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Places For People Benefit From Pellenc

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Places For People Benefit From Pellenc: Places for People, one of the UK’s largest property management companies, have seen several significant benefits since purchasing a large of battery powered equipment from Pellenc.

Places for People has over 50 years’ experience in delivering and maintaining large-scale, multi-phased, mixed-tenure developments and regeneration projects. Their ethos is to create sustainable communities which people are proud to call home and that applies to every aspect – whether it be housing, green spaces or communal areas.

Places For People Benefit From Pellenc

Places for People Landscapes responsible for the maintenance of properties and grounds from Newcastle in the North to Portsmouth in the South, Lowestoft in the East to Taunton in the West. The Landscapes team employ approximately 240 members of staff and the work is split equally between grounds maintenance and cleaning.

For the grounds maintenance side of the business, the landscapes team recently purchased a fleet of Pellenc battery powered equipment which included a range of Excelion 2000 brushcutters, Helion 2 Compact hedge trimmers, Helion Telescopic hedge trimmers, Airion 2 hand blowers, Selion polesaws powered by 1100 ultra-lithium batteries.

Gary Slater (North East), Julian Chapman (South) and Paul Hodgson (North West) are the three regional operations managers for Places for People Landscapes and they explained their reasons for choosing the Pelllenc equipment.

“I think there was probably three main driving factors in us choosing the Pellenc equipment,” says Julian. “There were the environmental benefits, the health and safety benefits, and the reduction in servicing and fuel costs.”

The exclusive Pellenc technology allows for a drastic reduction in the production of greenhouse gases and noise pollution. It is also comfortable for users, meets new sustainable development demands and offers excellent economic profitability. With a record capacity of up to one day’s use on a single charge, these quality products are a perfect fit for Places for People – according to Gary.

Places For People Benefit From Pellenc

“I think for what we do – grounds, estate and garden maintenance, the Pellenc equipment is a great replacement for the petrol equipment. There are so many benefits to using battery powered products from an environmental and well-being point of view and it makes sense to move in that direction rather than stand still. In using the Pellenc equipment we are eliminating so many issues – there are no fumes which is great for our staff, we no longer have to carry fuel in our vans or be concerned with fuel leaks or spill kits and the equipment is extremely quiet. The kit is also nice and lightweight which is a huge benefit for manual handling,” he said.

“Then of course there is the enhanced productivity,” added Gary. “Firstly, we are saving time on not having to fill up the fuel cans and there are no problems or delays with having to start machinery – it folds away quickly and easily too. Also, the quietness of the equipment is great for some of our noise sensitive sites – so there is no stopping and starting and theoretically it means that our guys could start earlier on some sites. The rain doesn’t stop us either because the equipment is IP54 rated. In fact we’ve had them out in torrential rain and never had any problems.”

Commenting on the notable reduction in servicing costs, Paul said: “The traditional service and maintenance costs associated with petrol based products are far more than what you pay for the Pellenc equipment over a similar period of time. There is no doubt about it – running costs are substantially lower and it is something we have worked out very carefully, additionally we see minimal repair or servicing costs coming in and we don’t have any fuel costs. Yes, we use a bit of electricity to charge the battery but it has no impact at all.”

Places For People Benefit From Pellenc

Since the Pellenc group was created in 1973, the company has based its development on a policy of constant innovation. The group’s ability to be able to anticipate changes in its markets has led to the registering of 1081 patents – winning numerous awards for the excellence of its products. While the products do indeed contribute towards protecting the environment, these innovative tools also do not compromise on power.

“I would say they are equal in performance to their petrol counterparts,” said Paul. “I’ve trialled the hedge cutters myself and they are just as good as petrol driven ones. Admittedly, some of our operatives were sceptical as to whether they would last a day but in actual fact they tend to last a day and a half before they need a charge.

“What I like about Pellenc, is the investment that they are making in the battery technology. It is new, it is the future, and I think everyone has to embrace it – the manufacturers, the importers, the dealers and the end user.”

All Pellenc batteries and tools come with a three-year commercial warranty and are distributed in the UK and Ireland exclusively by Etesia UK.

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.etesia.co.uk.

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An Update From Scott MacCallum

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We have just come from a tumultuous six weeks of sport – with the World Cup, Wimbledon and The Open Championship at Carnoustie and you know what – the fact that the groundsmen and greenkeepers didn’t create one headline between them makes my heart sing.

When it comes to turf maintenance and the media – no news is good news.

An Update From Scott MacCallum

But to a large degree that’s sad. Why shouldn’t the great work carried on by turf professionals in Russia, West London and the east coast of Scotland be acclaimed? It’s only when something goes pear shaped that turf professionals are named and shamed.

Had Harry Kane slipped on a loose bit of turf and missed one of his penalties; or Novak Djokovic missed a potential Championship winning point because of a dodgy bounce; or Tiger Woods saw one of his better drives land in a divot and cost him that elusive 15th Major, we would have known the names of every Head Groundsman or Course Manager involved.

Like a good referee – although I do believe the arrival of the celebrity referee is changing this – it has all gone well if no-one has noticed you.

I do know that that situation suits many turf professionals. In a previous guise I wanted to run a campaign to encourage golf club members to get to know their Course Manager, but it didn’t fly. Greenkeepers, and assume most groundsmen, don’t like their heads above the parapet.

What I would say, however, is that no matter how strong your agronomy knowledge the ability to communicate is just as important.

I remember something a friend of mine, who was Chairman of Green at Muirfield Village, in Ohio, told me. He said that their course, which plays host to Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament every year and hosted the 1987 Ryder Cup, was always in perfect condition. He also told me that their Superintendent’s degree was in politics, not agronomy.

So, face up to your biggest critic. If you can’t talk round someone who is bound to have much less subject knowledge than you maybe your next training course should be in communications not soil science.

Protect Your Veg Plot From Slugs

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Protect Your Veg Plot From Slugs: Slugs can be active throughout the year but cause the most damage when weather conditions are hot and humid. The slimy gastropods will make a meal of a huge variety of vegetables, even when you think that your plants are large enough to have escaped the threat. They will munch through peas, beans, lettuce leaves and tomatoes, and are partial to underground potato tubers; so even plants that you think are safely buried underground are at risk from the hungry beasties. This is because, at any one time, 95% of the slug population are living underground, feeding on plant roots and potatoes!

The answer to vegetable garden woes, though, is easy as watering on a simple, environmentally sound, pest control product – Nemaslug. Not only are nematodes extremely effective when they come into contact with slugs, but they can also reach the places that other slug control methods simply can’t. As nematodes are watered on, and don’t simply lay on the surface of the soil like pellets and other pest control options do, they can travel down through the soil to the pest and attack them before they get a chance to damage your plants.

Protect Your Veg Plot From Slugs

Unlike pellets, Nemaslug can be used as a preventative pest control, so even if you are lucky enough to have not seen any damage caused by slugs, treating the garden to a dose of Nemaslug will keep the critters at bay before they become a real problem.

The best time to target slugs is when they are newly hatched, so the period between March – October is ideal. A regular regime of using Nemaslug every six weeks is the most effective way to protect plants throughout the growing season and will help to ensure that your vegetables survive long enough for you to eat them!

All Nemasys products can be ordered online, with an entire season’s worth being ordered and sent out as and when needed. This means that all of your planning can be done now, and you can concentrate on planting and growing, safe in the knowledge that your pest control is taken care of.

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“Fantastic Results” From Toro

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“Fantastic Results” From Toro: Scarborough Borough Council’s recently appointed parks and countryside manager, Tim Allison, has invested in Toro for the first time in the form of five new Toro LT-F3000 triple flail mowers, and the green spaces of the North Yorkshire seaside town are already benefitting from the change.

Previously cut by cylinder mowers that struggled with long grass and dandelions, the highway verges, small open spaces and mini golfs of Scarborough are now being maintained by the five innovative flail mowers, five days a week.

"Fantastic Results" From Toro

With 28 years’ experience working in various roles within Scarborough’s parks and countryside service, Tim wanted to re-evaluate the council’s grounds strategy to uphold its national reputation for prestigious green flag award-winning parks and open spaces, such as Peasholm and Falsgrave Park.

He explains why he decided to take this new approach of using flail instead of cylinder mowers and Toro, which is distributed in the UK by Reesink Turfcare: “Jon Wright from our local dealer Russells Groundcare was especially helpful during the decision-making process by helping organise a demo of machines across the market.

“We lined up five different cylinder, rotary and flail mowers from different brands and put them to use in a local park. The Toro LT-F3000s were agreed to be by far the best, both in build quality and the standard of cut they produced.

“In fact”, he continues, “the machines are only on their second cuts across the borough and already we’ve received positive feedback from the public, councillors, managers and, most importantly, the operatives about the quality of cut and improvement in after-cut appearance.”

Tim compares the after-cut appearance produced by the machines to a ‘green carpet’: “Thanks to the ability of the LT-F3000 to tackle longer grass, we’ve raised the height of cut and there are many benefits to doing this.

“Firstly,” he says, “there are shorter grass clippings, which are swept into the freshly-cut sward. Because of the space in the flail head, where grass does not build up, clippings are not left in clumps but spread evenly in the machine’s wake and hidden from view – giving the impression of a green carpet.”

Reduced grass growth is another, says Tim: “The higher you cut grass, the less you promote its growth. So while grass isn’t cut as short as when we used cylinders, it remains a neater length for longer. This is ideal because time is of the essence.”

Finally, and most importantly, Tim adds, there is public perception: “Rather than seeing short grass for a moment followed by a long period of rapid growth, the public is now seeing spaces across the borough maintained at a constant rate. The build-up of grass cuttings have gone and they are reassured that we are out looking after the green spaces of Scarborough regularly.”

Buoyed with positive comments from all angles, Tim concludes: “Councils can quite often become stuck in the old ways of doing things, so by going against the status quo there was additional pressure for the machines to perform. With such fantastic results, these new Toro LT-F3000 flail mowers have left no room for doubt that they are up to the job.”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Precision Pruning From Cutting Specialists

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Precision Pruning From Cutting Specialists: There is no one size fits all for perfect pruning. However, Wilkinson Sword, with more than 100 years of cutting expertise, knows just how to deliver what gardeners need, which is why it has launched a new Precision Pruner Twin Pack to provide gardeners with the exact product they need to get the job done. With maximum precision.

The new twin set consists of two pruners in one set. The first pair has a bypass blade and the other a straight edge, each to serve its own specific purpose. With a 6mm cutting diameter these Precision Pruners are ideal for those with more delicate hands, with Wilkinson Sword placing intricacy at the forefront of gardener’s needs to ensure precise pruning.

Precision Pruning From Cutting Specialists

The bypass blade is the perfect partner when pruning flowers, as well as for general pruning when a delicate touch is needed. Alternatively, for more intricate work and particularly dead heading in dense flowering shrubs where a firmer cut is required, without damaging other plants, then the straight blade pair are more suitable. These are easy to use in dense growth where the head can be snipped without disturbing other flowers.

Both pruners are lightweight with a cast aluminium construction and soft touch non-slip grip handles for maximum comfort. They also boast high quality blades that operate via a smooth spring action which opens and closes the pruners to minimise strain on hands, allowing you to garden for longer! They also have a central safety catch for safe transport and storage.

There really is something for every gardener within the Wilkinson Sword range of garden tools, and each one carries the reassuring Wilkinson Sword 10 year guarantee.

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