Building an Arsenal of Grounds Equipment Attachmentstest

By Mike Fitzpatrick

November 2015

Mowers and utility vehicles are the backbones of grounds departments in institutional and commercial facilities, in part because of their ability to help grounds crews perform a variety of tasks. One key component of this versatility is the performance of attachments for these pieces of equipment, including mowing decks, snow plows, brooms, aerators and sprayers, to name a few.

By identifying the needs of their departments and understanding attachment options, managers can successfully specify attachments that increase worker productivity and maximize post-purchase equipment performance.

Needs and options

Grounds managers can devote a great deal of valuable time and energy researching and specifying attachments for mowers, tractors and utility vehicles. But before making a final decision, it is important to consider their departments’ needs.

For example, if a department generally uses a mower to carry out landscaping duties but also to provide such services as slit seeding, aeration, pest control, leaf and debris removal, and snow and ice management periodically, it makes more sense to buy specific attachments for each task, rather than buying a separate piece of equipment for each task.

Financially speaking, investing in one large purchase, such as a mower or truck, and using one engine rather than buying three or four large pieces of equipment will save money in the short term and the long run. From an efficiency standpoint, equipment is not meant to sit idle for long periods, so if crews use select pieces of equipment just a few times a year, the chances of mechanical problems occurring actually increase. This is the point at which the value of investing in attachments rather than motorized pieces of equipment comes into play.

Most manufacturers of grounds equipment provide an array of attachments for their units. While mowers are the most common and expensive purchases among grounds departments, managers can use attachments up and down the range of equipment. The selection of attachments varies from large pieces of equipment to mid-size and small pieces, such as handheld tools.

Manufacturers of mowers now produce cutting-edge, multi-use technology for their customers. For example, they produce extremely efficient out-front mowers that help grounds crews accomplish a variety of tasks using just one motor.

Due to their increased visibility, out-front mowers are particularly accommodating for those grounds managers whose crews mow around and under obstacles, such as trees, signs, and light poles, because they increase proficiency and accuracy. Out-front mowers also have better drive traction and balance than some other types of mowers, so they offer increased performance on hillsides.

Most manufacturers have their own selection of attachments, but purchasing from a manufacturer of grounds attachments has become an increasingly popular option for managers to consider. These companies not only provide a selection of attachments for out-front mowers. Their attachments also are designed to fit with a variety of major manufacturers.