Turf Tank is returning to GroundsFest with the industry’s leading autonomous line-marking robot on stand OSA481. 

Attendees will be able to experience Turf Tank Two live, with the robot regularly marking out pitches over the two days at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. The Turf Tank UK and Ireland team will be on hand to discuss the technology, its benefits, and how it can make a grounds operation more efficient. 

In addition to live demonstrations and the opportunity to speak to the Turf Tank team, attendees who visit the Turf Tank stand will also have the chance to win a Union Jack Turf Tank robot for a year! Details on how to enter will be available on stand OSA481. 

A Turf Tank robot can address labour shortages, save time, or bring consistency, but for Galaxy Sports Little Kerse, a 35-acre site in Falkirk, Scotland, with 11 pitches ranging from 11-a-side grass to full-size 3G and astroturf 6-a-side pods, matching precision line marking with sustainability was the aim. 

“The Turf Tank runs on a completely carbon-neutral site; it’s all on green energy,” Operations Manager Sean explained. “The energy that charges the Turf Tank batteries comes from the sun that’s shining today, so it’s a fantastic example of our sustainability and priorities at Galaxy Sports Little Kerse for the way forward. 

“We used to go out and manually mark the pitches, but we realised we weren’t meeting the standard we wanted. Now, the lines are night and day. They’re a great standard, and the precision of the Turf Tank is fantastic. We’re over the moon with it, and it’s definitely saved us hours on end. We probably mark lines now for half a day and only mark out what we need, so we’re saving paint and time.” 

While overall efficiency is an important aspect of the Turf Tank, its positive impact on turf teams has also been highlighted. At Dollar Academy, a co-educational day and boarding school at the base of the Ochil Hills in Scotland, Head of Grounds John Vaughan-Davis and his team have experienced an improvement in their mental health since using the robot. 

“I think the mental health of our team has improved because of the Turf Tank,” John begins. “Historically, leading up to athletics marking, initial rugby marking, and football initial markings, there’s always been a bit of anxiety, a bit of stress, and it was a really, really anxious environment to be around. 

“Now that we’ve got the Turf Tank, it’s completely changed the team’s mindset. It’s gone from being tense to just relaxed and having faith and trust in the Turf Tank. It just eased everyone’s concerns. It’s made a much better working environment for all of us leading up to those points by removing an added stress and taking it away.”