Chris Capsis, owner and lead Arborist of Outdoor Tree Service, is a multi-facetted guy, a marine mechanic by trade, surfer and arborist, who realised nearly a decade ago the increased speed, efficiency and safety of working from spider lifts and EWPs. With the 11-meter outreach of his CMC S18F, Chris and his team are safely and efficiently completing jobs in times that simply weren’t possible when only climbing.
With 22 years as an arborist under his belt Chris has seen many changes in the industry over his time, some he is a fan of and others not so much. But one thing for sure, Chris and the Outdoor Tree Service team have fully embraced and love their CMC S18F.
Chris shared: “I started out with a lawn mowing business and I used to live with a mate that was in the tree business. After starting to do work with him and finding I was well suited to the industry and had a passion for it, it just evolved from there. Having a mechanical background allows me to do a lot of maintenance and repair work myself saving the company thousands in repair bills and reducing down time costs.”
A small but highly efficient team
Chris has gone through several incarnations of his business over the years with it at one stage involving three crews, and all the headaches that go with running a larger team. Today Chris has gone full circle deciding to run with a smaller and more efficient team. “I have given up on trying to please everyone all the time, instead today I focus on keeping our smaller team happy and productive, we run two 4×4 chipper trucks, 1590XP and 915XP Bandit chippers, Bandit and Rayco stump grinders, a 40ft truck mounted EWP, track CMC spider lift EWP and Stihl chainsaws. My first machine was a Bandit 9-inch chipper about 20 years ago. They have evolved a lot since then. My first stump grinder was a Rayco 1625 super junior stump grinder. Other equipment we have purchased includes an RG 50 4×4 super, an Angry Ant loader and recently the CMC spider lift.”
The CMC S18F excels in real world conditions
Chatting with Chris about the challenges of climbing, shoulder injuries and surgeries it highlights the massive advantages that the CMC S18F has bought to Chris’s business and how that directly translates to the significantly faster completion of jobs, added safety and reduction in work-related injuries onsite. “The ability of the CMC S18F to work in real world conditions is one of its best features – from the adjustable tracks which can reduce to narrow width of access of 770mm allowing it access into doorways and narrow gates, to its massive horizontal reach of 11m and 18m of height The basket can take two people and it’s an all-round reliable and stable machine and has been a great addition to the business. I’m proud that my hard work in the industry has paid off and I have been able to own my house and my machinery,” shared Chris.
The success of the CMC S18F comes down to a clever and reliable design. Chris has owned other similar equipment previously which just didn’t stand up to the type of work he and his team undertake. The S18F comes equipped with a single pantograph and two stage telescopic boom plus jib, mechanically adjustable tracks in height and width, with an impressive lateral outreach. This is a truly multipurpose aerial platform with amazing performance which is suited to both commercial use and rental companies.
Stuart Samson from Global Machinery Sales Chris has been purchasing equipment from Stuart Samson from Global Machinery Sales for more than eight years and the two have built a great relationship over that time. With both Chris and Stuart having a wealth of individual experience and industry knowledge, the two have worked together well on ensuring Chris has the best information and equipment on hand. “Stuart Samson has been a great asset as he has worked and knows the industry, he’s very easy to talk to and deal with. After sale service and advice is paramount and Stuart has always provided this to a high level,” said Chris.
Stuart Samson himself has been the NSW State Manager at Global Machinery Sales for eight years now and has been working with Chris for that entire time. When asking Stuart about the relationship with Chris and the purchase of the CMC S18F, he shared: “It’s been a great opportunity to work with Chris and watch the business evolve to where it is today. Chris is a great example of clever business owner who embrace the philosophy of working smarter not harder. The S18F has been a great addition to the business to enable exactly that – with Chris now not taking on jobs, where he can’t use the S18F. It allows them to perform their job in a safe and efficient manner with its stability, narrow access and class leading outreach of 11 meters. Chris Capsis has been a great customer over the years, with our relationship starting with Rayco stump grinders and now withCMC Aerial Platforms. The S18F has been such a good fit for Chris and so many other businesses. It’s no wonder CMC with their attention to detail, excellent service and innovative design have grown to the world’s largest tracked EWP manufacturer.”
For more information visit outdoortreeservice.com.au and globalmachinerysales.com.au