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C J Ashby Forestry bowled over by Aspen Fuel

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C J Ashby Forestry bowled over by Aspen Fuel: Working in proud partnership with J S Wright & Sons, C J Ashby Forestry are contract felling and harvesting the willow which goes into making around 75% of the world’s cricket bats.

Powering the operation for the last 15 years is Aspen Fuel, which owner Colin Ashby says provides the clean, convenience they look for across their suite of two and four-stroke equipment.

C J Ashby Forestry bowled over by Aspen Fuel

C J Ashby Forestry bowled over by Aspen Fuel

Colin is the fourth generation of the family to take the helm and leads a team of 17 operatives nationwide looking after all stages of the willow production – from procuring and planting the trees, through to harvesting and hauling. “Our journey with Aspen began 15 years ago when we started experiencing a number of issues with our petrol-powered chainsaws” he explains. “I was working on a farm at the time, and the farmer suggested the source of the problem was the fuel. Later that day I picked up a copy of a forestry magazine and started reading about Aspen Fuel and the rest, as they say, is history!”

“We purchased a few cans to give it a try and we’ve been using it ever since – starting with Aspen-2 initially in our handheld tools and then moving onto the Aspen-4 for our larger bits of equipment such as the mechanical arbor.”

“It’s easy to store, cleaner to use and provides a healthier environment for the operator to work in.” He explains, “Very often, we’re working in densely populated woodland and/or in very close proximity to our equipment. As soon as we started using Aspen Fuel, all of the headaches and sore throats you just became accustomed to stopped, immediately.”

Virtually free from sulphur, benzene and solvents, Aspen alkylate petrol is much less harmful that pump unleaded. By removing these ingredients, operators can breathe clean air, contributing to a healthier and cleaner working environment. The omission of ethanol also makes Aspen better for engine health, providing maximum performance while simultaneously extending equipment life and reliability.

“Chainsaws which may have lasted 12 months previously, now give us three years of reliable performance. Across the board, I’d say since we switched to Aspen our hand tools are lasting twice as long and our maintenance and repair bills have halved” Colin adds.

The team also enjoy the convenience angle that comes with being an Aspen customer. “We can order what we need easily, and it’s delivered to our site in a mixture of cans and drums just a couple of days later. It eliminates trips to the forecourt and makes it easy to ensure that each team has the necessary quantity and type of fuel on board. Aspen-2 being pre-mixed also takes away the need to mix on-site, reducing spillages and giving us peace of mind that we’re getting the right mix every time.”

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S&C Slatter hand over the baton

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S&C Slatter hand over the baton: Leading sports construction specialists S&C Slatter, in partnership with Beynon Sports, officially handed over Alexander Stadium’s new World Athletics Class 1 facilities in May

Working with world-leading athletics track manufacturer Beynon Sports, S&C Slatter has successfully delivered a full design and build package for the state-of-the-art athletics facilities, under McLaughlin & Harvey’s ultramodern Alexander Stadium redevelopment project.

S&C Slatter hand over the baton

S&C Slatter hand over the baton

Boasting two cutting-edge athletics tracks with natural grass infields, as well as an additional dedicated practice throws area, the facility has attained a World Athletics Class 1 Athletics Facility Certificate, required for hosting the highest level of international competition – including the Olympics and World Athletics Championships.

For S&C Slatter’s experienced team, it was no sweat. Between them they’ve delivered athletics tracks across the country, from community to elite level.

Steve Ayres, Contracts Manager, S&C Slatter, commented:

“This project presented an immovable deadline and demanded the highest standards, but with our expertise, scale doesn’t impact our ability. Strong communication, adaptability and experience are what ensured our programme was delivered to schedule. Others might find the extra scrutiny a challenge – but we produce the best we can, whether for a local school or the highest levels of competition.”

An industry leader in North America, with over 7,500 installations in the last 40 years, the Alexander Stadium redevelopment marks the first UK installation for Beynon delivered under their exclusive partnership with S&C Slatter. Together, the leading manufacturer of World Athletics Class 1 Surfaces in the United States and one of the UK’s leading sports construction specialists, know what it takes to deliver superior sports facilities.

Jason Douglass, S&C Slatter Group Director, commented:

“We were delighted to work with Beynon Sports on this truly exciting project, producing world-class athletics facilities as part of the Alexander Stadium redevelopment.  

With a proven history of delivering sports facilities for the very highest levels of global performance, as well as for community use, we’re thrilled to have provided an outstanding facility for the City of Birmingham and elite athletes across the nation.” 

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Getting stronger over time

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Getting stronger over time: For almost any product, there is an environment that provides its toughest test. If you’re making extreme winter clothing, and you get asked to supply your gear to McMurdo Station, the largest settlement in Antarctica, you’ll know it is going to get the best possible test.

Similarly if you sell bunker liners and you get asked to supply The Preserve GC, in Vancleave in southern Missssippi.

Getting stronger over time

Getting stronger over time

Designed by Jerry Pate and opened in 2005, The Preserve is attached to the Palace Casino Resort in nearby Biloxi. According to director of operations Stephen Miles, the course does 13,000 rounds in an average year, though the post-Covid golf boom means 2021 has been significantly busier. And, let us not beat about the bush: this part of the Gulf coast is the wettest location in the whole of the continental United States, averaging almost 70 inches (1780mm) of rain a year. And 2021 has been wetter still than that: club meteorlogist Jeremy Steven reports that the figure for this year is very close to 100 inches (2,540mm).

Fortunately for Miles and his team, back in 2014, The Preserve chose to rebuild its bunkers and line them with Capillary Bunkers technology. “Nine years after opening is not a long time to have to renovate, but the infrastructure in the original build of the course was simply not up to coping with our weather,” he says. “The bunkers were originally lined with fabric, but it was wearing out, and we needed a more resilient solution. I knew that concrete had the tendency to get stronger over time, and Capillary Bunkers was less restrictive in the conditions needed for installation than its closest rival. I was confident at the time that we had made the right choice and installed a product that would stand the test of time. And time has proved we made the right choice!”

“We have not had to repair our bunkers at all, and, incredibly, the original sand is still in them,” Miles says. “Since 2014, I have bought one truckload of sand, and that was for the bunker in our chipping green – which gets blasted out by players. Our bunkers have flashed sand faces, but our minimal washout issues only occur where water actually flows into the bunkers. When we get a big rain – and eight to ten inches of rain is not uncommon – we have to wait for the drainage infrastructure underneath the bunkers to catch up with the bunkers’ ability to move water. But it always does, and then the crew can prepare the bunkers for play again.”

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Sheep take over groundsman duties

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Sheep take over groundsman duties: Although it’s hard to find many silver linings in the heavy clouds pressing down on us at the moment, one positive part of lockdown is the natural world taking back what’s been nabbed by humanity.

Whether it’s herds of wild goats taking over Llandudno, or deer roaming the estates of East London. Now, an enterprising decision to get sheep cutting the grass at a Welsh rugby club is the latest in animal-based good news that should brighten up your day, at least a little.

Sheep take over groundsman duties

Sheep take over groundsman duties

The BBC reports that the flock of sheep in question have been moved onto a Welsh rugby pitch during the lockdown. Brecon Rugby Club decided that, while sports fixtures are on hold during the coronavirus crisis, it would be a great idea to rent their pitch to the club’s chairman Paul Amphlett. Amphlett is also a shepherd and has a flock of sheep who need ground for grazing. So not only will Amphlett paying to rent the pitch serve to drum up some well needed dosh during the club’s fallow period, it also helps save on the maintenance fees for the pitch. He told the BBC” “the club needed to find a way to make and save some money during lockdown, I said I’d pay rent if they let me graze my sheep on the pitch.” He continued: “this in turn allowed us to keep our 73-year-old groundsman safely tucked away and also saved us some money on fertiliser.”

But how’re they actually doing on the job? The club’s coach Andy Powell said, “the sheep are doing a good job, the grass is nice and green and healthy.”

Amphlett, who’s come out of retirement as a paramedic to work on the frontline during the coronavirus crisis, is relieved to have his beasts cared for while he’s on duty. He told the BBC, “they need to be looked after because if they roll onto their backs they often can’t get back up.” I mean in fairness to the sheep, that’s inclined to happen to any of us at the best of times.

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Sheep taking over golf courses

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Sheep taking over golf courses: At least two closed and empty English golf clubs have been taken over by sheep during the coronavirus lockdown – where the ruminants have been taking on the grass cutting duties normally reserved for the currently furloughed greenkeepers.

Several UK golf courses are located near to farmland but animals are typically deterred from venturing towards the courses due to the presence of golfers and greenkeepers. Plus, their source of food, which is now growing more quickly than it has been in recent months, is usually mown away just as rapidly.

Sheep taking over golf courses

Sheep taking over golf courses

But with no golfers bar one or two breaking the rules, and with most golf clubs furloughing all but one greenkeeper, golf courses are proving to be rich pickings for hungry sheep.

Avington Park Golf Course and Bramshaw Golf Club, both in southern England, have showcased the hard-working animals on social media.

According to entertainment website TMZ, there have been about 100 sheep roaming and grazing on Avington Park’s 32-acre golf course.

Bramshaw Golf Club also saw the funny side of the invasion – and also outlined the benefits to the course.

The club wrote on Twitter: ‘Been out there for a couple of days. Not doing any harm at the moment.. free labour!’

While sheep on golf courses due to a lack of golfers because of a pandemic may be something new, many golf courses around the world do use herbivores to help out with the maintenance of their facilities.

Machrihanish Dunes in Scotland has used sheep to control the rough in the past.

A spokesman told The Golf Business in 2014: “Here at Machrihanish Dunes we are very proud of our eco friendly status.

“By using the natural lawnmowers to thin out the rough on the course we are able to help preserve several rare and protected species of orchids that grow here on this site and in few other places. The added benefit is visitors can enjoy the company of these unique companions as they play a round. These woolly wonders will have people flocking to see them in action.”

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