Landscape & Amenity
May 2018 Latest developments in our world-class sector
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Seed plant investment geared to enhanced customer service A £1.5 million investment in state-of-the art packing facilities and additional storage capacity at Germinal GB’s Lincoln headquarters is part of a broader long-term strategy to increase efficiencies and competitiveness throughout its expanding forage and amenity seed businesses. So reports Managing Director Paul Billings, who says the improved customer service now resulting from these latest developments is an essential step in future-proofing the company’s interests. “We’ve installed an automated bag filling, palletising and pallet wrapping line capable of highly
responsive functionality and outputs of over 500 bags per hour,” he says. “We’ve also erected a new 18,565 square foot fully racked-out warehouse to effectively double our capacity to store finished goods.
The company also distributes a range of state-of-the-art phased release and speciality fertilisers, backed up by FACTS (Fertiliser Advisers Certification and Training Scheme) qualified support and advice.
“This means we can meet our customers’ orders for forage and amenity seed faster and more accurately, improving what is already renowned as a very dependable next-daydelivery service.”
Germinal’s amenity division has built a reputation for developing some of the best performing tennis, golf, football and rugby seed mixtures and for providing no-nonsense product support to the landscaping sector. It has also recently announced investment in a new crop research station which will further improve the quality and performance of its future seed mixtures.
Germinal GB’s amenity division breeds and supplies a range of landscape, sports turf and amenity grass cultivars, as well as an extensive selection of UKspecific wildflower varieties.
His appointment extends the number of RPAs to 10, plus two key account managers, for the programme that aims to improve the standard of grassroots pitches and the skills of those who look after them throughout England and Wales. Aged 31, Julien brings to the role an extensive skills set and knowledge base after beginning his groundsmanship career as a 15-year-old volunteer at his local cricket club (Attleborough Sports) and, during the subsequent 16 years, also being club chairman, secretary, treasurer and groundsman. During his time at Coventry City – where he has been head groundsman since 2013 – Julien has progressed through the groundsmanship ranks, after joining in 2008 as an
Causes and solutions for Dry Patch
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Grass Cutting Machinery
Germinal
IOG expands GaNTIP NETWORK The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) has announced that Julien Morris, formerly head groundsman at Coventry City Football Club, has joined the IOG-lead Grounds and Natural Turf Improvement Programme (GaNTIP) as regional pitch advisor (RPA) for the East Midlands Region.
Technical Article
County FA sign up Replay
A round-up of the machinery available
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apprentice. He holds a NPTC Diploma Level 3 in Sports Turf Management in 2011, as well as NPTC Spraying qualifications PA1, PA2 and PA6. Commenting on his appointment, GaNTIP director Jason Booth, says: “Extensive work has been completed during phase one (2014-2017) which has led to clear aims and objectives from the sponsors - the Football Association, Football Foundation and the England & Wales Cricket Board - within phase two (2017-2021). “Julien’s experience will prove a valuable addition to what already is a very skilled and diverse team of regional pitch advisors who are proving to be invaluable at grassroots level.” IOG
Brushcutters Products to tackle the heavy stuff The Football Development Centre at Flegg High Ormiston Academy in Norfolk, known as the FDC@ Flegg, is one of three facilities run by Norfolk County FA. Elliot Pride, the FDC@Flegg Development Officer oversees the full size 3G pitch at the site, managing everything from accounts, bookings and even getting hands on with the pitch maintenance. Helping Elliot to keep the surface looking and playing at its best are synthetic specialists Replay Maintenance.
A County Partner to Norfolk FA, Replay have been involved with the maintenance of the FDC’s since the original facility opened in Norwich eight years ago. The service agreement see’s Replay conducting six Revive® visits per year to remove contaminates and de-compact and rotate the infill which is then regraded and dressed back into the surface. This results in enhanced porosity and improved playing characteristics. Replay Maintenance
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Inside Knowledge One versatile machine makes a big difference
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