Turf Harvesters Go To The Next Level

3 min read

next level turf harvester

Next Level Turf Harvesters – 07.09.22 – The turf market has seen its fair share of challenges in the last few years. Heatwaves, the upcoming power challenges, or the supply chain disruption that has been a direct consequence of the war in Ukraine. Not to mention Covid and its profound impact on the economy.

But from this summer turf harvesting in the UK will go the next level as Harrowden Turf has brought in the latest technology from FireFly Automatix—their first machine in England.

The FireFly Automatix R300 Automated Roll Harvester is believed to be the most refined Automated Roll Harvester ever built. It offers precise, smooth, quiet and efficient operation and can deliver perfect pallets every time. This is one time when you can say, “They just don’t build things like they used to, and it’s a good thing!” Moreover, the smooth movements and durability of the R300 reduce parts bills and because many of its mechanisms were originally designed for the high cycles of slab harvesters, this roll machine will last far longer than the competition.

Furthermore, FireFly Turf Harvesters represent the cutting edge and have brought a raft of new technologies and in-house capabilities to the US and now the UK markets.

By keeping all our manufacturing processes under one roof; laser cutting, bending, machining, welding, sandblast, and powder coat— we can ensure the highest quality. Raw steel comes in one door, and finished parts and machines go out the other.

Next Level Turf Harvesters – Innovation & Efficiency

The depth control available in the FireFly range is widely recognized as the best in the industry. It has a proven track record of long life, wide adjustability for different cutting conditions, and unmatched consistency. All bushings are greaseless, so they’re maintenance free.

FireFly has a patented cutter head with a counter-rotating balancing shaft that reduces vibration and increases bearing life. As a bonus, it also reduces power requirements, saving fuel.

 

FireFly

 

An intelligent flap control system produces tight rolls in widely varying conditions and grass types. Their unique self-adjusting dual flipper gives precise flap control and flap positioning, resulting in more stable, consistent pallets. The FireFly can easily accommodate varying roll lengths, handling 0.7 to 1.1 m2 rolls with ease. There is also a simple scrapping mechanism to reject bad rolls on-the-fly.

The R300 is powered by a turbo-charged JCB engine that is perfectly suited to turf production with 74 hp / 55 kw and hydrostatic, infinitely variable transmission.  FireFly harvesters are far more fuel efficient than the competition. It has the right engine for the job and electrically driven components in Cut-off, Conveyor, Rollup, and Stacker. These efficiencies eliminate regeneration cycles and make the R300 the most fuel-efficient roll harvester in the industry.

Next Level Turf Harvesters – Operator Comfort

For users the “next level turf harvester” R300 features the quiet and comfortable Turfview Cab. This cab offers an air-ride swivel seat, full climate control, Bluetooth, hands-free smart phone integration, and ergonomic controls.

From the outset Firefly’s innovations were designed to deliver key benefits. Longer-lasting parts take less to maintain with maintenance-free polymer bearings, giving smooth operation and less wear.  Bolt-on components and replaceable wear points further reduce parts costs. Underpinning all of this is industry-leading technology that allows remote software updates and diagnostics, electronic auto steer, and GPS compatibility.

FireFly currently provides remote support and comes to the UK as needed, but they will soon have service and parts inventory in-country. They are currently interviewing for a regional technician and are seeking dynamic applicants. If interested in applying, please contact FireFly:

The R300 will be used in Harrowden’s Norfolk farms across its turf operations, which will produce close to 10 million metres of turf this year, supporting contractors and the UK retail turf market.

“When we’re investing in the business, we try to adopt the latest tech and these machines are definitely that, helping to speed up operations, reduce team fatigue and increase efficiency.

  • Stuart Ridd-Jones, Managing Director, Harrowden

 

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