Tag Archive for: Is

Metrac H75 is number 15

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Metrac H75 is number 15: The Stuart Taylor International dealership has recently supplied an additional compact, hydrostatic drive, Reform Metrac H75 pro to Cheshire based contractor Ray Britland. 

For Stuart Taylor International, Tom Taylor said, “the Reform H75 Pro model was voted tractor of the year at EIMA 2021 and is proving to be a real hit with customers for a wide range of tasks” Ray Britland added, “we currently have fifteen Reform Metracs on our fleet. A large percentage of our work is on sloping terrain and the muti functional H75 pro delivers both perormance and operator safety”

Metrac H75 is number 15

Metrac H75 is number 15

Simon Richard, UK Agent for the Reform range says, “the H75 model meets all end user requirements, including versatillity and environmental friendliness. Hydrostatic drive with electronic control offers two speed ranges, two terrain gear reductions and foot and hand drive modes. When four-wheel steering is active, the front and rear wheels run exactly in the same line, ensuring tension-free traction on more difficult terrain. Front, rear, four wheel and crab steering as well as offset four-wheel steering can easily be switched at the push of a button. The system is completed by the electro-hydraulic spring brake with an auto hold function which allows smooth and judder-free setting off on slopes.

The new H75 also offers powerful working front and rear hydraulics with 1500kg lifting force and standard weight compensation and the high efficiency of the electro-hydraulic power shift PTO provides power precisely when needed. Operator comfort is catered for with a newly designed cab which has been completely decoupled from other vehicle components. This results in a major reduction in noise level and significantly lowered vibrations. The ergonomic armrest with it’s central controls forms the basis for easy operation of the new Metrac H75. It is attached to the driver’s seat, allowing fatigue-free working on any terrain, without interference from vibrations or slopes. The multi-function joystick combines all functions for driving and controlling attachments.” For more information visit www.slopemower.co.uk

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Kubota tractor is top gun

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Kubota tractor is top gun: The latest generation of Kubota’s renowned compact tractors is flying high at a leading military base. Set in a stunning location off the coast of North Wales, RAF Valley on Anglesey is home to No 4 Flying Training School, responsible for the UK’s next generation of world-class fighter pilots.

Aircrew are trained at RAF Valley for mountain and maritime operations throughout the world and it is also home to the Mountain Rescue Service, the military’s search and rescue, aircraft post-crash management asset.

Kubota tractor is top gun

Kubota tractor is top gun

A total of 1,500 service personnel, civil servants and contractors work at RAF Valley, and in addition to the extensive grass areas for operational use, the site has a large sports and leisure complex for the use of staff and the community.

It is one of a number of MOD sites maintained by national contractor idverde, and in October 2021, a new Kubota L2-622 compact tractor was added to the machinery fleet to work at RAF Valley.

“We had an older L series tractor and Lloyds five-unit gang mower,” explains operator Chris Hickey, “But we needed to update the mowing equipment to suit the often wet condition of the grounds, so a Trimax Snake S2 gang roller mower and the latest Kubota L2-622 were purchased.”

Over the winter, the L2 did duty with a front end loader to fill gritters and keep the site operational in icy weather, but since March it has been dedicated to mowing.

“We are cutting five days a week, maintaining all of the airfield and any other short grass such as the sportsfields,” Chris says. “The mower has to be able to cut at a range of heights, including below 25mm for areas where the Instrument Landing System is in operation, to avoid interference from the grass to the radar.”

With such a key role, reliability of machinery is vital, which is where Kubota excels.

“I was familiar with the tractors having driven the previous L series,” he comments. “But this new L2 seems a lot smoother and more comfortable to drive. Hydrostatic transmission was specified for the speed of operation and to make use of the cruise control on long runs, and the move to a single pedal makes it much more convenient to use.”

He also praises the manoeuvrability of the tractor, which is highly compact for its 62hp output.

“It will virtually turn in its own length, and handles the steeper terrain on the site well with its low transmission range and well-balanced design; plus there’s always plenty of power.”

Standard turf tyres handle the work on a range of surfaces and also provide a light tread in North Wales’s often wet conditions, he points out.

One of the most significant upgrades on the latest L Series tractors is a new, more spacious cab, and this comes in for particular praise from Chris.

“It’s a big improvement, very-user friendly. Small details such as the sun visor, air conditioning and radio make a difference when you are in the tractor all day, and the opening three quarter windows at the rear allow fresh air in. It’s a great tractor to drive and work with.”

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SISIS is marvellous for Merthyr Town

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SISIS is marvellous for Merthyr Town: A range of SISIS synthetic turf maintenance equipment is helping to keep the ‘Wembley of South Wales’ in excellent condition.

Merthyr Town FC is a non-league team from South Wales. It is a 100% fan owned community club that play in the Southern League Premier Division at its historical home of The MET Coaches Stadium at Penydarren Park, right in the heart of the Merthyr Tydfil Community.

SISIS is marvellous for Merthyr Town

SISIS is marvellous for Merthyr Town

The club has had its ups and downs over the years, but the installation of a synthetic pitch has helped turn fortunes around, as Merthyr man Julian Axhorn explains.

“Part of the improvement plan was to have a new synthetic pitch,” he said. “Previously, in winter the grass would disappear, and we couldn’t use the pitch. Now we can use it all year round and it also creates a vital revenue stream. We wanted to make it a community asset, and now everyone uses it – they love it, and I love it. I call it the Wembley of South Wales.”

Julian is known as the Merthyr man for good reason – not only does he maintain the pitch, but he is on the board as the Treasurer, works on the turnstiles, and helps with numerous other tasks on a matchday. Therefore, when it comes to his own little slice of Wembley – he wants only the best.

“The pitch was replaced with a new surface a year ago and I thought the time was right to invest in new equipment,” he said. “We had a very old tractor with a little brush on the back and it was very slow and antiquated. We wanted an improvement and after doing some research we identified the SISIS Brush-Pro and the SISIS SSS1000 as the ideal equipment.”

Specially designed for synthetic surfaces, the Brush-Pro is a ride-on brushing system consisting of a pair of mid mounted oscillating brush units and three rear mounted brushes. The oscillating brushes are ideal for periodic aggressive brushing to keep infill mobile, prevent algae accumulation, surface compaction and loss of porosity.

Equally impressive is the SISIS SSS1000 – a tractor mounted sweeper that can be pulled by any machine. The rotary brush has been designed for use on synthetic surfaces to remove surface debris, lift the carpet pile and redistribute sand or rubber crumb infill giving the surface maximum performance and extended life.

Julian explained how the two SISIS machines play a part in his maintenance programme.

“After every twenty hours of use we carry out one hour of maintenance, and this pitch is always in use,” he said. “Typically, we try and stick to a cycle, so one week we will do the brushing; the following week we will use the oscillating brushes, and then the next week we will do the sweeping with the SSS1000.

SISIS is marvellous for Merthyr Town

SISIS is marvellous for Merthyr Town

“These two machines keep the pitch in great condition, they help to move the crumb around the surface and the sweeper picks up all the debris.

“I’m not very technically minded but the Brush-Pro is easy to operate, it is comfortable to sit on and easy to maintain, it is easy to set-up, and it does the job that it is there to do. I just can’t fault the equipment. They also fit nicely in the garage and save space which is an added benefit.”

Julian revealed that some funding issues initially delayed the purchase of the equipment, however he thanked the SISIS team for their understanding.

“The funding wasn’t quite in place, so SISIS kindly supplied us with a demonstration model to use until it was all sorted. I knew I had made the right decision because you can’t beat that for customer service.

“You really do get the full package from SISIS.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact SISIS on 01332 824 777 or visit www.synprobysisis.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow SISIS on Twitter or Instagram @SISISMachinery and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/SISISMachinery. You can also view the latest SISIS videos by visiting www.youtube.com/SISISMachinery

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Why SAGE is not to be missed

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Why SAGE is not to be missed: The Sports & Grounds Expo (SAGE) has been designed to provide an outdoor opportunity for the sports and grounds maintenance industry to showcase their kit and solutions. Many within the industry have a large amount of big kit which does not fit well into indoor environments easily.

The main aim for SAGE is to give exhibitors the space they need with very few limitations, at unbeatable prices. SAGE is the only totally OUTDOOR event for the industry in the UK, and it aims to be inclusive of everyone who shares an interest in the sports and grounds maintenance industry.

Why SAGE is not to be missed

Why SAGE is not to be missed

SAGE gives a vital opportunity for visitors to be able to get “hands on”, each exhibitor has the opportunity to have a demo area located beside their stand totally free of charge, providing an abundance of space. The target is to deliver a resourceful and action-packed experience for both our visitors and exhibitors alike.

The team at SAGE is determined to tackle key issues for the industry head-on. With this in mind, SAGE is proud to be hosting the First Sustainability Summit, which will take place on Wednesday 6th in partnership with Bio-Circle, it will also return on Thursday 7th July for a live Q&A. The summit will be led by experts across the industry and will provide guidance and support on how sustainable solutions can be achieved by businesses across the sports and grounds maintenance industry. The panel and their colleagues will be on hand to deliver tailored options for those looking to adopt processes that are more environmentally friendly.

SAGE is proud to have announced this Spring that it has been named the home event for GRASS; Ground care Resources & Sustainability Solutions. The NEW networking & support forum, which is a FREE to join group that supports all groundscare and other sporting industry sustainability projects, providing free advice and knowledge of sustainable pitch care. To find out more join us as founder of GRASS, Mark Tomlinson, heads up the Sustainability Summit on Wednesday 6th July.

Free Courses & Sessions

On Wednesday 6th July Grounds, we are delighted to announce that Training Grounds Ltd, will be joining SAGE to deliver tailor made courses and sessions to our delegates.

Established in 2006, Grounds Training is a Lantra Approved Training Provider, who provides professional, independently-accredited training to groups of operatives in the workplace. Clients include sports clubs and associations, commercial and non-profit organisations, schools, universities, local authorities, contractors and private estates.

Managing Director Martin Sampson said; “As a training partner we offer clients a complete service, from initial enquiry to certification and beyond, helping Grounds, Course and Estate Managers, HR staff in local authorities and companies of all sizes plan training and competency programmes for their staff teams. We work with a fantastic group of instructors and assessors with an incredibly diverse skillset, enabling us to deliver a broad range of training courses and qualifications.

It’s vital we address the skills shortage in our industry in order to ensure that the nation’s sports and leisure facilities, parks and green spaces have skilled people to maintain them, and that those personnel are able to work confidently, competently and safely.”

Speakers

We have a fantastic host of experts on site, all are well-known in the industry, and we are delighted that they will be joining us over the two days to provide key insights for the future of the industry, as well as practices currently in place.

Scheduled Demonstrations

This year our exhibitors have the opportunity to a timed session within the larger demonstration zones. The session times are scheduled in the visitor programme. See all the latest kit live, and where it belongs, OUTDOORS!

Facilities

  • Onsite Catering Serving Hot Food & Snacks, As Well As A Selection Of Drinks
  • Onsite Shop, For Everything From Sandwiches, Drinks To Essentials Such As Newspapers
  • Restroom Facilities Located Across Site
  • Seating Areas
  • Networking Event With Live Music And Sponsored Bar
  • Free Parking, with hard surface parking designated for motor bikes
  • Disabled Access

Have you registered yet?

If you have not already registered, click here. We do advise pre-registration, however if you prefer just turn up and we will help you register at the main entrance.

Click Here to register for SAGE 2022 today, and be in with your chance to win the Sustainability Starter Kit. On top of this, your ticket entitles you to a free Sustainability Audit in partnership with Bio-Circle, and a huge 10% discount with our show sponsors Fleet Line Markers Ltd.

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Is there a crisis in golf greenkeeping?

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Is there a crisis in golf greenkeeping?: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) has launched an industry-wide survey that will quantify information relating to a perceived ‘crisis’ within the greenkeeping and wider golfing sector.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that golf clubs are struggling to fill available vacancies, particularly in the greenkeeping department. Reasons generally put forward for this include the requirement to work anti-social hours, lack of appreciation and a relatively low entry salary. However, for those who do embark upon a career in greenkeeping, the positives are many.

Is there a crisis in golf greenkeeping?

Is there a crisis in golf greenkeeping?

This survey is crucial as it is vital the scale of the challenge is quantified, as well as the key drivers for the issues. Effective golf club staff are critical to the health and growth of the sport as they strongly influence the experience of golfers on a day-to-day basis.

As BIGGA seeks to fulfil its overarching ambition of creating a more positive working environment for the UK’s greenkeepers, BIGGA hopes the hard data from the survey will enable the association to positively guide the broader golf industry.

Head greenkeepers, course managers and other members of the turf management team at golf clubs are invited to complete the survey. Only one response is required per golf club. The survey can be completed online at: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/2VZ52PH

BIGGA has requested the support of partner organisations with regards this research and will publish the results in full when the periods for submissions has closed.

BIGGA Chief Executive Officer Jim Croxton said: “With the ongoing cost of living crisis at the forefront of our minds and the COVID-19 pandemic having caused many people to consider their priorities, the golf industry faces a very real challenge to engage sufficient staff at club level, to effectively deliver the sport to the nation’s five million regular golfers. Participation in the sport is booming at just the time that recruiting and retaining greenkeeping staff is at its most challenging. It is vital the golf industry – utilising real data – considers positive solutions to the ongoing labour issues.

“We encourage all our members to respond to this survey, which we believe will benefit all greenkeepers and golf club staff.”

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