June 2016 marks 25 years of Etesia operating in the UK, and since its humble entry, the company has grown into one of the most innovative manufacturers in the groundscare industry.

What started as an unknown company with just one product now has a presence in 40 countries with a product range of over 40. It is safe to say that the initial product, which put Etesia on the map, must have been pretty special.

The Hydro 100 – the first ride-on mower with a direct rear ejection and integrated collection system took the French market by storm. Shortly after, it was brought to the shores of the UK. That was 25 years ago and now 2016 see’s Etesia with a multitude of market leading products covering every inch of the UK.

“Very quickly, UK professionals understood the unique capacity and performance of that machine. Word spread about just how good the Hydro 100 was and then more and more dealers throughout the UK wanted to become involved. A few years later, and based on the success of that machine, we were able to expand the range of products such as the Bahia, Attila and the Hydro 124. Quite soon there were a number of Etesia products gaining a great reputation in the UK,” commented Etesia President, Patrick Vives.

The UK is now Etesia’s third largest market behind its homeland France and Germany, and all of the UK operations are run from a beautiful rural setting in North Oxfordshire. With a team of seven headed by Operations Director Les Malin, the facilities are perfect for both onsite demonstrations and storage of spare parts.

“In all other countries, except Germany and Benelux, we work directly with importers but in the UK we have our own team. It has always been a great market for us and to show our commitment to this country we felt that this was the best solution to increase product awareness and it appears to have been the right decision.

“The UK market is essential to Etesia, not only because it is our third, but also because succeeding in this country is essential in continuing to build a reputation in the gardening sector,” said Patrick.

Etesia’s commitment to the UK market is perhaps most apparent in the relationships the company holds with its extensive network of dealers. Once a year, Etesia’s UK dealers are invited on a two day trip to the company’s headquarters in Wissembourg, where they learn more about the company, receive a tour of the impressive, state-of-the-art factory and witness a glimpse of future products.
So without doubt, Etesia’s 25 years of operating in the UK have been a resounding success – but what’s next?

“Etesia’s intention is to continue its growth in the UK market with additional products like the robotic mowers and the Pellenc range of battery-powered tools. All the new technologies are under the Etesia Green Technology™ banner which is where I think the future lies,” said Patrick.

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Etesia UK on Twitter @EtesiaUK and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/EtesiaUK. You can also view the latest Etesia videos by visiting www.youtube.com/EtesiaUK.

Places for People, one of the largest property management, development and regeneration companies in the UK, has recently upgraded their fleet of grass cutting machinery with the purchase of Etesia pedestrian and ride-on mowers.

Purchased from local dealer Balmers Garden Machinery, the new equipment includes a Hydro 80 MKHP ride-on mower and a collection of Pro 46 PHB pedestrian rotary mowers, bringing the total number of Etesia machines to over thirty.

David Ramsden, Contract Supervisor for the company, is responsible for the purchase of grounds maintenance equipment for the Preston depot and has been using Etesia machines for the past ten years after admitting that it was difficult to find a machine capable of cutting and collecting in wet conditions.

“We found it very difficult to find a machine that can cut and collect in wet weather. After an initial demonstration we found that Etesia ticks all of our boxes. As soon as we started using them, we thought wow. They were very impressive in the wet.”

Designed to meet the rigours of a wide variety of commercial grass cutting applications, Etesia’s Pro 46 pedestrian rotaries are specified by contractors, local authorities and landscapers. The special shape of the mowing deck produces a powerful suction and blowing effect to ensure a quality cut with maximum collection. As an option, a mulching kit and mulching blade convert the pro 46 mowers into formidable mulchers. The Pro 46 rotaries are lightweight and compact, making them ideal for mobile grass cutting teams. The handlebars fold, without the use of tools, for easy transportation or storage.

The compact Hydro 80 ride-on mower is ideal for multi-tasking and easily adapts to every terrain, every grass cutting situation and every task. The pocket-size cut and collect mower, at just 0.82m wide and 1.98 m long, features an incredibly tight turning circle and is able to nip into every nook and cranny as well as being able to be easily transported in the back of a van or on the back of a trailer.

“The Hydro 80 is probably the best machine we’ve purchased. It cut mowing down compared to push mowers and speeded up what our teams can do, allowing them to do other jobs”. We like the fact that we have one machine that can do different jobs.

“We find that we can run the machines for up to four years which is fantastic, as previously, we were changing every two years. You may pay a little extra for an Etesia machine when you purchase it, but the overall lifetime cost is far lower.”

For keeping lawns and turf looking good all-year-round, a scarifier attachment is now available to fit three model sizes in the Etesia ride-on mower range.

Available to fit the 80cm Bahia range, 100cm Hydro 100 range and 124cm Hydro124 range, the scarifying rake is designed to efficiently remove moss and thatch from lawns, pasture land, paddocks and rough areas. The new attachment stimulates better grass growth and a stronger root.

Mounted to the front of your existing Etesia ride-on machine, the scarifier can also be used on horse arenas and all-weather gallops to ‘dress’ the top surface and re-blend the components of a composite surface.

Scarifying is a seasonal activity, so it makes sense not to have expensive, dedicated powered equipment lying idle during certain periods of the year. The Etesia scarifier attachment cost effectively utilises the existing power source of its host ride-on mower to efficiently remove unwanted organic matter and encourage healthy turf.

This Autumn Etesia is getting set for a busy 2014 lawn and garden season, entering the domestic market with the launch of two competitively priced electric lawn mowers – the VECS and NECTS Duocut, with a promise of models to follow shortly.

For years, Etesia have been renowned in the commercial market for manufacturing machines able to cut and collect in all weather conditions – come rain or shine. With the launch of these two new products, domestic customers will be able to take advantage of a lawn mower which will deliver best-in-class cutting, collecting or mulching – even in the most demanding conditions.

The VECS is an entry level 1300W push model with eight cutting height settings, which are quickly adjustable using one lever from 20-60mm, complete with a polypropylene 37cm cutting deck and 39 litre grass box.

The NECTS model has a 41cm cutting width and is a 1500W single speed (3km) machine with seven cutting height settings from 25-85mm. It comes complete with a Xenoy cutting deck for added robustness.

Extremely versatile, both new models are capable of mowing with or without collection in all conditions, or for high-quality mulching. And they do all that without the need for an accessory.

That high performance is possible thanks to the Duocut concept which is the perfect combination between 100% collection and 100% mulching decks, without compromising the results of either of the functions. Changing the mowing system is easy: just place the removable insert under the deck if you want to mulch. Remove the insert if you prefer to mow with or without collection.

There is no need for a tool or blade change. The insert completes the shape of the deck to form a smooth surface with no roughness, allowing the grass to move easily for incomparably superior mulching.

Excellent mulching results with a very high collection performance, even if the grass is long and wet is compacted in the grass collection boxes, complete with box filling indicator.

Both models come, as standard, with ‘soft grip’ handle bars which can fold for easy transportation.