John Rippin, head gardener at the stunning Bodnant Estate in North Wales, believes that his battery powered Airion hand blower from Pellenc is the perfect machine to avoid disrupting the estate’s visitors.

The Bodnant Estate, a National Trust property, is a strikingly beautiful agricultural estate in North Wales. Set in hilly and wooded countryside in the lower reaches of the Conwy Valley, it commands spectacular views across to Snowdonia. Stone cottages and farm buildings have been restored using traditional materials and techniques, and the Estate supports farming and encourages other rural activities.

With intimate corners, sweeping lawns, grand terraces and verdant woodland, huge crowds are drawn to Bodnant all year round to soak up the beautiful sights. It is for this reason that John is extremely selective about which equipment he uses to maintain the estate.

“Visitors’ enjoyment is our first priority so our machinery is picked as much for noise levels as it is for performance.

“One of the most useful machines in recent years is the leaf blower. Years ago gardeners would endlessly rake leaves from lawns and sweep paths clean with besoms, but we now use a Pellenc Airion model that does a better job and much quicker. There are now hand-held electric models that run off battery packs and make as much noise as a hair dryer.”

As John says, the Pellenc Airion is extremely silent throughout operation with an intensity level of just 79db – perfect for sensitive areas such as Bodnant. Furthermore, the Arion stays perfectly balanced during operation, regardless of the speed – which can be altered depending on the task required. With a 4 speed setting it is possible to manage the blowing power based on the surface to be cleared. Weighing only 2.55 kg it is extremely lightweight and is the only battery powered blower on the market with a powerful thrust of 17.5 newtons.

It is also waterproof to IP54 standards and is protected from dust and moisture.

As with all Pellenc equipment, operators can expect a full day’s work from the lithium-ion battery. With over 10 years of experience and the world’s first manufacturer to introduce this technology in professional hand-held power tools, Pellenc’s range of batteries have gained world-wide market recognition.

The batteries are adaptable to all tools in the Pellenc range and are guaranteed emissions-free, meaning that operators will be contributing to reducing the consumption of fossil fuels while still increasing their productivity – something that John has certainly noticed with his Airion.

“They are great for blowing dust and debris away from patios, paths and drives, blowing grass clippings off a lawn, clearing out gutters and drains, blowing mulch back onto beds and can even be used to get a bonfire blazing.”

Light, odourless, noise-free, with no starting problems and no filling the fuel tank – it’s no wonder more and more people are turning to the innovative technology of Pellenc.

All Pellenc batteries and tools come with a three-year commercial warranty and are distributed in the UK and Ireland exclusively by Etesia UK.

The new Pellenc ULiB 1200 battery and harness has entered the UK market with battery life increased by 20% compared to the to the ULiB1100 battery. Pellenc is exclusively distributed in the UK and Ireland by Etesia UK.

The ULiB 1200 battery meets all of the professional requirements in terms of performance, comfort and technology, and offers increased autonomy of up to 20% – up to five hours of work with the most energy-consuming Pellenc tools in the range.

The new harness associated with the ULiB 1200 battery reduces the risk of musculoskeletal disorders considerably by a better distribution of the weight and leaves the user free of their movements. The battery is also waterproof to IP54 standards.

The new battery has the highest capacity on the market and is equivalent to 5640 litres of petrol. Pellenc engineers have worked on the balance and ergonomics to ensure power, precision and comfort. This major innovation allows an extended life of 40% and is in line with Pellenc’s desire to reduce direct CO2 emissions and guarantee recycling at 80% of the product.

With more than twelve years’ experience, Pellenc is the pioneer of professional battery-powered tools and this new battery guarantees performance, ergonomics and battery life that will revolutionise the use of professional battery-powered tools.

The ergonomics and lightness of the new Pellenc harness offer an optimal level of comfort in use. Its weight is perfectly distributed on the essential axes of back support. 70% of the mass rests on the hips and only 30% on the shoulders. The intuitive adjustment of the entire carrying system, from the straps to the backbone, adapts to any working habits of the user. The battery is also reversible on its harness to facilitate work closer to the ground with the Airion blower.

An HMI display managed by an intelligent processor optimises the use of the battery. It indicates a lot of information such as working time per tool, maximum power delivered by the battery or any fault alerts. In addition, the blinking mode of the screen and reflex reflectors allow the operator to view the display at all times even in dim light.

Technical Specifications of the Pellenc ULiB 1200 battery

Energy: 1221 W/h
Weight: 6.3kgs
Water Resistance: IP54 rated
Autonomy: up to 5 hours
Guarantee: three year commercial warranty

All Pellenc batteries and tools come with a three-year commercial warranty and are distributed in the UK and Ireland exclusively by Etesia UK.

The Ernest Doe branch in Esher has been appointed as a new Etesia dealer and will be distributing Etesia’s complete product range throughout Surrey.

The renowned Ernest Doe brand can be traced all the way back to June 1898 when Ernest took the lease on a blacksmiths shop at Ulting near Maldon, Essex. From this small shop, work in those days consisted mainly of shoeing horses and repairing agricultural implements.

It is safe to say that business prospered significantly over the years but Ernest Doe is still very much a family firm. Current Managing Director Colin Doe is the fourth generation of the family to have taken the helm during the company’s 100+ years of trading.

Ernest Doe now boasts a network of branches in the South and East of England and are trusted providers of quality products and first-class service facilities. Of the 19 branches, the Esher depot based in Surrey is the only branch purely dedicated to groundcare machinery.

Insistent on working only with the most reliable and top performing brands, Ernest Doe is delighted to be working with Etesia – according to general sales manager Andy Turbin.
“Etesia is a brand that we have known about for a number of years and we have a lot of customers who use the equipment so we thought it would be good to get the franchise and support these customers. Quite simply, it seemed a great opportunity for us.

“The Esher branch has a massive customer base including contractors and local authorities – so the Etesia equipment will be ideal for them.”

Specialists in manufacturing high quality grass cutting machinery for both the professional and domestic market, Etesia’s extensive range of products have been in consistent high demand for a number of years. It is for this reason that the company’s vast dealer network continues to grow. From the UK to Ireland, Etesia dealers are providing their customers with innovative solutions for their green space requirements.

Ernest Doe’s Surrey based customers will now be able to choose from Etesia’s 12 product families which includes ride-on mowers, scarifiers, brush cutters, green technology and pedestrian mowers – something which Steve is particularly excited about.

“I think the Etesia pedestrian mowers will arguably be the most popular with our customer base. They are well respected machines in the marketplace, extremely versatile and are capable of cutting and collecting in all conditions.”

Following transformation of its state of the art factory in Pertuis, France, the Pellenc group has been presented with the Industry Showcase of the Future award.

Since the Pellenc group was created in 1973, the company has based its development on a policy of constant innovation. The group’s ability to be able to anticipate changes in its markets has led to the registering of 1081 patents – winning numerous awards for the excellence of its products.

A forerunner when it comes to lithium-ion technology, Pellenc has established itself in the “Zero Emission” professional power tools market. The company has seen rapid growth since 1973 and in just the last five years Pellenc has doubled its turnover. With a policy of investing 10% of its turnover back into research and development, the group is committed to continually developing its industrial processes and this led to the transformation of its factory.

Pellenc’s factory transformation objectives were to not only improve operations but also to enhance the working conditions for employees – increasing their safety and optimising the comfort of the workstations.

The transformation of the plant has already proved to be hugely beneficial. Assembly times have been significantly reduced, while service rates in the workshops and production line areas have also been greatly improved. In turn, the teams involved feel better prepared and trained for the various stages of production.

Pierre-Antoine Barre, Pellenc Industrialisation Methods Manager was delighted to have achieved such large-scale objectives: “Transformation of the Pertuis site means that the Pellenc group’s capacity and industrial flexibility has grown, and the competitiveness of its product range has improved, building on French know-how, a symbol of industrial excellence and a source of employment reaching +7% a year.”

Aurélien Blanc, technical assistant in the portable power tools shop, offered a great insight from an employee’s point of view: “The changes in the plant have reduced movements needed and distances covered. They provide real improvements in ergonomics, productivity and quality of work.”

The Industry Showcase of the Future award is testament to the success of the factory transformation, but Pellenc refuses to rest on its laurels. There are many more factory projects planned for this year, including new innovations for the newly created areas, new workflow displays and automation systems.

Always seeking further improvements, the Pellenc group continues to innovate and it is no wonder that its products are spearheading the markets throughout Europe and beyond.

Pellenc products are exclusively distributed in the UK by Etesia UK.

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.pellencuk.com

Scamblers, based in Bourn, Cambridgeshire, believe they now have a complete portfolio of groundscare machinery after they were confirmed as Etesia UK’s newest dealer.

First established in 1974, the family owned business specialise in supplying compact tractors, bank tractors, mowers, utility vehicles and groundscare machinery for every aspect of turf and grounds maintenance. However, Ed Scambler – company director, admitted that he was keen to strengthen the portfolio of products and this led him to Etesia.

“Etesia is a brand that I have been wanting to sell for around twenty years now,” he says. “However, due to prior agreements we had in place we were not really able to do that. I had been looking to complete a whole portfolio of good quality commercial and domestic equipment and I think that with the addition of Etesia, we have finally completed that portfolio.”

With immediate effect, Scamblers will now supply the full range of Etesia grounds care equipment which includes the Duocut range of pedestrian mowers; the Atilla range of brushcutters, the Hydro and Bahia range of ride-on mowers and all new innovative products which feature the latest generation of robotic and remote controlled technology such as the Atilla SKD ExxDrive, Hydro 80 MKHP4 E-Connect and the Bahia Joyride.

“Until very recently, previous agreements have dictated what we sell but now we are in a position to sell what we think is best for the customer. We have been able to go out and hand pick the products that we want and I am confident that with Etesia on-board, it now means we have the most comprehensive range of equipment.”