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It’s time for Harrogate – BTME 2026 Preview

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It’s time for Harrogate – BTME 2026 Preview: From 20-22 January, BIGGA hosts Europe’s largest and most influential indoor turf management exhibition – three action-packed days filled with new ideas, new technology and new opportunities, running alongside, from 18-22 January, the Continue to Learn programme offering a comprehensive world-class education programme tailored for turf professionals.

I attended my first BTME in January 1996.

I’d been Editor of Greenkeeper International for just under a year and had spent the months leading up to Harrogate promoting the occasion through its pages – there weren’t any social media platforms, or even the internet, in those days.

So when came to drive up to the famous old town I thought I knew what to expect. I didn’t. BTME was much more than I could have imagined and it has remained part of my life for the subsequent 30 years.

It has grown, shrunk and grown again over that period but, other than the one Covid year and the next when it was moved to March, it has remained as a constant in what has become an increasingly fast-moving industry.

What was once dominated by machinery and fertiliser bags has been overtaken by robots and AI. Large display monitors have replaced flags and banners and faces that I first became familiar with three decades ago are looking a little more wrinkled and topped by a thinner thatch! Not least my own. Smiles are just as wide now as they were in the last century, however.

So, I’m looking forward to this year’s BTME. The Halls will buzz during the day and the streets, pubs and restaurants will buzz during the evening.

I look forward to catching up with many of you there.

Scott MacCallum, Editor

It's time for Harrogate - BTME 2026 Preview

It’s time for Harrogate – BTME 2026 Preview

Prize draw bonus for attending

Every January, Harrogate transforms into the beating heart of the turf management world as BTME and Continue to Learn bring thousands of grounds professionals together for a week of innovation, inspiration and unmissable learning.

Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned expert, BTME 2026 promises a fresh start to the year. Expect a powerful blend of hands-on education, forward-thinking insights and practical solutions crafted by the people who understand the industry best.

Continue to Learn features everything from intensive full-day technical workshops to bite-sized seminars and a two-day management conference. Topics span agronomy, irrigation, sustainability, leadership and more, each session built to deliver immediately applicable knowledge.

Many courses are deliberately small and interactive, giving delegates valuable time with leading practitioners who know the pressures and complexities of maintaining exceptional turf.

On the exhibition floor, BTME delivers six halls packed with innovation. From cutting-edge machinery to the latest technological breakthroughs, it’s the ideal place to see what’s emerging, compare solutions and plan future investment – all free of charge.

Just as importantly, BTME acts as the profession’s annual meeting point, offering space to network, recharge, share challenges and reconnect with colleagues from across the UK and beyond.

A standout moment of the week is the BIGGA Celebration sponsored by Bernhard Academy and hosted by Sky Sports’ Sarah Stirk, where the BIGGA Awards shine a spotlight on the individuals and teams raising standards across the industry.

And for 2026, there’s an added bonus: thanks to support from KRESS, everyone who registers will be entered into a special prize draw – making this the perfect start of the year for one lucky attendee.

If you’re looking to sharpen your skills, expand your network and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry, Harrogate in January is the place to be. BTME and Continue to Learn remain the essential professional development experience for anyone serious about turf management.

Exhibitors of note at BTME

Agrovista Amenity – Stand 126

Aquatrols – Stand 114

BAGMA – Stand 642

Baroness – Stand 624

Campey Turf Care – Stand 220

ClearWater – Stand 612

Consolidate Turf – Stand 234

Dennis Mowers – 252

DLF – Stand 124

DSV Seeds – Stand 213

Foley – Stand 528

GKB – Stand 644

GroundsFest – Stand 233

Groundsman Industries – Stand 108

Hunter Grinders – Stand 217

ISEKI UK & Ireland – Stand 646

KAR UK – Stand 550

Kress – Stand 136

Kubota UK – Stand 624

Manfield Sand – Stand 242

MM Seed – Stand 124

Origin Amenity Solutions – Stands 230 and 200

Price Turfcare – Stand 122

Redexim – Stand 532

Reesink – Stand 662

SISIS Machinery – Stand 252

Team Sprayers – Stand 518

Techneat Hire – Stand 106

Turf Tracker – Stand 140

Wiedenmann UK – Stand 524

Green-tech surpasses its charity target for St Leonard’s Hospice

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Green-tech surpasses its charity target for St Leonard’s Hospice: Green‑tech is delighted with the success of its 2025 charity fundraising campaign for St Leonard’s Hospice, York. Their efforts have raised over £1,600.

Green‑tech is the UK’s leading landscape provider, supplying products that help create greener, more resilient and biodiverse spaces across urban and rural environments. Alongside this work, supporting the local community is central to the company’s ethos.

Green-tech surpasses its charity target for St Leonard’s Hospice

Green-tech surpasses its charity target for St Leonard’s Hospice

St Leonard’s Hospice provides specialist palliative care and support for patients and families across York and the surrounding areas, both in the hospice and in people’s own homes.

The Green-tech team set itself a £1,000 fundraising target for the year and has come together through raffles, food events and a variety of activities. These initiatives have raised vital funds for a cause that touches many lives.

“As a business rooted in Yorkshire, we understand the importance of giving back,” said Kris Nellist, Managing Director of Green‑tech. “I am so proud of the way our team has thrown themselves into this fundraiser. Every donation, raffle ticket and shared meal helps bring comfort and care to people at a difficult time. It is great to see Green-tech making a real difference for families in our community.”

Green‑tech would like to thank everyone who has taken part and donated. The team is delighted to be finishing the year exceeding its fundraising target.

For more information or to support the hospice, visit the Green‑tech fundraising page on JustGiving: justgiving.com/page/green-tech-stleonardshospiceyork

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Makita releases its new cordless chainsaw

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Makita releases its new cordless chainsaw: Makita has released its new professional cordless UC030G 40VMax 500mm Brushless XGT® Chainsaw, designed for demanding cutting tasks where reliability, durability and high performance are essential.

Built to deliver petrol-like power, equal to or greater than that of a 50cc-class chainsaw, it features fast chain speeds and practical safety enhancements, making it suitable for professional forestry work.

Makita releases its new cordless chainsaw

Makita releases its new cordless chainsaw

With efficient brushless motor technology, three chain speed modes and a maximum cutting speed of 29.0 m/s, the new UC030G offers outstanding control and the power needed to take on tough hardwoods such as oak and ash. The chainsaw is available as part of the UC030GE101 kit which features the BL4080H 8.0Ah XGT® tabless battery and the DC40RA XGT® battery charger, or as the body only (UC030GZ).

Since the tool runs without petrol, it minimises professionals’ contact with petrol fumes and significantly cuts noise and vibration levels. Additionally, thanks to its brushless motor, the tool provides more power and longer runtime compared to a brushed motor. With fewer components inside the motor, there is also a reduced risk of wear, which could otherwise result in costly repairs.

Additionally, the UC030G is designed to work safer. For example, when the tool locks as a result of excessive load, removing the load will allow the motor to restart immediately if the trigger is held down, enabling the user to continue to make the same cut without the need to retrigger and lift the saw.

Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita UK commented: “The new UC030G offers an ideal solution for landscaping professionals. To maximise the tool’s power, it is recommended that the tool is used alongside the BL4080H 8.0Ah XGT® – the largest capacity tabless battery offered by Makita. As a result of its increased capacity and high output, the battery enables more efficient energy transfer to improve the tool’s performance.”

To find out more information about the UC030G 40VMax 500mm Brushless XGT® Chainsaw, visit: www.makita.com.

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Royal Dornoch and its total Toro solution

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Royal Dornoch and its total Toro solution: In the highlands of Scotland Royal Dornoch is celebrating the handover of a £1.5 million Toro irrigation system for the Struie Course and the arrival of a fleet of all-electric ride-on Toro Greensmaster mowers and Workman utility vehicles.

Termed a ‘Toro Total Solutions’ customer when both Toro irrigation and machinery are selected for the complete care of the course, Royal Dornoch has been a loyal Toro customer of both for decades.

Royal Dornoch and its total Toro solution

Royal Dornoch and its total Toro solution

Replacing the irrigation on the Struie Course with a future-proof solution had been in discussion for many years. The club had acquired 50 acres of land with plans to build additional holes, including a new par‑3, and needed an irrigation infrastructure capable of supporting an expanded layout.

For this purpose, the club specified Lynx Smart Control System, Infinity 35 Multi Trajectory sprinklers, Infinity 55 Dual and Multi Trajectory sprinklers and 590G sprinklers with Precision Rotating Nozzles for the 18-hole course.

Explaining the reasons behind this decision General Manager Neil Hampton says, “The new system provides a robust and flexible backbone for current maintenance and new turf in future course development. It will be much better on the sustainability front: we won’t be using more water; the system will allow us to target where water is needed and control application from mobile phones and laptops.”

With the system operational since the beginning of 2025, Course Manager Eoin Riddell can confirm: “It’s already saving our greenkeepers a huge amount of time and effort; it makes watering so efficient. The benefits are significant all round – it’s good ecologically, financially and from an agronomy perspective, too.”

Robert Jackson, Division Manager at Reesink Hydro-Scapes, says, “So many people came together to ensure the smooth installation for Royal Dornoch: Adrian Mortram Associates, the installation team from Ocmis, Simon Squires from Toro and us as distributor. It’s credit to all involved that the project was completed on time and on budget.”

Meanwhile, the continuing choice of Toro machinery is down to its reliability, consistency and quality, says Neil: “Toro performs all day, every day for us. It takes a lot of stress away knowing you do not have to worry about that aspect of the business.

“We’ve always been able to trust Toro. There’s reliability in terms of performance as well as Toro always being at the forefront of new machinery research and development. As the expectations of golfers continue to increase, we need to provide the best conditions for play, and we can do that with Toro.”

The most recent machinery delivery includes four of the Toro Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 mowers and eight Workman GTX Lithium-ion utility vehicles.

Eoin says, “We first invested in the electric Greensmaster eTriFlex when it launched in 2020 and they’ve proved year after year to be able to do the job we require with the benefit of being the sustainable option. Same with the utility vehicles. These machines are now a staple in our fleet.

“As well as all the previous reasons stated, the back up from Reesink is a big factor in our continuing loyalty, as is the interest that Toro shows in how we use the equipment.”

Mike Turnbull, Reesink Scotland Branch Manager, concludes: “We’re in a privileged position to understand Royal Dornoch’s requirements having worked with them for so long, and it’s a continuing pleasure to be able to support them as they maintain the high standards and move forward with exciting projects that will benefit the club for years to come.”

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STIHL strengthens its global network in Oradea

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STIHL strengthens its global network in Oradea: The STIHL Group has officially opened its first battery-only production site in Oradea, Romania. The investment of €125 million marks a major milestone in the company’s transformation toward battery technology and strengthens its European manufacturing footprint. 

The new facility becomes STIHL’s European centre of competence to produce battery packs and battery-powered tools, adding a key hub to the Group’s global network. Designed as a core element of the Group’s international production network, the site will play a central role in meeting the growing demand for battery-powered products across European markets.

STIHL strengthens its global network in Oradea

STIHL strengthens its global network in Oradea

Construction began in March 2024 and was completed in less than 18 months. The factory will gradually ramp up operations to reach an annual capacity of 1 million battery packs by 2026. By 2028, output is expected to rise to 1.8 million battery packs and 1.7 million battery-powered tools. Production initially focuses on battery-powered blowers and AP battery packs from the professional STIHL range. Over time, the portfolio will expand to include additional battery-powered equipment such as brush cutters, chainsaws, and other tools.

The new facility has 47,000 square metres of operational space on a 147,000 square metres site. The plant is equipped with flexible multi-product production lines and a high degree of automation, integrating Industry 4.0 principles that ensure digital traceability, optimised processes, and outstanding operational efficiency.

Expansion of global network to drive future growth

Battery technology has become a major growth driver for the company. Today, more than one in four of all STIHL products sold worldwide are battery-powered. The company aims to increase this share to approximately 35% by 2027 and to about 80% by 2035, a clear reflection of the accelerating transformation in the industry.

“The new plant in Oradea expands our global network and strengthens STIHL’s position in the fast-growing battery segment. It is a vital addition that will secure our long-term competitiveness in Europe and support our customers with high-performance products developed and built for professionals and demanding consumers worldwide,” said Dr. Nikolas Stihl, Chairman of the Advisory and Supervisory Board.

The decision to build the new plant in Oradea reflects STIHL’s strategy to strengthen its European footprint and to locate production close to key markets. The city offers excellent logistical connections, a modern infrastructure, and access to a highly qualified workforce, ideal conditions for sustainable industrial growth within the European Union.

During the opening event on October 15, 2025, Prime Minister of Romania, Ilie Bolojan, emphasised the national significance of the investment: “The STIHL factory in Oradea is not merely an economic investment. It is a powerful signal that Romania can be a reliable partner, a competitive industrial destination, and a place where things can be done well to European standards. This investment represents jobs, cutting-edge technology, a genuine transfer of know-how, and positions Romania at the heart of an industry undergoing continuous transformation. I thank everyone who contributed to this project, the STIHL team, local authorities, technical partners, and all those who worked on site day after day. It is the result of a shared, responsible effort.”

Continuing this point, Florin-Alin Birta, Mayor of Oradea Municipality, highlighted the importance for the local economy: “The fact that an international group such as STIHL has chosen Oradea for an investment of this magnitude confirms the city’s attractiveness and its strong development direction. The Oradea City Hall consistently supports investments that bring added value to the community, aware that a dynamic economic environment is the engine of prosperity. Our goal is to strengthen Oradea’s position as a city open to innovation, performance, and collaboration with reputable investors.

“Through major projects such as the STIHL factory, we demonstrate that sustainable development and competitiveness can go hand in hand, transforming Oradea into an increasingly attractive industrial and technological hub at both regional and European levels.”

The success of the Oradea project is also a story of people and partnership. Thanks to the close cooperation between STIHL experts from Germany, the local management team and regional partners, the new plant was completed efficiently and on schedule.  This joint effort not only created a modern production facility but also laid a strong foundation for the company’s future in Romania.

The organisational setup of the new site was overseen by Dr. Robert Feulner, Managing Director of the newly founded ANDREAS STIHL Power Tools S.R.L. “The new Oradea plant reflects both technological excellence and strong local collaboration. We feel very much at home here and are impressed by the professionalism and commitment of the people in this region. It’s clear that choosing Oradea was the right decision for STIHL’s future.”

Recruitment and training are progressing steadily. The plant currently employs around 135 people and will reach approximately 700 employees by 2028. STIHL aims to become one of the most attractive employers in the region, offering long-term career opportunities, modern working conditions, and a corporate culture valued by nearly 20,000 employees worldwide.

State-of-the-art manufacturing plant

The Oradea plant combines advanced production technology with a strong focus on sustainability. Flexible, multi-product assembly lines allow the site to adapt quickly to different battery models and tool types. A high level of automation and the integration of Industry 4.0 principles ensure digital traceability, data-driven quality control, and high operational efficiency.

Sustainability was a central design principle from the very beginning. The facility has been certified by the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) with the gold standard, recognising its energy-efficient construction and use of renewable energy systems. The combination of photovoltaic and a geothermal system significantly reduces fossil fuel use. During the day and under favourable weather conditions, the plant can generate renewable energy to cover its internal electricity demand.

Biodiversity goals were also taken into account, as the factory features green roofs, more than 250 newly planted trees, and the preservation of an existing forest area within the site, ensuring a balanced coexistence between industrial activity and the surrounding environment.

For more information, please visit www.stihl.co.uk

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