Jeff Overington, the owner and director of Treetment, initially worked for his dad’s gardening business, Kirwan Group Services, until the opportunity presented to branch out into the arbor industry. Kirwan was a large company and was finding more and more need for arborists. When the opportunity came knocking for Jeff to learn the trade, go to TAFE and start his arborist courses and licences, he grabbed the bull by the horns and hasn’t looked back since.
Jeff Overington decided to branch out on his own and set up his tree care business, Treetment, in March 2010. The last 12 years have seen Jeff and Treetment go from strength to strength, focusing on building his team and equipment up slowly but surely as he went.
Today Jeff primarily relies on a range of machinery – including a Först chipper, Rayco chippers, a Rayco stumper and a CMC platform – to keep his team working safely and productively.
Speaking of equipment, his most recent purchase was a Först ST8 chipper which has proved its worth in his business several times over thanks to its small footprint but substantial power and capabilities.
It’s all about long-term relationships
Over the years, Jeff has built a strong relationship through his long-term positive experiences with the team from Global Machinery Sales. When Jeff’s rep Ryan McKenna started sharing the advantages and features of the Först ST8, Jeff was pretty much sold on the spot. Jeff shared: “Since I started my business in 2010, Ryan has always worked hard and prepared us to avoid downtime with machines and clients. He always gives us honest advice about all matters within the arb industry – he is someone you can gain a wealth of knowledge from as he deals with so many people within the industry at all levels.”
Jeff continued, “When Ryan started sharing with me the ability of the Först ST8 to access tight areas such as laneways, rear yards and more limited street access, I knew this chipper would solve some headaches for us if it had the grunt we required. After seeing the chipper in action for the first time, I instantly knew it was going to be a winner for us and that Ryan had sent us down the right path yet again.”
After chatting with Jeff on-site in Werribee in Victoria, it doesn’t take long to figure out he’s a ‘people person’ who puts the highlights of his career thus far down to starting his own business and helping others start up in the industry. He is just that type of great guy.
It’s not the first time Jeff has been featured in The Australian Arbor Age magazine, and I was impressed when he pulled out a copy of the magazine from September 2003 that, I must say, was in excellent condition. Since then, Jeff was happy to elaborate on the times that have changed quite a bit: “Today, we operate a range of machines to suit various sizes jobs. We enjoy the excellent reliability of our machinery and excellent service from our dealers like Global Machinery Sales. Our Först ST8 chipper is another example of the improvements in machinery over the years. Recently, our main chipper broke down and took a week or two to come back online. We used the Först ST8 as our main chipper this time, and I was amazed at how well it performed. For a compact machine, it punches well above its weight.”
The next generation are coming up
Jeff’s plans for the future for Treetment are to let the younger guys build on their skills and experience, and eventually take over the business in the future as Jeff approaches retirement age. When asking Jeff if he had any advice for other arborists starting on their own path, he said, “Bite the bullet early on in business and buy high quality machinery, chainsaws and safety equipment to increase turnover with less downtime and I couldn’t recommend the team at Global Machinery Sales any higher.”
In good hands with Ryan McKenna from Global Machinery Sales
Ryan McKenna has been a Business Development Manager at Global Machinery Sales for the last 12 years and has worked with Jeff at Treetment over the previous ten years. Over that time, Ryan has sold Jeff two Rayco stump grinders (RG1645 and RG37T), two Rayco chippers (RC16.5 and RC1522), a Först ST8 chipper and awaiting the arrival of new CMC S18F spider lift.
When asking Ryan about the key benefits and features of the Först ST8, he shared, “Size for output on the ST8 is impressive. Jeff recently had their large chipper off the road for repairs, therefore had to use the Först as their primary chipper, and they could not believe the material such a small machine could process. The Först was purchased because of workload and to set up a second truck/chipper for the first time in the business history but has since become their go-to machine unless the bigger unit is specifically needed. Adding the Först to the fleet is generating income and cutting expenses because of the ability to leave the big chipper in the shed and tow around a much smaller, lighter, fuel-efficient truck and chipper combo that loses nothing in terms of productivity.”
Ryan continued, “The team at Treetment are more like mates than business associates. Jeff, the owner, is an absolute ripping bloke that is not only incredibly easy to deal with but also passes on some handy tips for the horses on the odd occasion. In recent times Jeff’s son Liam has taken a more active and leading role, and he is a chip off the old block. He’s a great young kid with an excellent attitude and work ethic, which is rare these days.”
The Först and CMC lines are continuing to grow and are starting to gather brand awareness in the market. There will be some exciting new lines arriving soon in the way of BG Lift cranes and the addition of a Queensland Global Machinery Sales branch providing a real national footprint feel.
The team at Global Machinery Sales stand by their service and support, being second to none across the board. The recent acquisition of some industry- experienced staff has only added to that level of expertise and customer service.
For more information on Treetment get in touch with Jeff Overington at treetment@live.com.au. To find out about the Global Machinery Sales equipment range visit globalmachinerysales.com.au or call 1300 072 926.