For more than 30 years, Arbor Age magazine has been covering new and innovative products, services, technology and research vital to tree care companies, municipal arborists and utility right-of-way maintenance companies
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/389416
www.arborage.com ARBOR AGE OCTOBER 2014 11 other organic fuel options. — John Foote, vice president of sales and marketing, Morbark With injectables and Targeted Zone Root Feeding, trucks can be smaller. Sprinter-style truck designs that were for turf are morphing into tree sprayers. With up to 5,500 pounds of payload capacity and new 4-cylinder engines that produce 25 mpg, these rolling billboards can be extremely profi table, even to include multi- tank systems and dual hose reels. — Gary Maurer, president, Green Pro Solutions, LLC One of the dilemmas the industry is currently facing is the lack of trained employees that have the ability and willingness to climb trees. So, trending now is equipment that takes away the need to attract or train professional tree climbers. An example of this can be seen in an increase in popularity of backyard aerials. — Andy Price, Altec tree care market manager What we're seeing with our tree service clients is a defi nite emphasis on effi ciency, performance and safety. From an effi ciency standpoint, our clientele wants to be as productive in the fi eld as possible. They are always evaluating their effi ciency in the fi eld, and looking for ways to improve. It's been that way for years in the major right- of-way maintenance sector where many have moved to the use of mechanical tree trimming from a pure effi ciency standpoint; and from a safety standpoint as well. As far as performance, the big knock on mechanical trimming in residential areas, for example, was that you could never get the arborist-quality cuts with mechanical equipment. At Jarraff, we've tried to address that with our rear lot trimmer by incorporating precise cutting capability in the machine. We've developed a patent-pending 180 rotating saw head capable of precise horizontal cutting and tree topping. That has really gotten the attention of municipalities, as well as tree service companies that operate in residential areas. Any time you can improve effi ciency, while maintaining or exceed quality expectations, people will take notice. — Heidi Boyum, president, Jarraff Industries While increased comfort and effi ciency are perennial trends, we're seeing increased interest in stationary rope systems, and any products that upgrade ascension. — Alma Hill, president and CEO of SherrillTree With the increase of noise and emission restrictions, one of the biggest industry trends this year is that battery- powered products are becoming more common in the professional tree care market, especially for smaller jobs, niche applications, and for customers preferring more environmentally friendly options — especially in municipalities. To meet marketplace needs, we are continuing our design and manufacturing efforts in zero-exhaust emissions and low noise. Power-to-weight ratios and fuel effi ciency continue to be important in the tree care industry. Our top handle chain saws continue to be in high demand because they are easy to maneuver while doing in-tree work, durable and fuel-effi cient. — Kent Hall, senior product manager, Stihl Inc. The addition of engine options is something that is becoming an important need for the tree care industry. For the most part this is driven by the emission standards. Many manufacturers, including Vermeer, are coming out with gas engine options for brush chippers and stump cutters. — Todd Roorda, tree care and rental sales manager for Vermeer What outside factors have had the biggest impact on equipment design/ manufacture and/or on equipment sales to professional arborists? Fleet/curb appeal, company logos and cleanliness of the equipment. — Tom Duffy, spray equipment manager at SherrillTree The two biggest factors that impact equipment design/manufacturing/sales are pricing and availability. Pricing is a signifi cant consideration when customers are purchasing new trucks. Another major consideration is consistency within the customer's fl eet. The more common components a customer has among his/ her trucks, the more streamlined the purchasing process is in the future because he/she doesn't have to remember what components on which trucks are custom and where those custom components were specially sourced from. By basing a trucks' specifi cations on standard options and accessories, customers get a vehicle that meets its crews' needs, adheres to the company's work practices, saves money, and takes less time to produce because the design and construction phase of the purchasing process is considerably shorter. — Tommy Nix, vice president — strategic accounts, Terex Utilities SPECIAL FEATURE PHOTO PROVIDED BY JLG PHOTO PROVIDED BY ALTEC