Spider - Turf Matters

Spider launch new UK site

in News, Press Release/by Cassie Maxfield

Spider launch new UK site: The team behind the distribution of Spider slope mowers in the UK are delighted to launch a new website dedicated to showcasing the unique range of Spider mowers available to industry professionals across the country.

The new, user-friendly website enables users to view details on all the Spider machines available to the UK market and learn more about the benefits of using a Spider on dangerous, challenging or steep terrain.

Not only that, booking a free, on-site demonstration has been made easy with an online form available on every page which sends your request straight through to the team for a quick response.

Alternatively, for those who prefer to talk on the phone, you can call and speak to a Spider representative right here in the UK with contact numbers available for the team.

For those seeking to contact their nearest Spider dealer, the ‘Find a Dealer’ page provides addresses and telephone details for each of the UK dealers, a list which will continue to grow with new dealers sought to increase support and sales coverage for customers in new areas.

Bill Johnston, Head of the UK Spider distributor business Machinery Imports, is excited by the new digital presence, commenting:

“The new UK based website for Spider creates a hugely useful resource for Spider owners, dealers and customers looking for a suitable slope mower. Home to a wealth of information about the brand and the specific models available, as well as current and former user manuals, the website will be an asset to our business in promoting the benefits of Spider mowers for customers across the country.”

Spider was founded in July 2004 by Lubomír Dvořák in Czech Republic. The patent-protected remote-controlled slope mowers feature a revolutionary design incorporating a unique drive system offering 4-wheel drive, skid steer, and zero-turn functionality.

Unrivalled in the field, this functionality makes Spider mowers quick and easy to manoeuvre, able to climb slopes up to 55° and lightweight, avoiding turf damage and erosion.

The launch of the newest and smallest Spider, the X-Liner, sees all the benefits of the larger Spider mowers in a compact, approximately 1m²model, capable of mowing up to 3000m² per hour!

The Spider brand in the UK has seen great success over the past year under Machinery Imports stewardship and the development of a new UK-based website will support the business’ focus on further increasing visibility within the UK market along with helping existing Spider owners to find their local dealer for sales and service support, and encouraging new dealers interested in representing the brand to make contact.

Visit the website at www.spidermower.co.uk

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Spider Showcased At Safety Expo

in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Cassie Reid

Spider Showcased At Safety Expo: Visitors to last week’s Safety & Health Expo at ExCeL London were fascinated by a large, yellow Spider, which took over stand SH1040 for three days.

There was no panic however, it was not a terrifying, brightly coloured arachnid, but a Spider 2SGS remote controlled mower, which took pride of place on the stand of UK distributor, Machinery Imports.

Displayed on an enormous platform at an angle of 55 degrees, the Spider 2SGS was there to demonstrate the latest innovations in safe professional mowing on banks, steep slopes and dangerous terrain.

The extreme gradient of the plinth highlighted the possible working angle of the mower, capable of cutting grass on slopes of up to 55 degrees with an integrated hydraulic winch for additional stability, or 40 degrees completely independently.

These gradients are often referred to in risk assessments as ‘exceeding the safe operating limits’ of standard mowers and requiring additional, specialist machines.

It is in these locations where time and again it is proven that it is just not safe for an operative to work using standard grass cutting machinery, resulting in site damage, near-misses, injuries and sadly in some instances death.

“The Safety and Health Expo was an excellent opportunity to showcase the safety innovations of Spider in professional mowing to a wide, health and safety focused audience,” said Stuart Winwood, Area Sales Manager for Machinery Imports.

“During the course of the show we spoke to many interested parties, from local authorities to power plants and airports, all of whom were fascinated by the safety, productivity and financial benefits of Spider mowers for their business. We’re looking forward to seeing these people again for demonstrations and site visits over the coming weeks.”

The Spider can be found across the UK in high-risk areas such as alongside highways and railway tracks; beside waterways and reservoirs; at airfields; military sites; power stations and heritage properties.

Whilst perfectly at home in these more unusual environments, the versatility of a Spider mower also lends itself to use at more conventional sites such as schools, colleges and universities; private estates; vineyards and orchards; sports venues and golf courses, and municipal areas such as housing estates, parks and gardens.

Other benefits of the Spider mowers, including the original ILD01 model, and it’s larger siblings the ILD02 and lowered-profile 2SGS include remote control from a distance for increased visibility and avoidance of harm including HAV and WBV, low weight preventing turf damage and erosion, and high productivity, matching the performance of up to 15 operatives with strimmers – amongst many others.

To find out more and book your free Spider demonstration at a location and time convenient to you, visit www.thwhite.co.uk/machinery-imports/spider

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Spider Show Slope Mower At SALTEX

in Events, Machinery, Press Release/by Peter Driver

Spider Show Slope Mower At SALTEX: Visitors to the TH WHITE Machinery Imports stand at SALTEX in early November, were among the first in the UK groundscare industry to see an advanced protype of Dvorak-Spider’s new and compact slope mower, the Spider CROSSLINE.

With its innovative and compact design, it complements the current Spider ILD01 and Spider ILD02 remote-controlled mowers and features a terrain following mowing deck, integrated stabilising winch, a skid-steer option and is powered by a Honda GXV390, 4-stroke petrol engine.

Like the bigger machines it can mow slopes up to 40 degrees and then with the stabilising winch attached to a ground anchor it can mow at 55 degrees. No other dedicated slope mowers can match this degree of slope severity.

Robustly constructed for full commercial use, the Spider CROSSLINE provides the ideal cutting results on the steepest slopes with an emphasis on user friendliness and ease of use. It has a cutting width of 65 cm (25.6 inches) and a cutting height ranging from 4 – 12 cm (1.6 – 4.7 inches), while fuel consumption is between 1-2 litres per hour depending on the terrain with a maximum speed of 6 km/h.

Commenting on the new mower, Nick Penn, Spider’s UK Sales Manager said,

“We have been asked by end users for a smaller, but equally robust mower for some time and the XLINE as it will be denoted with decals on the body panels, is our response. It is slightly different from the larger models in that it has an articulated frame, which enables the mowing deck to follow ground contours more precisely. The proven technologies inherent in the other machines have been further developed and we feel we have ‘crossed the line’ in terms of our development strategy, hence the name.”

Pricing in the UK will be approximately £15,700 when the mower is launched next spring, compared to 19,700 for the Spider ILD01 and £31,400 for the flagship machine, the Spider ILD02.

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Show Success For Spider

in Events, Machinery, Press Release/by Peter Driver

Show Success For Spider: Spider Slope Care, the Orlando-based distributor of Spider remote controlled mowers from Czech manufacturer, Dvorak, had a very successful show at the GIE+EXPO in Louisville, KY, in October.

It’s not often these days that machines are sold at a show, but this happened on booth 7188 when a prospective customer saw the Spider ILD02. He then went outside to see the machine working on the demonstration booth and immediately placed the order. Finance was arranged in a single day and the Spider ILD02 was driven onto their truck at the close of the show.

Lubor Hladik, International Sales Manager for Dvorak commented,

“This is unprecedented. We have never done this in the USA before; it really made the show for us. We exhibited last year with a major presence and it really has paid off. Many more visitors knew of us and that previous exposure has definitely raised awareness of the brand and capability of our products.

“Along with the Spider ILD02 we also exhibited the smaller version, the ILD01; our dedicated mower for mowing under the panels on solar farms, the Spider 2SGS and an alpha prototype of our Spider 3RIDER. This unique mower has three steering options, a 90” (2.3 metre) width of cut and can be can be operated by remote control on slopes up to 30 degrees, by an operator who will be in a safe position away from the machine.

“The outdoor demonstration area was also a huge draw for visitors; it generated significant footfall back to the indoor booth and really worked well for us. We’re already looking to improve our interaction with visitors next year and are planning a bigger outdoor area to provide an opportunity to drive the machines.

“Overall an excellent show for our business.”

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Compact Spider Mower To Launch At SALTEX

in Events, Machinery, Press Release/by Cassie Reid

Compact Spider Mower To Launch At SALTEX: The name Spider is synonymous in the sector for innovative, industry-leading machinery that tackles even the most challenging terrain.

Designed and built at high-tech premises in the Czech Republic by the team at Dvorak, Spider slope mowers are the only remote-controlled, robotic mowers in the world that offer zero-turn capability to cut grass on slopes up to 55 degrees. Now, the Spider team from the Czech Republic and the UK distributor T H WHITE Machinery Imports are excited to unveil a brand-new slope mower, launching at SALTEX at the end of October on stand H190.

The new Spider X Line is their smallest commercial machine to date, offering a compact profile with huge performance. The X Line includes all the benefits of a larger Spider slope mower in a 1m2 sized machine, enabling users to get the very best performance while being able to transport the mower easily on a trailer or in the back of van. With an integrated winch, until now only seen on the larger Spider mowers, the X Line is capable of mowing slopes up to 55° – that’s 17° more than the worlds steepest ski slope, Harikari in Austria – which boasts an eyewatering 38° pitch!

With an incline as steep as that, there is naturally great concern in mowing grass with an operator using a ride-on or pedestrian mower, or strimmer. This is where the Spider X Line will excel, remote-controlled from a distance to ensure complete operator safety. The remote control also removes the operator from the working area of the mower, away from noise and vibration, meaning there is no limit on safe use considering HAVs, WBVs and Noise. Not only that, the X Line can mow at speeds of up to 6 km/h with a 65cm mulch cutting deck, meaning you can cut more grass in less time. The unique wheel stowage design enables the incorporation of a specially designed terrain-following mowing deck, giving you a consistent, high quality cut on the most uneven turf.

In fact, the X Line has a cutting capacity equivalent to 3 operatives with brush cutters, meaning that not only is the job completed faster and more efficiently, but it also allows for operatives to be redeployed to other tasks while one person controls the Spider.

Unique to Spider is the ‘Dancing Step’ drive system, which enables the X Line to move with zero turn capability. This is supremely useful when mowing around obstacles or when coming up against boundaries, saving time on each turn compared to other robotic mowers.

Finally, in addition to its powerful Honda GXV390 10.2hp petrol engine, the X Line boasts a lightweight chassis and four-wheel drive, giving it exceptional traction with gentle treatment of turf even in wet or soft conditions and eliminating erosion on slopes.

In addition to exceptional performance on slopes and inclines, Spider mowers are proven to excel in other unsafe or challenging environments across the UK, including airports, motorway and railway verges, lakes and riverbanks, around reservoirs, powerplants and solar farms, orchards and vineyards and in military facilities. Machinery Imports Director, Tim Lane, is looking forward to showcasing the new X Line at SALTEX ahead of it’s release to the market in 2019. “This is an exciting time for Spider and Machinery Imports, and we are pleased to launch a new commercial mower to the industry for 2019. The X Line is a true all-round robotic mower, offering features that are unrivalled in the market at the moment and the ability to outperform its competitors on sloping and even ground. We’re looking forward to demonstrating the X Line in the New Year to interested customers and working with our extensive dealer network to promote this innovative machine.”

As part of the Machinery Imports stand at SALTEX this year, the Spider X Line will be proudly displayed for visitors to find out more about it and see the innovation for themselves. We welcome all visitors to the event to see us at stand H190 to learn more.

Specifications:

• Honda GXV390 petrol engine, 10.2-gross HP.
• Hydrostatic transmission
• Ground speed up to 6kph/3.7mph with productivity equivalent to 3 operatives with brushcutters
• Skid steering ‘Dancing Step’ zero-turn drive system
• 65cm / 25.6 inch cutting width with mulching deck
• 4-12cm / 1.6-4.7 inch cutting height range
• 1-2 litre per hour fuel consumption
• 55° / 143% climbing ability with integrated winch
• 95 x 105 x 65cm dimensions

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Thatchers Purchase Spider Mower

in Machinery, Press Release/by Peter Driver

Thatchers Purchase Spider Mower: Thatchers, the iconic Somerset-based cider makers, have purchased a Spider 1 remote controlled mower from supplying dealer, Loxston Groundcare. The new mower will be used to ensure that the premises are maintained to an exceptional standard around the ever-growing cider mill and the adjoining orchards.

Commenting on the new mower Neil Day, Operations Director at Thatchers said,

“We were founded on this site in 1904 and the current Managing Director, Martin Thatcher, is the fourth generation of the family to head the company. Under Martin’s stewardship the business has grown substantially and with that success we have had to increase the infrastructure here. Most notably the production facilities and warehousing. As a rural company with an international profile, we are considerate about our impact on the environment and keeping the profile of our buildings as unobtrusive as possible.

“As an example, to construct our new Jubilee building we excavated down into the existing ground level, which enabled us to lower the roofline. However, the result was that we now have grass banks to maintain and so we needed a mower that could help us do that, so I tasked our Maintenance technician, Ed Young to review the market.”

“Using the internet, I found various videos of Spider mowers and their tracked competitors,” he said. “I discounted the tracked versions as they appeared too aggressive on the turf and then reviewed the Spider website. I sent an enquiry to Spider’s UK Sales Manager, Nick Penn and a demo was quickly arranged here at Myrtle Farm. I was very impressed, as was Neil, and we virtually placed our order ‘on the spot’.

“We have many visitors to Myrtle Farm including regular tours and our biennial Open Day, which has been in our calendar since 1993 and attracts thousands of people each time. It’s important that we keep the premises in pristine condition all year round and the Spider is now integral to our grounds maintenance regime.”

About Thatchers

It 1904 William John Thatcher first made his apple cider at Myrtle Farm. His farm workers enjoyed William’s finest as part of their wages and were said to be the best around. Today, the company still has the best cidermakers working at Myrtle Farm, just like the cider! Stanley Thatcher was born in 1910 and was the real cider business pioneer; he was the person who decided to start making draught cider and sold it to local pubs.

John Thatcher took over the business in 1970, expanding the orchards and the presses. Although he’s now retired and enjoying a much-earned rest, like most farmers John is still a big presence around the farm, offering his opinion and experience, and is always on hand to do a bit of ‘quality control’. In 1981, the historic 150-year old oak vats were moved into a new warehouse on the farm; they are still used to mature the company’s cider.

In 1992 Martin Thatcher took over from his father, John, and is still in charge today. His job involves looking after the whole operation, from the orchards to the bottling and beyond. Thatchers now produces more cider in a day, than it did in a year back in the early 1990s.

Thatchers very first television advert was launched in the summer of 2010 and in the same year they purchase a further 180 acres of orchard at Shiplate, overlooking the Bristol Channel. In 2014, their Royal Highnesses The Earl and Countess of Wessex visited Myrtle Farm to open the new Jubilee Building and a year later Thatchers Gold was exported to North America for the first time. Thatchers products now sell in over 22 countries worldwide. Last year saw the introduction of Orchard Cut Gin and Family Reserve, using the company’s knowledge of apples to create something a little different at Myrtle Farm.