Article provided in collaboration with K & E Tree Stump Service.
Michael Knox says the customers of his tree service don’t really like change. They like his work, service and pricing, and that’s why many of them have hired him for years, if not decades.
Knox isn’t a big fan of change either. “As long as I am making a living, staying busy and enjoying what I am doing, why change?” he asks. “I enjoy running the business. I’m not greedy.” However, when it comes to purchasing tree care equipment that can make his Douglasville, Ga., tree service more productive and efficient, he’s very willing to try something new, especially if it’s painted yellow. “I’m getting older, houses are being built on smaller lots that limit the equipment I can use in backyards,” says the 65-year-old owner of K & E Tree Stump Service.
“It keeps getting more difficult to remove trees and branches from the jobsite to the brush chipper. I have been using my big skid steer loader or the winch on my chipper, but I needed something that would make life easier.”
His solution: a Vermeer S800TX mini skid steer loader. The 35-hp (26.1 kW) machine handles a variety of jobs with a large selection of easy-to-replace attachments. The machine has joystick controls and a dedicated spring-cushioned platform for the operator to ride on. “The S800TX has been an excellent addition to my equipment fleet,” says Knox. “It allows us to save time and effort in moving materials right into the brush chipper with a minimum amount of handling.” The mini skid steer and attachments have also helped Knox and his crew accomplish more in other phases of the business as well. “I use it with a bucket to move dirt and spread chips and handle logs and firewood with the grapple attachment,” he says. “The versatility of the machine is amazing.”
In addition to the skid steer loader, he owns a Vermeer BC1800XL brush chipper and a Vermeer SC502 stump cutter. He even has a Vermeer-colored truck. When he purchased his current bucket truck, he had it painted yellow to match the Vermeer yellow. “It’s been a big hit with my customers,” says Knox. “I’ve had many people say how nice the equipment looks together. I buy only Vermeer products because they are built to last. The truck may be yellow, but I don’t expect it to outlast my Vermeer machines.”