SALTEX 2022 is just around the corner, and one of the industry’s powerhouses, Bernhard and Company, will once again be at the show to display its impressive array of turf products and services.

The company will descend on Birmingham at the start of November to show off a selection of key products, including SubAir Systems, TurfBreeze fans, the Rotamaster 4000, and Rapid facer  

SubAir Systems 

Bernhard and Company is the official supplier of SubAir Systems to distributors and customers in EMEA and parts of Asia.  

As a concept, SubAir Systems is a subsurface aeration and moisture control system for natural grass pitches and golf courses. The basic principle is that, with a SubAir System installed, pitch or field managers can manipulate the levels of moisture, oxygen, and gas transfer within their subsoil, to create the optimal growing conditions for their grass plant.  

While the system can operate autonomously, it has two main user modes: pressure and vacuum. In pressure mode, the system simply pushes clean oxygen into the selected root zone of any pitch or field. Grass naturally develops waste gas that formulates around the root zone, so being able to replace those gases with fresh oxygen means that growing conditions can be continually regulated.  

The vacuum mode essentially works in the opposite way, by pulling air down and out away from the bottom of the root zone. When you remove air from this zone, it also pulls away moisture at the same time. This allows the user to be very calculated in determining the amount of moisture they want within the soil profile. This use of SubAir Systems is perhaps the most globally recognised, and is certainly one that customers appreciate – because it allows them to maintain a constant moisture level, despite any large storms or deluges of water that might otherwise cause flooding. 

SubAir was developed to help and improve any natural grass pitch, field, or green. The system can be installed across multiple different platforms; from cricket to football, horse racing, golf and rugby, to name just a few. As such, each installation is totally bespoke – engineers will examine the space provided, then custom engineer a system to fit that location.  

A SubAir System could be the ideal insurance policy for sporting venues that host major events or tournaments. Without the system installed, it is completely feasible that some pitches would quickly become unplayable after a downpour, and the cancellation of games in international tournaments can cost organisers millions.  

Each system that gets installed has to contend with a different growing environment, and therefore needs to be programmed differently to tackle each unique climate. Bernhard and Company work closely with the turf manager at each site to determine the exact treatment requirements to create a bespoke plan that will deliver the best possible results.  

On Wednesday 2nd November at SALTEX 2022, Bernhard and Company will be offering a ‘Learning Live’ seminar in Theatre 3. The session – ‘Why subsurface ventilation matters: How healthy turf is more important to athletes’ health than you think’ – will take a deep dive into how creating an ultra-healthy grass plant can be key to playing performance and safety for athletes. There will also be 30-minute face-to-face demos with Steve Wilson, Business Development Manager at Bernhard and Company, on Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd November, at 12pm, 2pm and 4pm.  

 TurfBreeze fans 

The leading global name in sports surface aeration, TurfBreeze fans have been designed to generate essential surface air movement to aid the development of high-quality playing surfaces.  

The system works by allowing pitch and field managers to manipulate both surface temperature and manage the level of moisture on the turf canopy. Certain areas of pitches or turfed areas may not benefit from any natural air movement, or suffer from excessive heat. So, by having TurfBreeze fans in place, cold air can be blown into those problem areas to lower the temperature of the canopy, hence reduce the soil temperature for healthier growth across the turf.  

Additionally, some pitches or sporting venues will suffer from having certain parts of the field that are covered by shade for large parts of the day. By operating the TurfBreeze fans in these areas, pitch managers can keep excess moisture from settling on the canopy of the turf and prevent disease breakouts.  

Rotamaster 4000 

The Bernhard and Company Rotamaster 4000 is a rotary blade grinding machine that is designed to ensure that both ends of a blade are sharpened with automated precision. It delivers a superior edge with consistent balance for a better quality of cut. The result? Longer lasting blades and fantastic looking grass.  

With a clamp mechanism and fast-aligning bars, blade mounting is quick and easy, improving the overall cycle time – you can set it up and walk away. The Rotamaster 4000 is also easy and safe to use, with an ergonomic design for operator safety.  

Rapid Facer 1000 

The Rapid Facer 1000 is unique and precise. It is a fast, easy to use maintenance tool that has the ability to restore the front face of a bedknife in just 90 seconds, enabling mowers to spend more time cutting grass than in the workshop. With speed, convenience, and accuracy, you can re-sharpen your bedknife weekly, or even daily as needed.  

This unique tool secures magnetically to a bedknife, allowing for simple and precise adjustments. The cleaner cut delivered will produce a healthier grass plant as well as a consistent grass height for superior uniformity. In addition to prolonging the life of a bedknife, this process will also help to reduce wear on the cylinder, and subsequently the cutting unit. 

Moreover, the process of using the Rapid Facer will help maintain a sharp edge on the bedknife, resulting in a prolonged quality of cut.  

Bernhard and Company can be found in Hall 8 at SALTEX 2022, on stand E026.  

For more information on Bernhard and Company and its full range of turf management products and solutions, head to:

www.bernhard.co.uk