The CGM Group chooses Ransomes fleet from Ernest Doe & Sons

At the beginning of last season the CGM Group Maintenance, based at Downham Market in Norfolk, took delivery of seven new Ransomes Parkway 3 ride-on cylinder mowers from Ernest Doe & Sons Ltd as part of a major machinery investment programme.

Managing director Tom Glover and his wife Julie started the business 30 years ago carrying out grass cutting for the local authority and now provide grounds maintenance, landscaping arboriculture, facilities management and pest control services throughout East Anglia. The Group employs over 180 staff working on a wide range of contracts for local authorities, housing associations, schools and sports clubs through to one-off hard landscaping projects.

"We began the business with a small local authority contract and here we are today as one of the largest and most diverse environmental services contractors in the local area. The business has grown consistently and 30 years of trading is something to celebrate and be proud of," he said.

To coincide with the 30 years celebration the company moved to a new head office at Downham Market, leaving behind its original home at West Dereham.

"The success of the business means we have outgrown our original premises so we have built new offices and workshops to our own design and specification. Alongside this it was also time to invest in a new machinery fleet," he added.

A period of demonstrations and negotiations took place with a number of dealers and manufacturers and, following long deliberations, Tim decided to put his faith in Ernest Doe's.

"Choosing the Parkway 3 has seen us move away from another manufacturer and these are the first Ransomes triples we have bought. We are really pleased with how they have performed in their first year. The 2015 season was a difficult cutting year with no real let up in the grass growth. The Parkways have worked hard and produced really good results on a wide range of contracts.

"In my opinion, Ransomes have produced an excellent triple in the Parkway. Thought has not only been given to the operator comfort and use, but also to the workshop technicians who have to maintain it. They appreciate that this is a well-built product and it's easy to work on."

As part of a larger package a number of other machines were bought from Ernest Doe and commenting on the selection of Doe's as their preferred supplier Tim commented, "When choosing which machinery package to go for, one of the big factors for us was the size and strength of Ernest Doe. We have contracts in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex and Lincolnshire so the fact that Ernst Doe has at least one depot within each of these counties was important for us. We purchased through the Fulbourn branch, but we know if we have a problem or require a part wherever we are there is a depot close to assist us."

"We have struck up a good close working relationship with the Ernest Doe team and this is important for me and my team to ensure we can keep moving our business forward and hopefully for another successful 30 years."

More information can be found at www.ransomesjacobsen.com.