In this issue of Building Update, we are pleased to feature LS Products BV as our Landscaping Product Company of the Year.
LS Products BV is the manufacturer of the innovative Eco Clipper electric mower system that was introduced for the turf grower industry in 2018.
Due to the fact that all the mowers in the range are electrically driven and use a special mowing deck design that incorporates small mowing blades, the Eco Clipper range delivers fantastic contour following and has the capability to disperse clippings well even in wet grass.
Furthermore, because of the high-speed mowing system, productivity is inevitably higher and fuel efficiency better due to the small blades and electric drive. The machine is very quiet and versatile under different conditions such as dewy grass and weeds.
The Eco Clipper® Mowing System evolved from the mowing system that was originally developed in the nineties on the turfgrass farm of the Leijenaar family in the Netherlands. At that time, the electrically driven 10m wide rotary mower was a revolution for the turfgrass industry, and up until 2008 there has been various models of this rotary mower developed and marketed by Leijenaar Products BV.
In 2019, the Eco Clipper range was successfully introduced to turfgrass farms across Europe and then in 2020 they introduced the 14.11-meter-wide Eco Clipper: RM14 Butterfly Mower and the Eco Clipper TM14 tri-deck mower that were both revolutionary mowers for the turfgrass growers and sports ground sectors.
Syb Leijenaar is the Managing Director of LS Products BV and has a vast amount of experience that is deeply rooted in mechanical engineering and mechatronic systems design, and is one of the creators of the Eco Clipper range. We asked Syb how the company has fared over the last 12 months and what plans it has for the future.
“The last 12 months have been slower business wise, although it seems business is picking up since summer. As we are an agile company, we used the opportunity to spend more time on new developments. Our current developments are mainly focused on autonomous large area mowing. Our autonomous mowing system will be introduced in the coming year. We offer a 309cm or a 513cm wide Eco Clipper mowing deck where the power comes from either a diesel generator or a 61kWh battery pack.”
“We are keen to increase productivity in large area quality mowing, hence lowering the mowing costs for our customers. For turfgrass growers and sports ground managers, we already have the most productive equipment in the market due to the large cutting width and high possible mowing speeds. For the autonomous mower it is important that it can be operated safely without immediate supervision otherwise it won’t save labour. Therefore, we have partnered with a Danish firm that fully focuses on safe operation of autonomous equipment in the field.”
Due next year, the Eco Clipper Autonomous Mower uses three different types of obstacle detection: camera; lidar; and radar for its safety in dusty environments. The new Autonomous range will meet speeds of up to 16km/h and surpasses all safety standards with its cutting-edge obstacle detection technology.
“Over the next few years we expect to grow gradually in the sports ground market. We receive strong feedback from our users stating that they like the capacity, quiet running and economic use of fuel. In 2024, we will be introducing the autonomous mower on a couple of selected farms. We want at least a year of real-life experience before we introduce these systems to a wider audience,” added Syb.
LS Products and its Danish partners are really pushing the boundaries in autonomous mowing solutions, and the next five years are looking very fruitful for both businesses. In closing, we asked Syb how he felt receiving our award.
“I feel honoured being selected for the Landscaping Product of the Year Award. When you work with these products every day, you no longer notice that they are different. This award reminds us that we stand out. We are proud of that.”
For more information, please see below:
info@ecoclipper.com
https://www.ecoclipper.com