What you need to know about buying new commercial landscaping equipment
Mother Nature has created some of the most amazing and spectacular landscapes. Whilst many of these areas develop and flourish without intervention, sometimes a helping hand is needed to manage outside spaces in accordance with the needs of the modern world.
We can all play a part in creating an environment that is visually appealing, safe to use and that is sustainable and eco-friendly. However, there is an ever-increasing responsibility on professional landscapers and contractors to create and manage our outdoor spaces and this task is only possible with the assistance of commercial landscaping equipment and machinery.
The commercial landscaping equipment industry is a highly competitive marketplace with a wide range of manufacturers, machines, technologies, and features. Unfortunately, there is not one machine that will be able to accomplish all the tasks on its own and so how do you ensure that you make the right decision for you, for the task and for the environment.
This blog is not a definitive guide to purchasing landscaping machinery but will outline some of the factors to consider before making a final decision and the benefits of purchasing commercial landscaping equipment.
What Is the Task?
It seems obvious that the machine required to mow grass would be a lawnmower. However, the machine required to mow an ornamental lawn is going to be different to the machine required to mow grass on a motorway embankment. A ride on garden tractor with cutting deck will have a different capability to a ride on mower for slopes.
Other considerations may include the type and height of vegetation to be cut, what type of finish is required, are there any health and safety implications, transportation of machinery and site access?
Equally there are similar factors to be considered when purchasing machinery for tasks such as arboriculture, soil preparation and lawncare.
Understanding the task to be performed is crucial to ensure that the appropriate machine is selected.
Speak To an Expert
It is easy to spend hours trawling through an endless stream of websites and social media channels to find the right machine. We all know a story of an online purchase that was made that didn’t quite turn out to be as advertised and therefore the best advice is to speak to a trusted landscaping machinery dealership and to arrange a demonstration.
This will give you the opportunity to not only determine the suitability of the equipment to do the task but also the dealerships ability to provide ongoing advice and support.
Do The Sums
The upfront purchase price of the machine is always going to be one of the primary drivers in the decision process. You should also consider the full cost of ownership of the machine, including fuel costs, service intervals and costs, and future residual values. Another factor to consider are the warranty periods and conditions to give you peace of mind in the event of an unexpected technical issue.
Considering these factors may make the process of buying landscaping machinery a bit clearer but if you still require assistance then PSD Groundscare are here to help.
PSD Groundscare are suppliers of a range of specialist professional machinery that can tackle a wide number of tasks across the landscaping industry. All machines are sold through a network of specialist dealers who provide sales expertise, technical knowledge and can supply spare parts and accessories.
AS Motor – for over 60 years AS Motor have been a producer of high-quality mowing solutions for high grass and slopes. With an emphasis on high quality, high cutting performance and operator safety, AS Motor build machines that are built to perform and to last.
Eliet – founded in Belgium in 1970, Eliet manufacture innovative and high-quality machines for lawncare, green waste shredding and debris clearance. Eliet machines contain unique features and benefits such as permanently sharp blades on their Scarifiers and the patented chopping principle of the green waste shredders which produce a quickly composting mulch.
Koppl – designed and built in Germany, Koppl offer the most advanced range of two-wheel tractors and implement carriers available in the industry. The extensive range of attachments offer the professional landscaper to use one machine to perform several tasks including mowing, soil preparation, sowing, weed removal and sweeping. Remote control options are available when difficult terrain is a factor.
TS Industrie – one of the largest European manufacturers of chippers and shredders that provide economic and ecological solutions to the management of wood and green waste. TS Industrie offer a range of machines which include trailer mounted and PTO versions.
Some of the main types of landscaping machinery are:
Pedestrian Brushcutter
Capable of cutting vegetation up to 150cm high, the AS Motor range of pedestrian brushcutters), lawn mowers for long grass that are capable of mowing areas that traditional lawnmowers can’t handle. Pedestrian brushcutters offer greater safety and comfort for the operator, particularly when mowing on slopes thanks to parking brake and limited slip differential functions.
This range of machines are available as 2-stroke, 4-stroke or battery powered options.
Pedestrian Flail Mowers
Capable of dealing with large volumes of vegetation, and therefore ideal in environments when cutting intervals are reduced. Flail mowers shred and distribute the cut material evenly. Another advantage of flail mowers is the reduced risk from foreign object damage compared to rotary mowers.
A flail mower attachment can also be used across the range of Koppl two-wheeled tractors and implement carriers. There are a range of cutting widths up to 1.4 metres, depending on the power unit, with blade options customisable to suit the conditions.
Remote Controlled Mowers
Steep slope mowing made easy is the outcome if using a remote-controlled mower from AS Motor and Koppl.
Steep and difficult terrain can be managed whilst keeping the operator a safe distance away from noise, dust, heat, vibration, vegetation, and exhaust fumes. The Koppl Crawler offers the ability to change attachments and carry out tasks on slopes up to 55 degrees and all from a safe distance due to the remote-control functionality and a versatile lawn mower is for long grass.
Green Waste Shredders
The range of shredders from Eliet and TS Industrie can be used to shred all types of domestic and commercial green waste as well as wood and timber.
The shredding systems produce a quickly compostable mulch that can either be left on site to decompose or can be easily transported from site due to the considerable reduction in volume of the material.
These machines can reduce operating costs for transport and disposal and can increase environmental working practice benefits.
Lawn Care
The presentation of fine turf areas is a fundamental part of the groundscare industry and Eliet have several products that are available to make this task easier.
Establishing new grassed areas can be achieved using an Eliet GZC seeder. These machines, available in two widths, combine all sowing operations in a single pass and so reduce time and costs.
Renovating existing grassed areas can be achieved by using one of the Eliet range of scarifiers and an Eliet Overseeder. Using patented permanently sharp blades, the Eliet scarifiers remove thatch and debris from the lawn without damaging the root system of the lawn. If the lawn is tired or thin, then an Overseeder can be used to add new life by adding new grass. The process sows new grass seed within the existing grass and due to the process leaves the area immediately available for use.
To conclude, there are several factors to be consider when buying new commercial landscaping equipment. This blog should act as a go-to checklist, making sure you consider everything you need to know about buying commercial landscaping equipment before you do.
