellence and Excellence in Skills. Mike Turnbull, Branch Manager at Reesink Scotland, commented: “These two awards reflect all the changes and hard work done by the whole service team in Scotland over the last year.

“Since taking over as branch manager we have set out to implement several changes to elevate the standards of the aftersales service for customers at our Livingston branch, which has resulted in helping reduce downtime and running costs on their Toro equipment and improving the overall customer experience.”

The Excellence in Parts Gold Award went to the Ted Hopkins dealership, and Robert Skipp, Aftersales Manager at Ted Hopkins Ltd said: “This is a fantastic recognition of the whole team’s dedication to delivering the highest standard of service and support. It reflects our proactive approach to ensuring customers receive the parts they need, when they need them, and our commitment to supporting the wider industry with the reliability and expertise of the Toro brand.”

Reesink East Anglia confirmed its outstanding support capabilities by securing the Excellence in Service Gold Award, while the Keys Brothers from Northern Ireland were named the 2024 Improved Performance winner. Andy Keys, Company Director at Keys Brothers, said:

“We’re delighted to have won the Improved Performance Award – it honours the hard work and commitment from everyone at Keys Brothers, as well as our focus on building strong relationships with customers, always striving to provide the best service and support, and continuing to contribute positively to the wider industry.”

Keys Brothers also secured the Silver Award for Excellence in Parts, while Cheshire Turf Machinery won the Silver Awards for Aftermarket Dealer of Excellence and Excellence in Service. Finally, the Silver Award for Excellence in Skills went to Reesink South East.

Another way Reesink helps raise the level of excellence and expertise in the industry is through its wide offering of training programmes. Special recognition goes to Darrell Richards from Reesink Southeast and Norann Chambers from Ted Hopkins, who recently completed the prestigious Master Service Technician Award (MST).

By completing Reesink’s MST programme – developed in collaboration with Toro’s factory experts – both technicians have proven their expertise in the latest hybrid and electric technology, as well as their ability to stay at the forefront of new product developments, warranty processes and best practice service techniques.

Their success ensures that their dealerships can continue to offer customers the highest level of service, keeping fleets running efficiently and helping turf professionals get the very best from their Toro machinery.

For more information on Reesink’s aftermarket support or becoming a Master Service Technician, call 01480 226800 or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk.

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Djuke celebrates 1000th Hydrowick Installation

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Djuke celebrates 1000th Hydrowick Installation: Specialist sports turf contractors Djuke are celebrating a major milestone after completing their 1000th Hydrowick golf green installation. The significant achievement was reached during recent works at Burford Golf Club and comes less than nine years after the 100th install at Beaconsfield Golf Club who – close to a decade on – are reporting that the innovative drainage system is working better than ever!

Built in 1936, Burford Golf Club is a private members’ course, featuring traditional clay push-up greens typical of the era – and designed to hold water! “In my first ten years here, we were forever pushing water off the greens and nearly always ended up playing on temporary greens every winter” explains Head Greenkeeper Richard Hitchman.

Djuke celebrates 1000th Hydrowick Installation

Djuke celebrates 1000th Hydrowick Installation

That all changed when the club discovered Hydrowick, and called in the team at Djuke to trial the system on a couple of problematic greens. “The thing we noticed straight away was the minimal levels of disruption compared to other drainage systems available. The day after it went in, we could have had the greens back in play.”

“When we got the rainfall, the results then spoke for themselves. Areas that were once the wettest on the course became the driest, so then it was just a case of how quickly we could get Hydrowick installed on all the other greens!”

A programme of multiple installations per year then commenced, with the final four completed in August 2025 – also proudly marking the 1000th green install for Djuke in the UK. “It’s no exaggeration to say Hydrowick has transformed our greens” Richard emphasises. “Now that they’re not laying wet or under stagnant water, they’re happier, healthier and not showing any signs of anaerobic stress. We’ve all but eliminated the use of temporary greens completely over the last two years, despite seeing 1.1m of rainfall last winter.”

The transformative benefits now evident at Burford Golf Club, are something that’s been enjoyed at Beaconsfield Golf Club in Buckinghamshire since 2016. Course Manager at the time, Stuart Langhorn, became one of Hydrowick’s earliest adopters but continues to be blown away by the results.

“Since the installation of Hydrowick, we’ve become known as a true 12-month club, which has seen a huge surge in demand for membership” says Stuart. “The process was so straightforward and the price so competitive that we came to terms with the fact it might only serve us well for a few years, and we’d have still been happy. Nearly 10 years on, it’s just getting better and better – the greens are drier which means we can conduct cultural practices year-round to build further on the impressive drainage we’re now achieving across all 18 greens.”

Hydrowick Drainage is one of the most efficient and effective drainage systems on the market, utilising both a gravity and capillary action to quickly ‘wick’ surface moisture and disperse excess water. The rope and fibreglass construction provides a durable, long lasting solution for a range of turf areas including golf greens, tees, fairways, parks and residential and commercial landscaping.

“From Beaconsfield’s 100th to Burford’s 1000th, Hydrowick continues to prove itself as the go-to, low-disruption drainage solution for turf managers” comments Djuke Managing Director Cameron McMilan. “This milestone reflects the trust the clubs place in us and the system, and we’re delighted to be playing our part in supporting healthier, more resilient playing surfaces across the country.”

For more information on Djuke and Hydrowick Drainage, visit djuke.co.uk

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Martin Lishman Ltd Celebrates 50 Years of Innovation

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Martin Lishman Ltd Celebrates 50 Years of Innovation: 2025 marks a milestone year for Martin Lishman Ltd as the company celebrates 50 years of innovation in the agricultural sector. Since 1975, this family-run business has been at the forefront of developing cutting-edge solutions for crop storage, quality control, and precision farming, helping farmers worldwide improve efficiency and sustainability.

The journey began with a revolutionary idea—a cost-effective method to cool stored grain at a time when ventilation systems were non-existent. The result was the development of the industry-renowned Pile-Dry Pedestals, which transformed grain storage by significantly reducing spoilage and improving quality. This innovation laid the foundation for a growing portfolio of solutions that now spans post-harvest technology, potato quality control, compact spraying systems, and precision agriculture tools.

Martin Lishman Ltd Celebrates 50 Years of Innovation

Martin Lishman Ltd Celebrates 50 Years of Innovation

At the heart of Martin Lishman’s success lies its people – the team whose dedication and expertise have driven the company forward, and industry professionals who have trusted and shaped its innovations. Their feedback and collaboration have been instrumental in every product the company has developed.

Over the decades, Martin Lishman’s hands-on approach, commitment to research, and close collaboration with customers have driven continuous advancements in agri-tech. From pioneering temperature monitoring systems to launching Barn Owl Wireless, a smart grain storage management system, the company’s products have empowered farmers to save time, reduce waste, and lower energy consumption. Today, Martin Lishman solutions are used in over 52 countries, reinforcing its global impact in sustainable farming. In line with celebrating 50 years, this year also marks one of the biggest product updates in the company’s history – a brand-new Barn Owl Wireless Web Application, delivering a whole host of new grain store management features tailored to the needs of modern farming.

The company’s expertise in manufacturing agricultural sprayers has also played a pivotal role in its expansion into the amenity industry. Leveraging years of experience, Martin Lishman Ltd has developed a series of sprayers that are now favoured by many leading sports clubs and facilities, further demonstrating its ability to innovate and adapt to industry needs.

As the company celebrates 50 years, it remains dedicated to pushing the boundaries of agricultural technology. In 2023, Martin Lishman embarked on a new chapter under new ownership—bringing fresh ideas, new energy, and an ambitious vision for the future. While innovation continues to drive the business forward, the company remains deeply committed to its core values—sustainability, efficiency, and an unwavering focus on customer needs. The team takes immense pride in working side by side with farmers and industry professionals, ensuring that every product is built to meet real-world challenges.

Martin Lishman Ltd extends its gratitude to its customers, partners, dealers, and dedicated team members who have been part of this incredible journey. Their trust, collaboration, and support have been invaluable in shaping the company into what it is today. Here’s to the next 50 years of innovation!

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Centre of Excellence Celebrates First Year

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Centre of Excellence Celebrates First Year: The UK’s first Centre of Excellence in glasshouse growing has celebrated a fruitful opening year, with some of its produce being showcased at this weekend’s Kent County Show.

The Thanet Earth Centre of Excellence @ Hadlow College, which was officially opened in June 2024, is an education centre developed to inspire and train the next generation of UK salad and vegetable growers.

Centre of Excellence Celebrates First Year

Centre of Excellence Celebrates First Year

It is based at Hadlow College’s state-of-the-art glasshouse and sees horticultural students working directly with Thanet Earth, the UK’s largest glasshouse salad supplier, to develop their skills and grow tomatoes in a commercial crop environment.

It has had a successful first year and the fruits of its labours will, quite literally, be on display at the Hadlow College marquee at the Kent County Show this weekend, where visitors will be able to try tomatoes freshly grown at the facility.

After being officially opened in June 2024, it was announced in December that it had donated a tonne of its produce to the food charity FareShare during 2024, providing the equivalent of 2,260 meals and supporting 27 charity and community groups as a result.

The Centre of Excellence has gone on to feature on both BBC and ITV in the intervening period, and in February horticulture students planted the 2025 crop, with hopes for another bumper year.

The facility plays an integral part in horticulture courses at the College and features cutting edge technology including: suspended gutters running hydroponics for the tomatoes, LED and high-pressure sodium lighting and a vertical growing farm.

Alan Harvey, Hadlow College’s Head of Curriculum for Horticulture and Floristry, says: “Our first year has been a fantastic one, where students have benefited enormously from the Centre of Excellence in developing their skills in glasshouse technology and growing. In addition to this we are very grateful to all our partners who have engaged with students over the year providing guest lecture spots, visits, practical workshops and coaching opportunities.”

Sally Channon, Senior Technologist (Innovation) at Thanet Earth, adds: “It has been remarkable to see the effort and enthusiasm shown by the students, their commitment to learning about how we grow crops in a protected environment using advanced techniques and sustainable practices has been inspirational.

“At Thanet Earth, we’re passionate about producing food efficiently and responsibly, and it has been rewarding to see young people engaging with these principles. This has all been proudly supported by our Sponsors who have enriched the learning experience for the students.”

To find out more about the Thanet Earth Centre of Excellence @ Hadlow College, and everything else the College offers, visit the Hadlow College marquee at the Kent County Show this weekend or visit the projects page of Hadlow College website.

The Kent County Show, held annually in July, is the region’s premier event for farming, agriculture, and countryside life. For three days, the Kent Showground comes alive with animals, horses, vintage vehicles, retail stands, and much more, celebrating the best of the county.

This year it runs from Friday 4 July to Sunday 6 July. To find out more visit the Kent County Show website.

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