When you receive good, reliable service why change?
In 1999 Nick left the tenanted holding and set up as an Agricultural Contractor, ploughing and baling straw for local farms. After a dramatic change of circumstance, which necessitated a different source of income, he was given the job of fencing around a reservoir for a local landowner. The rest as they say “is history”. Wildside Limited was born.
The business has evolved since its humble beginnings and the company now specialises in a variety of environmental and ecological projects on a national basis for various consultancies and prestigious clients such as Natural England and Network Rail. The core business is focussed on manipulating the local environment to ensure the nations “protected species” are looked after. This can involve erecting “newt-fencing” (Nick claims to erect around 100,000 metres annually), clearing sites for development and maintaining vegetation to encourage and / or discourage various habitats.
A key tool; for this wide variety of work is a JCB 300T, 98HP, tracked skid steer with a Teagle AF/SSL 2 metres wide rotary flail mower. Nick states the Teagle Flail Mower is a critical element to all commercial aspects of the business. “A robust chassis to tackle everything put in front of us is a key factor but it must be reliable, flexible to meet the ever-changing needs of the business and ensure the habitat is protected whilst operations are taking place”. The tracked skid steer loader reduces ground compaction and protecting underground vegetation (e.g. tree roots) and creatures living below the surface as well. The large diameter roller on the AF/SSL ensures we cut vegetation without scalping the soil and reduces ground pressure from this heavy duty machine.
Nick previously owned a rear mounted Teagle TBM Flail Mower and had no hesitation in choosing Teagle again to meet the needs of his evolving business. “A machine designed for professional applications backed by reliable local service, in this case, Farols at Hinkley”, the local Teagle dealer.
Nick goes on to say, “we recently undertook a contract along 11 miles of the A11 mowing verges near Thetford, reducing the vegetation to prevent wildlife, snakes in this case, establishing a new habitat next to a busy road” we encountered all sorts of debris during the mowing operation, including disused shopping trolleys, bed frames, a mattress and a number of old car wheels. Although we take the best possible preventative action we still need machinery that will stand up to all sorts of unexpected foreign objects”. “Not only did we have to cut the vegetation we either had to cart it away or thoroughly mulch the crop enabling quick decomposition back into the soil. The AF/SSL did a tremendous job, under extremely difficult conditions reducing the cut crop to a mulch removing cost and additional carbon emissions to meet the requirements for our client”.
As the reputation of Wildside continues to grow the workload increases and Nick is now taking steps to expand his vehicle fleet in the near future and Teagle will be his first port of call: “when you receive good, reliable service why change” is Nick’s philosophy. “What we say is what we do” is the motto of Wildside Limited and Nick feels the same philosophy is promoted by Teagle, a British family business of 70 years standing.