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Keep your knapsack for longer

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Keep your knapsack for longer: Land-based Awarding Organisation Lantra has launched a short course to help heighten awareness of the key role that due care of knapsack sprayers plays in maximising lifetime and safety of the equipment.

Lantra added the Knapsack & Handheld Sprayer Maintenance course to its portfolio in October, before announcing it at Saltex in early November.

Keep your knapsack for longer

Keep your knapsack for longer

Adopting material supplied by professional knapsack sprayer manufacturer Hozelock-Exel, Lantra-accredited training providers Outlook Training, Greenscope Training and Harper Adams University collaborated to design the course, intended “to prolong equipment lifetime, ensure correct application of liquids and save time and money”.

“The course is designed to develop the knowledge to maintain and service handheld pesticide, feeds and control products applicators,” says David Fisher, Lantra Head of Industry Partnerships, “and is available for learners aged 16-plus who hold Safe Use of Pesticides and Handheld Application of Pesticides qualifications.

“For pesticides and general users, it is vital to ensure equipment is safe, fully calibrated and in good working order,” he adds. “The outcome from taking the course is that operators can prolong the life of their sprayers, while also helping the environment by using trusted equipment.”

The new course, embracing theory and practice, will equip learners with the knowledge and understanding to:

Strip down the knapsack;

Identify damaged or broken parts that need replacing;

Pursue safe working practices and personal safety;

Reduce risk of incorrect/off-target application;

Enable companies to ensure compliance with the Provision & Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

Operators can recertify after five years, confirms Lantra, which says that after completing the course, operators will keep their knapsacks in good working condition for longer by identifying damaged or broken parts, then replacing them, rather than disposing of the whole unit, so boosting their cost-effectiveness.

Allan Wainwright, Hozelock-Exel Sales Manager (Commercial Spraying) adds: “Raising awareness of the importance of knapsack maintenance has been a cornerstone of our strategy for some time.

“I’m delighted that the knowledge operators need to extend sprayer lifetime has been assembled into a certification of training by Lantra. This is a major advance for the sprayer sector.”

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Debut for new Kubota mower at SALTEX

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Debut for new Kubota mower at SALTEX: Versatility, manoeuvrability and precise cut quality are all assured with the introduction of the new Centre Collect Front Mower (CCFM) from Kubota, on show in the UK for the very first time this week at SALTEX. The CCFM is the inaugural unit from the Kubota Gianni Ferrari S.R.L division, created in July 2022 following the announcement of the incorporation of Officine BIEFFEBI (BFB), and its subsidiary Gianni Ferrari (GF), into Kubota Holdings B.V.   

At the heart of the CCFM is a powerful and economic 3-cylinder diesel engine and hydrostatic transmission, which guarantees excellent performance and control. The patented HTC™ hydrostatic traction control device minimises surface damage, eliminates skidding traditionally caused by the hauling effect and guarantees permanent 4-wheel traction, even when working on slopes or rough ground.

Debut for new Kubota mower at SALTEX

Debut for new Kubota mower at SALTEX

The ‘floating’ out-front mower deck conforms to undulations in the ground and features twin, retractable anti-collision blades to deliver a precision cut at all times. Available with 126 or 130cm cutting widths, the height of cut can be quickly and easily adjusted on the CCFM via a spring lever located on the upper part of the deck. A high-capacity turbine then ensures efficient collection of the clippings into the 600 or 800L collector, which can in turn be emptied with ease thanks to the hydraulic high-tip function.

Ideally suited to landscapers, local authorities and parks & green space managers, the efficiency of the Kubota CCFM has not come at the cost of operator comfort. An easy-access platform, adjustable suspension seat and steering column, power steering and an easy-to-read dashboard enhance usability and performance, while LED front lights and guards come as standard for optimal safety.

Commenting on its debut, Kubota’s Ground Care Product Manager Phil Catley, said “The CCFM market has been growing steadily in the UK for the last few years and this new CCFM from Kubota will work well alongside our very successful F Series range of out-front rear discharge mowers.”

More information about the Kubota CCFM can be found by stopping by stand C070 at SALTEX 2022, taking place this week at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham.

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Three stars for Three Cliffs

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Three stars for Three Cliffs: Customer experience and satisfaction are the ultimate priorities for Three Cliffs Bay, a five-star holiday park on the Wales Coastal Path, which is why it has chosen three battery-powered utility vehicles from STAR EV to ensure the quiet, clean, unobtrusive operation of its luxury site.

Offering caravan parking, glamping, camping and yurts, this large holiday complex in Gower, South Wales, originally needed one vehicle to collect ashes from fire pits. When it received its first Capella HCX, market-leading when it comes to towing capacity and the amount of payload it can handle, the machine quickly established its reputation for quiet motoring and a productive performance, and another was ordered.

Three stars for Three Cliffs

Three stars for Three Cliffs

Then recently the site’s third vehicle arrived, this time the Capella Lifted which is ideal for off-road load carrying situations.

Tom Beynon, owner of Three Cliffs Bay, says: “Our utility vehicles form an essential and major part of the business and how well it runs. Up until now of course, they’ve always been petrol which for the business we’re in wasn’t ideal. It’s really important to us that the running of the site goes unnoticed by our guests, many are residing under canvas and all are enjoying our natural environment just a short walk from the infamous Three Cliffs Bay.

“These machines have proved to us very quickly that they can take on all the tasks we need them to without any difference in productivity to their petrol counterparts and without disturbance. We use them for rubbish collection and recycling. The big, strong cargo area at the back of the Lifted and the fact that we can add a trailer means it’s become part of our gardening arsenal too.”

In fact, Tom’s been so impressed that he has plans for expanding the job requirements of  the Capella Work Machines: “We use these machines already for transporting guests and their luggage around the site, but I’m really interested in taking that a step further and hiring them out to guests for the duration of their stay. They’ve proved themselves to be such good vehicles – easy to drive, comfy to use and they look good – and it would be another selling point for our guests to stay at the park.”

So how did Tom come to hear about STAR EV? “I found out about the brand at the Leisure Transport Show at Birmingham NEC last year,” he explains. “I went with new utility vehicles at the top of the shopping list and distributor Reesink e-Vehicles was by far the most helpful with our queries at the show and gave us lots of time going through the options available.

“Then our STAR dealer in the area – Terry Harrison Machinery – took over and the experience has been equally as positive. Terry’s business delivers a good combination of being small enough to still have that family feel and deliver a high level of customer service and help, but is also big enough to get things done quickly.”

When machinery and guests coexist, the best thing a utility vehicle can bring to a holiday park, whose very business depends on creating a positive and pleasurable customer experience, is to be seen but not heard. STAR EV has proved this point three times to Three Cliffs.

To talk to Reesink e-Vehicles about STAR EV, call 01480 226800 or go online at reesink-evehicles.co.uk

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Register for SALTEX for the chance to win a robotic mower

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Register for SALTEX for the chance to win a robotic mower: For the chance to win a robotic mower worth over £1000, simply register and attend this year’s SALTEX taking place at the Birmingham NEC on 2-3 November.

Ahead of Europe’s largest sports turf, amenities and landscaping trade exhibition, SALTEX, opening its doors for the 76th time in November, show organisers at the Grounds Management Association are delighted to announce that they have partnered with DANARM to offer one lucky person who registers and attends the show the chance to win the Wiper Blitz XH2, the latest in robotic mower technology.

Register for SALTEX for the chance to win a robotic mower

Register for SALTEX for the chance to win a robotic mower

With technology and environmental issues top of the agenda at the 2022 show, Sarah Cunningham, director of commercial and events at the GMA, says joining up with DANARM to offer those who register a chance to win this innovative mower that retails at £1,049.00 was a logical fit: “Attending SALTEX is all about discovering the emerging and progressive technologies in the industry and this mower from DANARM fits those criteria. To be able to give one away is a real draw for those who register. It’s free to register, only take a few minutes and if you don’t win, you’re guaranteed an informative and valuable day out. It’s a win/win situation.”

The winner can be assured of a prize that is little to no hassle – there’s no oil to change, gas to refill or plugs to replace. With such little maintenance, mowing is as easy as pressing the on button. Plus, fall-stair detection sensors detect if the Wiper Blitz XH2 is approaching a step or sudden fall, so there’s no need to worry about it getting into trouble.

To be in with the chance of winning this latest robotic mower technology, simply register for SALTEX by Friday 21st October 2022 and attend the event – https://www.saltex.org.uk/saltex-2022-visitor-registration-competition

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Ex-demo Toro mower for Shotts GC

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Ex-demo Toro mower for Shotts GC: Machines are in high demand and Shotts Golf Club has bagged itself a rare gem – an ex-demo hybrid mower from Toro dealer Reesink Scotland.

Located half-way between Edinburgh and Glasgow, Shotts Golf Club was in the market for a hybrid mower with longevity. Course manager Andrew Kirk, who has been managing operations for a little over two years, explains: “This is not the first time the club has had an electric or hybrid mower, but it is the first time we’ve had a Toro one. Reliability was an issue with our old electric machine, which didn’t last very long compared to the price we had paid – – not even five years, so this time I went for Toro whose reputation for longevity and reliability is widely known.”

Ex-demo Toro mower for Shotts GC

Ex-demo Toro mower for Shotts GC

 

In terms of going with an ex-demo machine, Andrew says: “Being more sustainable also means reutilising as much as possible and skipping a brand-new machine for one that had had some light usage is something that fits with our overall ethos and approach to sustainability. The fact that it was available immediately and delivered very quickly was a major plus.”

When it launched in 2019, Toro’s Greensmaster eTriFlex 3360 hybrid greensmower was the perfect example of hybrid technology in a riding greensmower. The combination of a Kawasaki engine with battery assist technology offered the best of both worlds. Saving up to 20 percent in fuel and a constant 2,400 rpm with shrouded engine for amazingly quiet operation, but with a known diesel engine, it was a reliable, more sustainable energy source.

Andrew continues: “Being hybrid limits the hydraulic bursts on the greens and not having to deal with that was a big thing for me. The team much prefers this model to the previous one. They like the ease of setting it up, including the height setting, and the way it’s so straight-forward, it’s a surprisingly simple machine to use when you consider the technology involved. That saves us so much time and energy that we can spend elsewhere.”

The club has made many eco-friendly changes including roughs management that allows certain areas to remain uncut to provide habitats for different forms of wildlife. The next step for Andrew and the team is to look at water management options for rainwater capture, coupled with filtration and aeration, but for now, being able to tend to the greens with a lot more peace of mind is already a much-welcomed improvement.

Andrew concludes: “We are certainly looking into replacing more machines in the future with hybrid and electric alternatives but for now, this one is doing very well and we’re very happy with the purchase.”

Gareth Rogers, area sales specialist at Reesink Scotland, who facilitated the transaction, adds: “It was a pleasure providing Andrew with a reliable solution, which has helped make his job a little bit easier and makes this job worthwhile. Ex-demo machines through Reesink are stripped down and any warn down parts are replaced with new ones. We make sure the machines are restored so that they are as close to new condition as possible before they are sold.”

To talk to someone about how the Toro range could suit your course, call 01480 226800.

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