Industry I
t goes without saying that coping with the weather is a prerequisite for any practising turfcare professional. Last year was one of the wettest on record, with many parts of the
country receiving in excess of 900mm of rainfall, resulting in many lost fixtures due to waterlogged conditions. Even the professional groundsmen struggled to keep fixtures on but, in most cases, were saved by the fact they have very free draining pitches. Clubs that had invested in sand ameliorated, sand reinforced and intensively drained pitches were just about able to cope. Having a sand based pitch is now very much the norm in top professional sport, particularly football, where the last fifteen years has seen the methodology advance. There are now a range of reinforced rootzone options that include
Fibresand, Fibrelastic, Fibre Reinforced Rootzones and Desso.
The common denominator in all these systems is sand, a very free draining medium that enables water to shift from the surface and through the profile very rapidly, generally specified to cope with between 25-40mm of rain per hour. One company that has been instrumental in the development of these modern sand products is Mansfield Sand. A recent conversation with their Sports Surface Manager, Mark Robinson (ex Derby County Head Groundsman), gave me the opportunity to visit their headquarters and Ratcher Hill Quarry facility.
The Mansfield Sand Company has been producing a range of sand products for the sports turf industry for many
years. Operating from its long- established base in North Nottinghamshire, it has built up a solid, countrywide reputation as a specialist supplier of a comprehensive range of materials for the construction and maintenance of top class sports and landscape surfaces.
I was met by Mark and Sharon Morris, the company’s Golf Sales Manager, who is responsible for all the golf related sand and compost products. The aim of the tour was to catch up with the recent developments at the company following a successful planning application to Nottinghamshire County Council’s Planning and Licensing Committee to open a brand new quarry to replace their Ratcher Hill Quarry, which is due to close in two years time. The planning permission includes
Mansfield Sand will be vacating their current quarry for pastures new in 2015. Mark Robinson, the company’s Sports Surface Manager, takes our editor on a whistle stop tour of the facilities old and new, and details how their products come to market
Movers and...
Scrapers!
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