A Devon, reliability isn’ t a luxury, it’ s a necessity.
SPECIALIST MOWERS
Blundell’ s School marks five years with ISEKI machinery
t Blundell’ s School in
A Devon, reliability isn’ t a luxury, it’ s a necessity.
With 50 acres of sports pitches and an additional 70 acres of landscaped parkland and campus grounds to maintain year-round, the grounds team needs equipment that performs without fail. That’ s why, for the past five years, they’ ve placed their trust in ISEKI UK and Ireland.
Their fleet now includes two TG6507 50hp tractors, a TXG subcompact tractor, a TH5370 35hp tractor, and two SXG ride-on cutand-collect mowers, each serving a distinct purpose across the 120-acre site, from fine turf management to heavy-duty renovation work.
“ We’ ve had our ISEKI fleet for five years now, and they’ ve been reliable, trustworthy, and always ready when we need them,” says Head Groundsman Josh Allen.“ That kind of performance, year after year, really matters in a school environment where there’ s no margin for downtime.”
Based in Tiverton, Blundell’ s is a day and boarding school with around 650 pupils and a site rich in sporting heritage and formal presentation. The demands placed on machinery are high, with frequent mowing, seasonal renovations, heavy towing, and tight working spaces. Yet, Josh and his team know their ISEKI tractors and mowers will handle it all.
The two TG6507 tractors, fitted with IQ gearboxes, form the backbone of the operation. One is fitted with a loader for garden work such as shifting mulch and aggregates, while the other supports the sports turf team with tasks like towing a batwing mower, verti-draining, and scarifying.
“ The IQ gearbox is ideal for us,” Josh says.“ When using the loader, the clutchless shuttle saves time and effort. On the sports side, lifting the arms and having the PTO shut off, then restart automatically, is a feature that works smoothly every time.”
In five years, ISEKI’ s reliability has been matched by its dealer support. Local dealer, ABA Groundcare, also in Tiverton, is a trusted partner.“ ABA has been fantastic. Parts are easy to get, though we rarely need them, and the relationship, service, and support have all been spot on.”
The fleet has continued to grow, with the recent addition of a TH5370 35hp tractor for winter pitch maintenance and sprayer work, alongside a compact TXG sub-compact for dragmatting on astro-turf pitches and light towing. Two SXG ride-on mowers round out the lineup, used extensively for cut-and-collect work in formal areas and around buildings.
“ The SXGs are brilliant during wet conditions,” adds Josh.“ There are times we still need to mow even when it’ s damp, and the SXGs don’ t leave a mess or clippings behind. That’ s important when you’ re working around boarding houses and main entrances because the site still needs to look sharp regardless of the weather.
“ It’ s not just that the machines perform well, it’ s that they keep doing it, year after year. In our line of work, that’ s the difference between being confident in your plan or constantly reacting to breakdowns. ISEKI gives us that confidence.”
At a school where presentation matters daily, reliability under pressure is key to upholding the grounds team’ s standards. Whether maintaining turf or renovating pitches, the ISEKI fleet meets the challenge. For Blundell’ s, five years of dependable service have built more than a machinery fleet; it’ s built trust, and in any setting, that’ s worth investing in.
www. iseki. co. uk
52 GroundskeepingJournal. co. uk | September / October 2025