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Deere Roam Blackheath Once More

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Deere Roam Blackheath Once More: Royal Blackheath Golf Club in Eltham, south east London, has returned to the John Deere stable after signing a five-year package deal with Farol Ltd of Twyford in Berkshire for a new fleet of course maintenance equipment.

A total of 11 new machines have been acquired under the John Deere Financial operating lease deal. These include three 2500E hybrid electric greens mowers, for use on both greens and tees, two 7700A PrecisionCut fairway mowers, an 8800A Terrain Cut semi-rough mower, a 1600T wide area mower for the main rough areas, and three TH 6×4 diesel plus one TX Turf 4×2 petrol Gator utility vehicles. These join a number of older Deere machines bought in previous deals that date back to the early 2000s, including compact tractors.

Deere Roam Blackheath Once More

Instituted in 1608 by the court of King James I, Royal Blackheath is one of the oldest golf clubs in the world, with a 17th century clubhouse and records showing that members originally played on Blackheath itself, adjacent to Greenwich Park. The golf course has been extensively remodelled over the past six years, with all the bunkers being redesigned and renovated, many tee complexes reconstructed, and also many ditches and ditch banks reshaped.

“We’re looking forward to a major course relaunch in 2020, so it’s going to be a big year for us,” says golf course manager Allen Blizzard, who leads a team of five greenkeepers plus two Hadlow College apprentices. “A lot of the bunkers had become a bit of a mismatch over the years, and we wanted to go back to James Braid’s original design, with fewer trees, more open aspects around the course and more, longer rough grass.

“Alongside this, the club secretary Mark Hickson and I had a good look around at the latest golf course maintenance equipment, to see what the market had to offer. We’ve always had a good relationship over the past couple of decades with John Deere’s turf dealers, and Dave Searles of Farol came up with the right package that was also very competitive financially.

“We’ve found over the years that an operating lease works very well for us, plus their dealer and manufacturer back-up, after-sales service and support have always been excellent. I’ve always felt that John Deere machines suit our needs well, especially for precision mowing – they’re great for following the contours of the course to provide a first class finish.

“I also think that Deere’s rotary mowers are the best I’ve ever used,” says Allen. “They’re comfortable to operate, reliable and time efficient. With other machines we’ve had to use a tractor and blower to tidy up the mess left by clippings, which made it a two-man job. With 125 acres to cover, and all the extra reconstruction work we’ve had to do, we need to make the most of our available manpower.

“This has also been our first experience with John Deere’s latest A Model TechControl and QA cutting unit technology, which helps us be even more productive. From my point of view the new machinery fleet, especially the semi-rough mower, really suits our needs and the golf course is looking in really good shape.”

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Reesink Commend Dealers Who Do More

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Reesink Commend Dealers Who Do More: Reesink Turfcare is delighted to announce the winners of its Aftermarket Dealer Awards. Commending exceptional performance, the awards acknowledge the top performers in customer service across Reesink’s dealer network.

With awards in Outstanding Performance in Service, Parts and Skills, as well as recognising an overall Dealer of the Year for ‘Excellence in Customer Support’, it’s an impressive accolade to achieve.

Reesink Commend Dealers Who Do More

This year the winners are: Redtech Machinery Limited in Coventry for Outstanding Performance in Service, Oliver Landpower Limited in Hertfordshire for Skills, and Revill Mowers in Gloucestershire for Parts. While the much coveted Dealer of the Year Award for Excellence in Customer Support is awarded to Cheshire Turf Machinery in Stockport.

Reflecting on their win, Cheshire Turf Machinery’s service director Mark Woodward said: “Winning this award is proof of the great effort from our parts and service team, who have enabled us to achieve this award for a second year in a row. I would also like to thank the staff at Reesink who provide us with exceptional support and assistance throughout the year.”

Runners up in the categories are Cheshire Turf Machinery for Service, Lloyd Limited in Cumbria for Skills, Gambles Grass Machinery in Nottinghamshire for Parts, and Revill Mowers for Excellence in Customer Support.

“We work incredibly hard throughout the year to ensure we are always working to the highest standards,” says Revill Mowers joint director Jason Revill. “Customers are at the forefront of everything we do and awards like this give them the ultimate reassurance that their Toro machines are in safe hands.”

In keeping with its Service Level Agreement (SLA), which benchmarks great customer service, Reesink awards those dealers achieving the best scores, rated on quarterly Key Performance Indicators (KPI), within each of the three sections, while the Dealer of the Year Award combines the KPI scores from all three.

As a leading UK distributor of top turfcare brands, excellent customer service is paramount to Reesink – and delivering that with all its business partners even more so, says Reesink operation manager David Jackman.

“We are continuously investing in improving our customer service after a sale completes. Our Service Level Agreement which outlines core customer service standards, goals and considerations adopted by all our Authorised Service and Dealer Locations is another way to showcase to our customers the quality of Reesink’s service.

“These awards provide an excellent platform on which to highlight the fantastic service and work that our dedicated dealers produce and we’re delighted to recognise all of the winners and runners-up. With continued recognition and encouragement of high standards of customer service, ultimately, the customer benefits from an improved overall experience – which is what we’re all here to provide.”

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Energy Purchase More Gators

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Energy Purchase More Gators: Leading event equipment supply company Energy Generator Hire Limited, based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, has recently added a record beating 51 John Deere Gator 4×4 utility vehicles to its UK hire fleet, which now numbers in excess of 170 units.

Supplied by Farol Limited of Milton Common near Thame in Oxfordshire and supported by John Deere Financial, the purchase of the XUV 855D two-seater models was already the largest single order for Gators in the UK, before they were joined shortly afterwards by another 12 S4 four-seater versions to keep up with customer demand.

Energy Purchase More Gators

Energy Generator Hire was established in 2004 with just one generator by owner and managing director Tom Carr, who identified a market opportunity to offer a one stop shop, full turnkey service to the events industry.

The company now specialises in short, medium and long term hire of power and generation equipment to various industry sectors, including events, construction, motor racing and, in the near future, the equestrian market. Energy will also be venturing into the electric vehicles sector in line with its sustainability and environmental policies.

“I was always intrigued by the events industry, and initially concentrated on temporary power supply services,” says Tom. “On visiting customer venues more frequently, we soon realised that all-terrain vehicles were also in great demand, and so expansion of The Energy Group began naturally from there.”

Energy bought its first John Deere Gator in 2015, initially for use at the company’s premises, but it wasn’t long before enquiries for the vehicle started flooding in. Due to Energy’s longstanding relationship with Farol area sales manager John Bennetts and John Deere Financial, the Gator fleet has increased rapidly due to a mix of repeat custom and new business.

“When you delve into a new aspect of any business, market and product research are key,” says Tom. “We studied all types of machine in the ATV market, and after gaining feedback from our clients, particularly festival organisers, it was John Deere who stood out as the number one choice.

“The new Gators were ordered with full specification to ensure they meet all our customers’ needs, delivering a premium product to stand alongside our first-rate service. They are fast becoming the industry standard and are more often than not requested by the end user due to their reliability and durability.

“We’ve found that the John Deere Gator can handle all kinds of terrain with ease, and due to their high specification they can also be used safely and efficiently 24 hours a day by our ever-expanding client base, both indoors if required as well as outdoors. In addition, all of our hire vehicles are Trackered and barcoded, not only for security but also to ensure fleet management and logistics are streamlined.

“This is vital, considering that the company’s entire machinery fleet now numbers more than 500 units. Add to this the fully comprehensive and strict maintenance schedule entrusted to Farol, and we can offer complete peace of mind to our clients countrywide.”

John Deere Financial area sales manager Christophe Verteneuil says: “This deal was the perfect example of consulting with a valued client to ensure the best available package was structured to suit both our lending criteria and the customer’s needs.

“Primarily, to manage a transaction of this scale, we arranged a credit line after gaining an understanding of Tom’s business challenges and opportunities. Flexibility was key, from identifying the most suitable financial product to being adaptable with regards to the payment schedule, which we were able to match to the seasonal cashflow of the business.”

Tom Carr adds: “Residual value is also very important when undertaking an investment of this magnitude. John Deere Gators, when serviced and maintained correctly, hold their market value well and this is extremely beneficial when renewing our fleet.”

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Save More With Otterbine

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Save More With Otterbine: It’s taken a little time to warm up this year (unlike last year!), but British Summer Time is in full swing and water management specialist Otterbine is offering all customers an extra five percent off its entire range of aerators and aerating fountains on orders placed before 31 August.

The promotion is timed to help customers when they need it most, says Pete Newton at Reesink Turfcare, Otterbine’s UK distributor.

Save More With Otterbine

“When higher levels of sunlight and heat is generated by the summer sun it can lead to excess nutrients in water bodies and when combined with low oxygen levels and minimal circulation, it prematurely ages the water throwing its natural ecosystem out of balance,” he explains. “This can quickly lead to problems with algae, aquatic weeds and a build-up of silt on the riverbed, and in severe cases can even lead to unpleasant odours and cause fish to perish.”

In order to avoid this, a proper water management system is needed, Pete says: “Waiting until symptoms of poor water quality appear before implementing good water management could be detrimental to the environment and be costly to rectify.”

“Once a lake has lost its ecological balance, it goes into crisis, at which point the cost of restoring it dramatically rises. As well as often being more expensive to implement, reactive solutions tend to be less friendly to the environment too.”

To prevent or eliminate stagnant water in a pond or lake, the most natural water quality management solution is to introduce aeration, which is where Otterbine’s aeration systems can help.

With solutions suitable for small ponds to vast lakes, Otterbine’s wide range of aeration systems comprise aerating fountains, industrial aerators and diffused air systems. Each has unique features that work to increase oxygen levels and circulate oxygen rich water, keeping water quality high, and inhibiting algae, aquatic weeds and odours.

Plus, installation is quick meaning that if this situation does occur it is easily fixed with Otterbine, says Pete: “These symptoms are quickly formed but with Otterbine also speedily rectified. We offer the highest oxygen transfer and pumping rates in the industry with independent testing done by the University of Minnesota and GSCEE to prove it. The High Volume units, for example, adds 3.3lbs or 1.5kg of oxygen per horsepower hour into the water and pumps over 920gpm or 199m3/hr per horsepower.”

And now, with an extra five percent off any purchase, is the time to ensure that these unwanted symptoms don’t impact on your water feature or bring about a negative perception.

For more information on Otterbine aerators and aerating fountains, contact distributor Reesink Turfcare on 01480 226948, email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or visit www.reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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More Than Washing Golf Machinery

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More Than Washing Golf Machinery: Fineturf, founded in 1995 by Simon Hutton, specialise in the construction, installation and maintenance of sports turf surfaces. The company started life providing deep tine aeration and top-dressing services to local golf courses, football and cricket clubs and went on to turf production in 1997. Since then, Fineturf has expanded and the company under Simon’s stewardship, has become established in the fine turf sector along with a good reputation.

Clients include football and rugby clubs, golf courses, bowling clubs, tennis clubs, racecourses and cricket grounds. Services offered include sports pitch and golf course construction, maintenance, drainage and irrigation along with bulk earthworks and contract spraying. Other companies in the group include Tillers Turf, a leading grower of golf, landscape and wildflower turf, throughout the UK and Europe and Fineturf Machinery, who specialise in the sale of new and used groundcare machinery and is a Toro dealer in Lincolnshire and North Nottinghamshire.

More Than Washing Golf Machinery

Simon Hutton, ever aware of current trends and developments in the sector Fineturf operate in, is keen to stay abreast. One such matter of concern was to ensure that, especially with the growing volume of plant and machinery requiring cleaning, compliance with legislative requirements relating to washpads was met. Simon believed that an efficient and effective recycling system was the answer. Having carried out some research on the subject and seen a system in operation locally at Sleaford golf club, Simon visited the ClearWater stand at BTME last year and was most impressed with the latest washpad water recycling system, its unique benefits and competitive price.

Simon was particularly interested to learn that a “self-install” option was available but explained that the site was not so straightforward. Not seen as an issue, ClearWater offered a free site inspection and this was carried out soon after the show. It was immediately clear that a ClearWater system could be easily installed and in the preferred location adjacent to the maintenance workshop. ClearWater provided a detailed plan and quotation and the order was placed.

The system was delivered and, with Jim Coleman acting as project manager, Simon Thorpe and the groundwork team carried out the installation following the detailed installation instructions provided by ClearWater. “It really was easy to do” said Simon.

More Than Washing Golf Machinery

To make the installation as unobtrusive as possible, the below ground system tank was installed behind the workshop and, with the washpad screened from view by specially designed splash-backs, very little is evident as our pictures show!

The ClearWater system is certainly well utilised and washes not only machines used on their own golf course, but also customers machines being serviced, Fineturf’s work vehicles and their own course construction and maintenance machines. Michael Baxter, Head Mechanic uses and looks after the system which includes dosing the system with micro-organisms. He is most impressed with ClearWater’s performance and said; “It’s certainly made life easy. It is so close to the workshop and there’s more than enough water pressure!” One machine, in for maintenance when ClearWater’s post-installation visit was made, was a GKB Combinator (a multifunctional fraise mowing machine), recently back from a job at a Premiership football club. Michael enthused; “This was caked in 2 – 3inches of mud and ClearWater blasts it of; better than a jet wash!” Compliments indeed.

Asked about the maintenance regime, his comment was: “It’s a doddle”. He ensures that the grass trap is emptied regularly and the pad kept clear and clean. Once a week he doses the system with the ClearWater micro-organisms. These micro-organisms (specially formulated and supplied by ClearWater) ensure that any oils, grease, fuel, etc. is treated and the water cleaned for recycling.

More Than Washing Golf Machinery

A Water Technology List (WTL) officially approved ClearWater system not only provides effective wash-off but ensures futureproof legal compliance by preventing groundwater pollution. It also saves thousands of gallons of precious (and increasingly expensive!) water by recycling. An added bonus is that the cost of the project (system and installation) can be offset against taxable profits under the ECA scheme, enabling further cost savings.

Be it golf, sports facilities, public schools, heritage properties, service and machinery dealers, ClearWater offers cost effective and compliant wash-off.  ClearWater Commercial, with its dedicated rinse package, offers the same effective wash-off with a superior finish and is ideal for hi-end vehicles, motor homes, etc.

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