Trilo have the answer for Greenkeepers who are wanting to scarify their fairways in anything other than straight lines!

The Trilo VCU scarifiers are a range of fixed rotor scarifiers three point linkage mounted from 1.2m up to 2.4m wide.  The VCU 1.5m machine can now be converted to be a trailed scarifier when required.

The advantage of being trailed is that it can be used on a small tractor as it only needs to run it and not lift it on the three point  linkage.  Being trailed the scarifier can then be turned when in use and therefore used to follow the curving edges to fairways. It does not tear or rip the grass when doing this as you can see from the pictures and the video.

As you can easily convert the VCU 1.5m it is an ideal machine for contractors who have to adapt from job to job to meet their clients’ requirements.  This new machine will be on our stand at SALTEX 2011.

Eco Turf based in Bournemouth have taken delivery of the new Trebro Autostack 2. This is the latest model launched in the UK at the Spring TGA meeting. 

Andy Mercer, production manager for Eco Turf explained that they had chosen the Autostack 2 to replace 2 hand stack mowers thus turning what was a 4 man operation into a 1 man operation.  The on-going capital investment by Eco Turf was all part of a strategy to increase efficiency and flexibility within the Turf division and it is a strategy which can be seen in all divisions within the group.

The Autostack 2 new design while retaining it’s excellent and unrivalled output has not only reduced maintenance requirements but has also made it easier for the operator who benefits from the new simplified operating systems.  This has meant that within 24 hrs Eco’s new machine was hard at work being driven by Gavin Dampney

ATT have been working hard to develop their cassette system over the last 12 months and the new SMARTCut cutting cassette is testament to that.  At the same time they are constantly reviewing developments from the big three and working to ensure that existing users are able to adapt or upgrade their TM System to fit the new greens and tees mowers.  ATT are now pleased to announce that it is now possible to fit the system to the Eclipse mowers, both the hybrid and the battery version.

As the pictures illustrate not only will all the existing cassettes fit but also it is possible to have SMARTCut units as well.  The advantage to the Eclipse user of using the SMARTCut is while there is no compromise in cut quality you benefit from having the rear roller power brush which takes it’s drive from the rear roller itself.  The significance of this is that it is not drawing power directly from the electric motor.  From our testing we have established, on a well adjusted cutting cylinder, a belt driven rear roller power brush can take as much as 50% of the total power requirement from the motor!!  Using the ATT System will therefore significantly reduce the load on the electric motor, less strain means a longer motor life, less power drawn means that either you can go further with your battery or less power having to be generated by the engine if you are using a hybrid. It is a win – win situation because on top of everything else the ATT System is not only efficient, multifunctional but is competitively priced too!!

The show was part of the biannual show programme and was a Farnabys Turf Farm at Scotch Corner.  The site organisation and layout was good and there was a range of turf equipment to see.  The Tuesday “static” afternoon was a complete waste of time for all the exhibitors as nobody turned up!  This was hardly surprising as for some obscure reasons the dinner held at this event was not put on Tuesday evening to encourage turf producers to spread their attendance over 2 days but on the Wednesday night when everyone wanted to go home!  Wednesday was better attended and there were a number of turf producers present mainly, as one would expect, those from the Midlands and North.  Not unreasonably most producers South of that felt it was too far to travel and with little capital expenditure planned in the near future skipped the show this year.

In glorious sunshine we exhibited and demonstrated the Trebro ShortCut 2010 and the Trilo Pallet Wrapper.  The ShortCut  performed fantastically, it’s operation was smooth and faultless and I believe it will become the leader in its class in no time.

The Trilo pallet wrapper was also demonstrated and indications are that it appeals particularly to those producers who have high output machines such as the Trebro AutoStack2 and who are looking to further improve their efficiency of the “on field” operations. The wrapper being able to use both netting and plastic has other applications as well being able to wrap pallets of slabs etc.

It was a good opportunity to talk to the attendees and get a feel of how the market was coping in these difficult economic conditions and in general the feeling was that it had been a good Spring and they hoped it would continue.

We would also like to wish Alex White from Manitou a speedy and complete recovery; he was unfortunately hurt in an accident as the site was being cleared at the end of the event.

The RotaDairon ED130TS has been out and about on golf courses in the South of England and it has been well received!  In fact on several occasions it has been said that it was the best demonstration the greenkeepers had ever seen!! 

The scarifier blades which can either be standard or tungsten tipped are easily capable of scarifying to 25mm in depth.  The number and spacing of the blades can be easily changed using the magnetic locking mechanism with only one nut to be loosened and tightened to change the whole set. Nothing could be easier.  This means the machine is quickly adjusted to suit the conditions and the job in hand. The blades are of very high quality, matching the rest of the machine, and give a crisp clean cut

 Perhaps the most pleasing feature of the RotaDairon ED130TS as far as the greenkeepers are concerned is the cleanliness of its pick up. When purchasing a machine there are several options open to greenkeepers of scarifiers that will work deep and pull a lot of material out, Trilo offer the compact VCU120, but none sweep and  collect.  This means before The RotaDairon machine came along the scarification of the tees and greens, a simple straight forward job, was followed by the arduous clean up often involving blowers, brooms, and shovels.  Basically a lot of staff spending a lot of time to get the surface playable again. The ED130TS makes it a thing of the past.  As you can see from the photos the finish is clean and crisp, a true one pass operation. But don’t take our word for it, if you are in the market for a scarifier give us a call and the guys will be delighted to bring out the machine.  It sells itself!

Trilo vacuum sweepers have been used for years to clear the large open areas of rock concert and festival areas.  Most sites have bins, typically old 45 gallon drums but these rapidly fill and then over flow.  Once they are full there is a little chance to get access to these to empty them with the number of visitors on site.   Once the bins start over flowing there is a tendency for visitors to no longer bother and they simply throw the refuse on the floor.  The answer was obvious, bigger bins!  The trouble is that a bigger bin would get in the way and was a potential fire hazard.  The answer was to have a large concrete chamber below a standard bin.  The bin never overflows and the site remains substantially cleaner.

Once the concert has finished the rubbish chamber has to be emptied, this is where the new Trilo SC2500 comes in.  It is a 25 cubic metre container with a large remotely controlled suction arm and hose.  The operator releases and tilts the bin off the chamber top and then guides the hose into the chamber where it reaches down up to 3 metres vacuuming out the entire contents.  Everything goes up the hose as the entrance to the bin limits what can be put in the bin so not exceeding the diameter of the hose.  Once up the hose the rubbish passes through the large powerful armoured plated fan which is driven using the trucks hydraulics.  The rubbish is then blown into the container.  The Trilo SC2500 has been mounted on an IVECO EEV-150E25 and the contractor using it has chosen a 4×4 option to ensure he has access to the site whatever the conditions – Glastonbury springs to mind!!

There was an excellent turn out for the open day which was part of the Trebro sponsored Spring TGA meeting.  The site provided by Turfland was perfect for the purposes of the demonstration and their preparation of a hard standing area for car parking was greatly appreciated as there was a downpour in the morning before the demonstration started.

Although we have been responsible for the parts distribution since 2009  we have only recently become involved with the machine sales. I think quite a few of the turf producers present already being Trebro users were there to see the product evolution rather than being in the market for immediate purchase.  Trebro have bucked the trend by investing and developing new models in the middle of the world wide turf recession and in doing so they have made clear their intention to be the world’s leading company in automated turf harvesting.

Most of the interest was in the large Autostack2.  The experienced eyes of turf producers with the thousands of pallets they have lifted looked over the machine critically comparing their old machines with the new. It didn’t fail to impress.  In reality most of the machine is new.  New engine, more power, less fuel better drive motors, simpler to operate, better vision, better software, simpler operating systems, less parts, etc, etc.  Trebro have taken years of experience, listen to the operators and produced a machine to meet their requirements.  Personally I wanted to know what Gerald from Q lawns thought of the new machine.  He has had and maintained machines for over 11 years and knows them as well as anyone.  He saw the machine as a complete refinement of the existing model.  He felt that the new machine would harvest just as well but would be easier to operate and crucially from his point of view require 40% less maintenance!  More time harvesting, fuel, labour and parts costs saved!  Turfland already operate one and Ecoturf are eagerly awaiting delivery of theirs next month.

In many product ranges the smallest  machine in the range is just a poor man’s version with a multitude of compromises having been made.  This is not the case with Trebro.  The SC2010 is simply a purpose built single row version of its bigger brother. It also has a Cummins engine, the new software, new cab, new stacking mechanism, simpler operating procedures but being a single row machine it is lighter, far more manoeuvrable and ideally suited to the smaller producer who is looking for the best in automated turf harvesting.  I feel sure we will see some of these in operation in the UK in the near future.

Trebro Demonstration Day

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

All Welcome!

The Grass Group would like to see all turf producers at the demo day which is being held at Turfland on 30^thMarch! Tim, Jem, Lee and Jon will be attending the event so please feel free to find them with any questions you may have about our products. The AutostackII is very unlikely to be attending the TGA meeting in the summer so please make the most of the opportunity to see this exciting new machine in the field! It is pleasing to see that even in these difficult times Trebro are developing new products and supporting the industry.

NEW SC2010

 The SC2010 Roll incorporates all of the proven Trebro reliability in a new compact innovative design. It has the newest and latest technology with many features requested by today’s turf producer.

It is a compact, lightweight manoeuvrable harvester that is powered by a 99 HP Cumminsengine. The all-wheel drive with rear wheel anti-spin control keeps the SC2010 on track in wet, muddy conditions. The deluxe cab with anti-vibration mounts has heat and air conditioning for a quiet, comfortable ride. The driver has excellent visibility of the cutting head, conveyor, and stacking functions.

The SC2010 has outstanding maneuverability, increasing harvesting efficiency. For international shipments, the SC2010 folds down to fit into an ocean container, saving thousands of dollars in shipping costs.

NEW AUTOSTACK II

This ultimate high production harvester is a totally refined machine by any standard. Not only does it feature Trebro’s economy, reliability, and time tested value, it also incorporates many new features that set it apart from any other turf harvester on the market today.

A new heated and air conditioned cab uses curved glass panels both front and rear for outstanding visibility. Powered by a 140 HP Cumminsengine with all wheel hydrostatic drive and large floatation tires allows the AutoStack II to harvest through wet muddy conditions with ease. When it turns hot and dry, it keeps on harvesting thanks to the twin 24” cutting heads with dual adjustable down pressure producing a remarkable quality of cut with a minimum of waste.

Some other new features include; state of the art modular control system with diagnostics interface, auto-conveyor control to match conveyor speed to ground speed ,larger more powerful cutting head motors, plus many more. The new Trebro AutoStack II will turn any large scale turf harvesting operation into a highly efficient one man system.

Directions To Demonstration at Turfland Farms

HOOTONS FARM, JACKSMERE LANE, SOUTHPORT. L40 9RT

(from the North & South)

Map from M6 Junction 26 to Ormskirk

Take Junction 26 off M6 on to M58 towards Southport & Liverpool, take junction 3 and follow signs to Ormskirk. Go through Ormskirk and pick up signs to Southport on the  A570, continue on this road until you go past the Morris Dancer pub on your left, then just past a garage on left and before a church on the left, turn left onto Jacksmere Lane (B5243),Hootons Farm is on left just pass greenhouses.

Please RSVP through the TGA Office: Tel: (44) 015-076-07722, Fax: (44) 015-076-00101 or info@turfgrass.co.uk

Dairon’s RGD140 is out and about showing that simplicity can be a route to success.

The RGD140 is a product created to meet UK requests for a clean finish overseeder which is compact and simple.  It was Les Howkins, Master Greenkeeper, of Richmond Golf Club that worked with Michel Dairon in fine tuning the machine.

As a machine that is suited to a compact tractor it is readily manoeuvrable around the greens and tees. 

The razor sharp discs insure excellent penetration and their depth are set using the stainless steel front roller.  There are additional removable weights on the disc frame to allow the greenkeeper further adjustment if conditions are unexpectedly tough. 

The seeder is a modular unit used across the whole Dairon range and has an infinitely graduated metering mechanism which is very precise and yet is easy to set.  The seed flows down angled shoots to the foot of the especially designed share or foot which opens the pre cut slot dropping the seed neatly in the groove before it naturally closes and is then rolled closed by the soft rear tyres.  There is almost no seed outside the groove.  The result is seed placed precisely where you want with minimal surface disturbance.

With the first signs of grass growth since November 2010 The Grass Group are preparing to take the new INFINIPower and TM cassettes out on demonstration.

Each area of the UK has a wide wheeled trailer which can be towed to the demonstration location and then unhitched from the car and put behind a tractor or utility vehicle to take out to cutting site.

The INFINIPower will be not only be used to show the ultra groomer, thatchmaster and vibrating roller cassettes but also the new SMARTCut 11 blade replacement cutting cassette which can be used by all the tees and greens triples in conjunction with the TM Chassis.  The INFINIPower is unique I that it has a powerful 5.5hp engine and not only can its forward speed be infinitely varied so can the cassette speed.  This means when deep scarifying there is plenty of power on hand to work hard but when cutting using the SMARTCut an extremely high clip rate can be achieved.   These cassettes from the triples will fit the pedestrian INFINIPower if conditions mean the triples are too heavy or unwieldy for the job in hand.

Demonstrations have already been booked in by golf clubs, cricket and bowls clubs as well as private individuals by people attending the Harrogate show.  All we need now is for the weather to keep improving!