Tag Archive for: Power

Aspen delivers clean and convenient power

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Aspen delivers clean and convenient power: More than a decade since he first started using Aspen Alkylate fuel in his tree surgery business, The Arborist Ltd, Owner Tony Gascoyne says he’s never looked back.

Having originally switched for the health & safety benefits for him and his team of operatives, he notes the reduction in mechanical failures and simplicity of bulk delivery and invoicing has brought a new efficiency and convenience to his operation.

Aspen delivers clean and convenient power

Aspen delivers clean and convenient power

Tony founded the Mansfield-based business 23 years ago after a period spent working in Stockholm, with the majority of his day-to-day workload made up of domestic tree and hedge maintenance. “Everyone in this industry knows the unpleasantries of working with 2-stroke fuel – the haze, the smell and the overarching health concerns of breathing in those hazardous emissions everyday” he explains. “Despite it being a Swedish brand, I didn’t actually come across Aspen during my time in Sweden, but instead got into conversation with them at a trade show roughly 10 years ago.”

“It was really the health benefits for the operator that appealed to me, but based on the other claimed USP’s such as reduced engine component failure and the extended shelf life I gave it a go and it has really delivered on every front.” Being free from ethanol and most of the other hazardous hydrocarbons traditionally found in unleaded petrol from the pump, Aspen Alkylate fuel burns cleaner, reducing the negative impact on the operator, machinery and surrounding environment.

“One thing that became apparent very early on was the reduction in problems we were having with carburettors. And with Aspen being pre-mixed, you eliminate the variability of having to mix in 2-stroke oil so you get guaranteed consistency in every can.”

Tony explains that Aspen is used in all their 2-stroke engine equipment, primarily chainsaws – some of which, at the larger end of the scale, are used fairly infrequently. “Our 088 chainsaw for example might only come out once a month, and it doesn’t seem to matter how long it’s been sitting in storage, it’ll always start first time with Aspen.”

Further labour savings are also found with the safe and simple bulk delivery of Aspen to site. “We get one delivery and one bill a year which keeps everything simple and means we’re not repeatedly making trips to the forecourt. The fireproof Transbank storage container holds 60 five litre cans so we pop one in the truck, and a spare, and off you go.” He concludes, “When you start to add up the savings from fewer servicing bills combined with the convenience angle, it starts to stack up in a commercial sense as well as a safety one.”

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Battery power from Toro for The Open

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Battery power from Toro for The Open: The Open returns to Royal Liverpool Golf Club for the 13th time in July and helping prepare the course for the world’s golfing greats is Toro turfcare machinery.

While most of the machinery fleet at the famous links at Hoylake on the west coast of England is Toro, leading the charge on the greens, tees and surrounds are the Toro eFlex 1021 lithium-ion battery-powered pedestrian greensmowers and Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 all-electric ride-on greensmowers.

Battery power from Toro for The Open

Battery power from Toro for The Open

A dedicated team of greenkeepers under the watchful eye of links manager James Bledge are making the final preparations to the course and Toro has been there every step of the way. In fact, the last time the club hosted the world’s oldest and most popular golf event in 2013, it had just taken delivery of six eFlex 1021 greensmowers and while plenty has changed since then, what’s stayed the same is the machine still entrusted to look after the greens and tees.

James explains: “We have a new par 3 which will be the biggest change since The Open was last hosted here – it is a very short but challenging hole with stunning views of the estuary and Wales. What hasn’t changed is the club’s commitment to sustainable course management in that we’re always looking for the best carbon-neutral options. And when you find a pedestrian greensmower that provides this level of precision and quality, powered by a battery, you don’t look anywhere else.

“The weather will dictate the greens speed for the week and the work we have done in the last year will ensure we have more control over this. For us that’s six teams of two out doing single and double cuts with the Toro eFlex 1021 pedestrian mowers.”

Joining the pedestrian mowers on the frontline is Toro’s Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 all-electric ride-on greensmower. While this was the machine of choice for the greens at St Andrews at last year’s championship, at Royal Liverpool Golf Club it’s being used on the tees and surrounds.

James continues: “The eTriFlex 3370 is more than capable of achieving the standard required on the greens, as we saw so masterfully demonstrated at St Andrews last year. It is quite literally one of the best machines made and it’s a great greens choice, but with the acute run-offs on our course, hand cutting is the best bet.”

Despite the reliable machinery choices, that’s a lot of trust to put in the greens team to ensure a consistency of cut across the board for the eyes of the world surely. James agrees: “The greenkeepers are the heroes here. They’re the ones out there putting in the hours and miles; they are an extremely talented team.”

When James accepted the role of links manager in December 2021 the first thing on his to-do list was to prepare for The 151st Open and what could have been a baptism of fire for many was a dream role for James.

“I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this,” he says. “Creating the most diverse volunteer team handpicked from all the best places, bringing together someone from every championship venue, having mentors from across the world to turn to and having the best brands and businesses to work with has been rewarding and will be an incredible opportunity for everyone involved. It’s great to see everyone come together with the common goal to put on the best event possible.”

Machinery dealer Cheshire Turf Machinery who has worked with Royal Liverpool for over 20 years and Toro’s UK distributor Reesink Turfcare will be providing extensive championship support and a fleet of Toro machines for the duration of the historic event.

Steve Halley, managing director of Cheshire Turf Machinery, says: “It really has been striking how enthusiastic and excited James and his team are about staging The Open. We are delighted to support their efforts to make the event as successful as possible.”

Jon Cole, divisional business manager at Reesink Turfcare, comments: “It’s a privilege to be a part of The 151st Open and supporting the team at Royal Liverpool throughout the Championship again. We have worked with at least 30 of the 40 host venues of The Open that have taken place in our 40 years as Toro distributor and to be involved is always an honour.”

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More gardening power with Makita

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More gardening power with Makita: Leading power tool manufacturer Makita has expanded its impressive gardening and landscaping portfolio, with the launch of two new cordless pruning saws – the DUC101 and UC100D.

DUC101 18V Pruning Saw Brushless LXT

Designed with a 100mm bar and chain and equipped with a powerful brushless 320W motor, the new DUC101 pruning saw offers chain speeds of up to 8m/s to make garden and orchard pruning tasks a breeze. With a lightweight and compact construction, users can easily manoeuvre the tool to make quick work of pruning tree branches and thick bushes.

More gardening power with Makita

More gardening power with Makita

One of the standout features is its tool-less chain change and tension adjustment mechanism which negates the need for any additional tools. Plus, with the automatic chain lubrication and chain oil view window, users can easily keep track of the saw’s oil levels and ensure smooth and precise cutting performance.

The DUC101 features a lock-off lever accessible from both sides, a rear hand guard, and a moveable guard that gradually opens wider as the saw chain cuts deeper into the branch.

UC100D 12Vmax Pruning Saw Brushless CXT

Makita has also added the 12Vmax UC100D CXT pruning saw with 100mm chainsaw bar and chain to its outdoor line-up. With a lightweight, compact design and a soft-grip handle this tool is ideal for smaller cutting jobs. Like the DUC101, it features automatic chain lubrication and a chain oil view window, so users can ensure that the chain is always properly oiled for maximum performance.

The UC100D includes a number of safety features such as a lock-off lever accessible from both sides, a rear hand guard, a moveable guard, and an electric brake to help prevent accidents.

Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita UK commented: “Our cordless gardening products help our customers handle their projects with more ease, control and freedom on site. The latest pruning saws are a great addition to any tool collection thanks to their excellent design and powerful brushless motor.”

The pruning saws are part of Makita’s wider spring collection of product launches which also includes the 350mm 18V LXT DUC357 Brushless Chainsaw, which joins the 300mm DUC307 Chainsaw that was launched earlier this year.

To find out more about Makita’s latest products, visit www.makitauk.com.

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More mowing power with Makita

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More mowing power with Makita: Makita has expanded its 40VMax XGT range with two new self-propelled XGT lawnmowers.

These much-anticipated products are Makita’s first lawnmowers to join the company’s powerful outdoor XGT collection, with both brushless motor products providing professional landscapers with the flexibility to cover large and dense areas without cords or petrol.

More mowing power with Makita

More mowing power with Makita

The LM001G and LM002G 40VMax XGT Brushless lawnmowers are powered by Makita’s trusted 40VMax XGT Li-Ion battery technology and have been engineered to provide excellent performance and power, even when mowing in dense grass, with quick acceleration and optimised blade design. Both models benefit from the option to work with two batteries in parallel, so that when one battery runs out, the system automatically switches to the other. This means that users can continue working without having to stop and replace and recharge batteries when working on large areas.

With a 62L collection box, the LM001G has a 480mm cutting width and offers a no-load speed of up to 3,200rpm. The machine can also be operated in a quieter ‘Noise Reduction’ mode with a no-load speed of 2,500rpm, which is ideal for working in residential and public spaces. The LM002G, with 70L grass box, affords users with a 534mm cutting width with a no-load speed of 2,800rpm, or 2,300rpm in the ‘Noise Reduction’ mode.

Each feature 10 height positions from 20mm at the lowest setting and 100mm at the highest, and both can be operated with a choice of three cutting modes: Normal, Soft No-Load, or Noise Reduction. Other key features include the electric brake, soft start, anti-restart function and constant speed control to ensure ultimate safety whilst delivering excellent results.

The new, durable products are designed for rough terrain with large wheels and high-end steel decks that minimise damage from obstacles and flying debris, as well as IXP4 weather resistant construction. The mowers include a mulching function and a grass level indicator, so operators know when the bag needs emptying. Furthermore, the machines can be easily stored at the end of the day in a compact, vertical position, thanks to the foldable handle design.

“To meet the increasing demand for high intensity, reliable and robust landscaping power tools, we have added our first lawnmowers to our popular XGT collection,” said Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita. “Makita’s revolutionary XGT system has been designed to ensure that the battery and the tools’ motor technology work together for optimum performance and now includes over 25 outdoor products among the range so that users can switch between tasks and tools easily, simply by swapping the battery. These are available as complete models, or as body only versions if you already have XGT batteries and want to expand your range of tools.”

To find out more about Makita and its range of products visit: www.makitauk.com.

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Weedingtech highlight hybrid power

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Weedingtech highlight hybrid power: Weedingtech, the world leaders in non-herbicidal weed control, will be returning to SALTEX with their revolutionary Foamstream product, with visitors to stand E057 able to see the very first hybrid powered unit – the M600H.

The chemical-free solution to vegetation management is already a firm favourite with a number of councils and local authorities around the country, with the new M600H offering further benefits to the operator and wider environment.

Weedingtech highlight hybrid power

Weedingtech highlight hybrid power

With changes to herbicide and environmental legislation and growing public pressure to reduce usage of harmful weedkillers and chemicals in green space management, Foamstream has fast become recognised as the future of non-chemical control. In trials, Foamstream has been proven to be as effective at treating broadleaf weeds – including species that can be difficult to control by conventional methods – as Glyphosate.

Its active ingredient is hot water, which is insulated by a patented foam formulated from 100% natural plant oils and sugars meaning it can be used in any weather and on any surface, including environmentally-sensitive areas and those close to children or animals. The foam maintains kill zone temperatures for six times longer than other heat-based treatments, killing the weed, damaging the root and sterilising seeds and spores to reduce re-growth. This means Foamstream requires fewer treatment cycles than any other alternative solution on the market.

Foamstream is delivered via industry-leading machinery, available in different sizes and with different power options, suitable to mount on a variety of UTV’s or municipal vehicles. The M600H is Weedingtech’s first hybrid unit, combining the economy of Lithium-Ion battery power with the proven efficiency of a diesel-powered boiler. The M600H offers a flow rate of 6 litres per minute and, as the quietest unit in the range, is particularly well suited to jobs in inner-city and rural environments.

In addition to controlling weeds, moss and other unwanted vegetation, the M600H offers further benefit by tackling a host of other urban tasks including sanitisation, gum removal and the cleaning of graffiti.

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