Morris's Grounds Maintenance

Challenge

Morris’s Ground Maintenance was given the task of removing mature ash trees from around a 14^th Century Welsh castle – with the clear instruction to not let branches or tree trunks fall against the ruined structure.

The castle, near Usk in Monmouthshire, was also located several hundred yards from the nearest road, across rough pasture, so there were challenges in getting vehicles and equipment to the worksites.

Solution

Due to the size of the project, the company decided to buy a spider platform from APS. The Hinowa Lightlift 17.75  Performance IIIS spider lift selected was the ideal platform to assist the team in carrying out the work.

The ash trees being removed had been infected with ash dieback, a disease that makes branches highly brittle, so conventional rope climbing method, to reduce the trees were not safe.

Instead, the Hinowa LL 17.75, which has a maximum working height of 17.06m and an outreach of 7.5m, could be towed on a 3.5t trailer behind a 4x4 vehicle to a point close to the castle.

The highly compact spider boom could then be tracked into position through narrow openings in the castle walls and set up to allow tree surgeons to reduce the trees branch-by-branch.

Outcome

Morris’s Grounds Maintenance removed up to 40 mature ash trees from around the castle walls, a task completed without damaging the castle structure.

Fifteen days had been scheduled to carry out the work. Using the Hinowa LL 17.75, it was completed in just eight.

Business director Tom Morris said: “The Hinowa is a brilliant machine. Without it, some of our work on this project would’ve been impossible to do. Having the Hinowa makes that big a difference.

“In the past, we’ve hired in Hinowa spider booms when we need to, but the rental cost of such a large project made it more feasible for us to buy our own machine.

“Our customers are always impressed when we use Hinowa spider platforms. They know they’re safer and we can demonstrate they’re more productive, and help us manage trees to the highest standard.”

Site supervisor Simon Parsons said: “I’m sure having the Hinowa platform ready to go will win us more work and bigger projects, quickly repaying the trust and the investment we’ve put into acquiring it.

“Ash dieback alone is going to keep the spider platform busy. The disease began to appear in our area around three years ago. Now up to half our jobs involve working on trees affected by ash dieback.”

Find out more

Talk to APS about Hinowa spider lifts. Call 01480 891251.