Tag Archive for: Launches

Club Polaris launches in UK & Ireland

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Club Polaris launches in UK & Ireland: Calling all Polaris sport and leisure owners – Club Polaris has officially landed in the UK and Ireland, bringing Polaris customers* the opportunity to join the club and receive unique benefits.

Designed to bring together the community of recreational off-road riders, Club Polaris allows Polaris customers to stay on top of the latest news and product announcements with exclusive member-only story content, as well as providing a hub of useful information like recommended green laning routes in close collaboration with the Green Lane Association (GLASS) to promote legal and responsible riding across the UK.

Club Polaris launches in UK & Ireland

Club Polaris launches in UK & Ireland

Membership is free**, and new club members will receive a special gift to welcome them to the Polaris family, including their very own Club Polaris membership card and exclusive Club Polaris-branded lanyard and snood. The first 100 customers that sign up to Club Polaris will receive a special welcome gift of Polaris 509 goggles worth £50 – perfect for the upcoming off-road adventures.

Bringing the off-road community together, Club Polaris members get access to the private Facebook group where like-minded riders can socialise and discuss all things off-road, whilst Polaris experts will be on hand to provide vehicle advice and their top tips for a great ride. Not only that, Polaris invite members to submit their own stories and content for the chance to feature across Polaris social media channels.

As Club Polaris grows, Polaris plans to organise group ride events on a national level, as well as smaller, local dealer events, with plans to bring the international-recognised and successful Polaris Camp event to the UK in the future.

For more information on Club Polaris, please visit the Polaris Britain blog website – Polaris Basecamp – here.

* Club Polaris is available for Polaris sport and leisure owners only with the following Polaris vehicles: Polaris RZR (any model), Polaris General (any model), Polaris Scrambler (any model), Polaris Sportsman (XP 1000 / XP 1000 S / Touring 570 / Touring XP 1000 / 570 SP / 570 Ohlins Special Edition)

** Membership is free for Polaris owners where their vehicle is within its manufacturer warranty period. For owners who would like to join with expired warranty, please contact your local dealer to sign up. Your local dealer can be found here. Customers will need their VIN number to register.

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STIHL launches new-look app

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STIHL launches new-look app: Offering fleet managers more visibility and control over the usage of connected tools, STIHL has announced a new Connected app.

With a new streamlined design, fleet managers can easily find the data they need from the STIHL Connected homepage, which provides an overview of the fleet of tools as well as model and ownership information. From the homepage, users can also quickly and easily access information on machine running time and maintenance schedules.

STIHL launches new-look app

STIHL launches new-look app

To help improve efficiency and minimise downtime, the maintenance page is where fleet managers can easily see which tools are due for servicing. It is also where they can access the maintenance history, making it easier to effectively plan based on the tool availability, as well as minimise downtime by ordering spare parts ahead of time.

One of the new features available to users is the “nearby” function, which shows users the tools that are in their immediate vicinity, as well as allowing them to view the last known locations of the devices on a map.

STIHL Connected comprises four central system components; STIHL Smart Connector, which is attached to the tool, STIHL app which connects to the STIHL cloud and STIHL connected portal. When used in conjunction, STIHL Connected enables professional users to easily analyse key machinery performance data that can be used to not only improve daily work processes, but also help achieve optimal task scheduling for an even more efficient team.

STIHL Smart Connector is easy to install and transmits the working time data via Bluetooth to a smartphone or tablet and then the cloud, giving users universal transparency about where power tools are being used and their current status.

The smart technology has been introduced by STIHL so professional users can ensure that their power tools are reliably ready for operation, leading to time and cost savings.  The new STIHL Connected app is currently available to download free for Android and iOS on the app store.

For more information on STIHL Connected or STIHL’s extensive range of power tools, please visit www.stihl.co.uk.

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GMA launches online training

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GMA launches online training: Grounds Management Association, the leading not-for-profit organisation for grounds professionals and volunteers, announces further support for its Individual, Organisation and Corporate members during the Coronavirus outbreak.

This news follows its latest Covid-19 guidance for the sector, and Grounds Management Association (GMA) is offering payment deferral on membership fees for up to three-months. Any new members signing-up by direct debit before July will also receive a three-month deferral.

GMA launches online training

GMA launches online training

On 5 May, GMA launches its new online learning courses boosting the nations grounds care skills to get the best results out of sport surfaces, which can be put into play as soon as normal working resumes. The training covers the maintenance of sport surfaces and facilities at grassroots level – which allows the opportunity to enhance practical skills with a sound understanding of turfgrass basics.

Level 1 training is suitable for both professionals and volunteers, and the courses include cricket, football, rugby league and rugby union. Each participant will receive a certificate upon completion and be signposted to practical videos to use after the session.

The training aims to help build a cohort of skilled grounds staff and volunteers and make sport possible across the nation, helping to increase the number of games played on natural turf pitches, resulting in even better user experiences.

The online courses follow the theory content of the traditional course and the online learning allows participants to join a virtual community, receive remote mentoring, and enhance career prospects.

GMA is also developing a progressive online training package of courses for both professionals and volunteers, including Level 2 and 3 to compliment the skills required beyond Level 1.

Geoff Webb, CEO at Grounds Management Association said: “We know our member’s lives are impacted at the moment. In difficult times, it’s positive to know that we have a really strong community and we want to ensure our services and benefits support our members in a variety of ways.”

Jason Booth, Director of Technical and Learning: “This month, we’ve seen the community spirit of groundspeople strengthen and grow more than ever before.

“We have an amazing industry that thrives when working outdoors, and I hope our online learning helps keep professionals and volunteers motivated about their passion and career progression. We’re dedicated to skills development and have quickly adapted our leading learning modules to give members the digital access they’re calling for.”

GMA is also in regular discussion with sport NGBs to provide latest sport-specific guidance regarding the outbreak of Coronavirus, which will be updated monthly and published online.

Sign-up here for Grounds Management Association’s new online learning – learning@thegma.org.uk (phone 01908 552982), or for membership, including to make a claim for a deferral please email membership@thegma.org.uk.

In addition, GMA is networking closely with Perennial – a free and confidential support service for individuals working in horticulture. It also extends to spouses, partners and children, supporting on mental health, bereavement and financial affairs. Members can also access Law Express for free and impartial personal, or business legal advice.

Julia Hayne, Director of Services at Perennial, says:

“We know people are worried; it’s only natural to be concerned about your own health, your ability to continue working and to support your family. We are all facing unprecedented challenges as we adjust to new ways of working and Perennial is determined to remain available and active for everyone.”

Members can access Perennial’s free support line on 0800 093 8543, or visit perennial.org.uk, and Law Express services can be accessed via the Grounds Management Association’s member portal.

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BIGGA members’ opportunity to shape education launches

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BIGGA members’ opportunity to shape education launches: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association has launched the Members’ Choice survey for 2021.

The survey offers BIGGA members the opportunity to shape the education that is on offer at the Continue to Learn 2021 education programme, which is due to return in January as part of the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition.

BIGGA members’ opportunity to shape education launches

BIGGA members’ opportunity to shape education launches

The link to the Members’ Choice survey will be sent to all greenkeeper members of BIGGA. Prospective topics have been gathered through BIGGA’s annual ‘Proposal to Present’ system, where individuals and companies can submit their ideas for future programmes.

The Members’ Choice survey distinguishes the job role of the respondent, thus enabling BIGGA to create programmes suited to their members, wherever they may be on their career journey.

Continue to Learn at BTME is the most comprehensive education programme for greenkeeping professionals outside of the USA and attracts in excess of 3,000 attendees each year.

Sami Strutt, BIGGA’s head of member development, said: “In these strange times we are living in, it is all the more important to focus on the future. Planning for Continue to Learn at BTME 2021 is in full force, but needs the help of our members to shape the programme content. We want the learning to be relevant and to further enhance the knowledge and professionalism that is demanded by greenkeepers and we can only do this by asking our members what they want to see from the Continue to Learn offering.”

Continue to Learn at BTME 2021 will take place at Harrogate Convention Centre from Sunday 17 to Wednesday 20 January 2021, running alongside BTME, which runs from Tuesday 19 to Thursday 21 January 2021.

The Members’ Choice survey is available to complete online here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MCC2L2021

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Bionema launches cold-tolerance products

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Bionema launches cold-tolerance products: After three years of field trials, UK-based biotechnology company Bionema has launched a new cold- tolerance nematode pest control product, which provides insect kill rate of up to 95%.

It is estimated that crop pests caused 470 billion USD worldwide annually. For example, annual European losses by western corn rootworm are the estimated at £1.5billion, while black vine weevil causes losses of up to £40m to the UK horticulture industry and £4 billion worldwide. According to a research report conducted by independent agricultural and environmental consultancy ADAS, UK estimated annual chafer grub control costs UK golf courses approximately £85m in lost income and damage repair and lost income by the 40% of UK racecourses affected by pest damage could amount to £605,000 per course.

Bionema launches cold-tolerance products

Bionema launches cold-tolerance products

Bionema’s new product – NemaTrident®CT (cold-tolerance) contains Heterorhabditis downesi and offers a highly effective chemical-free, low temperature solution to greenkeepers, sports turf managers, crop growers, plant producers and arboriculturists who are finding it difficult to control these pests in lower temperature soils. The product provides protection against a wide range of agricultural, horticultural and forestry pests – including vine weevil, pine weevil, chafer grubs, leatherjackets, cutworms and offers successful results when used in the late spring and autumn when soil temperatures can dip to as low as 5°C.

It is an also effective alternative to traditional chemical products, which have been withdrawn from the market, due to EU chemical pest control regulations.

The NemaTrident® tri-component range comprises different species of naturally occurring, beneficial entomopathogenic nematodes within the Heterorhabditis and Steinernema genera.

The main components comprising the NemaTrident® solution are:

  1. Selected nematode species,
  2. A biocompatible wetting agent plus
  3. Training and advice

Dr Minshad Ansari, founder and CEO of Bionema – and a leading expert in biocontrol said “Three-year product trials in the horticultural, sport turf, forestry and arboriculture sectors included different nematode species. The final product offers a unique solution that provides 20-30% higher efficacy than existing products in the market – and delivers up to 95% kill rate”.

NemaTrident® is available to professional users in the UK and EU through dedicated distributors including Rigby Taylor, Dejex Horticulture, Farmyard, Medinbio and Progreen.

Peter Corbett, Business Development Manager of Rigby Taylor, said: “We are delighted to add Bionema’s NemaTrident Cold-Tolerant solutions to our portfolio. Our customers have been crying out for a solution to treat insect problems when they begin to appear in early spring and late autumn.”

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