It is hard to get away from the word ‘tariff’. We hear it day in and day out on the news.

Last March and April, when Brexit negotiations were the main topic of the news, the big issue was what tariffs would be placed on imported and exported goods to and from Britain and the EU. When an extension to the Withdrawal Agreement was granted by the EU, Brexit was put back into the second category news story. But that wasn’t the end of the word ‘tariff’ - Donald Trump was determined that this word should remain in the media. It was not long afterwards he decided to impose increased tariffs on certain Chinese goods imported into the US.

What effect has the Chinese/US trade dispute got to do with the agri and sportsturf equipment sector in Ireland? No one really knows. This trade war dispute may seem to be between the Chinese and the Americans but when you look at it more closely, some of the machines we import come from US parent companies. Thankfully, many of them have manufacturing facilities based in Europe, which should soften the impact of increased tariffs.

The fact that US machines are manufactured in Europe should not be a reason for complacency. An area I would have concerns about is the components that are used for the manufacturing of agricultural and groundcare equipment. We have seen the increased use of GPS controlled features, particularly in sprayers and fertilizer spreaders. Where does the software and technology come from that is used in these machines? Could it be possibly from China?

Meanwhile, going back to the Brexit issue (now that the European elections have taken place), the Withdrawal Agreement has already taken centre stage again and this familiar word ‘tariff’ is raising its head. A deal is not yet in sight and the possibility of increased tariffs on imported machines from the UK is ever more likely.

Ireland’s ports are preparing for increased capacity post Brexit. Last November an agreement was signed between the Irish and French ports’ associations in Dublin to look at increasing capacity on existing sea routes between Ireland and France, and consider new routes, if there are restrictions on the UK landbridge, after the United Kingdom quits the European Union in March.

Rosslare Europort, for example is at 38% capacity and has land available to expand to allow for the anticipated increase in port traffic. The port may have taken a major step closer to obtaining tier one port status after being approved by the European Commission as a border control post for the importation of any agri-food, fish or live animal products. No doubt any increased machinery imports from the EU will find their way into Irish ports (instead of coming via the UK landbridge).

There is a lot of uncertainty still to come.

The Garden Landscape and Amenity Sportsturf (GLAS) trade show's exhibitor list continues to grow as some of the biggest names in horticulture secure their spot for the largest one-day horticulture trade event in Ireland.

GLAS trade show continues to grow its exhibitor list: Pilsen Skoda, Camsaw, Dublin Grass Machinery, and Leinster Turf Equipment are confirmed as some of the trade show’s latest exhibitors.

The one-day trade event will take place on Thursday, July 18, from 9am to 5pm, at the Citywest Event Centre and Hotel, Saggart, Co Dublin. With the full support of Bord Bia, Teagasc, and the Kildare Growers, GLAS offers a unique networking opportunity for both buyers and sellers in Ireland’s horticulture, sportsturf, and related industries. The exhibition is free admission but you need to register in advance or at the door. You can register by visiting here.

New features

Mirroring an ever-evolving industry, GLAS 2019 will see the introduction of two brand new features: The Careers Hub and The Landscape Show.

The Careers Hub is where attendees and exhibitors will meet their customers and even their potential employees of tomorrow. The Careers Hub provides for an informal networking opportunity for visitors and exhibitors to meet with final year students, graduates, and alumni. The focus will also be on the value of up-skilling those currently working in the industry.

Together with The Careers Hub, new for GLAS 2019 will be The Landscape Show: a show-within-a-show that brings together all of the expertise from the landscaping sector – supported by the Association of Landscape Contractors of Ireland (ALCI), the Irish Landscape Institute (ILI), and the Garden and Landscape Designers Association (GLDA) who will also be on hand to meet new and existing members. The Landscape Show at GLAS will feature exhibits from the leading suppliers, as well as informative talks in the Learning Theatres.

Exhibitor options

GLAS 2019 promises to be an essential event for the horticulture trade in Ireland and exhibitor space is moving fast. Currently, for those interested in exhibiting at the event, a full package is available and includes space rental with shell stand build, carpet, spotlights, one twin electrical socket, and a stand name card. Cost starts at €760 for a 4×2 metre space. There are space only options available but again, these are moving fast. You can view the GLAS exhibitor brochure for more information on options and costs by visiting here or contact the team on 01 2947765.

Agricultural components supplier Kramp UK has announced a significant investment in the UK & Ireland which will see them move to a new warehouse and office suite in early 2020.

Concept image showing the style of the new building

Des Boyd, sales director UK and Ireland, said of the investment, “We’ve seen significant growth in the agricultural spare parts and accessories market over the last number of years and we’ve reached a point where we feel this investment is absolutely necessary to meet the needs of our valued customers.

"We’re acutely aware that many businesses in the present political and economic climate feel unsure about their growth potential and are looking at alternative markets. Kramp Groep, however, has seen markets in the UK and Ireland go from strength to strength.

"With the increased collaboration between manufacturers and Kramp Groep the future holds many exciting opportunities in the UK and Ireland.”

Des Boyd - Kramp sales director UK and Ireland

Located just a short distance from the existing facility, the new 14,000sq metre warehouse will be three times the size of Kramp UK’s current warehouse, with the capacity to store twice the number of items by stocking a broader range of relevant parts and accessories in higher quantities. The company says this will allow an improved service and faster delivery to their customers in the agricultural, forest and grasscare, OEM and construction markets.

Construction on the new building will start in Summer 2019, with the new site allowing room for further future expansion.

The McCormick dealer network in Northern Ireland has been strengthened with the appointment of McKeever Tractors for County Antrim.

The dealership based at Portglenone near Ballymena will draw on past experience of McCormick products to support existing owners of the tractors while focusing exclusively on McCormick for future sales.

Managing director Thomas McKeever says he is very happy to be handling McCormick again: “We have customers operating these tractors, our mechanics know the tractors and are confident working on them, and we know the tractors perform well and are reliable,” he says.

“We’ll be supporting McCormick users old and new with a stock of parts for the entire range from 2002 models onwards to the current machines.”

Ben Agar, sales director for the UK and Ireland at McCormick manufacturer Argo Tractors, says Thomas McKeever and his team have a great opportunity to develop their business through the McCormick franchise.

“In recent years, we have seen major investments by Argo in the products, their manufacturing facilities and in digital parts, sales, marketing and communication resources that can improve the efficiency and overall success of a dealer’s business,” he explains.

“As a very traditional dealership, McKeever Tractors provides unstinting support to their customers, so we’re confident that bringing these elements together in a new McCormick franchise partnership will be successful.”

A timely endorsement for the dealership and McCormick product comes from Darren Kelly of Kelly Agri & Groundwork Contracts, who runs a slurry tanking and umbilical application service in the area, as well as baling and grass lifting.

The McCormick X7.670 VT-Drive

His main tractor is a 180/194hp McCormick X7.670 VT-Drive – a high-specification six-cylinder machine with a stepless transmission providing seamless speed control and efficient use of power.

“McKeevers couldn’t be better with their back-up; they’re available 24/7 and get things done as quickly and efficiently as anyone could want,” he says. “I’m very pleased they have the McCormick franchise supporting my tractors.

“The X7.670 VT-Drive is a very handy, manoeuvrable and easy to drive machine; it’s now on 1550 hours with no issues at all – and it’s amazingly economical with fuel,” he adds. “I can be working alongside other tractors doing the same job and they need to be refuelled way before mine.”

Thomas McKeever confirms that the current McCormick range – resulting from design and engineering investment that has transformed and expanded the choice of products available – was an important factor in deciding to sign up with Argo Tractors.

“We operate in a dairy, beef and sheep grassland area with a very broad range of farm sizes – and the McCormick range now caters for every aspect of farming around here, from stockman tractors like the X4 and X5 Series, and the X6 mid-range loader tractors, to the high-performance models in the X7 Series,” he points out.

“Reliability is another positive factor; the tractors use proven components either manufactured in-house, such as axles and transmissions for the smaller to mid-size machines, or bought in from first-class suppliers such as ZF and Carraro, along with the most modern fuel-efficient engines from Deutz and FPT.

“Anyone who has a McCormick likes it; so in all respects, we’re very happy to be supplying them again.”

The ARB Show provided the launch platform for GreenMech to introduce their much-anticipated revolutionary new woodchipper series, the EVO 165. Capitalising on GreenMech’s engineering prowess, this new range has been designed in direct response to industry demands to deliver more aggressive torque, more powerful bite and more throughput.

The EVO 165 combines a wealth of new features, together with some of GreenMech’s proven innovations, which have seen their chippers become the preferred choice with many industry professionals. Its wide infeed chute, together with twin horizontal rollers and GreenMech’s ‘No-Stress’ control system mean the Evo 165 efficiently grips timber and brash and controls its lateral movement to provide maximum bite and unparalleled processing power via its new, heavy-duty flywheel and re-flowed exit chute.

Optimised outputs from a diesel or petrol engine option provide usable power that matches budget with operational needs, alongside maximum fuel efficiency and compliance with Stage V Emission requirements. The EVO is the quietest machine GreenMech have produced to date, beneficial for both operators and neighbours alike.

Together with improved performance, the aspects of safety, durability and ease of maintenance have also come under the spotlight. GreenMech have fitted the Evo with a new safety bar system to minimise nuisance tripping while offering a better inflow of material. The Evo’s durability has been increased with the adoption of a one-piece fabricated chassis that provides greater strength in even the most demanding of operational conditions. Meanwhile, GreenMech’s patented Disc Blade system continues to provide in excess of 900 chipping hours before replacement.

When maintenance is required, the vertical and horizontal shear bars have been re-engineered to be more accessible and a centralised greasing point has been introduced to make regular servicing easier to carry out.

Commenting on its introduction, Sales Director Martin Lucas said, “As the requirements of today’s arborists continue to evolve, it’s vital that we as manufacturers are listening to them and providing them with the tools to meet their growing demands. The Evo 165 is designed to do just that, with years of developments and trials going on behind the scenes to create our most efficient chipper to date. This launch marks just the beginning of our EVO development programme and we’re expecting this to make a big impression at this year’s Arb Show and beyond.”

Gambetti first launched individual nozzle control to the UK golf and amenity market back in 2013. There were some teething troubles and difficulty getting the right GPS signals sorted out to work efficiently and effectively. A lot of investment has been made by Cleveland (Gambetti UK’s parent company) in the past five years to get GPS delivered efficiently and accurately.

This year new systems are rolling out. Gambetti now provide its GPS-controlled individual nozzle shut off system, when fitted to a new sprayer for under £6,500. This state of the art system maps areas, turns the nozzles on and off when passing over a treated area and provides a full guidance system for easily seeing where has been and where has not been treated. What has changed? Nozzle control reliabaility. New faster and efficient Seletron motors are now fitted to minimise downtime.

GPS signal. Gambetti now only fits its SMART 6 L GPS receiver from Novatel. A GPS system is only as good as the signal received. Now accurately reading from over 17 satellites simultaneously. Satellite drift on this non-subscription signal is absolutely minimal. Better than this, you now have the option to upgrade to the new TERRASTAR system. This is a GPS signal which gives 2.5cm of accuracy pass to pass. It maintains stability and does not drift at all in the time it takes to spray the entire golf course!

Gambetti aims to bring consistency and absolute precision to the golf course that does not have an infinite budget. Technology is here to stay and Cleveland, through its Gambetti brand, aims to make GPS spraying available and affordable to all golf courses over the coming months.

Contact Cleveland on 01361883418 or visit www.aragnet.co.uk/csta for more information.

Leading the way with the latest technology in turfcare, Toro’s myTurf Pro fleet management software program is proving to be a popular addition at golf clubs.

Word is spreading about the software which automatically logs information about all machines in operation at the club meaning greenkeepers can track data for their Toro or non-Toro equipment, order parts, schedule services, and gain access to information such as parts and service manuals.

Being able to log everything from scheduled maintenance to inventory, all in the same place, is incredibly useful. Plus with service and parts manuals accessible as well, all the information that one might need is just a click away.”

Designed to make a difficult job easier, having everything at your fingertips has shown to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of greenkeeping fleet management.

It gives you easy access to everything you need, for example, it eliminates spending endless amounts of time logging the hours on machines manually, but with myTurf Pro, it submits the data in real-time via wireless internet connection. You can spend less time logging data and more time focusing on maintaining the machines to a high standard.

As well as providing information and logging data automatically, myTurf Pro also sends notifications when a machine needs servicing which means servicing can be spaced out across the year That allows for preventative measures, rather than trying to fix bigger problems. You can spread out your budget throughout the year, which helps financially.

The software is easy to use, which makes iy easier to stay on top of everything. With its many features created to help with the maintenance of greenkeeping machinery, regardless of brand, the myTurf Pro software is becoming a fast favourite fo greenkeepers.