Another Award for the Jacobsen Eclipse 322 Greens Mower

July 20, 2011

The Jacobsen Eclipse 322 hybrid-powered riding greens mower from Ransomes Jacobsen, won the Innovation award at the recent Suffolk Show which is held annually at Trinity Park in Ipswich. Ransomes Jacobsen is a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company.

Representatives from Ransomes Jaocbsen and Bartram mowers with the award-winning Jaocbsen Eclipse 322 at the Suffolk Show.

The ground-breaking greens mower was featured on Bartram Mowers’ stand, Ransomes Jacobsen’s local dealer for the area, along with other grounds care and turf maintenance equipment for commercial and consumer use.

Mark Bartram, managing director of Bartram Mowers commented,
“We were delighted to win this Innovation award as it recognizes the quantum leap forward in technology when it comes to mowing golf greens with ride on greens mowers. Traditionally, power to this type of mower has come from a large diesel engine coupled to a hydraulic system. If the hydraulics fail and leak onto the green it can do huge damage.

“The Eclipse 322 has a small diesel engine powering a continuous generator, which in turn provides electricity to run all of the onboard systems including reel motors, steering and traction motors. That means absolutely no hydraulics and no chance of an accidental spill.”

Chairman of the judging panel, Mark Chandler added,
“The Eclipse is a very clever piece of equipment and has addressed virtually all of issues associated with the mowing of fine turf. I was surprised at the power generated by the electrical system and the fact that it can run the three cutting cylinders very effectively. I was also pleasantly surprised at its affordability; there’s a lot of technology packed into this mower at a very reasonable cost. Its ability to control clip rate is also impressive; for the course manager this means that he can be assured that his greens will be cut exactly the same, no matter which operator is on the machine. It was a worthy winner of the award.”

About Jacobsen
With nearly 90 years of experience in the turf maintenance industry, Jacobsen has built a legacy of precision craftsmanship, legendary quality of cut and unmatched expertise. Dedicated solely to delivering perfectly groomed turf, Jacobsen equipment is used on some of the finest golf courses, sports fields and other formal turf areas across the United States and the world, through an extensive distribution network and the international Ransomes brand. Additional information about the company can be found at www.jacobsen.com.

About Textron
Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. More information is available at www.textron.com.

For further information, please contact:

Peter Driver
Jacobsen
+44 1473 276386