Richard Comely is the Director of Marketing and Product Management at Ransomes Jacobsen, the Ipswich-based manufacturer of commercial mowing equipment for the golf and local authority sectors. Here he looks at the prospects for 2011 and some of the equipment that may be available to help beleagured local authorities in austere times.

“Without a doubt many local authorities will be reducing the number of cut cycles this year in an immediate response to budget cut backs. Many are reducing from 15-16 cuts per season to somewhere in the region of 10-12. On the face of it, it looks like a reasonable response to the situation.

“However, as with most things in life, it’s not quite so simplistic. The machinery that is being used to maintain grassed areas on a 16-cut per season cycle, might not be capable of mowing the same grassed area under a 10-cut cycle. That’s because the grass will have grown longer and may not be manageable with the same type of mower. If new mowers are required, then the perceived savings may not be delivered.

“Also, longer grass encourages more litter, therefore do you have to expend greater man hours on litter picking, prior to mowing; if so, are you really saving on man hours?

“Even assuming that you can still use the same mower on a reduced cut cycle, that particular mower is going to be working considerably harder, with greater wear and tear on the components and systems and will probably use more fuel per cycle and be susceptible to more frequent breakdowns. So, are there really savings to be made, just by reducing the number of cuts per season.

“I’m not pretending to have an answer, as it’s a fascinating dilemma and it will be interesting to the how it pans out as we enter the end of the cutting season in October.

“However, I am confident that whatever decision is made, Ransomes Jacobsen has a range of equipment that will suit the needs of local authorities over the coming seasons.

“Our Ransomes Highway 3 ride-on cylinder mower fits snugly onto a 3.5 tonne vehicle, which can accommodate a two-person mobile team, with one mowing the main area while the other is tidying up around trees and hard landscaping. Not only is it a lighter machine than its predecessor, it features a tilt stability system for safer working on sloping areas.

“The Ransomes HR3300T ride-on out-front rotary, as used extensively by Basingstoke and Deane Council, has proved very popular with councils and contractors alike. With three hydraulic deck motors, a 60-inch (1.5 metre) rear discharge deck and a number of unique features, the mower has won plaudits for its design and functionality. From a more comfortable operator platform to storage space for food, beverages and wet weather gear, the HR 3300T is a machine that delivers.

“In areas that will be affected by severely reduced mowing regimes, it is obvious that cylinder mowers will not be up to the job; some rotaries might be; but almost certainly a heavy-duty flail will fit the bill. That’s why we recently collaborated with Broadwood International, manufacturers of flails under the Wessex brand, to create an exclusive out-front flail mower to complement our Ransomes HR3300T power unit.

“From our research and predictions of changing mowing pattens, we established that there was a need for a hydraulically driven flail unit. Broadwood adapted one of their existing fails to hydraulic drive, which has allowed us to mount the mower closer to the power unit, which allows substantially improved articulation on uneven ground, improves manoeuvrability, reduces overall length and the need for excessive counter balance weights.  We already knew the Wessex TGX mower was one of the best available and it was merely a question of our respective development teams working closely together to ensure a perfect fit with our HR3300T power unit.

“So as we look towards the start of the new season, it will be interesting to see the approach taken by local authorities around the country. Whatever decisions they take, be it reduced cylcles by their own teams or to contract out their grounds care, we are in a position to provide quality turf maintenance equipment to suit whatever route they take.”