CBRE renews its groundcare fleet with AS-Motor
62 new machines, challenging sites across the UK, and a clear directive for selection: employees should choose the equipment that allows them to do their job most effectively. Price was not a factor in the evaluation. The result was unequivocal. The groundcare teams at CBRE once again opted for AS-Motor.
Operators decided on the new mowing technology
CBRE manages around 6,000 sites across the UK. Many of these have little in common with conventional lawn maintenance. The teams work at commercial and industrial sites, technical facilities, and remote areas where vegetation is sometimes cut back just once a year.
These are not uniformly maintained lawns. Dense growth, tall grass, brambles, uneven terrain, or steep embankments define the daily workload.
For the renewal of its groundcare fleet, CBRE therefore relied on those who know these conditions best: the machine operators themselves.
Operators decided which machines would join the fleet
“We took a bottom-up approach,” explains Paul Clark, National Grounds and Maintenance Manager at CBRE. “We asked the people who work with the equipment every day to select the best machines for their tasks. There was one clear directive: price should not influence the decision.”
The feedback from the teams, according to Clark, was unequivocal. Time and again, the choice fell on AS-Motor.
This had a concrete basis. AS-Motor machines have been part of the CBRE fleet for many years. Some units, the company states, are still in operation after eight or nine years of use.
Our teams repeatedly chose AS-Motor because they trust the performance, reliability, and capability of the machines under demanding operating conditions.
For a fleet renewal of this scale, this hands-on experience carries more weight than a comparison on paper. The operators know the machines from their own daily work and have used them for years under varying conditions.
When tall grass is only part of the problem
CBRE describes many of its sites as challenging rural areas. In some cases, mowing takes place just once a year. By the time the groundcare teams arrive, dense and tall vegetation has taken over.
Added to this are embankments, uneven ground, and hard-to-access areas.
“A large part of our work is not routine lawn maintenance,” says Clark. “Our teams often work on difficult sites where vegetation has been allowed to grow for extended periods.”
The consequence for the machine fleet: a single type of mower is not enough.
For large areas of tall grass, CBRE needs different equipment than for a steep slope. Narrow or smaller areas, in turn, place different demands on the operator and the machine. This is precisely why the new fleet combines ride-on high-grass mowers, hand-guided machines, and remote-controlled flail technology.
62 AS-Motor machines for diverse operating conditions
The confirmed fleet renewal includes 62 machines:
| AS-Motor Model | Description | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 62 | |
| AS 940 Sherpa XL | Ride-on high-grass mower for difficult terrain and demanding green spaces | 27 |
| AS 1040 YAK XL | Ride-on flail mower for tall, dense vegetation and challenging operating conditions | 11 |
| AS 1000 OVIS EVO RC | Remote-controlled flail mower for embankments and hard-to-access terrain | 4 |
| AS 901 SM | Hand-guided flail mower for tall vegetation and robust vegetation maintenance | 6 |
| AS 63 4T Allmäher | Hand-guided high-grass mower for tall grass and uneven surfaces | 7 |
| AS 510 ProClip 4T A | Professional mulching mower for regularly maintained green spaces | 7 |
Additionally, CBRE will integrate 30 AS 30 WeedHex machines into the fleet. These are designed for mechanical weed removal on hard surfaces, such as paths and edges.
This means the machine fleet covers a wide range of vegetation tasks. From annual high-grass mowing to hard surfaces, not every task requires more machine—it requires the right machine.
Remote-controlled mowing technology debuts at CBRE
Four AS 1000 OVIS EVO RC units mark a new step for CBRE. For the first time, the company is incorporating remote-controlled mowers into its groundcare fleet.
Especially on steep embankments, remote control fundamentally changes the workflow. The operator no longer needs to sit directly on the machine or walk immediately behind it but can control it from a distance.
CBRE expects this to deliver benefits in terms of both operator safety and productivity when working on slopes and hard-to-access areas.
The introduction of remote-controlled mowing technology is a significant step for us. For the first time, we are deploying such machines in our fleet. We anticipate improvements in operator safety and productivity on steep embankments and difficult terrain.
For AS-Motor, this exact application profile is central. Remote-controlled flail mowers become particularly valuable where dense vegetation and challenging terrain intersect, and the distance between operator and machine offers a practical advantage.
Machine handover with BAGMA-accredited operator training
New technology only works in a fleet if operators know how to use it.
This is why the project did not end with delivery. AriensCo UK conducted a BAGMA-accredited handover and operator training for the CBRE groundcare teams during the handover.
Participants received direct instruction on the machines, covering basic operation and relevant safety features. Upon completion, they were awarded a training certificate.
This part was particularly relevant for the remote-controlled machines. Paul Clark sees the training as a prerequisite for the teams to use the new technology safely from day one and fully utilise its benefits in their daily work.
Sam Lewis, General Manager of AriensCo UK, also emphasises this point:
We are proud to support CBRE in its first deployment of remote-controlled mowing technology. Through the BAGMA-accredited handover and training, we ensured that operators had the knowledge and confidence to use the machines safely from the very first day.
Dealer support is part of the concept for a fleet of this size
The machines were supplied by Lawncare Garden Machinery in collaboration with AriensCo UK. For CBRE, the choice of supplier was not just about the machines themselves but also long-term support.
Paul Clark describes the collaboration with Lawncare as solution-oriented. The team engaged with CBRE’s operational requirements and supported the fleet planning accordingly.
Lawncare is also responsible for ongoing service and after-sales support.
“With a project of this scale, it’s not just about delivering machines,” says Barbara Green of Lawncare Garden Machinery. “We also provide CBRE with long-term service and after-sales support to ensure the machines remain operational for many years.”
In preparing and handing over the machines in northern Britain, Ashley Mowers in Altrincham and G & W Lawnmowers in Dundee also provided support. According to Lawncare, coordination with CBRE team leaders enabled on-time delivery of the fleet to the various teams.
A fleet decision driven by practical experience
For Sam Lewis, the strongest statement of the project is not the number of machines.
What is particularly valuable to us is that the decision was made by the people who use these machines every day. CBRE allowed the teams to select the equipment based on performance, not price. In doing so, they chose AS-Motor by a large majority.
The combination of AS 940 Sherpa XL, AS 1040 YAK XL, AS 1000 OVIS EVO RC, and hand-guided machines therefore does not represent a standard fleet. It reflects the actual working conditions of the CBRE teams.
Sometimes, the task involves tall vegetation that has grown over months. At another site, it may be a steep embankment. Elsewhere, smaller areas need to be worked on foot or weeds removed from hard surfaces.
After several years of experience with AS-Motor, CBRE decided to continue this approach while also taking a new step with remote-controlled mowing technology.
Why did CBRE choose AS-Motor?
CBRE allowed groundcare staff to select the machines based on their suitability for daily use, with price not influencing the decision. According to CBRE, the teams chose AS-Motor again due to their previous experience with the brand and the performance of the machines under difficult operating conditions.
The confirmed fleet renewal comprises 62 machines. These include AS 940 Sherpa XL, AS 1040 YAK XL, AS 1000 OVIS EVO RC, AS 901 SM, AS 63 4T Allmäher and AS 510 ProClip 4T A. In addition, CBRE is introducing 30 AS 30 WeedHex machines for sealed surfaces.
The AS 1000 OVIS EVO RC models are primarily intended for work on steep embankments and in difficult-to-access terrain. CBRE expects the remote control to improve operator safety and productivity in these applications.
AriensCo UK conducted a BAGMA-accredited Handover & Operator Training during the machine handover. Operators were instructed in the basic use and safety features of the machines and received a corresponding certificate upon completion.
CBRE manages around 6,000 sites across the UK. Groundcare tasks include areas with long and dense vegetation, embankments, uneven terrain, and sections that are sometimes mown only once a year.
Tall grass, dense vegetation or steep embankments require different machine concepts. AS-Motor develops high-grass, flail and remote-controlled mowers for areas where conventional lawnmowers reach their limits.