Tag Archive for: Cleaner

Aspen fuels a cleaner way of working

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Aspen fuels a cleaner way of working: As one of the largest associations of its kind, Orwell Housing provides housing for more than 7,500 residents by managing over 4000 properties across East Anglia.

Powering the maintenance services, as well as helping to lower the associations carbon footprint, is 2 and 4-stroke petrol from Aspen Fuel – a switch made by Repairs and Estates Manager Simon Bennett three years ago, and one that’s delivering improvements on a daily basis to the workforce, the residents and the machinery alike.

Aspen fuels a cleaner way of working

Aspen fuels a cleaner way of working

Simon manages all elements of the direct labour operations (DLO) from co-ordinating the 75-strong workforce to sourcing and purchasing equipment across the repairs and estates division. “We renew our machinery every three years” explains Simon, who has been with Orwell Housing for ten years. “To help us with our objective or carbon neutrality, some of what we now invest in is battery powered but, with the diversity of items like mowers and woodchippers that we have on our fleet, for these we’re looking at better and cleaner ways of fuelling them and that’s where Aspen comes in.”

“I was familiar with Aspen Fuel but always just assumed it would be much more expensive for us than pump fuel. It wasn’t until I sat down and did a cost analysis, factoring in the downtime of the team going backwards and forwards to the forecourt, that I could demonstrate Aspen was a viable choice.” Being ethanol-free and virtually free from sulphur, benzene and other hazardous hydrocarbons, Aspen alkylate petrol burns cleaner than regular petrol making it safer and greener for operators, machinery and the environment.

“The operators like using it – they notice the reduction in noxious fumes and don’t go home smelling of petrol come the end of the day. This is also a major plus for those tasks where we’re in close proximity to the residents.” He continues, “Three years in, we’re also seeing a big reduction in the number of machinery breakdowns we’re experiencing with is a further cost saving.”

Overall, Simon feels the whole Aspen experience has been really positive for the group. “We order Aspen in bulk, with the cans being collected by the team as and when they need them. This way, we can easily monitor usage and, with the plastic containers being fully recyclable, we are also reducing our output to landfill. I’ve recently done another cost analysis, which has shown that purchasing Aspen has actually decreased our annual fuel bill by approximately 10-15%.”

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Aspen, fuelling a cleaner campus

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Aspen, fuelling a cleaner campus: As part of an active campaign to reduce their impact on the environment, the grounds department at Chester University have recently made the switch to Aspen Fuel for their remaining petrol-powered equipment.

This is not the first time that Grounds & Gardens Coordinator Dan Cristofoli has used Aspen 2 and 4-Stroke petrol, however for his team, the improvements the fuel makes to both the running of the machinery and their working conditions are now being discovered!

Aspen, fuelling a cleaner campus

Aspen, fuelling a cleaner campus

Sustainability is a big focus across the University campus, with Dan and his team of six grounds technicians overseeing a number of wildlife and biodiversity projects, along with maintaining everything around the site that is green and growing! “We have been progressively switching some of our fleet over to battery powered equipment to reduce our carbon footprint” explains Dan, who has been at the university for three years. “However, there’s some items which are difficult to substitute and that’s where the Aspen product comes in – helping us to reduce pollutants, both for the operator and to the environment.”

Dan first heard about Aspen when he undertook a chainsaw training course in a previous role, with Phil Dunford of chainsawtraining.com. As an Alkylate petrol, Aspen is virtually free from benzene, as well as sulphur and many other harmful hydrocarbons meaning it burns 99% cleaner than ordinary petrol. Also being free from ethanol, Aspen maintains engine performance and preserves the life of component parts which can be susceptible to failure.

“We made the switch at the start of the growing season and straight away discovered the convenience and time-savings associated with having the Aspen fuel delivered by the pallet directly to our site. From a risk assessment perspective, reducing the need to make regular trips to the petrol station is a great plus point. On the ground, the operators have all commented on the reduction in odours when operating the equipment and with the chainsaws, they’ve noticed how much smoother they’re running.”

“As we head towards the winter months, another benefit is Aspen’s extended shelf-life” Dan adds. “We can continue to run equipment and then put it into storage and not have to worry about it clogging up, causing problems when we come to use it again in the new year.”

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Technology for a cleaner cut

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Technology for a cleaner cut: In order to create the best quality lawn for your customers, turf health is paramount and one of the key things that can help ensure the best turf condition possible is technology in the form of an electronic fuel injection (EFI) engine from Kawasaki.

Mowing is one of the most important aspects of maintaining a good quality lawn and having the right technology can largely determine the success or failure of it, says Lee Skinner, head of sales, Kawasaki Motors Europe: “We’re so often asked what the main thing professional gardeners, landscapers and groundsmen can do to ensure the best possible condition of their turf and the simple answer is to invest in technology.”

Technology for a cleaner cut

Technology for a cleaner cut

Kawasaki now offer five EFI models in their line-up from the FS730V EFI, part of their mid-range commercial series, right up to the FX1000V EFI, the most powerful in Kawasaki’s line-up. These have earned unrivalled support from mowing professionals for their ability to maintain optimal blade tip speed regardless of lawn conditions.

An electronic fuel injection system is a key component to achieving clean-cut mowing. It works with the control system of the electronic throttle to inject fuel in a highly precise manner to maximise output and fuel efficiency. As a result, the engine’s rpm remains unchanged and good operational efficiency is maintained even if the load fluctuates.

Lee continues: “If an engine gets overloaded and blade tip rotation slows when trimming overgrown grass or working on a slope, the mower will fail to produce a sharp cut, no matter how sharp the actual blades are. If a mower’s speed and blade rotation are unaffected by changes in load ー that is, if the engine’s rpm remains stable ー the grass will be cut cleanly.

“The instant throttle response of a Kawasaki EFI engine eliminates engine speed ‘drop’ and allows constant machine operation for a more consistent cut over heavy turf, tall grass and up steep hills. Plus, blade speed holds steady giving a cleaner cut on the first pass.”

In practise how does the technology of the engine affect turf health? Lee says: “Keeping a smooth consistent pace when cutting is key, applicable to all mowing equipment, walk-behind mowers and ride-ons. Start-stop and faltering that lingers over areas is not desirable. This is where good engine governing benefits like the EFI engine, electronically governed for instant reaction to throttle input, drastically reduces engine speed slow-down and in extreme cases, stalling.”

It’s not just the EFI technology that brings a better cut from a Kawasaki engine though as Lee concludes: “The premium build quality of Kawasaki engines lends itself to a strong, robust performance in a wide range of environments. We have an engine range that covers almost every aspect of equipment needs for an operator to maintain turf to the highest level, whatever the landscape and wherever they are in Europe.”

To find out more about Kawasaki’s full engine range, including EFI visit https://www.kawasaki-engines.eu/en/

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Aspen Fuel powers cleaner performance

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Aspen Fuel powers cleaner performance: Arboricultural companies, large and small, are discovering the benefits of switching their fuel over to Aspen Alkylate Petrol.

The UK’s largest tree contractors, Gristwood and Toms, together with Merseyside-based grounds and landscapers, Kingsman Gardens, have both reaped the rewards of using Aspen fuel – reducing harmful fumes and costly machinery servicing and repairs.

Aspen Fuel powers cleaner performance

Aspen Fuel powers cleaner performance

Gristwood and Toms started using Aspen 2 in their fleet of chainsaws 18 months ago. “With a team of 220 people and nearly 200 vehicles on our books, it’s important that we’re taking steps where we can, to improve our green credentials” explains Director Dave Gristwood. “Aspen came in to demonstrate the product and how, by removing all of the nasty chemicals, the fuel burns much cleaner than regular unleaded. Our chainsaws run well, now without the fumes which is much better health-wise for the guys using them.” He continues, “In our line of work, it’s also quite common for spillages to occur, and if this happens now with the Aspen product, it’s noticeable that it doesn’t cause damage to plants or the surrounding environment to the same degree as conventional fuel.”

For Kevin Prince, Owner of Kingsman Gardens, the difference he has noticed in the longevity of his machinery has been massive since he switched to Aspen 2 two years ago. “My team of five guys undertake a variety of domestic and commercial works from landscaping, garden clearances, tree cutting to pressure washing and cleaning. Because of the scope and variety of work we do, some items on our machinery fleet will sit around unused for a few months – sometimes even longer. Because the Aspen fuel doesn’t deteriorate like regular petrol would do, and keeps the inner workings so much cleaner, it means we’ve had machines that are unused for over a year that still start up first time.”

Kevin uses Aspen 2 in all of his 2-stroke equipment, including chainsaws, strimmers and hedgecutters together with a small amount of the Aspen 4 mix in some of his 4-stroke hover mowers. “Being ready prepared, we’ve all but eliminated issues with mixing which is much safer and reduces my maintenance costs when machines weren’t running as they should. Customers have also commented on the reduction in smell and smoke which is especially important when you’re working in small, confined areas.”

Being virtually free from sulphur, benzene and solvents, Aspen alkylate petrol burns cleaner than regular petrol making it safer for operators, machinery and the environment.

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Cleaner, Greener, Quieter Mowing With Toro

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Cleaner, Greener, Quieter Mowing With Toro. Toro’s hybrid duo bring unparalleled results that don’t cost the Earth.

Cleaner, Greener, Quieter Mowing With Toro

To meet the demands of turf professionals across the UK wishing to reduce their carbon footprint, save fuel and cut operating costs, Toro‘s hybrid mower duo have been through years of thorough testing to deliver this while ensuring high performance remains unparalleled.

The two innovative mowers under the spotlight are the Greensmaster TriFlex Hybrid 3420, the first machine to earn the EnergySmart label from Toro, and the Reelmaster 5010-H hybrid fairway mower – well-known as the industry’s first fairway mower with a true hybrid drive system.

Hybrid-electric vehicles combine electric motor and engine-based power sources, and the two Toro mowers are no different: both are propelled forwards by 24.8hp Kubota diesel engines, but their cutting units are battery powered rather than hydraulic.

This results in a reduction of fuel consumption, making an investment in a Toro hybrid mower not only cost-effective in the long run but more eco-friendly too. In fact, the 5010-H can save users up to an impressive 20 percent on fuel.

Such fuel-savings are down to the model’s unique PowerMatch technology, which couples the power from its diesel engine with its self-recharging 48-volt battery pack in order to produce the power needed for traction and cutting, depending on mowing conditions.

Therefore the 5010-H is capable of being very powerful, but only when necessary, which saves fuel and money. This model is proof that a mower can be economical to run, yet still perform as well as a higher horsepower machine.

While both mowers’ all-electric cutting units are as productive as hydraulically powered units, another benefit is that they produce less noise pollution. Due to the hybrid-drive system, there is less engine noise meaning players, guests and nearby wildlife are less likely to be disturbed.

In addition to this, taking away hydraulic units from the machines removes 100 potential leak points. There is no frustration like oil leaking onto freshly mowed turf. With hybrid mowers this risk is completely eliminated, meaning the duo are kinder on turf as well as the environment.

With Toro hybrid mowers money is saved thanks to reduced fuel consumption, so high-quality productive mowing doesn’t cost you, or the Earth.
To demo or simply learn more about these cleaner, greener, quieter mowers, please visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk or call 01480 226800.