Groen & Bouw, located in Zwolle, is one of 80 institutes throughout The Netherlands that employ handicapped workers. The company, which is partially subsidized by the government, puts approximately 900 people to work in four market sectors: construction, painting, printing, and green care and maintenance.
In business for 30 years, the institute purchased its first Walker mower 10 years ago - an 11-hp Briggs & Stratton model. It then upgraded to two 16-hp models. Now it operates four diesel units, all with mulching decks.
"The Walkers are especially helpful for maintaining bungalow parks, relates Mr. Zuidberg, head of the company's technical development, and Mr. Doldersum, project planner. The job that Walker Talk visited was a bungalow park that housed 365 units. Crews using three Walkers mowed the entire 35 hectare property in 2.5 days.
The Walkers are really put to a test in the park, going nonstop all day. "I can mow 5 or 6 units in five minutes, tells one operator who has been with the company three years. "In my opinion, there is no better machine on the market."
In addition to mowing around individual units, the operators mow around the tennis courts, swimming pools, common areas, and sides of the road leading to the complex.
The green care division of Groen & Bouw employs 200 of the company's total work force. Before purchasing the Walker, the division mowed with five mid-size walk mowers. The logic for getting the Walkers? "We wanted our employees to sit down and still have the maneuverability they had with the walk mowers," tells Zuidberg.
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