Steve Bullman

In our recent upgrade the single biggest change to be made to the site has been to the tip site directory. The key changes made include a improved user interface, a map key with custom markers which tell you at a glance what category the tip site falls under....and probably the biggest change is the introduction of a yearly fee for its use. The fee serves multiple purposes. Firstly, the directory has far outgrown my ability to finance it. The new fee will help cover the time taken to run the 3 websites that work together to form this one important feature. It will also help ensure only the right type of people are using the directory and therefore cut down further on admin time. As always, feedback on the changes are more than welcome. Loyalty Reward The good news is, if you are a member with a post count of 1000 or higher your loyalty has been rewarded with a free upgrade to incorporate free use of the directory into your account privileges.

Zoe and Glen Penlington from Wales took the top spot amongst the UK’s best logger sport athletes over the weekend, with Zoe winning the first ever STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Women’s Championship and Glen being crowned the 2022 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Pro Champion. Both events took place in front of a sell-out crowd at the Royal Three Counties Show in Malvern, where extreme sports fans watched the top male and female TIMBERSPORTS® athletes from all over Great Britain compete in a head-to-head race against time across challenging disciplines. In the British Pro Championship, the male athletes compete against each other across six disciplines, and the female athletes in the British Women’s Championship compete in three. Using axes, two-metre crosscut saws and chainsaws, STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® pushes each competitor’s skill and endurance levels to the absolute limit, where they are awarded maximum points for the fastest time in each discipline. In the landmark women’s event, the high-octane action brought the best out of all the athletes in a close competition, with Zoe beating her closest rival Justine Narusa by only four points. The event was decided in the final heat, the Underhand Chop, where Zoe recorded the fastest time to take the title. A delighted Sarah Cox took third place to complete the podium. In similar fashion, the men’s event was also decided in the final heat, with Glen holding his nerve against Graham Turner (2nd place) and John Lewis (3rd place) to secure victory. In addition, the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS British Rookie Championship also took place over the weekend, with Jack Morris, also from Wales, claiming first place. Simon Hewitt, Head of Marketing at STIHL GB, said: “We were very excited to introduce the first British Women’s Championship and it was great to see the crowds come out in force to cheer on all the athletes. After several TIMBERSPORTS® events behind closed doors, all the athletes have been training extremely hard to put on a great spectacle for the TIMBERSPORTS® fans and they certainly didn’t disappoint. “Glen is a worthy winner after a dominant display and we’re especially thrilled for Zoe who will go down in history as the first STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Women’s Champion.” Zoe said of her victory: “I’m very proud to be the overall winner in the inaugural STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Women’s Championship, and then to watch my brother also win the men’s competition was the icing on the cake. “All the women put on a fantastic display and we hope this will encourage more women to get involved in the original extreme sport.” To find out more about the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Series please visit https://blog.stihl.co.uk/timbersports/

It is perhaps no surprise that recent research into the environmental and health impacts of petrol-powered hand tools has highlighted some worrying statistics around emissions and the knock-on negative effects on public health. However, making additional capital investment or disposing of serviceable equipment can be avoided with the simple switch to aspen Alkylate Petrol – significantly reducing the impact on the environment and eliminating exposure to hazardous hydrocarbons. Amongst the research recently published in the national media, it stated that a leaf-blower can emit up to 11 times more carbon monoxide than a Ford Fiesta and that two-thirds of those surveyed reported health issues, such as breathing problems, during operation. However, solving the problem may be limited by a number of factors, not least by the resources required for the sometimes lengthy and complex procurement process. Operators looking for a cleaner alternative could consider fuelling their petrol-powered tools with aspen – an alkylate petrol which is ethanol-free and virtually free from Sulphur, Benzene and many other harmful substances. In contrast to the pollutants emitted by pump-petrol, with aspen, you can mow for 100 hours before reaching the same level of toxic benzene emissions emitted in one hour of mowing with regular petrol. Switching to aspen is easy, and while it cannot reverse damage caused by regular petrol, it will have a cleaning effect on the internal parts – particularly removing soot build-up in the exhaust port. No modifications are required to covert a machine to run on aspen, only to avoid diluting the benefits, operators are advised to wait until the fuel tank is as empty as possible before switching. For older equipment, switching after a service where any susceptible parts should be replaced, is ideal. Director of Weedfree Landscapes Tim Bower switched to aspen 2 for all of their 2-stroke equipment. “Straight away we noticed the reduction in noxious fumes. For the operator this brings fantastic health benefits, especially during prolonged periods of exposure, but it also makes for a cleaner working environment which is desirable when we’re working in public spaces such as schools for example.” aspen is available pre-mixed for 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines and, along with improving reliability and prolonging the performance of engine components, the cleaner burn improves the working conditions for the operator and significantly reduces the harmful impact your machinery makes on the environment. Because of this, and in particular the benefits it can bring to those working in confined spaces, aspen is a popular choice for tree surgeons, local authorities and green space managers looking for an alternative, greener power source.

In a move to improve its level of customer service Carr’s Billington Safety has invested heavily in developing a new website which launches the beginning of July. Commercial Manager, Neil Thomas, comments: “This is a major step forward for Carr’s Billington Safety. It’s part of the company’s ongoing evolution following our recent name change from Workware, along with the adoption of our new business structure, computer system and stock management process. It clearly reflects our dedication to assisting our customers further by offering an easy to navigate feature-packed website that sets us apart from our competitors.” The new website, www.carrs-billington-safety.com, features an easy-to-use, streamlined design with improved site navigation and functionality that enables users to quickly find exactly what they are looking for, with access to essential information on products, stock availability and a rapid order process. Highlights: • Fast order entry with an easy-to-use Excel upload facility • Available to Promise (ATP) clearly stating next available free stock by SKU/Date • Live stock feed • Access to product details and specifications • Downloadable marketing assets for all brands featured on the site. • Special offers for B2B customers The website will constantly evolve with more features being added before the end of this year including invoicing and returns etc. Existing Carr’s Billington Safety customers will shortly be notified with activation details to access the website and for new customers, simply contact [email protected] for log in information.