Jeffrey Meredith is the Vice President of Sussex Tree, Inc, a family business started by his father, Jeff Sr. The Delaware-based tree care company is known for its exceptional service and high-quality work.
Once Sussex purchased their first crane, an Altec AC38-127S, Jeffrey realized that it helped increase his team’s efficiency. “The cranes have been tremendous additions because we’ve been able to do a lot more work with less. We’re getting better and better at finding where we can use cranes to get work done.”
This upgraded efficiency created a ripple effect that increased Sussex’s profitability. Jeffrey indicates that the company has grown year after year while only adding a handful of employees over time. “We’re able to keep the overhead a little smaller while increasing the company’s overall revenue.”
According to Meredith, the AC38-127S saves Sussex Tree money by decreasing hours spent on the job. “Some of the jobs we do would take us 50% longer without a crane.”
With a crane cab and a comfortable seat, the AC38-127S truck mounted crane is ideal for tree care work or any job that requires extended operating intervals. A 76,000 lb maximum lifting capacity coupled with a main boom length of 127 ft allows the operator to remove and lift even the tallest trees. For an added bonus, the unit’s LMAP (Load Moment Area Protection) system allows the operator to define audible alarm set points, preventing overload and increasing overall safety.
In addition to efficiency, Meredith mentions he’s afforded the luxury of flexibility thanks to the unit. As the AC38-127S is a truck-mounted crane, it eliminates the need for road permits, enabling the team at Sussex Tree to move freely from one job to another.
Beyond the unit itself, Meredith is grateful for his relationship with Altec. and appreciates how well Altec has helped him maintain his company’s equipment. “From a service standpoint, they’ve always done a good job taking care of us.”
He also feels comfortable sending his crew out in an Altec unit because of the, “Well thought out safety features the equipment is designed with.”
“You guys do a really good job evaluating and engineering things into your product before their release, taking away some of the guesswork that may potentially turn into a safety issue,” Meredith said.
All in all, Meredith is confident in the AC38’s ability to get the job done. “There are very few situations that we get into that one of our two cranes can’t get us through.”
Are you interested in seeing what a crane can do for your tree care business? Call 800-958-2555 or contact an Altec representative online.
