Steve Bullman

Imagine the time and money saved if there was a chainsaw sharpener that could cut operative time to just one minute per chain*, was 100% consistent and increased the longevity of chains. Well, Carr’s Billington Safety has the answer and is proud to be the sole UK distributor of the new V|OAK automated chainsaw sharpener from Swiss precision tool experts Vallorbe (Usines Métallurgiques de Vallorbe) reducing the time manually spent on sharpening a chainsaw from 15 minutes to 1 minute, that’s an average saving of £7,450/year based on sharpening 40 chainsaws/week! Equipment, such as chainsaws, used by those working in forestry, arboricultural and horticultural sectors is subjected to tough conditions and require specialist maintenance to guarantee maximum user safety. Vallorbe’s V|OAK automated chainsaw sharpener is a revolutionary product, a first of its kind, that is specifically designed for use by skilled technicians in workshops. Neil Thomas, Commercial Manager, Carr’s Billington Safety, comments: “We’re delighted to be able to offer our customers the V|OAK as a cost effective, highly efficient tool for the essential, yet laborious, task of chainsaw sharpening. We have demo units available for workshops to trial for two weeks, without any obligation, and will be providing full training. The compact unit only takes 10 minutes to programme, however, as with all new technology, operatives of the machine will need time to familiarise with the settings but in essence customers can start to see a significant return on their investment after six months of using the V|OAK. The V|OAK costs £3800 however, when you take into account the operative time saved the sums all add up. In addition, customers will benefit from increased consistency, less mess with chains lasting longer as there are no sparks or heat created by the machine unlike those when using a grinding wheel. What’s more, when using files to sharpen the chains by hand there’s no way of telling if you are using a blunt edge. The V|OAK guarantees efficiency as it indicates then the cylindrical file needs rotating 45 degrees and the flat file 180 degrees so that you are always sharpening chains using a new file face.” Training will guide customers through the process of programming the machine, which involves selecting the chain you need sharpening, the sharpening angle required and adjustments to the settings suitable for the specific chain, including the sharpening pressure, file diameter etc. Once set up is complete the machine gets to work and throughout the sharpening process it indicates the number of links remaining and allows the user to adjust the sharpening pressure. More on how to use the V|OAK can be viewed in our video below: Read more about the V/OAK here *When based on 20 chains/week taking an average of 5 hours by hand and just 20 minutes by machine.

The Board and wider team at Timberwolf are delighted to announce that late yesterday, the Alamo Group announced that they had acquired Timberwolf Ltd. Based at Seguin, Texas, the Alamo Group, known for its leadership in technology and production innovation, owns many of the world’s leading brands in the agricultural equipment and forestry sector. Timberwolf’s established position as a leading designer and manufacturer of wood chippers makes this acquisition an excellent fit into Alamo Group’s newly formed Vegetation Management Division (which includes forestry and tree care operations). “The completion of the sale provides enormous opportunity for the business,” said Timberwolf Managing Director, Chris Perry. “Joining such a prestigious organisation will allow Timberwolf to accelerate many of the strategic projects we have already identified. Alamo Group have a clear approach to sustainability which aligns to our own existing business values so we’re very excited about the opportunities that this acquisition will bring”. With an established pedigree in the wood-chipping industry, Timberwolf invokes genuine affection among its customers who rely on their highly-regarded and reliable machines. It is expected that now, as a wholly owned business within the Alamo Group, Timberwolf will be able to further strengthen its brand and market position by strengthening product innovation to meet future opportunities. Jeff Leonard, Alamo Group’s President and Chief Executive Officer commented, “We are delighted to have completed our acquisition of Timberwolf. Timberwolf offers a full range of gravity fed, towed, track mounted and PTO-driven chippers for arboriculture, horticulture, private estates and infrastructure management. Timberwolf builds upon, and compliments, our existing range of tree care products and strengthens our presence in the U.K. and European forestry and tree care markets. We are pleased that Timberwolf’s management team will remain with the company and we look forward to working closely with them to drive the company’s future growth.” About Alamo Group: Alamo Group is a leader in the design, manufacture, distribution and service of high quality equipment for infrastructure maintenance, agriculture and other applications. Our products include truck and tractor mounted mowing and other vegetation maintenance equipment, street sweepers, snow removal equipment, excavators, vacuum trucks, other industrial equipment, agricultural implements, forestry equipment and related after-market parts and services. The Company, founded in 1969, has approximately 4,070 employees and operates 27 plants in North America, Europe, Australia and Brazil as of June 30, 2021. The corporate offices of Alamo Group Inc. are located in Seguin, Texas. https://www.alamo-group.com/ About Timberwolf: Timberwolf manufactures a broad range of commercial wood chippers primarily serving markets in the U.K. and the European Union. The company was founded in 1986 and has delivered nearly 16,000 chippers in the U.K. and Europe through its comprehensive dealer network. The company has approximately 100 employees and operates from a 3,300 square meter facility in Suffolk, United Kingdom. https://timberwolf-uk.com/

STIHL has launched an updated set of breathable and comfortable safety boots, designed to support and protect wearers when undertaking gardening and landscaping jobs. Enhancing its current footwear range, STIHL has manufactured the updated steel toe capped S3 safety boots to comply with the safety standard of footwear EN ISO 20345:2011, with additional features such as anti-static protection, puncture protection, oil, fuel and water resistance, energy absorption in the heel and mid heel penetration resistance. For optimal comfort and protection, these light-weight safety boots boast additional ankle support, a replaceable insole and steel cap protection that can resist a 200-joule impact, assuring the user's safety while wearing the boots and operating gardening and landscaping equipment. The S3 boots are made with durability in mind, featuring breathable fabric and quick drying textile lining with a padded collar, making them the ultimate gardening footwear for any weather. With an excellent grip on uneven soils and a rough profile sole, any outdoor job can be completed with ease while maintaining a stable and secure grip. Available in UK sizes 5.5 - 13, the S3 safety boots have an updated design with reflective material and strips on both sides, enabling greater visibility when working. These boots are not suitable for chainsaw use. For more information on STIHL’s extensive range of footwear, please visit www.stihl.co.uk.

Carr’s Billington Safety is now offering its customers Jameson Tree Trimming Pole Kits as part of its ongoing commitment to providing quality equipment for professional arborists, landscapers and telecommunication line workers. Jameson made their first fiberglass pole in 1956 and is the preferred pole of choice by professionals in the arboriculture and telecommunication sectors. With an extensive line of poles in the range there’s one suitable for every job, from landscaping and professional tree care to line clearance and ariel construction. Carr’s Billington Safety has 10 complete kits available, comprising poles and accessories, detailed below, for retailers to choose from helping to reduce the amount of SKUs held and simplifying the ordering process. There are three categories that the Jameson Kits fall into, as outlined below and colour coordinated for identification purposes: JE Series – suitable for telecommunication, line clearance, arborist and landscape professionals. Non-conductive composite ferrules enhance dielectric strength from top-to-bottom, improving user safety while performing tree trimming and line-clearance around overhead utility lines. Each pole is individually tested to 100kV/foot for 5 minutes. The foam core protects against moisture and debris. JEC-Series Foam Core CompositLock™ Poles, Pole Saw 1.75” Big Mouth Pruner Kit: £712 ex VAT. JEC-Series Foam Core CompositLock™ Poles, Pole Saw 1.25” Pruner Kit: £687 ex VAT. BL Series – suitable for arborists these poles are batch tested to 100kV/foot for 5 minutes, highly durable and lightweight. BL-Series Lightweight Hollow Core Tree Trimming Kits – three kits to choose from priced at £500 ex VAT, £458.33 ex VAT and £433.33 ex VAT. BLC-Series Hollow Core CompositLock™ Tree Trimming Kit. RRP: £433 ex VAT. LS Series – these poles haven’t been dielectric tested and are suitable for light duty landscaping by professionals and homeowners. S-Series Hollow Core Landscaping Tree Trimming Kits – three kits to choose from priced at £241.67 ex VAT, £208.33 ex VAT and £162.50 ex VAT. More information on the Jameson offering can be found on the Carr’s Billington Safety website.

As a longstanding manufacturer in the industry, Timberwolf prides itself on providing the industry’s strongest customer support network. This network has been further strengthened today with the appointment of Charlies Groundcare as its newest dealer. Established in 2008, Charlies Groundcare specialise in golf, turf, commercial mowing equipment, agricultural machinery and, supported by the Timberwolf team, are now extending their established experience into the arb sector. Charlies Groundcare offer equipment sales and technical support throughout North Wales, mid-Wales, West Midlands, and Shropshire via its main dealership in Welshpool, Powys. Following the appointment as an approved Timberwolf dealer, prospective and existing Timberwolf owners alike will be able to easily access wood chipper demonstrations, technical guidance, and servicing. Charlies Groundcare have a number of trained technicians, as well as a fleet of support vans fully fitted with the latest equipment and technology, ensuring Timberwolf owners will receive an efficient and premium service when they need it. Guy Marshlain, Sales and Marketing Director, said: “We recognise that a customer’s experience with a dealer is an integral part of buying into the Timberwolf brand. Charlies Groundcare, with their technical experience and strong customer service, are truly committed to joining and supporting the Timberwolf community and we’re delighted to welcome them into our dealer network.” Timberwolf have over 30 dealer depots incorporating over 220 Timberwolf trained technicians across the UK. The service engineers from Charlies Groundcare will join the rigorous Timberwolf training programme to ensure that they too can fully-support Timberwolf owners to the high standard expected. Ross Holloway, Charlies Groundcare Manager, said: “We are delighted to become the newest member of the Timberwolf family offering this market leading product alongside our extensive range of equipment. We pride ourselves on exemplary aftersales service and look forward to extending this to the arb community. “We look forward to working with the team at Timberwolf, to provide demonstrations and support our new customer base.”