Having been put through their paces on more than 35 end of season pitch renovations, the combination of an Sandspreader and Quick-Brush from GKB Machines have emerged with high praise from contractors Marc Kerr Limited. While the SP230 delivers large capacity for maximum efficiency, it’s the build quality that makes GKB Marc’s first port of call for machinery – with the topdresser and brush joining two GKB Sandfiller’s and a VStrong scarifier already on his fleet.   

Marc has been offering contracting and finishing services to facilities across the North East for the last 16 years, and while the majority of his workload is comprised of fine turf maintenance, the last few years has seen more enquiries from sports turf facilities – leading Marc to review his equipment bank. “The topdresser we had was starting to struggle with age-related failures, many of which were electrical and therefore expensive to repair” explains Marc. “In replacing this, I wanted something large enough to give me a time efficient and effective solution for football, but something the remained light enough and flexible for work on the golf course.”  

The SP230 offers a 2.3m3 capacity and sits in the middle of the models offered in the GKB Sandspreader range. Four balloon tyres evenly distribute ground pressure, while the hydraulically-driven belts and discs eliminate the need to hook up to a power supply. “It’s a very intuitive machine, simple to set-up and easy to adjust for different materials and different surfaces. The fact it’s hydraulic also improves reliability and makes it less expensive to run.”  

Delivered alongside the SP230 in May 2022 was a GKB Quick-Brush. “This is a great complimentary tool which Tom Shinkins recommended for incorporating the sand or seed down into the ground quickly. It’s proven to be a great addition to ensure we leave a clean finish and get maximum results in the ever-tighter football renovation windows.”   

When football renovations are completed, the SP230 will then be utilised for autumn golf maintenance, with the hopper capacity reduced to suit ground conditions. “We have the flexibility to just put in a lesser amount when we use the dresser on the greens to still get high efficiency without risk of any damage.”  

Marc adds, “Like all of our GKB equipment, these latest additions are incredibly well built and work exactly like they say they do. With the Quick-Brush and SP230 alongside our Sandfiller’s and VStrong we are now perfectly placed to tackle all maintenance tasks, reliably, across the maintenance calendar.”