John Maxwell, managing director at Inverallan Landscapes, has reported a number of benefits from using the Etesia Hydro 80 MKHP ride-on mower.

Established in 1998, Inverallan Landscapes is a family run business based in Stirling. Over the past 21 years the company has specialised in grounds maintenance contracting and has a large client base which includes sites such as business parks, office developments, tourist attractions, churches, nursing homes, hotels, car dealerships and residential developments.

Furthermore, its sister company Inverallan Garden Services, solely focusses on domestic gardens within a 30 mile radius.

The company also boasts ISO 14001-2015 Environmental Management and ISO 9001-2015 Quality Management Systems certifications.

Inverallan Landscapes has seen incredible growth over recent years and now has an impressive fleet of machinery which offers a solution for every grounds maintenance requirement.

John is quite particular when it comes to selecting machinery, insisting on using only equipment of the highest standard. Therefore, when he needed a new ride-on mower he was careful to ensure that it ticked all of the necessary boxes.

“I wanted a ride-on mower that was compact, light and offered excellent performance,” he said.

“We have limited space in our work vans so the machine needed to fit into the back of them, which proved to be a difficult search. We also had to consider that there are some considerably tight and awkward green spaces which we need to attend to.”

Measuring less than 1 metre wide, the Etesia Hydro 80 is easily transported in any vehicle whether it be a van or a trailer. Its compact size means that this impressive machine can pass through most gateways and its tight turning circle makes it ideal for small or awkward areas. It mows close to walls and fences and is highly manoeuvrable. Also, with its large-sized front wheels, the Etesia Hydro 80 easily overcomes all obstacles such as pavement kerbs.

It has been designed to cut and collect both long and short grass, without clogging. Add to that its compact dimensions, ease of use, hydrostatic drive and powerful 15hp twin-cylinder Kawasaki engine, and you have a highly efficient machine offering the kind of output that would easily replace three walk-behind mowers.
The Hydro 80 has been robustly built and requires minimal maintenance. Operators have access to the engine and all working parts and the hydrostatic transmission system is maintenance free. The specially coated 60 mm tubular chassis is also designed for strength and long-life.

“We have had the Etesia Hydro 80 for three seasons now and it is used mostly every day between four different vans. It is nice and light as opposed to some of our other larger equipment too. Up here the ground can be very wet and soft at times so the Hydro 80 is the ideal machine to get on and get these areas cut. We have the flexibility to mulch or pick-up the grass which is beneficial too.

“It is also brilliant when attending to large grass areas because as opposed to having two or three operators using push mowers, we can just have one person covering the whole area with the Hydro 80.

“Overall the Etesia Hydro 80 has been a great machine for us.”

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.etesia.co.uk.

Harry Legge-Bourke, custodian, managing partner and trustee of the Glanusk Estate, believes that the Etesia Attila 98X ride-on brushcutter has exceeded all expectation at the truly prestigious venue.

Situated in the beautiful countryside of the Usk Valley, Crickhowell, South Wales, Glanusk, which has been in the ownership of the same family since 1826, boasts 400 acres of private parkland, 800 acres of forestry, 3,500 acres of lowland and hill farms, the Park and forestry, 16,000 acres of Common Land hills and 5 miles of the River Usk. It also contains an array of historic buildings, including the iconic Tower Bridge, the ancient Celtic standing stones, the private chapel, farm buildings and stables, all of which are either Grade II listed or Grade II starred.

Today, Glanusk features a multi-diversified business portfolio that includes weddings, farming, festivals, fishing, corporate events, unique holiday cottages and residential lettings. Within the Estate’s grounds there is also the third largest selection of Oak trees in the United Kingdom. This wondrous display of Oak is set to be unveiled to the public and it is for this reason that the Estate was in need of some new groundcare equipment.

“I was looking for a machine for a very specific requirement, owing to the fact we are opening up the Oak Collection,” said Harry. “I needed a machine which could prepare the ground for visitors.

“By chance, after looking on the internet, I came across Etesia. I then looked at the videos, found out a bit more about the product and contacted the company. It was an absolute priority of mine to see the machine in action and so within days Etesia, along with our local dealer Forest Park and Garden, came to the Estate to carry out a demonstration.
“On the day of the demonstration we were faced with horrendous weather conditions but the 98X absolutely proved its worth.”

Etesia’s Attila 98X ride-on brushcutter is reliable, efficient, comfortable and safe. The output, combined with 4-wheel-drive and performance makes it ideal for some of the toughest jobs. The 98X has a 98cm cutting width for more efficient working while eight cutting heights are available between 50mm to 120mm, with one transport position, which is easily adjusted with a centralised lever.

It can be used on slopes up to 30% and its strengthened structure welded tubular chassis offers its operators a better driving position. Furthermore, the electric start offers a high comfort level, rack and pinion steering, plus hydrostatic drive. Special attention has also been paid to sound and vibration levels to reduce them to a very low level – making it ideal for public areas.

“I have been using the Attila 98X throughout the Oak Collection, new plantation sites in the park and along the river bank – all day every day,” said Harry.

“I’m sceptical and I really didn’t think the machine would be able to do what it did. The demo was great but it is different when you sit on the machine yourself, and I have managed to do exactly what I wanted to do. The machine just cruised up and down and it destroyed everything that it needed to. The work would have normally been done by hand on that bank and taken two weeks, but that work with the 98X was completed in an hour.

“It has exceeded all expectation and you wouldn’t recognise the areas where we’ve used it. It is an outstanding bit of equipment.

“The Oaks area I could open tomorrow, with access right up the trees and pathways all clear – no hairy moments on that bank in the brambles either! I now consider myself an expert with the 98X and really know how to use it to its maximum capability.

“I would say that the stability and the cut are the best features of the machine.”

Seeing Pellenc’s manufacturing and production facilities in Pertuis, France proved to be a real eye opener for 20 dealers.

Twenty Pellenc dealers from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland recently visited Pellenc’s state-of-the-art facilities in Pertuis, France to reward them as the best performing dealers for the range of environmentally friendly battery-powered equipment.

After arriving in Marseilles, the delegates were driven to Pertuis and given a presentation of the company and told how Etesia UK, the exclusive distributor for the UK and Ireland, and Pellenc had come to work together ten years ago before they set off on a tour of the impressive R&D department, which has seen 844 patents registered. Next up was a tour of the factory including production, assembly line and distribution centre. Key statistics about Pellenc include:

• 1500 staff worldwide
• 18 subsidiaries
• 7 industrial sites
• 50,000+ customers

The second day gave everyone the chance to test out the latest equipment ahead of its 2019 launch before departing for a sight-seeing tour of Marseille.

The trip was rounded off with a presentation to the best overall and best new Pellenc dealers of the year, which were won by RT Machinery (best overall Pellenc UK dealer) and Myrddin Garden Machinery (best new Pellenc UK dealer).

Pellenc’s zero emission concept offers a full range of truly professional handheld power tools are powerful, silent and emission-free thanks to the lithium-ion technology and ‘brushless’ electric motors which are patented to the company.

Pellenc tools can be seen in every major city, as well as the majority of national trust sites around the country.

Scott Reynolds of RT Machinery said: “It was very interesting and surprising too – I never realised just how big the Pellenc operation was. It was also fantastic to pick up the dealer of the year award, which rewards the efforts of the whole RT Machinery team.”

Matthew Clark of South East Groundcare Machinery also commented: “I was amazed at the sheer scale of the operation – from the R&D department, which invests a considerable amount of profit back into the development of new products, to the assembly line. It has given me a greater insight into product development and to test the new products ahead of their launch was very interesting.”

Etesia UK Managing Director Les Malin said: “To get feedback from Pellenc dealers on new products ahead of their official launch is invaluable. Our customers now acknowledge that battery products are here to stay and can see the benefits of this technology, so it’s vital that our dealers see what our future plans are. We are very proud of our relationship with Pellenc and have gained recognition with local authorities, landscapers, contractors as well as groundsmen and greenkeepers who are now looking at environmentally-friendly products as a real alternative to petrol machines.”

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.pellencuk.com

You can also follow Pellenc UK on Twitter and Instagram @PellencUK for much more news, reviews and insightful views.