From his perspective, the operator has a clear view to what he is working on even when it is 30 feet up.Photo: Sennebogen
In the traditional industry of tree service, it can be hard to find ways to stand out, let alone find something completely new.
Yet this doesn’t stop Dan Mayer, owner of Mayer Tree Service based in Essex, Massachusetts, who is constantly searching for ways to give his company an edge.
“I feel like I have seen everything there is,” he said. “It is hard to impress me.”
When Mayer traveled to a jobsite in Switzerland, he encountered the Sennebogen 718 material handler, which was equipped with a saw head.
“I saw what the machine did over there for a tree company of similar size to our company here in the U.S. and that’s what made me pull the trigger. We actually brought the first one into North America.”
Paired with a self-powered Albach Diamant 2000 mobile chipper, Mayer estimates the Sennebogen 718 and the chipper outpace his competition by 10:1 rate.
Mayer Tree Service’s Sennebogen 718 teams up with his Albach 2000. One cuts, stacks and organizes while the other chips.Photo: Sennebogen
“The combination is just deadly,” Mayer said. “It wouldn’t be the same without the Sennebogen. This has been a game changer with just how many trees the Sennebogen takes down, precuts and stacks safely and efficiently. With everything laid out just so, the Albach can come in behind and process them in a fraction of the time.”
The wheeled Sennebogen 718 is designed to handle urban jobsites such as residential spaces, roadsides, parks and golf courses. With a low ground pressure the 48,000-pound machine can work on sensitive lands like golf courses without causing damage. The material handler is also equipped with a 43-foot reach.
Mayer has found the Sennebogen a good fit for his company as its hydraulic tree saw helps his crews stay on top of the workload without causing operator fatigue.
“If we didn’t have it, we would be so overbooked,” he said. “It really helps keep our backlog under control. We would have to pass on some of these jobs, because we just wouldn’t be able to get them done in time.”
Mayer currently employs around 60 to 70 people and compares the introduction of the Sennebogen to his company like previously hand copying everything and then being introduced to a photocopier.
“This 718 has enabled me to grow without having to add any extra people, which is really huge for us, because in this industry, good people are hard to find,” Mayer said. “We have more equipment than people, which I think is a good model.”
Another feature the Sennebogen 718 has is its elevated maXcab, which allows the operator to have better visibility and a direct view into the trees when cutting rather than straight up. The fuel economy is another plus in Mayer’s eyes as he says it can run on a single tank of fuel, even three or four days into a project.
“The Sennebogen doesn’t do everything but when its doing its thing, you can’t touch it,” Mayer said. “It is off the charts.”
For more information about the Sennebogen 718, click here.
