Tag Archive for: Combo

RM21 Combo Drives New Levels of Productivity

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RM21 Combo Drives New Levels of Productivity: Managing three separate sites with just four full-time staff would stretch almost any grounds team – but at Leicester Tigers, the introduction of the RM21 Combo robotic marker and mower, supplied by Agrovista Amenity, has transformed efficiency, quality, and day-to-day workflow.

For Head Groundsman Ed Mowe, who oversees the stadium pitch, three pitches and an indoor facility at the training ground, plus the women’s training centre at Oakes Park, the time spent on routine pitch marking alone had become a major pressure point.

RM21 Combo Drives New Levels of Productivity

RM21 Combo Drives New Levels of Productivity

“We were spending around seven hours a week just marking out,” Ed explained. “That’s one person’s full working day gone. With only four of us across three sites, we needed a smarter way of working.”

A trial of several robotic systems followed, but the RM21 Combo, supplied by Agrovista Amenity with full technical support, training, and backup from XDC, stood out immediately.

While Ed initially sought a robotic line marker, the multifunction capability of the RM21 quickly set it apart.

“It gave a really good mark, and the lines were spot on,” he said. “But the added benefit of the mowing deck and the fact we can add attachments like a dew brush made it a no-brainer. Instead of just being a marker, it’s a multi-tool we get far more out of.”

The team now uses the robot to mark four pitches across the men’s and women’s training facilities and to cut surrounds and soil-based training surfaces when staffing is tight.

This has had a dramatic impact on productivity:

“Three or four hours of robotic marking gives us three or four hours back,” Ed said. “That means we can cut a pitch, strim, fertilise – and carry out other pitch management work. It’s also helped us claw back some lieu time for the team, which we couldn’t before.”

One of the biggest challenges for any grounds team is the initial mark after renovations. With three-point data setup and highly accurate RTK navigation, the RM21 has made that process almost instant.

“The initial mark was always the longest,” Ed said. “Now, every mark is as accurate as the first. Even if there are no lines on the ground, the robot puts them in perfectly. It’s massively simplified things.”

The robot’s precision also extends beyond standard pitch layouts.

“We can programme it for grids, lineout areas, whatever we want. If something isn’t on the system, Agrovista and XDC get it mapped and send it straight over to us.”

For a machine expected to work autonomously across multiple sites, reliability and safety were essential. Ed admits he was initially cautious about the RM21’s weight – especially on damp soil-based pitches – but has been impressed.

“I was a bit sceptical at first, but there have been no wheel marks and the quality of cut is brilliant.”

The RM21’s ability to map complex or irregular areas has been another surprise:

“We’ve even mapped banks on site and it cuts them autonomously now. It saves us struggling to walk them.”

Ed is quick to praise the support from Agrovista Amenity and XDC.

“No issues whatsoever. They’re always at the end of the phone or a message. They’ve gone above and beyond.”

With future attachments already in development, Ed sees the RM21 as a long-term asset.

“We’ve got this machine now; why not use it to its full ability? The versatility is one of its biggest features, and the potential for even more is really appealing.”

As Leicester Tigers continue to push standards across all their facilities, the RM21 Combo has become an integral part of how the team works. For Ed and his staff, it’s not just a machine but a smarter, more reliable way of managing an ever-growing workload – and one that promises even more capability in the seasons ahead.

For more information about Agrovista UK, visit https://amenity.agrovista.co.uk/

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Makita launches new two piece LXT combo kit

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Makita launches new two piece LXT combo kit: Makita has launched the new DLX2537ST 18V LXT Brushless Combo Kit, which includes a DHP490 Combi Drill, a DTD153 Impact Driver, as well as two BL1850B 5.0Ah LXT Batteries and a DC18SD Battery Charger. All of this comes packed in the popular 821551-8 Makpac Type 3 Carry Case for easy transportation. 

With an efficient motor and a lightweight design optimised for user comfort, the DHP490 Combi Drill Brushless LXT provides the ideal blend of power and practicality. Weighing just 1.7kg with a battery, the drill’s compact design reduces fatigue and aids manoeuvrability. Combined with 65Nm of maximum torque, two mechanical speeds and variable speed controlled through the trigger, the DHP490 offers professionals a great all-round solution.

Makita launches new two piece LXT combo kit

Makita launches new two piece LXT combo kit

Similarly, the DTD153 Impact Driver also balances power output and user comfort. With a maximum fastening torque of 170Nm, it provides ample power for driving screws and fixings into a range of different materials. However, its rubberised, ergonomic grip and light weight of just 1.6kg with battery means that the tool is comfortable and easy to hold for extended periods.

Both tools in the kit also utilise Makita’s brushless motor, which reduces the need for maintenance and helps improve the longevity of the tool. The drill and impact driver are both compatible with the BL1850B 5.0Ah batteries, which feature a handy charge indicator display and can be used with any of Makita’s LXT lineup, which features over 300 tools.

“We are very pleased to introduce the new DLX2537ST 18V LXT Combo Kit to customers,” commented Kevin Brannigan Marketing Manager at Makita UK. “Our kits provide a great way for customers to get everything they need in one place, giving you all the tools you need to get the job done properly.”

For more information on the Combo Kit and the promotion, go to www.makitauk.com.

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Verti-Quake and Verti-Drain combo help Wrekin GC

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Verti-Quake and Verti-Drain combo help Wrekin GC: Like many, the team at Wrekin Golf Club have recorded extraordinary levels of rainfall over the winter of 2023/24. And yet, Course Manager Gary Turner explains that they’ve emerged with free-draining fairways, which he attributes to a single pass with their Redexim Verti-Quake. The timely purchase in the autumn has now been followed up by the delivery of a Redexim Verti-Drain 1517 to further improve aeration results and enhance drainage in other areas of the course.

Nestled at the base of the Wrekin and surrounded by both natural woodland and picturesque views, Gary is now into his 20th year at the Telford club. A lack of available resources has meant that no aeration has been conducted on the fairways for the last three or four years, which is why the delivery of the Verti-Quake 2516 by Charlies Ag & Turf in September 2023, has been hailed a ‘godsend!’

Verti-Quake and Verti-Drain combo help Wrekin GC

Verti-Quake and Verti-Drain combo help Wrekin GC

“They had begun to lay wet so we knew it would take something robust to break through those years of compaction. The budget we had at the time allowed us to purchase the 2516, which went out on the fairways almost as soon as it came through the gates and the results were astounding! We created channels at depths of 4” and transformed the fairways into the driest part of the course with just one pass.”

“The plan will be to utilise this during renovation weeks in March and September and complement the linear aeration with monthly passes of our new Verti-Drain 1517 on the fairways, as well as the greens and tees.”

The 1517 from the award-winning Redexim range offers a lightweight aeration solution with a 1.7m working width and 6” working depth – a combination that makes it a popular choice for sensitive turf areas. It’s larger size and faster operating speed compared to Gary’s previous aerator presents more effective results, in less time.

“Matt Lewis from Charlie’s delivered the Verti-Drain at the start of March and, as soon as it was dry enough, we passed over all 18 greens with 12mm solid tines, in three and a half hours less than the task previously took. A few weeks on and we can still see the holes.” Gary adds, “We plan to follow the monthly verti-draining with applications of dressing, which will bring multiple benefits to the profile and help us manage the challenges posed by mother nature!”

He concludes, “The service we’ve had from Matt and the Charlie’s team has been excellent at every stage and the machines have already proven to be the best, and most timely, purchases we’ve ever made.”

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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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INFINICUT® combo lands at Durham

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INFINICUT® combo lands at Durham: They say ‘all good things come to those who wait’, and for the team at Durham County Cricket Club, they’ve waited almost five years for their very own INFINICUT® and UltraGroomer™ set-up!

The combination has been on the mind of Head Groundsman Vic Demain since 2017, so when funding became available, the INFINICUT® was top of the shopping list. Following delivery in March, the INFINICUT® has been living up to expectations – swiftly tackling the invasion of annual meadow grass on the club’s practice facilities.

INFINICUT® combo lands at Durham

INFINICUT® combo lands at Durham

In charge of preparing surfaces for T20, County and International Cricket, Vic keeps his eyes and ears close to the ground when it comes to new solutions to the key maintenance tasks. “We had the opportunity to use the INFINICUT® complete with UltraGroomer™ for a couple of weeks back in 2017 and were hugely impressed by it, but unfortunately until this year the funding hasn’t been available” Vic explains. Over the COVID period, four units were hired by the ECB to help with preparations for those fixtures taking place behind closed doors, with one of these now finding a new home with Vic and his team of five.

“Having been sold on the UltraGroomer™ from all those years ago, we jumped at the chance to purchase one, together with a 22” INFINICUT® FL. It was delivered just as we began to see the grass thicken up and the annual meadow grass coming through which is where this machine comes into its own.” Featuring over 80 tungsten carbide tipped blades, the UltraGroomer™ from the TMSystem™ range improves the plants immediate environment by removing Poa ingress, lateral growth and organic matter to enhance the movement of oxygen, moisture and nutrients.

“While the Poa keeps growing and seed heads are showing we’ve been conducting fortnightly runs with the UltraGroomer™ and it’s done a fantastic job. We will also be looking to use it for thinning out the sward as part of our main pitch preparations.”

The INFINICUT® also becomes Vic’s first battery powered machine, something that will be in use even more frequently when he receives his new SMARTCut™ cutting reel. “We’re excited for the INFINICUT® to become a dual-purpose machine, with it lining up to be used to cut the main square and practice areas.” Vic adds, “Through the summer we are often hosting meetings and weddings and the last thing they want in the background is noisy mowers! Where we would previously be told to turn them off, with the INFINICUT® we’ll be able to cut the grass without disturbing the guests.”

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