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STAR EV arrives at the Star of the North

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STAR EV arrives at the Star of the North: Royal Dornoch Golf Club in Scotland, known to many as the ‘star of the north’, has taken delivery of seven lithium-ion STAR EV Capella 2 Pro golf buggies from the UK distributor Reesink Scotland.

Most utility vehicles and golf buggies in the UK’s golf clubs are powered by lead acid batteries. Now with the option of lithium-ion, which is far superior, making the switch to the latest technology offering in this area is the logical next step. And STAR EV is fast proving itself to be the preferred option.

STAR EV arrives at the Star of the North

STAR EV arrives at the Star of the North

Take Royal Dornoch for example, when it replaced its fleet of buggies, it made the switch from lead acid to lithium-ion with STAR EV as Royal Dornoch general manager, Neil Hampton, explains: “It was time to replace our fleet of buggies which were eight years old, and it was a logical decision to choose lithium-ion.

“The technology in this area has come on exponentially since we invested in it eight years ago and STAR EV came top for price and value in our research. Plus, we knew the support would be good as the buggies were coming from Reesink Scotland whom we’ve worked with for years.”

Lithium-ion batteries are not only superior in terms of reliability and efficiency (95 percent compared to 75 percent of lead-acid) but are also safer to use. They charge faster, are more durable and able to withstand harsher environments, allow quick and partial charging without getting damaged, lose power much more slowly during discharge, waste less energy and require no maintenance, which saves on additional costs and time.

Not to mention the environmental advantages such as releasing no emissions or leaks while being charged, no expense of topping up with de-ionised water, or toxic chemicals being released in their manufacturing and recycling process. This is why, when Reesink started its e-Vehicles division, it made a very conscious decision to use only lithium and sealed, maintenance-free AGM battery options.

Plus, they are smaller and lighter, which is something Neil can attest to: “Royal Dornoch is essentially a walking course and the buggies used at the venue are for medical reasons. We can tell the STAR EV buggies are light on their feet, which was a top consideration in the purchasing decision, as we’ve been watching wear patterns on the grassed pathways.”

And when it comes to all the other aspects of lithium-ion vs lead acid, that’s something Neil involved his mechanic in: “We got our mechanic to check over all the vehicles we demoed, and STAR EV was collectively chosen as the best all-round.”

To find out more about STAR EV call 01480 226800 or go online at reesink-evehicles.co.uk

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ELIET expansion of battery powered equipment

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ELIET expansion of battery powered equipment: Leading Belgium manufacturer ELIET have announced an expanded range of battery equipment powered by EGO.

Following the successful launch of the industry’s first battery powered shredder around 12 months ago ELIET have been working tirelessly on the impressive extended e-power range, which was previewed at Demopark where all products were available to view and attracted much attention and interest.

ELIET expansion of battery powered equipment

ELIET expansion of battery powered equipment

As a leading innovative manufacturer, developing their ‘green’ credentials remains top of the agenda and their climate goals.  With the phasing out of fossil fuels and a transition to electric drives, as part of this philosophy, ELIET were one of the first in the industry to take the lead in electrifying its range of machines launching a technical partnership with EGO Power, the leading manufacturer of battery solutions. The result is an extensive product range of e-power battery-powered machines at the forefront of innovation. From this partnership, ELIET can leverage this experience and know-how to implement best-in-class Li-ion battery technology in its machines.

Benefits of battery powered equipment include:

  • Zero emissions
  • Reduced hand vibrations
  • No noise pollutions
  • Savings on fuel, oil, filters and more

The impressive new e-power range is in keeping with the ELIET DNA of high-performing, robust machinery and includes:

  • Traditional scarifyers
  • Self-propelled scarifyers
  • Lawn edgers
  • Blowers
  • Green waste shredders

All the e-power machines will be showcased at Groundsfest by UK distributor PSD on the 19th & 20th September, at Stoneleigh Park and availability planned for 2024.

Always at the forefront of innovation, ELIET are in the final stages of electrification of a larger green waste shredder, with the preview of the battery powered Prof6, the very first self-propelled shredder that is battery powered by Vanguard battery and one of the first applications of Vanguard Batteries in this field.

In 1994, ELIET was the first to revolutionize the market with this new “self-propelled” concept, creating added value for landscapers and in 1998, they were the first to introduce a shredder with track drive, improving accessibility to challenging areas to shred on site.  Almost 30 years later, ELIET continue this passion for innovation, making that self-propelled shredding solution completely environmentally friendly and emission free.

World-renowned manufacturer ELIET are based in Belgium and manufacture an extensive range of groundscare and landscaping solutions. Whether you are looking to deal with overgrown vegetation and trees and reprocess the waste with a green waste shredder, or to create or maintain the perfect lawn, there is a solution for you. All ELIETmachines are made with precision engineering, ensuring simple, effective products of the highest quality.

PSD Groundscare is the exclusive UK distributor of niche specialist landscaping equipment, with an extensive range of products from market-leading names and innovative manufacturers including Canycom, EcoTech, ELIET, Grin, Koppl and Stella.

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Trilo’s deliver twenty plus years of reliability

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Trilo’s deliver twenty plus years of reliability: Whether it’s for the collection of grass clippings or debris following scarification, or out on hire during autumn’s leaf fall season, Fineturf have got a Trilo machine for the job!

It’s more than 25 years since Owner Simon Hutton purchased his first refurbished Trilo and, more than two decades on, that SG700 continues to deliver reliable service alongside more than 20 other vacuum units from across the Trilo range.

Trilo’s deliver twenty plus years of reliability

Trilo’s deliver twenty plus years of reliability

An extensive fleet of equipment assists Simon and the teams across the group of companies which includes Tillers Turf and Fineturf Machinery – delivering maintenance and contracting services to leading venues across the sporting spectrum. Undertaking work on racecourses, football pitches, cricket, tennis and fine turf surfaces demands flexibility from their machinery, with a wide variety of Trilo machines used for a multitude of tasks.

Simon explains “Over the businesses we have an SG700, an SG1165, four SG1100’s, 11 SG400’s, an S3, two S4’s and an S12 – all purchased at different times when workload has demanded the investment. The higher capacity machines such as the S12 and SG1100’s are used primarily for grass collection and large scale clearance work such as post-concert clean-ups. The mid-sized and smaller units including the SG700 with its 7m3 capacity are used for contracting and contract hire – vacuuming after koroing, or after scarifying cricket outfields for example.”

“There are three things we really like about the Trilo brand; namely the simplicity of use, build quality and reliability we get from the brand. It’s equipment that stands the test of time!” An example of that is the SG700, which was refurbished by Trilo’s Jeremy Vincent more than 25 years ago and still out working today. “As we speak, that machine is up at the Manchester United Training Ground with a team there completing new season renovation works.”

The SG1165, equipped with six-metre wings is the only machine dedicated to work at the Tillers Turf site, while the rest are utilised year-round by the contracting division – switching from grass collection to leaf collection when autumn arrives. “We see a big spike in hire requests from sports venues, golf clubs and local authorities when the leaves start to drop. The Trilo range being so straight forward to set-up is ideal to go out in those instances, where multiple operators can get stuck in, clear large areas and achieve a great finish.”

“We work closely with both Jeremy and James Boyle who keep us up to speed on new developments and ensure everything keeps running like it should.” He concludes, “With such a large number of people depending on us and our equipment, we need machines we can rely on and with Trilo, that’s never in doubt.”

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15 years of DLF R&D delivers sustainability you can rely on

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15 years of DLF R&D delivers sustainability you can rely on: DLF’s continued focus on breeding environmentally responsible varieties has seen the introduction of a number of exceptional cultivars, helping facilities and turf managers achieve their own objectives for more sustainable management.

In trials for the Chewings Fescue category, DLF’s Orionette demonstrated a high-quality sward that is more drought tolerant and resistant to disease, reducing the reliance on inputs. It is therefore no surprise to see its inclusion in a number of top-performing DLF golf mixtures and find it ranked as number one in the 2023 BSPB Seed Guide!

15 years of DLF R&D delivers sustainability you can rely on

15 years of DLF R&D delivers sustainability you can rely on

Chewings Fescue grass (Festuca rubra commutata) is a popular cool-season grass, valued for its fine texture, early growth habit, attractive green colour and ability to thrive in a range of soil conditions. Its upright growth results in dense tufts without rhizomes, so it doesn’t spread like it’s Slender or Strong Creeping cousins. Over the years, Chewings Fescue has been extensively bred and developed to offer a hardier and even more adaptable turf, tolerant of close mowing and typically blended with other fescues to create a golf mixture with exceptional ball roll and playability.

In recent years, breeding efforts – including those by DLF – have focussed on developing Chewings Fescue cultivars that require less water and fertiliser and be naturally more resistant to pests and disease, reducing the need for chemical inputs and therefore improving environmental sustainability. Orionette is the result of more than 15 years of research and development, created by combining plants of the very best germplasm available in DLF breeding. Extensive screening across DLF’s European trials network followed, including for drought tolerance in France, winter tolerance in the Czech Republic as well as green trials conducted in Denmark.

The results showed superior performance in all aspects and thanks to its high tiller density, Orionette is more tolerant to winter diseases such as Red Thread and highly resilient to wear and tear.

It’s ability to perform under a lower Nitrogen-input programme is another reason why Orionette excels in a number of popular Johnsons Sports Seed mixtures for fine turf – both as a drought-tolerant fairway cultivar in J Premier Fairway or in a disease and weed resistant capacity in a greens mix such as J Fescue and J Green. J Premier Fairway is a high-performance blend of seven fescue cultivars for the sustainable management of non-rye tees and fairways. Orionette makes up 15% of both J Fescue and J Green, requiring less water and fertiliser and contributing to fast and sustainable surfaces.

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MJ Abbott take delivery of Kubota RTV’s

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MJ Abbott take delivery of Kubota RTV’s: Reported as the first vehicles on site and the last to leave any project, a fleet of RTV’s from Kubota have been described as pivotal in the delivery of works by one of the UK’s largest specialist contractors.

MJ Abbott purchased their very first Kubota RTV back in 2006, and now have a total of 29 units supporting operations around the country – with some of their older models clocking up more than 15 years and over 4000 hours of reliable service!

MJ Abbott take delivery of Kubota RTV’s

MJ Abbott take delivery of Kubota RTV’s

MJ Abbott are renowned for delivering unrivalled expertise in all areas of sports turf contracting – from golf course reconstructions and irrigation installations to natural, hybrid and artificial pitch constructions and renovations. Over their near-on sixty years of trading, it’s not just the team and list of services that have grown but their machinery fleet has also expanded at a similar rate to keep pace with the requirements of their long and varied list of clients.

“Our requirements are unique and very different to that of most of our customers” explains Technical Director Adrian Abbott. “Any equipment we purchase has to deliver on a very demanding schedule, cope with challenging ground conditions and give us the ongoing reliability we need to complete works on time. That’s why, when we find something that ticks these boxes we will be very loyal to the brand and that’s exactly what we have with our RTV’s from Kubota.”

Among the 29 units are four RTV 900’s, nine X900’s and thirteen X1110’s – three of which were delivered in February 2023 by local dealer and long-term support partner E G Coles. “The majority of our fleet are running on turf tyres and are equipped to utility spec, with lights, which suits the variety of landscapes we work on. They’ll be the very first thing loaded onto the truck and delivered to site, where they then become the go-to method of transporting both the workforce and the equipment around.”

“As well as them being heavy duty, another big thing we like about the Kubota is the hydrostatic transmission. Compared to other methods, this makes for a smoother drive and is a much more robust mechanism when operating over uneven terrain. In addition, they also have power steering and full hydraulic tip, instead of an electric actuator, which we make full use of.”

With a fleet of that size, comes the necessity to service them effectively which Adrian says is successfully managed in-house with the support of E G Coles and Kubota when required. “When we’ve needed parts or advice, we have always had the support we need both locally and on a national level from the comprehensive Kubota network when we’re out on jobs around the country.”

“It’s testament to the quality of Kubota that we continue to get fantastic performance from RTV’s we purchased over 15 years ago. You can guarantee it will have spent half of its working life axle deep in mud and yet, will still give us everything we ask of it which is why we continue to choose Kubota now and moving forwards” he concludes.

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