Professional contractors Hatts Group deliver pristine presentation while reducing operating costs with Major Rotary Hedge Cutter.
To execute over 10,000 acres of hedge cutting maintenance programmes each year requires equipment with exacting specifications to perform under repeated stress. The Hatts Group is no stranger to these standards. The have developed a reputation for delivering performance and professionalism with their clients. They serve high-profile clients including MoD, USAF, National Highway projects, equestrian and stud farms, utilities and solar farms, in addition to agricultural contracts.
The family-run contracting business is under management by Benny Hattersley, second generation to founder Paul Hattersley who started the business in 1986. Increasing demands from clients for an enhanced quality finish on hedgerows, parkland and grassland areas, and highway applications compelled Benny to look at better machinery. Previously, flail head decks weren’t providing the quality finish nor the cost-effectiveness customers demanded. Flails generally left excessive debris spread all over the trimmed areas. This was especially hazardous when operating near car parks as the debris risked damaging vehicles. Moreover, the flailing process tended to look unsightly.
“There had to be a much better solution,” began Benny. “After seeing the launch of the new Major MJ39 rotary hedgecutter from Major Equipment on social media, I knew that was exactly what we needed. And I can honestly say we have not been disappointed. The new style of hedge cutting head offers our customers a qualify of finish way ahead of anything we had before.”
Major Rotary Hedge Cutter excels over flail system
The Hatts Group purchased the MJ39-143 model for power arms. The 1.6m hydraulically power deck is mounted on their self-propelled Energreen unit, capable of operating forward and reverse thanks to a double head rotator. The rotary head requires around 36hp and an oil-flow of just 80 lpm at 170bar of oil pressure.
The body is made from high-performance Strenx 700MC structural steel which is stronger and lighter than conventional steel. Hardox® skids ensure abrasion resistance in field work. Hot-dip galvanisations protects the unit from corrosion, which extends the operating life of the machine.
Two rotors, each fitted with 4 cut and mulch blades, rotate in opposite directions at high blade tip speeds to ensure vegetation is cut and mulched into a fine residue. With few moving parts than flailhead systems, the MJ39 is more cost-effective to maintain.
A full length rear roller helps the unit avoid scalping when used on verges or roadside work.
“The quietness of operation and the quality of work it leaves when processing hedgerows, mulching the clippings down into the hedge itself takes on a totally professional effect, which pleases our customers,” continues Ben. “With a flail head, it’s often noisy and requires multiple passes to get a suitable finish. The flail system also spreads chips, thorns and off-cuts across a wide area. This isn’t suitable for working around car parks because flails would definitely cause too much damage.”
Rotary head delivers fuel and operational savings
“The best part is we are saving considerably in fuel consumption,” Benny enthused. “We don’t need a high horsepower requirement to drive the rotary deck and maintenance is unbelievably simple compared to flail system. The Major MJ39 maintenance is just a simple greasing, twice a week. It only takes five minutes to touch up the blades and bring them razor-sharp and that’s it! With a flail head, it is time consuming just to sharpen the flails let alone replace them. Plus, there is much more in service costs.”
“In terms of fuel and operational savings, the MJ39 Rotary Hedgecutter head is clearly saving us 250 litres of fuel per week on a five-day working week. That equates to a saving of around £180-200 per week, even when we are using a self-propelled Energreen, which generally consumes more fuel than a tractor.”
“On top of that, the Major leaves a clean hedge top in just one pass, handles two-inch branches with ease, and blades can be replaced simply. But then again, they don’t need replacing frequently.”
MJ39 brings hedge cutting technology forward
Benny purchased the Major Hedgecutter through local dealer Farols. “It was very simple, just thirty minutes to attach the rotary head to our Energreen self-propelled machine.”
“We have been absolutely delighted with its performance,” continued Benny. “Because of the success of its work in the first season, we see us adding more of the Major MJ39 units to our fleet and replacing the high-maintenance, costly flail heads, which aren’t really keeping up with progress.”
“The back-up we’ve had from both our dealer and the manufacturer has been first-class and we would definitely recommend the Major MJ39 Rotary Hedge cutter to organisation such as local authorities and councils, as well as professional contractors who want to become far more competitive than those operators still using the old-style flail technology.”