Arborcraft Tree Services, a Melbourne-based arborist and tree maintenance company, has seen steady growth since they started 10 years ago, which has led them to purchase a brand-new Vermeer BC2100XL wood chipper.

Sam Pusey founded Arborcraft as a one-man band. Now he has a staff of 25 and a diverse range of projects the business contracts out for. “I remember having to cart my chainsaw up the stairs of my apartment block each day. Now, we’ve got our own six-acre facility, where we recycle wood and mulch, and I have room for much more equipment,” he says.

“I think our growth has a lot to do with backing ourselves from the start, investing in our people and delivering 100% for our customers.”

Sam and Arborcraft started doing simple residential tree work, removing branches and stumps, fine pruning and confined space tree removal, but now they focus on more large-scale commercial projects for both private companies and the state government – from tree management and tree reports, to tree transplanting, tree planting and removals, as well as habitat creation.

“We have contracts and projects right across the state, and we’re slowly building a presence in NSW. Our vision is to be a one stop shop – and that’s not just a slogan, we want to do everything and be there to support our customers. Focusing on growth will help us achieve that,” Sam says.

Part of this growth saw Sam purchase a brand-new Vermeer BC2100XL wood chipper, which is engineered for high volume waste timber processing and able to process timber up to 21 inches (53.3 cm) in diameter.

“The production of the machine is just quality. It might have a small engine, but it has high output with low emissions, something we’re very passionate about – ensuring our business is being sustainable where it can be.

“The safety features also really tick the boxes. Historically, tree machinery has been quite taxing on our bodies, as operating the machine can be labour intensive, but the remote-control option with the BC2100XL has helped us manage that, making using the machine less demanding, and more productive for us.”

The remote control on the BC2100XL operates forward, reverse and stop functions for the feed rollers, restarting the feed rollers, plus engine throttle, engine stop, and crush boost for the upper feed roller and hydraulic discharge chute positions (if equipped), meaning operators can still work the machine from a safe distance.

Sam purchased the wood chipper from his local Vermeer Australia dealer in Melbourne, and based on his positive experience dealing with Marcus Scott and the Melbourne team he will soon be adding more Vermeer’s to his fleet.

“The service and response rate has been great. I have a real open and honest relationship with our rep Marcus, and even with the guys in the workshop. When I picked up the machine, I had my own dedicated service tech looking after us throughout the whole service and delivery period,” Sam says.

The reach and coverage of Vermeer’s support has also been a positive for Sam and Arborcraft.

“Recently we were working a job three and a half hours out of Melbourne, and had a small warranty issue on the chipper, nothing major, but enough for us to stop work. Vermeer had a tech out to us in an hour and a half from one of their other branches, and we were back up and running in no time.”

Want to find out more about Vermeer’s tree care range? Head to https://www.vermeeraustralia.com.au/tree-care-arbor/