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GGM announce next stage of expansion

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GGM announce next stage of expansion: GGM have begun the next chapter of their expansion in to the agricultural sector, following the recent announcement that it is to widen its Kubota portfolio with higher horsepower M-series tractors and R0 loaders, to sit alongside its existing groundcare business.

Following this exciting news over the summer, the firm has appointed an experienced Sales professional to take this development to its next phase and drive the new area of the business forward.

GGM announce next stage of expansion

GGM announce next stage of expansion

Phil Edmondson, who brings a wealth of expertise having previously been the Sales Director at Spectrum Plant, joins the GGM team at the beginning of October and will be tasked with taking the new offering from the business out into the field and meeting customers.

Phil has vast experience in agriculture spanning nearly 4 decades, having begun his career at Newton Rigg College, been the General Manager of a dairy engineering company, and whilst moving on into contracting and latterly the arboriculture machinery business he has always kept up to date with agricultural developments and found time to help out on the family farm.

When not working Phil loves spending time with his wife Andrea, getting out in the Dales, walking and cycling as well as watching sport; especially Rugby Union.

The extended product range is a logical step for GGM, as it looks to broaden its customer base with a full range of Kubota tractors suited to the agricultural sector. The additional models will include M6001 Utility, M6002 and M7003 models spanning 104-175hp, plus corresponding LK tractor-loader models and R0 pivot steer loaders.

Phil says:

“I am extremely excited about this new role at GGM and the challenge of building our presence in the agricultural sector – an area where I am very much at home.

“I thrive on building relationships, being the main point of contact for customers, establishing new working practices to meet both supplier and customer requirements”.

As a specialist supplier of tractors and high-quality professional groundcare machinery, GGM has a long-standing business relationship with Kubota which spans more than 45 years. Based in Colne, Lancashire, with a second depot at Haydock, Merseyside, GGM are accessible to agricultural customers throughout the North West and areas of North / West Yorkshire.

Accomplished in meeting the needs of horticultural, local authority, estate management, golf and sports turf sectors, this family-owned and run dealership employs a team of over 40 staff, headed-up by managing director Chris Gibson, his wife Hilary and son Thomas.

Chris Gibson said:

“We are delighted to have appointed someone of Phil’s calibre to join the GGM team and build our growth and the Kubota brand in the agricultural arena.

“We already have a strong and competent team that is capable of delivering first class customer service and support, with professional groundcare machinery. “And we’re confident of replicating that same level of support across the farming sector.”

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77 years of SALTEX for Dennis Mowers

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77 years of SALTEX for Dennis Mowers: Dennis Mowers is continuing its long-standing tradition of being at every SALTEX since the show was founded and will be showcasing a wide range of leading battery-powered equipment on stand E070.

SALTEX visitors can expect to see the following line-up of products on the Dennis Mowers stand:

77 years of SALTEX for Dennis Mowers

77 years of SALTEX for Dennis Mowers

ES-510

This new mower is based on the Dennis FT510, with a choice of 12 interchangeable cassettes, the ES-510 is capable of scarifying down to -10mm. Ideal for fine turf it has the power to cut 4-5 bowling greens or approximately 10km on a single charge.

The current FT cassettes will also fit the ES-510.

ES-860

Users of the Dennis G860 cylinder mower will no doubt see familiarities in the new ES-860. This 34” battery powered turf management system delivers maximum versatility and the range of 13 interchangeable cassette options provide a solution to many day-to-day maintenance tasks. The power of the battery system ensures the machine is capable of cutting at least 3-4 pitches on a single charge or verticutting a full pitch without anxiety. Furthermore, current G860 cassettes will also fit the ES-860.

ES-36

The ES-36 provides a perfect finish every time and capable of cutting 2-3 pitches on a single charge. The powerful battery system allows the addition of a trailer seat to be attached and still achieve a minimum of 20km of cutting. A uniquely developed micro adjuster makes it very easy to set the bottom blade to cylinder.

ES-34R

The ES-34R rotary mower has twin contra rotating blades with the height of cut controlled by an easy to use ‘click’ system. Suction and blade speed can be adapted to meet the most challenging collection conditions. The mower is also available with optional front wheels, smooth or wiele roller, and has excellent sight lines.

ES-22 Ultra

Users of the Dennis Razor Ultra will be familiar with this machine, which features an ultra-short wheelbase for undulating surfaces. Using a 7 or 11 bladed cutting cylinder and groomer reel, this 560mm (22”) battery mower produces a quality of cut which provides an ultra-fine finish on bowling greens, golf greens and tees, and cricket pitches.

ES-26

Easy to use, superb balance, control, and easy pull back for accurate alignment of next run are just some of the features of the ES-26. With a 26” cutting width, this mower is available with a standard front roller for maintaining fine turf sports surfaces such as golf greens and tees, or with the larger front roller for maintaining ornamental lawns and gardens.

The E-Series features a robust LCD keypad screen which provides the operator with a multitude of information options including speed, clip rate, service checks, lifetime running reports and battery information. The mowers take just 2-3 hours for an ultra-fast full battery recharge.

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

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

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GKB to showcase a range of machines at SALTEX

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GKB to showcase a range of machines at SALTEX: No trip to SALTEX is complete without a stop by the bright and bold stand of GKB Machines! This year, stand H051 has been redesigned to maximise visual impact and make space for a wide range of machinery from across GKB’s portfolio of maintenance solutions for natural, hybrid and synthetic surfaces.

Part of the wider GKB Group, GKB Machines has been developing innovative machinery solutions since 1985. Using the knowledge and experience gained from their contracting division, the range is renowned for its robust build quality, functionality and efficiency – with the customers’ needs at the core of every design.

GKB to showcase a range of machines at SALTEX

GKB to showcase a range of machines at SALTEX

From the natural offering, particular highlights include the Deep Tine Aerator (DTA) and GKB Sandspreader. The Sandspreader range features four models, offering hopper capacities between 1m3 and 4m3 to cater for fine turf, sports turf and contractor applications. The material is transported from the hopper to the adjustable metering valve via an internal conveyor belt, before being efficiently and evenly distributed via the double disc hydraulic spinners. As well as trailed and mounted formats, GKB also offer the SPM model, which features a side material handler for the convenient filling of bunkers or trenches.

On synthetics, one important fact to consider when it comes to both the usage and maintenance of a surface is minimising the migration of infill into the environment. With the use of a synthetic pitch, infill will naturally tend to disperse outwards towards the pitch perimeters which is where effective maintenance will be needed, to ensure infill is returned to the higher use areas where it is required for surface stability and playability.

The easiest way to achieve this is via brushing, for which GKB have a range of options. The 4m wide Brush is ideal for quick surface coverage, with hydraulically foldable wings for convenient transportation and storage, while the GKB Quick-Brush can be configured with a range of optional extras including a rake or rubber finishing mat to suit individual requirements. Also in the GKB stable is the Rotobrush, equipped with a rotating brush head which can switch between clockwise and anti-clockwise operation, which effectively collects infill accumulations from the perimeter and move it towards the centre of the surface.

The GKB team will be on hand to answer any technical questions over the course of the two days, and look forward to seeing customers old and new this November.

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R&A to increase guardianship of golf’s sustainability

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R&A to increase guardianship of golf’s sustainability: The R&A has expanded its Sustainable Agronomy Service to provide expertise and best practice advice to all levels of golf facilities in Great Britain and Ireland and continental Europe, aiding in the effective management of courses.

First launched in the Asia-Pacific market, the service will now offer facility operators worldwide with support in the delivery of sustainable agronomy, golf course auditing and benchmarking, management planning and strategic advice, annual maintenance programme planning, and project management support and drainage design.

R&A to increase guardianship of golf’s sustainability

R&A to increase guardianship of golf’s sustainability

The service is already actively supporting and guiding clubs to become more resilient and sustainable in the face of changing legislation on pesticides, climate change and access to resources.

Clubs such as Haydock Park, West Sussex and Blackwell are among over 100 facilities in Great Britain and Ireland and continental Europe already being encouraged to use more resilient grass mixes and improve growing environments for grass, in addition to making the turf less reliant on pesticides.

“We’re here to provide expertise and support to golf facilities, highlighting the most efficient and accessible methods surrounding sustainable golf course management,” said Alistair Beggs, Head of Agronomy at The R&A.

“This will enable them to develop plans that will present facilities with optimum conditioning all year round but have sustainability at the heart of the decisions and processes put in place to support this aim.”

The Sustainable Agronomy Service includes a team of agronomy experts which has acquired a wealth of knowledge and experience from its active role in supporting world-class golf championships run by The R&A each year – including The Open and AIG Women’s Open.

The team will offer facilities a bespoke service with ongoing support and advice in the planning and implementation of effective and sustainable management practices.

Paul Woodham, Head of Agronomy, Europe, at The R&A, said, “We have already seen facilities in the Asia-Pacific region benefit greatly from the support and collaboration that have been provided for the sustainable management of facilities.

“The introduction of the service in Great Britain and Ireland and continental Europe forms part of the organisation’s aim to encourage facilities to adopt a more sustainable approach to the management of courses. Furthermore, we are fully committed to reinvesting proceeds from the service into research and education for those operating in the industry.”

To enquire about these services e-mail sustainableagronomy@randa.org

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Suståne delivers perfect bill of health

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Suståne delivers perfect bill of health: A year-round programme from Suståne® Natural Fertilizers has been effectively managing moisture and turf stresses to keep the 27-hole course at Wellow Golf Club disease-free.

Course Manager Lee Payne describes how the ‘perfect combination’ of Suståne® products including 5-2-10+Fe and 6-2-4 Turf Revival® has seen a drastic reduction in the frequency and severity of a variety of turf diseases, lowering fungicide applications and delivering long-lasting visual appeal.

Suståne delivers perfect bill of health

Suståne delivers perfect bill of health

Steeped in history, Hampshire’s Wellow Golf Club is set among 200 acres of parkland surrounding Embley Park – once occupied by King Alfred and later the family home of Florence Nightingale. Skip forward a couple of centuries, the site now boasts a beautiful 27-hole course maintained by Lee and his team of five. Privately owned and broken down into three 9-hole courses; the rotation of the Ryedown, Blackwater and Embley courses enable a ‘TLC week’ to take place one in every three… or at least that’s the idea!

“We’re constantly busy!” exclaims Lee. “We conduct a lot of in-house drainage projects as we’re quite a heavy site meaning that for most of the winter months, we can’t get a sprayer out. That leads me nicely onto how good the Suståne product really is, an annual programme from whom keeps us ticking over superbly well.”

“It was the organic aspect that led me to Suståne® initially. We were looking for something that would boost the good bacteria in the profile and not be harmful to the environment or our aquatic life, while also keeping on top of the variety of turf diseases that appear.” The programme, drawn up by Suståne’s Russell Riley and Neil Rogers from AGS consists of 4-6-4 slow-release fertiliser, 5-2-4+Fe for a boost of colour during December, January and February before a switch to 5-2-10+FE during spring and autumn. Lee also uses Bolster™ Liquid Biostimulant and Suståne 6-2-4 Turf Revival® which he claims provides instant recovery following heavy renovations in March and August.

“Recovery is one of the biggest factors for us, with tight turnarounds in maintenance windows and this is where Suståne® has been fantastic. The extended slow-release nitrogen within the 6-2-4 product gives us an instant boost followed by a month or two of consistent recovery.” Lee continues, “We also have a couple of greens particularly susceptible to Anthracnose. If this starts to appear we simply put down a half rate of the 5-2-10 which provides enough goodness back into the soil to effectively control any outbreaks.”

A noticeable consistency to overall plant health has meant that Lee doesn’t feel the need to try anything else. “We know our programme, we know it works for us and we know that advice is always available from Russell or Neil to tweak things if required. Not only that, but it’s also reassuring to know that we’re running the course in a way that is sympathetic to the environment we’re in to protect what we have here now and into the future.”

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