Kubota provides Merlin Housing Society with much-needed mulching power
Between restricted budgets and strains on resources, it’s not often that local authorities and housing associations can save money while also achieving a higher standard. However, Merlin Housing Society has achieved just that by recently investing in Kubota’s leading GR2120 ride-on mower.
Whilst ensuring its properties are built to the highest quality is vital, their continued upkeep is also just as important to ensure residents’ expectations are constantly met.
In order to fulfil this, daily maintenance is led by David Yabsley, who heads up a team of ten professionals at Merlin’s Chipping Sodbury-based landscape services team. The team recently purchased Kubota’s GR2120 ride-on mower, supplied by Lister Wilder’s Cirencester depot, to support them in their completion of daily maintenance tasks.
Before purchasing the mower, grass across the housing associations entire housing stock was cut and collected, requiring transport to Merlin’s Wickwar depot or recycling centre for green waste disposal.
The latest addition to the fleet is saving the team valuable time and money as they no longer need to constantly empty a grass collector or haul large loads long distances for disposal. Because the versatile machine puts hours back in their day, it also means they have more time to devote to other maintenance work on their open spaces and independent living schemes.
There are also additional benefits in returning finely chopped grass cuttings to the ground because it effectively feeds the surface and promotes better long-term lawns.
Speaking of the latest purchase David said: “The volume of green waste we were producing was huge and the cost of dealing with it was phenomenal. The wasted time in going back to our yard or tip sometimes two or three times a day was a real strain on recourses.
“It also cuts brilliantly and leaves a really nice finish without piles of grass lying around. The quality of appearance means that our customers like what they see; and are happier because our teams on site are able to use the time they are saving for things like path edges, pruning and leaf collection. We were taking 14 or 15 days to do the complete the round but now we are doing it in 10 or 11 days, which is a massive improvement.”
The 21hp diesel-powered mower is tough, easy to operate, and fitted with all-wheel-drive hydrostatic transmission. Key features include the unique Kubota Glide Steer system, which delivers a combination of manoeuvrability and turf protection as the front axle approaches its full lock of 70 degrees.
