Tag Archive for: Ltd

Acquisition of Groundtrax Systems Ltd

Consistent with our strategy to broaden the Origin Group’s current offering alongside our continued commitment to growing our existing businesses to give us a more balanced portfolio, the Amenity Division has grown significantly over recent years. 

To meet our future strategic goals, the Amenity and Ecology Divisions are expected to experience strong organic, synergistic, and acquisitive growth over the next five years. 

Acquisition of Groundtrax Systems Ltd

Acquisition of Groundtrax Systems Ltd

 Origin Amenity acquires Groundtrax Systems Ltd, the UK’s number one specialist supplier of ground protection and reinforcement systems. (www.groundtrax.com

 Groundtrax Systems was founded in 2011 by Simon Adams and provides a range of permanent and temporary ground protection and ground reinforcement systems for applications such as pedestrian access, roads, car parks, storage areas and commercial sites with the capabilities to support heavy goods vehicles and construction plant equipment. 

 Simon Adams, Managing Director of Groundtrax comments ‘’I am delighted to be joining Origin Amenity. Having a strategic partner like Origin will allow us to accelerate our growth plans and explore new opportunities. Origin shares our vision for Groundtrax and the development of sustainable drainage and this was a key driver in our decision to partner with them. Origin’s core values align with my own, their commitment to the sector and their people is evident. This cemented in my mind that they were the only Company suitable for the Groundtrax business for the future”. 

 Commenting on the announcement, Origin Amenity Managing Director, Chris Clark, said: “Groundtrax are an excellent fit for Origin to broaden our product range for our existing customers as well as entry into new markets that Groundtrax currently serve. Groundtrax products as part of Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) are key to mitigating more frequent flooding events linked to climate change. We are delighted to welcome the Groundtrax team to the Origin Group and look forward to working together.”

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Relationship with George Browns Ltd helps Risebridge

Relationship with George Browns Ltd helps Risebridge: Continued investment and the hard work of the greenkeeping team has seen the 18-hole pay and play facilities at Risebridge Golf Centre in Romford go from strength to strength – as has the club’s relationship with dealers George Browns Ltd, who have recently installed another batch of maintenance equipment, adding to an already sizeable fleet from brands including Baroness and Kubota. 

Spearheading the full-time team of four is Head Greenkeeper Doug Mackison, who explains how George Browns Ltd have played a supporting role in operations across the parkland course for the last four years. “We struck up a relationship with Tim Mason initially, who helped us out with some hire equipment before the funding became available to invest. By this point I’d been in the industry for over 40 years and in that time there weren’t many brands of mower I hadn’t tried. Baroness, however, was one of them but Tim demonstrated how good the cut performance and build quality was and it was on the back of this that we purchased a fleet of fairway mowers, greens and tees mowers and a bunker rake. We’ve not looked back since!”

Relationship with George Browns Ltd helps Risebridge

Relationship with George Browns Ltd helps Risebridge

An L1-382 compact tractor, Z122R zero-turn mower and RTVX-1440 from Kubota quickly followed, with a Baroness GM2810 rough mower, LM531 fairway mower and SP05 bunker rake the most recent additions, delivered in October 2023. “What I like about all of the Kubota and Baroness equipment is that they’re not all computerised, it’s very intuitive to operate and you still feel in control of the job at hand.” Doug continues, “Luke Farrow installed the recent trio, he was very knowledgeable and helpful throughout the procurement process and continues to support us as we get to grips with our new machines.”

“Actually, the support we’ve had from George Browns Ltd has always been excellent! We go to them for some of the annual servicing requirements and the rest of the time they’re always on hand to answer questions from our mechanic. On the odd occasion we’ve needed a spare part, these have always been supplied quickly.” He adds, “It’s the whole package which keeps us loyal. The top service and the 13 machines that George Browns Ltd have supplied are a real asset to us and our course.”

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Grass Plant Ltd praise Redexim Verti-Drain®

Grass Plant Ltd praise Redexim Verti-Drain: After 15 years of reliable service running a fleet of smaller Redexim Verti-Drain® models Martin Guy, owner of Grass Plant Ltd, comments that the addition of a high-speed Verti-Drain® 2519 has brought new-found efficiency to both internal contracting operations and external hire projects… so much so, that plans are already in the pipeline to add more!

Martin leads a team of 25, undertaking construction and ongoing maintenance of all types of natural turf sports surface, working with venues across the Southeast. “Across the board, agronomic expectations are on the rise but due to play demands and climatic conditions, the time available to deliver these standards is getting ever smaller” he explains. “This meant increasing demand was placed our high-speed aerator, but the competitor model we were running was not delivering what we needed it to. As soon as the 2519 was introduced we were straight onto our local Redexim Partner Tuckwells, and we were one of the first to try it.”

Grass Plant Ltd praise Redexim Verti-Drain®

Grass Plant Ltd praise Redexim Verti-Drain®

Offering a PTO speed of up to 540rpm, the Verti-Drain® 2519 can cover up to 8739sq.m per hour when spaced at 165mm making it the most productive aerator in its category. Its ability to accept a range of tine options and working to variable depths of up to 250mm mean the 2519 is well suited to an array of applications – something thoroughly tried and tested by the Grass Plant team.

“It’s adaptable, which is critical for us considering the broad spectrum of places we work at” Martin explains. ”On a golf course for example you can start on a tee, then use the same machine to aerate the fairways and the greens. There are very few machines that allow you to do that.”

He continues, “You tend to find that the higher speed these machines operate at, the more there is that can go wrong, but the build quality of the Verti-Drain® is as solid as ever and, since taking delivery of the 2519 close to three years ago, we’ve seen very little downtime.” This reliability has found favour both internally and with self-drive hire customers. “We get a lot of repeat business on our hire fleet and we wouldn’t get that if we were giving them machines that weren’t fit for purpose or were falling apart in front of their eyes! Trouble is, everyone is so impressed with just how much the 2519 can do that now we need more of them!”

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E P Barrus Ltd appoints Graham Knox as new CEO

E P Barrus Ltd appoints Graham Knox as new CEO: Barrus today announced the appointment of Graham Knox as its new Chief Executive Officer, following an extensive search process. Graham will replace Robert Muir, when he retires from Barrus at the end of December this year, after 33 successful years at Barrus.

Graham brings a huge amount of relevant experience to Barrus, having had a successful career in heavy trucks, industrial & marine engines and transmissions. Graham is a business leader with an excellent track record in a successful family owned business.

E P Barrus Ltd appoints Graham Knox as new CEO

E P Barrus Ltd appoints Graham Knox as new CEO

Graham started his career as an engineer with a custom builder of trucks and buses. He moved from engineering through after sales service to sales, and then on to senior management positions in engineering companies.

From 4 September Graham will be spending many weeks getting to know Barrus’ customers and teams, prior to starting a more office-based handover. There will be opportunities to meet Graham as he will be visiting the Southampton International Boat Show; DSEI the defence show, at Excel; the Emergency Services Show at the NEC and the grounds care show, SALTEX at the NEC.

Graham said: “I am truly honoured and excited to be joining the team at Barrus. I want to express my gratitude to the board for entrusting me with this role and to Robert Muir for his remarkable 33 years of leadership with the company. Barrus has a rich history and a reputation for excellence in various industries, and I am eager to contribute my experience to develop the company further.

Throughout my career journey I have gained a deep understanding of the intricacies of our industries. I am committed to building upon the strong foundations laid by my predecessors and to working closely with our dedicated teams to drive innovation, growth, and customer satisfaction.

Over the next few months, I am looking forward to immersing myself in Barrus’ operations, meeting our valued customers, getting to know the talented individuals who make this company thrive. I am looking forward to having the time to get to know our customers and stakeholders.

My goal is to ensure a seamless transition and to lead Barrus with the same dedication and passion that is the hallmark of the company. I believe in fostering collaboration, embracing innovation, and delivering results that exceed expectations. Together with the Barrus team, I am confident that we will continue to achieve new heights and create value for our customers, partners, and stakeholders.”

E P Barrus Ltd Chairman, Tara Glen said: “We are delighted to welcome Graham as our new Chief Executive in January. Graham shares the Barrus ethos with a very relevant background of experiences and an excellent track record of delivery. He has strong strategic capabilities, proven operational effectiveness, and great understanding of the diverse areas that Barrus operates in.

The Board looks forward to Graham building on the phenomenal leadership that Robert Muir has given the company. Robert will continue to lead Barrus until he retires at the end of December this year. With Graham joining us now we are able to manage an orderly handover and give Graham an opportunity to visit many of our customers before he takes over leadership responsibility”.

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Quick-Brush and SP230 for Marc Kerr Ltd

Quick-Brush and SP230 for Marc Kerr Ltd: Having been put through their paces on more than 35 end of season pitch renovations, the combination of an Sandspreader and Quick-Brush from GKB Machines have emerged with high praise from contractors Marc Kerr Limited.

While the SP230 delivers large capacity for maximum efficiency, it’s the build quality that makes GKB Marc’s first port of call for machinery – with the topdresser and brush joining two GKB Sandfiller’s and a VStrong scarifier already on his fleet.

Quick-Brush and SP230 for Marc Kerr Ltd

Quick-Brush and SP230 for Marc Kerr Ltd

Marc has been offering contracting and finishing services to facilities across the North East for the last 16 years, and while the majority of his workload is comprised of fine turf maintenance, the last few years has seen more enquiries from sports turf facilities – leading Marc to review his equipment bank. “The topdresser we had was starting to struggle with age-related failures, many of which were electrical and therefore expensive to repair” explains Marc. “In replacing this, I wanted something large enough to give me a time efficient and effective solution for football, but something the remained light enough and flexible for work on the golf course.”

The SP230 offers a 2.3m3 capacity and sits in the middle of the models offered in the GKB Sandspreader range. Four balloon tyres evenly distribute ground pressure, while the hydraulically-driven belts and discs eliminate the need to hook up to a power supply. “It’s a very intuitive machine, simple to set-up and easy to adjust for different materials and different surfaces. The fact it’s hydraulic also improves reliability and makes it less expensive to run.”

Delivered alongside the SP230 in May 2022 was a GKB Quick-Brush. “This is a great complimentary tool which Tom Shinkins recommended for incorporating the sand or seed down into the ground quickly. It’s proven to be a great addition to ensure we leave a clean finish and get maximum results in the ever-tighter football renovation windows.”

When football renovations are completed, the SP230 will then be utilised for autumn golf maintenance, with the hopper capacity reduced to suit ground conditions. “We have the flexibility to just put in a lesser amount when we use the dresser on the greens to still get high efficiency without risk of any damage.”

Marc adds, “Like all of our GKB equipment, these latest additions are incredibly well built and work exactly like they say they do. With the Quick-Brush and SP230 alongside our Sandfiller’s and VStrong we are now perfectly placed to tackle all maintenance tasks, reliably, across the maintenance calendar.”

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Kubota UK sponsorship agreement with Hickstead Ltd

Kubota UK sponsorship agreement with Hickstead Ltd: Kubota UK are delighted to have entered into a sponsorship agreement with one of the country’s most recognisable and well-respected equestrian sporting venues, the All England Jumping Course, Hickstead, with an agreement which sees the supply of additional machinery support for their busy 2023 events season.

With sponsorship of a further eight machines, Hickstead are operating a fleet of 15 Kubota units including compact tractors, RTV’s and ride-on mowers which will be pivotal to preparations, including for the Longines Royal International Horse Show on the 26th – 30th July.

Kubota UK sponsorship agreement with Hickstead Ltd

Kubota UK sponsorship agreement with Hickstead Ltd

“Our facilities include grass and all-weather arenas, and an outdoor showground which is mainly grassland and typical Sussex countryside” explains Showground & Estate Manager William Bunn.

Spread across hundreds of acres, the grounds team of 14 have a vast and varied workload and, since taking delivery of a fleet from Kubota, have not been disappointed. “We have multiple operators, with differing levels of experience, who have all commented how intuitive and well thought out the Kubota machinery is to operate. The ease of access for daily checks and maintenance proves that the range is designed with the operator as a priority.”

Kubota’s sponsorship and additional event support sees Hickstead running 15 machines in total, including M Series tractors, LX Series compact tractors, RTV side by side machines and ride on mowers, in use across the estate as the team ramp up preparations for a packed calendar of events. “One of the noticeable differences with moving to Kubota is the strength and high level of build quality across the range.” William adds, “From a management point of view, the machines have proven to be extremely reliable – our down time has reduced and when we have needed advice, the support from our local dealership, Rod Gaskin Ltd, has been faultless.”

“I look forward to building our relationship with Kubota as they help us to deliver world class events.”

Phil Catley, Kubota Groundcare Product and Key Account Manager added, “Supporting these events at Hickstead with the help of Rod Gaskin Ltd is a great way for us all to increase brand awareness and build new and existing relationships with some of the very best in the equine sector.”

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BOSS ORV welcomes Euromec Contracts Ltd

BOSS ORV welcomes Euromec Contracts Ltd: BOSS ORV has announced they have partnered with Euromec Contracts Ltd to retail Corvus Off-Road Vehicles’ products in the East Midlands region.

Euromec, which dates back to 1997, has developed as industrial cleaning and groundcare equipment specialists. They offer sales and service of scrubber dryers, floor sweepers, lawn mowers, tractors and utility vehicles. Based in Market Harborough, it is a UK company with over twenty-five years of experience in municipal and industrial powered machinery.

BOSS ORV welcomes Euromec Contracts Ltd

BOSS ORV welcomes Euromec Contracts Ltd

As well as becoming a Corvus dealer, they are also official UK dealer for Kubota, Honda Power Products, STIGA and Mountfield. As partner with some of the world’s leading manufacturers, they say they have a particular pride in sourcing innovative products but emphasise they believe in putting the customer first and providing a full range of after-sales services.

Phil Everett, MD at BOSS ORV, the sole UK distributor of Corvus 4×4 utility vehicles, welcomed the company to the Corvus dealer network, now comprising forty-three dealers giving a total of sixty outlets across the UK. He says he’s looking forward to working with Finance Director Maria Griffith, Sales Director Graham Hill, Director Nikki Heighton, Annie Povilionis, and all the Euromec team to grow the Corvus business in the region. They will sell the complete range of the Corvus Terrain UTVs and accessories from Europe’s first off-road utility vehicle manufacturer. This includes the professional UTVs, the Terrain DX4, the all-electric EX4 and, coming later in the year, a new midsize model.

For more information about the Corvus Terrain range, you can call 01785 561046 E-mail: sales@bossorv.co.uk Web: www.bossorv.co.uk

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Hayter Ltd to change name to Toro U.K. Limited

Hayter Ltd to change name to Toro U.K. Limited: Hayter Ltd, which is part of The Toro Company, will be changing its name to Toro U.K. Limited on 3rd August 2021.

The name change to Toro U.K. Limited will align the UK operation with the rest of Toro’s subsidiaries outside of the United States, and the strategic focus to grow the Toro® brand in the consumer, light construction, landscape contractor and arboricultural markets.

Hayter Ltd to change name to Toro U.K. Limited

Hayter Ltd to change name to Toro U.K. Limited

Toro U.K. Limited remains committed to the Hayter® brand, which this year celebrates its 75th anniversary. The brand will continue to be a significant part of the Toro U.K. Limited portfolio with manufacturing and selling of the Hayter range of premium quality lawn care products continuing from its Spellbrook factory in the UK.

The Hayter brand will retain the Royal Warrant, with which it has been proudly associated since the 1960s and Toro U.K. Limited will continue to invest and develop new Hayter products, including the new 60v Hawk range, which comes to market this autumn.

The Toro Company, a leading worldwide provider of innovative solutions for the outdoor environment, acquired Hayter Ltd in 2005 and continues to invest in the UK manufacturing plant.

The new company name will not change the nature of business, nor will it have any effect on existing relations with customers, partners, suppliers, contracts or personnel.
Craig Hoare, Sales and Marketing Manager Toro U.K. Limited commented, “The change is in name only and everything else is business as usual. The new name will help us to layout our strategy for the Toro & Hayter brands in the UK market and grow with our existing retailers.”

The business is keen to invite anyone who has any questions about the change in name to contact their territory manager.

For more information please visit www.toro.com/en-gb and www.hayter.co.uk

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Vanmac Ltd, the new home for Progressive Mowers

Vanmac Ltd, the new home for Progressive Mowers: Vanmac Ltd are pleased to announce they have been appointed as full-line distributors of the Progressive range of trailed and mounted rotary mowers for the professional grounds and sports turf market.

Having represented Progressive in the turf farm sector for several years, the extension of the partnership to incorporate distribution to the professional amenity sector is effective from 15th March 2021.

Vanmac Ltd, the new home for Progressive Mowers

Vanmac Ltd, the new home for Progressive Mowers

Progressive have a long and illustrious track record for designing and manufacturing innovative, rotary finishing mowers suitable for a wide range of applications – from golf courses to sports fields, turf producers and local authorities. This, combined with Vanmac Ltd’s vast knowledge and experience in the sector through the distribution of other leading brands such as Trilo vacuum sweepers, promises to bear fruit for both parties.

With the main growing season fast approaching, of particular interest from the Progressive range – and available in the UK for the first time – will be the tri-deck TDR-X contour mower. The three independently floating decks promise to closely follow the contours of the ground, without scalping, offering a combined cutting width of 3.2m and an easily adjustable cutting height range from 9.5mm to 84.5mm. Along with other machines in the range, the TDR-X takes advantage of Progressive’s Pro Lift-N-Turn™ technology, allowing the operator to temporarily raise the decks, with the PTO still engaged, to make turning easier and increase overall productivity.

“Expanding our agreement with Progressive to cover the professional turf care market is absolutely fantastic news for Vanmac Ltd” comments Area Sales Manager Jeremy Vincent. “Their range is renowned for delivering durability and fantastic cut quality and it complements our other product lines, including Trilo and Brouwer Kesmac, fantastically. We can now offer those managing turf surfaces a comprehensive collection of equipment, together with parts service, all from under one roof. Over the next few months, we look forward to building a network of dedicated dealers to assist with the all-important back-up support and beginning demonstrations as soon as we can.”

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New GKB Drainmaster for Duncan Ross Ltd

New GKB Drainmaster for Duncan Ross Ltd: Specialists in all aspects of Sportsturf, construction, drainage, renovation and maintenance.  The Company originated in the 1960s from a background in agricultural land drainage. Duncan Ross Ltd, have invested in a GKB Drainmaster for full drainage schemes for a variety of clients.

Joe Ross, Manager at Duncan Ross Ltd, explains how impressed they were with their new GKB Drainmaster.  Duncan Ross – Managing Director had initially seen the machine exhibited at BTME and was so impressed by the design and quality of the workmanship.” He adds, “ultimately, this was a key factor which encouraged us to purchase the reliable and refined machine.”

New GKB Drainmaster for Duncan Ross Ltd

“We have been delighted with the service and attention we’ve received from GKB since purchasing the GKB Drainmaster, Joe Ross explained. The machine is very well engineered and makes the job easy!”

Having been in continuous development since 1985, the concept of the GKB Drainmaster has been completely refined. The system has been developed not only to improve the drainage of surface water but also the acceleration. Duncan Ross Ltd have used their machine to “complete a full drainage scheme and intensified the system using the GKB Drainmaster. The results were excellent.” With the GKB Drainmaster, the stability and quality of your grass will improve.

For more on GKB Machines and their reliable and robust range of machinery for natural, hybrid and synthetic turf, please visit www.gkbmachines.com or contact Tom Shinkins on 07495 883617.

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