South Warwickshire contractor, Avonmore Associates Ltd is a long- established family business providing ground care for clubs, councils, universities and schools. Based at Stratford-upon-Avon, excellent motorway links means they cover a huge part of the south, working across many sports sectors and codes.
Director Philip Buttler said: “We had reason to replace an aerator in the autumn, so, guided by Richard Ainslie at dealers Farol in Milton Common, we weighed up what we needed in our next machine.
“It came down to a straight choice. We could go extra wide, although slower, with need of a powerful large tractor. Or, go for a speedier 1.8m wide aerator, that would put more holes in the ground and fit behind a mid-compact.”
Philip Buttler opted for the latter, the Terra Spike GXi8 HD, the company’s first Wiedenmann.
“After its first morning at Stratford racecourse, our operator, Jason Montgomery, got out the cab with the widest smile and said he was really happy. The two anti-vibration systems protect both the driver and the tractor, so it felt effortless and just so smooth.
“That was over a month ago and the GXi8 HD has been out pretty much every day since. Our current order book is a mix of golf renovations, and regular on-going maintenance of rugby and football pitches for education establishments, as well as a handful of racecourses. Such variety makes work interesting and everywhere you go you want to do your absolute best. We have a tight team of twelve, all hugely experienced, and if we have the right machine for the job, the facilities can be returned to play that bit faster. Winter aeration is now in full swing. We are able to get around some sites considerably quicker; even so still putting many more holes in the ground than before, so productivity is better on two counts.”
Avonmore Associates Ltd has a considerable reputation across the last four decades for maintaining bowling greens and cricket squares. Increasingly construction and irrigation projects, including automated irrigation systems, have featured regularly in the off season. “Like everyone else, our working pattern and operations were adjusted somewhat in the last nine months. If a legacy of Covid is that more people become interested in playing or watching sport outdoors again, or even just want to walk around and take pleasure from well-kept facilities, then there are positives in that for us,” concluded Philip Buttler.
