Steep banks, uneven terrain, and hazardous conditions have long made bank mowing a high-risk, time-consuming task. But thanks to the Raymo from Iseki UK and Ireland, Xtreme Mowing Ltd is tackling these challenges with greater efficiency and safety than ever before.
Director of Xtreme Mowing, John Barr, uses the remote-controlled electric mower at numerous sites, including hangar roofs and, in this instance, an industrial estate on the outskirts of Bristol. The estate was developed 15 years ago on the River Severn floodplain, meaning it is all on raised ground with numerous banks leading to the water courses.
Previously, John cut this site with a walk-behind mower, but a desire to embrace new technology led him to the Raymo through local Iseki dealer Votex Ltd.
“We used to use a dual-wheeled walk-behind pedestrian mower on these banks,” John explains. “You can go up to about 45 degrees with that, but it’s basically a 300-kilo mower. And when you’ve got greasy banks and things like that, and the machine slides down, you need to try to control that.
“Whereas using a remote control removes the operator from harm’s way and speeds up the process because you don’t need to follow the machine everywhere. So, you can put the Raymo into areas that would be more risky for an operator.
“On a site like this, it’s about a seven-mile walk using the pedestrian mower and it would take about four or five hours. With the Raymo, you’re reducing that by about 30%. So it’s a lot more efficient, and with a battery, you’ve got no fuel costs or risk of fuel going into the water courses.”
The environmental benefits of the Raymo were a major draw for John, who has seen a trend of customers requesting eco-friendly solutions for mowing. With four to five hours of battery life per pack and the ability to swap a pack in less than five minutes, the operator benefits and cost-savings of going electric are clear.
However, John is focused on more than just the electric aspect of the machine. Using the FlexiSpike wheels in combination with the SFINX attachment, the Raymo can safely work at 55-degree angles while effortlessly cutting over edges.
John explains: “It’s a bit of a wolf in sheep’s clothing, to be honest. You can be cutting the grass banks behind us, and then you can go straight into a load of light bramble and heavier scrub, and you don’t even need to change the deck height because it is very powerful.
“I think when we’re on some hangar roofs, we are close to 55 degrees, which is why we’ve got the FlexiSpike wheels. Again, that removes any slip of the machine and makes you more efficient because you can track the machine as you want, rather than trying to adjust to the machine’s slide down the bank.
“Previous contractors had guys with strimmers cutting the ends of the hangers, which is obviously the riskiest part. So we go up and over each end with the SFINX on, which then leaves you a 1.2-meter head cut. Then, the SFINX trims all the grass right over each end. So you can go around once with it on, take it off to make the machine lighter, and then crack on and cut the hangar roofs, which then is a lot faster.”
As the demand for safer, greener, and more efficient mowing solutions grows, companies like Xtreme mowing are proving how important it is to invest in the right technology. To see how remote-controlled mowing can transform your maintenance strategy, contact your local Iseki UK and Ireland dealer.