Tag Archive for: GKB

GKB fleet tackles multi-use maintenance

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GKB fleet tackles multi-use maintenance: With up to eight different teams sharing the facilities at Leigh Sports Village, it’s no surprise that Head Groundsman Keith Porter and his team are kept busy when it comes to the maintenance of such a high-wear site!

Thankfully they’ve got the assistance of a fleet of equipment from GKB Machines, which keep both the natural and artificial surfaces looking and playing at their best.

GKB fleet tackles multi-use maintenance

GKB fleet tackles multi-use maintenance

Keith and his team of six are currently looking after the stadium pitch, three grass training pitches, two full size artificial surfaces and the three football cages that make up Leigh Sports Village – home of Manchester United Women and used by U21’s, U18’s and development squads along with Leigh Leopards of the Rugby Super League. “Maintenance windows are tight” Keith emphasises “so when we’re looking at purchasing machinery, we want robust and reliable solutions that will get the job done how we need it to, and when we need it to.”

“The first GKB machine we bought was the Combiseeder which we’d had on demonstration alongside a couple of other dimple seeders. Straight off the bat we liked the build quality, and the fact that we could adjust the pressure with water tanks on the front and back to suit the stadium pitch construction as well as the outer pitches.”

Shortly after, a GKB Renovator and Aerator were added to the fleet, for decompaction of the synthetic surfaces. “These two pitches are always in demand and the high wear results in issues with compaction of the rubber infill. During the summer we normally conduct three passes with the Renovator loosening up the infill of the upper profile, with compaction deeper down tackled with year-round passes with the Aerator.” Keith adds, “The surfaces undergo regular testing by the RIB which look at the various elements to do with player safety and surface quality and thanks to these GKB machines, we pass every time.”

The most recent addition is a V-Strong, a scarifier fitted with GKB’s unique CombiRotor and heavy-duty steel blades to effectively control weeds and organic matter. He explains, “Because of demand, we have to alternate and/or stagger full renovations so, when we can’t renovate, we can now intensively scarify as we’ve done this year on two of our pitches. This is an unbelievable piece of kit! We removed an incredible amount of material from one of our rugby surfaces and also ran it through our SIS goal mouths. It cleaned these up a treat.”

Together with reliability and overall performance, Keith commends the back up support from GKB’s Tom Shinkins. “Tom’s responsiveness is second-to-none, whether that’s sourcing us a machine at short notice or answering any questions we may have. The back-up is brilliant.”

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It’s GKB for GBB!

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It’s GKB for GBB!: As the team at GBB Services look to extend their operation to include the maintenance and cleaning of synthetic surfaces, it’s a Deep Clean from GKB Machines trusted with the task at hand.

The Harrogate-based sports turf contractors purchased the unit in early 2024 having identified a number of 3G and 4G installations in their local area and have already seen dramatic improvements in pitch presentation and playability in as little as a one pass.

It’s GKB for GBB!

It’s GKB for GBB!

Family-run GBB Services offer a wide range of landscaping and groundwork services for commercial and domestic customers across North Yorkshire. For sports surfaces, Owner George Booth along with business partner Iain Bullock and their small team can offer the full complement of maintenance operations – including those for synthetic turf with their recent purchase from GKB. “We know a number of facilities locally, particularly schools, that conduct regular brushing but maybe don’t have the time or resources to carry out the more thorough cleaning that’s required” George explains.

“We spoke to Tom Shinkins at GKB about the cleaning systems available and he brought the Deep Clean in for a demo. The day was particularly wet, but even in those challenging conditions we could see how effective it was and so purchased the machine there and then!”

The GKB Deep Clean quickly and effectively screens and clean-out contaminants from a synthetic surface in a single pass. The combination of a vibrating screen and vacuum unit removes dirt, dust and other detritus returning clean, de-compacted infill to the surface for optimal visual and play performance.

“We’ve had to wait for the weather to play ball but have now had the Deep Clean out conducting its first job on a sand-dressed pitch at a local school and it did a really great job. It stood the pile up, removed a surprising amount of contamination and left a really good finish which meant the whole job was complete in a matter of a few hours.”

“We can now move onto the next job with the confidence of knowing the optimal set-up and speed required to achieve the desired results.” He continues, “I think we’re yet to discover the full potential of this machine, but with the support of Tom at GKB who has been excellent, Iain and I undoubtedly see it opening new doors for us which we’re excited about.”

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GKB launch new Combislit aerator

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GKB launch new Combislit aerator: Recognising that aeration is at the forefront of every turf professional’s maintenance plans, GKB Machines have announced the launch of the Combislit – a new, fast and effective solution to low-disruption aeration.

Available in 1.6m and 2.0m working widths, the Combislit uses GKB’s unique Evolvente® blades to spike and open all types of natural and hybrid surface to depths of up to 15cm (6”).

GKB launch new Combislit aerator

GKB launch new Combislit aerator

The GKB Combislit allows for effective aeration of the top layer with minimal friction and disruption, ensuring optimal oxygen and moisture movement and linking up with deeper decompaction work conducted throughout the season. The successor to the popular GKB Topair, the Combislit combines solid and robust design with simplicity of operation making it a go-to for regular passes on all type of sports and fine turf surfaces including fairways and greens.

GKB’s Evolvente® blades are designed to pierce the ground without disturbing or prying the topsoil. The result is a level surface, boosted with the many, well-documented benefits of regular aeration and able to be back in play almost immediately.

The Combislit’s frame ensures sufficient weight to penetrate compacted upper layers, with the option to add additional weight to the top of the unit if required. A rear-mounted pressure roller can also be specified to deliver extra precision to the end result. In addition, the blades can be swapped for cutting discs for linear aeration and non-chemical weed control.

Commenting on its introduction, GKB UK Operations Manager Tom Shinkins said, “We are all too aware of the prolonged wet conditions facilities around the country have had to endure, which just serves to reiterate why regular aeration is so important. When ground conditions rule out heavier or more intensive methods, GKB now have a fast and effective tool to keeping the profile open, bringing benefit to players and plant health alike. We are excited to add this to our portfolio, with stock now available via our UK dealer network.”

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It’s ‘Sandfiller Season’ says GKB Machines

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It’s ‘Sandfiller Season’ says GKB Machines: Careful management of organic matter levels is critical to optimising both the health and play characteristics of golf greens.

When it comes to managing these thatch layers, there is no universal tool or technique that will suit every course, however methods and machines are now at our disposal that are far less disruptive and can incorporate additional operations such as simultaneous sand injection which helps to bring surfaces back into play even quicker. One such machine is the Sandfiller from GKB.

It’s ‘Sandfiller Season’ says GKB Machines

It’s ‘Sandfiller Season’ says GKB Machines

The GKB Sandfiller scarifies the surface down to depths of up to 40mm, removing organic matter and creating channels which are simultaneously filled with sand or a combination of sand and seed – maximising efficiency and improving drainage and ground firmness in one pass. The unit features a 400L hopper to collect the removed material, leaving a clean and tidy finish and allowing the surface to be back in play almost instantly.

One venue who employed the services of a contractor last September to conduct the Sandfiller operation is Wenvoe Castle Golf Club. Head Greenkeeper Lucy Sellick explains, “The wetter winters, combined with a smaller than normal greenkeeping team, meant we were looking for a fast and effective solution to removing organic matter and firming up the greens. The contractor began on a Thursday morning, and by Friday lunchtime all 19 greens were back in play – with organic matter removed, backfilled with 22 tons of kiln-dried sand and just one team member brushing in the remaining surface sand. Any concerns we had about how the Sandfiller would handle our Mackenzie style slopes and undulations were also unfounded.”

“Now in February, our organic matter readings have reduced, and the greens are definitely firmer. Despite all the rainfall, we’ve managed to get a triple on the greens which just wouldn’t have been possible before.” She concludes, “We had the Sandfiller in during spring renovations back in 2023 to carry out scarification work only, and have it booked in again this September where it’ll play an important role in our pre-winter renovations and organic matter management once again.”

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GKB delivers the secondary drainage solutions

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GKB delivers the secondary drainage solutions: One of the country’s leading sports construction and maintenance companies has explained why they turn to GKB Machines when it comes to solutions for secondary drainage.

Following the wet winter, Plant and Operations Manager for White Horse Contractors, Mick Cross, predicts a busy season ahead for their pair of Drainmaster’s alongside their GKB Deep Tine Aerator (DTA).

GKB delivers the secondary drainage solutions

GKB delivers the secondary drainage solutions

White Horse Contractors were early adopters of GKB equipment, with some machines on their fleet clocking up more than 10 years of reliable service. In addition to two Drainmasters and the DTA, two Combinators and a Rotobrush from GKB form part of a sizeable fleet of equipment, used on projects across the south of the UK by a team of 40+ operatives. “When it comes to purchasing machinery, two things we look for are time-effective solutions and build quality – giving us the reliability to keep on track with a packed schedule” explains Mick, who has been with White Horse for over 30 years. “The Drainmaster’s tick both of these boxes.”

The 2 or 3 cutting wheels of the GKB Drainmaster are spaced at either 50cm or 1m, creating channels at a depth of up to 23cm which are simultaneously filled with sand to leave a stable surface, with improved, long-lasting drainage. “The beauty of this machine is that it conducts multiple operations in one pass, meaning we’re not having to cover the ground multiple times or use multiple machines.”

Mick continues, “We purchased our first Drainmaster in 2010, and a second one more recently and both are out on a regular basis between March and October. Last year, they completed work on upwards of 20 pitches – both natural turf and hybrid pitches which is another great thing about this machine.” Together with football pitches from local council up to Premier League level, the Drainmaster has also been put to task on polo grounds and racecourses. “It’s versatility, efficiency and robust build quality makes it ideal for the contractor market” he adds.

“The DTA is very much built in the same vein, giving us a tough and reliable aerator for regular work on elite sports surfaces.” Mick concludes, “There aren’t many manufacturers offering products so well suited to the requirements of the contractor market which is why we’ve already invested in a fleet of GKB Machines and are currently in the process of increasing this with all eyes on a busy year ahead.”

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