Business Central September 2020

| 77 Volume 5 | Issue 3 CONTRACTING » Asplundh Tree care specialist goes back to its roots Asplundh’s services include the full range of arboriculture services including power line clearance. Kelly Deeks V egetation management specialist Asplundh is going back to its roots with a renewed focus on the tree trimming services that started the company in the US in 1929. Asplundh has grown into a world leader in vegetation management, and the still family-owned and controlled business now employs more than 34,000 staff throughout US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Asplundh New Zealand began in 1990 with one truck and three skilled arborists, and is now rec- ognised as a premier arboricultural and vegetation control company. Its customers from Northland to Stewart Island range from farmers to local councils, government departments, power companies, and the general public. Services include the full range of arboriculture services including power line clearance, land clear- ance, and shelter belt trimming, all completed with the vision to providing safe, cost effective, quality services that are sustainable and add value while benefiting the wider community. Asplundh New Zealand general manager service delivery Gareth Jones says key to achieving this is getting things right at ground level, on a day-to-day basis. “The past 12 months have been fantastic,” he says. “We’ve gone back to our core business of trees and providing a service that’s known to be reliable. We’re not over promising and under deliv- ering, that’s a core principle of our business. “We do a quality job, we let you know when we’re going to be there, and we do it properly. “We’ve had a great response from the smaller residential property owners to large commercial clients and utility companies. “We’ve got integrity and honesty right from the ground crew through to the general managers. It’s becoming our point of difference.” Asplundh’s core expertise is in trees, and their maintenance and management for landowners, local authorities, utility companies, and commercial clients. Its arboriculture teams are highly trained, nationally certified and competent, with work robust and safety focused procedures. Use of the latest equipment and resources en- sures Asplundh’s work is carried out in accordance with safe work procedures, and with the minimum amount of disruption. Its comprehensive 24/7 service means Asplundh teams are regularly relied upon to help get the power back on after storms by clearing debris and repairing damage quickly and efficiently. Asplundh can even provide specialist technical advice and guidance in relation to the Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003. Asplundh New Zealand’s direct links with its sis- ter companies in America and Australia puts it in the fortunate position of being able to leverage off of their successes, their systems, and their processes. The US for example has had a huge focus on health and safety for many years, and the knowl- edge gained there is available to Asplundh New Zealand. “Health and safety isn’t just a box ticking exer- cise,” Gareth says. “We’ve got the systems and the processes, now we want the change in behaviours. It’s about peo- ple’s inclination to report incidents - people aren’t afraid to do that anymore because by doing that they will make someone else safe at work” As well as high quality work, Asplundh puts a huge emphasis on safety, and holds the safety of its workforce in the highest regard. Safety is an integral part of the Asplundh culture and staff, sub-contractors, and clients are expected to operate safely at all times. To support Asplundh in delivering its vision, the company maintains ISO 9001, ISO 14001, AS/ NZS 4801, Sitesafe Green, ISNetworld and IMPAC prequalification’s. “We do a quality job, we let you know when we’re going to be there, and we do it properly.”