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PRODUCT NEWS |
LiquidPro, a new 3-pound applicator gun for wetting agents, fertilizers and nutrients from Underhill, is designed for easy use in golf course and sports field applications. The applicator, which is UV-protected and chemical-resistant, features a patented Precision Cloudburst nozzle, high-flow composite/stainless steel valve, chemical-resistant siphon/mixing system and a high-density poly bottle with a 1-quart capacity. LiquidPro can cover 1,000 square feet of turf in less than one minute, the company says. Able to work with both ¾-inch and 1-inch hoses, the applicator comes equipped with a 48-gpm syringing nozzle that can easily be assembled with the Cloudburst nozzle and valve. A liquid chamber features a venture siphon with needle valve to ensure proper amounts of wetting agent mix with water flow, and a new pistol-grip valve design features a textured handle for comfort and less operator fatigue. Contact Underhill, 866-863-3744 (www.underhill.us).
Innolytics LLC offers two automatic feeds for its OvoControl bait delivery product. The larger container features a hopper capacity of 100 pounds, while the smaller model has a 10-pound capacity. Both delivery system models are available through local Univar branches, the company says. Contact Innolytics LLC, (www.ovocontrol.com).
Diversified Power International, manufacturer of battery charging systems, launched a new Web site that allows for real-time business transactions, it says. The comprehensive, redesigned site expands the company’s potential customer base beyond North America. Visitors can use a digital shopping basket to purchase any of the company’s 50 products in 18 market categories. Contact Diversified Power International, (www.dpipower.com).
Global provider of two-way satellite products SkyWave Mobile Communications has introduced its SureLinx 8100c Satellite/GPRS terminal. With an on-board computer, controlled area network and RS485 and RS232 interfaces, the new product offers a flexible option for communication with vehicles in urban and remote locales, the company says. The dual-mode SureLinx 8100c combines the company’s IsatM2M satellite technology with worldwide cellular capabilities and message routing in a single integrated package. Designed to cut down on networking costs and increase communication reliability and coverage, the tool helps customers use high-data networks in cellular regions and switch to reliable satellite communication in other areas. Contact SkyWave Mobile Communications, (www.skywave.com).
Ride-Rite air helper springs, marketed by Firestone Industrial Products Co. LLC, are available in a no-drill kit for the 2008 Ford F-450. The kit is designed specifically to maximize the safe load-carrying capacity, stability and ride quality of the vehicle. The system includes all the components needed for a quick and easy installation: brackets, air springs, hardware, air line and separate valves for manual inflation. Contact Firestone Industrial Products, (www.ride-rite.com).
The newest generation of pipe products from Advanced Drainage Systems Inc., the N-12 HP line, is uniquely engineered for storm sewer, sanitary and high-performance project applications, the company says. The new line, which is scheduled for commercial availability starting in early 2009, couples resin technology with highly engineered profile designs that result in greater pipe stiffness, beam strength and enhanced service life performance. N-12 HP also is built using a light grey resin color to enhance post-installation inspection. The pipe’s smooth exterior wall design is supported by a corrugated structural core intended to minimize deflection, shed point load and provide enhanced durability and easier backfill installation. Contact Advanced Drainage Systems Inc., 800-537-9520 (www.ads-pipe.com).
Honeywell introduces an eight-color catalog of its products, including bulk single and multiconductor sprinkler cable, tracer wire and landscape lighting zip cable. The comprehensive catalog is available at no cost to golf courses, landscapers and irrigation system installers, among other occupations. Contact Honeywell, 800-222-0060 (www.honeywellcable.com).
Canadian company 1-877-Got-Lite is branching into the United States with its custom-designed LED signs to make businesses safer and easier to find in case of emergency. Engineered to operate 24 hours a day and last for 15 years, the lights use LED technology, said to be the most energy-efficient light source. The company has recently begun offering corporate branding and store fascia signage. It can create sign modules as large as 2-feet by 8-feet. Contact 1-877-Got Lite, 877-468-5483 (www.1877gotlite.com).
John Deere’s new 75D mid-sized hydraulic excavator enables users to get into tight spaces with its reduced tail swing and 360-degree rotation. The conventional boom unit weighs 17,637 pounds and can dig to depths more than 15 feet, making it ideal for landscaping, underground, site development and light residential applications. With a 54-net hp diesel certified to EPA’s interim Tier 4 emission standards, the 75D is designed to save fuel and deliver smooth, multifunction operation. An auto-idle feature helps further conserve fuel, the company says. Optional rubber tracks let the excavator cross driveways and sidewalks without damage, and a pilot-operated box-constructed integral blade performs grading and backfilling. The machine’s operator cab is isolation-mounted and provides virtually unrestricted visibility and ergonomically arranged controls. Contact John Deere, (www.johndeere.com).
Chemilizer Products Inc. says it has redesigned its Web site to address the expanding number of markets using its injectors. The new site features improved navigation, enhanced product and application information, and new tools to assist visitors with calculating injection volumes. Chemilizer manufactures liquid injectors used to fertilize landscapes and treat water systems, among other applications. Contact Chemilizer Products Inc., 800-234-7211 (www.chemilizer.com).
Repair Plus 3-0-3 from Growth Products is a granular product designed to speed turf repair and fix divot damage in minimal time with minimal fuss, the company says. The formula includes 2 percent iron and an array of biological soil amendments and plant growth stimulants. Four strains of naturally occurring beneficial bacillus in Repair Plus work to colonize the soil and root zone, where they are said to stimulate root development, fight off soil-borne pathogens and promote healthy top growth. A high concentration of organic humic acid and L-amino acids are designed to accelerate seed germination and rooting, increase nutrient uptake and improve the soil’s cation exchange capabilities. Repair Plus can be effective for building or repairing both warm- and cool-season grasses on tees, greens or fairways. Contact Growth Products, 800-648-2780 (www.growthproducts.com).
Stihl Inc. has entered an agreement with LawnGrips LLC to make three models of LawnGrips footwear available to the nationwide network of independent Stihl dealers. The three models — which feature both the Stihl and LawnGrips logos — are the Classic, a slip-on model; the Pro, a 6-inch lace-up; and the Pro8 work boot with an 8-inch lace-up. All styles are made with a steel toe encased in molded rubber and are available in whole and half sizes from 7 to 11½, plus sizes 12 and 13. Contact LawnGrips LLC, (www.lawngrips.com).
The newest innovation for The Toro Co.’s Greensmaster Flex 21 and Flex 18 machines is the industry’s first 14-blade reel, the company says. With more blades, the reel is built to provide a crisper, more consistent cut and is able to cut below 0.100 inch without damaging turf, which can yield a faster and more consistent playing surface. Without the need to adjust reel speeds, the 14-blade reel allows users to slightly raise the cutting height to supply healthier greens without compromising ball speed. The new reel is available to retrofit existing Greensmaster Flex 18 and Flex 21 units, and the units can now be ordered with either an 11-blade or a 14-blade cutting unit. Contact The Toro Co., (www.toro.com/14).
SorbiShield 90, a new sugar-based insecticide from Natural Forces LLC, uses sorbitol octanoate as its active ingredient for broad-spectrum control. The biochemical insecticide/miticide is engineered to deter pests from ornamental landscape shrubs and trees. SorbiShield 90 works by penetrating and burning holes in the outer covering of the target pest. Without their protective outer covering, susceptible pests like mites, adelgids, aphids, caterpillars, glassy-winged sharpshooters, lace bugs, leafhoppers, mealy bugs and whiteflies, dry out and quickly die, the company says. The product’s chemical makeup enables it to act fast on insects without leaving anything that harms beneficial insects. Once the product has dried, it degrades into environmentally friendly compounds, the company adds. Contact Natural Forces LLC, (www.naturalforcesllc.com).
A new patented branding program has recently launched in the United States. Ad In The Hole puts advertisements on the bottoms of cups on golf holes, a technique the company says can’t be missed. The company sets an annual advertising fee encompassing all 18 holes on the course according to a course’s classification as a private, semi-private, public, municipal, resort or executive, and also factors in annual rounds, membership fees, greens fees and the number of corporate sponsored events. Then the company solicits advertisers, offering them discounts for multicourse contracts. Each course receives a pre-determined percentage of monthly advertising revenues and is provided cups for all holes, ad disks to insert into the cups, and a special spanner tool for installing, inserting and extracting the ad disks. Advertisers are guaranteed 25 days of exposure each month. Contact Ad In The Hole-USA, 980-235-9898 (www.aithusa.com).
Standard Golf Co. announces its new Green Line of golf course accessories that are made from 100 percent recycled plastic. The line includes accessories available with more than 250 types and styles. Products range from water stations, ice chest containers and club washers, to shoe cleaners, course benches, bag racks, tee markers and more. Contact Standard Golf Co., 866-743-9773 (www.standardgolf.com).
AirField Systems, maker of systems for natural and artificial turf, has launched its new Web site with information about its AirDrain and Draincore systems. The site offers information about the variety of applications the products serve, including golf, sports fields, grass paving and gravel paving. The company’s new Architectural Data Systems Search + Spec system allows users to instantly create master specifications for projects and connects them to AirField products and specifications from within AutoCAD. The company’s AirPave grass system protects plant root systems, slows stormwater runoff, filters stormwater pollutants, consumes moderate engine oil drippings, increases oxygen production and reduces the need for costly stormwater structures. Contact AirField Systems, (www.airfieldsystems.com).
The Bag Grabbit from Grabbit Tool Co. allows awkward, heavy bags with no handle to be carried like a briefcase and conveniently stored. Using the company’s proprietary technology called linear grappling, the two-piece Bag Grabbit attaches to bags within seconds and distributes the bag’s weight over a five-inch edge. Ideal for carrying seed, fertilizer and other golf course materials, the Bag Grabbit is duty-tested at 50 pounds continuous load and is able to handle most bag types, including plastic, paper, polyweave, burlap and any pliable fabric. The company also offers tarp tools (pictured) that allow users to mount tarps to structures, seam multiple tarps together and replace torn grommets, among other uses. Offered in three sizes (the 20-inch Long Grabbit, 1.5-inch Mini Grabbit and the 6-inch EZ Grabbit), the tarp tools work by placing the “dogbone” piece on the tarp, rolling the tarp around the dogbone and sliding the sleeve over it. A simple tug on a leader rope then engages the two pieces together, trapping the tarp and creating a high-strength hold, the company says. Contact Grabbit Tool Co., 303-960-8140 (www.grabbittool.com).
With a rotating handle and 25-cc displacement two-cycle gas-fired engine, the Solo hedge trimmer model 160 is designed to cut hedges easier and faster. The unit’s handle can be rotated and locked into seven different positions ranging from 30 degrees to 90 degrees to accommodate both left- and right-handed users and for cutting hedges horizontally or vertically. The handle also is inclined against the cutting line by about 15 degrees in every position to protect users’ hands from hedge scratches. The lightweight trimmer includes a forged con-rod, three-shoe centrifugal clutch, three-piece crankshaft and a cylinder with a Nikasil-coated contact surface. With a 22-inch cutting length, the machine weighs 12 pounds and features an anti-vibration system to ensure greater operator comfort and easier operation. Contact Solo Inc., (www.solousa.com).
A new packaging design for Syngenta Professional Products’ Tenacity herbicide is based on direct feedback from superintendents. Ongoing research prompted the company to design bottles that are more ergonomically correct, easy to recognize and smoother to pour into a sprayer mixing tank, according to the company. As a result, the new design offers the liquid product in 1-gallon bottles. Eventually the company will market 12 Syngenta brands of herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and plant growth regulators in the new bottle. Other features include a textured and larger grip, allowing users to pour product without removing work gloves, an angled neck designed for better pouring, a color-coded cap and label to reduce the risk of confusing product types, a 63-millimeter opening to provide smoother, faster pouring, and calibrated markings to help measure product. Contact Syngenta Professional Products, 866-796-4368 (www.syngenta.com).
The Golf Course Builders Association of America is offering its new 2008 Guide to Estimating Golf Course Construction. The updated guide features average prices and quantities for more than 60 line items such as new course construction, full 18-hole renovation, greens and tee renovation, bunker renovation and irrigation renovation projects. A manual override lets users customize projects based on construction numbers. The CD-Rom also includes calculation formulas and descriptions of the different products and materials used in construction. Contact the Golf Course Builders Association of America, (www.gcbaa.org).
A new 2-inch by 4-inch framing system from VersaTube Building Systems is designed for clear-span buildings up to 40 feet wide. Prompted by building applications that require a steel frame construction for heavy use or areas with high snow loads, the new system features the company’s patented Slip-Fit frame connections that speed frame assembly, thereby reducing construction time and cost, the company says. The 2-inch by 4-inch system uses plate-mounted truss side posts to directly anchor to a concrete foundation, footer or pier, allowing flexible on-center spacing. Exterior sidewall heights of 10, 12, 14 and 16 feet are available. Also available are complete building packages that include painted steel sheet metal panels for roofing and siding with appropriate trim and screws. Contact VersaTube Building Systems, 800-900-7222, ext. 314 (www.versatube.com).
RedWing aquatic and landscape herbicide is the newest addition to Phoenix Environmental Care LLC’s product line. The nonselective herbicide comes in an emulsifiable concentrate formulation and is the broadest-spectrum aquatic herbicide available, according to the company. RedWing contains 2 pounds of diquat per gallon and features a low-use rate. Labeled for both aquatic and landscape uses, the herbicide is ideal for resistance management programs, the company adds. It comes packaged in returnable 2.5-gallon, 30-gallon and 120-gallon refillable containers. Contact Phoenix Environmental Care LLC, (www.phoenixenvcare.com).
Massey Ferguson 6400 and 7400 series high horsepower tractors are equipped with new generation Tier III engines that the company says burn cleaner and smarter for greater fuel efficiency. The Dyna-VT CVT transmission on the 7400 series offers a savings in cost per acre per hour of at least 15 percent in fuel savings and 10 percent in labor costs versus powershift transmissions, the company adds. A clutchless speed control on the transmission also is said to reduce fuel use by as much as 40 percent over competitive power shift transmissions in high-speed/low-power situations. Both series feature a single-piece hood for convenient service, an easy-to-clean cooling system and a narrow profile for tighter turns. Cab enhancements include lighting control, added head room, improved visibility, a sound rating of 69 dB and an air ride swivel seat for operator comfort. Contact Massey Ferguson, (www.masseyferguson.com).