Complete Weed Control has announced that the company is set to make the Weed-IT technology available for councils and contractors in the UK and Ireland for the first time. The company will also be looking to appoint suitable dealers to service the requirements of their customers. Interested parties are welcome to discuss matters at this year’s IOG SALTEX, stand C70.

The Weed-IT machine has been a revolution in weed control application technology, developed specifically for the control of weeds on public footpaths and similar hard surface areas in urban situations. First introduced at IOG SALTEX in 1997, it was immediately awarded the accolade of ‘Best New Landscape Product’. Despite this remarkable leap forward in technology, there are still huge numbers of councils and land managers employing outdated techniques that cannot be sustained.

The SALTEX judges cited Weed-IT as being a "major advance in the field of weed control". Since then, CWC have treated hundreds of thousands of kilometres of footpaths and hard surfaces and continued to use and develop the technology. Following on from the technological advancements, new systems with higher transit speeds and greater working widths are now available.

The Weed-IT combines very accurate and rapid weed detecting technology to spot spray weeds in a highly efficient manner. With new labels for glyphosate stating the need for spot application as opposed to blanket application, the need for the system has never been more acute. Visitors to SALTEX will learn of the new ways of accessing this highly productive system.

In addition to the MKII machine that CWC has showcased at SALTEX for the past 16 years, the new C150 machine will also be available. This new machine is based upon the agricultural technology that has been extremely successful in the Australian market. With faster transit speeds and a greater working width, the C150 is ideally suited to UK applications such as council footpaths, schools, colleges and amenity areas with large expanses of hard surface to treat.

“The usual environmental benefits are retained with the new machine,” says Ian Graham, CWC’s Managing Director. “We feel that it is now time for the weed spraying industry in the UK to step up to the plate and face its collective responsibilities to protect the environment in which we operate. Making the technology available to everyone removes the excuse for the blanket spraying of huge areas of hard surfaces. With the changes in the label for glyphosate, access to this state-of-the-art machinery has never been needed more.”

The sale of the technology for the first time in the UK will be officially launched at this year’s IOG SALTEX show. The company will be looking to appoint suitable dealers in order to create a network that can provide regional back-up and support for both the Weed-IT machine and the chosen carrier vehicle.

Following the show, on-site demonstrations will be available as well as bespoke builds for task specific machinery.

In addition to the exciting Weed-IT announcement, Complete Weed Control are partnering with Daniel Jones from Swansea University to assist with the very first extensive trials work into the effectiveness of different herbicides on Japanese Knotweed. Daniel will also be on hand to discuss the project.

Also on show will be the company’s baseguard product. baseguard allows water and nutrients through its porous structure to the roots below, negating the issues associated with compaction. Tree wells are often choked with leaves, cigarette ends and other debris, especially when fitted with iron grilles. baseguard, however, fills these voids and can be installed in conjunction with grilles when the tree is planted, or as a retrofit.

In recent months the baseguard system has been used for much larger applications than simply tree surrounds, with access roads to sports pitches at Premier League training grounds as well as footpaths and play areas at schools being just some of its uses.

Complete Weed Control will be at IOG SALTEX from 3-5 September on stand C70.

For more information, please contact Complete Weed Control’s National office on 01325 324 277 or visit www.completeweedcontrol.co.uk. You can also follow CWC on Twitter @CWCLimited for more news, reviews and insightful views.

Sherriff Amenity, one of the leading turf care and sports equipment suppliers in the UK, is pleased to announce a 100% pass rate for greenkeepers and other turf professionals for the BASIS Foundation Award in Amenity and Horticulture, which raises the knowledge of pesticides among professional users.

With support from Bayer and Everris, the nine candidates, from clubs and organisations up and down the country, took part in a three-day course conducted by the STRI’s Head of Research Dr Ruth Mann at this year’s BTME in Harrogate and the STRI HQ at Bingley. All of them learnt recently that they were successful in the exam set subsequently by BASIS, the independent organisation which sets, maintains and assesses standards of pesticide production and usage.

“We helped support candidates through the course in association with Sherriff Amenity,” said Eleanor Jenks, National Account Manager at Bayer. “We feel that it is important to support education within the industry and continued professional development. We are very pleased for the candidates and congratulate them on their success.”

Sherriff Amenity Making pesticide usage more professional With SherriffThe full list of award winners is:

Mike Bush of St Mellion Golf Club, Cornwall

Derek Hunter, Marriott golf resorts

Mark Todd, Wildernesse Golf Club, Sevenoaks

James Bird, Pyrford Golf Club in Surrey

Pete Newton, Rockliffe Hall Golf Club, County Durham

Bill Davison, Gavin Jones Group - landscaping

David Bruhlmann, McAlpine - constructionDarren Cuddihy, The London Golf Club

Steve Robinson, Moortown Golf Club, near Leeds

Ed Carter, Sales and Development Manager for the Turf and Amenity business at Everris commented: “We are very proud of our relationship with Sherriff Amenity and as a long standing supporter of BTME we have tried to support education at the show. Naturally, we took the opportunity to support this course by investing in greenkeepers and course managers so that they can achieve their goals of better understanding pesticides.”

The Foundation Award is one of many recognised qualifications that BASIS offers those working in turf and other land-based professions.

“We see this as a practical way of promoting professional understanding of pesticides,” said Sherriff Amenity’s Marketing Manager Kevin Whitby.

“That everyone passed says a lot for the attitude of Britain’s greenkeepers and groundsmen and of course for Ruth Mann as a top scientist and tutor. Our aim is to provide the same opportunity at next year’s BTME and continue supporting BASIS in its drive to keep standards high.”

For further information, please contact Sherriff Amenity on 01638 721 888 or email info@sherriff-amenity.com

For more news and insightful views, you can follow Sherriff Amenity on Twitter @SherriffAmenity.

Always a popular stop with groundcare professionals at IOG SALTEX, SISIS will be showcasing three new products for the 2013 show.

The company will be launching a new pedestrian scarifier and will be bringing two redesigned products – the SISIS Dart pedestrian aerator and SISIS TM1000 tractor mounted scarifier to join the familiar range of British manufactured favourites on stand B40 from 3-5 September.

Working alongside existing end users, the SISIS Dart and TM1000 have both been redesigned to include ease of operation and functionality with the operator in mind.

The new pedestrian scarifier has been extensively trialled before its official launch at the exhibition and shows the improvement and investment in products that the company continue to make. Full details of the products are being kept under wraps until the first day of the exhibition.

Favoured by some of the UK’s top groundcare professionals, SISIS has gained a reputation for producing natural and synthetic turf maintenance equipment that is highly reliable with low maintenance and ease of use, making them the number one choice for many users.

In addition to the range of SISIS products on show, the combined display with Dennis will also show a range of Dennis turf maintenance machinery.

"SALTEX provides the ideal platform for us to meet new and existing customers and this year will form an integral role in the launch of our new and redesigned products,” said Roger Moore, Customer Manager at Dennis & SISIS. “Our experienced team will be on hand throughout the show and will give visitors guidance and help whilst welcoming any feedback.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact SISIS on 01332 824 777 or visit www.sisis.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow SISIS on Twitter @SISISMachinery and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/SISISMachinery. You can also view the latest SISIS videos by visiting www.youtube.com/SISISMachinery

Replay Maintenance Limited are pleased to announce a partnership with the five County Football Associations residing in the East Midlands, namely Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire.

The Partnership will build upon some of the excellent work that has been carried out to date by a vast number of volunteers as well as paid professionals, and will further promote and enhance the maintenance provision for artificial sports pitches.

Replay Maintenance, based in Nottinghamshire, are a leading provider of maintenance to artificial sports surfaces nationwide and as such have worked closely with The FA over the last 3 years culminating in an education programme in conjunction with machinery specialists Redexim Charterhouse.

The programme delivers training and advice to those responsible of sports facilities. The core of this model is to enhance and empower the individuals concerned, which in turn greatly improves all aspects related to artificial sport surfaces.

The Partnership has been developed to allow all facilities within the five County Football Associations access to a fluid “pool” of information and advice with an expert on hand at the time they are required; a portal in which the respective County FA, Replay Maintenance and the individual facility can plan and implement the very best way to move forward regarding the care and maintenance of the synthetic sports surface and surroundings.

From initial grounds professional training through to budgets and forecasts the partnership has been designed to cater for all aspects of managing and maintaining the sports pitch.

Matt Bartle, FA Facilities & Investment Manager for the East Midlands said: "The relationship with Replay Maintenance Limited in the East Midlands region is long standing. As such, it was a logical step to formalise the relationship between Replay and the five County Football Associations (CFA’s). Replay Maintenance are experts in their field and have always been willing to share new processes, handy tips and other guidance that supports those responsible for the maintaining of an artificial surface. By adopting such an approach we have been able to agree a schedule of discounted rates with Replay which we hope will benefit those organisations that run an artificial facility.

“I would like to thank Garry Martin from Replay, and the five County Development Managers in each of the CFA’s for embracing this proposal. I have no doubt the partnership will be well received and offer real value to the grassroots game in the East Midlands."

Garry Martin, Director at Replay Maintenance said: “We are immensely proud to be part of this partnership with the five County FA’s. The Replay ethos has always been about giving honest and transparent advice, providing exceptional service and implementing the best maintenance procedures for the benefit of all concerned. This ethos marries perfectly with that of the five CFA's in the East Midlands."

For further information, please contact Replay Maintenance on 01636 640 506 or visit the company’s website www.replaymaintenance.co.uk

Pembroke College Head Groundsman Trevor Munns has chosen a Bowcom GMX machine for all line marking at the college sports ground.

The 12-acre sports ground at Pembroke College, Cambridge University’s third oldest seat of learning, provides year round sport to students and a number of outside interests, including a prominent local football club, who use the facilities for pre-season training.

Upkeep is a testing job, especially as it is carried out almost single-handedly by Trevor, who has been Head Groundsman at the college for 24 years. An item of equipment he has recently switched to has made one aspect of his work - line marking - that bit easier.

As well as having to keep the two football and rugby pitches in his charge efficiently marked over the winter months, Trevor’s biggest marking demand is tennis. There are eight grass courts at the Pembroke grounds in regular use throughout the summer and he regularly uses his Bowcom GMX line marker to get them ‘match fit’ for a local Tennis Club, who plays there twice weekly.

A combination of the revolutionary Bowcom GMX and Bowgrass Supreme Plus paint offers the ultimate in precision line marking application; the GMX incorporates a number of comprehensive, flexible spray options including fully adjustable line width, central or off-set spraying, protected, quick release spray head assembly, optional twin jet nozzle and optional side marking arm.

Trevor now uses Bowcom’s battery-powered spray applicator exclusively for all marking jobs, winter and summer.

“Apart from being comfortable and easy to use, there are three things I particularly like about the GMX line marker,” said Trevor.

“Keeping it clean is very easy. All you have to do is run a little water, stored in a separate tank on the sprayer, through it after use, that’s all. It couldn’t be easier, and it’s put away, with no paint in the pipework, clean in no time at all.

“I like the fact that you can readily switch the battery off so that there’s no loss of charge when not actually marking. The simplicity of width adjustment means that for the football and rugby pitches I can ensure lines are highly visible even when the elements are against you. The paint quality means I certainly don’t have to re-mark pitches as often as I used to.”

The Bowcom GMX precision line marker with adjustable operator handle and 25-litre paint tank comes with a high capacity battery and easy access charger.

Bowcom products are available exclusively throughout the United Kingdom from Sherriff Amenity. For further information, please contact Sherriff Amenity on 01638 721 888 or email info@sherriff-amenity.com

For more news and insightful views, you can follow Sherriff Amenity on Twitter @SherriffAmenity.

Sherriff Amenity, one of the leading turf care and sports equipment suppliers in the UK, has supplied a range of products to Beversbrook Sports and Community Centre in Calne, Wiltshire. The facility is one of the leading sports facilities in the South West since the £1 million grant from the Football Foundation four years ago.

Last year, a further £50,000 courtesy of Sport England’s Olympic Legacy, £50,000 Viridor Credits and another grant from the Football Foundation enabled the construction of four additional natural sports pitches which now see an astonishing 500 league and cup matches and 552 training sessions held each season on the 54-acre site.

The facility is home to 41 football teams, 12 cricket teams and also a number of different sports hubs, so keeping such a large number of pitches in top condition is a testing job for head groundsman Adam Witchell, who joined the Town Council run Centre in June 2012. For regular maintenance of the football pitches at the Centre, Adam relies on the services of Sherriff Amenity for materials and equipment and the advice of its amenity specialist David Evans.

Pitch grass is cut to from 25mm in the summer months to 35mm in winter months to ensure a good playing sward where as many as four matches over a weekend are quite normal. Regular applications at 35gm per square metre of ProTurf fertiliser from Everris has proved a valuable plus factor in maintaining excellent density. The controlled release technology of this product leads to a consistent, regular growth over a 2-3 month period without growth peaks. The uncoated nitrogen portion of this fertiliser allows an immediate response to the turf, even in cooler conditions. The multi-nutrient compound fertiliser component contains four macronutrients all in one granule.

For closed season overseeding in May and June, applications of Johnson’s Prem Pitch seed and Rescue selective herbicide from Everris for the removal of invasive coarse grasses is resulting in the finest grass quality yet for the new playing season.

The Centre tries to see that all the pitches are aerated once a month. Divotting and unevenness caused by play are rectified by using the versatile SISIS Quadraplay one-pass maintenance system, which Adam explains does an excellent job keeping all the pitches looking tidy and always ready for play. Line marking for all of the pitches is carried out by two Bowcom GMX spray machines, which are now sold exclusively through Sherriff Amenity.

“We get over 30,000 people a year visiting and using our facilities here. It’s essential that all of the pitches look good and play well week in week out,” said Kevin Whitehorn, Beversbrook Sports and Community Facility Manager.

“A lot has been invested in the facilities here thanks to the Football Foundation and Sport England, which from October will also be used by Swindon Town FC first team and academy players. We must have a top class, reliable supplier for our pitch care needs and Sherriff Amenity is such a source of not just products but also advice.”

For further information, please contact Sherriff Amenity on 0115 939 0202 or email info@sherriff-amenity.com

For more news and insightful views, you can follow Sherriff Amenity on Twitter @SherriffAmenity.

In a bid to dramatically improve the playing characteristics of the green at Laguna Beach Lawn Bowling Club in California, a SISIS Auto Rotorake MK5 pedestrian heavy duty de-thatcher has been purchased.

US Open Bowls winner Joe Regan has travelled the world playing bowls so when his local club in California went in search of new turf maintenance machinery to improve the bowling greens, he extensively searched the internet to find the best machine on the market.

The poor quality of greens was affecting play and having played overseas Joe wanted to bring the quality of greens up to the same high standards: “We wanted to improve the quality of the greens so I searched around the world for the perfect piece of turf maintenance equipment for our club,” said Joe. “The SISIS Auto Rotorake was the perfect fit for what we needed. It is a machine like no other and does a fantastic job removing and controlling thatch on the green. I then contacted CS Trading and their dealer AA Equipment to organise a demonstration.”

The Auto Rotorake MK5 works on the successful contra-rotating principle developed by the company in the 1960’s, and has the effect of throwing the removed thatch forwards as well as firmly holding the machine to the ground to give a consistent working depth. This is a precision machine which can be used on golf greens, tees, fine ornamental lawns as well as bowling greens.

Excellent weight distribution and fitted with wide smooth tyres and full differential ensuring ease of turning with minimal surface marking were just some of the features which has impressed Joe: “All of the controls are easy to use but the clever thing is that the depth-of-cut adjustment is mounted on the handle to provide precision depth control at the fingertips and on the move. I also like the simple reel change which means that one machine can be used for several different jobs from de-thatching, verticutting or brushing.”

The SISIS Auto Rotorake MK5 can be used regularly on fine turf – aggressively before and after the playing season and lightly throughout the growing season. A range of interchangeable reels consisting of thatch removal, thatch control and a range of brush reels for both natural and synthetic turf makes it a machine which can be used all-year-round.

“I’ve been competing for Team USA in the Asia Pacific games in Australia recently and this is where I was first inspired to improve the greens in the US. We were so impressed with the demonstration that we actually kept that machine. We have also received excellent customer support from Ian Camp of CS Trading throughout the purchasing process. The SISIS products are fantastic and I’ve already recommended SISIS to other clubs in Southern California so that they can improve their bowling greens like we have.”

For further SISIS product information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact CS Trading on (864) 843 5972 or visit www.sisis.com.

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow SISIS on Twitter @SISISMachinery and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/SISISMachinery. You can also view the latest SISIS videos by visiting www.youtube.com/SISISMachinery.

Leading natural and artificial sportsground contractors White Horse Contractors are pleased to announce the appointment of Gary Kneller as their new Managing Director.

Gary originally joined the company as a graduate in 1994 and worked his way up through the company under the guidance of the then MD Johan Koster and then further developed with Robert Donald.

After 10 years with the company, he left to further his career, gaining a wealth of experience in both Natural and Artificial Turf. This experience combined with his knowledge of the ‘White Horse Way’ made him the ideal candidate to take over the reins.

“I was very honoured to be asked to take up the role, and help to maintain the excellent reputation that the organisation has gained during its 56 years, although we cannot rest on this and must adapt to meet the demands of the current and future sports and leisure market,” said Gary.

White Horse Contractors have always stood for quality and innovation both in design and implementation. The diverse and unique nature of the company’s portfolio - Sports & Leisure, Equestrian, Water Engineering and Agricultural is testament to this.

“It was good to see that the core values of the company are still in place and it was an easy choice to make to re-join the team. We have an exceptional pool of talent from the continued presence of Johan Koster to the new, fresh input from James Welsh.

“This combined with a great group of people and a highly skilled workforce is all focused on helping me to create an enjoyable environment to work in, so that we can focus on our clients and the quality of our workmanship.”
Gary is keen to ensure that the name and status of the company created firstly by Johan, developed by Robert and maintained by Steve Greene, is maintained. “I hope that they all feel the company is in safe hands and that it will continue to prosper.”

For further information, please contact White Horse Contractors on 01865 736 272 visit www.whitehorsecontractors.co.uk

Souters Sports, one of the UK’s leading natural sportsturf contractors, has appointed a new trainee surveyor to support current projects and future growth.

James Underhill, 21, joins Souters at an exciting time, with the company working at a host of Premier League football clubs for end of season renovations. James first worked for the contractor as a labourer three years ago where he gained valuable site experience.

James says: “I’m particularly looking forward to work within the sports and amenity industry and applying the experience I gained from my previous role to build expertise in this area.”

“We are keen to maintain the competitive advantage we have created over the last few years,” said Robert Heath, Contracts Director at Souters Sports.

“The contract market has become more competitive over the last 3 years, so, as a company, we need to become even more efficient and give customers an even better service that we currently offer. James will be assisting the management team already in place and I’m very pleased that he has decided to join the Souters’ team and look forward to working with him on our continued expansion.”

For further information, please contact Souters Sports Limited on 01236 453030 or visit www.souterssports.co.uk. Souters Sports are also on Twitter: @SoutersSports

Alan Ferguson, Head Groundsman at St George’s Park - the FA’s National Football Centre, has chosen Dennis as a key supplier of maintenance equipment for use on the natural elite pitches.

The award winning groundsman purchased three Dennis G860’s complete with interchangeable cassettes, meaning that his groundstaff can complete a multitude of tasks including verticutting, brushing, rolling and scarifying. Three Dennis Premier models complete the line-up of pedestrian mowers that Alan and his team will use to keep the 330 acre park in pristine condition.

Located in the heart of England, near Burton-Upon-Trent, St. George’s Park is the home of the National Football Centre. After going through a process of segregating the main pitches, Alan and his team were looking to build up a fleet of quality pedestrian mowers to look after the elite level pitches: “The Dennis range gives us the flexibility to work with interchangeable cassettes. To have one machine that can deliver 5 or 6 different surface functions is excellent for us.” said Alan.

Built on the FT principle and with a cutting width of 34”, the Dennis G860 professional mower has an interchangeable cassette system, with one minute changeover, giving options to fit 6 different types of heads including scarifiers, verticutters, brushes, spikers, and slitters as well as 6 or 8 bladed cutter cassettes and are used in high class arenas around the world.

Fitted with a powerful Kubota petrol or diesel engine, the Dennis Premier is available in 30” and 36” cutting widths. A 3 section rear roller and steering brakes make it easy to manoeuvre giving an excellent stripe pattern and rolling characteristics. Complete with a large diameter front roller with adjustable scraper, for precise height of cut control, the machine is easy to adjust on both sides with the use of a single spanner.
Seven-time Groundsman of the Year during twelve seasons at his previous job at Ipswich Town FC, Alan has worked with every mower available. “I always felt that Dennis stole a march on other pedestrians. Going back into the early 1990’s when the first cassette model was launched I felt it was a fantastic machine. It just made perfect sense to have the flexibility of working with a series of cassettes when we were looking for a pedestrian mower. The weights of the machine are right. The quality of the Dennis range has always been exceptional and the results that we’ve had with them so far have been fantastic.”

When Alan became Head Groundsman at St George’s Park, it was important to work with key suppliers in the industry. It’s something that Alan had successfully implemented at Ipswich and after his switch to the FA centre; he wanted to bring the market leader for each maintenance task in. Alan sees each supplier as a specialist in their field and a good source of knowledge as and when required. “I have a very good working knowledge, but the expert tag comes from within these companies. I have these people on my advisory team so that I have the right council at different times of the year. It’s been hugely beneficial and it’s help put the project in a very good place,” explains Alan.

Why was Dennis chosen as a key supplier? Alan felt that it was an easy decision and described the Dennis pedestrian turf mowers as the market leader in terms of ease of use for the operator and the overall weights of each machine which are very low. “With the Dennis G860 range, it was the flexibility of operation. We had a desire to mow the elite pitches on a pedestrian programme, so it was a no-brainer that Dennis would be the supplier of that because the quality was there. A number of other top venues around the world were already using Dennis. I know most of the head groundsmen at these venues, so I spoke to the guys to find out how they were getting on with them. With us being the English FA, it was also a good fit that Dennis is a British Engineered product.”

Based just twenty miles away from the Dennis factory is a real bonus for Alan and is testament to the excellent service he has received from both the manufacturer and also his dealer, Campey Turfcare. All groundstaff have been to the factory and undergone bespoke training with the Dennis service staff which Alan says his team are already seeing the benefits of.

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter @DennisMowers and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK. You can also view the latest Dennis videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers

Sherriff Amenity, one of the leading turf care and sports equipment suppliers in the UK, has chosen Fusion Media (Europe) Limited to PR and advertising activities in the UK.

Formed in 1994, Sherriff Amenity has established a reputation as the industry leading supplier of professional products and specialist advice. Sherriff Amenity is a wholly owned division of Agrovista, the premier supplier of agronomy advice and crop protection products to the UK arable market. The business is part of the global Marubeni Corporation, which was founded in 1858 and employs almost 30,000 people across the world.

“We picked Fusion Media because they had the best approach to an integrated campaign with traditional and digital media. Their ideas for the campaign were perfectly suited to our needs,” said Sherriff Amenity’s Marketing Manager Kevin Whitby.

Christopher Bassett, Managing Director at Fusion Media added: “The fact that Sherriff Amenity chose Fusion Media means that our expertise in the sportsturf and amenity industry is well-recognised. We have been advocating an integrated approach combining PR and digital media for years. Our knowledge and expertise in both fields will benefit the visibility of not only Sherriff Amenity but also their range of products and services.”

For further information, please contact Fusion Media (Europe) Limited on 01322 424 499 or visit www.fusion-media.eu

You can also follow both companies on Twitter: @FusionMediaEU and @SherriffAmenity

Complete Weed Control, the UK’s leading specialist contract service for the eradication of all problem weeds, is pleased to announce that Will and Hamish Pryse have completed the purchase of a new franchise area, covering Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and parts of Buckinghamshire.

The two brothers also own the Home Counties area and have been steadily growing the business since purchasing it from their father eight years ago, who was one of the very first franchisees.

“We are excited to continue to expand our business and bring Complete Weed Control’s vast range of services including weed control and gritting to more businesses and customers throughout our areas,” said Will. “We’ve seen demand for what we offer increase over the years since we purchased the company and the new area allows us an extra opportunity to grow further still. We are very excited for the future.”

Established in 1972, Complete Weed Control is the largest specialist weed control and vegetation management company in the UK. Each franchise operates to a common set of standards and procedures in providing a comprehensive service of weed control, plant pest and disease control, hydro-seeding and other related services to their customer base of sporting venues, local authorities, schools, airfields, cemeteries, industrial sites, highways & parks nationwide and remains the only company offering these services on a national basis.

Complete Wed Control (Home Counties) can be contacted on 0800 1814 442 or email willandhamish@cwc.uk.com

Commenting on the announcement, Complete Weed Control Managing Director Ian Graham said: “I am delighted to see Will and Hamish expand their business and look forward to assisting them in maintaining their success.”

For more information, please contact Complete Weed Control’s National office on 01325 324 277 or visit www.completeweedcontrol.co.uk. You can also follow CWC on Twitter @CWCLimited for more news, reviews and insightful views.

When the time came for Andy Chetram, Facilities Manager at Central Park Stadium - the UK’s longest greyhound track, to purchase new maintenance equipment there was only one choice – a SISIS Quadraplay.

The 1.8m wide single pass maintenance system equipped with tilth rake, grooming rake and levelling plate helps remove paw prints from the previous race while simultaneously smoothing and firming the surface to provide the optimum conditions for the next race.

Greyhounds need a firm, yet forgiving track to achieve the grip and speed necessary to produce the sustained performance expected by owners, trainers and race-goers. “We’ve used SISIS equipment since 1997,” said Andy. “Before they moved, we had a football pitch in the centre of the dog track and used to share maintenance equipment with the football club, which was how we first knew about SISIS. When they moved, we inherited their Quadraplay machine.

“It’s the main tool we use for the maintenance of the track between races because it saves us time and labour as it’s so wide. When the time came to purchase a new machine, there was only one choice for us. We love using the Quadraplay because it’s so simple to use with very little on-going maintenance as it has no moving parts as such. Also, the service back-up that SISIS has given us over the years has been exceptional and I know I can get parts, such as new grooming tines, as and when they are required.”

The manual adjustment of height, rather than the use of hydraulics, was another factor in Andy’s decision to purchase SISIS. “We use the Quadraplay to train new track staff because it’s so easy to use. Because the machine has no hydraulics, we don’t have to modify our tractor and there is no risk of a hose splitting and oil spilling all over the track. This would be a catastrophe for us, meaning we’d have to close the track, causing a loss of revenue. With each event being screened live to bookmakers across the country, we just can’t take the risk.”

Connecting to any tractor with a 3-point-linkage, the versatile one pass maintenance system is used for fast and effective grooming of natural and synthetic turf and hard-porous surfaces. Up to four operations can be carried out simultaneously with a range of fully interchangeable implements such as deep & spiker slitters, range of brushes and rakes, levelling lute, roller and grader plate which give the desired finish.

“It’s a very versatile system and we can also add new implements as and when we need to. It’s a very forgiving frame which is built well. It does exactly what it say’s on the tin – it maintains our track to an excellent standard.”
For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact SISIS on 01332 824 777 or visit www.sisis.com.

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow SISIS on Twitter @SISISMachinery and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/SISISMachinery. You can also view the latest SISIS videos by visiting www.youtube.com/SISISMachinery.

Sherriff Amenity has entered into a unique partnership with Bowcom, to sell market and develop line marking products exclusively throughout the United Kingdom.

The agreement will see the national Sherriff Amenity Sales team promoting and selling Bowcom products, while the two companies will work together to develop line marking solutions and line marking applicators for the amenity turf sector.

With the Bowcom partnership in place Sherriff Amenity can now offer its customers the same knowledge and advice in line marking for which it has been renowned for in seed, fertilisers and chemicals, while the close nature of the partnership means both parties will be able to react quickly to customer feedback, and influence product development.

Bowcom was bought by technical coatings specialist, the Fiddes Group six years ago, and since then the company has benefited from the considerable expertise of the Fiddes Group team of Chemists in the development of new line marking concentrates and applicators, which have been extremely well received by the industry. With Sherriff Amenity’s agronomic background the two companies believe that together they will be able to push the boundaries of line marking still further.

“The primary reason for going into partnership with Bowcom is not only the quality of the paint, which we believe is better than anything on the market, but also the quality of the applicators which have also been designed to the highest specifications,” said Sherriff Amenity Managing Director, Mark Pyrah.
“The partnership brings together our agronomic expertise with Bowcom’s knowledge of the coatings industry which creates a formidable combination and opportunity to impact on a very competitive industry sector,” added Mark.

Robert Fiddes, Managing Director of the Fiddes Group, is confident that the partnership between Bowcom and Sherriff Amenity offers an excellent opportunity for positive growth, moving forward.

“We have been looking to improve our distribution and we feel that Sherriff Amenity, with its extensive sales team and agronomic knowledge, blends very well with our technical expertise in the manufacture of highly specialised paints & coatings to the wood, glass and metal sector. The synergy is certainly there and we believe it will be particularly beneficial in terms of the continued development of Bowcom’s coatings for both turf and synthetic surfaces,” said Robert.

The new agreement starts with immediate effect. A series of product information sessions have been held with the Sherriff Amenity Sales team which is already equipped with Bowcom product information and prices.

For further information, please contact Sherriff Amenity on 0115 939 0202 or email info@sherriff-amenity.com

For more news and insightful views, you can follow Sherriff Amenity on Twitter @SherriffAmenity.

Following a competitive tendering process, Souters Sports, the UK’s leading crown green construction contractors, were chosen to construct the new bowling green on a former decaying factory site for Budenberg Bowling Club in Broadheath, near Stockport.

The new bowling green, which also sits beside a canal, had previously been situated across the road. As part of a new housing development, the previous bowling green and club house, along with the factory where the new green is now situated, were demolished to make way for a brand new state-of-the art green and club house.

The construction took around seven weeks to complete and also included main and lateral drainage installation, concrete channel installation, green construction, path installation and final surface installation along with a full automated irrigation system to ensure that the green plays to a consistently high standard for players.

During the construction, Souters Sports team of in-house operatives were presented with challenging weather conditions but worked professionally and efficiently to successfully reach the completion of the project on budget in the proposed timescales.

Souters Sports are renowned for their attention to detail when it comes to knowing about fine turf which comes from over 50 years of experience in the sportsturf industry, and it was this experience, along with the use of specialized equipment, which led them to winning the contract.

"From the very first site visit and throughout the whole process, Souters Sports were professional but friendly with a can-do attitude and flexible enough to deal with any issues that cropped up, such as the wet weather we experienced throughout the last 12 months”, said Graham Lloyd, from Bloor Homes, the housing developer.

“In what could only be called horrendous weather conditions at times, Souters Sports managed to complete the work as specified and on time”.

For further information, please contact Souters Sports Limited on 01236 453030 or visit www.souterssports.co.uk.

Dennis and SISIS, whose turf maintenance equipment is widely used by cricket groundsman at all levels, are delighted to announce a new partnership with the Club Cricket Conference.

These two highly respected names will support the 2013 CCC handbook and be featured on the Conference website. The Dennis and SISIS logos will give members and visitors direct links to their respective websites. There will be regularly updated blog pages on their equipment for pitch maintenance, also offering clubs and their groundsmen the opportunity to ask questions about it.

They will also support and be featured in the CCC newsletter, updating member clubs with news and stories about their machines and cricket pitch maintenance generally.

Expect to see more of both Dennis and SISIS at Conference events and matches too. Experts from each of the companies will give demonstrations of latest state-of-the-art turf maintenance equipment and talk to club groundsmen.

Both companies, as part of the partnership arrangement, have pledged to give active support to CCC’s involvement with the International Cricket Council (Europe) in encouraging the growth of cricket as a recreational game in countries where facilities are limited.

Seminars and presentations by them will be aimed at getting clubs to adopt grass rather than make-do pitches and showing them how looking after fine turf is achievable and beneficial.

The Dennis and SISIS companies have been around since the 1920’s and 1930’s respectively, but two years ago came together as part of the Derby-based Howardson Group. They have each been involved in the business of cricket pitch preparation and maintenance since their respective formation and their commitment to helping groundsmen get the best possible playing surface is underlined by regular participation in conferences and seminars. SISIS is well known to many cricket groundsmen for its range of hand and powered tools, notably for scarification, aeration, brushing and leveling tasks: Dennis for its fine turf cylinder mowers, especially its interchangeable cassette system which allows a groundsman to complete key maintenance tasks such as cutting, spiking, verti-cutting, and slitting using a single mower.

Welcoming the involvement of the two groundscare machinery brands in CCC activities, Cricket Development Manager Gulfraz Riaz said: “Partnerships are an important part of the game of cricket and this is a excellent one. We are delighted to have two such respected names in cricket pitch maintenance involved in what we do. We value their support and this new line of communication to clubs is sure to be appreciated by their groundsmen. It’s also an exciting extra string to our bow in trying to spread the game of cricket abroad.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis and SISIS on 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com / www.sisis.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter @DennisMowers and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK. You can also view the latest Dennis videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers

Working with trusted industry partners, Keith Kent has devised a rugby club pitch maintenance equipment package. The package is designed to meet the needs of rugby union clubs that aim to deliver a high quality pitch maintenance programme. The range of machinery includes a SISIS Quadraplay, SISIS Multitiner and Iseki TM3265 tractor.

Keith Kent, RFU Head Groundsman said: “SISIS equipment is a great option for any rugby club looking to improve and keep their playing surfaces playable all season long. With the ability to use four implements at any one time, the Quadraplay allows a club to carry out a number of key maintenance tasks on their pitch and the Multitiner enables clubs to aerate their pitches on a regular basis.”

As we move towards the rugby world cup in 2015; rugby clubs throughout the country will be looking to use this opportunity as the catalyst to grow their club. In order to be ready to deliver this, the RFU is challenging them to get ‘Fit for 15’. Part of this challenge will be to ensure that clubs have the appropriate pitch quality and capacity ready for the influx of new players.

“Better pitch maintenance is a key element to the running and playing of the game,” said Ted Mitchell, RFU’s Club Facilities Technical Manager. “Keith has visited over 250 grassroots clubs in the past three years, promoting better pitch maintenance and dealing with local issues. Following his recommendation, we spoke at length with SISIS and are delighted to be able to announce this package to clubs that are in membership of the RFU.”

Simple design with low maintenance, the SISIS Multitiner is a drum type tractor mounted aerator, which is ideal for use on sports fields and fine turf surfaces. Fast and effective to improve drainage and encourage better root growth; the aerator incorporates quick release solid tines and a working depth of up to 100mm.

The SISIS Quadraplay is a versatile pitch maintenance system. Connecting to any tractor with a 3-point-linkage, the versatile one pass maintenance system includes a mounted frame with four implements. The implements can be arranged in any order and can be lifted out of use when not required. A single pass allows up to four operations to be carried out simultaneously including surface aeration, sward cleansing, rolling and brushing, which when combined together, enable groundsman to prepare and maintain a pitch to the desired standard as well as looking aesthetically pleasing.

Commenting on the partnership, SISIS Customer Manager Roger Moore said: “We are delighted that our equipment has been chosen as part of Keith Kent’s pitch maintenance package. The Multiner and Quadraplay system are ideal products for enhancing and maintaining rugby pitches. We fully endorse the ‘Lead up and Legacy’ project that the RFU have put in place in creating better facilities for current and future generations of the rugby community.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact SISIS on 01332 824 777 or visit www.sisis.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow SISIS on Twitter @SISISMachinery and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/SISISMachinery. You can also view the latest SISIS videos by visiting www.youtube.com/SISISMachinery

Following an extensive worldwide search for new bowling green maintenance equipment, Long Beach Lawn Bowls Club in California have recently purchased a Dennis FT610 complete with verticutting and brush cassette, cassette storage system and a Bray hand seed slotter.

Like many bowls clubs around the world, bowling green maintenance duties and decisions are taken care of by the committee and playing members, including Peter Sinclair, the Club President. In late 2012, Peter along with club member Stephanie Johnson and Danny Ramirez from the local golf course, who look after the three bowling greens at the club, spoke with Joe Regan of nearby Laguna Beach Bowls Club. Joe had recently purchased a SISIS Rotorake MK5 and was raving about the playing characteristics of the green.

“We were looking to upgrade our maintenance machinery,” explained Peter, “Our old mower was nearly 30 years old so we spoke with Joe and extensively searched the internet for the best mower on the market. We were particularly interested in purchasing a mower which could also accommodate turf maintenance cassettes, which would give us one machine to carry out a range of tasks. The Dennis FT610 looked to be such a good quality mower.”

The Dennis FT610 professional mower, fitted with the innovative interchangeable cassette system is unrivalled as a mower and turf maintenance machine on all areas of fine turf. A cutting width of 24” and a range of 11 interchangeable cassettes mean that one machine can be used for several different jobs from de-thatching, verticutting or brushing.

The machine was sold by CS Trading, the USA distributors of Dennis Mowers. The prompt response to every email & telephone conversation with Ian Camp and his team convinced Long Beach Lawns Bowls Club that the product would be very well supported, taking away the fear of being the first user in America.

"When we researched the Dennis FT610 the mower came out on top of the operators' evaluations for ease of use, robustness and manoeuvrability. We were immediately impressed with the ease of swapping cassettes, giving a versatile machine that could improve the quality of our bowls green. Rather than having to manoeuvre several heavy machines around, our greenkeeping needs could be met with just one machine.”

Long Beach Lawns Bowls Club has a well-earned reputation for presenting the sport of lawn bowls to hundreds of people and for producing national champions. The club has been used by both divisional and national organizations for international and national competitions.

“It’s a great product and we get great support from CS Trading. I would highly recommend the Dennis FT610 to anyone looking after a bowling green.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact CS Trading on (864) 843 5972or visit www.dennisuk.com.

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter @DennisMowers and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK. You can also view the latest Dennis videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers.

Lee Evans, Head Groundsman at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff has a long working relationship with Complete Weed Control (South Wales) stretching back almost ten years. He now employs the UK’s leading sports and amenity weed control contractor for all ‘spraying applications’ on the pitch as well as the surroundings of the stadium.

The specialist contractor keeps both the pitch and stadium surroundings free of weeds and moss as well as all regular monthly applications of fertilisers, soil amendments and fungicides.

“Alan and his team are always very professional and are experts in their field, which is why I like working with them,” said Lee. “Everyone knows the well documented problems we’ve had here in the past with the stadium being dark and damp so it’s prone to disease on the pitch. Complete Weed Control help with all of our spraying needs and it’s certainly helped keep issues in check.”

CWC visit the Welsh national stadium on a monthly basis to apply a liquid feed programme and have also implemented a new sustainable approach to weed control by reducing the use of fungicide down to a minimum using the Headland Turf Protection Mixture from Headland Amenity.

Even though Lee and his grounds staff are fully trained in pesticide control and spraying he maintains that it is much more cost effective to work with the contractor than carry out the work himself. “The cost of risk assessments, keeping up-to-date with legislation and having the state-of-the-art equipment that CWC have is very expensive. It’s much more cost effective to bring in the experts who know I can trust to get on with the job and provide a quality service.”

As well as the regular monthly programme devised by Lee and the CWC team to keep weeds and disease on the pitch under control, the contractor comes into the stadium to ‘green-up’ the pitch the week before live televised games to ensure that it always looks it’s best to the millions watching.

"It's vital for not only me, but also my team to work with a specialist contractor as I know we can trust them. If we have any issues on the pitch, and sometimes we do as it is constantly changing, I know I can call Alan and he’ll be able to advise us on the best possible course of action.”

For more information, please contact Complete Weed Control’s National office on 01325 324 277 or visit www.completeweedcontrol.co.uk. You can also follow CWC on Twitter @CWCLimited for much more news, reviews and insightful views.

Brailsford Golf Club’s Head Greenkeeper Andy Ryder, has battled the most testing of springs, particularly on tees and greens, but his two Dennis professional cylinder mowers have more than helped him cope and kept the club’s steadily expanding 180 membership happy at tee and pin.

Andy has been using a 10-bladed Dennis FT510 with interchangeable cassettes for his tees and an 11-bladed Dennis Razor Ultra on the greens at Brailsford for two years and swears by them. The finish they provide and their sturdiness and handling have impressed him from day one.

Andy has been a greenkeeper for over 30 years and by instinct prefers to cut fine turf by hand. He has always believed it is better to hand cut tees and greens, especially when conditions are softer, as they have been in this longest of winters just passed. He says for him minimising compaction is essential for good quality tees and consistent greens and his two Dennis mowers have really come into their own this spring, particularly his 20-inch cut FT510 powered by a Honda 5.5hp petrol engine.

A choice of up to 11 different cassettes including scarifiers, verticutters, brushes, spikers and slitters as well as 5 or 10 bladed cutting cylinders make it more than just a fine turf mower. It offers total fine turf care in a single unit, with a 25 second changeover of cassettes, which is a huge benefit to Andy.

Snow lingered on parts of the Brailsford course into late March, and even though they were then clear of it the tees and greens were much softer than usual. By fitting a sorrel roller cassette to the FT510 Andy aided aeration significantly and brought the ryegrass & fescue tees and fescue & annual meadow grass greens on a treat.

Regular spiking is part of the routine that Andy finds works well and his Dennis FT510 means he can do it using a single machine. At other times by attaching a scarifier cassette he gets the same benefit. “One machine for all my fine turf jobs. What could be better?” says Andy.

Now the growing season is at last here and cutting is the priority, it’s the simple hand adjustment of height in increments of 0.25mm on both his 22-inch cut Dennis Razor Ultra and FT510 that is a big bonus for Andy.

“I only have one assistant to help me keep the course in trim, so avoiding downtime for tool adjustment saves us a lot of time, letting us concentrate on the job in hand – producing a really fine finish on the tees and greens”. On the Razor Ultra, which will cut down to 1.5mm, Andy has the added benefit of a tungsten-tipped groomer to keep green speeds as he wants them by trimming lateral growth.

Servicing the Dennis mowers is minimal and straightforward. Andy says he does most of it himself, with the exception of annual blade grinding which is done at the nearby Dennis factory. “Nothing is too much trouble,” says Andy. “Dennis is one of those companies where you can rely on the strength and quality of the machines they make and the great service they provide.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com