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Kubota Top Of The Class

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Kubota Top Of The Class: Kubota UK’s partnership with Merchant Taylors’, one of the ‘Great Nine’ schools of England, is going from strength to strength after the school recently replaced 13 of its machines for 13 new machines through George Browns, who are the UK’s largest Kubota groundcare dealer.

With 285 acres of pitches, lakes and woodland to maintain, and a campus that boasts first class facilities, it is vital that Merchant Taylors’ ground maintenance team have the most reliable, hard working and best performing equipment on the market.

Kubota Top Of The Class

The responsibility of the maintenance and upkeep of this vast rural estate is led by grounds manager Richard Ayling, who has been working at the school for almost 23 years. To support the continuous maintenance of the grounds, Richard required a range of new groundcare machinery to update the schools existing Kubota inventory.

Richard said: “This school has developed an outstanding reputation as one of the best boys schools in the UK, both academically and through sporting achievements.  In order for our students to perform to the best of their ability, ensuring the sports surfaces are in perfect condition all year round is critical.

“We also host a number of top-tier sporting teams Including Middlesex County Cricket Club, Saracens rugby academy and a regional centre for England hockey. With such a vast range of pitches, this is by no means an easy task, so having the right machines that can help you do your job productively is key.

“The purchasing of the machines was straightforward after taking different factors into consideration. We need machines that can perform to the highest standards. Reliability is also important to avoid any costly downtime and the machines we use need to be comfy and simple to operate so my team can carry out their work efficiently.  That’s exactly why we chose Kubota.

“We have had a relationship with George Browns and Kubota for decades now and have never been let down.  This new machinery will significantly assist our team of ten groundcare staff, helping to increase productivity of our operations even further across a wide range of applications.”

As a testament to the reliability of Kubota machinery, the school has only just parted ways with their very first Kubota machine. The L225 had been used at the school for over 35 years, being one of the first compact tractors ever to be introduced by Kubota into the UK market by in the early 80s.

Fast forward to today, the school’s recent order includes two of Kubota’s market-leading diesel-powered RTV-X900 utility vehicles, three petrol-powered RTV-500s and two commercial mowers, the Kubota G21 ride-on and out front F3090.  Richard also purchased a number of Kubota’s popular L Series mid-sized tractors, including two L5040s and an L5740. The STW34, B2050 and M60 Series tractors completed Richard’s fleet replacement programme.

Due to the expanse and diversity of the estate at Merchant Taylors’ School, the addition of five new Kubota RTVs enables the efficient transportation of both personnel and equipment around the vast site. For example, the two RTV-X900’s are specifically used to tackle some of the more difficult terrain located outside the school site, such as the woodland and lake areas that cannot be accessed easily by foot or other vehicles.

The STW34 compact tractor is primarily used to undertake the majority of cricket renovations, ensuring pitches are kept in optimum condition. The ability to use a wide range of implements on this tractor allows for significant adaptability and flexibility across a multitude of tasks.

The powerful L5040 tractors are being used by the team to cater for heavier workloads as their extra lifting capacity of up to 1750KG makes them much more versatile. The range is an ideal choice for carrying out such tasks as scarifying, fertiliser spreading and seeding, plus verti-draining the land.

Richard continued: “It’s testament to the quality of the pitches we produce and maintain here at Merchant Taylors’ that other top sports teams use our facilities.  I am extremely proud of the work we do and the professionalism of my groundcare team.  We take real pride in making sure we can work towards and keep the school facilities to the high standard that independent schools demand. The very high standards of facilities in this sector are being set across the country by Grounds Managers and it is my responsibility to make sure Taylors’ is the same.

“There’s no doubt that partnerships like the one with have with George Browns and Kubota also play a substantial role in enabling us to carry out our work to the highest standards.  We are using high performance and quality machines from a trusted brand and have the first class back-up and support from George Browns when required.  We look forward to continuing this relationship in the future.”

For more information on Kubota and its extensive range of solutions for the groundcare sectors, or to find your local dealer, visit www.kubota.co.uk or call 01844 268000.

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Amenity Sprayer Operator of the Year Announcement At BTME

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Amenity Sprayer Operator of the Year Announcement At BTME: The overall winner of the Amenity Forum Sprayer Operator of the Year Awards, which is sponsored by ICL and Syngenta, and supported by BASIS, will be announced at the 2018 BTME event in Harrogate.

The awards, in their third year, seek to recognise and reward the industry’s best sprayer operators. Its aim is to improve overall standards by identifying the best practice of individuals to enhance results – and sharing their experiences across the industry.

Amenity Sprayer Operator of the Year Announcement AT BTME

Over the past year, sprayer operators from all over the UK have been entering one of three categories and the winners were announced at the recent Amenity Forum conference, held at the Pirelli Stadium, Burton on Trent.

The category winners were:

Sports turf: Using a knapsack/boom sprayer: Chris Phillips – Complete Weed Control

Chris joined Complete Weed Control, South Wales in 2001 as an operator and soon became proficient in the skill of street pavements herbicide application before excelling in the fine turf side of the business. Since acquiring the CWC franchise in south and central Wales, his business has gone from strength to strength and in particular his work on golf courses has been widely praised.

Chris feels extremely proud to have won this category and believes it is a major achievement in his highly successful career so far.

Landscape & Industrial: Using a knapsack sprayer: Nathan Hume – SH Goss Ltd

Nathan, Contracts Manager and Ecologist for SH Gross Ltd, primarily specialises in the prevention of invasive non-native plants and also operates in a wide variety of sites including airports, railways, cemeteries, rivers, forests, nature reserves, construction sites and golf courses.

“It was an honour to receive the award. Myself and the company have always followed best practice so awards like this are a nice justification that we are doing things right,” he said.

Amenity Sprayer Operator of the Year Announcement AT BTME

Landscape & Industrial: Using a vehicle sprayer: Lee Harrison – Complete Weed Control

Lee joined Complete Weed Control South Wales five years ago and is regarded as a very intelligent operator, who is highly motivated and anxious to do a good job every day. He is extremely knowledgeable with all aspects of pesticide applications and especially when it comes to calibration. His precision is said to be ‘legendary’ within the company.

The three category winners have now been invited by ICL and Syngenta to attend the BTME Welcome Reception where the overall winner will be announced. Not only will the winner receive the Amenity Forum Shield but they will also have a number of fantastic prizes to choose from which include.

  1. Flights, accommodation and entry to GCSAA 2018 San Antonio, Texas – or
  2. Flights, accommodation and entry to GIE Expo 2018 Louisville, Kentucky – or
  3. ICL / Syngenta products to the value of £2,000

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

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Launch Of ISEKI UK & Ireland

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Launch Of ISEKI UK & Ireland: ISEKI UK & Ireland has been launched as part of a huge investment in UK and Ireland markets by the Japanese tractor manufacturer.

The launch of ISEKI UK & Ireland is an exciting development showing great investment and commitment by ISEKI in these key markets. ISEKI UK ltd is a company formed with investment from ISEKI for the sole purpose of distributing the ISEKI range of products and growing market share and sales in the UK & Ireland Markets.

Launch Of ISEKI UK & Ireland

For the last many years, the ISEKI product line has been distributed in the UK and Ireland by Ransomes Jacobsen operating out of their facilities in Ipswich Suffolk. ISEKI would like to sincerely thank Ransomes Jacobsen for all their hard work and dedication over this period and look forward to building on this foundation.

The new ISEKI company will also be based in the Ipswich area and joining ISEKI UK in the new year as Managing Director will be ex-President of Jacobsen, David Withers.

Withers is well known in the industry having served for many years at Ransomes and Jacobsen and more recently working as a business consultant in the golf industry.

“I started working with Iseki when the product line came to Jacobsen in 1996 and have always enjoyed being involved with such an exciting and reliable product line. When ISEKI outlined their strategic vision of getting closer to the customers by investing in their own distribution in the UK it made sense to me” said Withers, who went on to say “I am really looking forward to joining Iseki UK in the New Year to head up this exciting new venture”

Kazuya Tani the European Managing Director of ISEKI  said “This is an exciting time for ISEKI we will be investing more in marketing and promotions of the ISEKI brand and want to see a wider acceptance of our products through expanding our markets served and getting more share from existing customers. The commitment of ISEKI to the UK Market will be significant and we trust that the market will react positively to this approach”

More information will be issued over coming weeks and no changes are anticipated to the current dealer network.

For more information go to www.iseki.co.uk

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Extensive Display Of Polaris Models At LAMMA

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Extensive Display Of Polaris Models At LAMMA: Polaris has lined up a vast range of 2018 models for the LAMMA show. Starting with the world’s best selling Sportsman ATVs, there are not many to match the off-road abilities these Polaris machines have to offer. Take the Sportsman 570 EPS. It boasts 44hp, Electronic Power Steering (EPS) and Engine Braking System (EBS) to complement the class leading suspension, and true, on demand All-Wheel Drive. A long-time favourite on the farm, the Sportsman is thoroughly at home negotiating the toughest terrain while providing the rider with an ergonomic, all-round work horse.

If you want an ATV that will carry two people, the Sportsman X2 570 EPS is the ideal choice, offering the features of the single-seater with the addition of Polaris 4 wheel Active Descent Control (ADC) for safely traversing the steepest hills in all types of weather. It’s the ideal solution for getting two people who need to work together into and out of the most inaccessible areas and safely down the steepest inclines, with optimum traction and control in all conditions.

Extensive Display Of Polaris Models At LAMMA

For those of you looking for more power from your ATV, consider the Polaris Sportsman XP 1000 with its 952cc Prostar engine producing 90hp at 7,250 rpm. That is a massive amount of power in a quad and this Polaris has a 261kg payload capacity while featuring EPS, EBS and ADC. It also shares with the rest of the Sportsman range the facility for masses of storage space, with Polaris Lock & Ride, and a comprehensive choice of accessories.

The Polaris Ranger has been largely responsible for leading the charge in the rapid development of the side by side utility 4×4 vehicle market in the UK. For the farmer, the Ranger offers the perfect solution in off-road working transport capable of carrying up to six people, from the two-seater Ranger 570 to the Ranger Crew XP 1000 which accommodates six people, and in addition offers a load carrying dump box at the rear. Most importantly, the Polaris Ranger series gives you the choice of petrol, diesel or electric power, with the multiple options of Lock & Ride cabs to keep out the weather and a host of accessories to meet every need on the farm. As a highly capable alternative to an ATV, the Ranger 570 will take two people comfortably where they need to be across the roughest ground in all weathers. The electric Ranger, the EV, is equally proficient in rough terrain as an eco-friendly alternative, with its silent running 30hp on demand all-wheel drive.

For power, versatility and diesel economy nothing compares to the Polaris Ranger XP 1000 Diesel, sharing EPS, EBS and ADC with its Sportsman cousins and carrying three people in comfort. There’s a petrol equivalent in the Ranger XP 1000 EPS with the same features. Where there is a need to carry up to six people with room for equipment the Ranger Crew XP 1000 EPS fits perfectly as its name implies and with gamekeeping and shooting it has long become the first choice. For added convenience the six seater crew models are available in both petrol and diesel fuel option.

Also on display at LAMMA, the Polaris General 1000 EPS Deluxe Tractor, with ABS (Antilock Braking System) is the ultimate side by side for farm, work, hunting and leisure. Seen alongside its bigger brothers, Polaris is featuring the Sportsman 110 which offers a great way for youngsters to get started in quad biking. See the Polaris ranges at Stand No. R71 at LAMMA.

Polaris Britain: 0800 915 6720 www.polaris-britain.com

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Future Of Disease Control Tracked With New Live Maps

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Future Of Disease Control Tracked With New Live Maps: A new disease forecasting tool on the Syngenta Greencast turf management website is now giving a clear picture of disease pressure across the United Kingdom – and predicts where there risk of infection is set to occur and will enable more informed actions.

Live Maps combine accurate weather forecast information along with proven disease prediction models, to foresee and track risks for up to five days before they occur.

Future Of Disease Control Tracked With New Live Maps

Encompassing Google maps, users simply zoom in to their own area for a close up of detailed local information. The maps cover all key turf diseases, along with forecast changes in soil temperatures and a new feature for Grass Growing Potential.

Daniel Lightfoot, Syngenta UK Turf Business Manager, enthuses that one of the great advances of Live Maps for greenkeepers is the ability to visibly track conditions and risks progressing across the country – and giving time to assess action plans.

“Targeting preventative disease programmes during periods of infection risk, but before symptoms break out consistently maintains better playing surface conditions,” he advocated.

Daniel pointed out that STRI research had shown fungicide programmes based on proactive forecasting maintained better conditions using fewer applications over the course of the season, compared to routine application or treatment at the first signs of disease.

“Timing is the absolute key,” he advised. “Live Maps is a new way to better pinpoint the optimum application timing.” He believed that turf managers are going to have to get ever better at prevention in the future, to mitigate the impending loss of iprodione and to meet the increasingly stringent demands of today’s players

“Whilst products such as Instrata Elite have excellent curative activity on early disease stages with in the leaf, the results are consistently better and longer lasting if it can be applied before symptoms have broken out on the surface,” he added.

Danial believes the new Grass Growing Potential maps will be especially useful for aiding Primo Maxx application interval timing – enabling turf managers to focus on periods of peak growth and potentially ease off when conditions are less favourable.

“If you use Grass Growing Potential in conjunction with soil temperature, it could be highly beneficial for timing renovation or over seeding activities to get seedlings off to the best possible start,” he said. “It also has a role for predicting turf recovery and implications for the disease management programme.”

The Live Maps are available now free for all registered GreenCast subscribers, under the ‘Weather’ tab in the navigation bar.

For more information go to www.greencast.co.uk

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