Product showcase

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

ARTIFICIAL SURFACE MAINTENANCE

CHARTERHOUSE Clean and clear

When it comes to looking after a synthetic surface, maintenance does not need to be complex or costly, but it does need to be consistent and effective. Infill is imperative in supporting the fibres of the surface, ensuring they stand vertically to achieve the desired playing characteristics. However, footfall during play will naturally compact the infill and flatten the fibres – reducing drainage ability and leaving the most vulnerable part of the fibre exposed to loading and UV. Ineffective maintenance will lead to premature wear and reduce the expected life of the carpet.

Regular brushing will help to move infill around the surface and stand fibres upright. It should be conducted in conjunction with surface cleaning – a little-and-often approach is considered the most effective. The Redexim Verti-Top from Charterhouse Turf Machinery uses a powered rotary brush to sweep the carpet, lift the pile and extract the top 1-15mm of infill, along with any foreign material. The infill is then passed over a sieve to separate any detritus before the cleaned infill is dropped and brushed back into the surface, leaving a clean, level and aesthetically pleasing finish.

“A regular maintenance plan incorporating decompaction brushing

and cleaning will give grounds managers a surface that they can be proud of – one that looks great and, more importantly, is safe and playable throughout the year,” says Jonathan Woolfall, operations manager at Premier Pitches, which purchased a Verti-Top 1200 in the summer of 2018.

“We’ve used the Verti-Top in a range of environments, with particularly high demand from local schools and sports grounds. It’s very simple to set up and easy to use, and it is really good at extracting dust and contaminants from the infill which helps to prevent those problems with dirt and compaction deeper down in the pile. Its ability to carry out multiple processes in a single pass makes it a convenient and effective part of ensuring the long-term life of an artificial pitch.”

The Verti-Top is available in either a 120cm or 180cm working width, with both models featuring powerful vacuum extraction, adjustable decompaction tines as standard and interchangeable sieves for use on surfaces with different infill types.

www.charterhouse-tm.co.uk

SCH Top tips and tools for synthetic surfaces

A synthetic sports surface needs to remain level and with a consistent texture so that it gives a true and predictable game. Water has to be able to drain freely, which requires infill materials to be routinely decompacted and to be evenly distributed over the surface.

A decompaction rake is designed to carry out routine maintenance on surfaces with a sand or crumb-filled base. Spring rake tines tease through the surface to remove heavy surface compaction and aid drainage. This is usually followed by a nylon brush, which helps to level and groom the area.

Leaves, pine needles and other debris rapidly rot down, forming a drainage-inhibiting ‘skin’ in the surface, an ideal medium for growing algae and moss. Keeping debris off the surface is crucial in autumn and winter, as damp conditions exacerbate the problem. A wide brush or a powered sweeper with a collector is essential for keeping this debris at bay.

Powered brushes significantly reduce the time it takes to maintain a surface and can provide results unachievable with manual methods. If a powered brush with a debris collector is used on synthetic surfaces with an infill, a fine mesh grate in the collector is essential. The mesh allows sand or rubber crumb fill to return to the surface, whilst debris is caught.

A chemical spray should be applied periodically to the surface to help prevent moss, lichen and algae from growing.

RIGBY TAYLOR Silver service

With the relaxing of lockdown and the return of recreational activity and sport participation, Rigby Taylor has introduced EndoSan, which uses advanced ionic silverbased chemistry in a solution of Hydrogen Peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) for sanitising a wide

range of surfaces.

EndoSan provides control of Coronavirus as well as bacteria, fungi and algae when applied to a wide range of surfaces as a nonhazardous spray.

Areas of use include, turf and artificial playing surfaces, ‘touch-points’ in changing rooms, gyms, playgrounds and on equipment, golf course ‘furniture’, trolleys and buggies, seating, railings, gates, flags, nets and much more.

EndoSan is 100% chlorine and alcohol free, has no odour or colour, is non-corrosive and is applied through a pressure sprayer, or for small areas from a ready to use Trigger pack. After application, the product simply degrades into harmless, naturally occurring water and oxygen substances.

EndoSan’s positive environmental credentials provide a first-choice surface sanitiser for grounds managers, greenkeepers and contractors. It is supplied as a ready-touse formulation in 500ml Trigger packs and 5 litre drums as well as in 10 litres of concentrate. Larger sizes are available on request.

www.rigbytaylor.com

WIEDENMANN Room to manoeuvre

Dave Gibson, contracts director at Fairways Sportsgrounds, was one of the first users of the Wiedenmann UK’s synthetic pitch Terra Clean 100 sweeper cleaner.

“Ours is as versatile as it is manoeuvrable. It’s billed as Wiedenmann’s entry-level machine but we’ve taken it over just about every type of synthetic carpet, in all stages of wear, and there’s nothing basic about it; it always makes a difference.”

The Terra Clean 100 can be towed behind utility vehicles from 12hp without the need for a PTO. As no hydraulics or electrics are required it is favoured by those clubs or organisations with a single or small number of pitches to maintain.

“Often narrow gates can catch you out but there’s rarely a problem as it’s 120cm wide,” says Dave.

“The four-brush rotor keeps it well powered. It collects litter, debris and crumb on a mechanical vibrating screen. Debris and rubber crumb are separated with infill returned to the floor while waste goes to the 50-litre hopper.

“One of our sites had two hockey pitches; one a water based Federation of International Hockey (FIH) global standard surface, the other a sand dressed national standard. The 100 did an equally great job on both, and being able to turn sharply meant it didn’t miss any of the areas.”

www.wiedenmann.co.uk

SISIS Powerful performance

Synthetic sports surfaces need a good maintenance programme in place from the very beginning.

One machine that is being used by many grounds staff is the SISIS Osca tractor-mounted powered oscillating brush, ideally suited to either a sand or rubber crumb surface.

A pair of oscillating brushes allows periodic aggressive brushing to be undertaken to agitate the upper infill level, helping reduce compaction, encourage the fibres to stand upright, and reduce the risk of contamination and surface water.

It can also be used for regular light brushing, helping to stand the fibres up, move the infill around, creating a level surface, and minimise the threat of moss and algae. It uses fewer passes than a standard drag brush and has the option of adding a further 1.8m wide brush which helps to enhance the final finish.

One happy user is Andy Jackson, grounds manager at Stoke City FC. “The oscillating brushes are the best feature because they get rid of any compaction problems and provide a fantastic finish. The Osca ticks all the boxes in getting synthetic turf to a level where it needs to be.”

EGO Time to blow

The EGO Professional-X LBX6000 Blower offers users more blowing time, more comfort and more power than its petrol-powered counterparts.

Part of EGO’s Professional-X range for heavy use and professional work, the blower can be powered by EGO’s battery backpack or handheld batteries (all sold separately), giving it a run time of up to 350 minutes. At almost six hours run time, with zero emissions and an operational volume of just 80dB, it’s a great tool for all-day use. The LBX6000 can blow up to 1014m 3 /h of air per hour using its Turbo Boost mode. Running quieter than its petrol counterparts makes it ideal for use in noise-sensitive areas.

Steve Roskell, marketing director, EMEA at EGO, said: “When we designed the LBX6000, we carefully considered its impact on user health, the environment and cost, reducing vibration, banishing harmful fumes and reducing noise levels. When combined with our battery backpacks, users can power through a whole day’s work on a single charge – something many professionals think cannot be done with battery powered equipment.”

The EGO Power Plus blower is available from Henton & Chattell’s UK dealer network in the UK.

www.egopowerplus.co.uk

STIHL Blown away

The new STIHL BGA 200 cordless blower cleans large areas quickly and efficiently.

With a blowing force of 21 Newton, the BGA 200 is the most powerful in the STIHL range and features a high air speed (a maximum of 84m/s) for coping with wet leaves.

The unit is easy to handle, thanks to its newly developed comfort carrying system. This innovative feature allows the tool to be used in different ways depending on the application; hand-held in confined working areas or suspended in the carrying system for larger-scale cleaning work. This approach is practical, efficient and increases operational comfort.

Thanks to its low-noise operation – at just 93dB – the BGA 200 can also be operated without restriction in noisesensitive areas and can be used without hearing protection. The blowing force has three different settings, which can

SCH Clean-up capacity

The TRCL features a powerful motorised fan unit which is mounted on the front and sucks up green waste from the towing vehicle’s cutter deck, then propels it to the trailer. The trailer has a low centre of gravity, which makes it extremely stable on hilly ground. Wide pneumatic wheels greatly reduce wheel markings on soft ground.

Lawn tractors with a centre rear discharge blow cut grass and leaves into a limited-size hopper, which results in frequent emptying and can become time consuming and frustrating. The advantage of the TRCL is that it greatly increases the collecting capacity so that larger areas can be collected in one fill, thus reducing the amount of time and labour required. The fan on the unit is belt-driven to protect the engine should a blockage occur.

This large capacity leaf collector has been developed by SCH to tow behind lawn tractors which have the ability known as “twin cut”. Other machines can be adapted on request.

www.schsupplies.co.uk

easily be selected by the user via an ergonomically situated selector switch. The user can easily adjust the length of the nozzle to meet different requirements and operating situations with the help of a quick adjustment system.

A 36V Lithium-ion battery from the STIHL PRO cordless system supplies the energy required to operate the BGA 200. Batteries can be carried either by a belt bag or a backpack system (STIHL AP series). Alternatively, the STIHL AR series backpack batteries with their high energy content are available for all-day use.

MAKITA Doubling up

The DUB363ZV Twin 18V blower from Makita is a versatile machine, ideal for keeping the work area safe and clear of debris. Operators can choose between the blower or vacuum functions to tackle a wide range of tasks.

Powered by Makita’s Twin 18V technology, the blower benefits from two 18V LXT batteries that work in series to supply energy to the 36V DC motor drive system. The powerful performance delivered is similar to a 25cc class engine blower, both in blower and vacuum applications.

For maximum efficiency, the DUB363ZV includes Makita’s brushless motor to deliver high air volume (13.4 m³/min) and velocity (65m/sec). In order to maintain a consistent output, the blower includes cruise control, allowing users to lock the variable control trigger at the desired power level. To increase precision, the three-stage telescopic nozzle has an adjustment range of 100mm.

The DUB363ZV has been designed with an in-built shredder within the fan so that, when used in vacuum mode, the machine will mulch down any materials. This maximises space within the 50-litre collection bag – and allows operators to work efficiently by significantly reducing the need to stop and empty the bag.

Finally, to help ensure user safety, a motor interlock system works to prevent the motor from starting until the nozzle and fan cover have been properly installed.

www.makitauk.com

WIEDENMANN Just the jobs

Grounds teams have long been fans of the Wiedenmann Super 500 because it’s the archetypal multi-tasker. They know by investing in this one machine they can carry out sweeping, leaf collection, verticutting or flail mowing, depending on attachments employed.

In any of its modes, it produces a high airflow which ensures collected material is well compacted. Its highperformance vacuum packs the 2,500-litre hopper every time, leaving a clean finish. The airflow of the exhaust is driven downwards minimising noise and dust, important if working in noise sensitive areas. The multi rib belt drive system also reduces any maintenance work.

PELLENC Going greener

Orbit, one of the UK’s leading housing providers, has invested in a large fleet of battery powered Pellenc equipment, from dealer RT Machinery, to meet its low noise and carbon emissions requirements, including the Airion 3 blower.

Rhys Warwick, an estates team manager for Orbit, was asked to research new equipment for the company’s Orbit Earth sustainability intiative. After seeing Pellenc at SALTEX 2019, he was impressed and arranged a demonstration day, eventually ordering a fleet of mowers, brushcutters, chainsaws and the Airion 3 blowers.

Whereas many blowers swing downwards towards the nozzle, the Airion 3 has an angled air intake, which offsets the swing effect from the air blast. This keeps the tool correctly balanced at any speed without putting strain on the wrist. This design also reduces the blower’s noise disturbance for people in the surrounding environment, with the added benefit that the user doesn’t need to wear ear defenders.

The Airion 3 also features a Fast Connector system for rapid tool connection/disconnection. This feature allows users to quickly remove the tool while working if there is a risky situation, or to use both hands freely.

Rhys said: “One of the main factors behind choosing Pellenc was health and safety – in terms of low vibrations, noise reduction, savings in fuel and less CO 2 .There are so many benefits.”

www.pellencuk.com

It is exceptionally manoeuvrable with a light footprint, the pneumatic tyres minimising pressure on fine turf areas. The 2.1m high dump facility on the CHD model allows for easy tipping into bins and trailers, and this also comes as standard on the basic sweeping model. Working depth can be set easily and quickly from -20mm up to 150mm. The natural habitat of the Super 500 is park grounds, extensively maintained areas, ecological meadows and sports grounds. The parallelogram guided sweeper head ensures that implements maintain an optimal working position at all times. This is a key safety advantage as its floating head ensures a clean pass over undulating ground. A dethatching and scarifying unit is available with verticut blades that can be spaced at 19mm, 38mm and 57mm.

TO ADVERTISE in the classified section of Grounds Management

Please contact:

James 07813 308416 jamesp@jppublishing.co.uk