the country, which enables high quality fabrication in minutes
The company has one of the few pipe and tube laser cutting machines in
TM1 Vacuum Collector
Robotic Ball Picker
Turf Harvester
• Turf harvesters • Compaction meters
• Robotic mowers and golf ball collectors
AUSTIN is always keen to complement and support other industry manufacturers and, over the years, has built up a healthy relationship with many of the leading companies. Turfmech is not interested in trying to compete with established manufacturers but are keen to develop new concepts in machinery which meet the needs of the sportsturf industry. One example of this has been the recent development of the TM1 sweeper collector which was launched as a prototype at last year’s Saltex. This enabled Austin to gauge potential customer’s reaction and to refine the product accordingly. The result is an attractive looking, easy to operate pedestrian hoover sweeper that has the ability to pick up wet soil cores.
The concept behind the design was to make the job of collecting soil cores easier and more efficient. The sweeper can collect and self empty, thus reducing the number of staff required to complete the tasks.
OVER the years Turfmech has invested many thousands
of pounds in research, development and manufacturing processes, coupled with the fact that he has managed to attract some of the best engineering minds in the UK. Combining these resources has enabled the company to produce quality, well designed products.
The factory contains some leading edge technologies with laser cutting and scanning equipment. I was particularly interested in the laser scanner which, in minutes, could copy any profile of metal or solid object turning it into a fully finished CAD drawing. The copier cost over £50,000. The company also has one of the few pipe and tube laser cutting machines in the country, which enables high quality fabrication in minutes. Well over fifty full time staff are on the books, and include designers, machinists, welders, fabricators, technicians, accountants and sales representatives.
Austin says the success of the company has been down to the fact that he and his staff are prepared to listen and try to understand customers' needs and requirements.
The customers often have very good ideas of what they want, but do not have the
Pro Pass Top Dresser
resources and skills to turn them into reality. He also believes that Turfmech is primarily a
facilitator which brings the idea to fruition.
As a company they know they have only scratched the surface with regard to innovation within our industry. He knows only too well that there are many groundsmen and greenkeepers in the UK who are constantly thinking, or have even thought, of how they can make their tasks more efficient, easier or precise, but they are never able to put these thoughts into practice.
Austin is always very
interested to hear of any ideas, no matter how wacky they may seem at the time. Technology moves at a
great pace and, sometime in the future, these ideas will become a reality. Turfmech’s latest machines
are not just restricted to the professional turf market - the Bigmow and Ballpicker are robotic machines that can offer 24 hour non manual, emission free operation. Austin is confident that these new products will stimulate much interest and debate within our industry.
Turfmech’s impressive new-iish headquarters
Officially being launched this autumn is the TM1 Pedestrian Vacuum, designed to collect a range of debris off sports pitch facilities. The machine offers a variable suction mode that can be set for different debris, leaves, litter and soil cores. Austin believes this will be a great asset for the golf industry, particularly for removing unwanted soil cores from greens and tees during renovations.
Nowadays all manufactured
products have to meet stringent guidelines with regard to operator safety, noise and pollution; they all have to be considered when designing and building any new machine. After 15 years, Turfmech is very well established and recognised as one of the leading UK companies for innovation and design in sports turf machinery.
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