Contractor Ed Dawson specialises in niche operations such as gritting, site clearance and maintenance and needs efficient and durable equipment for demanding sites. From a base in Cheshire, W E Dawson Ltd takes on a range of contracts for utilities and private clients.
One implement well suited to the rigorous work is his 2.8m cut Müthing MU-Pro 280 flail, supplied by Simon Richard Ltd, which is used for mowing in all types of applications from topping meadows to tackling scrub and undergrowth.
Designed for the most demanding conditions, the MU-Pro is suitable for tractors up to 250hp and offers powerful mulching performance: the gearbox has an integrated overrun clutch and through drive for 1000rpm.
For front or rear mounting, the MU-Pro uses a spiral rotor with high-tempered M-Hammer flails, working against the patented removable Shark Fin shredding bar to finely shred the material. The adjustable Vario cutting bar can be used to tailor the chopping performance to the vegetation being tackled.
A self-cleaning height-adjustable roller carries the mulcher and has rounded edges to protect the soil; other features include a slide-mounted headstock offering 56cm hydraulic side shift.
Ed explains, “I had the Müthing on demonstration on a stewardship area where growth was 5ft tall in places, and it just chewed it up. I had asked for spare belts to be provided for the demo, as it was such rough cutting, but they weren’t needed.”
He comments that the robustness of the MU-Pro is a real bonus for the tough environment of utility work. “It has never missed a beat since it was purchased in 2018, although I’m considering replacing it just because I like to keep my fleet up to date. Another possibility is that as this flail is mainly used front-mounted, to get a rear-mounted unit and use the two together to increase outputs further.”
A further plus, he comments, is an excellent parts and service back-up from Simon Richard Ltd. “I genuinely can’t fault the machine or the back-up, and in our line of work, that’s essential,” he says.