Tag Archive for: Part

ISEKI UK proud to be part of Watcombe’s journey

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ISEKI UK proud to be part of Watcombe’s journey: Seventeen months ago, a new under-14 girls’ football team was started in South Devon for girls’ who were unhappy at their current clubs.

Fast forward a season and a half, and Watcombe Wanderers have won promotion in their first season and now have two teams whose kits are proudly sponsored by ISEKI UK and Ireland.

ISEKI UK proud to be part of Watcombe's journey

ISEKI UK proud to be part of Watcombe’s journey

In September 2023, team manager Martin Campbell, a fully licenced coach, was approached to start the team, and during the recruitment process, he received a message from ISEKI Vehicle Sales Manager Phil Catley about his daughter, Maddie.

After starting the season late due to not having enough players, Maddie and the other girls quickly formed a formidable team, eventually finishing second on the last day of the season to claim promotion to Division Two.

With the football side of the team performing beyond expectations, Martin wanted to build the team’s identity with new kits and hoodies before they started their second season. To do this, he sent a message to the parents, and Phil replied.

“They were playing like footballers, so we wanted them to look like footballers,” Martin said. “It can seem like a small thing, but before I joined the ambulance service I was in the service industry for 25 years in sales. Every time you put on a new suit, you feel like someone; you feel like something, and that’s what I wanted for the girls with their own kit.

“Like any grassroots club, we rely on volunteers and parents to drive the club, and when it came to kit sponsorship, we asked the parents, and Phil came forward and said I might be able to help.

“Like anything, people come forward with good intentions, but we all sat here thinking, ‘Why is a big national company going to be interested in a little backstreet girls’ football team on the outskirts of Newton Abbott.’

“But the response from ISEKI was positive, and they sponsored two kits and hoodies for the girls, and I have to say they look outstanding.

Without the sponsorship from ISEKI, the girls wouldn’t be able to play football with a nice kit on their backs and be proud of them. They wear the hoodies when they go to school or when they’re walking down the street with their mum and dad. So, what might seem like a small thing has made a significant difference to our team.

We are currently placed second in the second division and are chasing promotion to the first division, which will be a massive achievement for a new team to go from third division to first division in two years.”

“Women’s football is enjoying massive growth these days, so to be able to support an up-and-coming grassroots team is something to be very proud of especially with the amount of work we do with the GMA’s Pitch Advisory Service in advising on the supply of machinery to local sports clubs” said Alan Prickett Sales Director of ISEKI Uk & Ireland.

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Play your part in cutting carbon

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Play your part in cutting carbon: Here Anthony Nadalin, director of marketing at The Toro Company, explores how Paris is leading the way in the decarbonisation of a major European city and the role outdoor power equipment can have in helping local municipalities achieve this.

France is one of the nation’s leading the effort to decarbonise and improve city air quality for residents, commuters and tourists.

Play your part in cutting carbon

Play your part in cutting carbon

Currently, 12 urban areas in France – including in and around Paris – have implemented a low-emission zone, known as an m-EPZ. These initial zones are just the beginning, as an additional 31 towns and cities are set to implement similar schemes by 2025. Along with cutting carbon, low-emission zones have been implemented to improve urban air quality for those who reside or work within them.

As France’s capital city, you would expect Paris to be at the forefront of these measures. In fact, the French capital adopted its first climate action plan in 2007 and is currently implementing the third, covering 2020 – 2030. By 2050, the city aims to have achieved a 100% reduction in local emissions and an 80% reduction in its total carbon footprint, compared to 2004 levels.

At present, the focus of all of its low-emission zones is motor vehicles powered by fossil fuels. In practice, this means that only vehicles powered by modern, efficient petrol and diesel engines are permitted to enter a zone. By 2030, Paris will only allow battery and hydrogen-powered vehicles to enter the city and the surrounding areas.

However, for Paris to successfully reach its goal of reducing local carbon emissions by 100%, it will require outdoor power equipment – used by local municipalities and businesses – to transition from petrol to more sustainable alternatives such as battery.

Challenge and opportunity

This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for organisations using such equipment. The opportunity to get ahead of the curve by adopting all-electric machinery now. For commercial businesses, it demonstrates their commitment to sustainability, while also giving them first mover advantage. However, the challenge for municipal authorities and landscaping or groundskeeping professionals is whether they can transition to all-electric machinery without sacrificing productivity and increasing their costs.

Therefore, it is no surprise that many companies are turning to battery-powered outdoor power equipment manufacturers, such as Toro to find the right solution for them.

Leading the charge

Toro is leading the charge to help the people of Paris and beyond make the switch to cordless outdoor power equipment. Toro’s approach is based on three pillars: performance, ease of use and affordability.

A fundamental principle is that the all-electric versions must meet or exceed the performance of the petrol and diesel equivalents. This is why Toro’s Revolution Series products are commercial-grade equipment designed for professional use. For example, Toro’s proprietary HyperCell® battery system was developed to deliver all-day run times, helping meet the demands of various industries without hindering power or performance.

Ease of use means that all-electric machinery must be easy to operate with stress-free maintenance. It helps that Toro’s Revolution Series is built on the proven Grandstand® and Z Master® chassis and TURBO FORCE® platforms, meaning they’re familiar to contractors and service engineers.

Furthermore, Toro Total Care offers groundskeeping professionals 24/7 support while features such as integrated charging systems and software offer a more user-friendly experience.

There remains a lively debate around the cost of cordless equipment, but we believe we are winning the argument. For a long time, equipment rental companies have focused on the total cost of ownership rather than the ticket price. Calculating the lifetime costs of a piece of equipment – capital cost, fuel, service and maintenance, and end-of-life disposal – provides a much more accurate picture than how much it costs to buy.

For some time now we have seen increasing numbers of grounds care and gardening professionals start to view equipment in the same way – and in this light, cordless machinery represents greater value for money. Easy to maintain and cost-effective to run, it can also cut the total cost of ownership and contribute to greater business profitability.

To help companies understand the financial benefits of battery power, Toro has created a TCO calculator, enabling contractors and municipal authorities to calculate their operational return on investment.

Play your part

Paris is driving urban decarbonisation in France, with many other towns and cities following suit. By 2030, municipalities and landscaping or grounds care contractors will be driving into the Paris low-emission zone in electric or hydrogen vehicles. Surely it would look deeply incongruous and send the wrong message if these vehicles were carrying diesel or petrol-powered equipment?

Furthermore, as residents get used to cleaner and quieter vehicles, they will expect the same from the outdoor power equipment used to maintain their parks and open spaces.

Joining the transition to battery-powered OPE will play a huge role in achieving decarbonisation targets for businesses looking to join cities like Paris in transitioning to a cleaner, quieter and electrified future.

To find out more about how Toro is leading the charge, or to access its TCO calculator and begin investing in battery-powered equipment, visit: https://sites.toro.com/leadthecharge/index.html.

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ISEKI is part of the team at Bloxham

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ISEKI is part of the team at Bloxham: An ISEKI compact tractor is proving to be an ‘extra member of staff’ for the grounds team at Bloxham School according to Head Groundsman Paul White.

Located in the heart of the beautiful Oxfordshire village of Bloxham, Bloxham School is an independent, co-educational boarding and day school for boys and girls aged 11 to 18.

ISEKI is part of the team at Bloxham

ISEKI is part of the team at Bloxham

On a single-site campus the school boasts state-of-the-art facilities for academic work, technology, arts, and sport – which is where Paul comes in. Bloxham has a superb sporting programme offering a wide range of sports and Paul and his grounds team work hard to prepare these surfaces to the highest standard.

To achieve this, Paul is somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to grounds maintenance equipment.

“As soon as machinery becomes outdated and not fit for purpose it absolutely needs replacing,” he said. “Specifically, we wanted a tractor to cover all the implements we have in our workforce, and to be able to use them safely and correctly on different surfaces.

“The reason we bought into ISEKI was because we have used their machines regularly in the past and they have always been reliable.”

After a demonstration arranged by ISEKI dealer Turney Groundcare & Garden Machinery, Paul decided to purchase the ISEKI TG6495 – a 47 hp compact tractor with the innovative IQ dual-clutch 24-speed transmission.

Other benefits of the TG6495 include:

  • 1580 kg lift capacity at the ball ends and 1400 kg lift capacity @24″ behind
  • Category 2 cab with air-conditioning, heating, and a good view
  • Front loader joystick, up-stop PTO, linkage up in reverse and draft control all supplied as standard
  • Equipped with an electro-hydraulic power take-off shaft that saves the attachment and the engine while providing operator comfort

“We all been really impressed with the tractor,” said Paul. “The lifting of the PTO has been a massive benefit and the automatic clutch shut off is good for when we are turning on the sports fields.

“The weight and the size of it is much better on our fields for compaction. It has good traction for the wheels, the all-round visibility of the tractor is very much improved compared to our last tractor, and general use is a lot easier for the operator.

“It has performed exceptionally well in all weather conditions. Through the winter it has been fantastic with our vertidrainer and in summer it has helped with a number of different implements.

“Also, the IQ transmission makes it easier for our operators to use and change gear when there are implements on the back.

“We like to think of this tractor as an extra member of staff – it does everything we ask of it.”

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Starlings part of the plan at Sherborne GC

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Starlings part of the plan at Sherborne GC: Under the guidance of Agrovista Amenity, Sherborne Golf Club is currently embarking on an integrated pest management plan (IPM) to control a leatherjacket population.

Sherborne is a mature 18-hole parkland course set on a Dorset hilltop with stunning views over Somerset and the Blackmore Vale. Much of the course was designed by the renowned British Open winner and inter-war course architect James Braid and the Club is a member of the Braid Association.

Starlings part of the plan at Sherborne GC

Starlings part of the plan at Sherborne GC

Scott Johnson has been the Head Greenkeeper at Sherborne Golf Club for just seven weeks; however, he knows the course inside out as prior to his promotion, he was the deputy course manager for six years. Therefore, he was aware of the long road he had ahead of him in regard to controlling the leatherjackets. He immediately set his mind to the task.

“It was apparent that I needed to minimise the amount of bird damage by reducing the number of leatherjackets,” said Scott. “We have 4 or 5 greens that are getting torn apart on a daily basis by crows and rooks.

“Since I became the Head Greenkeeper, we have tried many cultural methods to limit the bird damage. These included the purchase of a bird scarer microphone that really was quite effective to start with – the members took them round as they played first thing in the morning and late in the evenings, but obviously you can’t expect them to keep doing that every time. We also had spinning CDs dotted around the worst affected greens.”

Scott soon got in touch with David Bevan, Amenity Specialist for Agrovista Amenity, who visited Sherborne Golf Course to take a look.

“It was apparent there was a problem with leatherjackets,” said David. “Sherborne is an ecological minded golf course, so I started chatting to Scott about integrated pest management (IPM) which I am a firm believer in.”

With many active substances now withdrawn from the turf and amenity sector, crucial practices such as monitoring and using a range of preventative measures within an IPM approach is being widely encouraged as best practice. David’s advice to Scott was to explore a more long-term, controlled outlook which would also reduce the need for purchasing products year on year.

“The immediate solution was a single application of Acelepryn, which contains the active substance chlorantraniliprole,” continued David.  “I also spoke to Scott about how starlings are natural predators to the leatherjackets and it was at this point that I recommended our WoodStone starling boxes – I thought these would fit in nicely with what Scott and his team are trying to achieve.”

Constructed from a mix of concrete and wood fibres, the WoodStone boxes comprise of a single 45 mm hole – which is the perfect size to encourage starlings and discourage other birds and wildlife. As David says, starlings are an important natural predator of chafer beetles and crane flies and can be encouraged by turf managers as part of an integrated approach to pest management (IPM). Their narrow beaks facilitate feeding on these pests whilst causing minimal damage to the turf and promoting natural aeration of the surface. David further explained the benefits of starlings.

Starlings part of the plan at Sherborne GC

Starlings part of the plan at Sherborne GC

“A crow tends to scavenge and tear the turf with its claws and beak to get to the leatherjackets, whereas a starling has a very short, sharp pointed beak so it tends to peck straight in and straight out. A starling won’t cause any notable damage to the turf, which is why we are encouraging them to set-up home.”

Scott purchased nine WoodStone starling boxes which have been put into various locations all over the course and David has warned him not to expect overnight results.

“We have just created a habitat for the starlings to nest and breed, and now we have to let nature take its course – you can’t really put a time on that. It’s certainly a long-term approach and the correct approach in my opinion. The more you can do to encourage the natural predator the better, whether it be golf courses, schools or anywhere else for that matter.

“I think the industry needs to start looking away from chemical controls as the sole answer where it can to be honest and Scott is certainly taking a more ecological approach at Sherborne, by encouraging what amounts to a biological control. We will continue to support him closely with what he’s trying to achieve.”

Scott was full of praise for the service he has received to date from David and Agrovista Amenity.

“David has been in to visit on a number of occasions now – always with fantastic advice and knowledge. The products from Agrovista are great and the continued support is much appreciated. I’m excited to see the results,” he said.

For more information about Agrovista Amenity, visit www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity

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Engcon’s part in the first Cat® 330

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Engcon’s part in the first Cat® 330: The tiltrotator manufacturer Engcon is an important part of the world’s first Cat® 330 Next Gen equipped with both a front blade and a tiltrotator – which has proven to be a successful combination.

A one of a kind excavator
Behind the controls of this unique excavator is Kristoffer Westman from Sundbergs Åkeri, a Swedish plant and transportation company. He puts the excavator to work on constructing a forest road, taking advantage of the greater flexibility and efficiency the combination of the front blade and tiltrotator bring.

Engcon's part in the first Cat® 330

At the end of 2018, Caterpillar launched the next generation excavators in the 30-ton class – 330 and 330 GC. When Sundbergs Åkeri chose equipment for its newly acquired Cat® 330 Next Gen in early 2019, among other things, a tiltrotator and grading bucket from Engcon were selected.

Together with a custom-built excavator blade from Nyströms Verkstadsservice in Edsbro, Sundbergs Åkeri now has a one of a kind excavator that delivers significant improvements in efficiency with the company’s road construction work.

“From just scooping up material which I then have levelling with the bucket, I can now plan where to place the material with the front blade. This means that I now roll the material in front of the blade, which results in larger stones falling to the bottom and finer material settling on the surface. It also makes the road easier to adjust before gravelling” says Kristoffer Westman.

A successful combination
Up until now when building forest roads it has been uncommon to use an excavator with a tiltrotator, but for Kristoffer it has so far brought only benefits, especially in combination with the front blade.

“I haven’t driven more than a couple of hundred hours, but this is how an excavator should be. The tiltrotator complements the front blade very well as I can use it to rotate the grading bucket to a position where it acts as a wing along the front blade. That way I can either steer in or out of the ground from the embankment” says Kristoffer Westman.

Kristoffer Westman goes on to say that his new Cat® 330 is also equipped with Engcon’s automatic quick mounting system with EC-Oil.

“Thanks to EC-Oil, it only takes 10 seconds for me to hang the tiltrotator and switch on the tooth bucket in case I need extra breaking power. This without me even having to leave the cab to connect some hoses” Kristoffer concludes.

The new excavator is currently being used in the construction of a new forest road west of Örnsköldsvik in the northern part of Sweden. The front blade is controlled via Engcon’s proportional joysticks MIG2, which means that Kristoffer does not need to change the grip to dig or excavate. The control of the tracks is also connected to Engcon’s control system DC2.

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