Steve Bullman

STIHL has introduced a new charging management system designed to make charging multiple batteries more efficient, reliable and user-friendly. The STIHL CM 8 Charging Management System allows up to 8 chargers to be powered via a standard GB 230 V Socket. This enables twice as many chargers to run on a single fuse, providing a simple solution to maximise charging capacity and manage batteries more productively. With no electrical expertise required for set-up, the CM 8 has been designed with intelligent overload protection, ensuring safe and reliable charging without the risk of fuse tripping when used with the correct STIHL charger combination. . The innovative system can run twice the number of chargers compared to a standard socket, thanks to smart electronics developed by STIHL experts. Built with an intelligent automatic switch, the CM 8 enables two charging banks to run one after another. This means that once the system’s ‘bank one’ has fully charged all of the batteries in its connected chargers, ‘bank two’ will automatically begin its charging process. A light on the CM 8 clearly indicates which bank is active for instant visibility and peace of mind. To avoid overloading a circuit, the CM 8’s maximum power consumption of 1840 W must not be exceeded. With this, STIHL’s wide range of chargers have a label to indicate wattage, with this information also available to access on the STIHL website. The wattage combination of all chargers plugged into the CM 8 must not exceed the 1840 W maximum limit. Utilising the CM 8 with 8 x AL 301-4 multi chargers, 32 batteries can be charged overnight via one plug socket. To find out more about STIHL charging solutions, visit your nearest STIHL Approved Dealer, or www.stihl.co.uk.

As the operations of family-run arb firm Koala Tree Care have grown, as has their relationship with GreenMech – with two efficient and easy-to-maintain woodchippers working hard on jobs across North Somerset. The most recent addition to their fleet is the turntable Eco 135TT which, running alongside a gravity-fed CS100, provides an economical and safe solution to domestic tree work. Callum Emery founded Koala Tree Care in 2019 and, with the assistance of twin brother Aaron, provide a one-stop shop for all aspects of tree, hedge and general garden maintenance to customers in and around Bristol. With client demand increasing, the business quickly outgrew its small initial chipper and needed equipment that could keep pace with their growth. Their first upgrade was to a compact, yet capable, CS100 from GreenMech. Ideal for working in tight spaces such as residential gardens, the CS100 offers the quick processing of branches and brash of up to 4”. But with workload still on the rise, the time was right to add an even bigger machine to their fleet in the form of the Eco 135TT. “Our GreenMech machines have made a massive difference to our workflow” comments Callum. “While the CS100 is still used frequently because of its ability to be wheeled through a house where no external access is available, the investment in the Eco 135TT makes light work of larger jobs. The turntable is such a useful feature – this machine is used most days and is rarely ever used in the straight position! We can alter the chipper to any angle for safe and convenient feeding, and ensure the chippings cleanly make their way into the truck.” Another thing Callum praises is the ease of maintenance. “Looking after both of these machines is incredibly simple. The Eco 135TT features their disc-blade chipping system which enables me to turn the blade three times before the need to resharpen – which I can also do myself with GreenMech’s disc blade sharpener. This means we can keep downtime to a minimum and keep our busy diary on schedule.” Processing large and heavy branches with ease, it isn’t just the performance of the ECO 135TT that has impressed the brothers – the service from local GA Groundcare has also been ranked as first rate. “Everything with the purchase and the delivery of the machine in May was really simple.” He adds, “The team at GA, especially Matt Textor and Ashley Stevens, go above and beyond to make sure we’re getting the most out of our machines and are quick to answer any queries or questions we might have.” For more information on the cost-effective Eco woodchipper series, visit www.greenmech.co.uk

Perplexed as to why reliability issues were reoccurring in their fleet of two-stroke disc cutters, Plant and Fleet Manager at Certus Construction James Kite made it his mission to identify the source of the failures. With incorrect fuel mix pinpointed as the problem, the solution came in the form of pre-mixed Aspen Alkylate Petrol which has not only eliminated costly repairs and downtime, its improved the overall environment for their vast team of operators. Certus Construction have recently celebrated over 10 years in the sector, working on major groundwork projects spanning commercial, retails, leisure, education, healthcare and more across South Wales and the South West of England. Often working to tight deadlines, the repeated failures of their disc cutters were not only causing costly delays to the schedule, it was hitting the firm hard in the pocket. “Operators would have to down tools after finding that pots and pistons had seized” explains James, “sometimes these could be repaired, but often the damage was so severe we had no choice but to write the kit off.” “In looking for an alternative to operators mixing their own fuel and 2-stroke oil, we stumbled across Aspen’s pre-mixed alkylate alternative. Discovering how well it worked after just a couple of cans, we fully switched over a couple of years ago and we’ve not had a single mechanical issue since.” Aspen 2 is an alkylate petrol, pre-mixed at a 50:1 ratio with a fully-synthetic biodegradable 2-stroke oil. Virtually free from hazardous hydrocarbons, the cleaner formula significantly reduces carbon build-up and deposits in the engine chamber enhancing performance and extending service life. In addition, being ethanol-free also means Aspen can be stored for a long time without any deterioration in quality, making your engine easier to start even after long standstill periods. “We order Aspen by the pallet, making use of the smaller, portable cans which has simplified operations for our site teams.” James continues, “Workers can easily and safely carry only the fuel they need, avoiding trips to the forecourt which also helps to save time and keep projects on schedule.” Beyond the operational benefits, James also notes the environmental and health advantages of using Aspen. “We’re increasingly under pressure to demonstrate cleaner practices to our clients. Aspen helps us meet that expectation, keeping our team safer and reducing the impact our work has on the wider environment.”