Responding to growing environmental concerns and requirements, two Textron Inc. companies have introduced innovative, environmentally conscious products, primarily for the golf and turf care markets.
Highlighting their commitment to the environment and addressing customer demand for quieter products, US-based Jacobsen and UK-based Ransomes are producing golf and turf care equipment and vehicles that run on alternative power and reduced noise pollution.
In addition, unlike traditional models, this equipment uses little or no environmentally damaging fluids. Both companies were also recently awarded International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001 Environmental Management Systems (EMS) certification, becoming the first in the turf care industry to meet these high environmental standards.
“Jacobsen and Ransomes are responding to the needs of customers by applying innovative proprietary technologies to create products that are quiet and environmentally-friendly,” said Greg Hyland, president of Textron’s Industrial Products segment. “We are the first in the industry to offer such a wide range of alternative power products for the golf, turf, sports and municipal markets.”
Mowers
Jacobsen now offers three all-electric greens mowers that are ideal for use near residential areas due to their low noise levels. The first all electric riding greens mower, the Jacobsen E-Plex II, is already in use at St. Andrews.
“The purchase of the Jacobsen E-Plex II supports our policy of using the most suitable turf equipment while caring for the environment,” said Gordon Moir, St. Andrews Links superintendent. “The electric greens mower is much quieter, ideal for greens close to residential areas. It also meets our quality of cut requirements and is a welcome addition to our fleet.”
The new E-Walk® and Tournament Cut-22ETM are all-electric, ‘whisper-quiet’ walking greens mowers. These pollution-free, patent-pending mowers deliver a precision cut without oil, hydraulic fluids or emissions.
In addition, Ransomes offers the first riding mower to run entirely on liquid propane (LP) gas. The Ransomes Highway LPG is the first alternative fuel, commercial mower of its type available in the UK municipal market. The mower holds a total of 72 litres of propane, which provide eight to nine hours of productive time, equal to the diesel version of the same mower.
Golf Cars
Responding to the demand for cleaner burning fuel and to the high cost of gasoline in Europe, Ransomes has also recently developed the first LP gas-powered golf car available in the European market. LP gas, which is exempt from taxes in the UK, is approximately 65% cheaper and burns 20% cleaner than gasoline. The car performs to the same specifications as its electric or gasoline-powered counterparts, while saving operators more than 25% in fuel costs over three years.
ISO 14001 Certification
Jacobsen and Ransomes are the first companies in the turf care industry to be awarded ISO 14001 EMS certification. This designation allows organizations to develop their own policies and objectives from a framework that outlines key requirements for companies to operate in an environmentally responsible manner. “The award of this international standard represents our ongoing commitment to environmental best practice and responsible management,” said Steve Chicken, managing director for Ransomes.
Jacobsen www.jacobsen.com
Ransomes Jacobsen www.ransomes.com.
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