Customer-centric approach distinguishes Major for Enviro Culture Services’ tailored hydroseeder
Contract landscapers have much to think about besides turf management and grass-cutting regimes. Environmental legislation concerning erosion and sediment control means contractors need to monitor and manage operations in line with government policies. Director of Enviro Culture Services Shannon Edwards has extensive experience working around strict requirements. His company specialises in broad acre landscaping and maintenance, going from constructing landscape from bare ground to maintaining established landscape. This requires sturdy equipment that can handle intense workloads while limiting environmental impact.
“We need a machine that we could get off-road. The existing hydroseeder we had couldn’t access a lot of the sites. Also, we need something that’s going to go the distance and something that will agitate a heavy product to control batters and erosion with,” explained Shannon.
Shannon Edwards is no stranger to Major Equipment. Impressed with the high-quality build and versatility of the Major Cyclone rotary mower, Shannon sought out Major again for a specialised hydroseeder tanker for his commercial business. “The Major unit stood out,” began Shannon. “They had the specific pump we required and the specific hose reels and hydraulics that we need to do the job. Whereas some of the other units we have were always going to be working at maximum level, we were able to help design the Major unit so that it didn’t have to work as hard to pump the product.”
Shane Reape, the Design Engineer at Major who led the customisation project, has experience taking a concept or idea from start to finish, and making sure the customer is happy at the end of the day. “Major has been manufacturing tankers for more than 40 years,” Shane started. “We’ve done hydroseeders and we’ve done dust suppression units. For example, we custom-fitted a 2200-gallon hydroseeder tank for Grundon Waste in the UK to proactively manage their environmental policies and significantly reduce operational costs. It’s a multi-purpose unit with fire-fighting capabilities, hydroseeding, and dust suppression.”
“The 3000-gallon dust tanker at the Port-of-Tyne in Newcastle sits on a skeletal tandem axle lorry trailer,” continued Shane. “The unit is used to take water directly from the dock to suppress dust on an industrial scale resulting in substantial savings.”
“Shannon Edwards at Enviroculture Services in Australia commissioned the hydroseeder tank,” Shane begins. ”It’s going to be used on motorway verges and in housing estates. He wanted a 2200-gallon tanker with a Garda pump and a raingun with vertical and horizontal applications. He also wanted a full-length auger at the centre of the tank to agitate the materials used in hydroseeding.”
Easy access and safety are top concerns so customising the tanker to minimise occupational hazards was important. “The tanker needed a manhole on top with a safety cage as well as a full-length platform on top with one-metre high sides,” continued Shane. “The tank also included a 1.5metre sliding gate for pallet access and a ladder with a spring return gate on top.”
The expert design team worked diligently to draft all the specifications and determine the best location, materials and equipment for the custom tank. As many as eight people were involved in its development. “They were fantastic to work with and really open to our ideas,” enthused Shannon. “Their professionalism really showed – they had ideas that I hadn’t thought of that made me think more laterally. And they were excellent and keeping me updated throughout the whole process.”
“I originally wanted a tanker that could spray grass three or four months of the year,” remarked Shannon. “Now, I have a machine that can two or three other applications that we hadn’t considered doing. There’s so many opportunities for the tanker, anywhere from mining to commercial landscaping to environmental companies.”
Major’s agricultural roots are reflected in the design with innovation, reliability and longevity at the core of every machine. “You can see it’s a well-built machine so it’s going to last. With unlimited uses for soil stabilisation and dust suppression, this unit is going to pay for itself,” said Shannon.