Cornwall contractor Chris Billing prides himself on delivering a perfect cut thanks to a PA5600 and TwinCut combination
From his first Swingover machine in the early 1970s to his current PA5600, Cornwall contractor Chris Billing has owned a series of iconic McConnel Power Arms and has been a loyal customer through nearly five decades.
A classic collection
Chris has owned a series of classic McConnel machines including this iconic Swingover machine
Chris, who lives in Saltash and cuts hedges across South Devon and East Cornwall, says when it comes to hedgecutters there’s only one company he trusts to get it right on build quality and innovation.
He explained: “I’ve enjoyed cutting hedges for more than 40 years and McConnel consistently makes the best machines. They have a proven heritage for making high-quality hedge-cutters and the support I get from my local dealer Halse of Honiton is second to none.”
“I loved the PA44, the Hy-Reach, and the PA500 – but I think my favourite machine is the one I have now because of the combined cutting power of the PA5600 and the TwinCut flailhead which allows me to cut mature hedges with ease.”
Featuring two high-powered spiral rotors, the new Twincut has been designed to tackle hedgerows in a single-pass - delivering both a heavy-duty cut and a fine finish in a single operation.
The first rotor is equipped with a heavy-duty T-flail which cuts in a downward direction while the second set 50mm lower, cuts in an upward direction and is equipped with a fine-cut competition flail – a combination perfect for shaping the hedge and leaving behind an attractive finish.
Chris said: “TwinCut helps you in three ways. It’s faster because it delivers genuine single-pass hedge-cutting, the finish is unrivalled, and you can tackle three years growth and more.”
Cuts faster, cuts better
“I can complete a job that previously took 10 hours in less than seven hours. It’s a noticeable difference."
“The finish you leave behind serves as your calling card so an attractive cut is vital to a professional. It shows customers how skilful you are and makes their farms and premises look great.The increased efficiency delivered by TwinCut makes a big difference to Chris and is helping him win valuable new business.
He said: “I can complete a job that previously took 10 hours in less than seven hours. It’s a noticeable difference and it means you can take on more jobs than before.
“It has made a big impact on my work because I have a lot of customers and the loss of a month’s hedge-cutting means I have to work flat-out to complete all the jobs in less time. TwinCut has made me faster and protected me from losing work to rivals so it’s a key tool for me.”
Another important innovation that Chris values is McConnel’s orbitor bracket. Because of Cornwall’s unique and challenging terrain, he often has to work in narrow lanes. The extra axis of arm movement it delivers gives Chris all the manoeuvrability he needs without having to sacrifice reach.
Chris says that after 40 years of hedge-cutting he has no plans to retire and sees McConnel as a key long-term partner in his success.
He said: “The thing with TwinCut is that once you have used one you never want to go back to a single rotor flailhead, I wouldn’t swap my machine for anything.”
Fore more info on: http://www.mcconnel.com/power-arms/power-arm-attachments/twincut-flailhead/
