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‘Mr SALTEX’ inducted into GMA Hall of Fame

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‘Mr SALTEX’ inducted into GMA Hall of Fame: The Grounds Management Association (GMA) today announces that SALTEX Operations Director, Derek Walder, also known as ‘Mr SALTEX’, will be the third inductee into its industry Hall of Fame.

This latest honour, the most significant gesture of appreciation the GMA can award, follows Derek’s Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and is being awarded to Derek as an acknowledgement of an illustrious career in the industry spanning more than half a century.

‘Mr SALTEX’ inducted into GMA Hall of Fame

‘Mr SALTEX’ inducted into GMA Hall of Fame

Derek’s career has seen him involved in many corners of the groundscare sector, including 26 years as the grounds manager at Wimbledon Football Club’s training site during a legendary period in the club’s history which involved working alongside the notorious group of Wimbledon players known as the ‘Crazy Gang’.

Derek first got involved in SALTEX operations in 1970 as one of many members dedicating their own time in order to ensure SALTEX was a success. His time involved in SALTEX has seen him deal with many important moments in the show’s history, like when the show moved from outdoor venues to an indoor one and, most recently, the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuring the safety of visitors at this year’s show. This year, marks his 40th delivery of the annual trade exhibition.

His induction into the GMA’s Hall of Fame means that Derek is just the third inductee, joining legendary grounds managers, the late Eddie Seaward MBE, former Head Groundsman at the All-England Lawn Tennis Club and Steve Braddock, Head of Grounds Management at the Arsenal Football Club training centre. His award represents the many crucial roles being played behind the scenes that keep the sector, and its events, running.

GMA CEO, Geoff Webb, commenting on Derek’s latest honour, says:

“Our Hall of Fame recognises outstanding contributions to the industry and Derek’s achievements go far beyond turf management by bringing together the groundscare sector successfully under one roof year on year. Derek has shown unswerving dedication to the success of SALTEX, and this award is richly deserved.”

On receiving his honour, Hall of Fame inductee, Derek Walder, says:

“There’s no ‘i’ in ‘team’; I am surrounded by a great bunch of people who consistently commit 100 per cent to the show. I’ve been delivering SALTEX for a long time, but at the end of the day we’ve got a good team and that’s what makes it a success.”

An in-depth feature on Derek, and his journey in grounds management which led to his induction into the Grounds Management Association Hall of Fame, was published in the Winter 2021 edition of the GMA’s member magazine, Grounds Management, a preview of which you can read by clicking here.

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Reform Metrac H75 voted tractor of the year

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Reform Metrac H75 voted tractor of the year: The Reform Metrac H75 pro multi functional tool carrier, has been voted tractor of the year for twenty twenty two, in the best specialised tractor sector.

The award was presented at the EIMA International trade fair in Bologna on October 19th. The judges emphasized the excellent slope capability and versatility of the H75 model and also the high levels of comfort and safety for operators of the vehicle.

Reform Metrac H75 voted tractor of the year

Reform Metrac H75 voted tractor of the year

Simon Richard, UK Agent for the Reform range said, “the H75 was designed and built on  versatility, efficiency and both user and environmental friendliness. Hydrostatic drive with electronic control offers two speed ranges, two terrain gear reductions and foot and hand drive modes. When four-wheel steering is active, the front and rear wheels run exactly in the same line, ensuring tension-free traction on more difficult terrain. Front, rear, four wheel and crab steering as well as offset four-wheel steering can easily be switched at the push of a button. The system is completed by the electro-hydraulic spring brake with an auto hold function which allows smooth and judder-free setting off on slopes.

The 75hp Perkins common rail diesel engine delivers 300Nm torque and the newly designed all-terrain chassis delivers four wheel drive, a four wheel steering system and five steering modes. The new H75 also offers powerful working front and rear hydraulics with 1500kg lifting force and standard weight compensation and the high efficiency of the electro-hydraulic power shift PTO provides power precisely when needed.

Operator comfort is catered for with a newly designed cab which has been completely decoupled from other vehicle components. This results in a major reduction in noise level and significantly lowered vibrations. The ergonomic armrest with it’s central controls forms the basis for easy operation of the new Metrac H75. It is attached to the driver’s seat, allowing fatigue-free working on any terrain, without interference from vibrations or slopes. The multi-function joystick combines all functions for driving and for controlling attachments The focus here was on logical and intuitive operation.” For more information visit www.slopemower.co.uk

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New range of robot mowers

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New range of robot mowers: With an annual growth that has reached tenfold, robotic mowers are becoming more popular with homeowners. However, their basic design has not changed significantly since they were invented in 1995.

Kress believes robotic mowers should do more than relieve users of the burden of pushing a mower each week. The Mission range has been designed from ground up, featuring innovative technologies that will set the industry agenda for the coming years.

New range of robot mowers

New range of robot mowers

Kress Mission robots are enabled to take autonomous decisions to protect and enhance the health of turf. Thanks to the unique INTIVA technology (Intelligent Navigation Technology Inbound Variable Angle), Mission mowers optimize their mowing, requiring fewer passes to get the job done. When a border is reached, Mission robots gently turn in the best direction. Conversely, other robotic mowers stop, reverse, stop, and eventually turn, without being aware of which direction is best. Not only does this waste time, it wears the lawn along the borders and especially the corners.

Another innovation is the ultrasonic Obstacle Avoidance System, which is years ahead of the competition. Not only does the OAS avoid collisions, it tells the robot how to navigate complex paths such as through a group of trees in the lawn.

Temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation all affect grass growth. Connected to a network of local weather stations, Mission robots autonomously customize their work schedule accordingly.

Mission thrives in sloped gardens; it is equipped with REGEN technology that recharges the battery when the mower is running downhill, increasing the runtime.

Designing a robotic lawn mower around the grass does not mean neglecting users’ needs. The biggest complaint robotic lawnmower owners have is still manually trimming borders. Mission’s blade is offset to mow the perimeter of the lawn as closely as possible.

The charging station has also been re-thought from scratch. Unlike conventional charging stations which sit on large plastic pads, both unpleasant to the eye and killing the grass underneath, the pad of Mission’s base is the grass.

With 50 years of innovation backing Kress Power Tools, we are now launching the new 60V range of garden power tools and push mowers at Saltex in the UK and Ireland in time for Spring 2022 for selected professional dealers only.

What are the advantages of stocking Kress Robotik Mowers and 60V Garden power tools?:

As a dealer, there are many advantages for you, such as no more pre-seasons, no more stock holding and no cost to you until you have sold a product. Kress don’t ask for any payment up front – you only pay once you have sold. This helps protect your margin in-store and online, and means every dealer no matter how big or small,l is on a level playing field.

At Kress you get no-cost POS. We don’t charge for our POS, so you can get a stunning display up and running in no time and there is no investment from you. No set up fees, no risks.

Kress Robotik mowers and garden tools have advanced technology which make them the best choice for your customers, and all the advantages of working with Kress make them the best choice for your dealership. Over 50 dealers have already made the smart decision to get in on the action in this growing segment.

Why not contact one of the friendly team today?:

Tony tony.macer@positecgroup.com 07535146211 South / National

Jenni jenni.garford@positecgroup.com 07961052347 Central region

Lee lee.wardell@positecgroup.com 07961050088 Northern region

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Unveiling of RoviMo at Manchester City

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Unveiling of RoviMo at Manchester City: The GGM Group have hosted the prestigious UK unveiling of a ground-breaking Cylinder Cassette Mower for Professional Sports Turf.

The event, which was held at Manchester City FC Training Ground, showcased the RoviMo robotic mower for sports turf, saving potentially thousands of man hours in the maintenance of sports fields and stadiums.

Unveiling of RoviMo at Manchester City

Unveiling of RoviMo at Manchester City

The day was attended by several Premier League football clubs and highlighted a real game changer for the maintenance of professional sports turf and a glimpse of the future as guests which included Groundsman from a number of other premier league football clubs, turf advisors and professionals had the opportunity to see the machine in action and speak to the manufacturer first-hand.

The RoviMo is the world’s first intelligent electric vehicle capable of mowing patterns autonomously according to the guidelines of national football associations, UEFA, or FIFA, precisely and over the shortest distance, horizontally, vertically and with chessboard pattern, at the touch of a button. Supervision of the mowing process by an employee is not necessary.

Operated simply and efficiently remotely via an app, RoviMo® can also be used for mowing other large green areas, and will be developed to be utilised by golf courses. RoviMo® is a multifunctional equipment carrier, which will be able to carry out other work processes such as maintenance of artificial turf, line marking and various other labour-intensive tasks.

GGM Group Sales Andy Melville explains more:

“The event was a huge success, and we were thrilled to unveil the RoviMo to some of the UK’s leading football clubs at such a superb venue, where our guests were given a real glimpse of the future. RoviMo is the future of turfcare and it adds state of art technology to our portfolio, allowing us to offer customers the next generation of intelligent mowers.

“We are thrilled to have been involved from the early stages of development of these new innovative machines; they are the perfect addition to our product range as we continue to grow in the sports ground sectors”.

RoviMo is currently in its final stages of development and the event provided an opportunity for industry professionals to see the pre-production prototype first hand and meet the manufacturers in person, as well as having a two-way dialogue on the many ways in which it will benefit the industry.

Daniel Lewis from Manchester City said:

“The event was a great success and the new machine certainly lived up to expectations. The quality of the cut and the neat finish are essential boxes that needed to be ticked, and the RoviMo did just that.

“The fact that the attendees from other clubs were willing to offer comments freely on future development of the machine demonstrated that the interest is there. The machine could benefit the industry by saving on the continuous labour of grass cutting, allowing staff to get on with the more intricate demands of the job.”

The GGM Group announced they have signed a distribution agreement with Swiss manufacturer Ronovatec back in January this year.

The GGM Group, based in Colne, Lancashire, has a rich heritage and proactively seeks new solutions on an ongoing basis. The new deal with Ronovatec marries perfectly with its strong values of professionalism, innovation, and providing progressive solutions that support its commitment to work towards carbon neutrality.

Andy Melville continued:

“Over recent years there has been a trend for turfcare professionals to increase their green credentials and RoviMo not only offers this but achieves reduced cost and increased efficiency simultaneously. A fully charged RoviMo will mow circa 16’000 m2 in 5-6 hours depending on pattern and terrain, all without employee supervision of the mowing process and saving many man hours. In addition, RoviMo® is fully electric, CO2-free, and autonomous with low noise pollution and is therefore ecologically sustainable and economically unbeatable. It’s a win-win for the customer and the future of sports turf maintenance has never looked more exciting”.

A video of the event can be viewed on the GGM Groundscare YouTube channel or by using:

https://youtu.be/Xo48htmG_pA

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No weed out of reach

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No weed out of reach: Campey Turf Care Systems latest innovation, the AIR Trolly Pack from Dutch manufacturer WeedControl BV brings the hardest to access weeds into reach.

The Honda GX120 motor with compressor powers the LPG/propane 3x15kw hot-air burner head with an adjustable operating temperature between 190°C – 290°C. The small footprint of the trolley and burner means it can easily access hard to reach areas such as around poles, along walls and road edges, under street furniture and in narrow street passages and alleys where weeds consistently grow. The AIR Trolly Pack is also ideal for inner-city areas and the after-treatment of larger weed removal projects.

No weed out of reach

No weed out of reach

Flame weeding is a very effective and environmentally friendly way to remove weeds against alternative methods such as potentially harmful herbicides. Most annual and some perennial weeds can be eradicated using a flame that essentially explodes the weeds’ cells, turning them into ash. This ash then mixes with the soil or disperses with no harm to other plants while there is no risk of drift onto other areas, which can be common with chemical applications.

WeedControl has explored all health and safety concerns associated with working with a flame during the development of the product. Special attention was paid to the ease of operation to ensure that any user can safely and easily operate the machine. All WeedControl products are made to meet legal requirements when working in public and private areas and impact the environment as little as possible with a focus on sustainability.

The AIR Trolly Pack can be optionally supplied with a hot-air bin at the front side. This is equipped with a 3x15kW hot-air burner head. For this, the AIR Trolly Pack is modified at the front side for stability.

For more information or a demonstration of the AIR Trolley Pack, contact Campey Turf Care Systems.

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