Ransomes Jacobsen Equipment being used to prepare Pitches at FIFA World Cup

Ipswich, Suffolk (March 3, 2010) Ransomes Jacobsen, the Ipswich-based turf equipment manufacturer, has delivered a selection of mowing equipment to maintain the stadium and training facilities to be used at the FIFA World Cup in South Africa this summer. The equipment has been supplied by their South African distributor, CSE Equipment of Johannesburg.

Six new stadiums have been specially constructed for the event and will provide a legacy for South African football and other sports, when the competition ends on 11th July.

Jacobsen mowers will be used to maintain the pitches at three of the new stadiums, one of the existing Stadiums and two of the training venues. The new stadiums are the 45,264 seat Peter Mokaba stadium in Polokwane in the north of the country; the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban, with a capacity of 69,957; and the Mbombela stadium in Nelspruit, a two hour drive northeast of Johannesburg, which can accommodate 43,589 fans.

In Rustenburg, a Jacobsen Tri-King ride-on triple mower will be used to prepare the pitch at the 44,530 seat Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace, where England will open their campaign against the USA on 12th June.

The existing Orlando stadium in Johannesburg, which was built in 1959, has undergone a R234 million (£20 million) facelift and is being used as a training venue. The pitches here are being maintained with a Jacobsen LF-3800 five unit ride-on mower, similar to the machines used by clubs in the UK, including Alan Ferguson at Ipswich Town's training facility.

Cape Town's Athlone Stadium, the traditional home of football in the Western Cape, has been transformed with an injection of R400 million (£34 million) that has raised it to the standard required for a 2010 FIFA World Cup™ training venue. A Jacobsen Tri-King and an LF-3800 are being used here.

David Withers, managing director of Ransomes Jacobsen commented,
"Once again we are delighted that it's our equipment maintaining the playing surfaces at many of the venues at this global tournament. It's a great feeling to know that Ipswich has a connection with such a major sporting occasion, probably the biggest televised event across the globe. It's a testament to the quality and reputation of our equipment that they are the preferred mowers of choice for stadium venues around the world."

For more information visit: www.ransomesjacobsen.com




















A Jacobsen Tri-King at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban The Athlone stadium pitch is being maintained with a
ride-on Jacobsen LF-3800 five cylinder mower















An LF-3800 at the Orlando stadium in Johannesburg.